TrevorR

I actually moved from a Mag300 to a LMII and agree with the others. I love my MB rig. I had the Mag 300 for about 18 months and never really found myself happy with it. I also find the LMII to be a great mix of transparent and fat. I barely use the EQ at all on mine but love the sound.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1444307595' post='2882086'] Getting your individual recordings to sound right in sequence is one of the main points of having the recordings mastered in the first place. What you need to do is get the original un-mastered mixes and supply them your mastering house of choice along with a running order. [/quote] +1

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1444245965' post='2881594'] No problems when taking tracks on individual merit, but I'm thinking there may be a difference when listened to in sequence. Would re-mastering then solve this issue if there is one? [/quote] And a producer chum who is a good guy, can provide remastering and other services and has really good ears... https://www.facebook.com/darrenpoolemusic?ref=ts&fref=ts http://abandonmusic.tumblr.com

Not used them personally but I do some writing for R2 magazine and they use FairPlay Replication for the cover mount CD which always seems really well done. I think FairPlay may have a part stake in the mag. Their website is... http://www.fairplayreplication.co.uk/cd-in-digipack/cd-in-digipack.html They're currently quoting... 500 CDs in Digipacks £1.37 each 300 CDs in Digipacks £1.98 each Fully replicated 3 colour CD into full-colour gloss or matt Digipack. Prices exclude VAT. Free UK delivery excluding Highlands & Islands. Specifications Compact Disc to be screen printed with up to 3 colours; 4 panel Digipack, printed full colour CMYK, with the option of a gloss or matt finish; Glass mastering included.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1444209687' post='2881075'] 2000, I took the family so see that gig. Midnight Train To Georgia is Bob Babbitt's tone at it's best. [/quote] Good lord, was it 15 years ago? Probably was... Don't know how I managed to get us tickets coz it was clearly the place to be that night. So many slebs slumming it with the hoi polloi. Recall seeing Weller, Ellis Bextor, Ellis (Janet), a glimpse of McCartney, a host of random actors... But that night the band was so very very good (septuagenarian or not). And so cool guest spots too... And yes, Midnight Train is a great line and great sound.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1444217164' post='2881171'] why do people need so many basses or guitars for that matter? our guitarist has 13 and several bassists on here seem quite a few. Is it a collecting thing or have you just not found the right one or perhaps you think they sound different enough to justify it? me, I've just got a MIA P which I use all the time and an old Hondo as a back up, which I've never needed [/quote] Here's my story... I was 18 and got my first bass (an Aria which I still have and would never sell because its still a lovely bass and for sentimental reasons). Seven years later I got a Squier Jazz as a spare/project bass. Two years later I had the chance to get the bass I'd always dreamed of for a really good price (my Mk1 Wal). I had the Squier defretted to see how I would handle fretless. Around the same time my folk band folded and we divied up the cash we'd saved for recording. I used that to buy my Revell acoustic bass (which I still have but which is too fragile for use out of the house). A few years later I (on a whim that lasted about 2 years - long story) bought my Wal Pro IIE and sold my Squier a) to fund it and b ) because I was never going to be any good at fretless. Total basses in 2001 - 4 (3 electric/1 acoustic) Around 2005 my Wal ProIIE needed a bit of TLC and I retired it from use. I got a Signature Jazz neck and body off eBay (from Buildabass/Slonk18/Goerdt Lamberts) when the $:£ rate was over 2:1 as a project bass and a second bass/backup for gigs. (5 basses). The Jazz then got lent to an independent record producer friend on a long term basis. He still has it at the moment. (in theory still 5 basses) Last year we started doing some acoustic shows where an acoustic/electric bass would have been useful/appropriate/perfect so I bought my Faith Neptune Titan because my Revell just wouldn't have hacked it. So... Current total basses = 6 (4 electric and 2 acoustic). Each had a reason and a rationale and gets/got used for different purposes.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1444206558' post='2881039'] Definitely Babbitt (and sorry, missed the extra t in the original post). Yes, very cool line as well as fabulous tone. [url="http://www.bobbabbitt.com/disc.htm"]http://www.bobbabbitt.com/disc.htm[/url] [/quote] Was lucky to see the Funk Brothers playing at the Royal Festival Hall a (good) few years ago. What an amazing band and, while, Bob Babbitt probably gets overshadowed by the Jamerson legend a bit what an amazing player.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1444165820' post='2880892'] I have 3 shows this weekend. I am going to try running my board without my EBS compression. Blue [/quote] Before junking the compressor altogether try running it first or second in your signal chain. That's what all the interweb effects guru types suggest. The reasons they quote are all pretty valid in terms of reducing the noise in the signal it sees. http://www.roland.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Pedal-Board-Diagram1.png Here are a couple of good articles on pedal placement from a couple of reputable sources... http://www.roland.co.uk/blog/how-to-chain-your-guitar-effects-pedals/ http://www.musicradar.com/guitarist/gear-tips-advice-effects-pedal-order-271818

...or unlined fretless, Gareth!

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1444134304' post='2880524'] My recollection is that, during the Moving Pictures tour, he turned to using Nivea soap which, whilst leaving his skin nice and soft, undermined his callouses, particularly on his 'noisemaker' finger. Historically, he had used Wright's Cold Tar soap when on tour (certainly on the 2112 and Hemisphers tours) but that was proving increasingly difficult to source in most countries, even though it was part of the band's rider. After Signals, he realised that the whole soap and callouses thing was an old wives tales and reverted to the Pears soap his mother used during his childhood in Willowdale. The impact this had on his emotional well-being was incredible and prevented the near collpase of the trio when Lifeson fell off the wagon and started smoking again. As for his voice, Lee has, I am told, become a regular speaker at the Montreal Society Wine Drinkers and, as the MSWD has a big hall and no PA system, this has put an inordinate strain on his vocal chords. Tragic. [/quote] That's proper quality bobbins of a standard worthy of inclusion in a Rush tour brochure!

I've seen quite a few "fave bass line" type threads on here. However, I've not spotted anything just focusing on amazing recorded bass tones. And what I mean by that is that irrespective of how good/complex/funky/simple/rubbish the bassline the simple sound of each note sends shivers down your spine. So often the bass is a fine sounding thud or dommmmmm and the interest is in the playing style. However, sometimes the tone is to die for! Here are a few examples where I think the sheer sound of the bass is worth the cost of entry no matter what notes were played... Takin' It To The Streets - Doobie Bros, Tiran Porter. The bass sound on this track is sublime. From those first single and double notes right through. Round and hollow and woody with a great clank in the background all at once. Porter's funky playing is just the icing on the cake... Is this pretty much the ultimate bass sound, discuss... http://youtu.be/foEba5RQlOE Heat Of The Moment - Asia, John Whetton. In the breakdown section about 1 minute 45 seconds in he plays some simple hits and the bass tone is pure classic rock. http://youtu.be/cpxsMyoXUZQ Only Time Will Tell - Asia, JW The following track on that album has a pretty great bass tone too. Mostly just eighth notes on the root but the bass sounds lovely. http://youtu.be/_FqMJALd16I Black Moon - Emerson Lake and Palmer, Greg Lake Lake used a Mk 1 Wal Custom bass on this album. Once Keith has finished his widdley intro after about 50 seconds Lake and Palmer come in with a crushing rhythm based around simple double bass/bass drum hits. Promo video prop notwithstanding, Lake's Wal sounds absolutely immense, growly and aggressive. Mmmmmmm... http://youtu.be/Z16byMOSbqQ Love Is The Drug - Roxy Music, John Gustafson I love the aggressive punch in Gustafson's bass sound. Plus it's a killer bass line. JG was such a great player and always had a great bass sound. Punchy in a lo fi 70s way. This is a hand built P bass with overwound pickups built for JG by Ian Waller in his pre-Wal basses day. http://youtu.be/OtCVLtcfLi4 Wherever I Lay My Hat - Paul Young, Pino Palladino Of course... And I could have chosen any of Paul Young's big 80s hits. Come Back And Stay or Every Time You Go Away would have sufficed just as well to showcase Palladino's wonderful fretless tone. However, this one provides a whole intro and verse where the bass is particularly showcased. Even the OTT chorus and 80s production values don't detract from the sound but, rather, make it all the more charming. http://youtu.be/UefQPKl-6qw Finally... Tempus Fugit - Yes, Chris Squire Drama probably isn't the most well regarded Yes album but this "Yessles" project provides some real treats. Squire's tone on this track is immense from the initial bass stabs through the crazy riffage. The clanky sound shines even through the effects layered on top. Great bass sound, great bass playing. http://youtu.be/vzxZzIiO84Y

[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1443001638' post='2871254'] U2 fans are eagerly awaiting a reissue of the single Vertigo featuring the late Dizzy Gillespie!! [/quote] ...the only U2 single actually produced by Alfred Hitchcock

[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1443792003' post='2877750'] Does Stevie Wonder......."What does Robert Plant??" [/quote] But whatever Robert Plants, Roger Waters!

Fantastic blog Silvia. Great photos. And it answered a bit of brain fade that's been bothering me ever since. Had a lovely chat with Rumblefish and Mybass but couldn't for the life of me remember where I knew Pete from... Of course, seen him playing several times with the great Buddy Whittington. And playing his nice hand made basses too... D'oh!

Well, as a relative noob I guess I can take this opportunity to change my avatar to a remarkably ugly headstock (apparently, so I'm told...).

That P bass does sound great but... I'm going to say it... If only he'd brought a Wal on tour even if just for one song. :-( PS I like that album too.

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1443984951' post='2879244'] If you post that in every thread and you'll kill the site , back off [/quote] Yeah, we'll all 5 string players are just idiots, aren't they. And posers. And got more money than sense clearly. 4 strings is how the good Lord meant bass to be and anyone who disagrees is just plain wrong, end of. Period. Innit! And don't get me started on 6 strings. And fretless basses. And tobacco sunburst. And... And... And... There you go, consider that as little bit of yang to counterbalance the yin of reasonableness posted by HazBeen. Normal service has been resumed! ;-)

Thing is, in my own mind when I imagine myself doing a bass solo that is exactly what it ends up sounding like. Which I guess is nature's way of telling me never to do a bass solo...

Rob, of course not. Go for it. Glad you enjoyed it and sad not to see you there!

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1443786636' post='2877677'] Videos of TrevorR's Wal talk are now up - 4 parts. Apologies for the iffy sound and the shaking in some places - the acoustics of the large room and my position in the audience weren't always helpful. Part 1: [url="https://youtu.be/Cot2EN0JrS0"]https://youtu.be/Cot2EN0JrS0[/url] Part 2: [url="https://youtu.be/HpBzB-6IEnY"]https://youtu.be/HpBzB-6IEnY[/url] Part 3: [url="https://youtu.be/wZelMUtYF4A"]https://youtu.be/wZelMUtYF4A[/url] Part 4: [url="https://youtu.be/qq4yNlIk6co"]https://youtu.be/qq4yNlIk6co[/url] I am writing the customary blog with photos, these vids and Trevor's visual presentation. [/quote] Thanks for posting those Sylvia (...erm, I think... ). Looking forward to reading your photo blog of the day.

It's kinda the muso equivalent of the "Baby on board" sign, isn't it? "Oh, well I WAS thinking of crashing into your car just for the fun of it. However, now I know that there is a young child in there I'll go and find someone else to randomly crash into for fun..."

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1443746961' post='2877436'] Paul, My compressor (EBS) is second to last in my chain. You think I should move it more towards the front of the chain ,like after my chromatic tuner? Blue [/quote] Remember, what a compressor does is make the loud bits quieter and the quiet bits louder. Put it late in the chain and it will make any background hiss much more pronounced. Gainy pedals like Od and distortion tend to be noisy so any hiss from those pedals will be amplified by the compressor if it's after them in the chain.

Hmmm, yes, I can see how the existing broad spectrum hearing loss from the industrial noise would make it doubly difficult for the non playing time while using the ear plugs.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1443743483' post='2877427'] If I put them in 20 minutes before we started playing I wouldn't be able to hear what anybody was saying to me, but I will try it, maybe it's because I already suffer hearing loss but if I use both ear plugs the feeling of detachment completely ruins the atmosphere of playing live. I'm not saying they're not working for some people but they do create problems and this should be taken into consideration before paying over £100 for them. Having said that I don't regret getting them now because my tinnitus is a lot better since I started using them in my ear with tinnitus [/quote] Well, that's quite true, you do come over a slightly mutt n Jeff for those 20 mins but it's a compromise to assist how things feel when you do start playing. The other thing I wonder too is whether there's a bit of that "I practice sitting down so when I stand up to play everything feels a bit funny" going on with feelings of detachment when you start using plugs. The more you use them and battle through the initial odd feelings the sooner that sound becomes the norm and you stop feeling detached. Putting the plugs I nearly helps with this too. Anyway, that's how it worked out for me, others may find different. And, yes, Chris B's last comment sounds spot on to me too...

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1434484379' post='2800120'] had the filters changed in my ACS's to pro 10's and they still cut our to much treble, (I do have bad hearing loss around the 4K - 6K Hz range), on the last gig I had an ACS in my left ear, next to the drummer and the ear with tinitus, and generic ACS in my other ear, seemed to work quite well, but knowing what I know now I'm not sure I'd have spent £125 on them TBH [/quote] Have you tried putting your plugs in about 15 or 20 minutes BEFORE you start playing. I found that often helps as it gives the brain some time to get used to the changed set of frequencies it's getting and re-normalise your hearing for having the plugs in. Lessens the psychological effect of wearing the plugs and means that your ears aren't adjusting while you are playing but beforehand.