TheRev

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1509630492' post='3400432'] If you really like the particular Innovation set on that bass, I'd be more inclined to address the pickup choice instead. (Scuttles away, cackling maniacally. .) [/quote] I need something feedback proof. Magnetic is the only thing that does it for me. This is my 'at home' bass, so it only sees action at the odd jazz trio gig or if my main gigging bass is out of action. It's the latter scenario that requires steel strings/mag pickup combo.

The Spiros aren't new - but they are newer than the set on my ply bass (and which sound amazing). You're probably right though - I need to clock up some hours with these strings. It's just that every time i pick this bass up, the sound of the strings make me not want to play it.

I've recently replaced the Innovation Braided with a set of Spiro Weich on my carved bass so I can use my magnetic pickup. However,the spiros sound horrible on this bass, all twangy and metallic. I really liked the sound of the Innovation strings on this bass, so can anyone suggest a string set that feels like Spiro Weich but sound like Innovation Braided? I'm guessing an orchestral string would fit the bill? They must be steel to work with the magnetic pickup. Churrz Dave

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1509120411' post='3396834'] Interesting. I have several PJB 4x5 cabs and one of them is more than the equal of any single 10 I've come across in terms of weight and volume. They do take some driving, however. They're not very efficient and soak up power but they can give it out when fed enough juice. [/quote] This has been my experience also. My 4x5 has been a godsend and the most capable cab I've ever used for double bass (though obviously I'm am pushing it a bit hard in some situations). There's more going on in bass cabinets than just driver surface area. The designer of my cab talks about the note 'envelope' and how a cabinet that can reproduce how each note blooms and decays will sound clearer (and therefore subjectively 'louder'?) than a cab that doesn't. I don't pretend to understand the technical reasonings behind all of this, but I have used cabs (usually 4x10s or 8x10s) at festivals where the notes all seem to run together, with the result that I can't really hear what I'm playing. The instinctive reaction in this situation is to turn up the volume, but that just gives you louder mush. My 4x5 sounds clearer and more articulate to my ears, so perhaps it doesn't need the cone area/SPL to get its point across.

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1508797560' post='3394557'] Sorry it's almost certainly your speakers. Sure they may be able to handle 250W but that is their thermal handling, They aren't going to handle the excursion at lower frequencies, as Bill has pointed out you have something smaller than a 10" single driver in effect. Your options are to roll off the bass, turn your amp down, use some compression, perhaps a limiter which will reduce the peaks, go through the PA or buy another or different speaker. [/quote] You're probably right. Much as I love the MAS45, I've always had this niggling feeling that I really should have bought the bigger brother MAS46 which is more suited to louder stage volumes. Having said that, the 45 works great on 95% of gigs - it's only when we have difficult room acoustics/quick change over/inattentive engineer that I get the E bottoming out.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1508709178' post='3393987'] As was pointed out the new amp is 650w at 4 ohm, not 8 ohm. [/quote] Yep, sorry - my mistake.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1508668446' post='3393606'] Your MAS45 is the 4x5" Mike Arnopol cab? And it's farting out with 250 watts at 8 ohm? That doesn't sound right. This cab should be able to handle 250 watts. On the MAS website, this cab looks like it's used in conjunction with a sub. Maybe it is struggling to handle the big lows that a DB can push out. I'd definitely try it with your HPF. Do you get this problem with the other amps in your sig? [/quote] I don't know if it's the amp distorting at the input stage or the cab farting out. I'm pointing the finger at the amp as I generally run it at 3/4 on the gain and master volume. I've spent some time working with the gain stages (plat pro input trim, plat pro output level and Doubler input gain) to make sure that I havent got any stupid variations in gain going on. I haven't used the Markbass or BFM Omni10 in anger for a couple of years, so I can't recall if my current setup is any more or less farty. The fartyness only really happens when I get a bit enthusiastic on the E string which is why I'm thinking that an amp with more headroom will cope with the occasional high peak. The question is whether the new Doubler with its 650W versus my current 500W will add enough headroom to make that difference - assuming that it's the amp that's overloading and not the cab.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1508601892' post='3393252'] I`d assume if being on a big enough stage to push a 500 watt amp into clipping surely you`re going through FOH? If so, ask for a better monitor mix. [/quote] My cab is 8 Ohm so it's more like 300w than 500 (or does the load not affect input clipping?) All my gigs are full fat PA jobs, but I'm playing double bass so I need to be careful with putting bass in the monitors as it can quickly degenerate into feedback city. Having said that, I have had some engineers manage to give me an excellent monitor mix with bass in, but it's too few and far between to rely on for my onstage sound.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I suspect that Bill is probably right and it's my cab farting out (although its a BigE/MAS45, which has pretty high excursion drivers). I already use a HPF in my Fishman preamp, so that's covered. In terms of volume, I'm not using the full 500w output as my cab is 8 Ohm, but at some gigs I'll have the input gain at 2 o'clock and the main volume at 3 - 4 o'clock, so I'm pushing the amp quite hard. I probably need to add a second cab..... didn't want to have to do that, I haven't got anywhere to store the bugger...

I currently use an old model EA Doubler amp which is rated at 500w @4 Ohms. The new model of the Doubler has an uprated power amp rated at 650w @4 Ohms. I'm considering buying the new model as I sometimes overdrive/clip my amp on big stages and I hope that the more powerful amplifier will give me more headroom and therefore reduce the chances of overdriving the amp. Am I on the right track or talking bollocks? Will I even notice the difference between 500 and 650w? Just to be clear - I don't need more output volume, I just want to stop the occasional farty noises. Churrz Dave. *Edited for 4/8 Ohm typo.*

I'm game, gigs permitting.

I heard 'rush hour' by Jane Wiedlin on the radio this morning and I suddenly realised that it's probably not about traffic jams. I think it's about shagging.....

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1504015768' post='3362126'] I was in a pub in Stourbridge once when Neds Atomic Dustbin were in. They had two bass players! Didn't talk to them. [/quote] My ex girlfriend used to go out with one of the bass players from Ned's Atomic Dustbin. No idea which one.

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1503582018' post='3359368'] And I once bought an old Ampeg SVT cab that was reportedly ex-Wurzels. [/quote] I've gigged with the current Wurzels bass rig (Ashdown 4x10 combo). Didn't like it. Half of my bands second album was recorded and mixed by Jim Barr, who played bass with Portishead. I bought my first bass from the bassist of the band that went on to become The Divine Comedy.

A semi-hollow version of the piezo fretless you had at the south-west bass bash would be amazing.....

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1500194260' post='3336094'] [/quote] That's brilliant.

One of my old bands used to do a ska-punk version of 'Beautiful' by Christine Aguilera. Was one of the highlights of the set.

Not in the UK/EU, no. I ended up making my own from some floorboards and an old shelf along the lines of the Concord bass stand from Kontrabass.de http://www.kontrabass-atelier.de/zubehoer_e.html Scroll down to about halfway....

I have a spare tuner from my Eminence EUB that I'll happily part with if it fits? IT's essentially a jumbo sized electric bass tuner.

This: [url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/schatten_design_mini_pre_2_acoustic_preamp.htm"]https://www.thomann.de/gb/schatten_design_mini_pre_2_acoustic_preamp.htm[/url] You'll need a mono to stereo 'Y' cable or you could wire both pickup outputs to a single stereo jack.

Down in the tube station at midnight by The Jam.

I've not found a slap string set that was also good for pizz on the E string, they're always too floppy to get decent note definition. But that's the sacrifice you make to have a low tension string for slapping, Innovation strings are great though, so the Silver Slaps will do the rockabilly side of things nicely. When it comes to changing strings, do them one at a time and keep the tension on the remaining three strings, If you take all the strings off at once there's a good chance your sound post will fall over and that will require a trip to a luthier to put back in place.

I used to play in a duo with a singer guitarist who used lots of altered tunings. He was also a massive stoner an would often forget to either bring or use his tuner, so he would just tune his guitar to itself for each new song, with the result that by 4 songs into a set his A was not even remotely the same as my A. I dealt with it by playing a fretless bass until I got fed up with his inability to even concede that it was a problem and quit after a particularly disastrous gig.

I'm currently having lustful thoughts about this. https://www.andertons.co.uk/p/SRH500F-NNF/electric-basses/ibanez-srh500f-nnf-fretless-bass-in-natural-browned-burst-flat?LGWCODE=SRH500FNNF;56375;6335&gclid=CO-TmtDwhdQCFUg8GwodQSUPLw Though it looks like it has dark fretlines? Or have a look around the build threads, I'm sure one of those blokes could make you something that falls within your budget.