Merton

[quote name='alexclaber' post='17534' date='Jun 14 2007, 12:28 PM']Exactly - it's an Italian name, like Bergantino - stress on the penultimate syllable. Is Aguilar pronounced the Spanish way or anglicised? And Alembic is a.LEM-bik, I believe. How do you say Skjold? Alex[/quote] The one that confuses me is Mark Bass.

[quote name='Alpha-Dave' post='17471' date='Jun 14 2007, 11:24 AM']Comfort strapp, it's great![/quote] [quote name='obbm' post='17494' date='Jun 14 2007, 11:38 AM']+1, with Schaller Straplocks[/quote] I use the Overwater strap, basically the same thing I think. Does the Comfort Strap have suspension coz the OW one does? And Schaller straplocks are an absolute must.

[quote name='lowhand_mike' post='16859' date='Jun 13 2007, 01:35 PM']am i bothered that it is made in china, no cos it works didn't cost the earth and i trust that it being designed in the UK that they are sensible enough to spec the components accordingly.[/quote] Exactly. Ultimately if it's designed and made well, it doesn't matter where they put it together. I think I missed a big point in my previous post - [quote]Made in China also gets read as "components sourced in China"[/quote] should have added [quote]mistakenly.[/quote] Again, going back to my day job, there is a model of "next generation" set top boxes in production at the mo in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and China, and it's the Western European plant which is screwing everything up in manufacture, not the other two.

[quote name='Muppet' post='17054' date='Jun 13 2007, 05:11 PM']I have one - with J retro fitted. Mutts nutts it is. [/quote] This picture proves it's the sexiest bass ever. Except for my Status Retroactive They sound gorgeous. I want one. But I also want a Bob Glaub P bass in the same colour scheme as this.

[quote name='dabootsy' post='17126' date='Jun 13 2007, 06:56 PM']Moral buy a good strap and a good case I am considering having it repaired if I can find a good luthier or I may sell at the right price[/quote] Moral is down let the [Bowler Hat] of a keyboard player near your bass. Sheeyat. Glad it survived the first scare! It's still a gorgeous bass

[quote name='MB1' post='16623' date='Jun 13 2007, 12:28 AM']MB1. be) No i think not ,this doesnt even look like one of the very early combos/amps made at soundwave.which was where trace elliot originally traded from, many moons ago. MB1.[/quote] Aha. That was the sort of info I was looking for! Ta!

Made in China also gets read as "components soured in China". Chinese components are "normally" cheap rip-offs of "Western" originals (er, and Japanese thesedays!!). Case in point - one of the Chinese factories for the company I work for has asked for 3 samples of two products from the major Western manufacturer, so they can reverse engineer it and make it themselves. Fair play if the customer doesn't mind (which they don't). BUT, that is a sweeping generalisation and one which I think causes the problem. [list=1] [*]not all chinese components are crap [*]just because it's manufactured in China doesn't mean you've got the crap components in there - the "customer" (eg Ashdown) may well specify the exact components to source, which may still be the higher grade/better quality [*]Chinese manufacturing techniques and technology is progressing bloody fast, as mentioned above by Paul remember back to when "Made in Japan" was a bad sign (I can't, I'm too young ) [*]er, I think my brain is full. That's it. [/list] That said, as we've seen with Ashdown and with Trace before, moving out to China has resulted a drop in quality. China is very good at consumer goods which are disposable (TVs, DVD players etc) but all my customers who have higher end, more expensive and generally less volume product get it made in Japan, Malaysia, Europe or America. China will get there, it just isn't (quite) there yet. IMHO

[quote name='alexclaber' post='16474' date='Jun 12 2007, 08:06 PM']That wikipedia link is pretty damn good! There are three different sorts of tweeter I've come across in bass cabs. The cheapest and usually worst sounding is the piezo tweeter - ironically an array of piezo tweeters as in the BFM horn cabs can sound great but as used on its lonesome in a 2-way bass cab they're pretty hopeless - too little power handling, too little sensitivity. But they are very cheap and don't require (or even benefit from) a crossover as they're a capacitive load and are thus naturally highpassed. The most common tweeter found in bass cabs is the horn tweeter, using a compression driver on a small horn. This can sound amazing or terrible depending on the implementation. The reason most horn drivers sound bad is because the crossover does not have a steep enough slope so too much bottom hits them which makes them distort. The other reason is that when used in a 2-way bass cab (woofer plus tweeter, no midrange speaker) the off-axis response of the woofer is long gone before the tweeter kicks in, so unless the speaker is pointing directly at you there will be a large gap in the upper midrange making the treble seem harsh and disconnected. A select few companies like Bergantino and Euphonic Audio do a great job with these horn tweeters by using a large enough horn crossed over sufficiently low and even woofers whose off-axis midrange response is extended by flexure. This costs money though, as do high order crossovers. The final tweeter found in bass cabs is the dome tweeter. Nice and smooth sounding, lower distortion but not terribly loud or great at handling power. This approach only works well when you have a midrange speaker to fill the gap between woofer and tweeter but then it works great! This approach was pioneered by Acme and further popularised by AccuGroove (identical model of tweeter but the Acme uses a more complex crossover instead of two tweeters to get sufficient power handling). If you hate tweeters you probably haven't heard a good one. And they're not just for slappers, they can really improve the whole definition of your sound in a rather hard to perceive way - a bit like the way a good kick drum sound has a surprising amount of treble to define the attack. Alex[/quote] Brilliant succint answer, this should be a sticky methinks! The tweeter in my old MAG 4x10 cab was lovely and smooth. The Fostex horn in my current Trace 2x10 is bloody horrible and I've dialled it out completely. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't buy a horn loaded can next, it's just sh*t in the Trace 2x10 config.

[quote name='neilb' post='16178' date='Jun 12 2007, 12:51 PM']At the very most, the cabinet COULD be a TE, but the baffle board,driver and tweeter are not. The actual amp panel is not a TE either. So, that leaves the rubber feet. Mmmmm....somehow I doubt it. If it was a TE, the seller would have put up more info, like model number, year and some close ups. However, Airfix used to make amps.............obviously still do!!![/quote] That's what I thought. Even the very earliest Traces were green weren't they? So he's talking from his rear end.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TRACE-ELLIOT-BASS-AMPLIFIER-W-FLIGHT-CASE_W0QQitemZ260127979562QQihZ016QQcategoryZ58719QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]Trace Elliot or not, that is the question?[/url] A very early model, or someone talking out of their bottom? EDITED to sort out the mess I made of the of the link....

[quote name='eude' post='14232' date='Jun 8 2007, 03:19 PM']I'm looking to get a lightweight kickback style Combo to replace my big Trace Combo. Found recently when gigging in small venues that I can barely hear myself when stood near my amp, although I'm deafening people at the other end of the room! Plus my back is really hating moving the combo by myself! I've since played through a Hartke Kickback 10" and was blown away at how clear the sound was, and how portable the unit was, although it didn't quite cut it for me volume wise. So basically I'm looking for is >> Lightweight - very important About 150W should be enough 12" speaker or a s**t hot 10", maybe a tweeter too Kickback design Line out for PA connection About £300ish Currently I'm pretty much set on a Fender Bassman 150, heard good things about all the Bassman range since Fender acquired SWR. Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Eude[/quote] How much is the Hartke Kickback 12" and what wattage (compared with the 10)? That's not too bad from my experience. EDIT - er, my experience clearly being quite limited or I'd know those questions. But I do know I liked the sounds it produced!!

[quote name='spike' post='14163' date='Jun 8 2007, 01:08 PM']Next month we are doing a function where we have to be set up, soundchecked and out of the way by 8pm, first set is 10-11pm, second set is 1-2am. Including travel thats's going to be a 12 hour day and we are charging accordingly[/quote] Yep, that's one thing which some poeple don't quite understand until you break it down for them....

[quote name='King of Loss' post='13689' date='Jun 7 2007, 04:46 PM']I like the PT too, but I was just saying that hte production shows a bit of that commercial influence on both the records I think. For example, the new PT sounds alot different to say, In Absentia.[/quote] Aye, I'd agree with that. But Deadwing sounds very similar too, and that isn't a Roadrunner album, so I think that sound is more ot do with their new drummer and Steve Wilson having produced Opeth and the like - he's been influenced by that sorta thing. Maybe. I could, of course, be talking out of my ar*e

[quote name='slaphappygarry' post='13675' date='Jun 7 2007, 04:34 PM']I love the porcupine tree album BTW G[/quote] Same here, grand album! Sounds very similar to Deadwing IMHO, but Anaethatize is a joy - 17 minutes of awesome music! Can't comment on the new DT album for I have not yet purchased it from any form of musical retailer

[quote name='BigRedX' post='13669' date='Jun 7 2007, 04:26 PM']My two custom basses: Overwater Original 2, extra-long scale 5 string. Not made for me personally, but then again at the time I bought it second hand was the only way I could afford a decent bass. Gus G3 5 string. AFAIK the only one in existence with anodised black metal work instead of the more usual bright chrome. Simon had been experimenting with alternative finishes for the metal parts, but after all the trials he went through trying to get suppliers to finish to the standard he required for a customer model I don't think he's bothering anymore.[/quote] Love the Overwater, love the Gus even more. Very nice!

[quote name='lukeward2004' post='13495' date='Jun 7 2007, 10:45 AM']Hi Joe, 3 years ago I had a company called Bravewood guitars build me a Precision bass to my spec, as I personally couldnt get along with many of the MIJ/MIA Fenders that I tried. I always loved the fat, round sound that P basses give, so I was really looking for something more playable. Here she is: Basically, the neck profile and body is the same as a '62 P bass, but it has a Badass II bridge, Seymour Duncan 1/4 £er pickup, schaller tuners, and its finished entirely in Nitro-cellulose.[/quote] Hi Luke, hope you don't mind me askin', how much did that set you back? That's exactly the bass I wanna buy next! PM me if you don't want to publicly say, or if you want to tell me to bugger off. Have fun at the Clapham Grand next week - cracking venue, I'd be along to support you if I wan't going to the IoW for a wedding gig. Back on topic, I really want a P bass at the mo, I think it's cracking for rock, reggae, funk, dub, everything. A lot of the sound comes form your fingers and the way you play it...

[quote name='walbassist' post='13570' date='Jun 7 2007, 01:11 PM']Hi Luke One of the bands I play in is a function band. When we started off six years ago we played gigs for a max of £600-£800 just to get on the circuit and build a reputation. Plenty of social club gigs too, but they were soul destroying! From the start we were a slick outfit, with a truly special lead singer as the focal point for the band. We registered with loads of agents but little work came from them and now almost all the gigs we do are from referrals, repeats, and word of mouth. Six years on we earn a lot more than the £600 per gig we started. Sure we do the odd cheap (and, for charity, free) gig, but for the most part we can charge full whack because we always come highly recommended. That sounds arrogant but isn't meant to be; we have faith in our product and our clients do too. So, my advice is start out cheap and make sure the band works well as a unit, if it does then you can go far pretty quickly. Best of luck! Gareth[/quote] Similar. We've been together since 2003 and started off between £450 and £700, now we're never going out for less than £850 unless it's a friend or charity and 95% of our work comes from recommendation.

[quote name='tombboy' post='9745' date='May 31 2007, 10:29 AM']Cliff Williams - tighter than a gnats you know what! Chris Childs - Thunder. Great melodic runs. Pat Badger - Extreme. Great tone and technique.[/quote] +1 to all of these, good call(s)

Top five eh? Well, I'm slighty pished coz just come back from the pub, but that's no excuse. My biggest influences have been (in no particular ordr within this group of five, sorry): Cass Lewis Jeff Ament Doug Wimbish Marcus Miller Robert DeLeo and bubbling under: Steve Harris Mike Starr (original AiC bassist) Cliff Burton

Pics pics pics - don't worry about getting your bits out to show everyone, we're all friends here. ANd let's face it, having a V8 is like having Dirk Diggler's schlong.

Freddie Washington I believe

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='6693' date='May 25 2007, 06:02 PM']Can we breed them with the Essex boys? Iceni Zoot Chaser Prototype. Trace AH300 (sort of) 2103h (nearly) 1153 [/quote] Crikey, an Essex family. Imagine. Awesome

[quote name='binky_bass' post='6603' date='May 25 2007, 04:03 PM']Good to see a decent collection of basses in essex! thought i might be the only bassist in essex who actually knows the instrument. its good to see a fellow essex player! heres a pic of whats soon to be my cherished slag![/quote] Hello mate, I'm not actually in Essex, it's coz they were all born there tis why they are Essex girls! I'm afraid I've taken them to deepest darkest smelliest Surrey. Well, Redhill, anyway... Your new bass looks niiice - are there pics in the Build Diaries forum?

[quote name='overwater#1' post='5811' date='May 24 2007, 03:16 PM'] Trace Elliot!!!!! AH400SMX, 1048, 1153, Early (70's?) GP11 1x15 combo...[/quote] No, early 80's mate. Not sure there's anything in existance from the '70s, they only really started up 1978 IIRC? But anyhoo, lovely