Beedster

[quote name='Captain Bassman' post='779759' date='Mar 19 2010, 01:47 PM']My band (Big G's) has been asked to do a 30 minute slot during this fund-raising gig for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

We'll be doing a selection of soul and funk covers from 7.30-8.00 to liven things up for the evening session.

Any other Basschatters on the bill?

CB[/quote]

I'd like to be, are they looking for any more bands?

C

[quote name='spongebob' post='778833' date='Mar 18 2010, 05:02 PM']Thanks to all for that.

I gave Sims a call, and took a trip there with it this afternoon.

Seem like a really nice, genuine bunch....and they do know their stuff![/quote]

Martin and his guys have done several jobs for me, and each has been done to the highest possible standards. He also gives very precise estimates as to timescales and costs, which I've found to be problematic with other techs in the past (i.e., they've taken longer and cost more than originally quoted). He's also more than happy to chew the fat with customers. Martin's highly recommended

C

[quote name='The Burpster' post='770847' date='Mar 10 2010, 07:58 PM']Have you guys tried pimping the 12AX7s.....?

I shelled out on a pr of 'select' Mesa tubes for mine, and the change in tone was astounding!

[url="http://www.hotroxuk.com/mesa-boogie-br-spax7-a-12185-0.html"]http://www.hotroxuk.com/mesa-boogie-br-spax7-a-12185-0.html[/url]

ignore the waffle about "Designed for main driver position" these puppies are selected for low noise (top 5% creamed off selection tests). The tone the produce as a result is WELL worth the extra few squids.

[url="http://mesa.stores.yahoo.net/spax7.html"]http://mesa.stores.yahoo.net/spax7.html[/url]

If you liken your tone to beautiful woman (swiss Tony) with std AX7s in, put these puppies in, and your in for a night out with a Princess that can suck a golfball through 3ft of garden hose![/quote]

One of the best posts ever Bob, love the idea of pimping the valves and the Swiss Tony reference!

Might give it a try, do they drive less easily than the standards?

C

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='770694' date='Mar 10 2010, 05:53 PM']TBH, I could probably get by with the Walkabout head alone. I've used it in some big rooms without PA support, and it's coped just fine...

But, I'm stuck with the MPulse so I might as well use it. [/quote]

Side by side, how much more powerful is the 600 than the Walkabout Michael? I'm going on memory in comparing the two, and loudness is strangely hard to remember accurately, it's either 'loud' or 'not loud'! Both the Mesas were of course 'loud'. We've just picked up a few larger gigs so I'm possibly looking at a bigger/more versatile head, and the 600 would fit the bill perfectly, especially with the switchable channels.

Cheers

Chris

Bump for what's left. If you're not in the UK, postage will need to be added

C

Please excuse my ignorance folks, but I've used mainly solid state amps until this year. Could you let me know the likely symptoms (on sound, performance etc) of a) an old valve that needs replacing, or a faulty valve.

Thanks

Chris

[quote name='OldGit' post='775109' date='Mar 15 2010, 12:10 PM']Looking to give you Old Lady a rest now and then then Chris?

62RI nut is 42mm

70's style nut is 40mm[/quote]

Ah, I was hoping it was a little fatter! Cheers mate

The Old Lady has an outing tonight. She may be old but she's a bit of a Helen Mirren, still looks young and still very much fit for purpose!

C

[quote name='Musicman20' post='775116' date='Mar 15 2010, 12:22 PM']Bumping this....

At first it was too big for me, but the band ive joined controls stage volume carefully, so we have thought about just DI'ing the bass and ill use the decent monitors they have.

I know my BDDI will do the job but this pedal looks awesome.[/quote]

A few UK online retailers are listing them, but whether they're in stock is probably another question!

What's the width at the nut on the '62? If it's a C-width I might be on your case

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='774970' date='Mar 15 2010, 09:50 AM']I actually look at my fretless far less than I do on my ftretted.You just have to learn to trust your ears.

G.[/quote]

+1, odd but true, I look when i play fretted and listen when I play fretless. The thing with fretless is that if you cock up you can slide into the note without the obvious semitone pitch change, it's not the all-or-nothing intonation of fretted.

When I play gigs fretless I always have a far better idea of who's in the crowd!

C

If it's an allergy, wouldn't it affect both hands?

[quote name='Musicman20' post='773814' date='Mar 13 2010, 07:14 PM']If you want a little more vintage thud have you tried flats on your bass?[/quote]

+1

Change the signal first, then think about the processing. A set of La Bella DT s can take the most hi-fi rig back 40 years.

Hell of a lot cheaper also

C

[quote name='Musicman20' post='773869' date='Mar 13 2010, 08:50 PM']I think its just that the TF ticks all the boxes, and despite the fact I could get one made, Id probably not have the good resale value the TF seems to hold. I am unfortunately a Fender fanboy haha.

The finish is nitro I do believe, and the spec is different from the standards, plus it has that lovely ebony board. This is what attracts me.




The overall look of the instrument is great. How does the nitro wear?




The J pup sounds massive on your vids and the TF demo vids. I know the selector is a bit odd, but the tone is bloomin spot on.

Basically, I want to be able to have a Precision/Ebony fretless, but with the nice j pickup....so I think this might be a good choice.

What other options are there around the £1200-1300 mark with similar spec?

Eg P pup, j pup, nitro burst. ebony, drop d tuner?[/quote]

I think the TF has your name on it

Immediate payment, and very patient during a long wait for delivery resulting from the item he bought ending up some 150 miles away from where I live! Nice guy to deal with

Cheers Mark, enjoy the recording mate

Chris

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='773442' date='Mar 13 2010, 10:19 AM']Correct, one pup selector, one volume, one tone. (And I would prefer two volumes to a blend control too.)[/quote]

Ah, the downside of the signature bass concept, might work for Tony F but sure limits the options for everyone else? Blend pots are OK, two vols even better, and two vols and a selector switch better still. I think Fender got the wrong combination here?

C

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='773415' date='Mar 13 2010, 09:38 AM']Great basses.. the two I've had were fab.[/quote]

But you got rid of both....

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='773403' date='Mar 13 2010, 09:15 AM']I'd say it's only weakness is the lack of the possibility of blending the pickups - the switching gives 100% P or 100% J or 50%/50% P/J but no inbetweens but this is not a major problem.[/quote]

Surely having both PUPs on all the time and simply varying volume on each does the same thing (I prefer two vols to one blend pot anyway)?

Or am I missing the point and the TF only has one volume control and one PUP selector switch, like my old Ibby PJ? If so, agreed, that is very poor design

C

You can't beat an ebony board, and much as I love the tone of a Precision fretless, the Jazz PUP does offer tonal options. I think the TF is extremely popular not because of any particular magic, but simply down to those two factors, certainly in comparison with the standard fretless Precision with rosewood board. Let's face it,
Fender are particularly unimaginative when it comes to non-traditional options (they still don't do a PJ in the US standard line, probably the only manufacturer from Squier to Sadowsky not to), so the TF stands out like a sore thumb. I've only played one briefly and it felt and played well, and owning a '71 with pretty much the same spec, I can certainly endorse the ebony/PJ thing.

However, are there better fretless basses in the same price range? F**k yeh! Are there better fretless Precisions in the same price range? Probably not

C

[quote name='Clarky' post='770609' date='Mar 10 2010, 04:43 PM']If you are interested, call The Gallery re: prices/order times and please mention that that you know I enquired last week (as I have a feeling they have forgotten!). They have me down by my formal name Mark Clark (only uttered by my boss and mother!)[/quote]

Keep me posted on this Clarkey. No surprise really, but the UK Mesa distributor hasn't replied, pretty much consistent with most of the unresponsive twats who 'work' in the UK industry

C

You see very few 1970 Fenders on the market. Loads of '69s and '71s, very few 70's. Does this mean that they produced fewer, or that those they produced were very good and the owners won't sell.

Or did Fender simply not have any stamps for 1970

In support of the above, I owned a '79 that was lovely, a '73 that stank, and a '75 that was average. There are no firm rules.

C

There's no ideal set up, just play around with it until it feels and sounds right for the music you play. I like a lot of buzz low down, but some clarity around the octave and above, and set up accordingly.

C

[quote name='Beedster' post='769109' date='Mar 9 2010, 12:31 PM']The only bass above that might go is the '81....[/quote]

... but in response to a couple of PMs, it ain't going anywhere yet

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='770694' date='Mar 10 2010, 05:53 PM']TBH, I could probably get by with the Walkabout head alone. I've used it in some big rooms without PA support, and it's coped just fine...

But, I'm stuck with the MPulse so I might as well use it. [/quote]

I miss the switchable channels and the footswitch on the 600 a lot, but prefer the simplicity of the tone controls on the Walkabout (which sounds silly as I could simply leave them flat, but you know what I mean).

C

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='770657' date='Mar 10 2010, 05:23 PM']Hmm.. all this Walkabout chat...

I'm going to pull mine out of the combo and use it for the gig tonight. It's about time the big'un had a night off...[/quote]

I'm amazed how loud the Walkabout is compared to my old M-Pulse 600. OK, I never got the latter really angry, but even so, the Walkabout at 12 gain and 12 master through my two Bag Ends was as much noise as I think I could bear from a backline, and it wasn't an especially small venue! I guess it's the old watts versus dbs thing, but even so, I dread to think what the 600's capable of when pushed.

Have a good gig Michael

C

Thanks guys. Bob, email sent, thanks. Clarkey, I'll wait to hear back from the distributors before I get in touch with The Gallery (although if you hear anything from them please let me know). Having now decided the Mesa head's a keeper, it was only this week that I realised just how exposed it is sitting on top of a stack of cabs. Although the same was perhaps true of my old MarkBass heads, at least they could be used in their gig bags, offering a little protection, and a little bit of traction against the head also. The Walkabout head is quite 'slidey' atop a cab!

Cheers guys

Chris