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solo4652

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Posts posted by solo4652

  1. I made this so I can play the cajon standing up.

    It's, errrm, .......Homely. Upcycled. Eco. Cheap 'n' cheerful. Rough 'n' ready. Shabby chic. Shed chic. Cute. Endearing. Unpretentious. Honest. Workmanlike. "World". Cross between a child's easel and deck chair. Conversation piece.

    I'm particularly pleased with the G&L-inspired micro-tilt adjustment system which you can see at the bottom. "Cough*

     

    100_1091.JPG

    100_1090.JPG

    • Like 4
  2. Poking around the web for some inspiration, I came across this video. Firstly, it has really clear explanations, including diagrams, of the main causes of hum. Secondly, it has  lots of easy suggestions for curing hum, including twisting the pickup wires around each other. A peek under the pickguard of my Squier Musicmaster revealed pickup wires not twisted together. Hmmmm - surely can't be that simple, can it? Easy fix, worth a try. Quick twizzle of the pickup twisted the wires together. Result was a much-reduced level of hum! Not really believing this, I fired up the washing machine, and was surprised to find that the the bass really was much quieter. Not only that, while getting all of my washing out of the laundry basket, I found a five pound note. Ha!

     

    • Like 7
  3. 21 hours ago, ikay said:

    The pole pieces on a standard hum-cancelling '51 style pickup won't line up with the narrower string spacing of the Musicmaster. Although you can slant the pickup to get proper alignment (see pic below).

    Aero and Sentell both make drop in replacement pickups for the Musicmaster with the correct pole spacing. Both are single coils though. I have a Sentell 'Big Sis' in my Bronco (great pickup) and it's generally hum free unless I face the amp and get too close.

    Herrick make custom pickups so may be able to rustle up a hum-cancelling Musicmaster style pup for you with the correct pole spacing.

    https://www.herrickpickups.com/

    https://www.sentellpickups.net/bass.html (scroll down for the Lil Sis and Big Sis)

    https://www.aeroinstrument.com/pickups.html (scroll down for the MusicMasterer)

    1102894230_SquierVistaMusicmasterwithSCPBpickup.jpg.a2fa0a29a57c051a1e9498d4d64871a1.jpg

     

    Thank you - excellent advice.

  4. I play with a 3-piece trio, switching between (electric) bass and miced-up cajon, depending on which song we're playing. I'm looking for something just a little more advanced than the cajon to extend the beat sounds we have available. Shopping list:

    Table top drums or drum pads.

    Portable.

    Can gig it be playing it through the desk, or my bass combo.

    Simple - I am a beginner with drums! 4-pad to begin with, maybe.

    Simple - probably no need for foot pedals at this stage.

    Simple - no need for loads of complex samples and built-in rhythms.

    Inexpensive. Budget is £100 max.

    First web trawl throws up these. Any other suggestions?

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016KNIJHG?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAIDFS7VHPOOMSWYMA&linkCode=gs2&creativeASIN=B016KNIJHG&tag=edadvisor-21&creative=165953&camp=2025

    https://www.gear4music.com/Drums-and-Percussion/DD40-Electronic-Drum-Pads-Pack-by-Gear4music/16DR?origin=product-ads&campaign=PLA+Shop+-+GENERIC&adgroup=GENERIC&medium=vertical_search&network=google&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=54927d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=582794439500&gclid=CjwKCAjwtuLrBRAlEiwAPVcZBqjvgzCr86dOkjCI5OYL4ZfMz3qVSTosEt2t_eO6VgiRb9eM5MUKfRoC-TYQAvD_BwE

     

  5. I've just looked inside my cajon - professionally built, don't know the make. Peering through the sound hole, I can see a 10" length of drum snare held onto the striking face of the box in a vertical orientation by metal clips at the ends. The snare is positioned in the bottom LH corner of the cajon. I can see a small wooden block pressing a foam strip onto the snare, held in place by a length of elastic stretched between the metal end-clips. Clearly, the idea is that the small block can be slid along the snare wire to change the tone. No idea how you actually reach it, though! I've attempted to photograph it. 

    On a seperate note, I found it very uncomfortable sitting on top of the box and leaning forward. This playing position really hurt my back. So, I knocked together a folding stand that enables me to play while sitting on a comfy chair, with the striking face of the cajon at an angle between my legs. See photo.

    100_1084.thumb.JPG.9758a65a15cfcfb3d86d0b5a82ccee34.JPG468145609_Foldingcajonstand001.thumb.JPG.00068952a223e00defeb74406cf7c662.JPG

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1
  6. Have you tried micing the cajon? I always do, when I'm not practising at home. Main reasons: it means you don't feel the need to hit the box hard, quite possibly hurting your fingers and wrists in the process. Micing also greatly improves the depth and spread of the tones you'll get. Lots of mic options - you could simply use a vocals mic lying on a cloth inside the cajon. Or, you could get a clip-on drum mic. I use a £20 Yoga D-606 - http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=352730741518&category=29946&pm=1&ds=0&t=1565797779000&ver=0   through either the desk, or my Eden 10 bass combo. 

  7. 5 minutes ago, stewblack said:

    Shame @solo4652that line up didn't work for you. To be honest I can easily see the appeal as  a bassist of playing in either band. 

    I agree with you, the others do seem to be excellent musicians, funnily enough the bass player wasn't in any way out of place alongside them 

    You're very kind - thank you!

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