RhysP

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369856651' post='2093655'] What a fascinating thread! Cheers for pointing that one out So if you put the treble control in its midpoint, it will be pretty much flat - but the bass control in a similar position will still be giving a reasonable amount of boost! Assuming linear travel on the pots of course.... How odd! [/quote] That thread explained it all far better than I ever could. The Tonepump is pretty quirky to say the least, but it just sounds so good IMO. The other active basses I've owned have always had a slightly compressed, processed quality to the sound that I've never really been 100% happy with - to me the tone pump doesn't suffer from that, it just seems really responsive & "open" sounding.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1369856355' post='2093644'] What's a friend? [/quote] As both a jazzer & a moderator you're never likely to know the answer to that question.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1369832965' post='2093194'] Well, there's my problem right there. I can't abide work, and many of my "colleagues" are simply Satan's apostles in disguise. By the time I'm done at work, 1) There is no time 2) I'm utterly "peopled-out" So I just can't commit to this band stuff. In the past, I have generally found the drummers to be the good guys. With the odd notable exception. [/quote] This could have been written by me. I agree with the drummers being the good guys - the people I'm still in touch with from old bands are all drummers. Keyboard players are by far the worst in my experience - arch ***** every last stinking one of them.

Divorce rates for musicians (professional ones at least) have always been extremely high.

Thread from a while ago about the Tonepump, including info from the guy who designed it who says it is indeed cut/boost: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/93320-spector-tonepump-is-not-boost-only/page__hl__tonepump"]http://basschat.co.u...e__hl__tonepump[/url]

I got rid of all my bass gear apart from the Spector, which though I never touch it I can't bring myself to sell. Bought a really good acoustic guitar & put the rest of the money in the bank.

f*** me, that's hideous (and I don't have the OPs aversion to "coffee table" basses). I know they're incredibly popular, but Warwicks are undoubtably the most hideously ugly collection of basses I've ever seen. The only nicely shaped one is the Streamer & that's because they stole the body design from Spector.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1369771016' post='2092643'] Several goosebump-raising moments, particularly Carnies and Headlong Flight from the CA set, and an totally unexpected Manhattan Project. [/quote] Yes, Carnies & Headlong Flight were pretty fantastic. They played Manhattan Project at the O2 did they? The non-setlist surprise song at the NEC was The Pass.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369766211' post='2092553'] When it arrives, where would I find the trim pot? Is it external or in the control cavity? [/quote] Watch the f***in' video - that's what I posted it for! It's on the side of the little box that contains the pre amp gubbins inside the control cavity.

Pointless - bass players - fits in well with the general publics' perception of our function then.....

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369753157' post='2092327'] Now [i]that's[/i] what I wanted to hear! [/quote] Do you know if the one you've just bought has the Tonepump with the volume trim control or not? There's a "sweet spot" for the setting of these - there's a good video on the Spector website that talks about how to set it up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9x1TNtUKI0&feature=youtu.be

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1369745647' post='2092208'] ....or Alex, for that matter. [/quote] I thought Alex's guitar sound was actually much better than it has been for ages the other night. Looking at his gear list for this tour he's not using as much Hughes & Kettner gear & is also using the Fractal audio effects stuff which seems to have improved things considerably IMO.

[quote name='WonderHorse' timestamp='1369740864' post='2092120'] Went to Brum and thought the overall sound was spot on - although I would have liked the bass to have been a bit more prominent. [/quote] I think that has more to do with Geddys bass sound being a horrible distorted mushy fart than anything else. If a sound guy is given a sh*t sound to start with there's not much he can do with it to be fair.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1369740155' post='2092104'] One thing that does confuse me slightly is the talk about the active preamps. There doesn't seem to be much love for the Spector Tone Pump. Why is that? [/quote] I love the Tonepump circuit, I think it sounds fantastic. I think a lot of the reason people don't like it is compared to things like the East preamps it's quite limited. To me that's it's main plus point, you don't spent all your time messing with it trying to find a sound you like, it just sounds great as it is.

[quote name='tonybassplayer' timestamp='1369673862' post='2091468'] LOL how different are we all. Absolutely loved YYZ, Tom Sawyer and 2112 and thought the best gig ever was Time Machine. [/quote] I'm pretty sure I was in a minority of one when it came to the encores.

[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1369670143' post='2091400'] I haven't. How do you mean? [/quote] I mean that in the event of you having to make a claim you won't get any money out of them. I used to use them for house insurance, and I know quite a few people who ended up ditching them all because they never ever paid out.

[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1369651770' post='2091180'] I managed to get decent insurance through Endsleigh..... [/quote] Have you ever tried claiming anything through Endsleigh? They are the worst of the worst.

[quote name='afterimage' timestamp='1369654757' post='2091216'] . Alex very underrated. Best I have heard him play for along time [/quote] Alex was absolutely ripping it up at the NEC - he was playing like a man possessed!

Just back from the NEC gig. The sound where I was sat was the best I've heard at a Rush gig for a long time. Not overly loud & you could clearly pick out everything - can't really ask much more than that in one of these crappy aircraft hanger venues. Set was great, and really enjoyed what the string section did in the second half. The Clockwork Angels stuff sounded great live. Could have happily lived without the encore numbers though - I really don't need to hear YYZ, Tom Sawyer & a truncated 2112 ever again to be honest - would have preferred to hear some more stuff from Power Windows or Grace Under Pressure. All in all that was the best I've seen them since the "Roll the Bones" tour - f***ing brilliant gig!

All the times I've seen Rush only once have they had what I'd call a good sound & that was at the NEC on the "Hold Your Fire" tour. Gigs in these huge places pretty much always sound sh*t, regardless of who the band is. Just had a look at the set list & I think that's a pretty great selection of songs for my personal tastes. The situation at the moment though is I don't even know if I'll get there as I'm in agony with my bloody broken foot & really can't face travelling up to Birmingham.

[quote name='DogHammer' timestamp='1369394626' post='2088669'] Yeah but then, am I the a-hole who stops the next band playing because their bassist doesn't have an amp? [/quote] The a-hole is the moron who turns up for a gig without an amp, not you.

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1369250934' post='2086973'] During the summer (April - September) I make enough so I don't need to work elsewhere, can afford a few luxuries like holidays, fast cars and beer. I'd like to keep this up through the winter too though (minus the holidays! - And maybe slow cars. The roads are dangerous in winer after all!). Realistically, £800 - £1,000 per month. [/quote] You can afford holidays & fast cars on £800 - 1000 a month? I'm moving to Glasgow!

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1369155066' post='2085569'] Her wikipedia profile also lists bass as one of her instruments. [/quote] If it's on Wikipedia it must be true. Kate has used lots of bass players over the years (John Giblin, Del Palmer, Jimmy Bain, David Paton, Eberhard Weber & Danny Thompson to name a few), but as far as I'm aware the only time Gilmour has played bass with her was for her live appearance at one of the Secret Policemans Ball shows in the 80s.

All sorted for Birmingham on Sunday - got my tickets the day they came on sale, hotel & train booked. Only problem is I've just broken my bloody foot.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1369139865' post='2085260'] If I had to offer an example of "feeling" in music, that would be my choice. [/quote] Oh well, there you go then. It's the polar opposite of "feeling" to me, just a lot of cringingly overblown histrionics from start to finish.