mrtcat

On 03/08/2019 at 14:03, mcnach said:

 

Indeed, and then it seems crazy how loud things are.

I had some interference issues in my in ear monitors last night and had to take one out mid song until I had a chance to switch channel at the end of that song. We don't have any backline at all so only drums making noise on stage. It was absolutely astonishing how loud it was. I can't even imagine playing with full backline and no hearing protection these days. 

2 hours ago, Pirellithecat said:

The only answer for all concerned would be to play more quietly and sort out a PA!

Now you're talking like a pro.

1 hour ago, paul_c2 said:

Phantom power should not cause shocks in a microphone - even if it doesn't itself need the power. Sounds like some other issue, eg raised/poor earth as above.

Maybe but switching off phantom power certainly resolved the issue. 

Had an issue with shocks depping last year. Turns out they had one of those old desks where phantom power was either on every channel or no channel. They were using it to power overheads so was coming to my mic too. As soon as they turned it off the shocks stopped. Worth checking there's not anything sending 48v up your channel. 

If I wasn't gigging I'd probably barely play. I currently play around 100 weddings / functions a year (I refuse to play pubs - not my thing at all) and when one is finished, I'm already looking forward to the next. I'm fortunate enough to have a really enjoyable day job that allows me flexibility to gig lots and a hobby that I adore which also pays well. Yeah there are moments when people get a bit annoying but that goes with the territory in any job. 

14 hours ago, Pirellithecat said:

No, No, and Yes!  Indeed, I was the  taken the fosters out of all evening for suggesting that 40W might be too loud! 

 

They sound like total idiots. I'd be off on a heartbeat to find some grown ups to work with.

I really really don't get this "we need more volume" mentality. THAT'S WHAT THE PA SYSTEM IS FOR!!!!!!! As long as a guitar amp sounds like a guitar amp, the bass amp sounds like a bass amp, the drums sound like drums and you can either mic or DI the relevant parts then the PA can make it all sound huge and the control is in the hands of the person mixing the FOH sound. If you don't do it this way you'll almost always just sound like a mess and people won't want to hear you play. 

I've got two FR800 and an LF1400 (essentially 2 powered BB2 and 1 powered Dubster 2) to all intents and purposes that's just like having a PA system just for bass. I only ever use them together as PA for the whole band. That much bass on stage would be a pain. Even if I was playing reggae I'd want to leave that sort of low end to the foh system. 

1 hour ago, paul_c2 said:

I've never quite understood the "louder, louder, louder" philosophy. I'd have thought nowadays, in 2019, the availability and technology of decent PA equipment means that a band can get a really great sound (which in a concert situation will be their "on stage" sound, to an extent, although there would be additional monitoring for singer(s)) AND simultaneously not need to reach high sound pressure levels, which are basically unhealthy and your ears can't hear to the same quality at that volume anyway. So, wearing ear protection is a must - but then why haul around a large/expensive/heavy amp and need ear protection, when it could be smaller/cheaper/lighter?

Indeed, there was a thread about IEM/going ampless recently if I recall.

Is it something the drummer's doing with their technique or equipment which is driving the volume up and up? Or simple stupidity from the guitarist(s) with old school valve amps and not many brain cells, meaning there is a volume war?

Exactly this. Using backline to generate high volume levels is such an outdated way of thinking. Guitarists are by and large pretty rubbish at moving with the times. We don't have any amps on stage at all and our foh sound is huge, full, balanced and comfortable to listen to. 

PA and monitoring are the future. Huge loud amps are just a sign of not moving with the times.

Backline is for monitoring. Put your bass into the pa if volume is an issue. If your pa isn't up to it then that's where I'd be looking to invest. 

Now sold pending payment.

Sorry, only just saw your post. It's 61cm wide.

I picked this up on this very forum earlier this year. Its a total beast and everything you'd expect from a 300w valve amp. I'm now 100% a helix player so no need for me to keep this.

All works perfectly and I've only added a couple of hours of playing on the valves since I bought it. I am now including a brand new Ashdown footswitch.

The info from the original post:

After speaking to Dan and Mark at Ashdown, here we have one of the early prototype BTA200's - so much so, that it's actually a 300w amp! They reckon that they only made and shipped around 20 amps labelled as BTA200s. It has 6x6550s just like an SVT, all are pretty much brand new, having recently been re-tubed and having fewer than 30 hours' use. Super versatile, incredibly punchy, and as gnarly as you want - if you want! 

Collection only but I gig all over the uk so may be able to meet somewhere local to you. You're very welcome to give it a full volume test here at my home studio.

I'd consider trades for a decent power amp (Crest CA9, Carvin, Crown, QSC etc) but nothing class D please.

I'm possibly on my own a bit here but neither would have got the job for me. Forget B. Waste of time. A sounds like a really nice guy but if it's a side project then you have a bit more time to find someone who can be the best of both A & B. The two members of a band that have to be absolutely right are singers and drummers. A singer is the face of the band so he or she needs to be excellent and confident but they also need to be a team member and someone you want to work with. 

On 14/06/2019 at 08:56, RichardH said:

Tuffcab - goes on with a mini paint roller. Blue Aran sell rollers too - depending on the roller you can get different finishes.

Really quick and easy to do, and you will end up with a good finish that can easily be touched up if it gets dinged. 1kg of paint will easily do that cab.

+1 for tuffcab. Doesn't require any priming and is very easy to apply. It's what Barefaced use and there's a huge range of colour options. 

3 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

I've never seen a Telecaster that I actually liked.

Its a Jim Root so it sounds a bit fatter than your average tele.

18 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

They do make them in the classic guise. 

While I have little intention of ever owning a Stingray, I do like what MM are trying to do with finishes...the Stealth one (all black) looked beautiful and, on the subject of MM, the St Vincent in Stealth Black is specfeckingtacular.

One of my guitarists and me couldn't agree more. Just need to convince our singer lol 

10 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

If it were me, the rosewood one, BUT man alive, that is a huge slab of pickguard.  It actually detracts from the niceness of the sunburst.

My only gripe with SR5s. The pickguard isn't to my taste at all. Stingrays are still my favourite bass though and I'll absolutely never be without one.

I have had both maple and rosewood necks and personally preferred the rosewood but it's so subjective that only you can tell which will suit you best.

1 hour ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

I'm not sure that's a very fair comparison?! 

Agree with this. Any gig where you go without backline is dependent on decent monitoring. If there's no monitoring then it's not the right gig to ditch backline. By all means have your backline in the van / car if you're going to an unknown venue / pa setup but you shouldn't write off the idea of working without an amp based on that one gig. 

Love this. Those roasted necks look awesome. 

18 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Nah, they are easy to get if you are very well off.. or I guess St Vincent - she seems to have a few spare.

Would certainly like one if they turned up cheap!

There's a sterling version out now for about £800 rrp 

6 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Those St Vincent’s are absolute corking guitars, and musicman guitar necks are some of the best around, I quite like the looks as well.

Sounds like that chap could do with the Fractal FM3

Only a matter of time I'm sure. Totally agree about the St Vincent.

9 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Jamie was only posting yesterday on facebook how he cant get any decent sounds out of it! :0 Is he a Kemper tart at heart? Mind you, I think he's one of those gear obsessives that will never find nirvana! I see he's sporting a St Vincent Musicman at the moment too! (I always wondered who would buy them when they were released - quirky looking things!)

This is his second helix. I think he really likes the idea of it but got on so well with his kemper that he struggles with anything different. He loves how easy it is to put patches in order on tye helix for every gig. He's an absolute nightmare with gear though. I've never known anyone turn over so much stuff. He had two St Vincents until the start of May. He traded a black stealth one for a Tom Anderson but now he's traded that for a USA custom schecter and I reckon that'll be gone soon because he doesn't like the single coil pickups. The St Vincent suits him tho cos it was designed for a girls body and to be fair it sounds great. I'm a massive Musicman fan tho so am pretty biased. 

Been gigging with a helix and IEM's for 2 years now. I love it for bass and, although I initially thought it was overkill, it has more than paid for itself. If i change basses mid set then I just hit the patch for that bass. I can change rig completely with the touch of a footswitch. The routing options are the best bit for me with the ability to split signals and run them in parallel applying effects only where needed. I use far more mild overdrive now by splitting at 800hz and only adding grit to the higher frequency. Makes for such a great fat but detailed sound out front. Myself and both guitarists are all on helix now (yes EBS_freak even Jamie the gear tart has come around now). Worth every penny imo. 

1 hour ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

I've got an Orchid DI box (on ebs_freaks' recommendation), that's it, nothing else, bass into di, di into mixer, mixer to FOH and in ears. Awesome! 

I have a helix where you have a di. Essentially the same thing tho and love the simplicity. 

Another very happy UE6 user here. The other guys in my band all use universals and you'll regularly see them with one in and one out. I use a decent wireless system and have never once felt the urge to remove a monitor mid gig. I had UE900s to start with but custom moulds are a massive step up. I also would recommend using the custom iem company. Paul will make sure everything is just right for you.