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that was a wierd 30 min on google... I have an acoustic 6 string that was made by a Yorkshire luthier who then made resonators.... no google search joy but gemini tracked him down, different guy Steve Evans later Beltona resonators.... anyway I have put the date in the diary and will confer with the other half... tbh last time I came it was sunny and I thought it would be fun to walk up the hill behind the hall too!

Latest update on my 2 Jaydees (GA24 & S3 with saturn inlays): After maybe 5 years they are now being built! I am travelling down to Jaydee HQ soon as I want the neck profiles the same as my current S3. So that's really great news, I think I heard from Mike Brooksy also that they are working on clearing that backlog for the next year or 2...

I used my Plunge Audio Dynamics for the first time yesterday.... A bit of background: I use my existing IEMs occasionally, mainly under protest. They're KZ ZS10s, but they always sound brittle, fizzy and uninspiring to me, so I stick with my ACS attenuators and a monitor whenever I can. That setup is a bit of a clart on for the band and our engineer, so I promised myself I’d finally make the leap. I did some research (not easy, given the sheer volume of ChiFi IEMs out there muddying the waters) and also looked at more expensive options like ACS. In the end, I landed on the Plunge Dynamics. Handmade in Canada, they’re not custom moulds, but they still offer 15dB of attenuation. There’s also a pricier, non-ported stage version that provides even more isolation, but they Dynamics seemed to suit my needs. They're a single dynamic driver rather than a complex array of dynamics and armatures like most IEMS. I was hoping that would translate into a warmer, more natural sound, and I was right... they’re a genuine revelation. As soon as I put them in, I could tell they're night-and-day compared to the KZs. They're so immersive, with a real sense of air and warmth, without feeling isolated. The bass is round and dynamic. I went through soundcheck and the gig without giving them a second thought. They’re beautifully made and packaged, with high-quality accessories, and they arrived from Canada in just a few days. If you’re in the market for new IEMs, they’re definitely worth a look...

It was sent through interparcel, who sell their own insurance rather than rely on the couriers, or at least used to. You'd have to pay for it of course, but can't imagine any shop would send anything uninsured, surely?

Hi guys, Just recorded a video in 4k so you can really see the detail of the body with the glassy finish... yep still in good condition after all these years!

That sucks, sorry to hear that. I don’t think Parcelforce offer any enhanced compensation for musical instruments unfortunately, despite taking the money for it.

Diamonds on my Windshield. Tom Waits

Diamonds on the soles of her shoes - Paul Simon

Today at the Mens Shed workshop I had time to cut the BassChat 1x8 driver aperture and all went well, I'm hoping to be able to get it to a testable state Wednesday. I have one question regarding the cabinet design that I'm hoping someone can help with. I'd like to include a slot rather than use a circular port. I've done a bit of web searching and it would appear that, whilst this is a possibility, when it comes to try to calculate the slot dimensions every online calculator I use produces a different answer. My preferred choice would be to use as near to square as possible dimension, and the nearest I get using the online calculators is a 4x4cm slot with a depth of 5cm. Any advice or help would be more than welcomed and appreciated. Thanks, David

Diamonds & Pearls 0+>

*Post in wrong place -- please delete*

Whenever we have preamp threads more people recommend the Tech 21 than anything else. Thus said I really like my Genzler Magellan pre because it has two very different "flavours" (foot switchable), a HPF, mute switch, and really powerful EQ settings. Not sure if it sounds like "tubes", but through the IEMs yesterday it sounded awesome (albeit I also add a Keeley compressor as well).

Not the cleverest theft, shouldn't be top easy to sell on! Hopefully insurance has covered it though and no-one is out of pocket? If Parcelforce are declaring it lost, they've accepted liability for it.

Get to ASDA and buy a pair of pillows, £4. Seriously they'll do the trick.

I'm also a Tech 21 fan and use the BDDI v2 and have been super happy with it. I'd love to try the VTDI just to hear the difference as well.

That's bloody lovely. Shocking behaviour by Parcelforce. I hope it surfaces soon.

After my short-scale revolution due to the Sire U5, i started to look after a 4 strings short scale with 24 frets. ( Yes, i'm using the fret 24 from during solos ) And i've seen than Ibanez has proposed a shortscale version in EHB familly. (Three years ago i've been closed to receive a EHB 1500 DEF for my 50's birtdhay gift, finally dismissed by a Markbass Kimandu at last minut) So it was a now perfect occasion to finally grab one. She's arrived few days ago, and is a wildest animal than my Sire at first glance. It's been a real work to make her become softer. Unplugged: very nice resonance, nice vibe; already singing. Neck is one of the most comfortable i never played. Slightly wider and less thicker than the U5 one. Neck wood is absolutely beautiful. Fret work is perfect, thin frets i dig. Weight is 7,16 pounds. Perfectly balanced when strapped, straight wrist to play and not any discomfort to play F note on E string. Very smooth touch. Small defect already beat to death in the EHB topic: inlays are near to invisible on fretboard and neck edge. I will have to add some visible dots on neck edge. First plug in my amp: Heeeelp me !!! Deaf sound, rough, becoming aggressive as soon as i touch the preamp. So, after a deep dive in the TB EHB topic, i've tried all advised modifications: - In first remove the neutrik jack lock lever. It was really painful to remove the cable - Move a connector on the circuit board: + 6db. Meh, more level and a very little more clarity but more overdrive as soon as i touch the preamp - Move a second connector on the circuit board: VMS -> BE3Q: voicing change. Not very better, still deaf and rough tone. A little more trebly but in an agressive way. - Wiring modification from serial to parrallel: Night and day ! Pickup are becoming suddenly more precise, sound more open. Preamp strats to be nice and effective. It still misses something in the mid department. Voicing is very mid-scoop and too trebly. Of course preamp can now correct things but it doesn't seem to add some thickness to the overall tone. Something is still missing. Ok, plan B: give back stock soapbars to my Markbass Kimandu, and get her actual Bartolini US BC4CBC to put it in the EHB. 4 holes drilling in the bass: original BH2 have two holes when my bart US have 3 -> Welcome to the sound and power of US bart: much more beautifull mid, and bartolini flavour all around. The bass is more precise, powerfull; even in passive mode. But overall tone is still a little deaf side mainly on the E string, as if the power would take precedence on note definitions. Strange. Ok, so mixing this impression with previous modifications tried, i decide to re-wire the US barts in parallel. And finally: WOO HOO ! Same night and day impression than with the BH2 but this time with nice mids, beautifull treble. The Preamp start to work nicely, and perfom sweet little corrections. Pickups: Neck side: if you're after a PB tone, this bass is not for you. Nice round neck sound but on the modern side. Bridge side: close too jazzbass sound. Two pickups together: It could be a jazzbass, on the Marcus Miller side. But always with a little something more modern. Notice: - Bass came in a gigbag, with a ramp (too thin and a little curved. I will re-do another one), schaller straplock and Allen key. - "Zoundhouse" in Germany is a really serious shop: quick sending with a strong cardbox in another stronger cardbox. Bass in perfect shape, perfect set up. (First time i don't have to touch anything; plus the original d'addario strings are those i use.) A shop to trust ! Finally: i've had some work, spend some time to make it suit my taste; but i'm really happy with it. I really don't understand why Ibanez didn't think at minimum about a serial/parrallel switch as it really needs it. I'm really happy: nice bass with a modern sound and an ouststanding playing comfort. I will not say GAS is dead cause you all will laugh but with my Sire U5, i've now the perfect duet to cover all fields; and they are the two most comfortable basses i've never played. Next step: find color paint RAL for making a matching ramp, add some visibles dots on the neck side, and make some soundclips. To be followed Enjoy !

You'll get there. It comes in stages. I could go further and say the cab isn't part of the equation but I won't. Or maybe I just did. Who knows? It took me years to undo decades of conditioning. No one told me, I just took in little nuggets and absorbed things, tried stuff, listened to people who'd been on similar journeys, kept an open kind and pushed back on the masses (of BassChatters) that try to suck you in to their own established realities and then one day, "Boom!", sorted. It all dropped into place and became completely clear. Literally. I'm an evangelist about it, yes but I don't worry about it anymore, it's sorted. It gives me time to focus on my playing.

Just want to say a big thank you to everyone who replied to my Post, for giving input by sharing experiences, knowledge and advice. Very much appreciated 😍 And from all of this I think I know now what to look out for and most importantly what my 500 quid will by buying next. (and even what I'll be looking out for after that !) Cheers Steve

This is very similar to my experiences. My teacher is a professional jazz pianist and we spend far more time talking about chord extensions, progressions, how to change the chords if you're playing with a bass player and how to comp etc, than I did with previous teachers. We use far more interesting pieces than I used to in the past, and I have pretty much free reign over what I play. There's been a few times when I've suggested a new piece in a lesson, we've pulled it up on YouTube and within a minute he has the key, all the chords and melody figured out by ear. Even on stuff he's never played.

Amazing bass, not used on any recordings though 👍🏼