bnt

If you want to get deep in to synthesis, there’s a series of articles here that starts from the basics of sound. The way I see it, just making a sound is easy, but making that sound musical is why synths can get quite complex.

I watched bits of a video podcast that included a comparative spec sheet: Looks like balanced TRS outputs. The USB Audio is 8 in / 8 out = I'd want to see examples of just how you would make use of that. ("Re-amping" multiple audio channels?) It will be a shame if this goes head-to-head the Line6 HX Stomp for nearly the same price but two years later. Hopefully, Thomann gets stock at a competitive price.

Thanks - wasn't aware of that one. It's got the basic shape, but of course I'm thinking of something a lot more upscale. 💰💸

This might be weird, but here goes anyway ... I've always liked the look of the Yamaha SG-2000 guitar, and have sometimes wondered why they never made an equivalent bass, a SB-2000. So I would spec out a 5-string (SB-2500?) with a body of similar size or slightly larger, and a small headstock with lightweight tuners (since neck dive would be a risk). For electronics, I would want their nicest TRBX pickups, simple passive volume & tone for each , then to split outputs as on the Attitude. For woods and finish, I would look for something lighter than the SG-2000, maybe a quilted maple top or a light green tint. PS I might want to spec EMG soapbar pickups, such as the 40DCX at the neck and 40TWX at the bridge.

I’ve never owned a signature bass and probably never will. I have ideas of my own about signal chains and processing that I would rather spend my money on. The one in which I was most interested was (of course) the Rickenbacker 4001CS, which others have mentioned, but it’s way beyond my budget and there’s a risk I wouldn’t like it. I would consider a Stu Hamm Fender Urge because it’s a true signature bass, built to his specs from the wood up. 32” medium scale is big today, but Stu may have been the first to see the value in that. There is perhaps one I would jump on if I could afford it: a Status Chris Wolstenholme signature. That’s Chris’ “bread & butter” bass these days, only bringing other basses out for particular songs. The way he plays, he’s hard on the instrument, so carbon composite neck through construction makes sense. That thing looks like it would survive a nuclear war.

I’ve talked about mine here before: out of the box, being a passive P is probably what it’s best at, since that pickup is a beast. The other pickup and active EQ, not so good. It’s quite heavy, too, about 10 lbs. I see the Bass Centre does a few P basses, including a Bruce Thomas P and a John Entwistle “Frankenstein”, both for about £500 each.

Do you have any more details about that? I'm curious about what's going on structurally that would eliminate neck bends. (I have some ideas of my own about that problem.)

I saw that video but didn't twig that there was a short scale version: I just thought TimC was really tall, the way Chris Squire made his Rick look tiny. 😊

I’ve been following this bloke’s YouTube Channels for a long time, and one of them is about a museum he’s set up in Ramsgate to showcase all manner of weird and wonderful electronic stuff. It’s just opened, Sunday’s only for the moment, and you can book on EventBrite. Here’s a quick tour: On my list of reasons to go to Ramsgate.

Any bands in the Oxford area looking for a gig: James is looking for an opening band for their Oxford Academy gig on 17 August. Send details to [email protected] by 28 July. (I’m on their mailing list.)

I've had to take myself off the list, sadly. It was looking unlikely as it was, travelling from Ireland with all the hassle and uncertainty, and now I've had to change my booked time off work to accommodate someone else who needs it more urgently. I think this is the current list: @Richard R - Brawley Artemis 4, Brawley Artemis 5, EBS Session60 amp, something to weigh basses with. + son with his Westfield of some sort. @Stub Mandrel - Fender Performer, Hohner Jack Custom V, Deathburger (HB kit build), TE 1110 combo? @petecarlton - Mayones Cali4 "Puzzle" Bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYAvWZGwc4s&t=13s&ab_channel=BassTheWorld.com; Sterling by Music Man Short Scale Stingray @Teebs PRS Kingfisher bass, Godin Passion RG-4 RN (It haz arrived! ) @SpondonBassed - Jack. (That's not short for Jack all, it's just that I can't decide until nearer the time.) @bassmansam - Rickenbacker 4003s, Eppy Thunderbird Vintage Pro and Ashdown ABM 500 2x10 combo @jebroad - Not-fender jazz (maybe), squire silver series jazz, old Kay SC, Dingwall combustion, Ashdown 8x10 (Maybe) @Jabba_the_gut - 27" mini basses, Short scale telebass, whatever else I build by then, TC RS210 combo. Cakes @Oldman -RUACH NT 35” Unlined Fretless Custom, head and cab @NickA Since the last one.. got a second Wal with an extra string and those weird metal things in the fingerboard ( supposed to help you play in tune I think, but cause all kinds of problems ). So, yes, please. I'll be there; Couple of Wals and some pjb amps. @Geek99 - POSSIBLE ... Ampeg AMP, bass-doc built relic P, homemade jazz with geddy lee pups, zoom b2. @Sarah5string Count me in. Dean edge pro 5 bass, Ibanez sr505 bass, little mark III amp, ashdown ABM 115 cab @verb Warwick Corvette and a TE Series 6 amp. @nickmew Dingwall Z3, Sandberg California II TM5 Fretless, Hofner Club, Roscoe Century+ 5 and probably a Phil Jones Double 4 as I'm not dragging along my big rig.

There’s a NBD thread on one, here!

Which was basically designed by Mike Rutherford and his guitar tech, after Mike (who was about 6’3”) wondered whether his standard Steinberger GL guitar looked a bit small on him!

Review video: The shape & button system is not random; it's an update / fix of the Goya Pantheon from the '60s, made at the behest of Juan Alderete.

I’m going to leave myself on the list while I monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation in the UK & Ireland. My general idea was to base in Nottingham for about 5 days and take day trips to parts I’ve never been to, such as Yorkshire, but if I have to self-isolate, it’s not happening. It’s supposed to be fun, not stressful. I’m fully Pfizer-ed as of six weeks ago.

My chances of attending are looking a bit less tentative now, as long as the UK gets COVID under reasonable control by then. I'll probably get ferries rather than fly, since the cost of flights that weekend has shot up since I last checked, and make it a longer trip. overall. I'm vaccinated and should be able to get a EU Digital COVID Certificate. Now to see whether the UK will accept those without making me take more tests or go in to quarantine.

Since I first rewired mine last year, I went back to the parts I have and this diagram I found on TalkBass. It’s for the MJ but it matches what I remember on my MP: Now, it’s possible that the 25k volume pot is after the EQ in active mode, but I don’t think so based on that diagram. And even if it was, we would still have that situation in passive mode.

The specific problem I had, which led me to install active EMGs in mine, was not the active EQ as such, but what came before it: the unbuffered output of the two pickups going through standard passive balance controls, and a 25k volume control, before it got to the circuit. I don't like to see a passive pickup signal with such a low resistance in the signal path. On top of that, the stock P's output is huge, which I like in general, but it doesn't play nice with the MM pickup, or with the active EQ. The MJ version might be better-behaved in that regard - I don't know. Note that I don't call it an active preamp, since it's only an EQ circuit: in my view the first job of a preamp is to buffer the signal before it's subjected to mixing or processing. It's probably OK as EQ circuits go, actually, but it didn't stand a chance due to the too-hot, badly-mixed signal it was getting.

Now available with go-faster stripes:

According to this, they're made by a company called Jolana in the Czech Republic. I can't see any basses on that site, though.

I wouldn’t want to overstate it, but pickup placement is one of the things Leo Fender innovated. The central position is awkward in some respects, compared to other instruments of the period, including Fender’s own, which were mostly all the way back or forward. Even post-Fender, he developed the Music Man Stingray with its “sweet spot” pickup placement. There’s another thread on Reverse P placement, where the coils are swapped left/right as in Sandbergs etc. Details! 🤓

This video is a pretty good review, which comes down pretty hard. It looks like the OEM has changed the neck joint entirely, it’s down to 5 bolts with no more body cutaway for upper fret access. G4M says they have 20+ in stock now, but if I was to buy one, what would I get?

I’ve never played any Fender bass, since I’ve never been able to afford one, and I’m not the kind of player who can take a random bass off the rack, plug it in, and sound good. edit: if you mean P-style basses, my first bass was one, and I’ve posted about the HB MP-4EB I have, now with added EMG-ness.

Or “suspenders”, as they’re called in the USA. Tony Levin wears them because they help support his Stick, and he told the story of the looks he got when he tried to find some in a shop in England. 😌