Muzz

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1436040211' post='2814570'] Loads... Both bought and sold. I've only had positive experiences on the BC marketplace [/quote] This - word for word...

I got OBBM of this parish to make me a double guitar lead - normal lead combined with a headphone lead, which I run from my headphone amp.

IIRC, the Streamliners have a tone stack modelled on the one used by Fender, they're certainly warm and valve-y enough when you want them to be, the 900 has shedloads of headroom, gotta be worth a look/listen...

Not the EMC one, but ever since I discovered the variable mid control in the East U-Retro preamp, I've never looked back - I've fitted it into all four of my main basses. Invaluable for live work: I can change my sound completely from the bass on the fly, I never touch my amp any more. The East knobs have centre detents and are marked, so that makes things easier, but ears is the best way.

Did I mention I'd be interested? Looks like I didn't - well, I can bring BF, Dingwall and Shuker stuff. And the iPad/SonicPort digital modelling stuff I've got. And my sparkling persona™, of course...

I'd either go back to Jon Shuker for a third, or Sheldon Dingwall for another. Both fantastic quality, but more importantly after lots and lots and lots of basses, I know what suits me, and theirs do.

Yep, I remember that...you were the lone voice in the wilderness...having said that, you did sell your Walkabout (for about a week, as I recall ), so anyone can make a mistake...

Aaaaand I'm here with the other side of the coin: rehearsed for the first time with a new full-on Rock band on Sunday night (lead guitarist with Engl Powerball and 4x12, anyone? ), took the Streamliner and two BF cabs, and it absolutely floored everyone. 'Heft' and 'clout' all over the place... The function band is a more technical affair - thro the PA, in-ears, all sorts of work goes into the band sound, but this was just two guitars, me and a big drummer. Said this before, but the Streamliner has stayed while lots of other stuff has come and gone (including non-Class-D Mesa, Ashdown, etc) - I always overlap amps so I can live with the newcomer for a while to see if it's a goer, and the Streamliner keeps on winning for me... I think the combination of amp and cab can have a bigger influence on overall sound than any specific element of that combination - it's analogous to something sounding good solo and poor with the band: some combinations of amps and cabs can sound great at low volumes, or when soloed, but don't bring it in a band situation...

I always take two basses, though I'll often play one set with one and have a change for the other set, tho sometimes not. Either way, I've got a backup. I have a DI box in case my amp goes. I do have spare strings, but only because I keep my strings in my gigbag. Oh, and about 27 picks....

If I've taken away anything from that review, it's the phrase "arpeggiated arsehole". Worth putting up with the exclamation marks for that alone...

Ummmmm, why would you cringe? Where's the support for racism and violence in there?

Hokay, always interested: Have you tried Elixir strings before? Yes, tried them a few years ago, but as a mainly pick player, their fraying put me off. The DR Coated ones I tried not long ago we're better in this respect, but still not great. It's a challenge for string manufacturers, I think. What other brands are you familiar with? I use DRs these days - I moved onto them from D'Addarios, but I've also used Ernie Balls, Rotosound, Warwick, Newtone, Elites, and even Hartke What bass(es) will you try the new strings on? I'll try them on my Shuker, although if they're long enough they might go on my Dingwall, as I'm playing that the most right now. What sort of environment will you be playing them in (e.g studio, gigging, practicing) Home practice and gigging. Lots of gigging. Why do you think you'll be a good candidate to test the strings? I'm always looking for the 'best' strings for me, and over years of buying and trying, I've become quite sensitive to tension, tone and feel. I gig a lot (75 gigs or so last year), so they'll get a good run out in the real world. Links to any blogs/reviews you may have already posted (not essential but interesting)

Good luck down at the first couple of frets...

I've had a few, and 12-strings, too. Good fun, but a luxury item, so I've always ended up moving them on. The Deans I had were great for the money. I had a Washburn B20-8 back in the day which had the most vicious neck dive of anything I've owned...

S'OK Damon, I'm just a cynical old git...

Damon, he said exactly the same thing on the Monday in Sunderland (my mate was there), they did exactly the same set/running time... Seen 'em before Jenny...trust me, it's the venue...

Wouldn't disagree with that, but what I would say is that it's ironic that the price to the hapless fan/punter goes up as the experience gets worse. "I know, we'll put three times as many people in an unsuitable venue, it'll probably sound arse, but if we charge them more money...erm, yeah, that's it, really." Ker-ching. Oh, and Dave lost me early doors with the "Hey, are you all going to work tomorrow after partying with us? We wanna play all night...Yeaaahhhh..." Best go on early and finish about half ten, then, Dave, so we can all get to bed...

Yep, I've been to the Cricket Ground before and not had an issue with the sound...this time, though, after the redevelopment, was awful. I know a few people (those at the front, mostly) who enjoyed it and had a good sound, but it just highlights the problem: it was a good gig for a few thousand at the front, i.e. a much smaller venue-sized space, but the whole ground? Definitely not. And Dave and the boys got everyone's money... Oh, and it was definitely loud - I refer you to my original comment: [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]The venue managed the impressive trick of making the sound barkingly, harshly loud and also muddily indistinct at the same time...clever stuff... [/font][/color] Oh, and LCCC's consultants? I may drop them a line...

Been to some good-sounding MEN gigs, tho as you say MB: Apollo Academy and Lowry are always good, or at least as good as the soundman. The Ritz, too - not seen a bad one there. The best-sounding venue in Manchester, though, is the Bridgewater. Went to see Burt Bacharach there, and it sounded perfect.

A bowl might have helped - the bigger problem is it's just a flat space with huge slab-sided stands around it, mostly. I've been there before and don't recall major sound problems, but as you say, it was a lot different. I believe last night they were going for 50,000, though from the number of empty seats, the space on the pitch and the hordes of desperate touts outside, they fell rather short...

The venue managed the impressive trick of making the sound barkingly, harshly loud and also muddily indistinct at the same time...clever stuff...

As I say, more venue related - the issues were the shape of the place, reflections, the PA placing, etc - I have a good friend who went to Sunderland on Monday and said the sound there was much better. Yeah, not the biggest fan here, but they played pretty flawlessly, etc - typical enormo-gig performance.

I've seen them four times, including on Glasgow Green outdoors, but this was something else sound-wise. More venue related than anything, I'm sure.

Went to see the Foo Fighters last night at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground - that place is about as suited to gigs as the Apollo would be to a game of cricket... It was Godawful - the worst sound I've ever heard in a 'stadium' - and that's saying something - the swirling wind didn't help, but God Almighty, it was poor. No bass other than a dull thud, harsh barky mids and fizzy treble. Sound bouncing off the stands around the field itself and satellite speakers producing some horrible out of phase sounds, too. And some commercial genius decided concession stands are perfectly fine situated in the crowd - sight lines massively obstructed. A really poor atmosphere, too. I think they were banking on people drinking enough to pay to watch Dave G on TV and not notice how poor the whole experience was. We lasted an hour before sacking it and going home. I can only offer the advice not to bother going if you've any interest in decent sound (or sight, other than the TV screens) for a band. On the other hand, if you fancy standing 150 yards from the stage, holding your phone in the air, knock yourselves out...