chris_b

So you love the sound of your amp right now. . . . Don't change a thing!!

My TH500 has more watts than my first 2 bands put together and the Thunderfunk has more watts than my first 3 bands put together. The volume of most bands I see has really got out of hand. We played one gig in Richmond where they told us if we didn't turn up the volume we'd be fired!

Of you like the Ampeg sound and feel the need to keep another gear in reserve, think about the PF800. Most 500 watt heads will give you 350 watts into 8 ohms, which might not be enough, but the PF800 with be 500 watts at 8 ohms. If that doesn't work you need more speakers not more watts. I used to run a 500 watt amp into an 8 ohm 410 and it was loud enough for a very loud band. I sometimes added a 210 but that was really just showing off.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1443608928' post='2876117'] bass players in particular, are stuck in the 80's... or even further back. [/quote] While there is always room for improvement, I don't care where I'm stuck, as long as the guys I play with think I play well and sound good.

I'm not a doc but sciatica is caused by compression on the sciatic nerve. Sorry to be pedantic, but you [i]have[/i] damaged your back/spine/discs and you're not as fine as you think. NHS.UK has a lot of good info.

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1443572265' post='2875914'] I do have trouble with Sciatica, [/quote] So your body is telling you something, but it seems you're not listening.

Don't over think this. You might find you'll play a 5er for 10 mins and hate it. I'd probably get the Squier but the Sire will be a good instrument and will probably be easier to sell if you don't get on with 5 strings.

I didn't see this story first time, so very very good news Spike. We've just found out a good friend of ours has bowel cancer with secondaries in his liver and has been given till Christmas. As in Spikes case, bowel cancer can be fixed if you catch it early. People get yourselves tested.

Bods and purists want to talk about the sound speakers. Most of the people who want to gig talk about the sound of cabs. Because that's what they hear and buy. If we are to believe what we are told, 90% of the cabs sold are "middle of the road" and "badly" designed. Strangely that doesn't stop a majority of them sounding pretty good as we found out at the cab shoot out at the SE Bass Bash. I just got told on Talkbass that a bass amp I once owned couldn't reproduce any meaningful bass. They guy had never heard one but read the manual!! I'm not knowledgeable enough to discuss or argue the technicalities but I know what I hear, there was a ton of deep bass, but my experience didn't count when stacked up against the paperwork! Strangely, it seems, real life isn't good enough. Fortunately a real expert came in an demolished his argument. This is what we have to endure.

. . . . but if you keep going and looking you find something else. Something better, maybe. Give up and you throw it all away.

[quote name='tonyclaret' timestamp='1443420255' post='2874440'] Got one CN112 at the moment, which sounds great to me. [/quote] . . . . and me. Sell it to me.

This is terrible news. He was one of the best bass players the planet has ever known.

<really pedantic> I believe he also owned an 8 string bass. </really pedantic>

Is the implication that "made in China" is something to be avoided? Do we worry about where our jeans and trainers are made? Does the original post have a point?

I'm using Lakland flats but have tried basses with La Bella's and TI flats on. If I was replacing my strings I'd get another set of Laklands.

The one thing I learnt from yesterday's cab shoot out was how I would have been happy to use any of them on my gig last night. It seems to me there were no bad cabs, just preferences. It was the first time I'd heard Schroeder cabs and they didn't sound as bad as I'd imagined after years of people stressing their downsides. The Fearless cabs sounded very good. I'd have liked to hear the 110 and 112 cabs doubled up. That how I'd use them on a gig and I think their sound improves dramatically when used in pairs. I liked the Berg (of course), and I liked the Barefaced cabs. One of the eye openers for me was the amount of tone that came out of the gen 1 Compact, a single 15" that sounded like it had a tweeter, but hasn't. And Alex comes in for even more criticism! <sigh> As an abstract statement it might be true to say that the size of the speaker doesn't tell you anything about it's sound, but we never hear the speaker on its own, so as the sizes of the boxes usually conform to a general design you can definitely say that what we hear [i]is[/i] governed by size. Some manufacturers are making well designed cabs that don't conform to the norm, which is good. When I started 90% of the cabs played were average sounding 412's, so IMO all choice is good. I'm not picky. In the last 10 years I've used 15's, 10's and 12's. They all sounded different but the all sounded good. This does seem to be a unique issue for those on on-line forums. The rest of the bass playing world gets by without tearing its hair out over such small differences.

I had a great time. Saw some interesting gear, came to some interesting conclusions and, as always, met some interesting people. Well run again. Thank you all and see you next year.

Why don't you read the article. It tells you right there.

That's poetry. . . . . .

I've heard that the battery operated headphone amps don't have a very log battery life. Do they do mains versions? Sounds like a better idea for you.

The Solid Silver 60's Show is playing to packed houses every gig. People want to see the guys who made their favourite music, from when they were young. We, of all people, shouldn't be wishing musicians out of work. I think any musician who is fit and able to gig should be, especially when there is a keen audience ready to buy tickets.

I'd suggest a Barefaced One10 and a separate amp.

The best thing I found for my 112 cab was to sit it on top of another 112 cab. The whole lot sat on a Gramma pad.

I'm very jealous of people who can pick up any bass and play it all night. I remember when I could do that. To the people who don't understand. . . . you will one day.