lowhand_mike

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='17301' date='Jun 14 2007, 12:28 AM']As I use half rounds I change them about once a year whether they need it or not. even when I was gigging lots I still only changed them once a year. When I was using rounds some of them went [Fly a Kite] after the first gig. As for Elixirs, as they are coated with Gore-Tex I would recommend washing them with something like Nikwax, designed for washing Gore-Tex clothes.[/quote] hmm, nice idea, i'll have to give that a try as mine are looking a bit grubby over the pickup and on the lower end of the neck.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='17301' date='Jun 14 2007, 12:28 AM']As I use half rounds I change them about once a year whether they need it or not. even when I was gigging lots I still only changed them once a year. When I was using rounds some of them went [Fly a Kite] after the first gig. As for Elixirs, as they are coated with Gore-Tex I would recommend washing them with something like Nikwax, designed for washing Gore-Tex clothes.[/quote] hmm, nice idea, i'll have to give that a try as mine are looking a bit grubby over the pickup and on the lower end of the neck.

cool cheers, just found one but didn't look cos they keep being taken off the sites, oh and it like em fairly hectic but looks like he got paid by the note for that one.

nice, and beleive it or not until today i hadn't heard any Rush songs before, boy have i been missing out. now i just wanna go and learn YYZ, anyone got any tabs for that? also didn't realise that the start of YYZ is the same as the start to John the fisherman by Primus, obviously Rush did it first

[quote name='NJW' post='16964' date='Jun 13 2007, 03:41 PM']as i mentioned above, the most common fluid used to clean strings is methylated spirits (denatured alcohol).[/quote] yeah but is that ok on the nanoweb coating though? would the meths harm the polymer tube on the strings?

i put alot of the zing going away down to dirt and crap getting in the windings and inside the string, my elixirs still seem pretty zingy after 6 months cos i have to be carerful with the treble control on my bass and amp though they are not as bright as when first bought cos you still get a certain amount of dirt build up on the string coating. as a side point what is it ok to clean the dirt off coated strings like the elixirs? i don't really want to get too much wet stuff near my bass. and in my old days i didn't change strings that often as i was a student so they stayed there quite a while and still sounded nice. companies are going to put a certain amount of planned obsolesence into their strings so you go buy some more

i have recently bought a mag 210 combo and so far all seems very well made indeed. it's bloody heavy and feels very solid. nothing appears cheaply done, the VU meter even seems to work very well (though i don't take it for mustard) but seems pretty acurate. all the dials feel tight and once the speakers had broken in the sound is full and deep and punchy which is just what i want (and very loud). am i bothered that it is made in china, no cos it works didn't cost the earth and i trust that it being designed in the UK that they are sensible enough to spec the components accordingly.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='6447' date='May 25 2007, 01:07 PM']What they said. I've never felt the need to get that many sounds. There is so much variation with fingers, thumb or pick, playing by the bridge/playing by the neck, pickup blending and active tone controls I could not cope with any more.[/quote] totally agree, even if you do go aout and spend a fortune on a rig just cos your fav player uses it you're unlikely to get the same sound due to the variations in playing technique, string choice, bass choice possibly even down to the skin on your fingers. though buying that way is a good start but by no means gauranteed to be the best choice.

duff mckagan, some of the stuff on guns and roses is really good, i learnt to play bass by learning all of duff's stuff.

we use one of those plastic crate with th interlocking lid for all our cables and stuff, personal leads go in our gig bags but the crates are cool, though a little heavey when full.

[quote name='3V17C' post='5842' date='May 24 2007, 04:06 PM']Personally - I am against the smoking ban....i feel there should be choice...a smoking area and a non smoking area rather than a compusory law from a nanny state. and......(opening a large can of nicotine flavoured worms)... alot of the 'facts' about smoking are unproven and based on either very old research of statistics that the government wants you to hear. yes, i'm a conspiracy theorist but check this link: [url="http://www.joejackson.com/pdf/5smokingpdf_smokingissue.pdf"]Interesting reading about smoking 'facts'[/url] and whether you agree or disagree there are some interesting points made..for instance... [color="#000000"] 'Native Americans have half the rate of lung cancer of white Americans even though they smoke much more. Very few Chinese women smoke and yet they have one of the highest lung cancer rates in the world. Lung cancer rates practically everywhere have been rising since about 1930 and in some cases (e.g. American women) have not peaked yet, despite the fact that smoking rates have gone steadily down.'[/color] peace c[/quote] i did say this earlier but then deleted it but i'll reiterate. to be fair there should be a no smoking room and a smoking room otherwise that is basically discrimination on the part of freedom to choose. also it seems a tad hopicritical to whack a huge tax on something and then ban you from being able to do it in public, designated areas would be more sensible and fair considering the tax paid goes towards things that non-smokers use(?) and that essay makes very interesting reading

and seeing as you havent changed them in a long while you may want to go for a set that lasts longer,like some of the DR's or the Elixirs. the Elixirs are coated roundwound strings (see above explanation) but unlike other coated strings they are coated once the string has been wound (the round string wire is wrapped around the central string core) so the coating lasts longer and you get a brighter sound than some other coated strings. i've had mine on for 9 months now and they still sound good. Though there is a drawback with the longer lasting strings is that they cost more, DR's are around £40 a set and i think the Elixirs are about £30-£35 a set. so it also depends on how much you want to pay in one shot, cheaper strings will be cheeper in the long run but as you have to replace (or not ) them quicker they can cost more in the long run. unfortunately you can't tell what they are gonna sound like until you try them ( many years ago i spent alot of money buying blind until i found something i liked) oh and i play in a rock/blues type cover band and the elixirs sit in nicely. this site is a good place to start on the different brands [url="http://www.stringbusters.com/"]http://www.stringbusters.com/[/url]

i want a stingray, all maple, basically i want machines stingray or one the same a warwick but one of the older ones before the bassball bat neck, a 1x15 cab to finish my rig or if i could be bothered a BFM omni 10 or 15. oh also a rack compressor somthing like the alesis 3630 and a rack tuner, oh and rack for them to go in, and a hardcase for my SR better stop there oh and i really like those ACG basses

[quote name='Merton' post='5692' date='May 24 2007, 01:04 PM']That they are. But Mike has an Ashdown combo I think?!! [/quote] <<<<--- i do but all this twas for nowt, the singer took back his peavy max before i got down to the hall on monday, so i geuss i may save doing this for a gig but with the volume coming out of the 210 on monday night (and my subsequent earache) i'll not need to do it for a while but thanks for the input, i think the sensible thing to do is save a bit and get the 15 cab. if i do get round to trying it i'll let ya know what happens

deleted post cos i'm in a bad mood and in wrong frame of mind to post on this

just the smell of vomit stale beer and sweat pervades the air instead. deleted post cos i'm in a bad mood and in wrong frame of mind to post on this

wow, soulful and in the groove, spot on. very impressive and not at all window tw***y

whoa!, thats one fat string, hate to see what it would do to your hand 'IF' it snapped.

i love the elixirs, wasn't too sure to start with cos they were what came on my ibby but once they settled in they lost that harsh bright edge and now sound nice and growly but can also be clean, had mine for about 8 months and still sound strong.

this is interesting, after testing one of the links from wonkyewok which didn't work i did find this ultrasonic test from his forum link, i could just about hear the 17.7khz test but only just and only in one ear but the 16.7 was ok, not bad for a 33 year old based on what they say, but then they aint doctors. i thought my hearing was even but this showed it not to be the case, so yes damage has already been done.

these are the ones dood was talking about

ok phatmonkey, here comes some more deksawyer Jul 12 2006, 11:44 PM Post #61 Etymotic ER 20 High Fidelity Earplugs here. Cheapest I've found in the UK, although I don't know how much their P&P will cost.....just checked - £1.40. Just bought a set of Moldex Rockets to see how they compare (might be too muffled). There's also the Alpine Music Safe with tweakable filters......... D. jhferret Jul 13 2006, 12:21 AM Post #62 QUOTE(Mobius) I don't bother wearing earplugs. I do get a little bit of ringing after practices sometimes but it goes away after a half an hour or so. Thats just the point. The ringings starts to last an hour, then two, then 3, then it never ever goes away. It is there all the time, morning, night, even when you are gigging you can still hear the ringing. I never got one with the ER20's, always aware there was something stuck in my ear so I've gone back to the foam, like you get with EBS amps. Problem is they cut out the highs, so you dont really know how load you are cos you cant hear the monitors properly. Recently I have resorted to just using one drum side, but that is not a long term solution. If the moulded plugs are £150 then you will have lots of £150's throughout your life. You only have one pair of ears. KingTut Jul 13 2006, 09:52 AM Post #65 I think smaller venues are worse for getting deafened - cos you're closer to the drummer. I always wear an earplug in my ear that is closest to the drummer - being a train driver - if I go deaf - I lose my job! Wearing an ear plug also helps me pitch when I'm singing. Col LukeWard2004 Jul 13 2006, 10:23 AM Post #66 THis is another very good point - i find that when i am "plugged up" with the ER20's, i can hear myself sing, regardless of the FOH sound or whatever is coming through the monitors. The number of times i have not been able to hear myself sing because of sh*te PA/Soundmen is unreal - with the plugs in i can hear myself and stay in tune. Whether or not the Soundman gets the levels right after that is another matter entirely :roll: dood Jul 13 2006, 06:31 PM Post #67 Yeh! totally! I need no vocal monitoring at all now! I chosse which value filter I need to hear my voice over the music in my head.. The other day an old band member mate of mine commented that my backing vocals are so much better and was surprised to see I had no monitors, so, yes.. it does work. MacDaddy Jul 13 2006, 09:04 PM Post #68 a good way to deal with tinnitus is to listen to it. Probably best when you are lying down. Don't ignore it, concentrate on it. Over time your brain can sort of filter out the worst bits. I tried to tune mine. Each time it occured, I'd play an A and try get it to match. Hasn't worked yet, which is a shame, coz I'd quite fancy having relative pitch. Of course the best way to deal with it, is never to get it :!: If you have to shout to be heard by someone 2 metres away, it's too loud for your ears - wether it feels like it or not! Merton Jul 13 2006, 09:30 PM Post #69 I have custom moulded plugs, with 15dB attenuation. They're supposedly flat frequency response and to be honest I can't notice any spefic frequency band disappearing more than others. I won't practice or gig without them, or even go watch another gig. A few weeks back when England played Ecuador, my mates asked for the TV to be turned up loads because one had had tinnitus for a week and the other just felt it was too quiet. Both have/had the custom earplugs, tinnitus boy just doesn't like them and deaf man has lost his... Anyhoo, I sat there all smug coz I'd been at all the loud places tinnitus boy had been to over the previous month and I was fine! dood Jul 13 2006, 09:54 PM Post #70 Hey merton, mine are the custom moulded types too, but found that the 15dB types were a bit weak, especially with the guyzz in my band who know nothing below what feels like playing at 100dB!! SO I have moved on to the 25's and have settled with them now. I still have tinitus, but I think it's not getting worse, which is the main thing. Hey MacDaddy, that sounds like a cool idea! I *know* there is some definite 'notes' in the ringing I hear.. I think i'll work out what they are and see if I can tune my guitar too 'em!! I wonder if they stay the same pitch all the time? I'll let you know after the weekend!! I may never need a tuner again.. ;o) lol lol lol nedsbeds Jul 13 2006, 10:10 PM Post #71 lol well i'd rather get perfect pitch the way i got it (through years of being a chorister and viola player) rather than tinitus! hmmm i really need another party trick other than being able to sing an A! Merton Jul 13 2006, 10:24 PM Post #72 QUOTE(dood) Hey merton, mine are the custom moulded types too, but found that the 15dB types were a bit weak, especially with the guyzz in my band who know nothing below what feels like playing at 100dB!! SO I have moved on to the 25's and have settled with them now. I still have tinitus, but I think it's not getting worse, which is the main thing. Hey Dood, yeah my mate has the 25dB ones but thought they were too much. At the moment I'm happy with the 15s coz my function band doesn't play too loud (unless I drag my full rig along...) but I guess I can change the filters if I need to. Any idea how much a set of just the filters are? thumbo Jul 13 2006, 11:36 PM Post #73 Dood, where did you get your custom molded ear plugs from? ER20 users, how long do you use a pair for before you replace them? I've got a couple of pairs, one on my keys and one in my gig bag. It seems like they lose their shape after a while (about 6 months of using them at least twice a week) and dont work quite so well, does anyone else find this? Also, do anyone elses ER20's get really grimey? If so, shall we post pics? Lets see who's got the most minging ear plugs. dood Jul 14 2006, 10:59 AM Post #74 I ended up just doing a search on t'interweb for etymotic Research and Elacin and 'Heros' Which are infact all the same company, then refined my search for companies making ear plugs in my area. Mine ended up coming from a local company, working out of a BUPA hospital, called Adcom Services. I wrote a long piece in anothe thread ages ago about these ear plugs and I cant write it all out again.. but, basically, any Audiologist can help as they must make ear moulds for all sorts of professions, e.g hearing aids. replacement filters are usually around 70 quid inc vat and delivery. If you get the Etymotic research / Elacin made moulds, you can buy earphones from them that plug right into the moulds, thus making in ear monitors. I have found them (pro models) on ebay for about 70 quid. Now, I reckon thats the cheapest way to have ear protection and in ear monitors!! fluter Jul 14 2006, 03:59 PM Post #75 Just received my er20s, one pair for me and one for my son the drummer. What a difference! Thanks for everyone who contributed to this thread, I've been dragging my heels far too long. funky_bass_guy Jul 31 2006, 12:34 AM Post #76 QUOTE ER20 users, how long do you use a pair for before you replace them? I've got a couple of pairs, one on my keys and one in my gig bag. It seems like they lose their shape after a while (about 6 months of using them at least twice a week) and dont work quite so well, does anyone else find this? Also, do anyone elses ER20's get really grimey? If so, shall we post pics? Lets see who's got the most minging ear plugs. Yeah I was wondering about when to replace them, I find they pop out a bit more easily now I have had them for about a year? I mean to buy another pair, infact I will do that this week. Then I can keep the spare pair on my key ring. Its a great idea, you dont want to be caught without them. Its not yet happened to me but I am sure it will do sometime. Yes they do get quite grimey.. they have gone a slightly off white colour (some call it yellow) but I clean them after every use with hot water which removes any wax or other rubbish. The odd person remarks about the colour of them sometime but I point out that if they were to put them in they would probably come out covered in wax as they dont use them regularly. LukeWard2004 Jul 31 2006, 09:51 AM Post #77 I clean my ER20's with hot soapy water after each gig, and have found that if you soak them in hot water BEFORE a gig, they are nice and soft when you put them in and as they dry, they expand around your ear canal and sit nice and snug, with no sound problems. Best £10 ive ever spent anyway! reka Jul 31 2006, 09:05 PM Post #78 hmm, i might try the hot soapy water approach... usually i find that my er-20s feel like they're slicing into my ear canal as they're sitting there, whereas foam earplugs feel snuggly buggly wuggly. maybe i just have delicate ears. WonkyEwok Aug 24 2006, 04:06 PM Post #79 You can test your hearing on-line at [url="http://www.digital-recordings.com/hearing-.../ht_help_p.html"]http://www.digital-recordings.com/hearing-.../ht_help_p.html[/url] It's superb I reckon. Although most of the folks at the cakewalk forum can hear higher pitch than me, and they're 82 and used to launch F4 phantoms wearing a tin-can... it's really nice to find out what I can actually hear. [url="http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=836107"]http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=836107[/url] my response is Parsley on page 2 paulstanney Aug 28 2006, 11:39 AM Post #80 Just a word of warning for all. If you think there is anything wrong with your hearing get down the doctors ASAP. I had a muffuled type hearing sensation in one ear that would come and go occassionly so I ignored it as it never lasted more than a day when my hearing would return to normal. I've now just got out of hospital following surgery for a perforated ear drum and yes it can be put down to years of abuse at pratice sessions and live gigs. If all goes well I should not have any long term problems with the exception of slight hearing loss in one ear.

it said that yesterday, and i clicked the link yesterday so it should show at least 1 visit from then

doesn't appear to be logging visits

ok i was going to add some more off the old site but i think thats probably enough and any other info can be added as new. And it's a hell of a big singal post to trawl through. Mods if you would like the rest on here i'll do it just don't want to overload the post. just to add to this although it's not musically related it is still to do with ears, i got a perferated eardrum years back in my surfing days (got hit in the side of the head buy the peak of a wave, like being hit with a brick only its abrick that gets in your ears too) and man the pain from that was awful, lost all my balance as your ears control that too and had real bad pains for about 4 days. Definately don't want that again.