skej21

[b][font=arial, sans-serif][u]Product overview/description[/u][/font][/b] [font=arial, sans-serif]The Havalina Fuzz (which translates in English as 'Javelin') introduces yet another innuendo to the array already emblazoned across the pedals in the Way Huge catalogue. First released only in the[/font][font=arial, sans-serif] US market at NAMM 2014, the Way Huge Havalina Fuzz was later released into the UK market and promised a vintage-inspired germanium fuzz to sit alongside the beloved Way Huge Swollen Pickle. [/font][font=arial, sans-serif]As the Swollen Pickle has proven to be so popular amongst the bass community, I've decided to demonstrate and review its germanium counterpart to show its capabilities! Here is the official blurb direct from Way Huge about the pedal;[/font] [size=4][font=arial, sans-serif][i]"The Havalina Germanium Fuzz from Way Huge Electronics is a germanium-powered fuzz box inspired by a vintage 3-transistor design that became the psychedelic shot-heard-round-the-world for guitar players, ushering in the new sound of rock. Designed around hand-selected Russian germanium transistors and a passive tone circuit, this peccary of a pedal can go from a soft, mellow crunch for meaty chords to a maelstrom of sonic fur that will make every note feel like a summer of love. Prepare to have your mind bent when you ride the Havalina!"[/i][/font] [/size] [font=arial, sans-serif]My demo video of the pedal features both a Fender Geddy Lee Signature Jazz Bass and a Fender Nate Mendel Signature Precision Bass to give a better idea of how the pedal sounds with different pickup and tone control combinations.[/font] http://youtu.be/FzyE3dqj0AM [u][b][font=arial, sans-serif]Sound[/font][/b][/u] [size=4]The analogue, vintage-inspired design really shines through in the sound of this pedal. Ranging from dark and muddy to glassy and aggressive, the Russian germanium transistors allow for a truly characterful fuzz tone. There are only three controls to the pedal; 'Tone', 'Volume' and 'Fuzz', which means that the control of the final signal is not as comprehensive as the Swollen Pickle (as the Havalina Fuzz does not feature any internal modifications). However, I did find that altering the 'Tone' and 'Fuzz' controls immediately offer distinct changes in character and this is manipulated further when changing pickups/tone controls on the bass itself. Whilst using exactly the same setting on the pedal, the difference in sound and character between a jazz bass using just the bridge pickup and a precision bass with no tone is very evident and both offer a quality fuzz sound.[/size] [size=4][i][b][font=arial, sans-serif]8/10[/font][/b][/i][/size] [size=4][u][font=arial, sans-serif][b]Durability/Construction[/b][/font][/u] Bombproof! It's a simple as that. A tough metal casing with large, flat-profiled control knobs, well-recessed jack sockets and a sturdy stomp button to engage the pedal, its difficult to see how this pedal may get damaged in normal gigging conditions. The stage-ready LED is bright and clear to view in any light but may need covering up if you find this sort of thing offensive. Additionally, the 9v input is easily accessible and sensibly placed between the jacks at the top of the pedal (unlike some companies who insist on placing at the side, next to the jack inputs which then make it a nightmare if you're using right-angled jacks!) and if you prefer the idea of using batteries, the battery compartment is placed helpfully on the bottom of the pedal. The biggest advantage of this appears to be that you can change the battery without having to remove the pedal from your pedalboard. A well-designed and robust pedal with the end-user/use clearly at the heart of its conception. [b][i][font=arial, sans-serif]9.5/10[/font][/i][/b][/size] [size=4][u][b][font=arial, sans-serif]Overall[/font][/b][/u] [font=arial, sans-serif]I am really quite impressed with this pedal. A more immediate offering of tonal shaping (and no need to have the back off like a Swollen Pickle!), great quality fuzz sounds, excellent 'boutique' aesthetics and bomb-proof makes this a great addition to any pedalboard. Additionally (at only £99) it comes in under the price of nearly ALL of the alternatives (MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe, Way Huge Swollen Pickle etc) and offers a similar level of control and tones.[/font] [i][b][font=arial, sans-serif]9/10[/font][/b][/i][/size]

Someone once described compression like this to me and it's how I always think of it. I'm sure someone can tell me if its right or not! You make a sandwich with all the fillings, and then make another sandwich with all the fillings. You put the first one in your sandwich box but they won't both fit in together, so you put your hand on top of them both and squash (compress) them down so that they both fit into the box, without having to remove anything from each sandwich. In compression, you squash each track's highest and lowest points so that the ratios in between are reduced. Therefore the relative distance between the highest and lowest note and highest and lowest dynamic peaks (attack, volume etc) stay the same but are plotted within a smaller space, allowing room for other tracks to sit alongside with less intrusion? I'm still not sure if this is entirely correct or not but it's how I always think about it! Happy to be told otherwise :-)

[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1426025684' post='2713662'] Did you keep the greasebucket with the aggie pickup? [/quote] The Nate Mendel doesn't have a greasebucket, it has a Quarter pounder, which I have kept in addition to the AG4-P60 and switch between the two.

I have the AG4-P60 that sometimes lives in my Nate Mendel (although not at the minute as I switched it out for the quarter pounder for a fuzz pedal demo video). It's a great pickup and worth every penny. Like Andy said, really open and not brash at all. Has loads of vintage character and as someone who thinks that the pickups in Am Specials lack character (like the OP), I think you'd really like the Aguilar pickup. If you buy it and don't like it, it'll be gone in NO time if you put it up for sale on here!

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1425904741' post='2711962'] And one of me, courtesy of Shelley Incidentally, the guys behind me were creating bass guitars and double basses from scratch and I'll be showing step-by-step photos of the awesome process in my blog. [/quote] Looks like the guy behind you is scratching something else lol!

I luckily had access to any precision from the Fender catalogue (and tried a model from every single range) through work and went for the Nate Mendel. Here's my reasoning. Mexican Standards are ok but lack any distinct character for me, classic series are nice and have that character that the mex standard was missing but I really liked the lacquer (nitro) models over the gloss urethane and the colour options were poor so I looked past that, the pickups in the US special are (IMO) a bit average for the price and again they don't offer many decent colour options/fingerboard options unless you hang on for FSR runs (which tend to be more expensive and less readily available) and finally, im personally not a fan of active Precisions so I had overlooked them when making my decision. The Nate Mendel had the nitro finish that I liked from the classic series model, a nice finish option, a slightly thinner nut width (which I preferred as I usually play a jazz!), a rosewood 'board and the weight of the bass was very light. The ash body also helped to give a good resonance unplugged, which I think is helped by the high mass bridge (although I got an earlier model with the Leo Quan Bad Ass II which has since been replaced). The rolled fingerboard edges, lightness, resonance and slim neck all made the bass feel very comfortable and once I popped the Aguilar AG4-P60 in, it was just perfect for me. The Quarter Pounder gave the bass real character plugged in but that character isn't always in keeping with the stuff I play. I pop it back in every so often when I need to but it sounds great with the aguilar too. Superb value for the price IMO. Hope this helps and good luck. You can't really go wrong with any of those models. Just try them out and take the one that feels right!

[quote name='njr911' timestamp='1425750178' post='2710370'] I want a second hand one if possible [/quote] You'll be lucky I think. By the sounds of it, everyone who bought one loved it!! :-)

Ibanez SR505/605 should be available for less than £400 second hand and worth every penny!

I love my NM. The neck is great and like Andy, I preferred mine with the Aguilar AG4P60 to the stock quarter pounder but currently have that back in for a rock project. The nitro finish, thinner nut width and lightness (and the price!) really sold it for me over the competition (classic series, classic lacquer, road worn etc). It's a little bit different and the signature is discreet so it's easy to change it cosmetically and put your own stamp on it too :-)

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1425507528' post='2708121'] Evidently not! If he didn't give you a solid guarantee to buy it, and you hadn't confirmed that you would hold it for him, then it's a non issue. First come first served! [/quote] This is a genuine question, not playing devils advocate. Is 'first come first served' just a way of buyers claiming stuff or is there an actual marketplace rule I've missed? I've always thought that (when buying on basschat) the PM to the seller is just to register my intent to buy and its up to them if they want to sell it to me. I'd totally understand if they went for someone local (making the transaction quicker and easier for the buyer) who contacted them after me if it was an easier sell for them or they got offered more money etc, providing they were fair and informed me and/or gave me the chance to increase my offer/cover postage/make my offer as appealing to the seller as another buyer's offer.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1425508247' post='2708139'] Yes, this is great! Let's call it 'The Silly Bollocks Rule'. [/quote] Works for me! Or maybe the 'Only-on-basschat-are-we-daft-enough-to-need-this Rule'

Surely the easiest solution would be to include a *will sell to quickest payer* in a 'for sale' thread if you're picky about buyers taking too long to organise payment. That way, you know that the seller will sell to the first person that organises themselves and pays up quickest. That would stop people from feeling like they have a right to an item because they sent a message first. It might offend a small few but, it's ultimately up to the seller who has paid the marketplace fees to decide who they sell too but the transparency would help everyone. That would then let the buyer know what they're dealing with and visa-versa. *i should be clear that I think the OP was a bit unreasonable to try and shame someone because they took longer than a couple of hours to sort out payment when they had no way of knowing the OP was wanting fast payment*

Decided to make a quick vid of some Latin grooves that I had noted down in my little composition book... That resulted in me sightreading one of them and therefore my 'I look like I don't want to be here' concentrating/bass face came out! Its embarrassing that I look so disinterested when I'm really REALLY enjoying myself lol. http://youtu.be/KLaQ8DEsZAQ

Dunlop Jazz III XL and .96 prime tone picks for me (on the rare occasion I use them!)

[quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1425133944' post='2704330'] and new strings. I know that a few of you guys have had her, and that she's been around a bit but she's going strong and I think looking good with her new plate [url="http://peterb4407.smugmug.com/Other/SmugShots/20297576_MJZnTm#!i=3903095375&k=qfTCzZn&lb=1&s=A"][/url] [/quote] Sorry, could you turn that colour scheme down so I can hear what you're saying?! Just kidding. I really like it! :-)

I would help if I could... but mine also has a J nut width.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1412672839' post='2570851'] Just a point for consideration for all those who are learning to read. The skill begins with understanding the notes and note values so learning where C is on a bass clef, adding in the accidentals and then learning the difference between a crotchet and a quaver etc. Next comes reading rhythms. Remember to learn to read where notes END was well as where they start as this can make the difference between nearly and not quite. But the REAL skill, after you have the nuts and bolts down, is learning to CONCENTRATE!! When you nail a chart once, it gives you a real buzz. You put it down, jump around the room a bit, go get a coffee and a fag or whatever and then you come back and try again and it falls apartat bar fice and you get all despondant. My advice is don't beat your self up!! Learning to read is an incremental thing and it takes time to learn to get 'into the zone' so you can focus your energy on reading whilst listening to other musicians around you, finding your place when you have got lost, reading the geography of the chart etc etc. It's all about concentration and focus which takes as much time to develop as learning the difference between a C and an E does. Hope that's helpful. [/quote] Interesting. When I was learning I started with rhythms first (using only one pitch) and then added the other pitches later. My tutor thought it was more important to be able to spot a rhythm and read it fluently like you would read a word (we don't go C-A-T like we do when we were younger, as adults we just recognise it as 'cat' and move on to the next word). Once I had rhythms nailed, he used to just get random bits of music and make me play through it until I made a mistake. The concentration I required at this point was working out the pitches as the rhythms were almost second nature and were no longer part of the equation (unless a really obscure rhythm popped up). Once I made a mistake in the piece he had opened the page at, he would turn to another piece. I'd play through until I made a mistake and he'd switch the piece again. This meant that I never had the chance to learn/memorise what I was playing, I was purely developing my reading ability. I also began to see his thinking, as spotting the intervals in the music when playing is a lot easier than spotting a bar of rhythm and knowing how to play it evenly/accurately (IMO). Took a couple of months of practice but I picked up a few reading gigs quite quickly as a result and have never looked back. It's interesting how people approach learning to read!

Can't believe nobody has mentioned 'Isn't She Lovely' yet!! You could pick a full set of Stevie B side songs that nobody would recognise and it'd still be a killing set! Just pick the ones that'll get people up dancing :-)

I did a nut replacement on one of my basses and it's not that difficult. Took about 2 hours all in (shaping, matching the radius and filing and glue setting). You will need nut files, string spacing ruler/reference, the material for the nut, decent adhesive (I used titebond), some masking tape and some varying sand paper. Process is really simple and there are some excellent walk through videos on stew mac. It's a great feeling of accomplishment when you fix up your own gear but if you're not comfortable then maybe a luthier is a good idea. Good luck either way! :-)

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1424538537' post='2697487'] And seriously, spelling errors, you guys got nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon than spellcheck a band add for a bunch of kids? [/quote] Seriously, you got nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon than pass comment on people who post about the poor grammar of a bunch of kids who can't even be bothered to construct a half-decent band member advertisement? ;-)

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1424536946' post='2697460'] I can see what the person who wrote the ad is getting at. Aside from the grammar issues and the possible over use of the ellipses, this seems like a sensible way to find someone who really loves the music rather than a jobbing musician who may lack drive and enthusiasm. When I joined my first band, I could barely tune my bass, but I was a huge fan of the genre and got on really well with the guys in the band. That meant that I worked really hard to improve and my learning curve was massive and by the time that band folded, I was a semi-decent player. A few bands have formed in this rather ad hoc way - UB40 being a prime example. Who would you rather have in your band - the bored, uncommitted but competent guy or the devoted, driven beginner? [/quote] A jobbing musician who lacks drive and enthusiasm? Never heard of one of them! All the jobbing musicians I've ever played with have had a lot of drive. I suppose you have to have it if the gig is what is putting food on your table.

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1424524188' post='2697289'] here is it as is... "Hi we're a 4 piece Band playing all our own songs, lots of gig experience etc... Looking for someone who can play bass to complete the lineup... Don't necessarily need to be a bass player first and for most, it's more a case of being into the genre... Similar to brmc, the verve, jake bugg, stone roses, Oasis, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Ben Howard and loads of 60s and 90s influences... If it seems like you're thing get in touch, we rehearse once a week, for gigs in the future" That's right, kids, you don't even have to be a bass player, just into the music. What a fantastic opportunity for someone. I might apply, it'll save me lugging all my kit around. [/quote] I couldn't even read it. It's far too poorly written! Also, what's up with all the... When did people start using three full stops to end a sentence?

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1424423506' post='2696086'] The real problem is usually with player or instrument. [/quote] If Id only played one precision through one Ashdown AAA combo Id accept that but unfortunately I've tried about 30 basses through most of the AAA range (Overwater, most of the Fender range - Chinese, Mex and US/US Dlx, Gibson's, Ibanez etc) and based my opinion on that. I think a comprehensive range of basses played by two (myself and my old bass tutor) experienced players is enough experience to be allowed to form an opinion. I never stated that I thought people were a problem who liked Ashdown. I just stated that my experience agreed with that of a previous poster who thought they were a bit average sounding (and even then I disagree with that outside of the AAA range. I think the MAG, ABM and custom shop stuff sounds good for certain types of playing!). If people want to listen to that or ignore that, I don't mind and I would never dream of belittling them as a player or their instrument choice if their experiences helped them to form an opinion that differed from my own. Horses for courses.

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1424420713' post='2696054'] I foolishly started this thread [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/255914-noel-on-kaiser-chiefs/page__st__30"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/255914-noel-on-kaiser-chiefs/page__st__30[/url] which seems to have become something I didn't intend What I should have asked is are there any bands you really can't get on with but wish you could because the bass lines are awesome. So its basically a bass player love in not a slag off the band thread! I started the other thread with Kaiser Cheifs another example would be Maroon 5. [/quote] Easy one... Haim!

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1424424269' post='2696095'] I used MAG and also ABM stuff straight from the local shop, It was all fine. [/quote] The MAG stuff is the (relatively, within the range) expensive stuff too! That's my point. They do some really cheap AAA and Tour Bus amps that sound really average and that's probably why reviews are so mixed about Ashdown. I really like the MAG, Little Bastard and ABM stuff, just think the cheaper stuff is poor, especially alongside Fender Rumble combos at a similar price.