Osiris

TC Electronic Spectracomp gets my shout. Relatively cheap and infinitely versatile. I stick to the free TonePrints from TC's site which are quick and easy to beam to the pedal and are a great way to try out loads of different flavours of compression. And if you don't like the current TonePrint, you just load up the next one (it literally takes 2 seconds) and move on. My favourite TP's are MuscleComp for punch and presence that makes the bass slice through a busy mix, Captain East for subtle parallel compression and Fed Comp for ultra transparent compression. MuscleComp sounds like it might well be what you're looking for to use with your BB, but if not you can always use it as a starting point and fine tune it using the free TonePrint editor app. Although I have a reasonable understanding of compression and can usually get a sound that I'm happy with from most single band compressors, the TonePrint editor app for the Spectracomp offers up something like 40+ individual parameters that can be configured to craft your own sound, if you're that way inclined. But for my needs there's loads of mileage to be had from the TonePrints alone. [quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1507022939' post='3382728'] One of my BC colleagues found it "bland" 'cos it was very transparent [/quote] That would be me then Yes, the TLC is very transparent, to the point of sterility, IMO. Arguably the least exciting compressor I have ever tried. If that's what you're looking for then go for it, but if you want punch or some of that tonal magic than only a compressor can add then look elsewhere. IMO, of course.

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1506767416' post='3380959'] Last night I got to the gig and I was really in the mood to play, and I played much better than I usually do, and really enjoyed it. I'm hoping others are like this and have developed a technique for getting into the mood to play? [/quote] Likewise, I occasionally turn up at the gig not being in the right frame of mind despite usually looking forward to it for days before hand. Those are the gigs where I feel like I'm playing with oven gloves on too [size=4] [/size] [size=4]There's no real sagely advise that I can offer unfortunately. What I do find that helps to varying degrees is to have an hour or so playing along to some of the set before the gig, focusing on the more complex stuff or the tracks that I get more of a buzz from playing. And take an afternoon nap too if you can squeeze one in, I have an under active thyroid gland so my energy levels can be a bit erratic and I find that resting up beforehand really helps me get through the night. But sometimes life gets in the way, job, family etc so you just have to turn up and soldier on even when you're not in the mood. [/size]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1506838057' post='3381369'] I know what you mean, but if I just wanted to blend clean bass in, the VT500 / VTDI have a blend knob already. But it sounds much better putting the 'clean' side through this Effectrode unit - it's an unusual compressor in that as well as having a tube in to fatten things up, at low compression levels it adds low end, so perfect for using as a 'deep' channel! [/quote] Give it a go and see what happens [size=4] [/size] [size=4]I've not come across the Effectrode PC-2A before, it looks very interesting. [/size]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1506727598' post='3380794'] Anyone ever try this or use it as their core sound? I'm a big fan of the VT Bass sound but always felt it overcompressed the low end and took away the thump of the note at medium drive levels. [/quote] Likewise, I love the VT bass sound(s) but I found them to be way too compressed out of the box (and I like a healthy dose of compression), certainly too squashed to use in a band situation. Are you sure adding in more compression is the right thing to do???

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/302205-if-you-could-only-choose-one-octave-pedal/"]Take a look here[/url], it might help [size=4] [/size]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1506676269' post='3380300'] The amp (M900) is excellent and despite the assumed use for metal, it does a fantastic B15 sound and is very versatile. I use mine doing Big Band work with the drive circuit on low. [/quote] Yep, I totally agree with that, the clean channel on the Microtubes 900 is incredibly versatile. The switchable frequencies on the two mid controls are absolutely spot on for real world use. It is one of the best bass pre-amps out there in my opinion. However, I do think that this aspect of the amp is overlooked due to DG's reputation for only catering for the modern metal crowd. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/303884-amp-test-drive%3B-aguilar-darkglass-genzler-and-mesa-boogie/page__fromsearch__1"]More of my thoughts on it here[/url].

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1506635594' post='3380151'] [b]Over priced, over hyped and last year's sound.[/b] Pointless speakers? Well actually once the short lived buzz about the transient metal sound has fizzled out, IMHO [b]A pointless product range[/b]. There I've said it... [/quote] Reading between the lines, am I right in thinking you're not too keen on Darkglass?

Can't really add anything new to the mountain of praise that has rightly been heaped on this chap. Just received a couple of patch cables from Mark and everything was a breeze, he was patient when I wasn't able to pay straight away (due to my online banking being down) and kept me informed every step of the way. Cheers Mark.

There have been comments on other threads that the design of the Darkglass amps appears to have been inspired by some of Apple's products. Looks like DG have also been influenced by their pricing structure Do I hear the POP of the Darkglass bubble bursting

To be fair, I've had no experience of the phat funk, but the Mojo does the low gain/touch of hair thing brilliantly, IMO, of course!

[quote name='KingPrawn' timestamp='1506373033' post='3378345'] Is there a Holy Grail of band harmony? [/quote] Yes there is, but like the legendary grail it seems to elude most that seek it. It sounds like most of us commenting on this thread have been around the block a few times and are just looking to make some music and have a good time doing it. I've been playing and gigging with bands for more than 30 years now and have played with all manner of assorted idiots, egotists etc. in that time. Some of them talented, some not, most usually deluded in some way. But I have at last struck gold with the band I'm with now, and have been for the past 6 or 7 years (about 5 years with the current line up). We're all of a similar temperament, all have full time jobs, 4 of the 5 of us have kids and most importantly, we all want to have a good time making music. So we're all in a similar position and have similar demands on our lives. Yes, we all have an off day now and again but they are few and far between and we have all leaned how to deal with each other and the situations when they do occur. Musically, I don't care for some of the stuff we play, I probably wouldn't go home and listen to some of it, other than learning and practising the tracks. But - and this is the deal breaker for me - the others in the band are a real pleasure to play with and we all enjoy what we do and respect one another. And to me that far out ways the urge to play songs of my choosing. So yes, it does exist, but is a vary rare animal indeed. Sounds like it might be worth sticking with the other guys and trying to get another guitarist in. Good luck whatever decision you make.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1506417598' post='3378507'] These can all achieve a similar grit to the Phat Phuk: TC Spark (full size version, the mini one is clean with no gain control) Cheapest and most readily available option is the TC, it can hang with the rest tonally, a bit of a bargain really! [/quote] I briefly had the full sized spark boost and wasn't keen on the tone of the drive. Can't really put my finger on exactly what it was about it that I didn't like but it just didn't grab me. But that's not to say that it won't be exactly what you are looking for. However, I got much better results (for my tastes) with the TC Electronic MojoMojo which is fantastic at low gain for adding a hint of warmth/fur/hair/whatever you want to call it. The Mojo has a deep low end and loads of mids present too. I use if for dirty, vintage Geezler Butler style sounds . It doesn't really do the Tech 21/Darkglass scooped sound, it's pretty much the opposite to those tonally, but that suits my needs better. And best of all, you can pick one up new for under £50.

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1506349774' post='3378096'] Not sure i've picked up your reasons for changing but is the weight of the Mesa too heavy. You mention you are looking for a 1x12 one handed lift at 300W. I wouldn't have thought a 1x12 that heavy but i'm used to larger cabs. I've used the Berg AE112 cabs which are NEO speakers. Very lightweight and nice tone. I've also got the Markbass rig which is lightweight but i only use it on occassions where there are a lot of stairs to climb or long distances from car. The only thing i would say and its down to personal taste is that the lightweight speakers don't seem to have the same depth of tone for me. Its difficult to pinpoint exactly why that is and i've tried them with various different amps. They just seem to lack something. Maybe its down to them being too clean in comparison to my heavier cabs. Dialling the tweeter or horns down altogether does help tho. Its never been an issue out front and audience always seem to like the Markbass tone so maybe its just where i stand on stage that i don't hear. Think you should def try before you buy tho. Dave [/quote] My initial thoughts were that a 4 ohm cab would be louder than my current 8 ohm one as it'd be pulling more power from the amp. But reading through the earlier comments in the thread it seems that's not necessarily a correct assumption. Having pondered what those people with far more knowledge on the subject than I have are saying, my reasons have shifted slightly in favour of going for something lighter. I don't know the official figure for the weight of the Mesa, but my guess is somewhere in the region of 15 Kg. It's surprisingly heavy for it's size. My big cab that I use on pretty much every gig is a Tecamp M212 and that only weights about 19Kg, but it actually feels lighter than the Mesa. But whether that is because I am underestimating the weight of the Mesa or the 212 only appears to be lighter because it's twice the size (and therefore it's all in my head!) I really don't know The Tecamp has Neodymium speakers and I'm assuming that the Mesa has a traditional heavy speaker. Tonally, the Tecamp doesn't lack anything when it comes to depth of tone. I much prefer the sound of it to the Mesa which has a strong mid bias that I'm assuming has to do with it being a relatively small cab in comparison to the bigger one? I'm happy to be proved wrong on that assumption though Yes, I'll definitely try before I buy! [quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1506344414' post='3378048'] Keep the Boogie!!!! [/quote] What are your reasons for saying that?

[quote name='la bam' timestamp='1506291523' post='3377720'] Thanks. That's what I thought it might be. I was considering a ms60b just as an on off pedal for my synth effect rather than continually switching my b3 and using the chorus and drive from my amp. [/quote] If you just want to use it like that, as you would a 'normal' stomp box, then it'll be fine. I own both the B3 and the MS-60B. As others have said, for switching individual effects on and off, or changing patches the B3 is the one to go for. But for an individual effect/patch or always on sound, the MS-60B is perfect.

Start with everything flat (knobs at 12 o'clock, or graphic sliders in the centre of their range) and go from there. Make subtle changes and try to avoid anything extreme I.e. don't fully cut or boost any particular frequencies. And remember to cut as well as boost too, sometimes you can add what's missing by removing part of what's already there! As for cutting the mids, it sounds great when it's just the bass in isolation, but it makes the bass harder to hear when playing with other musicians. If you're in a band, go for a sound that blends with the other instruments even if the bass doesn't sound very sexy on its own.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1506185030' post='3376966'] I've been looking at these BF cabs lately as well, so tried a few out at the Gallery today and walked out having put down a deposit on a 4 ohm Retro 210. [/quote] Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it once it arrives

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1506165112' post='3376807'] If we have managed to establish, to your satisfaction, that there won't be much benefit in volume terms in switching from an 8 ohm to a 4 ohm [color=#ff0000][b]yes, I think we have[/b] [/color] [size=4]and you're after a quality light weight cab what about the BF Super Midget? [color=#ff0000][b]Great suggestion [/b][/color]At just 23 lbs and with 600W RMS (at 8 ohm) handling capacity and a 12" speaker I think it has all your boxes ticked? It will also be more transparent / less coloured than the more retro sounding BF 2x10 and therefore closer to your beloved Tecamp 2x12 in terms of not colouring the sound from your GM amps and it should be able to handle both the GM 800 as well as your back up GM 350 with ease.[/size] [/quote] [size=4]The shortlist at the minute seems to be either a Super Midget, Super Compact or a Retro two 10 - in no particular order. [/size] [size=4]The only problem at the minute is money, I've got a couple of substantial non bass related purchases incoming over the next months, so any potential change of cab would have to be by way of a trade, and I doubt many people are looking to trade their helium filled Barefaced cabs for the Mesa [/size]

[quote name='scrumpymike' timestamp='1506107592' post='3376570'] Ahhh - I understood (wrongly) from your OP that you had two reasons for wanting to change your Mesa: to get a 4ohm cab AND because you were struggling to lift it one-handed. Anyway, I can tell you that I definitely prefer lifting 7kg instead of 15kg nowadays . Just to add also that, based on my experience, I agree that the high efficiency of speakers like the BF 12" and 10" drivers makes the 8ohm versus 4ohm debate much less of an issue with a 300w amp. [/quote] My original reason was to get a 4 ohm cab (which looks unlikely now) but the weight factor has crept in almost as an afterthought after reading through the previous comments and looking at specs. I can still lug the Mesa about easily enough but am finding myself increasingly tempted by something lighter [size=4] [/size]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1506095815' post='3376475'][size=4][quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1506096423' post='3376481'][/size] If he likes the sound of the cab he has, it would make sense to keep the 8ohm 1x12 & then if he has gigs that need more volume, get a 2nd identical cab. This would give a bigger perceived volume increase as there's more cone mass moving more air & it wouldn't alter the sound that he has just now. [/quote] But the 3db point is actually really helpful, thanks, and this is what I was trying to get to the bottom of. That much more "scientifically" illustrates that the benefit from swapping from an 8ohm to a 4ohm cab is going to be pretty small, which is what Chris was getting at. That says to me, no particular need for the OP to swap his Mesa 1x12 cab 8 ohm (which I understand separately from him, he really likes) for a 4 ohm version. He could consider swapping to a well designed 2x10 4ohm (or possibly 8ohm cab) which will both displace a significantly larger volume of air and, if it's a 4ohm, also have an additional small db (3db in our example) advantage, which together would start to stack up in volume / heft terms. [/quote] I'm quite happy with the Mesa so there's no pressing reason to change it. I was just contemplating moving it on for a 4 ohm cab on the assumption that it would be louder with the increased wattage from the amp. However, it seems my assumption is not necessarily correct and there are more factors that need to be taken into consideration. So I might just hang on to it now. Maybe.... One unexpected factor that has come out of the thread in favour of changing cabs is that of weight. I've no idea what the Mesa weighs but it's a good weight for its size, I'd guess around 15 Kg. I'm so used to lugging it about and haven't really thought about it before, but looking at the specs of the BF cabs, and getting older by the day, the appeal of something less than half the weight of the Mesa is very tempting.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1506079499' post='3376292'] I don't know what environments the OP is playing in - but I'm using a 300W Tecamp Puma into a single BF One10 with a big band with over enthusiastic drummers and brass players. I have a second One10 but I don't often have to use it. A single one is plenty loud enough. [/quote] I'm mainly looking for something to cover rehearsals and possibly small gigs with my band - 5 piece rock and pop band with drums, 1 guitar and keys. We're not the loudest band in the world, but we're not the quietest either. So it's probably wise to think of it as more of a personal monitor than room filling backline. The more I look into the BF one 10 and two 10 cabs, the more they're looking like the obvious choice. I know a guy who has a pair of one 10's so I might just have to grovel and see if he'll let me test drive one against my Mesa. Are you reading this Kev???

There's some interesting, and very valuable, points to be taken into consideration in the last few comments. For context, it doesn't need to carry the room as such as I only currently use the Mesa for rehearsals. (Although it has done a couple of small gigs but always with PA support). My line of reasoning, which in light of the above may not be totally sound, is that having just acquired a new back-up/rehearsal amp (350 watts at 4 ohm) I'd like to get the full power out of the amp into a single small cab. But with the new amp putting out 175 watts at 8 ohm according to the manufacturers specs, the chances are that it probably is more than capable for what I want it for anyway. It certainly won't be getting to anywhere near flat out

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1505985724' post='3375609'] Barefaced Retro 210? [url="http://barefacedbass.com/product-range/retro-two10.htm"]http://barefacedbass...retro-two10.htm[/url] [/quote] Cheers Danny, that looks like a strong contender. [quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1505986928' post='3375622'] Tecamp, now Eich, offer their 1x12 and 1x15 compact cabs in 4 ohm versions. [/quote] My main gigging cab is a Tecamp M212 and is a thing of absolute joy, so a baby brother for it could well be the ticket!

[size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I'm thinking of changing my trusty Mesa Walkabout Scout 1x12 cab, 300 watts at 8 ohms, for a different small cab that is an easy one handed lift, something like another 1x12 but I'm keeping an open mind to different configurations. Must be 4 ohms and able to handle a minimum of 300 watts. Having had a few minutes surfing the usual retailers it looks like most small cabs are 8 ohm which is understandable in terms of building a modular rig, but I can't find anything that fits the bill with a 4 ohm impedance. Anyone know of anything that meets the above criteria? [/font][/size]

Just received my pickups back (even though I was in no hurry for them and hadn't emailed Alex and the guys to inquire after them) along with a nice sw***y looking Barfaced T-shirt. Cheers Alex, I hope they were of use to you in your tinkering, and like many guys on here I'm waiting to hear what you have in the pipeline

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1505820284' post='3374520'] There is also the question of how hard you play... I know some people like to tickle the strings, in which case a low action is more appropriate. But I tend to play relatively hard, whether with fingers or pick. I've tried playing softly and letting the amp do the work, but all that goes out of the window as soon as I get excited about something. Lack of control and crap technique, obviously. [/quote] You and me both But I like a low action and a bit of fret clank anyway.