Fionn

Aye, they definitely have a place. I love them. They are fabulous things to noodle around on. Idle dreamy noodling is something that I do a lot of, and a beautiful acoustic bass on a wall-hanger in the lounge room is definitely a thing that draws me to play. To get the most out of an acoustic it helps to think outside of the box. Imagine the possible playing scenarios ... sitting in a bean-bag in the back garden in the summertime ... jamming in the kitchen (audibly enough), with a couple of friends playing nylon-strung guitar and hand percussion ... taking a walk in the woods with your acoustic, finding a perfect wee mossy glade and a comfy rock to sit on, and playing your heart out, earthy-style, to the backdrop of birdsong, yeahhhh! In the strictly dry and practical sense, they are also very good for home (solo) practice. Just pick it up and play, instantly, wherever. There is ZERO faff, and that is something else which has drawn me to play that wee bit more. For the most part, an acoustic bass is likely to require some changes to your playing technique. This is a good thing. Practicing on an acoustic makes you conscious, more technically articulate. When returning to a regular electric bass the benefits are really noticable. This is only my experience, of course ... Some folk just think of them as kindling for the fire. I've had a couple of acoustics in my life, and I plan to have another before summer arrives. I like a fretless acoustic, strung with flats. That just seems like a very natural condition for such an instrument.

[quote name='willyf87' timestamp='1304615727' post='1221358'] Does anyone else fancy KFC now? [/quote] I'd rather suckle on Beelzebubs left moob.

I've got big GAS for a Warwick Alien. There's one for sale here at the moment too. I don't have the funds ... it's killing me. Pah!!!

[quote name='ratman' timestamp='1390928398' post='2351418'] I reckon if you needed to have a couple of settings on a pedal, using different coloured stickers would nail that too. [/quote] Aye man, totally! The settings that I've marked are the "default" settings for my main (active) bass. I need to set my pedals quite differently for my other (passive) bass. Marking those settings in a different colour would work a treat. It all just makes things that wee bit easier.

[quote name='MarkW' timestamp='1390814659' post='2349695'] Does anybody have an opinion on the Warwick Corvette Standard fretless before I contemplate the long journey south to check one out? It's the six string on the Bass Gallery website if you fancy a gander. It ticks a number of boxes for me: I've fancied owning a Warwick since about 1988, I have been contemplating a six string for a little while, and it's within my budget - just! [/quote] Just had a gander at that. Wow, beautiful. I'd say GO FOR IT!!!! Warwicks are amazing.

Are those Westfield basses any good (relatively speaking, of course)?

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1390893264' post='2350871'] I'd say the cheapest (and yet still reasonably cosmetic) fix would to be to make up a small (ie. about 1.5-2" diameter) round black bit of scratchplate to simply go over the top of the broken bit (like you were going to use your washers). Fix your jack in the middle of it. I've seen it done on many basses and it doesn't look too bad. It also it very quick and easy, so the cost is kept down. [/quote] This

[quote name='tonyf' timestamp='1390899543' post='2350935'] And you know what? I'm gonna copy your M82 settings later and get the "Fionn Funk" [/quote] haha! ... maximum quack!

I'd ask about the Alien on the Warwick forum too, there are lots of very knowledgable Warwick-heads there. They also have a "for sale" section which attracts attention internationally.

"Basses on the setee" Haha! This thread is so utterly indulgent. What a bunch of wierdos. I love it! [IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/2w5p0m0.jpg[/IMG]

Just thought to share a little something I did this evening ... Here's a cool, easy, non-destructive way of marking your "go to" settings. If, like me, your settings are really incrementally fickle, then precise marking isn't a bad thing. I used wee round stickers that are available in stationery shops. I cut the wee stickers into six, pizza style, and stuck them right on. There they are, like little flaming arrows, pointing the way to your own unique squishy/fuzzy/squelchy/stanky fingerprint ... [IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/295z8ts.jpg[/IMG]

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1390832812' post='2350000'] can kinda see if you use the effects loop, but id worry that if the speakon got damaged then its alot of work to get things going again. [/quote] Hmmm, aye that would be a consideration. I use a standard jack cable at the moment, and the 5m speaker cable that I've got is a a standard jack too. I'll get myself a speakon cable eventually. I'd have a back-up if the speakon cable was ever to get damaged.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1390824656' post='2349857'] Why don't you make an angled tray for your amp to sit on top of your cab? A lip on the front to drop down over the front of the cab to stop the tray sliding backwards and a lip at the back to stop the amp sliding off the back of the tray. Someone probably already makes one. [/quote] Aye, I've racked my brain about possible solutions to that one. If my amp stays on top of the cab I'll make a wee removable hook system to keep it in place.

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1390825319' post='2349874'] dnt really see what you gain from having the amp on the board ... still need power to your pedal board ... and you'll have your speaker cable running across the stage [/quote] [list] [*]Look at the "pro's" in the OP. [*]Of course I still need to power the pedal board. Amp and pedal power supply plug directly into a 2 outlet socket on the board. I then only need to find 1 plug socket in any given venue or rehersal space, not 2 sockets in different places. That's less cables, and less faff again. [*]Absolutely, that's only 1 cable running across the stage. If my amp stays on top of my cab I'd have 4 cables running across the stage. (Instrument cable/ effects in/ effects out/ boost channel footswitch). [/list] It still seems wholly practical, tidy, and efficient.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1390817827' post='2349737'] Putting a protective sleeve around the amp is a good idea, but it still needs to be ventilated. These D-class amps tend to run pretty hot and have a fairly specific temperature operating window. The last thing you want is thermal cut out (or complete amp failure due to overheating) in the middle of your set. [/quote] Aye, there is venting along one side of the amp, and a fan on the other. How much breathing space between the amp and the sleeve would you consider to be sufficient?

OK, so the main issue would seem to be thus ... [quote name='keeponehandloose' timestamp='1390695236' post='2348467'] not too keen on 240v /13amps in a puddle of beer! [/quote] [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1390808051' post='2349621'] Mains leads and pedal power supplies are all fully insulated on the 240V side. The average small amp is full of nice holes that help to keep it cool but will also let in beer and other fluids. [/quote] Fair enough [quote name='krysh' timestamp='1390760943' post='2349175'] it's just not really practical and more dangerous in many ways. don't do it. [/quote] I believe that if a solution was found to the resultant danger of spillage, then it might be worthwhile. If you could expand on the many other ways in which you think it's dangerous, I'm keen to be informed as to what they are. In terms of practicality, having my amp on the board still seems [b]more[/b] practical. In my case, at least. As far as I see it, the pro's and con's in the OP stand. That said, I'm open to be convinced otherwise. [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1390757798' post='2349111'] Pedals are usually made to be stood on. If you or another stage person accidentally stands on your amp, then the amp might not be strong enough to cope with the weight & could cause damage to your board, amp & person standing on it. If you build a board with a slot to protect the amp, that would reduce the risks. [/quote] Fair enough, again ... and there's a good solution, no? If I was to make a protective cover to go over the amp, it would protect the amp from being stood on or things falling on it (beer, mic-stands, whatever). I work metal most days of my life (I'm a silversmith), so I could very easily make something functional and appropriate. The amp is small enough that I could build a sleeve around it with a good 3 or 4cm of ventilation space. This could be made of something light and strong (3mm aluminium plate, maybe), rivetted onto the board. I'm still keen to hear valid reasons why this isn't a good idea, practically or otherwise.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1390658873' post='2348017'] what files do you use for the fret ends? I'd really like to do mine. [/quote] This will do your bidding ... [url="http://www.swanseatimber.co.uk/shop//ck-t0124-2-file-needle-no2-flat/prod_2108.html?gclid=CJfo26H9nLwCFeKWtAodEFAAuQ"]http://www.swanseatimber.co.uk/shop//ck-t0124-2-file-needle-no2-flat/prod_2108.html?gclid=CJfo26H9nLwCFeKWtAodEFAAuQ[/url]

There are a few good octave pedals ... and a few shockers. Amongst the good ones that I know of, the Boss OC-2 gets LOTS of love here, the Boss OC-3 less so, but I really liked mine. The tracking is better (and it has a dirt mode, if you like that kinda of thing). The Aguilar Octamizer, MXR Bass Octave Deluxe, EBS Octabass, and EHX Pog/ Micro Pog are all decent and each has their strong points. The best thing to do is check out youtube demo videos of these to help you understand what each can do and what their limitations are. If you can go to a shop and demo them in person all the better. BTW, there are a couple of EBS Octabass pedals for sale on the forum here at the moment for decent money.

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1390728150' post='2348573'] You'd need a very long speaker cable made up. [/quote] Sorted. I've got a 5m speaker cable in a box somewhere. Beer spillage would be a concern, sure ... but with hundreds of £'s worth of pedals on the pedal-board is it not a concern anyway?

I had a thought earlier, about attaching my amp-head to a pedalboard. I'm just wondering if any of you have considered this, have done it, or if you can think of any glaring reason why I should abandon the idea? My amp is a class-D head (GK MB500). It's super light, has a very small footprint, and is slimmer than the average effect pedal. In playing situations I rarely touch the settings on the amp. I'm currently only using 3 pedals, but that will very soon be 5. I'll need to invest in a pedal-board, the size of which will be determined by the outcome of this thought process. Pro's[list] [*]Everything that requires a power source would be in the same place (less faff). [*]The amp would be in the pedal-board case during transportation (better protection than my gig-bag). [*]My cab can tilt-back to 45 degree. I would be able to utilise this feature (better sound). [*]Don't need an additional cable running across the stage for my amp's boost channel footswitch. [*]Keeps things together, less bits all over the place, less cables (tidier/ less faff). [*]Quicker set up time (less faff). [/list] Con's[list] [*]Slightly bigger pedal-board than is strictly necessary (not an issue). [*]Pedal board would need to be modified to include a protective sleeve for the amp, to negate spillage/ impact danger (I can do that, no probs) [/list] I'm editing the pro's and con's as the discussion evolves.

I understand how you feel about fretless. I've seriously considered reverting to my beloved fretless as my only bass. There is nothing that is more joyful (and, as you say, intuitive) to play as a good passive fretless strung with flatwounds. O choin, if only life was so simple. I need a poky-sounding fretted bass, with all the ringing and clang of roundwounds for the music that I'm playing. I also love that bass, but for other reasons. There is a world of difference between the two. Flatwounds sound great on fretted basses too. Put the flats from your fretless onto one of your fretted basses for a sound test, see how you get on and re-string if you like the vibe. It will never come close to the silky smoothness of your fretless though. Keep your favourite fretted bass, sell the Cort and some other fretted gear, then treat yourself to an amazing fretless maybe? ... and you know that you want an amazing fretless ....

Aye, a lot of the clanging and rattling is hidden by other instruments. It doesn't hurt to practice a clean playing technique though. It makes you articulate.

Aye, great stuff. Love the dancing!!! Somebody has put a video together, syncing up Daft Punk to Soul Train dancers. It works so well. Loose yourself to Dance ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBXv37PFcAQ

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1390518197' post='2346472'] I have a MIM Fender Bass VI and it's better made than my 1974 Fender Jazz Bass or any other 1970s Fender i've ever seen. [/quote] That doesn't surprise me. Fenders are such a lottery. In terms of quality, the only consistent is the inconsistency.