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I will. But it's really less combative than it might seem. The necessity for using compression is borne out of the laws of physics and well-recognised good practice in sound engineering. It's not something subjective, like whether a new set of strings makes your tone sound 'better'. It's proven by the measurable behaviour of sound traveling through air. All quite dull and predictable, really. The short story is that every bass player should use a compressor. Because the bass guitar is an instrument capable of producing extremes of both low and high frequency energy, and there's not a cat-in-hell's chance that anyone can compensate for that by 'good technique' alone, least of all during a live performance. This is why 100% of sound engineers apply compressors to bass, to compensate for the 50% of bass players who apparently don't. Ultimately it's not essential. Just like changing your strings regularly isn't essential. But the question as to whether it's beneficial has been answered long ago, which is why I find threads like this a little tedious (no offence). Compression is complex and very different to the majority of other FX we apply to our instruments, where we plug something in and turn a dial until we hear a noticeable difference. And I think that is partly why it confuses some people and leads others to believe that it's a case of the Emperor's New Clothes. What I find odd is how this confusion seems most prevalent amongst bass players - the very people who stand to benefit most from compression. You just don't get threads like this appearing on sound engineering forums. Instead, you just get endless debate about 'which compressor is best for bass'... and that's just as tedious! Anyway. Next time I record some bass I'll post some clips of the dry signal and the same signal (at the same volume) run through a compressor - and also both again in the context of a mix with other instruments - so you can hear the difference. Until then, my advice would be to cease tilting at windmills

Did Anyone Notice or Comment When You Switched Your Compressor Off? The proper question would be, "Did Anyone Notice or Comment When You Switched Your Bass Off?" Blue

Should we not do the same for:- If you played a wrong note Got the timing wrong Used flanger instead of chorus Kicked some form of distortion/overdrive/fuzz on in a song you wouldn’t normally do it I take it if only 1 person notices that’s enough, or does there have to be more than that...... I have to say IMHO this survey misses the point of how you use compression and so won’t really prove anything either way

Pleasantly I had an opposite experience last night - I've been getting increasingly fed up with the others in the band having lower standards and saying we'd "nailed" a song as soon as we could mostly play the right notes at the right times, always at the same pace and volume, and because there was no communication - none of us were even looking at each other while we were playing. I thought we sounded clumsy and boring, but the others seemed to think it was good enough. I've had words about it, gently, a few times to no effect, and last night I was ready to say if they didn't raise their game I'd be off out of it. What I actually did was to pick one song that was crying for a dramatic change in dynamics in the middle, and asked them to give me a short bass solo at that point - just the main riff played twice high and staccato, and then twice low and slower with sustain. Nothing fancy - but because it was my solo, the others didn't have to worry about making the change with me, they just had to pick up the slower beat when they came back in after it. And they had to watch me so I could cue them. As soon as we tried it, they got the point, and we ended the night with everyone happily agreeing that we'd taken a step up and would continue that way. Very glad I didn't throw my toys out of the pram. And credit to the others for understanding and agreeing quickly and positively.

I’ve gone stereo bass!

Genzler magellan sounds like a starting point?

A Viking chicken of war

Not really interesting. Just evidence that we bass players are perhaps deserving of being viewed as the ‘slow learners club’ amongst musicians. PS: when I can be arsed, I’m going to post a thread explaining the necessity of compression with some audio clips to help illustrate; just so this topic can finally be taken out back, shot in the head and buried for all time. Until then, as you were.

If it's anything like the V3 500 (350W without an extension cab) it'll be bum-hurtingly loud and won't need an extension. Unless you're playing very big rooms, of course. In any case, you'd think Fender would have matching extensions in the pipeline?

Those are uglier than Fenders. Which is not something I say very often.

I left a band once after a blazing row at the rehearsal rooms in the coffee machine area, stormed off back into the room, packed my kit...and then had to go back and ask for a hand getting my Ampeg 810 up the stairs and into my car. This is why lightweight cabs are the way forward...Flouncing Ability is an often-overlooked plus point...

https://www.gumtree.com/sellerads/1290211564?page=1

Agreed. There's that and the fact that Fender have at no time referred to them as V4.

Hey guys! I can vouch for Wilcock, myself and Fretless Bob have helped him (it's a one man operation) develop his models to what they are now. He does have a clear idea of what he wants, so things like different pickup combinations don't really happen, but, he enjoy's working with people on their ideas. Also, he's trying out the B90 pickup in a new Wilcock bass. I'm looking forward to that...

^ Strictly speaking, compressors are dynamic 'effects' (anything that alters a signal based on its frequency content and amplitude). But yeah, I totally agree that using the term ‘FX’ probably confuses matters further, as it implies something that very noticeably alters the signal. And I think therein lies the confusion for some when using a compressor: they either crank it hard until they hear an obvious change (by which point the signal is probably too squashed, depending on genre); or they can't discern any obvious difference and ask "what's the fuss all about?" Of course the 'Goldilocks Zone' in most cases is somewhere in the middle.

It's evil - if you play sat down the lower horn has a bit that stabs you in the leg whilst the same feature on the upper horn sticks into your sternum! My stepdaughter reckons it looks like a chicken.

Not really necessary IMHO - certainly, 5mm for the back of the pickups is plenty. It's also quite rare for the back to hit anything that would be capable of doing that kind of damage. No, the care taken was more to make use I didn't inadvertently break through with the router or drill - which with my measuring skills is a much higher risk! With the control chamber, there is a theoretical risk - and you do see from time to time guitars and basses that have fallen on their fronts and the knobs have punched a hole through into the control chamber. But again, by and large, it's a fairly low risk. When you think about it, acoustic guitars have a side and back thickness of around 1.7mm and tops typically at 2.5 - 2.9mm and, certainly in my young days in the pubs of Wolverhampton, they used to survive being used as clubs to fight off angry skinheads fairly well. Used to play havoc with the tuning, mind....

There was a programme on the recording of Pet Sounds BBC4 last night. CK was spoken of very highly and it was great to see her at work and hear that great pick sound straight from the desk.

Because you could. It's the same reason we will end up building killer robots that will wipe us out.

I'm not disagreeing. I don't think Kaye ever claimed to be JJ. I think she was just claiming the sessions she played on and a couple (out of the 1000's) may well have been claimed in error. Back then songs would be recorded and rerecorded for singles, albums and for various other artists. Lots of chances to play on different versions of hit records and when you add in the overdubbing of parts the puzzle becomes more and more complicated. I think she got a couple wrong, but IMO that doesn't take anything away from her being one of the top players in the history of electric bass playing.

You lovely people! Thank you, and Michael I will take up your kind offer.

I think he already did

Yep, I’m very impressed with my Electra VS4. As Cuzzie says, their customer service was pretty damn remarkable considering the company had received zero money directly from me. I couldn’t believe it. The evening that I foolishly snapped my g string tuning peg I emailed Sandberg asking if I could buy new tuners Direct from them, and Holger himself replied about 4am simply asking “Where do you live?”. I told him my address and a little over a week later I had a shiny new tuner through my letterbox. As far as the quality of the bass itself, I have zero complaints. Yes it’s Sandberg’s “entry level” line but the whole bass looks and feels top notch. If you didn’t know it was the entry line and someone just handed you the bass for a blind test you’d never know. It’s just rock solid, well finished and lightweight too! I have one of the older Electras in a lovely satin tobacco burst with the classic precision shape from before Sandberg changed the body styling. Picked her up for about £350 which I’d happily spend again to be honest. I’ve spent a little under £150 on mods done at The Bass Gallery - got the replacement tuner installed, had the neck “satinized” (I prefer satin necks to gloss) and got a passive tone knob added to the existing 2-band EQ stack. Oh and I put some La Bella Black Nylon Tapewounds on it which I’m absolutely loving. The bass is definitely a keeper. I just wish they did the Electras in 5 string versions too!

I already have an aged California TM4 in blue mate, a fabulous bass which cost me a lot more than that DK though!

Just turn your volume down and smile and dance to the beat, while pretending to play the tune. That's what I do when I don't know the song ☺

Performer series I think.

True Tone (One spot) CS6 under mine. It’s great.

Okay, I am buying one... no more people wanting to borrow my bass. And apparently I will get used to how it looks anyway

Spoke too soon. 😆

Blimey you lot! You never see these in the for sale section, which obviously means they are brilliant, beautiful & owners would never sell......😉

Some pics I took at the Basschat stand! MacDaddy, Ped, Tina (Mrs Ped), Charic Transistorbassman (Roger), MacDaddy, Charic And MacDaddy demos his Snapdragon folding bass:

I (belatedly) saw what you did there...

Nothing like this ever happens in my band. We're all crap and we know it.

A European invasion... Limelight '67 P relic Maruszczyk Jake PJ Custom HandBox WB-100 120w valve head TKS S212 cab How I love it all so.

Only when he was pretending to be Carol Kaye on all those Beach Boys albums.

@Bikenbass very kindly got me Guy's book and had it signed for me when I couldn't make it to his show. A really thoughtful gesture and I have it in my (rather small) book collection.

Lozz 196 - I think (someone may correct me) that Kaye was always a pick player, Jamerson never. I think the analysis is a bit OTT, but I agree with the overall idea that they both contributed to the final master. I would say the part from 3.15 onwards which he describes as being played by Kaye is definitely played with a pick and has a more regimented feel, and I certainly agree that Jamerson features again later on. And for those that think this is all a bit boring, well, this is a bass forum, so people who are interested in this sort of fine detail might just like to talk about it...........................endlessly!

Latest incarnation. Recent realised i had 2 or 3 of every type of noise box over 2 boards. Other than the 2 loopers, 1 decent pedal per noise.....thankyou.

Best bass for a flounce-smash? Probably a standard-scale hollowbody with no centre block. In advance, fill it with confetti for that extra touch of class.