leroydiamond

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1354026957' post='1881021'] Are you reading my posts before you reply to them? There's nothing stupid about using boxes with true bypass switching so long as you understand what that means and what the benefits (and drawbacks) are. If you do then you can make it work for you. If you don't then you'll probably end up making an incorrect assumption about why your bass sounds like sh*t, followed by a triumphant thread about how you heroically threw the baby out with the bathwater. Good for you. All that was left for me to do is explain it to all the potential readers that may come in here with similar problems so they don't make the same mistakes that you made. Now you have served as an warning to others, so it's all good. [/quote] Are you reading my posts? I have used true bypass and buffered effects and IMO my Tone is alot better without either. Pure and simple.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1354020959' post='1880854'] It depends on the pedals, power & cables that you're using. If you get good quality fx, PSUs & cables, then there's no reason why you can't get a pure tone fro your bass. I prefer the sound of my bass going through the non-true bypass on the Moog LPF as it has a slightly fuller sound, but if I want the sound bypassed, I can via a looper. The main point of having tone controls on an amp (even for hifi) is to tailor the sound to suit the room acoustics. Your hifi will sound different in your bedroom from your living room. My opinion of those who leave tone controls off amps is it's for marketing to the uneducated audiophiles (I'm not saying audiophiles are uneducated BTW). [/quote] Dont agree. High end Hi Fi is about careful matching of your components in order to get the optimum sound to suit a given situation. Tone controls help when the marching is not optimum in order to compensate. Pity though that all Hi Fi buffs who use high end amps without tone controls are uneducated audiophiles

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1354018079' post='1880797'] If there is no consensus then it's because a lot of people are stupid. Everybody knows cable capacitance deteriorates audio signals. This is a proven phenomenon. 'True bypass' does nothing to improve this situation so naturally if you add more cable you lose more signal. This is not a matter for opinion, it's simply true. Then it's a crap buffer using poor quality components. Use a better one. The board itself - if it really is 'true bypass' - will make practically no difference, it will only add a few inches of cable to your setup and nothing more. The big difference is doubling the length of your cable run and not fixing the problem you've created by doing that. [/quote] OK then all those that use true bypass are stupid. Guess all you guys using EBS, Markbass, and other true bypass effects best chuck them in the thrash. I have fixed the problem. I have ditched my effects,so i need not depend on any electronic circuit, buffered or otherwise to manipulate my tone.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1354016853' post='1880781'] It really depends on what type of music you're playing. Some songs won't sound right with just clean bass, other's sound guff with wads of effects. [/quote] I agree. Working in a covers band demands that I use effects. The difficulty is that when you want the pure tone from your instrument (which is what I require 80% of the time) my abiltiy to access it is hampered by the very fact that I am using an effects unit. The Hi Fi analogy might be an interesting comparrison. Many high end HI FI manufacturers no longer offer tone options on their amps. The goal here is to get the signal from source (eg CD player) in as short and clean a path as possiible through the amplification process and outputted to the speakers in order to acquire optimum sound. It may be the case that the same might be true for musicians if they are after the true tone of the instrument.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1354013422' post='1880720'] If it is true bypass then you may well still have been experiencing 'tone suck' from your cables. Bear in mind that if you're running a pedalboard you're probably running twice the length of cable that you would ordinarily be using (guitar->board, board->amp). If you are then you need to make some effort to buffer your signal along the way to preserve the high end - true bypass will not do that for you. Put a good line driver in the middle and you'd get exactly the same sound you'd get if you went straight to the amp. The problem was your understanding of how your gear works, not your gear. As is often the case. [/quote] I am aware of the ongoing discussion of True bypass V Buffer. Different players have different opinions. little consensus here. I have used a sansamp preamp in the past and it has an fet buffer but I found it deteriorated the tone and certainly did not give not the same sound as what i would get when i went straight to my amp. I use High end 10ft. cables and a Sadowsky NYC bass. In my experience a 10 ft cable directly from the guitar to the amp is going to give you a better tone than a guitar~board~board ~amp set up regardless of whether the pedal is buffer or true bypass.

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1353952040' post='1880188'] I'm confused! So, are you guys that have ditched their FX saying that the 'Bypass' isn't a true bypass? Or are you saying that you weren't judicious in the application of the FX. The OP seems to be saying that even bypassed his GT-6B degraded the signal. [/quote] Boss say The GT6B is true bypass. That may be the case, but i found that even in true bypass mode it sucked my tone when compared with the signal going directly from the guitar to the amp.

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1353948526' post='1880114'] I vaguely recall having a GT6B, it's the red one right? I think i got it because all the guitarists were using multi fx units and I thought I needed one to fit in. I twiddled and fiddled with the thing for a couple of months then sold it for about what I paid so no damage done. I think it tought me that I was mistakenly buying gear and then looking for a reason to use it. What I should be doing (and have done ever since) is having a situation established where I required some specific sound and only then going out and buying what was required to fill the demand. I still have junk lurking in cupboards bought on a whim that I'll probably struggle to give away. [/quote] I liked the sounds I could get off the GT6B. I play in a covers band so could get sounds close to Muse etc when required. I thought it was a good unit. Had it for several years and never let me down. just prefer the truer tone that going direct from guitar to amp offers

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1353936253' post='1879878'] I have a GT-6B & use it most of the time for a bit of valve emulation, but I have also set up a 'clean' (bypass) patch on it [/quote] For me what made the GT6B attractive was that it was a true bypass processor. However I feel that a good quality cable going direct from the bass guitar to the Amp is just going to give you a purer tone. It offers the path of least resistance. The more equipment you have interfering with the signal,the more you will interfere with the tone. Its forced me explore the options of the onboard preamp on my bass rather just tweak different patches. But with the significantly improved tone I achieved when removing the GT6B, I am happier.

Have been using a Boss GT-6B for years. At the weekend I decided to go without it and My bass sound improved significantly as a result. Straight out of the guitar and into the amp. Think thats me finished with effects.

OOOOOHHH!!

Yep. you gotta try and adjust on the tone on your system. Bass sounds a bit subby, but what a band.!!.

Anyone got any idea as to how a Markbass F500 matches up with the barefaced super 12? I work with a classic rock covers band

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1351812962' post='1855878'] with the NAD's my old 3020 ( which my mate still uses) had a function that would lower the input signal enabling you to wind up the power stage , this transformed the sound and the clarity was superb . but then I will be honest that with a garrard quartz lock table , a decent cartridge and wharfeldale laser 100s , with 'the lexicon of love' spinning , my ears weren't good enough to warrant spending any more . [/quote] +1 Its insane to spend serious money on expensive hi fi kit if your hearing is shot. I Purchased an expensive system years ago and got real joy from it, but nowadays I might as well be listening to an old radio as my ears are damaged from all the years of bass playing

Thanks for all your replies.

Recently acquired a markbass f500 amp that offers 2 Speakon outputs. I use the amp with 2 bass cabs. Is there an advantage to running 2 speakon cables from the amp to each individual cab?. At the moment i use 1 speakon cable to one cab and line in the second cab with a jack to jack speaker lead.

I used a lakland 44-94 recently and the neck was the nicest I ever played. How do the the Skyline models compare with USA models? is the significant difference in price worth it?

Share the soft spot for markbass though using a different rig (2 by 10 and 1by 15 traveler cabs with f500 amp) Always get compliments on the sound and its ultra reliable

I use the orange oil and its great stuff

i am a zeppelin nut!! but I am glad they did not reform for a tour. Why?, because Bonzo's not around of course. That's why they split up in the first place, no Bonzo-no Zeppelin. looking forward to the DVD. I have seen a bootleg version and though Jason does a good job, He's no Bonzo. I reckon Plant would struggle with a full blown tour, as his voice is not what it used to be (just ask Ian Gillan). So IMO leave well enough alone and protect the legacy.

Thought Muse were great on Jools last night. The first tune they played was just OK but the next couple blew me away. The Bellamy boy sounds like he has pulled a few licks out of the Brian May book of tricks though. loved Chris's playing on the twin neck thingy.