silverfoxnik

Hi Folks, Last night at a typical pub gig with the usual dodgy acoustics, I used a Peavey 410 TVX that I bought from Martinbass7750 (top chap, by the way!) and the low-end it delivered, using my GK 700 head, Roscoe Beck V and my Wal Pro 2e, was just phenomenal!! At one point our keyboard player actually asked me to turn it down.. It's smaller than the Hughes & Kettner 410 I had, yet puts out more low-end and outperforms a 210 + 115 set up I had... So what I want to try to find out is just how it does that?? I know it won't match up against some of the boutique gear that's out there like Markbass, EBS etc, but for sheer value for money, IMO, this is a good as anything I've heard! Nik

[quote name='mybass' post='85438' date='Nov 8 2007, 01:36 PM']Just did some business with Martinbass7750 and everything was excellent. A well packed item was at my house within 48 hours and he was a pleasure to deal with. Top stuff. cheers Mybass[/quote] +1 on that! Just bought a Peavey 410 from Martinbass7750 and it arrived so well packaged I thought it was brand new direct from the manufacturer!! He's a great bloke to deal with and the gear is exactly as he described and you can't ask for much more than that. Thanks Martin, be very happy to deal with you again anytime... Nik

Hi Folks, I've recently acquired a Fender Roscoe Beck V and it has a Gotoh designed bridge on it. Unfortunately, the saddle for the low B has come apart so that the screw that allows you to move the saddle backwards or forwards when setting up intonation, now won't work. There's a locking nut or screw that can be tightened so that the saddle doesn't move around but it's far from ideal as the B string can't be easily adjusted for intonation.. Here's a photo of the bridge: Does anyone know where or how I could find a replacement, bearing in mind this bass has been discontinued by Fender as a five string model? Thanks, Nik

We played a 50th Birthday party Friday night on the first floor of a Conservative Club in Newhaven with no lift - so that wasn't fun!! But there was a good young band supporting, so that made for a pleasant distraction as we hardly ever gig with other bands. Last night we were at The Crow's Nest in East Grinstead; again it was 1st floor but thankfully, they have a lift which makes a lot of difference when loading out at 1am in the morning! Both gigs were slow to get going at first but in the end, everyone was up singing and dancing, so a good weekend's work all in all! Another two more next weekend as well, so 'no rest for the wicked' as the saying goes... Nik

[quote name='Sean' post='82862' date='Nov 2 2007, 06:32 PM']After Blue Darryl's first night at rehearsal last night I know I won't be fitting a J-Retro. For me it doesn't need it, I love the sound of these Aeros through my GK. We went through It's Raining Men (camp? who sir? me sir? no sir!), We Are Family, Blame it on the Boogie and I Want You Back and this bass sounds right. I broke one of our big rules last night because I just couldn't stop slapping the thing between songs but the guys are pretty understanding about new toys; I know I won't get away with it next week![/quote] Lovely bass Sean! I have exactly the same bass but the 5 string version and like you, I think these basses sound great without a J-retro or other active circuits. Nothing wong with J-retro mind, it's just that these Laklands as you say 'sound right' as they are! Nik

Love the look of both basses - congratulations! A bit like you, I sold my MM Sub 5 to get a Lakland DJ5 and I haven't regretted that decision for a second, Nik

[quote name='Toasted' post='81628' date='Oct 31 2007, 09:56 AM']Oh, I like it. I like it alot.[/quote] Me too Back on topic, I use the Zoom B2 1.u and I don't have any problem pressing both switches at the same time to bypass/mute the unit.. The problem I encounter more frequently is that the right-sided switch is quite close to the pedal so if you're not careful, you can hit the pedal instead of the switch which causes all sorts of mayhem depending on how the functionality of the pedal is set!

[quote name='paul, the' post='82048' date='Nov 1 2007, 05:14 AM']Oh and could someone please buy that and save me the 4 hour car journey. Despite my negativity towards Carlsbro... that's gorgeous.[/quote] I checked that out last time it was on Ebay as I live quite near Chichester and it's better in the looks department than the sound department, sadly! It's a completely empty box with two unbranded 12" drivers in there, so you can definitely save yourself the journey... Nik

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='82586' date='Nov 2 2007, 12:13 AM']Something pert and heart shaped?[/quote] Definitely!

Really nice bass Si and welcome to the Lakland owners club! Er..is it me or is there some kind of 'Status Quo' thing going on in that live pic??? Nik

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='81128' date='Oct 30 2007, 08:08 AM']To a degree I've gone through very much the same thing (as has Dood I imagine) in the last year or two! I had a pair of H&K 2x10 combos that I used for over 15 years and due to them both developing terminal problems I bought a H&K Bassbase 600 amp which I continued to use with the cab section of my combos. Cutting to the present day via a potted history I bought a pair of Neo 2x12 EBS, changed the H&K for a Warwick amp, sold the EBS and bought Tech 2x10 & 1x15, chopped in the Warwick amp for MB, sold the Tech cabs and bought a 6x10 Tech, got rid of the MB and bought a Thunderfunk (oh and a Tech amp). The whole time I was also considering Epifani, Accugroove, Schroeder, Glock etc etc. I was also questioning whether I had an issue with the tone of Neo speakers, a recent trial (thanks to fellow local BCers JPJ and WoT, and also reading stuff here and on TB by Alex and BFM) helped me clarify that it is cab design not 'necessarily' the driver installed that matters. Added to which I was p*ssing about swapping pups and preamps in my basses... the Devil makes work for idle hands. As you can see I've had an unsettled year or two and spent a lot of time changing cab THEN amp THEN cab THEN amp. It may not help you immensely but I'd try and identify an amp that you like before you go chasing cabs and have some kind of constant in your system. and remember when you are asking these questions... 'one man's meat is another man's poison', someone's sweet top end could just as easily be fingernail's down a blackboard to me![/quote] Blimey, I'm exhausted just reading that!! Good advice though... ..Kind of a modern-day bass players parable for all of us who are searching for that perfect sound which of course, is different for all of us! At the end of the day, there's no substitute for trying out as much equipment as possible but that's easier said than done. That's one of the really good things about the Bass Bash. At the SE Bash I went to in August; I got to hear so much different equipment that I would never have gotten round to hearing otherwise.. Anyway, good luck with it all Gwil !

[quote name='ped' post='76923' date='Oct 20 2007, 10:33 AM']Quite a looker. Shame it is abroad though. How are you Nik, I haven't seen you about much.. been busy? ped[/quote] Hi Ped, Am pretty good thanks but incredibly busy with work and also am gigging a lot, so haven't had as much Basschat time as I'd like (not good).. How are you? Nik

[quote name='Rich' post='80863' date='Oct 29 2007, 04:46 PM']Jon crafted for me a beautiful instrument exactly as I wanted it, with a few choice suggested improvements of his own, for less than the cost of a new Stingray 5 and half the price of a comparable Sei or GB. 'Nuff said. Man's a genius.[/quote] Whatever anyone thinks of his instruments, it seems to me that Jon Shuker obviously makes his customers feel valued, and that they're getting incredible value for their money.. That's a winning combination in anyone's book! Personally, I've only ever played one Shuker (MacDaddy's 6 string at the SE Bash in August) and it was a quality instrument, no doubt about it!

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='80509' date='Oct 28 2007, 05:34 PM']Just got home after doing a showcase at the British Legion in Leyland and what an ordeal - I'm knackered. Five acts turned up at 11.30 with all the gear under the sun, told that the first act has to go on at 12.30 after the hot pot - oh and by the way, did I mention that our band was last on at 3.30? No time for anyone to do a proper soundcheck either. Three solo artists and a three piece band (no drums) led the proceedings (25 mins each) - all with f. backing tapes and huge PAs (can't believe that we couldn't agree that only one PA should do everyone but there ya go). We just took our small PA and tops only - no bass bins and we had a hard time filling a big room with our sound...BUT at least we did get 'em up dancing. We got two bookings immediately after the show so it was probably worth it but what a nightmare. The only positive I can draw from the experience is it did actually help to reaffirm my heartfelt opinion that people who use backing tapes should be taken outside and flogged with a sh1tty stick. Bogus...totally f. bogus indeed. Ah well, life goes on - gotta go and cook Sunday dinner now.[/quote] I think most of us have had similar experiences Al, so commisserations and also congratulations for getting something positive out of it! Definitely sounds a bit Phoenix Nights as Matt said... Am totally with you on the 'backing tapes' issue BTW!. As well as doling out said punishment there, someone should also shoot the booker/organiser at the British Legion.. How often have you heard that story where someone who knows nothing about musicians and equipment is given the job of booking and organising the entertainment, only to completely b***s it up! Nik

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='78581' date='Oct 23 2007, 11:46 PM']Well, you know I'm one for subtle understatement. It's ideally suited for the gentle lambent tones of Dinner Jazz, and could possibly lend itself to Plainchant if I were to fit a whammy bar. As to it appearing at any Bash (or Fumble), that's dependent on finding a suitable gigbag as the hard case is too unwieldy for Public Transport. Pete.[/quote] Good point Pete - I was very impressed with how light & compact your gear was at the Bash.. Would love to see you performing with this bass at a Dinner Jazz evening somewhere

[quote name='Gwilym' post='78552' date='Oct 23 2007, 10:13 PM']hi Nik, I'm not doing too badly thanks! Hope you're good too. to be honest, I wasn't expecting any retrospective pre-Basschat feedback, but thanks very much for your kind words nevertheless That Wal couldn't have gone to a nicer bloke, and, sorry the Sadowsky has gone to Aussiephoenix ;-) Cheers Dave! Glad to hear you're loving that bass You must be the only person on Basschat with no GAS [/quote] Am good thanks Gwil, though got a touch of flu which is boring... On the bass front, the Wal and my Lakland DJ5 keep me very happy so it was only just a passing appreciation of the Sadowsky, as opposed to full on GAS. Still, GAS is a bit like colds and flu isn't it, you can guarantee that no matter how good you feel, it'll hit you at least once a year Nik

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='77968' date='Oct 23 2007, 12:33 AM']Fresh from the sylvan fields* of Parcel Farce's Charlton Depot: An Aria ZZB-Custom in "Bloody Red". I've only ever seen two of these, & the other one is in the catalogue scans over on the Matsumoku.org site - so they're a tad scarce. It's quite light, & very loud. The bridge appears to have been designed by the Pharmaceutical Dept at Aria, & it's a bugger to get it comfy when standing. It's also reluctant to fit most stands. A gigbag would be nice, but that may prove harder to find than Lord Lucan. As a result of this, I hereby proclaim myself GAS-free**. Pete. *[size=1](a lie)[/size] **[size=1](probably a lie)[/size][/quote] Very quiet, unassuming looking bass you've got yourself there Pete - hope to hear it and have a go at the next Bash!! Does it sound as modest as it looks? Nik

[quote name='Sibob' post='78394' date='Oct 23 2007, 04:37 PM']So I'm just interested in what difference (sound, structural etc etc) it makes when a bass body is made up from a number of different pieces of wood!? What would the characteristic differences be between say a 4 piece body and a 1 piece body? Cheers Si[/quote] Hi Si, Really interesting question this and it's not one that I think will get you a definitive answer... Personally, I prefer the sound of basses where the body is not made up of lots of different woods (..sometimes called multi-laminate, I think). With Wal basses which I've used for years, I have always preferred the sound of the old Pro models as opposed to the Custom models and that's because the Pros were made of Ash and the Customs were made of a mahogony core with different laminates on top. Though the Ash bodies were made of 3 pieces glued together, I think that the use of one tonewood made for a more resonant body. Fans of the Custom models will say differently of course, and point to the fact that the electronics were radically different between the two models so a straight comparison can't be made, which may well be true. But having owned and used both designs, I think the Pro models were better for being one wood. Dave Wild, a very good luthier based in North London always argued the case for simplicity in designing and building basses and pointed to Fenders as being the best example of that. His point was something like (a) in the body of a bass, it is better to have good wood resonating than lots of glue and that ( different woods resonate differently, therefore they may not work well together tonally.. How true that is is part of the debate I suppose and something for others to add too. For my part, over the years that I've been playing, my preference has definitely swung back towards simpler design in basses. Sorry if I've strayed off the point a bit, but you've got me thinking with this one, which is always a good thing! Nik

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='74346' date='Oct 14 2007, 11:49 PM']Played through a brand new borrowed Ashdown stack at a gig the other night and it was woolier than a sheep in a jumper shop. And we're not talking the cheap range either - this was an Evo head and top of the range cabs. It was awful. What's all the fuss about?[/quote] +1 That's been my experience of Ashdown as well. The first time I used an Ashdown set-up was the house rig at Walkabout's in Shepherd's Bush, London and it was dreadful. Looking at it cynically and given their pretty impressive 'market penetration' on TV or in venues etc, it seems to me like Ashdown have won the marketing war with this formula: Retro logo and fascia design + tubes + VU meters = good old traditional British engineering = must be bloody good!! Of course, we're all different and what gear we use is dependent on what music we like and what music we play in our various bands etc, but every now and again, there's definitely a brand that comes along which is a triumph of style over content and I've long thought that Ashdown are that brand of the last few years.. Just my view of course but I wouldn't spend my money on any Ashdown gear... Personally, I'd rather look at my late Dad's 1930's radio sets if I want to indulge in a bit of nostalgia for good old British engineering!

[quote name='BeLow' post='77911' date='Oct 22 2007, 10:32 PM']Hi Homer When I first started playing bass (shortly after electricity had been invented) the advice was to always have speakers with power handling well above the power output of the amp, but that was when a 100watt bass amp was the norm and the 250watt machine was a real pro rig, and a 200 watt speaker was approximately the size of a garden shed and the weight of the speaker magnet created a gravitational field which could pull the earth's orbit closer to the sun.[/quote] LOL +1 to Al and Crazykiwi welcoming you back - extremely pertinent post but very very funny too...I've had flu for 2 days and that's really cheered me up! Looks like you've got the all clear on this now Al, subject to being extra careful in certain situations? Nik

[quote name='TheRev' post='78155' date='Oct 23 2007, 11:46 AM']1) The spaces you leave are just as important as the note you play. 2) Never, ever leave a drummer alone with the rider.[/quote] LOL and +1... My 2p worth would be: 1) Always listen to all of the other musicians in the band, especially the singer 2) Remember that bass is a melodic instrument as well as a rhythmic instrument

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='77737' date='Oct 22 2007, 02:44 PM']I've just bought a GK 112 neo as a 'multi-purpose' addition to my rig which consists of a 1001RBII head and GK 212 neo cab. Primarily, I bought it to use for quiet practicing in my bedroom and to use at band rehearsals but I've stacked it with the 212 and at (fairly loud) bedroom volume and it sounded absolutely wonderful! I would imagine that having that extra speaker closer to my ear will help me to hear myself better on stage and might even let me turn down a bit. I'd like to use the pair together at gigs occasionally if it's possible without damaging anything - and, being conscious of the imbalance of the 2 cabs - ie; 300 watts 98db and 600 watts 101db, was wondering how far can I go volume wise without damaging the 112? My usual settings on the head are - Contour & Presence off, EQ flat, input volume at 9 o' clock, boost at about 2 'o clock and woofer on about 11-12 o' clock. I play in a soul band and use PA support at all but the smallest venues.[/quote] Hi Alan, The danger is going to be that at close to full volume you could have almost 350 watts going into the GK 112 which is obviously too much, but if your woofer setting is about 12 o'clock, then you're not near maximum output so it should be OK. But it's all a bit of an inexact science isn't it, hence your concerns? I think you're right in thinking that with this set up you might be able to turn down a bit because when I've used stacked cabs with one nearer to ear level, I find it helps a lot and I don't have to turn up as much. Hopefully, there's more knowledgeable members here who can advise you best, Nik

Very cool.... The sunburst/black scatchplate combination looks great to me!