4 Strings

On my old P I use for practice the A string buzzes on open so I wedged some silver foil under it. Makes no difference to anything, except stops it buzzing when played open. My Pre-EB Stingray came with a brass nut, looked great when I polished it, but I think that's about it. I suppose it could help if you use a Hipshot, but that works perfectly on my EBBM 'Ray with a mere plastic nut anyway.

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1355740309' post='1901925'] In the early 80s while travelling to a gig about 60 miles away, the head gasket went on the van. After much messing around, managed to get to the gig. Set the gear up and the stage looked perfect. Double stack for the bass. Double half stacks for guitar. Chrome double drum kit on a riser. Played the gig to virtually no-one. Took the gear down and put it back in the van which wouldn't start. The head was full of water. Fortunately, one of our roadies had driven himself to the gig. Unfortunately, he only had a Reliant 3 wheeled van but it did get all 6 of us and our guitars home. I arranged to have our broken van with all the gear in it towed home. Got a call form the old bill the following day saying that the van was wrapped round a telegraph pole and abandoned with the back doors open about 5 miles from home. You guessed it, half of the gear was missing. Managed to get the rest of the gear home using cars. That's not all though. The £30 cheque we'd received for the gig bounced. Went back to the venue to see the landlord and the venue was boarded up and abandoned. [/quote] Goodness, that's not just a technical difficulty if you still choose to play bass after that lot it's a lesson in determination, endurance and character!

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1355823195' post='1903064'] I'd add my thanks to Alex, it opens another topic for debate, perhaps. It could be relevant however. My problem is that I've heard the changes in critical listening tests, and more than once. I fully accept Stevie's arguments about objectivity, I taught A level students about double blind testing and statistical significance for years. I know how easy it is to hear something that isn't there but for me the effect wasn't insignificant so I still feel there is something to explain. 20% changes in compliance don't do it, Though I might have a go at 20% changes with a wider range of speakers in winISD. It may be that what I heard were changes in higher frequencies than I thought, Alex is showing the possibility that the flexibility of the cone changes with temperature and time and 'breaking in' a speaker may be more about changes in the compliance of the cone than changes in the suspension. There's something here that I, for one, don't quite understand. I'm expecting someone can come up with something I've missed but solving the puzzle is interesting and may lead to some new understanding. It could be that none of us know. That possibility is why we get so cross with people who just contradict with no evidence. As Monty Python said argument isn't just contradiction. [/quote] I think this is where I am, too (a little confused!). I have no evidence apart from my own anecdotal, I can respect that from the experience of likes of Alex and Maurice, and also the apparently opposing view presented from published articles by leading lights in the field. I also feel that the changes in my speakers were more than subtle and insignificant but I can offer no explanation when confronted with measurements. You could say that measurement is me playing the same notes as Bernard Edwards in exactly the same way and so must sound like him, I clearly don't (no matter how hard I try!). Speakers don't develop 'feel' as they get used, so what is it?

When I visited Alex to pick up my cab he had a battered Compact which he'd been throwing from the first story balcony in his place to see what would happen. Certainly the corners were bashed, but the structure had held up and it still worked. Part of its protection, I believe, its it's lightness, if there were giant magnets involved this would be more likely, upon impact, to rip the driver from its mountings and cause structural damage to the box. The little bit of knocking about, even with hidden garden walls, may make a mark or two but they're not likely to challenge the structural integrity of these cabs. (Just for the record, I lost a rubber foot from my Midget and sent Barefaced an email to this effect so that I could replace it with one the same height etc, short while later they sent me a whole set (8) of them, screws and all. I added a dab of glue to all the feet screws to prevent it happening again.)

Gives you the sound you were looking for?

Changing valves of the same spec, absolutely.

[quote name='tonyf' timestamp='1355824175' post='1903083'] Here's an abject lesson in NEVER reading internet forums when you're in a blissful state of Gear Happiness Syndrome. Now thinking of tinkering with my STM 900 now! To be honest, my Streamliner is a spectacularly good amp. Been so happy with it. In terms of setup, I tend to leave it fairly flat ish most of the time. Bass at 12 o'clock, mids at about 1 o'clock, top end opened up a bit. Mid band set to 2.5k and the gain section ALWAYS engaged to bring in a tiny bit of breakup but no so much as you'd call dirt. With my EBS Proline 410, it's lovely, full, articulate and punchy. However, the only minor issue I have is that it's always a little less than tight on the bottom end. Not boomy, but not tight. Someone mentioned the word " Would changing the V1 for a [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]NOS JAN Philips 5751 be a reasonable step? Hamfist mentioned "[/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]low end a little tighter and more controllable". That's kinda what I'm after, particularly as I've recently started doing more pop/funk projects and less RAWK stuff.[/font][/color] [/quote] That Jan-Phillips valve is the equivalent of an ECC83 or ATX7 which is the same spec as the standard V1 and so the differences are going to be subtle. I have no experience of this sort of substitution, perhaps someone else might chime in. Watford valves say, [i]"The Philips 5751 is a superbly warm and rich sounding 5751 type.[/i] [i]The valve has a lower amplification of 70 mu as opposed to a 100 mu of a ECC83/12AX7. This makes it harder for the valve to distort and therefore an ideal choice when the best clean sound is required. The Philips 5751 is a great valve to use in Fender Hot rod series of amplifiers as it tames the fuzzy more drive setting.It also works well in the front end of any amplifier if gain reduction and clarity are your aims." [/i] This seems to be what you're after, be very interested in the results.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1355827476' post='1903146'] We are. [/quote]

Phew, thought you were me for a minute!

Erm, you don't use a Stingray do you?

Anyone else before I start my commission negotiations with Mr Foxen! Next step to Nirvana involves a little speaker cab manufacturer down near Brighton! (Just used a Midget T yesterday for a huge hall (25x10seater tables) and filled the place with an overcoming amount of deep, Motown bass from backline only. Unbelievable little device.)

We have three singers who are more used to being in a choir. They are learning to arrive an hour before the gig to help set up, also learning the basics of pa and now set it up for rehearsal, but last night we needed another couple of songs to stretch a wedding booking out a bit, they could only do songs for which they'd brought the words. New Year's resolution, no music stand and words, learn them!

With my O Level Physics so far in the past, this helped with understanding what a valve does. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM3av6moJd4

In the end I think the OP is right to get a second opinion on here, the advice 'to replace all the valves' may be sound but it doesn't seem to be based on anything and appears a little glib. You could just as easily advise to start replacing all components from the left to the right until the problem is solved.

Not had many valve amps but I understood valves last for years and years.

In time is a good start. Even Postman Pat trumpeteer was practicing to a 'nome

Using ECC81s in all places will, no doubt reduce the output to the power amp section and, as the eq is valve driven, I suspect alter the tone and response of the controls. The job of V1 is (in my very limited understanding of these things) different in that it sort of prepares the signal for the tone section of the amp whereas the V2 and V3 valves operate the tone control circuits. What were you looking for in changing those other valves?

Too late!

I use rounds!

42? ok, here we go, My ex put a bikini snap from her summer holiday as her profile picture on Facebook. She's just had a friend request from weight Watchers. Does that get a double boom?

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1355413090' post='1898115'] If we're going down that route I would have to call my cat Alan... that's not happening [/quote] If I had a new cat I would call it Alan! (Unfortunately we have one which was named 'Princess' by our then youngster eldest.)

[quote name='the hen' timestamp='1355232179' post='1895649'] Small funky gig playing 'the one' - love that jazz. [/quote] Great pic - (tuck that lead in your strap, prevents many a broken jack from treading on the lead!)

[quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1351809801' post='1855827'] Here are two photos of me at a jubilee gig we did in the summer. One is when I've got beer and the other is when I ran out and my wife wouldn't get me another. Soz for the dodgy quality of the photo's. [/quote] Seems being drained of beer drains the colour from your bass and some blobby growths have festered on the bottom corner

Not me, I tried for 98 so that it would be impossible (I thought I had 97), and failed at that!

Yep, got a Hartke HA5000, its 2x250W with a cross over you can adjust the output and frequency to each 'side'. Mega powerful, excellent condition, complete with carry case. here: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/176099-price-drop-now-l199-hartke-ha5000-including-gig-rack-bag-thing/page__st__20__p__1829065__hl__hartke%20ha5000__fromsearch__1#entry1829065 May be on the way back from Margate on Friday evening and Tuesday afternoon