4 Strings

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1363054260' post='2007730'] If you like your pick ups to sit quite high you need very long springs, else they will rattle. I need to get around to replacing the springs in my Cort Flying V for that same reason. [/quote] Just stretch them out a bit?

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1362918502' post='2006122'] This doesn't sound too bad to me [media]http://youtu.be/z91l_lPz1oc[/media] [/quote] This absolutely rocks! A fab example of a track that sounds mediocre on its own but so, so good in the track. I've learnt to play this song for a covers band from this isolated track, its a really hard one to do well and make sound as good as the original. Wilton Felder, pick, flats, Fender Jazz. Very hard to beat - and he's a sax player!

[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1363097457' post='2008388'] Anybody mentioned Overend Watts yet ? Anyone with the bottle to go on dressed like that has to be good, its not [i]All [/i]about technique is it ? Showmanship has to be taken into account surely. [/quote] Wow, had to google him to remind myself who he was! Of course, one of my school days heroes! No idea why I liked Mott so much, still not that keen on the music, but I used to love it when they came on ToTP etc. Goodness, Overend Watts, takes me back!

You may need to shop around, but you could squeeze a Genz Benz Streamliner and a Barefaced Midget out of a grand. Not an integrated combo but the Streamliner gig bag sits on your shoulder and you pick up the Midget very easily in one hand (probably making it easier to move around than a combo). It will sound bigger and better than anything in the world this light and small.

Probably is an adapter somewhere, but why have the worst of all worlds. Once you've used Speakons, you won't go back. +1 for the OBBM. I have some I made up with 4.0mm cable for my STL900, and I have to say my personal opinion is that it is rather overkill. I'm happy to be convinced otherwise but the cable looks a bit ridiculous and the outer insulation had to be trimmed to make it fit the Speakons. I'm sure 1.5mm cable is fine, and 2.5mm if you're worried. I started this thread a while ago you may find it of interest: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/174490-15mm2-or-25mm2-so-difficult-a-choice/page__st__20 Btw, I hope you enjoy your amp as much as I am! Here's another thread you may find interesting: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/191375-new-valves-for-genz-streamliner-any-experience I really enjoyed playing with the valves and learned a lot in the process

I suppose that nails it, the harmonics, thanks. Shows how much information the pickups are able to well, pick up, such subtle differences in wave form. We take for granted the quality of our ears. It's still quite difficult to fully get my head around the many different frequencies being picked up from a single note, and how a pickup is able to pick up, convert an transmit these. I suppose the next question would be [u]why[/u] round wound strings have more harmonics than flats.

I like the way they still insist on the bolt-on neck

We want our dirty pics (and the clean ones), when do we want them? .... No pics, no bass

A Stingray uses springs, work fine, but foam is a lot easier to hold of! I've added foam under the pups of every Precision I've had. Well, both of them.

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1362821671' post='2005138'] Cautionery tale. Many years ago I played at an outdoor gig and we were supplied with a nice thick long cable run from the house. We soundchecked and all was well. I then remembered that I hadn't plugged in my circuit breaker plug. When I plugged it in, it tripped immediately and did so every time I reset it. Turned out there was no earth at all. I never play anywhere without making sure I'm using one of those plugs. Those of us who sang and played in the band hadn't the time to soundcheck with vocals or I shudder to think what might have happened. [/quote] Most amps carry an earth lift to disconnect it and prevent hum. I remember taking the earth connection off amp leads and leaving it sticking out the plug so it was obvious which plug had an earth and which didn't.

i've spent age listening to Jamerson isolated tracks to learn them for the Motown Tribute band I play in. On their own, the timing, like Geddy's here, can sound a little odd and, frankly, amateurish. However I think this is because they are recorded in the context of a track. I think that if the player played the bass line in isolation, perhaps just to a click, they would sound more accurate and acceptable in isolation. Playing solo is different to playing to a track, the feel and involvement is different. If the bass sounds good in context then the bass player has done his job. (Please let's do nothing to raise the bar further, I'm struggling enough as it is!)

I'm glad the farewell is doing him proud. Would have loved to have gone to one, just so pleased to have seen him at the gigs I have. I'll really miss him and Norman. I wonder if Norman has any plans.

Don't need anything, so long as the generator has enough guts. We've done plenty of gigs with the whole backline and vocal pa coming off a single 13A plug so if it can do 13A (or 3-4kW) you should be fine. It will probably give out 5 times that.

[quote name='jonno1981' timestamp='1362565832' post='2001308'] Instrumental prog rock! I find the TI Jazz flats have plenty of bite and can cut through as well as rounds, at least in my musical context. [/quote] Sounds very interesting - sample please!

Any ideas? Trapped air pockets? The signal generated by the string and pickup is due to the steel cutting the magnetic flux. Its not microphonic. And yet an amazingly varied tone can be achieved. Not just the profile of the windings, but if you physically dampen the string with your palm the expected acoustic sound is reproduced electronically. Somehow, instinct would tell you that it would. Even old or dirty strings you would expect to lose their zing acoustically. But why does it electronically? The string is still waving about, cutting the magnetic flux and generating a signal. I suppose the difference in acoustic tone between flats and rounds is to do with aerodynamics. (Is it?) Why do they sound different acoustically? Why they sound different electronically I cannot fathom. More, why do half rounds (or ground wounds, pressure wounds etc) achieve what you expect, a half way house - electronically.

May I suggest Newtone Platinums? They are round but with finer gauge of outer winding giving a rather less zingy sound but with loads of definition. They'll make them in whatever gauge or scale length you want. Had them on my day to day 'Ray for a good 6 months or more and they still sound really great. Plenty of life but no clank or zing. Not cheap though, but then no more than any other premium type.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1362522294' post='2000894'] I've used flats a lot with my current band Jen and the Gents. There's a link below if you fancy a listen - a couple of the earlier recorded tracks are rounds, but most were with Ernie Ball flatwounds. I'm actually on D'Addario tapewounds now, for a slightly different variation on the flat theme. My favourite sounds seem to come from using flats with a tweeterless cab but with the treble boosted on the amp, so there's a bit of grunty/growly sounding articulation around 2kHz or so but no sizzly metallic stuff above that. I can't quite get the same thing with rounds, somehow! [/quote] Thanks, really enjoyed that, great sound on 'Look Around', was that the flats? I guessed a Jazz, then I saw the pic of you (presumably) and the bass, what is that?

For anyone wanting to try life in the Kingdom of Flat, Bass Tractor has a great deal for BCers, send him a PM to see if it's still available.

I'm using Picato half rounds on my Sabre at the moment. I say half round, they are really round wounds with the outer winding in flat (as opposed to being round wounds with the outer winding ground flat). I'm trying to decide if they are the best of both worlds or master of none. They are more like flats than rounds in terms of sound and definitely flats in terms of feel. They work fine, give a particularly glowing sort of tone up the dusty end. I can get Bernard Edwards out of them but nothing too bright, even with the treble boosted on the bass. This is a good thing for most things but not for 'Someone Else's Guy'.

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1362514786' post='2000692'] . Fresh set of rounds. Sometimes I will get two gigs out of a set then I have to take them off and clean them before getting maybe one more gig out of them [/quote] Used to do the same with rounds in my 80s slap happy Jaydee days (or should that be daze!). Boiled every few weeks, replaced when I had some money.

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1362509485' post='2000508'] . So do I mate ! [/quote] You use a fresh set of flats for each gig?

[quote name='TransistorBassMan' timestamp='1362502937' post='2000319'] This picture alone made it a worthwhile day for me. I look rubbish, but I don't care.... [/quote] Aaaaah Man!!!!! This would have made my day if nothing else happened too! (Could have told him his glasses were wonky!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1362502228' post='2000302'] The main enemy of flats is sound guys / producers who don't know how to mix 'em. [/quote] And those who mix the bass drum to have depth charge type sounds regardless of the music type and so operating at the same frequencies. Actually, that aggs me regardless of the subject matter at the moment!

Well? Old time Motown and soul, 60s rock, general studio use. AIn these days of ringy rock bass tones and bright slappy sounds does anyone use flats for more modern music? If so, what?

Currently: Bass player for the Motown Sisters Also in a gospel/soul band Also in a church concert orchestra playing huge american almost disney style arrangements Until a year ago also in a 'hybrid' metal band Weird, I'm blues first and foremost.