JellyKnees Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 I've been using DR Sunbeams on my Tunebass fretless for the last couple of months - I really like the smooth feel of them, the lower tension and they seem to work well with the piezo pickups, however.... We did a gig last weekend at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton - an interesting place to play, built in the 1820s to defend Liverpool from the threat from France at that time, Napoleon and all that stuff...but I digress. We went on at 2.30 in the afternoon, onto a stage that was in direct sunlight. It was hotter than the filling inside of a microwaved apple pie. I couldn't see the readout on my zoom effects pedal, but I could live with that, just about (I can count and I can tune up by ear from our singer's piano). Anyway, we started playing - the sound wasn't great, probably because there was some DJ with a neck tatttoo playing god-awful banging techno whilst we were setting up, but it was ok - I've played with a worse stage sound. The first four songs went well, then some very bad things started to happen with my bass. Basically, the strings had stretched to such an extent in the intense heat that it was causing notes on the D and G strings to 'choke' anywhere below around about the 7th fret. It took me the next 2 songs to fully grasp was happening, by which time we were onto our last number. I grabbed an allen key from my bag and did a quick onstage adjustment before the last song... So, unfortunately this has really put me off using Sunbeams again, at least for live performance - I don't think this would have happened with normal tension strings, or not to the extent that it would have made so much difference. So it's back to D'Addario nickel wound for now... Quote
Ou7shined Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 As much as I detest Sunbeams, I'd suggest it was actually your bass' neck which had warped in the heat. Quote
JellyKnees Posted August 2, 2011 Author Posted August 2, 2011 Mmmm ok.... but surely the truss rod would expand in the heat which would reduce the tension in it and cause an increase in the relief of the neck, thus effectively raising the action? Quote
daz Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) I have seen intense heat do that before. In the Electric Ballroom in London i saw The Ramones in 1980. Some fool had switched the already weak extractor fans off and within minutes the place was an oven (it was a sell out obviously) Dee Dee's bass was going out of tune every other number, then every number and hurredly swapped with the spare whilst it was re - tuned. After a few times that stopped working and the strings needed replacing! Well considering how hard and fast the bass lines were hit in most of their songs combined with the fact that a Ramones song is average 2 and a half minutes, the bass roadie was working like a trooper that night. Edited August 2, 2011 by daz Quote
steve-soar Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 Neal, it was most probably the neck. The core of the string determins the overall length and wouldn't expand that much given the relatively short length of the string. Quote
EBS_freak Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 Do you play for Ceelo Green by any chance? Quote
JellyKnees Posted August 2, 2011 Author Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='steve-soar' post='1324285' date='Aug 2 2011, 02:19 PM']Neal, it was most probably the neck. The core of the string determins the overall length and wouldn't expand that much given the relatively short length of the string.[/quote] K, thanks Steve...I've never had this happen with any bass before, but then I don't think I've ever played in quite such an extreme environment either! Quote
JellyKnees Posted August 2, 2011 Author Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='EBS_freak' post='1324311' date='Aug 2 2011, 02:41 PM']Do you play for Ceelo Green by any chance?[/quote] Sorry, don't get that one??? Quote
Ou7shined Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='JellyKnees' post='1324361' date='Aug 2 2011, 03:24 PM']K, thanks Steve...I've never had this happen with any bass before, but then I don't think I've ever played in quite such an extreme environment either![/quote] Yeah thanks Steve. I wish I'd thought of that. Quote
EBS_freak Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='JellyKnees' post='1324364' date='Aug 2 2011, 03:25 PM']Sorry, don't get that one???[/quote] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=142240"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=142240[/url] Quote
markstuk Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 He's referring to this :-) [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rths1VfuNP4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rths1VfuNP4[/url] [quote name='JellyKnees' post='1324364' date='Aug 2 2011, 03:25 PM']Sorry, don't get that one???[/quote] Quote
ezbass Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 A bit late to the party, but definitely the neck. I once decided to set up a friend's guitar outside because it was a nice sunny day. Sufficed to say I kept having to adjust it until my brain chimed in with "Go inside stupid!". Quote
JTUK Posted August 2, 2011 Posted August 2, 2011 Basses and strings don't like fluctuating temps, IMO Strings will go off by themselves over a period of time. I keep the basses out of the sun and out of the cold. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.