stevie

[quote name='johnDeereJack' post='1151634' date='Mar 6 2011, 05:07 PM']There's also the Green Label Celestion BL15-300X out there but I'd only be running a 150 watt head through it. Would a 300 watt driver be worth considering as a replacement or would that be too much of a strain on a 150 head?[/quote] The power handling of speakers has gone up since your 200W Celestion was built. Thanks to improved adhesives, voice coil materials and cooling techniques, it's a lot easier to make a 300W speaker than it used to be. In fact, it's quite a good idea to have a speaker that will handle more than the rated output of your amp. It won't put a strain on your amp - it doesn't work that way. A 300W speaker will be just fine.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='1147762' date='Mar 2 2011, 09:56 PM']It's The Major for you then You'll have to learn to read though. It will do you good. Can you run to a second hand copy of "Bass Guitar for Dummies"? It still has it's faults - particularly in not reminding you that to get from one end to the other will take LOTS of hours of practice - but it does at least (mostly) explain stuff properly which is a good start.[/quote] There are all shades of opinion on Basschat. I bought that book and thought it was completely useless. I agree about the Major's lessons though. World class. And free.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1143701' date='Feb 27 2011, 07:10 PM']Was gonna do P plates next, it is easiest if I have a pattern from which to work.[/quote] There are loads of 1:1 scratchplate patterns available for download here: [url="http://www.terrapinguitars.com/pdfFiles.html"]http://www.terrapinguitars.com/pdfFiles.html[/url]

[quote name='untune' post='1143628' date='Feb 27 2011, 06:14 PM']I assume this is what he means [url="http://www.fretsonthenet.com/MusicMan_PoldAlum.jpg"]MM Surrounds[/url][/quote] Yes, that's the guy. $20 - 25 - and you have the hassle of getting them from the States. He seems to be the world's only supplier right now.

Have a look at the Yamaha bass here: [url="http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/el-basses/bb/bb1025x/?mode=model#tab=product_lineup"]http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-ins...=product_lineup[/url] Click on the photo and do an enlargement. Then have a look at the Allparts P-Bass surround in metal here. It's £32 !!!! [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/pickup-ringssurrounds/metal-pickup-mounting-ring-for-p-bass-p-3594.html"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/gui...ass-p-3594.html[/url] I can't show you a Musicman pickup surround because I've been looking for one and I can't find one anywhere. I think there's a opening here for a modest business you could run in the evenings. A small eBay presence with international sales, that kind of thing. You'd do all right. The main thing is that the initial investment would be miniscule and there would be practically no risk. If it doesn't work out, you've not lost anything. If you're entrepreneurially minded, it might be worth a punt. There is someone in the US making custom surrounds already, but are very expensive and not everybody wants to order from the US. Their site is down at the moment - so I can't check.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1142948' date='Feb 27 2011, 12:44 AM']I've been doing this sort of stuff at my Dad's workshop: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=114335"]Custom steel scratchplates.[/url][/quote] With that facility, you could probably build yourself a nice little part-time business making pickup surrounds. You can't get one for a MM, and even the P-Bass ones cost over £20.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1141028' date='Feb 25 2011, 11:56 AM']I'm one of the sad people referred to above who collects and/or goes through loads of basses, so I have some practical experience in this area.[/quote] The First Step to sanity begins with the admission of powerlessness over GAS. I think the trading idea is a good one.

If you don't use it, what's the point of keeping it? You are on the slippery slope to becoming a sad collector of basses like many of the poor souls on here.

The Fender-style in-line arrangement of machineheads (does anyone say that any more?) moves the centre of gravity to the left, making neck dive worse that with a side-by-side arrangment. I've found the easiest solution to neck dive is Hipshot aluminium tuners. They can make a huge difference.

[quote name='silddx' post='1134468' date='Feb 20 2011, 04:26 PM'][b]ACTIVE East - All controls set flat[/b][/quote] Thanks for going to the trouble to record these. I notice that the sound with all the controls set flat contains a fair amount of bass and treble boost, making it difficult to compare the sound of the preamp with the unprocessed signal. In other words, the preamp seems to be introducing a scoop that could be just as easily obtained from your amp. Unless I'm completely missing something, of course, which is entirely possible.

[quote name='KK Jale' post='1131365' date='Feb 17 2011, 06:15 PM'][url="http://www.atkinsonbasses.com/library/"]http://www.atkinsonbasses.com/library/[/url][/quote] That's interesting. Makes you wonder why the others are more expensive than the GFS.

The 12NDL76 is a very nice driver but the Qts (of .2) is going to kill any low end in a reflex cab. Just weakening the magnet would make it a lot more useable outside a horn, which could indeed be what they have done for Markbass. I've been messing about with the Eminence 12LF in a small cab recently (and the Celestion BN12), and I'm surprised how good it is. I don't normally rate Eminence speakers much at all but this one has a quality sound, although it lacks definition higher up and really needs a midrange driver to finish it off. Once the weather gets a bit bettter I'll carry out a full set of measurements. And then do a midrange box.

Yes, you could add a horn, preferably with a correctly designed phase plug. An easier and better solution would just be to add a midrange driver.

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 name='Phil-osopher10' post='1119991' date='Feb 8 2011, 12:45 PM']So looking at cabs and the different configurations that you can get, it got me thinking what are the difference in the sizes of the speakers? Do they produce different wave lengths and thus produce different sounds? I just don't get it.[/quote] Smaller speakers like 10s are better at reproducing higher frequencies than larger speakers like 15s. This has nothing to do with dispersion. Because there are plenty of exceptions in the real world, this is not a hard and fast rule but rather, as Lawrence has pointed out, a general trend. Indeed, the bigger the difference in driver size, the more apparent this characteristic becomes. As Alex says, there are more factors at work in determining 'tone' than speaker size, but the impression most people have that smaller drivers are 'faster' and 'cleaner' has a factual basis. As always, trust your ears.

Forget about using a 10 - it will struggle to go loud enough on its own. A good 12 should do the job. If you'd like to roll your own, your lowest cost option for neo is the Celestion BN12-300X, a 300W driver. Google for suppliers - there are quite a few in the UK. It works OK in a 35 litre cab, although it sounds better (goes lower) in 50 litres. The former made out of poplar ply will get you under your 10kg target weight. Don't know about 50 litres, but that might also come in at under 10kg - you'll need to do the maths. Alternatively, you could build a 35-litre cab out of 15mm birch ply which would probably work out at around 12kg. I wouldn't personally go lower than 15mm ply. If you really want 500W power handling, look at an Eminence Kappalite 12LF (a bit deficient in the upper frequencies though), or even better, a driver from 18Sound or BMS. But be prepared to pay for the privilege - worth it, but probably not for a first build.

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1112798' date='Feb 2 2011, 06:43 PM']Difference from a 97db cab to a 103dc cab with the same ohmage will be significant, from what I`ve read on here.[/quote] That would be a valid point if you could trust the manufacturers' specifications. Unfortunately, most of them are not very honest here. Efficiency is closely related to cabinet size, at least below 200Hz where it counts. A good big 'un and all that .....

[quote name='JTUK' post='1112035' date='Feb 2 2011, 09:24 AM']It is the positioning of the pups that contribute so much..esp P-bass, IMO.[/quote] I'm not convinced by this argument (which seems to be commonly held). I think the position of the pickup mainly affects the amount of low end it generates. The design of the pickup itself seems to have a much greater influence on its character. The difference between the P and Jazz is probably down to the geometry of the coil, for example. If you don't believe me, listen to a Strat. Three pickups in quite different positions, each one sounding just like a Strat.

Does anyone have a transcription of the bass line on Elkie Brook's version of 'Fool if you think it's over'? A midi file would be even better. I've been playing the Chris Rea version from a midi file, but the bass on the Elkie Brook's recording is tastier (Joe Hubbard, maybe?). Notes not tab, please.

You could try moving your cabinet to a different part of the room (not as daft as it sounds, I can assure you).