NJE

I gave up worrying about ‘my tone’ and the specific tone of my amp and basses a while ago. I would have some nights when my setup would sound incredible and others where it was inaudible or shocking, and it was all down to the room/floor/stage. Going through FOH helped a lot and so did having a quieter stage, but on the whole I just focussed on being in tune, in time, and learning the songs properly. As long as I do those things, no one really cares. I found a video of a gig the other day and thought it was a gig someone sat in for me, because I couldn’t see myself and the bass tone was great. I then spotted my old bass and I remembered the gig. I couldn’t hear myself properly most of the night and I remember the room being awful, the sound seems to swirl around. Shows that what you think you hear isn’t always what gets heard out front.

I have swapped and changed basses so many times over the years and am currently on my third Stingray which I have had for 5 years now. I bought all three of them secondhand and have been very lucky to get them at very low prices by being patient and hunting around. I would highly recommend buying a used USA model which could cost you less than a new Far East made Sterling by MusicMan model. The Sterling range are very good but I don’t think the necks are a patch on the USA models. Saying that I would never fork out the kind of money they want for the new current models, I am sure they are great but they are serious money now.

Pretty sure it’s Peter Randall

Those of you that are using the Beyer DT770 pros, are you running the 32ohm or 80ohm? I would primarily use them with an audio interface or headphone out on an amplifier, will both of those drive the 80ohms?

I think you can get them direct, or there’s a store called Prymaxe, or try on Reverb. They all come from the states though, but I had no issues getting mine over and didn’t pay anything extra.

I have had a Seamoon for a few weeks although I haven’t had the time or opportunity to really dig into properly. Like Doddy says above, it’s a bit unique in just being a down sweep, something that I don’t think everyone realises despite a few videos on YouTube. The consensus seems to be its tricky to dial in but I didn’t find that. I found a few sounds I like and it was easy to get a the cool synthy down sweep sound I had in my head and have heard on records. It has a huge amount of shaping considering the one thing it does. It’s weird but since getting the Seamoon I hear the down sweep filter on more and more songs when the radio is on. It’s obviously a bit part of a lot of synth sounds and I need to start writing them down to jam along to. I have just picked up a 3Leaf Proton which has a down sweep, and my plan was to let the Seamoon go. The down sweep on the 3Leaf isn’t as good and I am now battling my brain which is telling me to get some money back. At the moment it compliments the ‘normal’ filter on the Proton and so I’m thinking about keeping both. Given the slightly negative reviews of the solid gold and my experience of the Seamoon, I’d say go for it, it’s great fun, but if you haven’t already, get your head around the fact it won’t sound like a normal filter.

I like the nod to the OC-2 with the knobs.

I love it already, but I bet it’s going to be expensive. 😩

I had the same thought yesterday, surely you can change the fan for a better quality/quieter equivalent for not much. I had an ABM 300 head many years ago, and can’t remember how loud the fan noise was. I’m getting old and fussy now and I would love another ABM, but fan noise would drive me nuts after years of small class D.

Then there is still hope! I think there are a few artist preamps on the way as well. I really fancy going back to Ashdown.

The Geezer is £1099 at PMT, the Shavo is on sale at £664, and the dual VU rackmount ABM 600 IV is £799. No doubt they are worth it, but still a bit too much for my needs.

That looks class, but if it’s priced like the Shavo or Geezer It’s going to be too much for me ☹️

I follow Guy on social media and he has been dropping suggestions/hints that there is a Ashdown collaboration coming soon. I was thinking a pedal or maybe even a bass, but someone recently asked if he was still using ABM heads and replied “watch this space”. I need an amp but I think I might hold off just in case it’s something really interesting.

I keep saying this, we used to get £400- 500 a night no quarrels back in the late 90s early 2000s

I used to get around £300 - £400 but it’s been a while since I have done a pub gig. One band I played with only ever did private functions and weddings which were much more profitable and we could charge around 1k. A drummer friend of mine also runs a wedding venue, and he has had couples paying £2500 plus for bands recently. One three piece charged £3500. If your in the right area, people will gladly pay it.

I am currently loving everything Lee Sklar. His two basses seem like they could cover everything. So shocked Fender haven’t jumped on the band wagon with his precision, and this Dingwall shape in a solid colour is incredible.

Big fan of Mr Mayer and the very talented bands he always puts together. DeLa’s work on room for squares was just fantastic, it was busy at times but so on the money and never got in the way, it just drove the songs so well. Pino is Pino, pure class in everything he touches and so is Shaun. I have listen to Sob Rock once, and then I put it on the shelf, as I realised it was going to be one to digest and make sense of at another time. I found this a bit with Born and Raised and Paradise Valley, I just needed time to appreciate what they were. I wanted him to make a soaring indulgent 80s inspired rock/ballad album with all of the influences he hinted at and I think I felt a little let down by Sob Rock.

I will take a look, that’s not a bad price by any means. Yamaha gear has always been super solid in my experience.

I have read through quite a lot of this thread and the QSC K.2 cans seem to be king, but they are a bit pricey for me at the moment. Is anyone using the QSC CP12? I still think this would be significantly more powerful than say a Ashdown Rootmaster 112 combo which I was looking at.

Dirty loops don’t always hit a bullseye with their stuff (but I can’t name a single act I like that does) but when they do I think the results are glorious. I have listened to the new stuff and wasn’t immediately struck by thriller, but the instrumental funk song above and turn on the light just leave me in awe! If I played in a band even 1/10 as good as them I would be permanently grinning like a Cheshire Cat, playing good music just does that to me. I played in a 12 piece soul band and when we got it right I basically laughed and smiled song after song and was permanently looking at and bouncing off my band mates. I don’t know why having fun comes off as being smug.

I can’t see it ☹️

I bought a Toneman 1spot power supply to run a few pedals but it is making a hell of a noise, or at least I think it is. I play through my laptop, and plugged direct into my interface there is no noise or hum. I add in a battery powered Boss OC2 and there is no noise. I use the 1spot with my tuner and another pedal individually and I get an awful hum, it’s worse with the Korg Tuner. As soon as I touch a metal part on the pedal or Jack plug or my bass it goes away. Is this a dodgy 1spot, dodgy power in my house, or do I need to buy a full on isolated power supply to sort the problem out? Thanks in advance.