thodrik

I played Stag and Hounds a while ago. Seemed nice. Actually I quite liked Bristol as a place in general. Thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

I think that the rackmount version looks cooler with all the chrome, so consequently I also think it sounds better.

I've never needed more than a 300 watt solid state head, but having a ridiculously loud 400 valve amp is nice too.

My brother has an SG that is lovely. Present guitarist in my band has a Les Paul. General finish on both of them is top notch. I'm certainly aware of the issues though and some of the finishing and fret work on high price Gibsons can leave a lot to be desired.

I've used the DR DDTs 115-55, which I thought were pretty good but really expensive. I found the 55 gauge 'F' string and 75 gauge high 'C' on the DRs to be pretty tight, while the 115 low C was pretty damn loose, although perfectly usable. I have been using the D'addario balanced tension 120-50 set. They are pretty much half the price of the DRs and are way more balanced from string to string.

I would have a 24 fret Precision bass, built with the same neck profile, pick ups, finish and natural wear and tear as my non-24 four fret 1970s Precision bass. That or a 24 fret Rickenbacker, the walnut, maple neck one. Why 24 frets? Just in case.

There have not been any new products since the Acoustic line came out a few years ago. In terms of bass gear, there have not been any new products since the original Peavey relaunch. It is a bit disappointing. You'd think that a class D version of the classic Trace preamp would sell okay. Trace Elliot seem to gone the same way as SWR and Eden, former giants who now seem a bit old fashioned and outdated, even though their gear is still generally good gear. I have only tried the new amps a couple of times and they seemed nice but seemed to lack the authority of the older SMX and Series 6 lines. I like the new cabs though, which are so much lighter than the old ones.

They really missed a trick by not having a watch pocket in the front to store spare picks.

In terms of obscenely high output pickups, I haven't tried anything that rivals the Benedetti pickups on the Vigier Excess. In fact I say that they are probably just a bit extreme. I do also like the MM pick ups on the Sandberg models but haven't tried the double MM models.

I do like Cave In, but in terms of my personal view of NIB, if you aren't going to do the bass solo preceding the song, then don't bother. Otherwise enjoyed it though.

I only use a bigger gauge when tuning down, even then it is just to attempt to obtain the same level of tension as I have when using a 45-105 set in standard tuning. I used to use 40-95 but once I got used to a bigger set I've never regretted it.

This, so many times in one night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ee4bfu_t3c

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1399755196' post='2447420'] Drop C and Drop C# works very nicely with this set on my PJ bass (34" scale)! [/quote] Works well for C# standard and drop B for me as well. I am a big fan of the gauge.

For me its anything more expensive than an American Standard Jazz or Precision. I would probably class the American Standards as a high end bass as well since at this point they are about a grand. Though 'high end' doesn't necessitate 'good'. Lots of successful touring players are using Mexican Standards and variety of less expensive models.

I would love an 8x10 for the rehearsal room and a nice 4x10 to bring to gigs. Happy enough to run with the 15 inch speaker in my Mesa Walkabout. Most of the time I am DI'd from either the amp or DI box, so most of the time the cabs are only serving me.

[quote name='lowlandtrees' timestamp='1399737968' post='2447191'] I am definitely not confident with setting up especially with the twin rod on the Rick...it looked like an old english long bow with the 105-50s. I put flats on and the action was perfect. The SUB appeared to twist. Maybe get someone who can set up to look at it. Would like an old precision anyway [/quote] Rickenbacker basses are staple of the stoner/doom scene, so they really should be able to manage with bigger strings. If in doubt, just put it into a shop for a set up, or take some time out to figure out how to do it yourself. It will be worth it.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1399739543' post='2447211'] Tru dat - but also because by the time the act come on stage the crowd are generally off their heads. [/quote] Great point.

Its the same idea as booking Jay Z and Rolling Stones in previous years. Book headline acts who aren't traditionally considered to be a good fit for the festival. It gets a bit of media attention for the festival and a few commentators will talk about how the headline act are the 'wrong act' for the festival. Then the act plays the festival and everybody is 'amazed' that the act goes down well with the crowd. Of course the reason that the act goes down well is because the act have sold millions upon millions of records, are household names throughout the world to the point that their popularity is not confined to a genre and they are well known for giving a great live show. In short, I don't care, won't be there and won't be watching the television coverage featuring gurning BBC presenters throwing up ironic 'metal' horns.

If you have a good PA system and monitors to every gig you could probably get by without owning an amp. Going from venue to venue with different house PA systems, I usually find that there are too many variables for me to be comfortable not bringing a bass amp. For that reason I always bring an amp.

I use the D'addario balanced tension 120-50s on my late seventies Precision, as well as a Vigier Excess. No issues with either them. Most basses should be able to handle heavier gauge, downtuned strings. You just need to set up up the bass for the strings and tuning. Just throwing on a heavier set and hoping will often give poor results.

I always like listening to Billy Sheehan talk about his gear, equipment and general philosophy. I don't always agree with everything he says but he has clearly thought about every aspect of his set up and gear. The fact that he is willing to go into such detail as well always make him a good interview. Also, a lot of stuff seemed to be 'rock solid' in that video.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1396953117' post='2418994'] Depends entirely on bass. IME a lot of manufacturers simply add another inch onto the scale length in an attempt to find a cheap solution to getting a good sounding and feeling low B. However this is IME never successful. There's far more to it than that. It's all about the overall construction of the bass, and that is far more important. A well made 34" scale bass that has been designed and built with the needs of the low B string in mind will always out-perform a bass that simply has 35" scale length and a wider neck to accommodate the extra string. TBH any manufacturer capable of building a 35" scale bass with a great B string will be able to do exactly the same with a 34" scale. Of all my 5-string basses the ones with the 35" scale length are the poorest performers when it comes to getting a good B string. By all means go for a 35" scale if you prefer the feel of the fret spacing, but don't automatically expect the extra inch to make the B string better. [/quote] Great point. My Vigier has a scale length of just under 34 inches. Perfectly decent B string performance. I suppose ultimately it depends on the bass.I tried a few 35 inch scale Overwaters and really didn't take to them, but really liked a couple of 35 inch scale Laklands I previously tried.

It depends.A 9-5 job is pretty good in terms of it allows you to be available for gigs any night of the week or weekender type gigs. That is unless its one of those '9-5' meaning '8am - 8pm' which becomes a bit of a problem. Jobs with irregular working hours like bar work, baristas and shift work can really annoying in terms of coordinating working hours with rehearsals and gigs. Band members shifts end up overlapping and you can end up with less time to rehearse than if you were all just working 9-5. Overall though, jobs can help keep struggling bands going, even when the bands become fairly well known and seem 'big' to folk on the outside.

I played one and liked it. I did have to put the master up more than expected, but if you have a big/oud enough cab, say the Ampeg 6x10 then it will do fine.

Love my Sadowsky Metro. I have played a few Metros that didn't exactly blow me away, so I'm probably not in the 'fan boy' status. I do however like Roger Sadowsky's overall philosophy and general business practices, which is actually something that can sway me in a purchase. If I'm spending a tonne of money on a bass, I like it to go to a company that isn't headed up by [insert company figurehead you can't stand]. Still the Metros are now at a price point where I probably wouldn't be considering them just in terms of price. I really like the Sadowsky eq as well, though generally I only add a tiny bit of added bass and leave the treble off. I generally prefer a 2 band over a 3 band, just for simplicities sake. Once a 3rd EQ option is added, I end up twiddling knobs trying to find the 'right' sound and balance of mids, rather than just getting on with it and playing.