cameltoe

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='913265' date='Aug 2 2010, 09:59 PM']I traded my old basses to fund a bass build and realised that i can get the sound i want out of gear that is'nt vintage.Even though i use a P-bass & a Jazz,neither of them are Fenders but are far superior in feel and sound to any that i have owned or played.[/quote] Bass Doc built? Are they built from scratch or crafted from old fender parts? How much (if you don't mind me asking) does he normally charge for this service?

Tried both. VM has better pickups, but everything else about the CV is better, WAY better build quality, and doesn't feel cheap like the VM. VM did sound better, so it's what you're looking for. Plus, as Grand Wazoo said, 'Crafted in China' is way more reassuring than 'made in Indonesia'

Precision. That's it. Get the best one you can for the money. £500 will get you a second hand American or Japanese, or a new 'Classic 50's' Mexican, all of which are very good. £400 Will get you a new MIM (made in mexico) Precision which are very good but not quite as good as the above. £300 will get you a Classic Vibe Squier precision which may be made from slightly cheaper materials but are so well put together many people consider them future collectors items. Or you can get a Jazz, and the prices are the same as above. Depends whether you want smooth and understated, or driving, thumping bass.

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='918972' date='Aug 8 2010, 07:26 PM']I have 5 Precisions which I'm only now stating to think is a bit much. If you like them & play them it's no problem[/quote] Tim you are my hero

[quote name='merello' post='897777' date='Jul 18 2010, 08:38 AM']Frankly they should dump the Squier tag.[/quote] Or go back to 'Fender-Squier series' Much better. They don't really need to advertise the fact it's a 'cheaper' brand anymore, my Precision just says 'Fender' 'Precision Bass'- people still ask where it was made and curl their lip up when I say 'Mexico' [quote name='goblin' post='899618' date='Jul 20 2010, 12:05 AM']I've never really understood the concept of the Fender Mex. I've played loads of Squires that're better than Mex basses, Jazz and Precision. However, I've also played much cheaper stuff that has played better than American Fenders too. If I was in the market for another Jazz or a P, I'd seriously consider one of them Squiers, as I bet with a good bridge and good hardware and pickups, it'll play better than a lot of what Fender MIA are offering at several times the cost, and if I really want to, I can stick a Mighty Mite neck on for whatever reason.[/quote] 99% of it is how well they're set up, and you can set up a USA to play nicer than a Squier, but if the USA is set up like a bag of crap..... I just can't get the action on my Squier CV Precision low enough without it tapping and rattling. I might have the frets worked on, I hadn't considered swapping the neck.

I've had nothing but pleasant replies from Ashdown since I got my LB, they've been very helpful. The last thing I expected was to get an email back from the Managing Director, but there you go. It may not be intended to be a 'gigging' amp, but I've used it a couple of times now for fairly busy pubs and it's held it's own well. It's running about full volume, (just before it starts to break up) but the sound is huge, and the volume is just about where I need it to be. Obviously this is not ideal for every situation, as there will be times I'll need more volume- bigger gigs, stages, outdoor events etc, but so far it's kept up in the situations where I'd normally use my Trace combo (150w) Once the 100w valve head comes out, I'm all over that though. That sounds perfect! Just make sure it's not too heavy!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='899725' date='Jul 20 2010, 09:21 AM']The Precision won't do for me in this band because it doesn't have enough frets and then I find most of them above the 15th too difficult to play comfortably. Also it doesn't have enough strings - for such a supposedly 'traditional' group I find my myself playing more low notes below E than I ever did in any of my more electronic-orientated bands! [b]My issue with Fender basses is not that they exist, but that without any real development [b]they are still taken seriously as a musical instrument[/b], when IMO they should really be regarded in the same light as any other quirky 50s/60s instrument such as the Hofners. Fine for their time but we've moved on and taken advantages of the improvements that have been made in instrument design and construction since then. And that hopefully is it from me in this thread. I'll be posting my full opinions of Fender basses in a new topic later in the week when I've go all my thoughts together in a coherent and hopefully eloquent manner and you can all pile in flame me there! ;-)[/quote] WOW missed this knob! Good work Grand Wazoo, just what I was thinking Obviously, mr BigRedX, it's all about opinons, but I've played a few basses and nothing quite fits in the mix like a precision. Nothing has the balls, the punch, the note clarity, the [i]perfect[/i] tone that I have in my head..... The Jazz fills the gap for the more delicate tunes that require a busier bass line without overpowering. Yes you may not get on with them, but TBH judging by your photo your technique looks pretty shoddy anyway so it's no wonder you find them hard to play. You look like you're trying to play the bass like a guitar. No offence.

[quote name='mercuryl' post='903595' date='Jul 23 2010, 09:44 PM']To me, the Fender Precision is THE bass. Everything else is less. Just make sure you get a USA one.......[/quote] You've obviously not tried a 90's CIJ or a Roadworn........

[quote name='Alien' post='896996' date='Jul 16 2010, 11:49 PM']Nail --> Head Stack up half a dozen 8x10s and you'll clear a pub with 50 Watts. A[/quote] [quote name='derrenleepoole' post='897203' date='Jul 17 2010, 12:18 PM']I think this is a valuable lesson that most bassists need to learn, and quickly. I could of saved a fortunate knowing this little, but often misunderstood principle.[/quote] True, but who wants to be carrying 6 cabs in and out of the Nag's Head on a Friday night? Isn't it also a strain on the amp to try and drive too many speakers? Yes the watts need to move air, but practicality is key too. Watts in terms of sheer volume can vary from brand to brand too. A loud 150w 2x10 combo should be fine for most venues. Add another 2x10 for the larger gigs. As stated above, anything more than 300w and you'll be using FOH anyway- I've never had the Hartke over 4 on the master, even when we've started mic'ing drums. After that it's DI all the way. I don't get the whole 1000w thing either.

I've been told sx300's, but looks like we'll be shelling out around £800 for them! Maybe we could get away with sx200's. Or a cheap second hand set if anyone on here wants shot of a pair?

Yeah like they have said above, subs can tend to be overused. Too often they're glorified stands. I've seen bands use them in literally tiny pubs, and then not even bother mic'ing the drums or DI'ing the bass. What's the point? Ideally, with subs, you'd want crossovers, then another amp, etc. Gets messy then. Monitors are important, especially if you're planning to use subs. How will you hear yourselves? Someone on here was selling a whole Yamaha PA which might be a cheaper option?

My LB plus the LB cab never came with the correct manual. They came with Klystron manuals. I'm happy enough to muck around with the settings- yes they do seem inconsistent, even on the same amp, I guess it must be a bit of a nightmare if you have the spyder too. Not [i]quite[/i] loud enough, no, but I think you'll be surprised. I don't know what kind of band you're in, I guess a hard rock/ metal band with 2 guitarists and you'd be lost, but I play in a 5 piece folk/rock outfit and last Sat I tried the LB out and it held it's own. Medium-ish sized pub, packed out. Like I said, I had no headroom, I was just on the cusp of breaking up (where if anything it gets quieter) but I could easily be heard. It took me a few songs to get used to the sound of valves- at first I thought I couldn't hear myself at all- I'm so used to having that directional, focused sound from solid state that I didn't realise how loud I was. Then I stopped playing just for a second and realised just how layered and a part of the sound I was. More a bed of bass than just notes. Made us sound fatter. But, yeah. Come on Ashdown sort it out! I think every LB owner should be able to send their LB back to the factory and have Ashdown fix the problems, plus chuck in a couple extra valves and a few more watts as way of compensation!

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='891847' date='Jul 11 2010, 11:28 AM']You're right! fender have no excuse at this price point! Maybe all the extra money in the bass i played went into making it look old and battered? lets take a look at the Mexican Road Worn series of basses....just how much of the extra money you pay goes into the relic process and how much better are they from a standard mexican instrument? are they worth twice the money? (im not attacking the RW series as ive never played one) [/quote] That's exactly what I thought- I'm not paying extra for some Mexican to spit on it and drag it across the shop floor, so I thought I was being clever by getting my local shop to order in a couple of Classic '50's Precisions. Tried them side-by-side with a Road Worn- absolutely no contest. Road Worn was unbelievable. And waaay lighter! Bought the RW even though I was determined not to. I think Fender have put extra effort into the RW's- I understand the point you were trying to make, but you were unlucky in picking the one range of basses that (most) people seem to think Fender really have gone the extra mile with! I tried a US precision in PMT in Bristol last week. Not impressed. Action too high, just felt wrong in my hands. Picked up a Classic Vibe Squier P in Fiesta Red- Felt way better! 1/3 the price! I just tried an old CIJ precision with dead strings and I have to say it blew me away. So much better than the US model it was embarrasing- and it had 3 year old dead strings on. I really think my next fender will be a CIJ. I just can't justify buying a new US model when I've felt better for less. Never tried a custom shop, but if I wasn't absolutely bowled over by one then I'd be seriously dissapointed.

I can only hear a real difference when flipping the bass switch, (from a growl to a more mellow bottom) and yes, the mute is upside down. I'd like a bit more versatility in the basic EQ too- turning the knobs really does do very little. Could do with it being a touch louder- I can gig it, (and have, at a fairly packed pub) but have no headroom. Seemed to make quite a bit of difference using the 4ohm 2x12 cab as well, as opposed to my Hartke 4x10 8ohm. Noticably louder through 4ohm. Sounds lovely- just a shame I can't use it at every gig. (50w would have been spot on)

Different power for different situations. As above, 300w will usually cover everything you need- any louder and you'll have PA support. I get away with a 150w Trace Elliot combo for most of the pub gigs we play, it's more than loud enough. We play a lot of outdoor gigs, marquees, hollow stages etc, and for that I'll take my big Hartke combo- The trace wouldn't keep up in those situations. It's not as if we play louder- more sound just 'escapes', so we need to compensate.

I'm going to see how I get on with it, so far it was loud enough for one gig and one full-blown rehearsal, but I really had nowhere to go beyond that- it was on the cusp of getting dirty. Any band that uses good FOH equipment needn't worry with the ability to DI, but I do like to be self-sufficient. 100W does sound like the sweet spot, although the price tag probably wouldn't justify it for me. I've yet to find an amp with a valve pre-amp that sounds convincingly valve-ish, I haven't looked at loads so I'm sure someone will correct me, but so far the closest I've got is an old solid-state Ampeg SVT-115 combo. 115 watts of pure vintage creaminess! Even when they sound warm and rich, they don't quite spread the sound or get the texture of a true valve amp. I noticed straight away with the LB that the sound was very layered, and seemed to be more of a spread of bass than a directional thump. Seemed as if my bass was coming out of the entire wall the amp was placed against, rather than the amp itself. I'm hoping the Orange Terror bass will have 'that sound', and I already know it's got the headroom. Looks cool too.

Oh believe me it is a toy, and a good one. Loud for 30w. I have gigged it and used it at a full volume rehearsal alongside a metal drummer and a guitarist rocking a BlackStar 20w valve amp through a marshall 4x10, with the amp cranked up to almost max. The little thing kept up, too! Although there was not much headroom. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on it's own, at a smaller gig, but I feel once I get to a medium sized gig, a packed out pub or on a small stage or something that I may need a touch more headroom. I have 3 other amp combo's I can use to try and create enough volume, so I'm seeing if there is a way of doing this. Big gigs, fesitvals etc with good FOH equipment means I can just line out. All good. But it's those gigs in the middle, where we use our own PA (no subs) that I'd like the valve tone to cut through and not be lost. People get round this with their solid-state amps by using extra extension cabs, etc, and I would normally take my Hartke vx3500 combo instead of the smaller Trace, but now I have the LB, and a fine beast it is too, I'm searching for a compromise. a 200w valve especially, probably wouldn't get driven as hard as I'd like! Although in an email to Mark Gooday recently he did mention they will be adding a 100w all valve to the current line up, to be as small as they can get it. Cool!

What I'm going to do- I think- is try the LB with the LB cab, DI'ed (or effects send) to the effects return of my little 150w Trace combo (gp7 sm). Therefore the LB should be driving the LB cab, and the Trace should be boosing the LB signal to drive the 15" Trace speaker.

[quote name='obbm' post='894997' date='Jul 14 2010, 07:38 PM']No, no, no, no, no, no. Not designed for both outputs to be used at once. Once again you will screw up the output valve loading. It's one or the other, 4-ohms worth of speakers on the 4-ohm output or 8-ohms worth of speakers on the 8-ohm output.[/quote] Ok thanks Churchill dog!

This thread is going on and on...... Would another option for added volume be to use another cab? As stated in the showoff thread I started, I bought the matching 2x12 cab to go with the LB. This cab is 4 ohms, apparently, but the amp has both 4 ohm and 8 ohm outputs. Does this mean I can use both the 4 ohm cab I already have, plus hook up an 8 ohm cab and run both for extra volume? Would this put too much stress on the amp? Go gentle with me, I'm new at this

Ok cheers! I'll use the XLR DI socket then.

I will! Stupid question time again- how come you can't just take the output of the LB from the speaker out rather than the DI? Not that I'm about to do this, just wondered

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='894058' date='Jul 13 2010, 06:58 PM']I think the bass attack will act as a preamp. Downloading a manual to have a check - says it has line level output. Advantage of a power amp is the amount of power you get to cost. Plus they are made to be uncoloured. If you other amp has an FX loop, usually you can plug into the fx return to go straight to the power section and bypass the preamp, effectively rendering it a power amp and the LB as the preamp.[/quote] Thanks for the help! So more than a few options here I'm going to look at a few possible trades for a decent amp head with a good power amp, or a standalone power amp. In the meantime I'm going to go and plug the little bastard into the Hartke combo and see what happens. Lookout for the thread that's coming...'I think I blew up my little bastard'

I have a Hartke bass attack, don't know if that's any good. If it is, then I need only get a power amp. Will a standard bass amp head like my HA3500 not run the LB then, or are we delving into destroying the tone of the LB by doing that? I don't understand what the pro's and con's are to just having a power amp, or having something like SK8 has above, with the LittleMark boosting the LB and then doubling as a spare head for the other band. Obviously I want cheap, I want good, and I want the LB's tone to be unchanged, if possible. Asking too much, I presume.