flyfisher

Some 12 volt power supplies have 'floating' outputs. Thus, regardless of the polarity of the plug, neither output is connected to ground. As the amp will also run on batteries I guess it's designed not to actually require a ground connection. But, on the assumption that it could be run from a grounded PSU then they've specified that the ground should be connected to the negative side of the 12v supply - which is quite standard. If you have a multimeter, it would be easy to check if the PSU earth pin is connected to the positive or negative output, or neither (floating output). Also, some PSUs are 'smoother' than others and this can lead to hum issues - particularly with a floating PSU. In general, the cheaper the PSU the 'rougher' the output, but it requires some half-decent test equipment to really see what's going on with the DC output. If possible, it's probably worth trying a few different PSUs, though I realise not everyone has a box of them for such occasions.

Bastards! Good luck with recovering everything.

Is it possible to block any uploads larger than a certain size? Another forum I use won't allow any photos with a width of more than 500 pixels, which forces members to shrink them before uploading and keeps the filesizes very small.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1266192' date='Jun 12 2011, 03:36 PM']You can't excuse bad customer service just because it's a small company.[/quote] Indeed, quite the reverse in fact. A large company could conceivably get its customer-service wrong through poor organisation, various departments passing the buck, employees basically not caring enough about the customer, etc etc. But when it's a small company and it's the owner that deals with such issues . . . . .

[quote name='RhysP' post='1266177' date='Jun 12 2011, 03:26 PM']But where then, as a businessman, do you draw the line?[/quote] Fair point, but . . . . . [quote name='RhysP' post='1266177' date='Jun 12 2011, 03:26 PM']Let's remember that we're talking about an old secondhand bass the OP has here.[/quote] . . . so how many times is such a situation likely to raise its ugly head, especially for a boutique bass company? I don't know how to value adverse publicity but I'd hazard a guess that this thread has been quite expensive compared with the costs of shipping a few tens of pots through the post. As I said, such a cost could be regarded as an overhead, depending on your business principles, and might be fully covered by an extra $10 on the list price of a new bass, which I doubt would affect many sales. Or, cut such costs to the bone and charge customers for every spare screw and postage stamp and maybe even stop talking to them on the phone unless they call a premium-rate line - time is money after all. Now, what sort of company would you prefer to deal with?

[quote name='Ross' post='1265960' date='Jun 12 2011, 12:31 PM']I always return to business' that go the extra mile. Like stringbusters, a string broke after less than a day, no quibble, didn't expect the string back as proof, just sent another next day in the post. Absolutely outstanding service, which is why i will use them again.[/quote] +1 Whatever the rights and wrongs, that pot and UPS cost has snowballed into a right old saga where no-one seems to come off particularly well. How much cheaper it would have been in the long run if the pot had been send out gratis? The OP would be proclaiming love for KS all over the internet, and KS wouldn't have wasted hours of his valuable time explaining his side of the story to a largely indifferent audience. Sure, by just sending the pot, KS would have lost a bit of money in the short term, but would have gained a whole lot of saved time and goodwill in the long term. That's another way of looking at 'overheads' within a business - the stuff you do to go that extra mile for the customer; of course it costs money but it's probably a better investment than all the time spent trying (and probably failing) to placate an upset customer. This sort of thread is similar to using the legal process to settle disputes. As soon as the matter ends up in court, both parties have basically lost - in terms of time, cost, reputation etc etc - regardless of the eventual outcome. Hence the old adage: the customer is always right - even when they're wrong.

Nice job. A bit of varnish will seal the chipboard; as mentioned, it's hardly likely to get really soaked anyway. My only comment would be to think about using proper luggage straps instead of those bungee cords. Elastic will allow a lot of movement resulting in things rubbing together and chafing. Luggage straps will be more solid and will minimise, if not eliminate, the items moving around slightly as the dolly is manouvred over rough tarmac, up kerbs and steps etc.

Guitar jacks get a lot of use and they don't last forever. As mentioned above, new sockets cost peanuts and if you can solder it's an easy repair that can make a big difference. If you can't solder then this might be an ideal opportunity to learn - it's not that difficult. But, if you don't fancy it then it shoudn't be too hard to find someone to re-place the socket for you. Ask at your local music shop if you don't know anyone who can do it for you.

[quote name='citymariner' post='1263244' date='Jun 9 2011, 08:47 PM']What thickness wood do you recommend for ~150kgs of weight?[/quote] I'd use 18mm ply, preferably exterior grade if you can get it. Machine Mart also have a good range of heavy-duty castors, some with brakes for anyone wishing to fit them directly to cabs: [url="http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range/guid/7246A7C3-21D8-4642-BA26-CB37125FBB77"]http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range/gu...26-CB37125FBB77[/url]

Shame to spoil a posh wedding with a generator running in the background. Is there really no possibility of a mains supply from somewhere? With the relatively low power you seem to need I would expect you could run a couple of 50m extension cables without too much risk of significant voltage drop. Or is the gig on some deserted tropical island paradise?

I recently played at a private outdoor party. The stage was built from sheets of 18mm ply on a frame of 4x2 timber. The 'roof' was built using scaffold towers and assorted scaffold poles/boards and was covered over with a large tarpaulin. Another scaffold pole was used as a lighting bar supporting six spotlights. All the stage equipment, including the PA, was run from a single 13A socket in the house via a 40m extension cable with an RCCD plug. The stage lighting was run from another 13A socket in the house via a 50m extension cable. The sound desk was located under a small gazebo via a 30m snake and was powered from another 13A socket in the house via a 25m extension cable. The 40m and 50m extension cables were longer than required but we made sure that all the cable was run off the reels to avoid overheating coiled-up cables. I lost count of the number of 6-way plug blocks on the stage but there were at least six of them. We had no electrical problems throughout the whole weekend. We left all the equipment on stage overnight (except the guitars) and had no problem with damp/dew/condensation and everything worked perfectly when we hosted a very enjoyable Sunday morning jam session. We've done a few outdoor gigs and have never had any problems, even when it has rained (obviously we've never let any equipment actually get wet!). Sound-wise, the PA system seemed to cope fine (2x SRM450 Mackie heads plus a Mackie SWA1501 subwoofer) though we found it necessary to use a couple of mics above the drums to capture the cymbals, which we've never needed to do at indoor gigs. We also used a kick-drum mic. These photos should give a better idea of the set-up: [attachment=82033:Outdoors3.JPG] [attachment=82031:Outdoors1.JPG] [attachment=82032:Outdoors2.JPG]

Hmm. I have no doubt about his technical excellence and it's quite clear that many people derive great pleasure from his playing - which is wonderful - but, and I'm truly sorry there has to be a 'but' - but I just can't get it. I know I'm watching and hearing a genius at work but it does nothing for me. Perhaps I should see my GP about a referral to a suitable specialist as I know the problem must be within me.

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='1257798' date='Jun 5 2011, 09:08 PM']Should really love this man but early 80's Albert Hall only gig I've ever left early [/quote] I got tickets to see Santana about 7 or 8 years ago. Before the actual concert, I told a friend (who also likes them) that I'd be going to see them and he said he had seen them a couple years earlier and thought they were pretty bad. That took the shine off my anticipation, but I really enjoyed the concert and would certainly go to see them again. I guess all bands have good and bad gigs.

[quote name='Gunsfreddy2003' post='1251234' date='May 31 2011, 11:17 AM']I think that John Deacon had the right idea and bowed out after the Freddie tribute gig I never understood why Brian and Roger tried to carry on with the name Queen what was the point?[/quote] Brian May commented that once you've experienced the 'rockstar thing' it's hard to give it up, though Deacon obviously didn't feel the same way. I tend to agree about the Queen name though; Mercury was such a dominant part of the band that it really can't be Queen without him. Still, tribute bands are quite popular these days.

[quote name='Conan' post='1246598' date='May 27 2011, 08:04 AM']Sounds like you have a dilemma then. This is why a lot of musicians in original bands also play in cover bands. One finances the other as it were.[/quote] And it happens at all levels. Didn't Charlie Watts famously use his 'day job' with the Stones to fund his real passion for big band jazz?

We should all be careful of using the term "kettle lead" in case it's actually 'owned' by a kettle company. The original 'portakabin' company is famously touchy about people using the term generically to describe any sort of portable, er, cabin and Private Eye had great fun with them a few years ago, and still do occasionally. [url="http://adammacqueen.blogspot.com/2007/09/portakabin.html"]http://adammacqueen.blogspot.com/2007/09/portakabin.html[/url] Presumably "Hoover" has long since given up trying to stop their protected name being used generically, as in 'I hoover my floor with a Dyson' If, as mentioned earlier, 99% of people call a 3-pin IEC cable a 'kettle lead' then it's a kettle lead, in exactly the same way that my Henry vacuum cleaner is a 'hoover'. That's the way language works. Yes, it's a pedant's dream, but who ever admired anyone for being pedantic? Is it worth pointing out that almost everyone here refers to their "bass", which is stricly rather meaningless . . . . no, thought not.

[quote name='Steve Dixon' post='1239555' date='May 21 2011, 06:16 PM']I think your generalisation was probably as wide of the mark as his [/quote] Agreed. I was just aiming for a bit of balance

[quote name='obbm' post='1241949' date='May 23 2011, 05:53 PM']I know that.[/quote] Then why try to imply there was a mismatch problem? [quote name='obbm' post='1241949' date='May 23 2011, 05:53 PM']Your method just seems a rather cack-handed way of getting there.[/quote] Just trying to explain all the options. I thought I was quite clear about it being a bit messy. [quote name='obbm' post='1241949' date='May 23 2011, 05:53 PM']Each to their own I suppose.[/quote] Quite so.

[quote name='obbm' post='1241933' date='May 23 2011, 05:44 PM']Why would you deliberately wnat to create a miss-match?[/quote] Where's the mismatch? Speaker impedances are only nominal so what's the problem with connecting a combination of speakers totalling 4.8 ohms into a 4 ohm output?

Or, for more power output, connect an 8 ohm cab and the 4 ohm cab in series, giving 12 ohms, then run these two in parallel with the other 8 ohm cab, giving an overall load to the amp of 4.8 ohms. It won't harm the amp but I doubt it's worth faffing around with the cabling.

I remember watching Oscar Peterson a lot on the TV and loved his playing. I don't remember the show though. Did he have his own series? This was probably in the 70s sometime.

[quote name='Evil Undead' post='1239145' date='May 21 2011, 11:25 AM']Whilst I see your point, I don't do any recording and it's just for gigs. I'm sure you agree that one has to both sound good and look the part on stage, otherwise ya don't get booked again I'm certainly not blaming my tools for my lack of skills as a bass player! That one's all on me...[/quote] Fair point about looking the part - I guess Gene Simmons' image would suffer if he used a P. Mind you, I'd draw the line at copying his car But a P-bass is a pretty safe choice for all sorts of reasons; it has a proven pedigree and (decently set up of course) is guaranteed to deliver and will 'out-perform' anyone starting out, it won't get laughed off the stage (notwithstanding the above observation) and it'll hold its value. They're pretty much the reasons I bought mine a couple of decades ago. My only disappointment is that it's still out-performing my playing ability . . . but I'm working on it.

My bet is that no one can reliably tell what sort of bass gear is used on a recording because playing technique and gear set-up is the most important factor. After that it's just a fashion show. So people only really need to decide if they're more worried about their image or their playing skills. This sort of debate is reminiscent of the 'Canon or Nikon' debates on photo forums when the reality is that it's completely irrelevant and neither will make or break a photographer. The important thing is to learn the craft of taking good photos. Same with bass playing. What's that old saying about poor workmen always blaming their tools?

[quote name='4-string-thing' post='1237496' date='May 19 2011, 10:11 PM'][quote]It's because bassists have no imagination or ambition. If they did, they'd be lead guitarists.[/quote] I hope this is irony, cos I've always found just the opposite! Bass players are always forward thinking and looking to try new equipment ie, graphite necks, composite bodies, new cab designs, class D amps etc etc. Guitarists can't seem to get beyond a strat, tele or les paul through a valve amp, all 50's technology! [/quote] Could it be that guitarists are more concerned with their playing skills and technique rather than constantly looking for some 'magic bullet' technology to do the job for them?

[quote name='gub' post='1236010' date='May 18 2011, 05:25 PM']i thought the drummer was great and made what would of otherwise been an average song into something more interseting ![/quote] Agreed, though he reminded me of Animal from The Muppets. Disappointed with JPJ. What was the point?