HowieBass

Speaking of confusion, is Arthur Baker, Hylda Baker's son? I must get a little hand put on this watch...

I'd do the same as you, run into the active input; I doubt the Zoom would drop the signal down to the level of a passive instrument and some people would use the B3 as an active pre-amp anyway. The B3's maximum output level: [line]+5dBm(Output load impedance 10kΩ or higher).

I listened on headphones which do have a fairly decent response for bass so yeah you might be overcompensating for what you think is a bass heavy sound from your monitors.

Have you always used the Rotosound stainless steel roundwounds? If so then you'll find their nickel rounds are somewhat mellower/darker in sound than the steels and have a nicer feel (the nickels with the blue silks are better than the unsilked Rotobass so you might try the RS 66LDN set).

Isn't that frequency response for the speaker on its own without the tweeter? I believe both cabs have tweeters fitted to handle the high frequencies. Have you used a multimeter to check the true cab impedance?

The 20 LN and 25 KN might be date of manufacture codes for the speakers (for example, with Celestions the speaker date code is printed on the cone). As has already been mentioned the difference in volume from one cabinet to the other is likely due to the difference in both design and speakers used; however, you might wish to check the cab impedances just to be sure both are presenting an 8 ohm load.

I was also going to suggest speaker/cabinet efficiency and with a little browsing found the following: Ashdown MAG410T SPL 101dB/W @ 1m Laney Richter RB410 Sensitivity 98dB/W @ 1m which seems to suggest that the Ashdown ought to be louder than the Laney... but of course it's possible that each manufacturer gives the best (highest) number at a particular frequency (which will be different from one cab to the other). Anyway, what you've effectively proven is the rule that it's best to match cabinets both by manufacturer and driver configuration... unfortunately you're only halfway there

Well, assuming you're running the amp with the compressor enabled, you'll see from the LED what it thinks of the signal level first without, and then with the overdrive present, which tells you if the overdrive is giving it a really hot signal... but I imagine that anything hot enough to overload the amp would be pretty obvious to the ear?

You did say "No unwanted fret buzz"... you mean you DO get fret buzz at the dusty end if you lower the action to where you want it. Well if the relief is already minimal as you say then I can see why you're talking about a shim LOL

Time to experiment then

What's the compression LED doing when you switch the overdrive on? If it's limiting the input signal it should start flashing or be continuously red and I'd assume that limiting function ought to protect the rest of the amp's circuitry?

If the action is where you want it and there's no unwanted fret buzz then why worry about the slight curvature that you're seeing? You don't need to fix (shim) something that isn't broken...

You'll struggle to buy anything Genz Benz that's new; many of us bought the discontinued units at greatly discounted prices and as I understand it the company has been fully absorbed by Fender - the new Rumble range has inherited the design philosophy employed in the Genz gear.

I think you might just be unlucky with these covers - looking at the materials and construction I think I know who made it. I had a cover made for my Genz Benz Contour 500 combo and since they didn't have a pattern for it I sent all the dimensions plus a paper template for the side of the combo (which has a gently curved front rather than a bevel like some units) and it fits pretty much perfectly (though there is just a handle on top which is a simpler affair than yours). You're paying for a bespoke cover so it really should fit snugly and I think you're right to ask them to get it spot on. By the way, my cover had no evidence of any chalk marks.

Looking at the spec for the cabs they're switchable between 4 and 8 ohms... I'm sure you've checked but could one or other of the cabs have been switched from 8 to 4 ohm mode in error? Reading up on Hartke amps other people have had overheating problems due to the fan not running properly.

I wonder how often they need to rehair their bows?!

Sounds like a bit of an excuse seeing as Pino is about 6'6" tall and, has already been noted, he never seems to have a problem.

I'm no expert but I do agree with the comment regarding the toms and kick drum; they seem too quiet... the whole mix seems to be a little light in the bass and lower mids but that might be your intention (to give it a bright 'airiness', folky kind of sound).

Hi Dave and yesssss the VM Precision is currently my favourite bass... if I could own only one instrument it'd be a P bass! I've been listening to Future Of The Left in the car and hearing the P bass in everything LOL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkTvISL53HQ

New to me, and likely to please fans of Anna Calvi and PJ Harvey; from Nadine Shah's debut album 'Love Your Dum And Mad', opening track 'Aching Bones' http://youtu.be/nkg-BZI-WRA

Like it!

Are you experiencing fret buzz at the dusty end but nowhere else on the neck? If so then I think you have too much relief. As for shimming, it obviously doesn't change the curvature of the neck (the relief) but it will change how that curve is 'presented' to the body (and strings). To my way of thinking, if you put a shim at the front of the neck pocket (a thin piece of card) then the headstock/nut will be slightly raised; put a shim at the back of the neck pocket and this lowers the headstock/nut with respect to the rest of the instrument - in both cases this will modify the action and you might need to adjust the relief and bridge saddles. A full neck pocket shim raises the whole neck and is a solution when the bridge saddles have bottomed out and the action is still too high for your needs.

Scam. More info about similar approaches here https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/Sending-and-receiving-money/Advice-about-selling-a-car-recieving-payment-via-paypal/td-p/273176/page/5?profile.language=en-gb

All this talk of Pixies and no YouTube link? http://youtu.be/Sq2ZTg5-9KI

At least he hasn't tried relic'ing the thing like some of the idiots selling stuff on eBay