Kevin Dean Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I use a MB bass head either a Little Rocker or a MOMark both very light amps .I also use a wireless system , a rack tuner & a sliding shelf that holds just one pedal . All of this is in just one flight case making it quite heavy & I pulled a muscle in my back shifting it the other day . The thing is The wire less comes in handy for sound checks But do I need it ? If I get rid of the shelf & have the pedal on the floor I still have to run leads from the pedal to the back of the wireless . So I'm thinking of just going back to leads & a couple of pedals on the floor & just the amp . Has anyone else done this ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1400916363' post='2458084'] I use a MB bass head either a Little Rocker or a MOMark both very light amps .I also use a wireless system , a rack tuner & a sliding shelf that holds just one pedal . All of this is in just one flight case making it quite heavy & I pulled a muscle in my back shifting it the other day . The thing is The wire less comes in handy for sound checks But do I need it ? If I get rid of the shelf & have the pedal on the floor I still have to run leads from the pedal to the back of the wireless . So I'm thinking of just going back to leads & a couple of pedals on the floor & just the amp . Has anyone else done this ? [/quote] My rig is ridiculously simple, it goes a little like this; Bass -> lead -> valve head. No pedals, no wireless, and no fuss! I might at some stage add a sansamp VT bass pedal for some extra fuzz when I need a cleaner tone and fuzz together, though that's not come up as of yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1400916363' post='2458084'] I use a MB bass head either a Little Rocker or a MOMark both very light amps .I also use a wireless system , a rack tuner & a sliding shelf that holds just one pedal . All of this is in just one flight case making it quite heavy & I pulled a muscle in my back shifting it the other day . The thing is The wire less comes in handy for sound checks But do I need it ? If I get rid of the shelf & have the pedal on the floor I still have to run leads from the pedal to the back of the wireless . So I'm thinking of just going back to leads & a couple of pedals on the floor & just the amp . Has anyone else done this ? [/quote] My rig is ridiculously simple, it goes a little like this; Bass -> lead -> valve head. No pedals, no wireless, and no fuss! I might at some stage add a sansamp VT bass pedal for some extra fuzz when I need a cleaner tone and fuzz together, though that's not come up as of yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Bass > Samson wireless bug > Samson pedal size receiver on pedal board with tuner and octave > cable > amp. Bug lives in the Boss BCB-30 pedal case. Weighs 5 lb max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) I love valve amps and big cabs, but hauling them gets old quick. So I too just have a bass, lead, amp and cab which is great. Of course you need to have a rig (and a bass) that you love the sound of, but there are a lot of options available now for a big sound with a small rig. My amp is plug and play - love the core sounds - so I don't need any tone shaping or effects. Your mileage may vary... Edit: Also have a mini headstock tuner which means I don't need a tuner pedal! Edited May 24, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400918931' post='2458108'] Edit: Also have a mini headstock tuner which means I don't need a tuner pedal! [/quote] What headstock tuner you using? I've had 2 Snarks and they worked well but broke easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400918931' post='2458108'] Edit: Also have a mini headstock tuner which means I don't need a tuner pedal! [/quote] I find these difficult to use when everyone in the room is making a noise - it seems to pick up from everything else and get confused - have you found this, Mark, or have I got it placed on the wrong bit of the headstock? But, otherwise, at the moment I am bass>lead>amp (with tuner going into the back). I do like the simplicity of this set-up. Means a single trip to and from the car for rehearsals, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1400920542' post='2458122'] I find these difficult to use when everyone in the room is making a noise - it seems to pick up from everything else and get confused - have you found this, Mark, or have I got it placed on the wrong bit of the headstock? But, otherwise, at the moment I am bass>lead>amp (with tuner going into the back). I do like the simplicity of this set-up. Means a single trip to and from the car for rehearsals, too. [/quote] I have a Snark Tuner that is vibration sensitive only, meaning it only picks up the vibration from the headstock. If memory serves me right there is/was also a Snark tuner on the market with an onboard mic (I stand to be corrected) which may be picking up back round noise. But if its a vibration only tuner, it should only pick up information from your bass when positioned on the headstock. For what its worth, I ditched my effects years ago, use a quality micro head and neo cabs and could not be happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) [quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1400920541' post='2458121'] What headstock tuner you using? I've had 2 Snarks and they worked well but broke easy! [/quote] Planet Waves Micro Headstock Tuner: [url="http://www.planetwaves.com/pwproductdetail.page?activeid=4115&productid=592&sid=0f826a34-aca6-45c4-b7a8-9fc3d88986a5"]http://www.planetwav...a8-9fc3d88986a5[/url] [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1400920542' post='2458122'] I find these difficult to use when everyone in the room is making a noise - it seems to pick up from everything else and get confused - have you found this, Mark, or have I got it placed on the wrong bit of the headstock? [/quote] The Planet Waves Micro Headstock Tuner only picks up vibrations from the headstock, not airborne sound waves - as leroydiamond says above - so you don't even need to have the bass plugged in or the volume turned up - you don't need an amp with a mute switch and you can check your tuning really quick between numbers if necessary. The thing is backlit so you can see it on dark stages and it can be fitted on the back of the headstock so only you can see it - it's a stealth tuner. The only problem I've found is that sometimes it has trouble tracking the low B on my Jazz V - but I just play the B at the twelfth fret when this happens - I make sure the intonation is spot on and it's no problem. You can also tune from harmonics on the B string too, of course. Can't be beat for twelve quid or thereabouts! So you can have one permanently fixed to all your basses... Edited May 24, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I went from a QSC power amp, SVP preamp and rack tuner in a 4u rack weighing about 40 lbs to an RH450. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I have one of the Planet Waves jobbies already. Also the version before but the newer one is an improvement - smaller and quicker with better controls. Maybe I am too heavy handed, as I often find tuners - headstock or pedal - don't work that well and take a long time to settle to a pitch after I have struck the string. The only one (of those I have tried) that seems to work quickly for me is the Korg Pitchblack or a small plug-in Korg one (which, although it works ok, is less convenient for checking tuning mid-gig). Maybe I should persevere with the headstock one as I like the idea of minimal kit. Question - and this is so elementary I can hardly believe I am asking it but I don't know! - do you tune to the pitch you get when you first strike the string or to the pitch once it has settled? It isn't always the same for me and the way I do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1400928466' post='2458221'] Question - and this is so elementary I can hardly believe I am asking it but I don't know! - do you tune to the pitch you get when you first strike the string or to the pitch once it has settled? It isn't always the same for me and the way I do it. [/quote] I always tune to the pitch after the attack, I find it easier, but I don't know if it's 'right' or not. I find the tuner doesn't work as well with roundwound strings - maybe because there are more harmonics and overtones from them - so I cut the treble when tuning, which helps - and flatwound strings seem to be much easier to tune, probably for the same reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I always tune to the after-attack as well. Re weight issues, well bass into the one pedal into the amp, with a clip-on tuner has to be the easiest way to sort all this. In fact as you have two amps I`d probably sort two rigs from this, buy the same pedal again and have one with the rack etc, and one as previously described. If touring or all going in a van then use the racked one for safety in transport, other than that use the easy to carry one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400931413' post='2458266'] I always tune to the pitch after the attack, I find it easier, but I don't know if it's 'right' or not. [/quote] [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1400931683' post='2458268'] I always tune to the after-attack as well. [/quote] That's what I do as well. Reassuring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) Aye! After "attack"*. The initial amplitude with its higher pitch not only lasts for a short time only, and you don't want the long decaying sound to be off, but it also contains harmonic and disharmonic components that make its being in tune less important. Though I can imagine scenarios with quick changes and staccato playing where one would tune on the "attack"* instead. Nowst I think of it, I think the best thing to do is buy an extra bass for those songs, and also one for the songs with medium long tones as well. SHE MUST UNDERSTAND THIS IS NECESSARY!!! *) "Attack" as in the first occurence of a recognisable tone after the real attack. Edited May 24, 2014 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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