Greg Edwards69

20 hours ago, neepheid said:

Unfortunately I came away with a blocked ear - maybe I pushed some wax in with my earplug. Off to the shower to see if I can steam it out.

10 hours ago, moley6knipe said:

Euw time, but had my lugs cleaned on Friday. Twice a year without fail. I use moulded plugs and for sure wax plus regular in ear use ends in blockage. 

My wife and I have had great success with the Otex Combi Pack (ear drop and rubber bulb). It takes a few days for the drop to break down the wax enough for the bulb to do its job, but when it does... oh what joy! And a lot cheaper than getting it done privately. Many GP surgeries don't offer this service anymore as it's no longer a free NHS service).

I've used rounds for the last 30 years and find it's generally a more versatile option. However, I bought a Squier 50s P bass a couple of years ago and I've flip-flopped several times between rounds and flats on it (it's currently sporting flats). The single coil is inherently very bright and flats tame that brightness very well. It's a joy to play with flats and it nail's "that sound" - you know it when you hear it! 

On the other hand, it's my backup bass. So whilst my primary bass(es) have rounds, it would possibly sound a little off if I had to switch to this one with flats - especially if I had to slap it. Although TBH, once it's in the mix, I'm not sure the audience (or even my band mates) would notice, much less care. It's usually only us bass players who are the most aware of other bass players tone.

EDIT: I nearly forgot. I had a Warwick Corvette fretless that I strung up with Thomastik Infeld flats. Lovely bass, but it didn't see a lot of action - mainly as it didn't fit with the type of music I play (I really don't like bringing and swapping basses for just one song) and it was really heavy. But that was my only experience with flats before getting my Squier, and being fretless I wouldn't have been able to give an objective opinion back then regarding the merits of flats vs rounds.

6 hours ago, Russ said:

I choose to vote with my wallet. I will not further enrich people whose words or actions I find disagreeable by listening to, paying for or in any way “boosting” their output. 

 

This includes racists (Clapton, etc), paedos and perverts (Gary Glitter, Ian Watkins from Lostprophets, Townsend, Marilyn Manson, etc), far-right-wing nutjobs, conspiracy theorists, religious weirdos and fascist sympathisers (Morrissey, Waters, Ted Nugent, Dave Mustaine, Kid Rock and pretty much all American country music stars), Brexiteers (Daltrey/Townsend, Bruce Dickinson, Morrissey and so on) and those who promote violence and division. 

 

For some of the older bands and musicians, I’m prepared to acknowledge that their views and actions were of their time, not that this gives them a pass, but rather a context. Same as old Tom & Jerry cartoons, or the likes of Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson. Not sure I’d include Michael Jackson in that though. I’m sure that his activities were less-than-appropriate to everyone who didn’t live inside his weird little bubble, but he was hardly Ian Watkins. 

I sincerely get your viewpoint and support you for standing up to your convictions. However, I do feel for the other band members of these artists who were involved in the writing process and no longer receive tidy royalty payments and have effectively had their body of work ripped away from them.  IIRC correctly, Ian Watkins' bandmates for example, knew he was a bit perverted but genuinely had no idea of the extent of his depravity.  Whether that's true or not, only they really know, but never-the-less, the Lost Phophets just stopped overnight and fans refused to support their collective music because it was tainted by the actions of one man.

I've gone back and forth so many times on this subject. It is difficult to know where to draw the line.  We dropped the couple of MJ songs we had in out repertoire when a certain documentary aired a few years ago and haven't put them back in since - not because of controversy surrounding the man and his songs, but simply because we haven't been bothered to resurrect them. 

I personally would not be offended if I saw another band playing MJ songs, or even a MJ tribute act. I've always thought of him as a tragic, mentally damaged person who didn't see any harm in what he did in his private life.  Gary Glitter however is an absolute monster of a human being and I feel it would be incredibly distasteful if a band played any of his songs.

FWIW, I posted on a FB group a some time ago after the killing of George Floydd and the surge in popularity of the black lives matter movement. I said something along the lines of whether we should collectively revaluate the lyrical content of perennial cover band 'classics', such as Brown Sugar, for example (not that my band had played in many years anyway, but a lot of bands do).  Let's just say the internet did not approve of my query.

A few people agreed and got the point. Some told be to stop being a woke snowflake and just get out and play. And some, who clearly didn't read my post properly, told me my band must be crap if that's the sort of dated songs we churn out.

6 hours ago, BigJHW said:

i thought in my wisdom that a dual padded bass case would be a great idea for gigs so i can take a spare bass... bought me a Gator X2 Progo (i think that's what it's called)
it is very well made - provides loads of protection - but i soon realised 2 basses in 1 case is actually awkward to pack in the car as it's quite deep and not lite to carry at all
1 bass in each hand in soft cases (looks like hard cases but they're soft) is much easier to carry around and easier to fit in the car for gigs with other stuff and thinner oddly..

 

i do like the gator x2 thing - i just don't think it'll leave the house again which is a shame (just don't tell the wife i spent £170ish quid on something i'm never going to use lol)

As mentioned above, I stopped using my old Ibanez double bag for similar reasons.  I use two cases at the moment, a slim warwick rock bag for my spare bass and a big, heavy duty iGig bag for my main bass. This is a great case, that I bought years ago because it could hold so much stuff (even a markbass head in the main front pocket), and I can carry my minimum gear for a gig or rehearsal in one trip (if I'm not bring a backup bass) Actually, it's so sturdy and chunky that I've had to double check it's actually got a bass in it on several occasions. 

However, due to the bulk of this single bass case, I'm considering changing this strategy.  I don't particularly need to carry everything in one trip. So I'm thinking about swapping this case for a slimmer model, such as a Mono case and use another bag for the bits that won't fit in it - such as extension leads. (Actually, I could probably better distribute the bits I keep in my bass case and helix case). 

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Did a rare vocal only PA gig at the weekend. smallish venue probably about 75 capacity in a  long narrow room.

 

The RCF745 was more then adequate. I had both the Helix and the RCF volume controls at just under half way, which was plenty. The last time I had to use my bass rig for FoH bass with this band was when I had my more conventional amp and cabs set up and I ended up having to be so loud on stage I could barely hear the rest of the band. The RCF seemed to be more controlled and with better projection and although I was slightly louder than I would have been out of choice, I could still hear all the other instruments comfortably.

I've had a similar experience. I wonder if it's a combination of being able to use the frfr speaker as a wedge (although I used to angle my previous bass cab back a little with little folding markbass amp stand) as well as having much better control over the low end with the Helix global eq - meaning I can turn up loud without flooding the stage in a mess of low end boom and mud.

1 hour ago, carlsim said:

 

How do you find the Headrush? I have been looking at them but i find very much mixed reviews...

For me, it’s fine. It’s not spectacular, but does the job well enough for an inexpensive solution. I’ve never owned big amps/cabs, only combos or single speaker mini stacks (my last set up was markbass 1x12 traveller and Carvin BX700). With the helix and its global eq set up “just right” it feels remarkably similar to a traditional high powered bass combo.

Many users think that the headrush speakers are a little too boomy, but with the global eq in the Helix I can easily dial this out. In fact, I can control the low end far better and easier than I ever could with my previous amps and pedals.

I would like a little more tone control on the speaker itself. The only control is the contour button that simulates the fletcher munson effect at low volumes. Useful, but I’d like more eq options - particularly an hpf (my drummer put his roland trigger device through my smaller headrush 108 - it now needs a new speaker. An hpf would have prevented this.

Ideally though I’d like to replace both my headrush speaker with a superior option that’s smaller and/or lighter (getting older and want to lighten the load!) but I’m torn as well. 

Both the guitarists in my band use a Yamaha DXR10 each and we have DXR12 speakers as our PA (no sub). The DXR10 are surprisingly capable for bass too.

QSC themselves recommend the K10.2 for bassists with PA support – but their scenarios all include a subwoofer in the PA. We don’t have one yet, and I feel my larger headrush helps fill out the low end lost by putting the DXR12 speakers up on poles. I’m sure at the volumes we play the smaller K10.2 would be fine.  FWIW, Bob Lee from QSC replied to me last year regarding this query, so it make me more confident the K10.2 would work fine for my needs.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/qsc-k12-2.1287735/page-10#post-26322872

Otherwise, I’ve been looking at the GRBass AT combos. You can bypass the eq and they are very close to FRFR, and much lighter than any of the other options. Plus they can work as a regular amp if my Helix ever fails. They are also allegedly releasing a range of bass dedicated FRFR speaker too at some point.

However, financial wossnames have made all of this moot for the time being. Paying for food and energy is taking a priority!

1 hour ago, Jack said:

I've been tempted by Thomann's own stuff once or twice ... (including a speaker cabinet, the excellent Six Mix)

That looks like an incredibly useful tool! Do you have one - if so, what's the low end extension like at low volumes?

I've been thinking about replacing my Blackstar Core ID Beam practice amp as it doesn't have any real low end when I use it with my helix at home. I have both sized headrush speakers, but even the 8" one is overkill in my flat.  This could be great paired with something like my Nux Mighty Plug Pro, or the Mooer Prime P1 I'm considering getting.  Also considering a couple of PJB options, but only the nanobass has bluetooth and is twice the price of the Thomann offering.

1 hour ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Looking at the specs the QSC K12.2 is not significantly lighter (only 7kg lighter) ... (the active version that I mentioned that is, The Box PA 502A, to compare apples to apples).

I'm not sure I agree there. At 30.05 kg, that's the difference between a one hand carry and a two hand carry for me.  I can manage a single trip (over relatively short distances) with my 16.3 kg Headrush FRFR 112 in one hand, helix in the other and bass on my back.  That 30kg is more than some of us would want to lug around, regardless of the the number of hands or number of trips.

On 12/03/2023 at 19:18, Dr.Dave said:

Guitar player's Marshall went west during the first song. We trooped off again while his mate went and got his from home a few mins away but it ended up costing us our break as we had to be done by a certain time.

 

Pity because I took my newly purchased Ampeg PF350 along - intention was to use it 2nd set but because we went straight through I stuck with my TC. I took my stack knob Jap Jazz. The sound cuts through two Gibson/Marshall set ups better than my Precisions do but it does seem low output compared to them. I have Duncan 1/4 pounders on both Precisions so maybe that's why although I know a lot of folk seem to think Jazz basses are low in output. I do like it but it showed another of the reasons I always preferred a Precision which is because of the shape of the Jazz body it wouldn't sit on the larger of my stands at all and was a bit wobbly on the small one. Guitar player said to get a hanging stand but it's no lightweight and not sure i'd trust it.

Another vote for the Hercules hanging stand - I've used mine for years with a variety of basses both light and heavy with no problems. And a lot more stable that a traditional folding stand.

Also, tell your guitarists to get something like a sansamp just in case his amp implodes again.

16 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Like the look of a T bird but having had an Epi version the neck dive was a bit ridiculous even when i moved the strap pins. Are the Gibson ones better. They do have a distinct sound, deep and solid.

FWIW, I had a Tokai T-bird some years ago. I'd fancied a T-bird shaped bass for ages and I managed to snag this on in a liquidation sale. IIRC it had a set neck and more modern bridge style (not the traditional 3 point gibson style that falls off if you remove all of the strings).  I added a strap pin that cured any neck dive and it sounded pretty darn good. Only problem I had with it was me. At 5'7" I felt daft playing it - it wore me than I wore it. Huge unweildly beast of a bass with a headstock situated roughly half mile from where I was standing. I just couldn't bond with it, and I really wanted to.

2 hours ago, Pirellithecat said:

Actually, both the 710 and the Sense 12 were on an open frame support about 500mm off the floor but it's a good observation and I certainly can't argue with experience.    As soon as I get the chance I'll use the PA speaker stands and try again.  Good call!     

Not sure if this helps, but I seem to recall Bill Fitzmaurice mentioning that speakers need to be at least 2 and a half feet off the floor to isolate them from the boundary effect. 

Love Shack. Usually raises eyebrows or a smile. 
 

edit: only notice my nonsensical typo a couple of days after posting!

5 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

I've got three different dual cases but TBH they rarely leave my home. 

Carrying two basses in one case is a bit more tiring than you might imagine. 

I had and Ibanez one for a while that rarely left the house as it was so unwieldy. It even had wheels built it to make it easier to cart around, but I just found it easier to use separate gig bags for each bass. 

Good to know, but I only really want one for practice at home, and in dire circumstances live, if my Helix malfunctions.

30 minutes ago, stewblack said:

If I understand the question properly, you want to connect your phone to the Prime P1 with Bluetooth. Watch, listen and play along to YouTube videos via headphones which are connected to the P1.

I just set this scenario up and played a video of a bass player with the score running beneath him as he played.

The video was perfectly in sync, to my eyes and ears.

Exactly right, and exactly the response I was hoping for. Thank you. 

2 hours ago, BassAdder60 said:

Isn’t that down to warmth, grip and thin gauge ? 

I have no idea. I keep all of them together so I don’t know which ones have been used and which ones haven’t. But I have noticed that some remain flat even after a long gig

Quick question. How is the Bluetooth connection, or more to the point, does it sync properly with video/graphics? This is a source of frustration with my Nux Mighty Plug, as I frequently play along with YouTube content and the Ultimate Guitar app and it drives my nuts when it’s out of sync by about half a second.

1 hour ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Also I don't know where they got the "memory" part from either, I always find that my .60mm Tortex picks pretty quickly ends up warping, whereas my .73mm regular Nylon picks keeps the exact same shape no matter how much I use it.

I think you’re right about he warping. I only switched to using the 0.60mm Flex fairly recently. Most of them have a subtle curve to them now.

17 hours ago, MichaelDean said:

Thanks to this thread, I went and bought loads of picks to try out as I'd been using the same ones for the last 10 years. 

 

The close runner up was the Nylon Big Stubby, but I kept dropping it. If they did a grippier one of those, it would be perfect for me.  So, I ended up where I started - a Dunlop Nylon 1mm! 

 

It's amazing the difference a pick can make though. A/Bing them all was really interesting. Some were clearly not what I wanted and I could tell acoustically, others I needed to hear it amplified to really tell the difference. But once amplified, it was really obvious.

Did you try them amplified at gig volume, with a band? Just like eq settings, I found this to be an important part of my pick choice. I brought a several picks that I thought would work to a band rehearsal before settling on my current choice.

On 05/02/2023 at 21:11, colleya said:

I put my Ibanez sms1005 through an Ashdown RM 500 and TKS 212. This has been a pretty consistent rig for a while and I'm really happy with it.

 

Is that the short/medium scale version of the sms1005?  If so, it sounds great and could be just what I’m looking for. 

Redonizm were back on The Rock a.k.a. Canvey Island on Saturday night. This time at a new venue for us, a Starr Sports, a sports/pool bar on the seafront. Keen readers may recall our last visit to Canvey ended in a 20 person brawl as we finished our last song. Well this visit was complicated by a murder of a patron of that same venue the night before, and the town centre was cordoned off all day (I believe the cordon is still in place now. I was concerned that we might be playing to an empty bar considering the circumstances, but was quite relieved to see a busy venue, full of people.

The gig went well. Plenty of people enjoyed themselves, singing and dancing for most of the evening. I people dance then I’m a happy man. Only issue was a room resonance centred around low G (about 100hz). I was able to notch it out for my personal frfr speaker via my helix (seriously, the global eq in this device is worth the admission price) but there was still the odd boom and rumble from other instruments less able to notch it out, but I don’t think it impacted the audiences enjoyment one iota.

Added a couple of tunes since last gig, “Torn” and “Baggy Trousers”. The latter was a particular highlight with our male vocalist playing the sax lines on a kazoo!

My picks have been getting thinner and thinner over the years. I used to use thick stubbies years ago, then thick 1 or 2mm gator grips, then I went down to 0.71mm gator grips when I realised I wanted to accentuate that crisp "snap" that only thinner pick gives, but I was still finding it was considerably louder than my finger style playing, and the gator grip material wore out very quickly.

I bought a couple of mixed packs last year and after auditioning several at home and at band rehearsal I've settled on Dunlop Flex 0.60mm.  They have the durability of tortex and the warmth and flexibilty of nylon. I found the 0.60mm gauge to be the right balance between volume, crisp and snappy attack, and not losing too much low end.

IIRC, flats are generally higher tension than equivalent gauge rounds, and it's usually common to go down a gauge when switching to flats. Although of course, it depends on the brand of string.

If you're going up a couple of gauges to flats, that would be similar to 60-110 rounds. So yes, I would expect a change to the relief!

3 hours ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

The only people with any interest in your rig are other bass players. 😉

That extends to basses and guitars too. The only difference in my basses that is clear to my wife is the colour. Actually, when we first met, she thought the neck was called the "handle".

I frequently have to remind myself that the audience couldn't care less when I start agonising over details.