Paddy Morris

Thanks. Sorry if this feels like valve amp principles 101, but I disappeared down a rabbit hole when I saw Mesa stating that valve power stages are 'more powerful' rather than just subjectively louder.

Ah. Ok. That does make sense. Thanks Bill. But so in that case if you drive the valve front-end of a hybrid amp quite hard, and get all that soft clipping and compression, is the class-D power stage ok? Why would you need a valve power stage too?

Thanks Matt. Good to know. But I wonder what the reason is, if it isn't actually the electrical power in watts.

Sorry if this subject has been done to death in the past. I have been using Class-D amps for quite a while now, and like them a lot. But they don't really seem to appreciate being driven close to their limits. So I've started looking at a few tube power stage amps, and a lot of the marketing blurb seems to say that they are 'more powerful' per given RMS wattage. I had a training in electronics (quite a looooong time ago) so I get that in a physical/electrical sense this has to be untrue, except for amplifiers where the manufacturers tell all sorts of fibs about the power output, and use terms like 'peak power', or 'music power', and avoid quoting an actual RMS or AES power rating. But I was wondering if players had found that in the real world it does actually turn out to be the case that a tube output stage gives you more apparent loudness per specified RMS watt? In particular, I was looking at this text from the Mesa-Boogie site. "NOTE: Tube Amps sound as loud as Solid State Amps rated at several time their power (wattage) rating. Choose from 8 tubes producing 465 Tube-Watts (sounds like in excess of 900)" It's a bold claim to make if it's just plain untrue. So are they talking about the 'warmth' or harmonics, or saturation, or the soft clipping of the tubes at high power? Or the fact that you can run the tubes much closer to their supply rails?

I think, impedance-wise a 4 x anything is usually wired to give you 8Ω//8Ω = 4Ω in series with another 8Ω//8Ω = 4Ω to give you a final 8Ω load. So the Elf will be supplying the same sort of power into your 8Ω rehearsal room speaker as it will into your 8Ω Super Mini. I have a Super Mini T and they are really very efficient, so I'm guessing that your gigging volume will be louder than the rehearsal room volume. But you probably won't get the same low end on the Super Mini as your 4 x whatever cabinet. So you might end up screwing more EQ into the Elf, which might in turn mean you get less overall volume. I've also heard that some cabs don't sound sweet when underpowered, but that's certainly not true of any of the newer generation of Barefaced cabs. The sound is very consistent across all volumes until you start to reach the limits of the speaker (which you certainly won't be doing.)

I would be tempted to take the electronics and chassis of the Crate and mount it in a different, maybe larger enclosure. Or have you considered a PJB double-four? I have used that with upright bass for busking type gigs, and you can run them from a powertool battery.

For what it's worth, I also think the Genzlers are awesome. I haven't tried the Kinetix, tube/hybrid thing, and they aren't cheap, but in the demo videos they sound fantastic on funk stuff. But if you can pick up a 2nd hand Magellan you won't be disappointed. Just a small number of front panel controls is enough tone-shaping to give you virtually any sound you want. Either the 350 or the 800. I have tried both the Warwick Gnome and the TE Elf, and once you get over the initial 'oh my god, isn't it tiny?' vibes, neither of them is much use except in an absolute emergency. The tone shaping on both just lacks flexibility.

Yeah. If I'm using the click pick-up at all, then the gain is as low as it will go, and even then I can hear it clipping from time to time. I use a Vicks pickup for fingerboard now, which has a slightly lower output and works fine (though I hardly use it.) The bridge channel still seems to need to be at a low gain setting, but doesn't seem to distort. I guess it must vary a lot depending on the liveliness and volume of an individual instrument, and the player's technique and style. I think it's fair to say that I'm not particularly subtle when I'm playing slap! I have toyed with the idea of knocking up a pair of resistor pads to take about 10dB of the pickup signal before the input stage of the preamp. But I also don't want to create yet another potential failure point at a gig. But notwithstanding all of this, I still think the RB Pro rig is incredible for the money.

The headroom on the preamp seems to drop away long before the battery light comes on, so it's always worth trying a new battery. Also make sure the input gain is set to the minimum.

Zak Victor does a good bridge wing pickup. I've found it to be less boomy than the J-tone and pretty feedback resistant. https://www.uprightbasspickups.com The best pickup I have is a Yamahiko mounted on the bridge of my carved bass. But they're pretty pricey by the time you've paid import duty from Japan, and you need to get a luthier to fit them properly. https://yamahiko.info/product/contrabass/ The most realistic and 'airy' thing I have is an Ischell contact mic. French, and also fairly expensive. Really captures the essence of the bass, but really prone to feedback.

Thanks. Yes, the site said that Barnes and Mullins were the UK distributor, but B&M replied to me that they hadn't been Shadow distributors for a few years. In the end I ordered a replacement to the address of a friend in NYC, and he's bringing it over with him when he visits in a few weeks.

No. Limiter not essential by any means. It's a really great setup for the money. You'll probably wind up only teasing in a very small amount of neck pickup anyway, as the bridge pickup also picks up a fair bit of slap.

I've somehow managed to lose the bridge wing pickup from my RB Pro setup. I'm using a Vics for the time being which sounds fine, but I'd like to get another Shadow one because it just sounded slightly nicer via their preamp. Any clues where I could order a replacement transducer, without having to shell out for a whole new kit? I can't see replacements listed anywhere

What about the PJB two four? It's tiny, and loud enough for a practice at home or an acoustic gig in a pub or café (without drums, obviously)

Silver slaps are lovely. Very low tension. They are a little squeaky under the fingers (like wound guitar strings) but very satisfying to play. They don't work for arco at all.

If you do end up buying a composite bass, would love to know what you think of it, and hear some sample recordings.

Have you tried those Global Gut Indian strings from Etsy? The E, A are too flappy to be of much use, but the D, G are great. They have a lovely tone and feel very satisfying under the fingers. And they're cheap enough that you can afford to buy something more expensive for the lower strings. But I mean, if you love Gamuts and can afford Gamuts, then get Gamuts. It's worth spending money on something that makes you enjoy your life, right?

You've been to a luthier twice, and your bridge doesn't adjust properly and your strings are buzzing. Sounds to me like you need a different luthier. Some luthiers can get a little snooty when they learn that you're not playing in an orchestra. I think you need to ask around and get the right guy for your bass and playing style.

Quick question. Should I change my G yet? It's about 5 years old and I've been trying to keep up with trimming off the odd strand of gut that peels off it using nail scissors, but I'm not great at it. I oil them infrequently when I remember to do it. It still sounds OK. Possibly not quite quite as good as new, but it's subjective and hard to tell, as I've changed amps, cabs and pickups many times since I put it on. It still sounds lovely and warm and loud acoustically. I have a spare I could put on now, but they tend to drift in pitch radically for the first week, and I've got 3 gigs and 2 practices over the bank holiday weekend. I really don't want to be re-tuning after every song (or worse, during every song!) What would the Bass-Chatters do?

Love this. My cat leaves the house whenever I pick up any instrument at all. Everyone's a critic.

Neal Heppleston in Mirfield, West Yorks - brilliant. John Marlow - Dewsbury, West Yorks, also very good for running repairs.

https://youtu.be/Y9LWfVjXXAU?si=1FCsZGmx0IEVrgpU

Define North England. Neal Heppleston in Mirfield, West Yorkshire is a legend.

That IS the sound. Amazing. Compression sounds about right too.

Thanks for all the info @stevie I'll keep an eye out for someone using a Monza, and maybe go to a gig.