LawrenceH

[quote name='stevie' post='1123085' date='Feb 10 2011, 07:38 PM']B&C drivers are excellent - although last time I looked they didn't have an off-the-shelf neo 12" that was suitable for bass guitar.[/quote] The 12NDL76 is probably worth a look. It'll be happier in a smaller box than the Eminence - I suspect the driver that small Markbass 12" cabs are based around is a tweaked version of one of these (though it could also be a custom version using the old HPL frame).

[quote name='JTUK' post='1122460' date='Feb 10 2011, 11:42 AM']This... Just get in your mind a few cabs that you like the look of and then try and [b]get to hear them,[/b]*[/quote] * at true gigging volume. That is where a huge number of design issues will make themselves apparent, and a 10" monster (oo-er) can reveal itself to be nothing but a bedroom perfomer (oo-er again) as it runs out of excursion and overloads its inadequately sized ports. Phil's post is an excellent qualitative description, very useful for bridging the gap between small signal parameters in the abstract and how they might be manipulated by different driver design decisions in the 'real world'. It's a good basic lesson for those of us who have a habit of poring over driver spec data seeking the elusive (non-existent) 'perfect' driver

The Phil Jones uses pretty atypical custom drivers - you couldn't buy cabs like that 10 or so years ago, as far as I'm aware as no-one was making drivers like that. But, the mid/treble extension they give is still way higher than you'd get off any 'normal' 15. There aren't many 'full-range' 15s out there! Thinking about it though my 'stereotype' 15 sound wouldn't be so much bassy as just lacking in top end, and often lacking real bass as well - all those cabs that were just too small with a 15 packed in so they gave a good lower-mid hump and died underneath it, ugh. Given driver and cab economic/size constraints it was probably easier to get a more even response from 10s because they extended higher but could be put in cabs that matched the T/S specs better.

The quality control on the CVs is better than the VMs that I've seen, but some basschatters seem to have lovely VMs with great grain on the bodies - I think perhaps the earlier ones were a bit tighter on this. The fretted VMJ though - tone monster, the shop model I tried just sounded lively and fat acoustically and this seemed to translate to the amped sound, whereas I thought the CVs were completely anonymous. So if I was going for tone on a budget, VMJ with a pickup upgrade all the way and sod the weight. But if I wanted to spend less money and was looking new, Yamaha all the way - a BB414 will set you back less than a new CV, gotta be at least as good

Changing pot values (eg 250k to 1meg) has a potential effect on tone, and obviously changing log to linear will alter how volume/tone changes across the range of the pot in question. Cap value also. Before getting stuck in to the argument about whether it's going to make a difference or not, you need to know what is being swapped for what! E.g. I've had basses where tone controls did nothing, were all or nothing, or had a smooth effect right across their range. Getting this last one is a worthwhile upgrade. Perhaps the cheap basses in question have had pots that were way out or poorly chosen cap values, etc. The wiring itself, though, it's such a short distance and signal levels are so low that changing this is hardly going to have any effect at all, I'd be amazed if anyone could hear it unless the wire that was being replaced was practically microscopic.

The advantage of a passive radiator is that it can let you tune a small cab low whilst eliminating port resonance and 'chuffing', without having a port that takes up significant internal volume - ie adding to the size of the cab. The disadvantage is that the radiator has to have a really high excursion capability itself or it all goes horribly wrong. IIRC the Mesa design has been revised at least once, I'd guess for this reason. They're used more often in the hifi/studio monitor world, the Mackie HR studio monitors are quite a successful series that utilises passive radiators. But probably for bass guitar cost versus benefit isn't worth it except possibly for a really tiny cab.

Well, I said I was being controversial There's a big difference between a 'rule' and a 'trend', and my personal experience has conformed to that trend much more often than not...though I'll admit that all Peaveys I've heard (older ones only) have been mud-tastic whatever the speaker diameter. Perhaps, to be fair, because I only ever encountered them lying knackered in rehearsal rooms and music pubs. The first cabs I tried that really opened my eyes to what was possible with modern/more expensive technology were Markbass - 15" drivers that thumped and snarled like a mad thing, I loved it. But even looking at modern drivers (rather than cabs), although there are plenty of 12s and 15s that extend up quite high there are comparatively few PA-type 8s/10s that cut off around 1.5k (plenty of LF-specialist larger drivers), I assume it's just not something there's much perceived demand for. So the trend is still evident in one direction at least. It's not a rule! Just a trend...

Blocks and binding are the t*ts. Gotta go with pearloid myself though... [attachment=71613:J_bass.jpg]

[quote name='Conan' post='1120286' date='Feb 8 2011, 04:55 PM']the old chestnut that tens are faster to respond and have more mids, and that fifteens are somehow warmer but tend towards wooliness, so twelves are a perfect compromise between the two.... Is bollocks.[/quote] I'm going to be controversial here and say, no it isn't! Simply because (read this before you castrate me), once there is an established idea that influences purchasing perception then it encourages conformity among manufacturers. Added to that, forced limitations due to price can lead to them all making similar compromises. I'm not actually disagreeing with anything on this thread from Mr Foxen, Bill et al as it's self-evident, but there is a big difference between what is possible and what is prevalant. New, higher end manufacturers using decent drivers can buck these trends happily (epitomised by eg Acme) but for plenty of cabs at the mid/lower end of the market and cetainly historically, these cliches have rung largely true - we've all heard it ourselves. For that reason, if buying on a limited budget I'd be tempted to go for the classic 2x10, 1x15 set-up even though if I was going high-end I'd be better off choosing cabs with identical drivers.

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1117052' date='Feb 5 2011, 09:01 PM']In case anyone's interested, I thought I'd upload a couple of photos of the new improved RBX.[/quote] Black bass plus cream Dimarzio pickups and knobs = epic style win. Love it!

I don't know if it's common to all Eminence neos but the 10" deltalite IIs I used certainly needed a break in period of a few hours bassy music before they started sounding any good. To start with they sounded as described by the OP. If after a few hours recorded music pumping through them they haven't improved, try simply blocking the port (try and make it reasonably airtight) to see if that improves things - if so, the cab tuning is probably off.

Love this thread! Prince stuff is particularly awesome, the Fatback band a few pages ago also. I did try and check if this one's been done...but it's good enought that any inadvertant repeat is worth it:

The item description specifically mentions that the case included. Therefore the case can't be considered 'sacrificial' in this instance, as the description doesn't include that caveat - which it would have to. Since the case is included in the item description, the seller is in the wrong here because the item (ie bass plus case) has been shipped without adequate packaging. The seller may have meant well but unfortunately they have not made clear their intentions in the item description and the buyer can be seen to have bought it in good faith. It's all very well saying cases are meant to protect basses, but if you bought a case alone unseen for, say, fifteen quid, you'd be pretty annoyed if it was shipped unprotected and arrived broken!

[quote name='Johnston' post='1116398' date='Feb 5 2011, 12:02 PM']No offence but that is brand snobbery at it's best.[/quote] But it isn't a 'real' jag, since the pickup config is totally different. I love the sound of the 70s jazz pup spacing. If it sounds weak it's probably the pickups, the more modern Jap pickups aren't that great IMO, I'd want to drop new ones in.

[quote name='JTUK' post='1116103' date='Feb 5 2011, 01:03 AM']Anybody want to print up a website with these figures for 500w 12" speakers. Its late and I can't find one.. Are they rated RMS at 500..or can just handle 500w amps which is not the same thing to me.[/quote] In terms of drivers, Em kappalite 3012LF handles 450w RMS, I'm assuming that's what Alex uses in the Big Baby. Even the 3012HO will take 400 RMS. You'd never get these things to burn out with a 500 watt amp run clean, unless the cab design compromised the cooling. Though driving them hard would presumably see power compression taking its toll on output. The B&C 12NW76 will take the full 500 watts rms, and they even have a couple of 12" drivers that will handle 1000(!) though they'd definitely have to be used with a mid-range unit unless you wanted a pretty dubby sound. Pretty sure other manufacturers like Beyma will have similar models. As has been pointed out umpteen times, excursion is a more typical watts-limiting factor and all these speakers have bags of it. They just have to be put in the right cab with a big enough port area. For a high power mini-rig you could use 2 Markbass NY604s, they'll soak up 1200w RMS. A pair is an easy enough lift! So actually the Genz unit is slightly underpowered

I think a lot of people's issues with someone like Jeff Berlin are not because he's famous, or because they don't think he's any good, but that he comes across in many posts as very didactic particularly regarding teaching/learning. He is a fantastic player and his teaching and musical approach no doubt work for some people who will succeed very well thanks to his help. But the most universally successful educators are the ones who realise that different people conceptualise problems in different ways, therefore alternative approaches are required for them to succeed. Jeff may well recognise that in 'real life' but online he does come across as taking a 'my way or the highway' attitude that is demonstrably wrong when applied in other educational arenas.

In terms of being difficult to replace, if they're any good then it's the singer. In terms of what people actually dance to at a gig, it's the drummer. In terms of making the difference between a crap gig and a brilliant one, then quite often at big gigs the monitor engineer.

I think in this instance you will be ok but in honesty I do feel a bit of sympathy towards the buyer - I don't think you can assume that just because you have a particular attitude to buying cases or whatever that a buyer will have the same assuptions and tacit understanding, since you haven't mentioned it in the ad. I'd certainly feel a bit miffed if I bought a bass with a case, and then it came in one that was in significantly worse condition than the bass, unless the advert made this fact clear. In the end, was the bass sold at a fair price for the bass alone? If so it seems fair to me - but a half-decent case adds at least £15 to the value of a bass, after all, and I certainly factor it in when bidding/buying.

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1114157' date='Feb 3 2011, 05:14 PM']Now contradicting what others have said, Nitro Mors was the only thing I used. No chisel, no heat gun and no power tools. This is the thread to the last one I did and it contains lots of progress pictures[/quote] The natural finish with cream dimarzios plus tort looks damn sweet! I'd bet that they were polyurethane finishes as opposed to polyester like on many (all?) of the MIMs though. My understanding is that the latter is more inert.

Oh and definitely, several days of horrible nitromors fumes versus 2 hours with the hairdryer and scraper...not knocking anyone choosing to do the former but I'd say my way is definitely worth a try first. It's also very satisfying every time another great big chunky of shiny black peels off!

[quote name='Kinder' post='1114023' date='Feb 3 2011, 03:50 PM']Thanks guys, that's great. Lawrence - your build diary is a great read and what an amazing result! It looks superb. I'm really not sure if I've got the patience to put the effort in that you did with all the primer and paint coats though, it sounds like a real labour of love. Do you think it would look crap if I stripped it down and then applied a finish to the natural wood? I actually quite like the look of yours when it was stripped-down in your first diary post.[/quote] Ta! I'd say the wood could look alright natural with a suitable shiny finish to maintain that wet look - mine certainly looked ok to me with the sealer coat. I think I had to do so many coats because I had a poor spraying technique partly due to the crappy nozzles on the Halfords cans, and also despite it being alder I really should have used a grain filler to get the finish truly flat before spraying. I'd definitely recommend that! Obviously depends what colours you're wanting but the opaque light blue really benefited from the primer first - it dries much quicker than the colour, and you'd need a ton to get it opaque. Also a word of warning, if you use the Halfords clear and spray too thick it takes AGES to fully dry and shrink down - mine is still a bit soft! For a natural finish I'd think about one of those brush-on varnishes, you can probably get them on thicker and it'll be easier to flat - in any case that matters less when you've got a texture like grain underneath it, it's the opaque finishes that show every imperfection. If I was doing a rattlecan job again then I'd probably go for the nitro cans. Using lots of filler, getting it all REALLY flat and sealed before priming will mean you need less coats and less work in the long run. Just pick a colour that doesn't show dust/pubes(!) unless you've got a dedicated workshop...

[quote name='alexclaber' post='1113797' date='Feb 3 2011, 01:07 PM']the difference between 400W and 900W is not terribly large, once you figure in power compression it's less than 3dB. [b]Those extra few dB can make the difference between being slightly lost in the mix and sitting just right[/b] but it isn't a substantial increase at all.[/quote] This is an important point that often gets lost when people are talking about doubling wattage or similar. The whole '3dB being the lower limit of detection for changes in loudness' only really applies when you're talking about a sound in isolation - it makes a far more noticeable difference in clarity when comparing multiple sounds together. Playing around with multichannel recording mixes I've found even 0.5dB in the right place can make a difference in a decent monitoring environment, though admittedly playing live that kind of subtlety will be lost.

I had this issue last year when stripping a Mexi jazz. If it is a Mexican bass then the finish will be polyester (not polyurethane) over a thin clear sealer coat. This is thick, hard and chemically very resistant. Sanding through would take ages and probably require such a coarse grain that you risk going through and digging into the wood. Too much like hard work for me! The way I did it, and would definitely do again, was to use my wife's hairdryer on its hottest setting as a gentle heat gun. This softened the outer poly layer and seemed to start to melt the inner sealer layer. Once I'd worked into the paint with a chisel (I'd suggest you could just start chipping away around a screw hole) I was then able to use one of those paint scraper things a bit like a spatula and lift off the paint in patches as I heated it. Managed to avoid damaging the wood at all except where I tried chiseling initially before discovering this method. The advantage of the hair dryer was that it didn't get hot enough to scorch the wood unlike a proper heat gun would, but still softened the poly sufficiently to lift it off. Stripping this way took a couple of hours probably, left a clean finish on the bass and avoided nasty fumes I put it into a build diary here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=110990"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=110990[/url] Hope that's helpful!