LawrenceH

Good Lord, imagine the shame of buying a bass from someone with poor spelling.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1177361' date='Mar 26 2011, 04:04 PM']re: log vs linear... isn't it the other way around? Meaning that our ear perceives these changes in a log fashion, so for us to hear a smooth (linear) change we need a log pot.[/quote] Log for volume generally speaking Less consensus for tone controls, but whichever one it is currently I'd be inclined to swap it out for the other and see if that helps!

Problem with using a distorted sound on a DI is that you need either a dedicated speaker emulator or a very versatile EQ section and much fiddling on your desk to tame back the high end that naturally gets filtered out by a lot of (tweeterless) bass cabs. What sounds thick and lush through a bass rig can sound bloody brutal coming out of a decent PA, which is why a lot of sound guys especially when pressed for time will really prefer a clean DI, and conversely why we hardly ever DI an electric guitar cab. Clean DI plus mic, or even mic only, are probably preferable if you like a very 'coloured' sound. Even then, with distortion at high volume through a good system, less is more in my experience at the desk/audience end of things! This really applies to guitarists too, so many people seem to set their tones at low volume and when you crank it to proper gig volume, it sounds awful out front but they don't notice it since it's masked by the drums/general sonic mess on stage.

Also, incidentally that graph is very revealing about axial rotation on the string movement. I assume that the rise-dip-rise response on the 1st harmonic (or 2nd, depending on preferred nomenclature!) is because the plane of string vibration shifts from horizontal to vertical back to horizontal in relation to the pickup poles. Makes me realise that there's another potential source of audible 'beats' to a note, on top of any pitch-based phase interference (as in when tuning by harmonics). It also makes me think that a volume drop in low frequency harmonics in my slap playing v fingerstyle is probably because I'm hitting the string too vertically, and I should aim for a different angle of string attack to better excite the pickup. Who'd have thought that a frequency response graph could teach you something about playing technique?

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='1176628' date='Mar 25 2011, 10:08 PM'] [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/bass-frequency-waterfall-plots-what-they-mean-rigs-510749/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/bass-fre...an-rigs-510749/[/url][/quote] That is a great link, thanks Bill - have been meaning to do a similar analysis for a J bass for ages, now I don't have to as it's all in there There's some great stuff on talkbass but I find navigating the threads overwhelming

[quote name='Raggy' post='1177153' date='Mar 26 2011, 12:47 PM']Wayne, have you tried a TC450? They are not to everyones taste. I thought they were a bit muffled.[/quote] +1 I definitely prefer the Markbass-type sound balance, and my feeling is that it will work better than the TC with more cabs/spaces. But to each their own!

I'd second a 57 plus DI. Or if you've got the rig and the PA to do it justice, a nice large diaphragm condenser capable of high spl eg AKG 414, mmm, lovely. Just don't spill beer in it!

[quote name='mrtcat' post='1175264' date='Mar 24 2011, 09:24 PM']Here's the crimbo tune I was talking about: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=115070&hl=Christmas"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...mp;hl=Christmas[/url][/quote] OT, unseasonal and probably highly unpopular I know, but I'm impressed with how Mark King sings that song lower down in the thread! All the more so since I listened straight after the anodyne, syrupy and humourless Mariah Carey version. Maybe if you cut off MK's slapping arm he'd be less polarising a musical figure.

[quote name='MattM' post='1175149' date='Mar 24 2011, 07:55 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330545485108&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]A.N.Other pre_EB[/url] ...before spotting the seller had "updated the electronics". A 3EQ in a pre-EB, sheesh...... [/quote] Hilarious £50 'economy delivery' charge, taking 6-8 working days. Does the courier strap it to the back of a bike and delivery it in a neon mankini for that?

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1175108' date='Mar 24 2011, 07:21 PM']Just because you look after your car and service it, does that mean you shouldn't bother carrying a spare tyre?[/quote] You don't take a spare car though

One reason not to take a backup is it's one extra piece of kit to get nicked. Another is that it can take up valuable real estate on a small stage. I don't think many classical musos will take a backup instrument either. I have had electronics fail at a gig once, but it was a jam night and my bass was for general abuse. Since then I've made sure my soldering is solid but still wouldn't bother with a backup for a pub gig. The string break idea I don't really get - in an emergency I could always get by on 3 strings! Probably a lot of guitarists would actually rpefer it so long as it was a high string that broke As for the idea that it would be short-changing the audience somehow, by and large for me that kind of spontaneity is what live music is about. Check out Keith Jarrett's Koln concert for a renowned performance that only really came about because the piano was a badly-tuned piece of crap which he had to adapt to. No spare piano at that gig either! I'm not knocking anyone who gigs with a backup and it probably makes more sense at notated gigs but there are other ways of looking at reliability which to me are equally valid. If I wanted absolute reliability I'd just play recorded music. And bring two CD players. And mixers. And a spare PA. Wait...actually what is the most likely piece of kit to fail?

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='1170236' date='Mar 21 2011, 12:04 AM']Ahh, ok I see. It's just the intonation benefits were being talked about, and I couldn't see any specific scientific reason for them, (in the context of fanned frets being the deciding factor). The high build quality definitely makes sense though; the only bass I've ever had a problem with intonation on had a warped neck![/quote] I guess there is a possible benefit due to the effective speaking length of the string differing with thickness, which you might be able to compensate for to an extent (not entirely unless you used more complicated fret shapes) in the fanned frets - but accuracy would still be dependent on string type/gauge etc and I'd have thought the differences would be so very very marginal, as to be negligible compared to small differences in set-up.

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='1170217' date='Mar 20 2011, 11:18 PM']Is the intonation issue, with which Grand Wazoo had such a massive dilemma, an inherent problem with basses that have a standard 34" scale length?[/quote] It isn't, at least not compared to a 'typical' fanned fret system. The intonation wrt fanned frets is something of a red herring, though I expect the build quality and set-up of the Dingwalls means they're better than a lot of other production basses. The issue with the bongo that GW cited is more likely to relate to set-up and/or build quality. Alterations to neck relief, action height and bridge string spacing will all affect how well a bass intonates for a given fret spacing pattern. If you go shorter scale, these factors become more critical and you have a smaller acceptable window of adjustments, but as long as you stay within it, no major issues.

[quote name='mrtcat' post='1170038' date='Mar 20 2011, 09:10 PM']+1 If you're wanting a cab for bass then you need a cab designed for bass. Guitar cabs are designed for guitars and not bass guitars. A BFM Jack 12 can be built on a budget and will give very impressive results. I always seem to prefer the end result when using eminence drivers over celestions but that's just me.[/quote] The Eminence drivers are probably cheaper for equivalent quality than the Celestions. However, today I've been playing with Celestion NTR10-2520Ds and they are very impressive to my ears, much smoother than the equivalent Eminence Deltalite IIs and very tight more controlled bass. I'd be tempted to go with Mr Foxon's suggestion though and if the internal dimensions are suitable, build one quarter of an SVT! If there are ports on the cab, you might be safest blocking them up with wood, get it airtight.

I think this thread is very confused due to certain features of the Dingwall basses v other basses being attributed to fanned frets. There may be improvements over particular instruments but it'll be because the Dingwall is just better built and/or set up. There is no inherent reason intonation is better on a fanned fret system v parallel fret. There is no inherent reason that a single string will sound any better/different on a fanned system v a string of equivalent scale length on a parallel fret guitar. I say this because I feel Sheldon's own post is a bit misleading there when he goes on at length about clarity. The fanned fret system WILL alter the tonal balance across the strings - for better or worse, depending on what you like (personally I like the slightly different character across the strings and feel it's an inherent part of the instrument). The fanned fret system will feel different to play. I think I said on a previous thread, the ergonomic aspect is what appeals to me far more significantly than any tonal change. I find the wrist position playing low down the neck tobe tiring and have often thought before I even saw the Dingwalls that an angle on it would help me, especially playing in F/F#. I'm not denying the Dingwalls sound great, I've not tried them only heard clips of one and it sounded like a very nice bass. But I've heard plenty of non-fanned fret basses that sound great as well and the ONLY meaningful direct comparison would be two otherwise identical instruments, one with fanned frets and one without.

[quote name='Slipperydick' post='1169300' date='Mar 20 2011, 10:58 AM']Other basses that I have with thicker frets its not a problem, so I guess its just down to my playing style, but after all these years its not about to change.[/quote] Are you sure it's the fret size per se? Only I have completely the opposite experience. I like that clankiness but my bass with small thin 'vintage' frets doesn't do it nearly as much as one with bigger, thicker frets. I had assumed it was more down to the fret profile than the actual size, with the one with a wider, shallower profile giving more clank than the ones where the contact point with string was very small. It might even be possible to get what you're after by re-profiling the existing frets to make them more rounded? I'd be interested to know other people's thoughts there because that clankiness is a bit of an elusive tonal goal for me.

there is only one rockschool good luck with the exam!

Those Rolands sound good - I've heard the old 30w version gigged for jazz and rather surprisingly it did the job, decent tone too.

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='1165117' date='Mar 16 2011, 10:58 PM']I wavered a bit over the Tastefully option, but then I realised that I instantly kill any YouTube video that shows a bass player with their thumb set to 'stun'. So that must make me a hater.[/quote] But...but...Goddamn it LARRY GRAHAM, people!!

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1164812' date='Mar 16 2011, 07:08 PM']Couldnt agree more.. its great when you hear a tone you like but its much better to forge your own personality...[/quote] But what if one finds other people's personalities are a lot more interesting than one's own?

[quote name='BottomE' post='1164813' date='Mar 16 2011, 07:09 PM']Her current fav is Herbie Hancock...[/quote] Then she is a very clever girl

[quote name='JTUK' post='1164358' date='Mar 16 2011, 01:10 PM']The 12" has an open circuit..which does not please me, although at least this is likely a component failure and not me putting too much through it. So, need to source a Aguilar replacement or go for a Kappa pro 12A or Delta pro12A. The word is that the nearest production model is the Kappa pro 12A but it has a bigger (80oz)magnet.[/quote] Can you not get recone kits from Aguilar/Eminence? If it's a custom driver this might be the best way to make sure you get the same tone. The delta and kappa have quite different frequency response charts in the upper mids.

Oh yeah, meant to say sometimes it is actually easy to make yourself believe there is signal from a horn, because when you put your ear up close it acts a bit like a seashell. Hence my suggestion to double-check with full-range signal, from an ipod into the amp or summat similar

I'd check it again with full-range music playing through the amp rather than a bass - cymbals will soon show you if the horn is working or not. I'd also check the driver direct by unsoldering/unclipping any crossover and simply bunging a multimeter across the terminals set to measure dc resistance - should read somewhere around 5-7 ohms-ish. Probably easiest to access from the front of the cab and dropping the driver out, just don't put a screwdriver through the cone while doing it! Also be careful not to drop the driver when you take the screws out in case it yanks the cables off the back. I'd guess those drivers are reconeable if it turns out to have been burnt.

[quote name='Mornats' post='1162604' date='Mar 15 2011, 12:04 AM']* I'm not 100% sure whether this is an SB320 or another model. It's a fretless with gold hardware but the pickups and electronics were replaced by a previous owner and the knobs are black, not gold. It was sold as an SB320 and if it's anything different then it's a model from higher up in the range.[/quote] If it's got P/J configuration and a translucent finish, probably it's an SB320. If it has soapbars then it's a 330. I think clips like this are really useful, cheers - it'd be useful to hear each pickup in isolation too