alexclaber

[quote name='Geoff' post='546704' date='Jul 21 2009, 04:47 PM']I just wish you could try before you buy in a live environment sometimes![/quote] You can: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=53414"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=53414[/url] Alex

Big One beats monolithic 8x10"! Excellent anecdotal evidence for the prosecution of inferior cabs. Alex

Eight decent 10"s will probably set you back about £400. Probably better off fixing the broken driver, selling the cab and getting something that better suits your needs. Alex P.S. I know a certain cab that would very much enjoy having such a nice pre/power driving it!

[quote name='cheddatom' post='546620' date='Jul 21 2009, 03:49 PM']It's a bit crap that the story hasn't featured on here at all. I have no idea who this guy is or what his products are. You'd think he would have made a thread on the english bass message board.[/quote] Or indeed a sub-forum: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?act=SF&s=&f=47"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?act=SF&s=&f=47[/url] Alex

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='546633' date='Jul 21 2009, 04:00 PM']Are we to assume that if we know one of these people or are in their vicinity then we can get in touch with them to try out your cab(s)?[/quote] Yes, or insert yourself in the list between them and the next person. No point trying cabs at home - they need to be in rehearsals or at gigs with guitarists and drummers to compete with! Alex

Does this seem a logical route? crez5150 wickford physcoandy ipswich pete young ipswich redroque norwich adee corby musicman20 cleethorpes casapete hull finbar sheffield sean.robinson rotherham hubrad bradford rik (esa) bradford monz barnsley wateroftyne newcastle delberhot camelon lemmywinks blackpool josh3184 preston guyl manchester bassbunny manchester bass culture chester protium chester mike 257 wirral steve soar wirral giblett123 birmingham bananaman leamington spa alien milton keynes sibob high wycombe phil the bassist newbury gunsfreddy2003 cheltenham mr foxen bristol bassbod bristol sk8 bristol barelyl4 salisbury dannybuoy london/surrey bythesea shoreham Alex

[quote name='cheddatom' post='546518' date='Jul 21 2009, 02:38 PM']Having said that, I can get really nasty biting trebly tones out of my passive bass, at least as "toppy" as my active with EMGs.[/quote] Nasty biting treble happens lower down than bright shiny treble which itself is lower than airey treble. Alex

Why do you want to change the speakers? Alex

Bear in mind that going lighter doesn't necessarily mean going smaller. A large but light cab can be lot louder than a smaller heavier one and with wheels as well very easy to move. Alex

[quote name='cheddatom' post='546235' date='Jul 21 2009, 11:48 AM']Why would it make any difference whether the batteries and pots are in the bass rather than in a pedal?[/quote] Because you buffer the signal more directly rather than suffering the high frequency loses due to the capacitative nature of a guitar lead. The issue isn't where the pots and batteries are but where the input stage of the onboard preamp is. The instrument cable acts like a passive tone pot, and the longer the cable is then the more the capacitance is so the lower the frequency at which it starts acting as a first order lowpass filter (just like bigger caps on tone pots cut more treble). Alex

[quote name='jmstone' post='540907' date='Jul 15 2009, 02:02 AM']Is band image that important?[/quote] Do you go to listen to a band or to you go to see a band? Alex

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='546118' date='Jul 21 2009, 10:37 AM']As Alex said, active EMGs are just different. I'd say try some Villex pups for the nearest passive equivolent.[/quote] I read some stuff on talkbass about some new Villex models which I think could be more transparent but couldn't see anything on their site. But certainly more open than most P-pickups. Active EMGs are true active pickups with very low inductance coils, extended range and built-in preamp to buffer and add gain. IMO they run much better on 18V. Very hard to get that sound with a passive pickup because if the passive pickup isn't detecting much 5kHz+ then all the treble boost in the world won't do anything because you can't make something out of nothing. They are unforgiving but with a good bass and good technique they are not in the least bit sterile or untoneful. Alex

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='545834' date='Jul 20 2009, 10:45 PM']There's a manual? No manual with my Vintage. [/quote] Indeed I have omitted to send it to everyone because the pm system here doesn't allow attachments and I haven't got everyone's email addresses so it's all gone a bit awry, and now I can't remember who has it and who doesn't! If you don't have it then email me and I will send you one! Port plugs bit noted! Alex

No. The only way to get that sound is to fit an active EMG to your '55. If there was a Q-Tuner pickup the right shape then that could get you the extended range output passively and then you'd need some kind of EQ pedal to get the EMG response curve. With any conventional passive pickup you're not going to be getting enough treble from the instrument for any outboard preamp/pedal to get that EMG sound. Alex

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='545405' date='Jul 20 2009, 03:44 PM']To be honest ive never worried about it in the past and have sold a few basses but when i met up with another member last week he pointed out the scratches and it did make me think whether it does devalue the bass or not.[/quote] I'm alway suspicious of any unmarked used instrument - it says to me "I didn't sound good enough or play well enough to get used much". I swear most of the mint condition early '60s Fenders are the crap sounding ones that got forgotten. So to any buyer that questions blemishes you should turn it around and point out that wear marks demonstrate it was good enough to get used plenty! Alex

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='494914' date='May 22 2009, 09:55 AM']The chorus sends the hair on the back of my neck standing up. Even in 32 degree heat.[/quote] Nope, doesn't do it for me. Lyrics are a bit lame IMO - also maybe I'm just not keen on her voice? Ah well, we are all individuals ("I'm not!")... Alex

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=47013&view=findpost&p=545381"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=545381[/url] I wonder if I originally read that interview in Sound On Sound? Alex

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='545376' date='Jul 20 2009, 03:23 PM']It doesn't bother me but i think it will effect the price i can get if/when i try and sell it.[/quote] Having a strange inability to sell basses I'd omitted to consider that! Alex

[quote name='alexclaber' post='545390' date='Jul 20 2009, 03:36 PM']You know this was meant to be neat, tidy and concise thread to inform potential customers of current and forthcoming stock. Talk about self-sabotage. Move along now...[/quote] Will you stop talking to yourself! Alex

You know this was meant to be neat, tidy and concise thread to inform potential customers of current and forthcoming stock. Talk about self-sabotage. Move along now... Alex

I see they say that getting a good bass sound is one of the hardest things when recording. I've always found it an absolute doddle, pick up bass, plug in, play, done - so I must be doing something right! I spend a thousand times as long getting the drums sorted. Alex

Correction, Chuck didn't say it, his longstanding recording engineer did: "Good bass players' tracks always sound noisy when soloed. Chuck Rainey's tracks sound like someone's working on a Buick in the background. But plug it into the mix, and the magic is there." [url="http://www.prorec.com/Articles/tabid/109/EntryId/32/A-Kick-in-the-Bass.aspx"]http://www.prorec.com/Articles/tabid/109/E...n-the-Bass.aspx[/url] Alex P.S. Why didn't he say car instead of Buick? Thought google was going to fail me!

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='545357' date='Jul 20 2009, 03:04 PM']Thanks Alex - I'm printing this lot off and taking it along to rehearsal tonight![/quote] Keep it in your gigbag to scare any punters that claim bass is easy, "ah but you need an astrophysics degree to play root notes..." A simpler approach which should usually work is: "Set amp EQ flat, set instrument EQ/tone flat, select neck pickup, play, listen, change how/where you're plucking if need be. If technique changes unsuccessful then select both pickups equally if less midrange wanted or bridge pickup soloed if more high midrange wanted. Roll off passive tone/treble slightly if it's too bright but always err on the side of brightness, it rapidly vanishes once the band is cranking. If it's too boomy turn lows or low mids down on amp a smidgeon, if it's too thin turn same up a smidgeon. Knob tweaking is bad, listening and reacting with your touch is good." To hear how important midrange texture is on old school bass sounds get hold of Standing In The Shadows Of Motown and check out quite how gnarly Jamerson's tone is when soloed. As Chuck Rainey said of his own similar style of a playing (IIRC), paraphrasing: "if you solo one of my basslines on a studio recording there's so much percussive noise, squeaking, clanking, rattling etc on there that it sounds like someone's working on a car in the background". Also, although this is getting into the zen of bass playing, if you think your basslines with clarity and conviction as you play them, that will come through in how they are heard. Alex

But it's at the back - does it matter at all? Surely it's a badge of honour, like ingrained dirt where your thumb rests and worn away finish where your popping/strumming fingers or pick attack the top! (I've tried to extend this theory to dents but it doesn't hold up so well unless they were acquired when beating time into a drummer's head etc). Alex

And something else. The Big One has lower distortion through the lows and mids than normal bass cabs so it doesn't synthesise a whole load of extra midrange. In other words, use similar EQ at similar SPL on say a typical 4x10" and due to the difference in frequency response you'll get less bottom, more midrange (though with humps and troughs) and more treble, whilst the difference in distortion levels will mean you'll get even less bottom, yet more toothy midrange and yet more treble. Therefore a clean sheet of paper is required when finding your sound. Set everything flat and go from there - the cab is very responsive so small EQ tweaks will have a big effect. If you don't know what flat is for your particular amp (it's not always 0,0,0,0 etc) then ask me, I seem to have replaced the part of my brain that should remember where I put my wallet/keys/car etc with a filing system for storing such enthralling data. I've recently started completely rewriting the manual to address all this sort of stuff in a more accessible way but it does get rather deep if you're not careful... Alex