Mute Switches etc

[nottswarwick]

Hi

Just back from practice, and a bit confused. Set up was LMII into cabs, fine. Bu it does not have a mute switch, and I am not overly keen on running the signal through a tuner pedal before the amp - I dont use a pedal board, and would rather just pkug straight into the amp for simplicity.

So, what GOOD heads have the tuning mute facility and a good pro DI output, so i can rack the head up with the rack tuner in the tuner out, using the mute facility to tune and leaving a clear signal path.

Sorry it is late, and I may not be making too much sense.

Chris

[acidbass]

Ampeg SVT-4PRO

[nottswarwick]

actually, you might have a point, as I am thinking seriously about some bug and heavy ampeg gear, as another hankering is for the valve sound.

[tempo]

Changing amp heads seems a drastic measure, can I recommend another way, use a Zoom B2, in the effects loop, in tuner mode. It can operate in mute mode, so no sound will go back into the loop and you get silent tuning. Assuming the DI is "post effects-loop" too. Side benefit is it has some decent effects if you wanted to use them.

[outsider70]

Gallien Krueger RB series

[nottswarwick]

actually just looking at the RAdial Bassbone, or one of their true bypass switched - a bighsot i/o might be the thing.

Thing is, we hire is proper pro spec PA for the big shows, and I need it to be right, and the best sound possible.

[nedsbeds]

Why not just use an A/B box. It means two cables in to the back of the rack but you only need the switch down by the foot of the amp so the cables wont be too long. It won't affect your sound at all and will mute the amp.

[Muppet]

I'm with Nedsbeds. A/B box with one cable to your amp, one cable to a rack tuner input. Switching between the two mutes your sound and you get to keep your head.

[wateroftyne]

It drives me nuts when amps don't have mute switches.

I'm in severe danger of sounding like a broken record here, but my Warwick Tubepath head has a mute, and - so I'm told - a very, very good (if a little hot), DI. The DI is taken after the signal is routed through a dummy load, so it sounds very tubey.

Prior to that, I was in a similar position to you. I used an EBS MicrobassII. The DI on that is wonderful... might be something to consider if you don't want to buy a new head.

[bass_ferret]

+1 for the microbass II

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Have you seen the Planet waves Circuit Breaker Cables? I love 'em. The business end can be purchased separately (straight or right angle) if you prefer making your own cables.

I stopped using the mute on my old amp when I started using PW CBs - Just press the little latching switch and the input is muted. I originally got it for quickly swapping from one bass to another, but its ideal for silent tuning with the SOS LED tuner as well.

Since I started using my little Mark II I never even missed the lack of mute on it.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='92266' date='Nov 21 2007, 05:55 PM']Have you seen the Planet waves Circuit Breaker Cables? I love 'em. The business end can be purchased separately (straight or right angle) if you prefer making your own cables.

I stopped using the mute on my old amp when I started using PW CBs - Just press the little latching switch and the input is muted. I originally got it for quickly swapping from one bass to another, but its ideal for silent tuning with the SOS LED tuner as well.

Since I started using my little Mark II I never even missed the lack of mute on it.

[/quote]
These sound great.. Are they expensive? I use a GK 700 RB amp and the mute switch is great but for changing basses, these cables sound really useful!

The use of the A/B box is a good idea too but some of these units can add something unwanted to your sound, as I understand it..

[s_u_y_*]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='92123' date='Nov 21 2007, 01:11 PM']+1 for the microbass II[/quote]

Yep... the mute switch on it was the final clincher for me when I was out buying a DI. I just only wished that it also muted the signal to the XLR output.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='92492' date='Nov 22 2007, 01:04 AM']Yep... the mute switch on it was the final clincher for me when I was out buying a DI. I just only wished that it also muted the signal to the XLR output.[/quote]

Mine does..?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='92481' date='Nov 22 2007, 12:28 AM']These sound great.. Are they expensive?[/quote]

The circuit breaker cables aren't expensive compared to other top-quality cables. They are currently listed at £23 for a 20' one with angled jack from stringsdirect.co.uk.

All the different ones available seem to be here:
[url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/default.aspx?categoryId=295"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/d...?categoryId=295[/url]

The Plug on its own is £8 though if you want to make your own.

[nedsbeds]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='92481' date='Nov 22 2007, 12:28 AM']The use of the A/B box is a good idea too but some of these units can add something unwanted to your sound, as I understand it..[/quote]

They are just a switch with three jack plugs connected to it! Don't see how that can change your sound

[pete.young]

[quote name='nottswarwick' post='91932' date='Nov 21 2007, 12:05 AM']So, what GOOD heads have the tuning mute facility and a good pro DI output, so i can rack the head up with the rack tuner in the tuner out, using the mute facility to tune and leaving a clear signal path.[/quote]

Euphonic Audio iAmps

[BB2000]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='92543' date='Nov 22 2007, 08:44 AM']The circuit breaker cables aren't expensive compared to other top-quality cables. They are currently listed at £23 for a 20' one with angled jack from stringsdirect.co.uk.

All the different ones available seem to be here:
[url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/default.aspx?categoryId=295"]<a href="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/default.aspx?categoryId=295" target="_blank">http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/d...?categoryId=295[/url]</a>

The Plug on its own is £8 though if you want to make your own.[/quote]


£8 - that's a bit steep. Neutrik do a silent jack (NP2C-AU-Silent) that usually retails for about £3.50.

[obbm]

[quote name='BB2000' post='92618' date='Nov 22 2007, 11:24 AM']£8 - that's a bit steep. Neutrik do a silent jack (NP2C-AU-Silent) that usually retails for about £3.50.[/quote]

Where and does that include postage?

[synaesthesia]

[quote name='BB2000' post='92618' date='Nov 22 2007, 11:24 AM']Neutrik do a silent jack (NP2C-AU-Silent) that usually retails for about £3.50.[/quote]

That's a wholesale price I get from a wholesale company I deal with, I'd really like to know where you get these at £3.50 retail.


FWIW, re: mutes, this is what I do: I use an Ernie Ball Volume Pedal. Have used one for donkeys years. I always gig with a vol. pedal.
You can mute, you can swell, you can get a bit of boost by setting your max vol. and stepping off a bit, and you can feed your tuna fish.
I understand the niggly feeling about running anything inline, in deference to running direct to your amp. input, but seriously - with active preamps on several basses, if yours has one, it'll drive through a floor tuner if you use one. Live, the negligible difference in tone (viz. if you can REALLY AND SERIOUSLY hear a difference such that your performance will be affected) is not going to matter much. You might worry if you are in the studio recording but if you play different stages and don't play the same stage every gig, then I'd say there is no really worry feeding a tuner in line. I run a wireless into the Vol pedal, and feed the tuner; or run the wireless into the preamp in the rack and feed the tuner off the vol pedal which is in the efx loop. Swap basses in perfect silence, tune up in perfect silence.

[BB2000]

I think the last batch I got were from rapid.

Just checked - they're £4.08 inc. VAT (£3.47 exc) (10+ from Rapid). However, I must have got them somewhere else since they don't have the right angle ones (RX-AU-silent) and I bought some of these as well.

In any case £8 for the planet ones is a bit mutch.

[obbm]

[quote name='BB2000' post='92661' date='Nov 22 2007, 12:18 PM']I think the last batch I got were from rapid.

Just checked - they're £4.08 inc. VAT (£3.47 exc) (10+ from Rapid). However, I must have got them somewhere else since they don't have the right angle ones (RX-AU-silent) and I bought some of these as well.

In any case £8 for the planet ones is a bit mutch.[/quote]

As long as you buy 10 off you can get that sort of price but if you only want one then you are going to pay a good deal more, especially when you include VAT and carriage and VAT on the carriage.

If anyone wants just one of either the straight or right-angle silent jacks then pm me.

[BB2000]

[quote name='obbm' post='92670' date='Nov 22 2007, 12:35 PM']As long as you buy 10 off you can get that sort of price but if you only want one then you are going to pay a good deal more, especially when you include VAT and carriage and VAT on the carriage.

If anyone wants just one of either the straight or right-angle silent jacks then pm me.[/quote]


Yes, of course that's true. I tend to buy these several dozen at a time - anyone just wanting a couple of leads would be as well buying them ready made from someone like yourself.

[tauzero]

[quote name='BB2000' post='92618' date='Nov 22 2007, 11:24 AM']£8 - that's a bit steep. Neutrik do a silent jack (NP2C-AU-Silent) that usually retails for about £3.50.[/quote]

Or an economy version that costs 80p from [url="http://www.studiospares.com/pd_581400_NEU%20SILENT%20JACK%20NYS224S.htm"]Studiospares[/url] (who also have [url="http://www.studiospares.com/pd_581540_NEU%20NP2CAU%20SILENT%20JACK.htm"]the more expensive one[/url] for £4-20).

Incidentally, the PW one looks as if it has that dreadful spring arrangement on the sleeve which I avoid like the plague as it makes such a noisy and unreliable connection.

[Count Bassy]

The PW has a switch built into it so you can mute the instrument without unplugging it. The Neutrik silent jack has an automatic mute as you unplug it, but you still have to unplug it to kill the sound. i.e. they are not the same thing, so you can't really make a direct price comparison.

Clive