Leaderboard

Why would anyone not use all the tonal variations and fingering possibilities that are available to you?

Had a festival this summer. Quick turnaround time to get on. Had all my stuff ready to go.. Plugged everything in - no sound. Nada. Nothing. 5 mins panicking and then... ..realised I'd plugged into a different amp that wasn't even mine. Oh, you didn't mean that sort of disaster tho huh?

With over 1,470 bass covers on my YouTube channel, I have started to share the bass notes and tab that I'm playing on the video. The bass transcription is something that I'm very proud of adding to my videos. I don't make any money off my channel. My goal is that I can help 1 bass player per day learn something new. https://www.youtube.com/user/constantine2112

Both of my Precisions tuned DGCF with 45-105's. Im running bi amped and loving the low end.☺

I've fancied an FRFR for my Helix for some time. Always had my eye on a Yamaha DXR10 - for both guitar and bass duties. Mostly I'd DI Helix to front of house so the FRFR became a monitor - and it's useful at home too. In the local music shop today I decided to have a look at a DXR10. Yeah. It's quite nice. Over pops the assistant. I explain the setup and my need. "I wouldn't have the DXR10 personally. I'd have the QSC K10.2 instead. It's a bit more but..." The what now? Ok, I think. Prove it to me. Let's hear them side by side. So he did. Set them up for me. The QSC was louder. A lot louder. A lot lot lot louder. And it was a more natural reproduction of what you hear through headphones on Helix - much less coloured. "It's on the default flat DSP setting." He said. "Here, try the bass amp DSP setting" Uh? Well, not only was it interesting as a setting, but I plugged the bass in directly. There's 3 channel input - two have combi XLR/jack and one small 3.5 stereo. Channel A can be set as line or mic, but B can be set as line or instrument. So jack into B with inst straight from a passive bass and it does a pretty damned good impression of a decent bass amp - there's even eq on it to tweak it. Crikey. So I bought one. Got it home and tried my mini pedalboard straight in. Signal chain is smoothhound - tuner - Ampeg SCR-DI - QSC k10.2 I would say realistically it's about as loud as a 500w head into my BF Compact. Possibly a bit more, and with slightly less heft but a bit more top. But, it's 14 kilos and really very compact. And it's one less thing to drag to a gig. It's also a wedge so I can angle it and use it as a proper bass monitor with DI out to FOH. So this is my live rig (to be trialled!) Now I'm wondering whether it's worth bothering with another power amp for use with the BF cab for the board, when it looks like the FRFR I bought for the Helix can pretty much do both.

The 12th South East Bass Bash will be on Saturday 29 September 2018 At Jubilee High School, Surrey, School Lane, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 1TE The first planning meeting has already taken place! (in a pub) Get the date in your diaries!

Thanks for enquiring. I feel that I am making slow progress , I think it takes a bit longer for me learn new things as I get older. Still, slow progress is still progress.

this does it for me - 2 minute blast with some tasty bass to boot.

My turn to return the favour and chip in then! Here's a 'best of' list preamp DI pedals, in no particular order, put together by me, @dannybuoy and @Lozz196 on another thread recently Dave Hall's new DHA VT1-Pro (there's a whole thread on this; the first one has appeared in the FS section and it kinda does everything (including making the tea)) Tech 21 Q\Strip (looks amazing, but yet to find any BCer who's actually forked out £315 for one of these yet?) Tech21 VTDI Tech 21 Paradriver V2 (Lozz has two of these, he likest them so much!) Ampeg SCR DI (you own - really nice EQ, but IMHO the dirt doesn't come anywhere close to something like the Two Notes?) Mesa Subway DI (why haven't they released a Mesa Carbine M DI? Now that would be a pedal...) Two Notes Le Bass (I have this. Excellent dirt / drive and decent clean EQ but with limited mids tone shaping - need to dial back the bass and treble on the clean Channel A to effectively boost the mids. Only complaint from folk seems to be a lack of aux in. Aside: the Zoom B3n doesn't have a DI out, which its predecessor the B3 had, but does have an aux in! So put together they're fine!) Aguilar Tonehammer (the fabled Aggie sound in a pedal). Several of these (e.g. VT1-Pro and Ampeg SCR) also have aux in and headphones out so can double up as a quality portable headphone practice amp, which is a nice additional feature.

Had to route out for the humbucker and I had a new scratch plate made as I wanted the option to go back to orginal jazz pickup if humbucker did not sound right. Humbucker is actually a Kent Armstrong pup I bought in the 80’s that I previously had in a homemade bass! But as it was the humbucker shone so much that I had to replace the bridge sire pickup as it was just not cutting it against the KA pup. Is the KA jazz / Sire pup standard Fender size? ‘Probably’. I sent Kent the dimensions so it could have need made to order for me but I somehow doubt it and I think that we both just got lucky. Talkbass has people who seem to have put Nordstrang pups in V7s without any drama. Orginal Site pups were fine but never quite made the sound that I wanted. Yes I bought a Marcus Miller bass, but I don’t want to sound like Marcus Miller. ;-).

I absolutely recommend The Barefaced ONE 10. I use it with my GenzBenz Streamliner 900 or my Genzler Magellan 350. The latter for about £450 and the cab with cover £350 should do the trick. I also have two Bergantino HD 112 cabs at 20kg should I need them for bigger gigs. One of the HD112s is great with said amps. Certainly all work well for me. The bottom end out of the ONE 10 is superb and 7KG!!! Glynn Murray

Good shout ezbass! Yep Leslie West had a great sound. And yes you're right about a single pickup focusing the mind. As a lifelong P bass player I'm not really one for pointless fiddling - get a good sound, and then get on with playing.

Yup I've been thinking the same, Full version or LT. As far as I can tell, the main advantages of the full version are more ins/outs, it also has a mic preamp, the scribble strips, and 10 stomp switches vs 8 on the LT. What I'm really interested in is the ability to split the input signal, treat them differently and them sum them again at the output, I like to use the Billy Sheehan type of sound, where you have 2 separate signals. A clean low end signal with highs rolled off, and then a separate high frequency signal, which gets the distortions / modulation effects. It looks like the possibilities are endless for this sort of thing in the Helix.

Every time I check on this thread I wish I’d bought that wingbass when I had the chance!

I'm there! Gigs be damned..... this is 'first in the book'

Open string notes are four notes (or more) that are available in all positions. I don't understand why one would never use them.

I can think of a pair... half-ars3d single-buttocked. Time for some polite customer feedback?

Report back! EDIT: A quick search reveals a few Yamaha THR10 owners here and no bad comments at all...

Everyone has come up with a Bass amp but not guitar, here's your ideal world: why not try these? Saw one at the SW Bash and was impressed... https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/yamaha-thr10-guitarbass-amplifier.html?source=shopping&sku=yamthr10&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkdeVhd_P1wIVS5PtCh0SaQxwEAQYAiABEgL5jfD_BwE

"Check a lead connection"? Hardly, old chap. My wireless unit failed, and in less than 10 seconds mid-song I diagnosed the problem, unplugged the wireless unit at both ends, plugged in a lead at both ends, and rejoined the song. Actually, I'm actually quite proud of that. Actually.

G# (13th fret), open E = Double stop. A lovely sound. Then add a D at the 12th fret on the D string, a nice D7 shell. Then of course, all the variations. Open strings are gorgeous for chordal pieces. Fast chromatic runs down low, the open strings can be invaluable and at high tempo, the difference in tone wouldn’t be noticeable. What about tunes played on a four string when a low E is needed? You have no other option, unless you retune. Open strings are part of the Bass gig. At some point in your life, for some reason, there will be a need for an open string, even if it is just for tuning up.

I've been gigging regularly for 30 odd years now and in that time I have had a couple of incidents of amp failure on a gig; it was the same amp that was first repaired under warranty and then later had another issue with the power switch cutting out. In addition to regular pub gigs my band does some private work too, parties weddings etc. so I feel it a professional obligation to be able to get through the night regardless of any technical issues. That being the case I always carry a spare amp, usually a spare bass, always spare stings, cables, fuses etc. Pretty much a spare everything other than a cab, but on the above occasions I was able to plug directly into the desk/PA to get through the night so I could limp my way through the gig without one. Some people might consider this to be a bit over the top but the way I see it is that if you're being paid to perform, whether it is in a pub or at somebody's wedding, you need to be able to deliver the music.

Half way through our first gig in the first money making cover band I was ever in. Soundcraft desk had a fit and the master xlr outputs quit. We took a short break and set our active stage monitors up as vocal and acoustic guitar PA tops (monitor mixes were working fine). Cranked my wee Ashdown 1x10 combo/Aguilar 1x12 cab rig up and away we went. Guitar player had a Fender twin and was determined to use it! But the layout of the place made things really awkward - 2 long, narrow (about 12' x 5'), raised platforms surrounded by handrails, separated by about 15' of dance floor leading to a staircase (looking from other end of the room the stages were in the left and right corners, dance floor in front with stairs between the stages - designed by a lunatic with no regard for drunk punters safety!). Without monitors it turned into a total winging it session as the Fender Twin was pointing at me from the other stage and was SO loud I couldn't hear the drummer at all (he was also on the other stage!). Looking back if I'd had XLR to jack leads we could have run the monitor mix outputs to the power amp, but we didn't... Fault in the mixer was a 20p opamp. I know because I fixed it after it had sat with "a mate who fixes stuff" for 6 months before returning as repaired (but actually totally untouched)... Total comedy of errors in a venue totally unsuitable for live music. Of course we didn't learn our lesson and played there about 20 times over the following 2 years. Once had to play half the night without the drummer as his kick pedal disintegrated during soundcheck. He had to run home for a spare (45 mile round trip!). Same band (towards the end) were playing in a coastal hotel who'd just had a sound limiter installed. You can guess the rest. Thing had been wired wrong and took out the whole bar (except the gambling machine which always amused me!). 3 times... The look on punters faces when they're bouncing round to "Highway to Hell" and suddenly the noise stops...

Back when I was really seriously gigging and played with a pick I used to break on average 1 or 2 strings per gig. On a Rickenbacker it was dead easy but it did remind me why I took the rear ashtray of my P bass when I was using that all the time! And of course now I am old and knackered and have all kinds of problems with my hands due to playing too heavy with that pick. Can`t win, can you? As far as other gear issues are concerned I cant remember anything ov er 60 years of gigging other than the odd flat battery or dud lead. TYhat old valve gear was pretty reliable. Unlike the early transistor stuff!

At one point it was two or three gigs a week, sometimes two a day. These days I'm on keys more often than not though and just trying to get a band off the ground is proving a trial

I tend to play open strings as often as I can depending on the song and the position of my left hand on the neck. But I have nerve damage in my left arm so the fewer fretted notes I can play the less fatigued my left hand becomes. Needs must and all that.

I broke a string towards the end of a jazz gig. Not even one of the peripheral ones, but the D. I had no backup (in fact, I was an undergraduate at the time, so I couldn't even afford to buy a new set of strings for a couple of weeks) and had to finish the gig with three strings and a big gap. Shifting hand positions for a bossa was straightforward enough, but trying to play a walking bass line under Autumn Leaves on two strings is not an experience I'm in a hurry to repeat.

Have you ever considered going to CGCG? I've recently got my hands on a 4 string Dingwall AB1 and have a set of heavy gauge Newtone strings ready to go on there for GCGC tuning (REALLY heavy gauge) - in preparation to release my inner Devin Townsend! Have my Ibanez baritone electric tuned GCGCGC already...

One option is keep the amp and cab in storage and use a little combo in the house? The PJB Double Four is the size of a shoebox for example.

She's an only child...I won't comment on her age as she's watching me...but she's a good six months younger than I am!

Here are the orginal Limelight pics with the plain p/g.

In many cases I reckon passion beats ability. There are a lot of very successful bands who, when they started out at least, were not exactly virtuosos. Edit: That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Me. I have a bass set up permanently in this tuning. I’m using Dunlop Flats (.45 .65 .85 .105) and the tension’s just right. ?

The majority of my band's stuff is CGCF...although newer songs we are yet to release are even lower, BF#BE....after several years I have finally had my Cirrus set up to handle the low tunings, and heavier strings of course. The difference is incredible, probably should have done it years ago rather than just putting up with flobby strings, ha ha.

But it's got new strings!

""As I've not got much going on today I'll offer a thought. A common analogy for music is often that it is like a language. So, say someone is speaking Chinese and you don't understand it, does that make it nonsense? Of course not, if you learnt Chinese you would probably understand it. It can be argued that it is the same with music. If you learnt and enjoyed jazz vocabulary that is similar to those that influenced Jaco, the chances are you will then enjoy it because you can relate to it. " However, to take that analogy further - you can understand another language perfectly, but still not like what the person is saying.

As I've not got much going on today I'll offer a thought. A common analogy for music is often that it is like a language. So, say someone is speaking Chinese and you don't understand it, does that make it nonsense? Of course not, if you learnt Chinese you would probably understand it. It can be argued that it is the same with music. If you learnt and enjoyed jazz vocabulary that is similar to those that influenced Jaco, the chances are you will then enjoy it because you can relate to it.

My old hard rock/metal originals band played in that tuning. Set of Elite 0.110 Steels and minimal setup adjustment from standard (think I had 0.100s on before that).

I had my Thunderbird strung with extra heavy strings and tuned DGCF for a project where I needed the low D on a regular basis. Band didn't last and the bass is back to standard tuning now.

My Bass Big Muff has finally given up so I have one of these incoming - is everyone still in love with their's?

I think it is a bit like volcanoes. They sit there doing not much then periodically erupt. You'll have your Pompeii moment soon enough.

http://www.andybaxterbass.com/guitars.php?pc=1&cat=1

Everybody needs a shot of R and B, so come on down to my surgery ...

IMPOSTER!!! There is no such thing as a BC member without GAS, and if there was somebody who was temporarily content with their set up they certainly wouldn't miss an opportunity to shop if/when their partner offered them the chance. Also no self respecting BC member would admit to having "No GAS" even if such a condition existed (which it doesn't BTW). Continue with your lies and accept the consequences!!

[quote name='bassmayhem' timestamp='1509722116' post='3401208'] I took the neck, that was a really, really good neck, and threw the rest in the garbage recycling. With a friend's assistance I made a Jazz Bass body of 60 years old solid dried birch, equipped it with EMG DC45 and Hipshot bridge. It ended up being a very good bass. I sold it some years ago to a studio, where it was used a lot. It looked like this when rebuilt: [/quote] Ooh yes. That, we like.