SimonK

At risk of cross-posting from here, I've been picking up second hand trace elliot cabs and trying them out against each other to see what my preference actually is. My latest discovery is I prefer a 4x10 without tweeter to one with tweeter, and previously I have decided that the 4x10 configuration is my favourite compared to 2x10, 1x15, and 4x10 + 1x15 combination (actually 8x10 is awesome but rather impractical!). But I wouldn't say for me it is genre specific, it's more about what makes me feel comfortable with my own sound whatever the genre. I have a big muff, chorus and a bunch of EQ shaping pedals that get me different sounds, and at the moment would prefer a 4x10, no tweeter, regardless of the genre (although I also only play stingrays so maybe with another bass I might feel differently).

So I've been idly following this thread thinking there are a lot of unnecessarily grumpy cork sniffers out there, myself being of the school that if it sounds good and you are having fun who cares! But then the comment someone made above RE playing in an orchestra made me realise how that is something I would never do as my intonation relies on hearing very clearly ideally using an amp or monitor. I imagine the importance of technique in this situation is somewhat more acute than a small ensemble as I'm guessing you need to be able to trust that you are playing the note that you think you are even if you may not be able to hear it so well!

A bit of an interesting update - I put the two almost identical 4x10s next to each other (one with, one without tweeter as in pictures above) and then switched between them using the GP7 head at band practice this week. I've now changed my mind and decided I prefer the one without the tweeter as the only thing the tweeter seems to add is a really annoying click when muting the strings, which granted I can EQ out, but irritatingly the cab does not have the tweeter attenuator control which otherwise I may have used to turn the tweeter off. So my conclusion is that I don't really need or want the extra frequencies above 5kHz. Of course the best sound was running all eight speakers in tower formation, but any more than volume 1.5 was causing issues even with a drummer \m/ !

...I always thought Oasis was about the song writing rather than singing!

It just occured to me what this thread says about us all - I was at a gig in a student bar on Friday night (The Railway in Winchester) watching three superb up and coming bands who reminded me of the days when you played whatever you could lay your hands on, often held together by duct tape!

I always take two basses (and am always driving so have room) - firstly because one is fretless and the other fretted (both almost identical stingrays otherwise) and I can never decide which one I want to play until being in the moment, and secondly because I have had all sorts of issues with stingray wiring due to the crap design of the battery compartments. More than once I've had a bass go down and either had to take the thing apart and strip/wind together wires for a temporary fix (assuming time), or thankfully just switch across to the other bass if it happens during the set. Did actually buy a triple bass stand with the aim of getting a third - probably five string - in due course.

Interesting thread - so I'm a classical guitarist turned electric bass player, but on occasion played upright and felt it fairly straight forward to switch across. BUT I'm not claiming to have played upright well - just sufficient to jam along informally and definitely not playing anything classical or using a bow, but walking bass/jazz lines seem fine. The only two things I would say is I play (electric) fretless a lot so am very comfortable with not having frets, and only as of this thread have I realised that while on guitar my classical background has made me an uncompromising 1 finger per fret player, but on bass it seems I revert to "Simandl" just to avoid stretching anything, which might make upright bass a bit easier. One of these days I want to buy an upright electric just for having another option more regularly, but wouldn't view it as a "different" instrument, just a variation.

Indeed you can - but if you tune down a semitone you can still play it in A 🙂 !!!

...I've always played it in A, but then again as a non classical musician Ab has never been within my skillset without tuning down a semitone!

I agree - second hand everytime at this price point - I'm desperately trying not to be a dick and buy this Elf cab and TC head - absolute bargain and very giggable if combined. Would wipe the floor compared to the three amps the OP mentioned!

Not entirely sure if this fits the stingray 5, but i've replaced the battery compartments on both my stingray 4s with these that fit perfectly: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322826391603

Really? I could see how it might clatter the neck but it should at least miss your face.... starts to experiment with a mic stand....

Set your mic stand up with the single leg facing towards you (ie directly under the mic), that way it goes sideways when someone knocks it...

Not really to address the aggressive adult types, but when I used to play weddings with lots of kids we would put a rope across the front of the stage and ask people not to cross (and keep children behind it) - just tie it to something more solid than a speaker stand! Once in a pub, a very long time ago, we stopped playing until the landlord removed the person causing trouble.

It's funny - I normally don't mind too much which songs we play, and generally find the lyrics of most Christian songs a bit cringy, however so long as there is a groove I'm happy to play along and enjoy the music. But these four feel to have crossed a line with me...

Oops - less experienced worship leader yesterday who closed the service with "Lord I lift your name on high". I commented that the song was on the "banned" list which was meant as tongue in cheek but seems to have been taken more seriously based on an email from last night.... Mind you took the opportunity to suggest the following should also be banned for having been played far too much over the last thirty years or so: Shine Jesus Shine Shout to the Lord Father God I wonder

...I tune the worship leaders guitar on a Sunday morning - if it goes out he turns around and hands it to me - I just feel a bit hard-done-by when he stamps on my foot before and after! In other news I use the TU-3S which was a minor upgrade to the TU-3 but saves a bit of pedal board space given I have a mute on my preamp.

I don't think I'm volunteering to organise in its entirety as I haven't been to one before and looking at the other threads there seems to be need for a programme and tally of people/equipment. So if someone else can do that I can look to book a hall and then maybe collect monies from those coming? For instance Curdridge Reading Rooms is £250 for the day, so £25 each if ten people. Mind you I could also approach some local shops to see if they might sponsor and bring some kit along if that is allowed?

The advantage with the church I'm thinking about is that it has a 50k PA, reasonable acoustics and a drum kit all set up. There are plenty of village halls as well such as this one https://www.curdridgereadingroom.co.uk/ that I have done gigs in before, but everything would need to be brought along & it would probably cost more. But I can look into it if people want?

Show offs!

...I should probably add you need to use a compressor alongside EQ. Often people turn up because they can't distinguish the vocals from the mix, whereas if you boost around 4kHz and also slightly over-compress the vocals to bring the quieter bits up you can get a lot more clarity with no more volume. Then you can get away with a much less powerful PA, although I do agree with not going smaller than 12 inch drivers. The other counter-intuitive thing to try is sound damping especially behind the musicians. A curtain behind the stage stops reflections and improves clarity.

Oh my - and Trace Elliot Watts are louder than anyone elses (I think because they historically quoted RMS Watts rather than peak)! Certainly I've never found a 150 Watt Trace Elliot (GP7) under powered in a llive situation (using either 4x10 or 1x15 cabs). As with the theme of the thread, knowing what you are doing with the PA is probably most important. I've had seriously underpowered PA's before which I just ran vocals through, letting the band use their amps. Knowing how to use a compressor well can also help with peceived volume.

...yes Sunday is harder with a church building as the earliest we could get in would be about midday, and then we'd have to choose a week when there was nothing in the evening. I was thinking a Saturday but if that won't work for the majority...

It's worth holding onto the good services as for me they are certainly not every week! We tend to use "Our God is a Great big God" in children's services which gives the opportunity to put in a twelve bar blues walking bassline often alongside an OTT guitar solo - about the only time we can get away with that on a Sunday! With hymns like the latter two, rather than playing root notes, I sometimes dig out the old organ music as they have some awesomely crunchy bass lines that would never normally occur to me, them being classical musicians an' all.