4-string-thing

[quote name='Johnston' post='1075121' date='Jan 2 2011, 11:17 AM']Wanna feel old??? You've had the bass since the year I was born [/quote] Ha ha....there are many ways I'm made to feel old daily, so its not so bad! I was only 17 when I bought the bass, I had to cadge a lift to the shop off my brother cos I hadn't passed my driving test. It cost me £240, about 10 weeks wages for an apprentice electrician at the time! I tried to sell it back to the shop in the 90's, they didn't want it at any price "wouldn't be able to shift it mate, nobody wants 'em nowdays"

Here's my 77 or 78, all original, owned since 1979 but doesn't get played much nowdays, so I'm thinking that I may be tempted to trade or sell soon.

I'm practicing holding my stomach muscles in whilst wearing spandex, smiling whilst playing and not looking like I'm concentrating, and throwing rockstar poses!

I bought an amp just before christmas from Music Junkie in Leicester. The shops owner, a fellow bass player, handed me a decent bass, plugged me in and told me to "make as much noise as I like" After a couple of notes, one of the assistants came over and told me to turn down as he wanted to demonstrate some keyboards! He then plugged said keyboards into a huge PA and started playing so loudly that I couldn't hear myself playing when I was only sat a couple feet away from a 600w amp! I did eventually turn myself up and buy the amp, but I probably won't use them again. Mind you, they did match the internet price I quoted....

[quote name='Roland Rock' post='1072181' date='Dec 29 2010, 09:45 PM']Fair enough - maybe I'm biased against midset banter because our guy is not half as funny as he thinks he is [/quote] Each to his own I suppose, but humour is a big part of our act!

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='1071776' date='Dec 29 2010, 02:32 PM']I see you play around my area, Mark, so I'll try & keep an eye out for when you're nearbye & come along some night. G.[/quote] Nice one Geoff, would be good to meet you, we're from Coalville, so just down the road from you. Hope you've got a strong stomach though, the sight of five 40-somethings in spandex is not for the faint-hearted!

I saw Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention playing what I think was a Kala U Bass on sky arts the other day, it sounded really good, but it wasn't really in a band situation, as all 5 of them were playing ukeleles.... Apart from the drummer, that is!

[quote name='Roland Rock' post='1071565' date='Dec 29 2010, 11:14 AM']Sounds like it went well - well done. In my experience/opinion, the less time between songs the better. There's nothing worse than disorganised changing of instruments or a frontman trying to fill the awkward gap by trying to be funny. IMO flowing from one song quickly to another is more slick and professional.[/quote] Well done Geoff, sounds like a good night! I'll keep my eyes open for you playing round here. In our band, we leave plenty of time between songs for comedy moments, the audience love (and expect) it when our singer and guitarist swap quips. It also gives our lead guitarist time to tune/swap guitars etc without the audience focusing on him. IMO its all part of a professional, slick show.

[quote name='umph' post='1062744' date='Dec 18 2010, 06:35 PM']still should've just respeakered the acoustic, the increase in volume would have been much greater than buying the new head[/quote] I may still do this when funds allow! I guess it would be cheaper than a Barefaced cab....

Bitten the bullet and bought a MAG600, which I intend to use (for now) into the pair of 15" cabs. The intention is to build a replica cab of the Acoustic and use the drivers from these. For bigger gigs I'll use both amps and both cabs. Then next year, I'll be looking at a Barefaced!

Beeswing and pretty much all of the Henry The Human Fly album by Richard Thompson. Almost anything by Nick Drake. Spencer The Rover by John Martyn. The False Bride by Sandy Denny. Go Your Way by Anne Briggs.

I had considered buying a more powerful head, more efficient speakers etc but to be honest, I was being a cheapskate and trying to use stuff I already have! The Power amp I have is a very basic Thomann job, so I don't think it has a parallel switch or anything. Keep the suggestions coming though chaps!

[quote name='dmccombe7' post='1059509' date='Dec 15 2010, 01:23 PM']Might be worth trying the Ashdown into the 2off 15's and thereby reducing load from 8 ohm to 4 ohm and subsequently more power. Using the one 2x15 cab will more than likely be an 8 ohm cab which I think reduces Ashdown MAG 300 output. I've used a combination of Warwick Line-out to Ashdown MAG combo effects IN to pretty good effect using 2x10 and 1x15 cabs. This allowed me to control both amp volumes from Warwick master. Not sure if this is correct way and was originally a trial based on same issue you have. Guitarist and drummer a bit too loud for the MAG on its own. Hope that helps a bit Dave[/quote] The Acoustic cab is 4 ohm, and the other cabs I have are 8 ohm 1x15's, so 4 ohms when used together. The problem is, our guitarists both have 200w Blackstar valve heads and no concept of turning it down! The Ashdown on its own is just not enough, I've thought of getting another one and using the drivers from the 1x15's for another 2x15, thus using 2 Ashdown heads and 4 15" drivers! But, as I already own a 200w per channel power amp, I'm basically trying to use what I have rather than buying yet more gear!

[quote name='icastle' post='1057858' date='Dec 13 2010, 09:31 PM']I wouldn't go down the jack splitter route - although it would split the input signal and send it off to the two amps it'll also work in reverse and link the two amp inputs directly to each other. I'd be more tempted to try the line out socket as a safer option. As for rack mounting the amp, looking at the pics Ashdown do a 300R version which just has an elongated front plate over the 300 version - a couple of 2U rack ears and some sympathetic metalwork should do the trick![/quote] I was thinking of splitting the output from the line out, is this not a good idea? The power amp is not bridgable, so I would want to use both channels as well as the MAG. I suppose I could use the DI output for one channel and the line out for the other?

Ok, I've decided to retire my old Acoustic head from gigging, its 30 years old, after all. I used my Ashdown mag 300w head into my Acoustic 2x15 cab for saturdays gig and got some nice comments about my sound. Problem is, I had to run it almost flat out to compete with our 2 power mad geetards and a powerful drummer. So, I also own a stereo power amp, 200w a side and am thinking about using the Ashdown and this power amp together. The Ashdown into the 2x15 and the power amp into two 1x15 cabs I have. My question is this: Whats the best way of getting a signal into the power amp? Using the line/tuner out for one channel and the fx out for the other? Or is it ok to split the signal from the line out using a little jack plug into 2 jack socket adapter? If I decide to do this, has anyone removed an Ashdown head from its case and rack mounted it? If so, how easy/hard is it? Cheers!

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1056276' date='Dec 12 2010, 06:10 PM']Also, I tend to find that if you think a gig is going to be great, it generally turns out crap. But then vice versa.[/quote] This happened to me last night, I had been moody all day and had a bad vibe about the gig, didn't really want to do it. Got there, set up and went on to play the best gig of my life! Can't wait for the next one now!

[quote name='markstuk' post='1055805' date='Dec 12 2010, 11:08 AM']I think they only glow under UV ?[/quote] There was UV lighting, but only on the back wall behind the band, so maybe thats why? Also, maybe they don't appear to glow much from the players POV, only from the audience?

I bought some DR orange neons and fitted them to my Yamaha, they do look pretty cool and play ok. They are supposed to glow under stage lighting but TBH at last nights gig they, er, didn't!

Joan Jetts "I hate myself for loving you" is pretty good, nice and easy to play too. And the Doro Pesch version of "White wedding"

I'm with your drummer on this one.... I hate doing gigs! The last band I was in did mainly pub gigs and the others always expected me to provide the P.A (and expected me to set it up/pack it away) as well as my own gear. I also had to find, book and advertise the gigs, sort the website etc. Basically do all the work, all they wanted to do was turn up, plug in and play. I got no extra payment for all my extra work either! The band I'm now in don't really do gigs yet (though we have one tonight) But the drummer and guitarist haven't really been in bands before and they are getting carried away with things, and to be honest, I'm getting fed up with them suggesting stuff when they have little experience. Having said that I hate gigs, I'm not really keen on the studio either, makes me wonder why I play bass at all really!

[quote name='iconic' post='1053690' date='Dec 10 2010, 08:27 AM']If you can find one about, discontinued now, some new old stock do turn up now and again.... [/quote] I think I remember reading a great review of this in "Performing Musician" a few years ago. Is it the one that only came in two colours? White or black, I believe. It has what Yamaha call "Air Technology" or something, basically a softwood core which keeps the weight down. I've just bought a s/h Yamaha and IMHO the quality is pretty good!

two guitards in our band, so I let them get on with the riff and I just lock into the groove with the drummer....

[quote name='bumnote' post='1048208' date='Dec 5 2010, 01:41 PM']Why thank you I have been meaning to get a tee made with that on one day[/quote] I thought about getting an Acoustic Tee made, til I saw on the Acoustic forum that the guy in the States who owns the trademark was gonna start suing people who did!

7 days away bump!

As a former "white van man" myself, although I never did parcel deliveries, I would have to say that I would never leave a parcel with someone who just happened to be outside of the address. Too many delivery drivers are just happy to get a signature, any signature will usually do. If there is nobody in and they leave it with a neighbour, surely it would be better to leave a note through the letterbox explaining where its been left, rather than hoping the neighbour will take the item round? Very shoddy on the couriers part. Glad it all worked out ok in the end though!