bremen

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='447205' date='Mar 27 2009, 01:27 PM']Thanks for the advice definitely sounds like something to potentially reignite the spark. I did have a cheap fretless for a little while but I didn’t like the feel of it. I’ll seriously consider getting a better quality fretless when the sale of my Sterling has been completed.[/quote] I've had a fretless for years but never really persevered till I deliberately put the frets away. There comes a point where it 'clicks' and suddenly you can play in tune, then it's really liberating. Beedster suggested trying to play everything on the fretless, not just stuff that you'd think 'ah, that'd be good on a fretless', and he was right.

[quote name='Eight' post='446591' date='Mar 26 2009, 10:19 PM']But you can play girl! And I much enjoyed Rescue Me - even if it was wery wery qwiet.[/quote] Small hands, big notes :-)

[quote name='dood' post='447263' date='Mar 27 2009, 02:07 PM']Yup, Also the BDDI or MXR M80 can add grit, but both are totally different from each other.. There's the Line 6 route with digital modelling to look at as well. Interestingly, a guy did some audio tracks on TalkBass a while back, one recorded with a Jazz bass w/flats into an all valve Ampeg setup .. and another with a modern active jazz into a line 6. Most people couldn't tell the difference between the two. Take from that what you will![/quote] Ah yes, the Bass Pod XT Pro. Not much grittier than their version of the Hiwatt 200 through an Ampeg 8*10 :-)

Ampeg SVP pro preamp.

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='447013' date='Mar 27 2009, 11:18 AM']I’ve almost given up on bass. Feel very uninspired to play at the moment. I like to waste money on bass related stuff to make me think I’m a bass player at the moment though [/quote] Sounds very familiar ;-) Kill two birds with one stone: spend some money on a fretless, and put your other bass(es) under the bed. I did that after my band split due to musical similarities and it's been really therapeutic. [quote]10,000 hours is a f***ing long time. That’s 5 hours a day, every day, for almost 6 years! I could do that, I just don’t want to [/quote] hoho, I've had maybe 10 hours playing fretless and I'm doing my first gig with it (and a new band that doesn't have any songs) tomorrow...

[quote name='elom' post='446967' date='Mar 27 2009, 10:02 AM']We're both right I think. 10,000 hours playing as a band is what made the Beatles so good [i]as a band[/i]. It didn't make Ringo the world's greatest drummer! [/quote] All: 'It didn't even make him the Beatles' greatest drummer!'

[quote name='OldGit' post='446304' date='Mar 26 2009, 06:46 PM']To boldly split infinitives has been OK for a while now ... Language moves on. Oxford commas are too .. If Saint Lynne Truss says it's OK then that's fine with me [/quote] You mean 'if Saint Lynne Truss says it's OK, then that's fine with me' ;-)

[quote name='Eight' post='446311' date='Mar 26 2009, 06:55 PM']Ah. Can you elaborate a little? I'm not doubting your suggestions, just trying to learn a little more. I understand about loading the pickups - and it thinning the sound even when "bypassed" - but is this because of the resistance from the DPDT? In which case, don't A/B switches suffer the same problem? I'm assuming even something like a switching ic would cause the same issues?[/quote] The switch wouldn't have any effect as shown, but the track of the pot would always be in parallel with the input of the amp. This might affect the sound (it would cut top end rather than 'thin' the sound) if used with a passive pickup, particularly if it's a series-wired humbucker. It would be fine with an active bass. The circuit I tried to describe puts some of the pot in series with the guitar when it's switched out of circuit that might reduce volume very slightly but doesn't put any extra load on the pickup. You could arrange a DPDT switch to act as a true bypass, but that means you won't be able to switch a LED. Unless you use a 4PDT switch, or a relay... I don't have a scanner here so I can't draw any diagrams...I will tomorrow though if you like, PM me if I forget!

[quote name='bassaussie' post='445148' date='Mar 25 2009, 04:56 PM']"Those musicians who have played the headless bass are The Jam, The Stranglers, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Geddy Lee (rush), Sting and reggae master Robbie Shakespeare to name but a few... " Completely true, yet misleading enough to make it seem that this is the bass model that was used. I hate dealers like this who prey on a buyer's ignorance.[/quote] What a c***. Also: 'you can get just about any bass guitar sound you want'

[quote name='Eight' post='445876' date='Mar 26 2009, 12:23 PM']Not so hot on my electronics, but was wondering if this would work? I'm just after a wee device so that I can easily/consistantly adjust the volume going into the amp when I change from playing fingers to pick. Its for a reduction in volume when the switch is pressed, no amplification etc. Edit: Changed my mind and adjusted some stuff.[/quote] That would constantly load the pickup whether or not it was switched on. Try this. Input goes to top of volume pot; output to slider; bottom switched to ground (attenuated) or left open circuit (bypass). There might be a very small drop in volume (depending on the input impedance of the amp) in the bypass position but not so as you'd notice, a dB or two at most.

[quote name='OldGit' post='445679' date='Mar 26 2009, 08:54 AM']Saw this on another forum about blues harps "One more on your 'never' list... 6. Never p155 off the band and leave the harps lying around whilst you step out of the rehearsal room." What's your tip?[/quote] If you're Glen Matlock, never eat a baguette that's been in the same room as Steve Jones.

[quote name='Rich' post='445899' date='Mar 26 2009, 12:37 PM']Paint the outside of the lead vocalist's mic bulb with that anti-nailbiting stuff.[/quote] ooh, good one! Or rub it with chillies.

[quote name='simonchupon' post='445893' date='Mar 26 2009, 12:35 PM']Hi all. I've just started using rest strokes in my technique. Previously I played free stroke (coz thats how I thought it was done...) Anyways I've got the the technique down pretty well but the one thing I cannot overcome is that thudding sound you get when resting a finger on an adjacent string. Say I'm plucking the D and rest on the E a faint (but audible) thud comes out. Its a lot more noticible when playing closer to the bridge (as I do). I thought I was plucking too hard but even the lightest of strokes causes this thudding sound. Watching someone like Rocco Prestia/Jaco plucking fairly hard using rest strokes and not having any extra unwanted noise from the string's they rest their fingers on leads me to believe I'm doing something wrong. Any help is much appreciated[/quote] First time I heard the terms 'rest stroke' and 'free stroke'. I always used to use what apparently is called rest strokes but like you say, it goes 'thud'. So I now play free strokes (if that's what it means by 'just not playing on that beat'). Seems to work OK. So am I now doing it wrong?

[quote name='Deep Thought' post='445845' date='Mar 26 2009, 11:53 AM']The only time I bid before the last minute is if I'm going to be out when the auction ends and can't get to a computer, in which case I bid my max amount and hope for the best. Otherwise it's the last minute snipe for me every time-it's the nature of the beast.[/quote] There are various sites that'll automagically snipe for you at the last minute; I've 'won' a few times using them. Google 'ebay snipe'.

[quote name='Oscar South' post='445730' date='Mar 26 2009, 10:00 AM']A good prank is to tune a lead singers/rhythm guitarists guitar up by a semitone then everyone else play up by one semitone as well, and watch them try to hit the high notes.[/quote] Put an even layer of talcum powder onto the snare drum.

[quote name='Delberthot' post='441223' date='Mar 21 2009, 06:41 PM']Something I've been thinking about for a while now but I can't find any pictures to see what it will look like when done. I've still to finalise how I'm going to wire up the electronics but more importantly to me just now is how it will look. I'm incredibly shallow when it comes to basses. Definitely looks first.[/quote] To be honest I think it'd spoil a lovely looking bass, lookswise. MM pickups look like a different era; it'd be like fitting Honda headlamps to an old Bentley. Soundwise it'd be great though, as there's enough gap between the existing pickup and the bridge to fit it in the classic MM position, not too close to the bridge.

[quote name='BOD2' post='444386' date='Mar 24 2009, 09:34 PM']Nope - sorry can't be done. 4 x 8 ohm in series = 32 ohm (pretty useless) 4 x 8 ohm in parallel = 2 ohm (not advisable) 4 x 8 ohm in series/parallel = 8 ohm (which is what you already have) There aren't any other options that use all 4 drivers.[/quote] Bod The Mod is quite correct. Good news though - you wouldn't get any benefit from turning it into a 4 ohm cab anyway. It wouldn't be noticeably louder (maybe 2dB) and the amp would get hotter.

[quote name='juice' post='444079' date='Mar 24 2009, 06:37 PM']hi, I have a Line-6 DM4 distortion modeler which has packed up on me. As it was rattling I opened it up expecting to find a loose chip. What I have found is a component labeled 330fu which looks like a resistor of some sort with wire wound around a central core it appears as though it is covered in a silicone type blob. The position on the circuit board is marked as L1 on the main power in section. I would love to get it repaired but Line 6 haven't contacted me despite 2calls a week for 4 weeks! thanks for any help you can give juice[/quote] It's an inductor. Is it broken, or just dislodged? PM me if you like and I'll have a go at fixing it. No promises though.

[quote name='Monz' post='444027' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:52 PM']So just recently I wondered into Music Ground at leeds to play on some basses and ended up playing through this HIWATT custom 400 and a 4x10 and 1x15. The sound using a Bongo was earth shattering and treacle smooth at the same time. Saw they had them up on ebay so did a bit of digging and found out they are the manufacturers of HIWATT now (or at least the owners of the brand). Not being a tube devotee (but might soon become one) What is the FOAK's opinion of these amps[/quote] Never tried a real one and could never afford one, but fwiw my favourite sim in the Bass Pod XT Pro is the Hiwatt 200, has a life all of its own.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='443475' date='Mar 24 2009, 09:53 AM']I think that often, drummers are so focussed on their drumming that they forget there's a song going on around them.[/quote] That is *exactly* the problem with the (otherwise excellent) drummer I'm currently playing with. I'd never quite put my finger on where she was going wrong, but that's it perfectly described.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='443008' date='Mar 23 2009, 08:03 PM']The other option with the badass II is to get one of those little 5 screwdriver sets from B&Q. One of the smaller flat head screwdrivers fits the hole perfectly with no damage to the grommit.[/quote] Hah, brilliant, I have one and it's true, fits perfectly! Thanks!

[quote name='~tl' post='442998' date='Mar 23 2009, 07:55 PM']According to the sticky topic in the Repairs forum it's 1/20th of an inch. I've just ordered one of [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hexagon-Allen-Key-Wrench-0-05-Ball-Ended_W0QQitemZ160313070300QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Hand_Tools_Equipment?hash=item160313070300&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]these[/url] since mine seems to have gone wandering. I'll let you know how I get on with it.[/quote] Thanks!

I guess it's imperial. Smaller than anything in my toolbox. Thanks!

[quote name='Huwberry' post='442166' date='Mar 23 2009, 02:17 AM']Hah, I read that you were trimming it in leather, but being the hypocrite that I am didn't even notice that would be why it would've been unsuitable for vegetarians.[/quote] Being a vegetarian doesn't mean you can't own a leather-bound speaker. So long as you don't eat it.