mcnach

[quote name='zbd1960' timestamp='1462966479' post='3047325'] Sounds to me like there is lack of clarity in the Ts&Cs... Can't tell from here what the scenario is: was set-up/take down fully included? Or, is the fee set at a level with an expectation of some set-up/take down support? From my limited experience, decent sound guys are not two a penny. If you think you are being taken advantage of (i.e. the implicit assumption is he's making more money by not having to pay a helper) then your only solution is to obtain quotes from other providers and be very clear about what you expect. Alternatively, he is reasonably priced with an expectation of some support in setting-up/taking down. A sound engineer is having to either buy or hire equipment, have transport, carry insurance etc so a decent job will not be cut-price. [/quote] this sums it up perfectly.

[quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1462901123' post='3046842'] Blow him out.... It's outrageous that he expects you to lift a finger. You pay for him for his services, his PA and his expertise. Unless his contract states you will be roadies for him, sit back and let him get on with it. He will let you do it all day long and think you are the best thing since sliced bread, untill you drop something, or cause an injury to yourself or someone around you....then your on your own... I think this bloke is another one thinks that he is doing the band a favour, and you can't do without him.. [/quote] +1 would he wait around after he's ready to go, to help the drummer with his kit, and the various bits of equipment? Doubtful.

[quote name='Chrismanbass' timestamp='1462883439' post='3046578'] If you couldn't lift your bass amp into the car would you ask the sound man for help? how would you react if he said no because it was your gear and its "what you are getting paid for" [/quote] I don't think it's so much the helping, but the expectation that they will help *AND* stay longer than they have to to help him. Now, if this is a hired guy... it's up to him to define his fee and the level of service he provides, and if he needs help he should state so before being hired. Perhaps he should think of bringing help... but why share the fee if he can get help for free? So it depends. If he's pricing himself cheaper to help the band then the band helping him is not unreasonable... provided it's stated that way before hiring. If he's not doing the band any favours and just running a business... hey, if he needs help that's his problem, no the band's. It's like hiring catering for a party and find the chef expects the customers to act as waiters too.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1462980915' post='3047537'] How do these compare to fender flats, which are fairly bright Imo (for flats) and cover a lot of ground. [/quote] I used those before, they were my favourite ones, for flats. The Cobalts are a lot brighter, no doubt, and a bit more midrange I'd say too, but still balanced. I think I could probably tame the sound of the cobalts to sound just like the Fender ones, but not viceversa. They also feel a bit more bouncy to the touch.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1462981576' post='3047552'] I've just acquired a Markbass CMD 121P and like it a lot. For my main band, who are pretty quiet, it is fine on its own. Gain and volume both around 12 o'clock so room to spare, even. [/quote] with an additional speaker, yes, it'll get louder... on its own, it really does not get substantially louder once to reach the noon position on the master volume, maybe 1 o'clock max... so there isn't really much more room left, I'm afraid. It's a great amp but it has its limitations.

[quote name='joey1234' timestamp='1462979348' post='3047513'] I thought the slap bass was a re-hash of give it away, it sounds it to me anyway. [/quote] 'Give it away'? I don't really hear that, at all. It does remind me a bit of 'Can't stop'... It's growing on me 'though. Once I stop thinking of it as a RHCP track, I actually like it. I guess I have to accept that the old RHCP is no more.

[quote name='MrDaveTheBass' timestamp='1462975943' post='3047468'] They do sound different from rounds, but the tone is very useable and can be shaped easily with a bit of EQ. With the EQ flat, I've lost a little bit of the roundwound growl from my MM Sterling, but it can be dialed back in by boosting the treble a little. [/quote] That's exactly what I felt too. I generally like my rounds after they've been played in a bit and lose the initial extra brightness... so these sounded great to me from the beginning.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1462977568' post='3047486'] I miss Frusciante. Perfect backing vocals and super melodic and tasteful solos are his forte. [/quote] I can't agree more!

[quote name='tuck1s' timestamp='1462732676' post='3045292'] I've been playing an Ibanez EDB700 4-string (active) for around 5 years now, it's my only bass. My skill level is probably lower-intermediate, I can manage most rock and pop covers after enough practice. Currently I'm playing in a covers band with more of a pop and semi-acoustic focus. Partly because we need to be able to mix for gigs with varying volume levels, I currently DI into our desk with no effects or EQ other than what the guitar and the desk provides. I get plenty of level going in to the desk (perhaps because it's an active bass). What I do notice, is the sound even on the E string has a thinness to it. I tend to play off the neck pickup almost 100%, and I tend to pluck nearer the neck in order to get more of the sound I'm trying to make. The bridge pickup, or going nearer the bridge, makes things sound more twangy. Maybe that's an Ibanez 'sound', or maybe it's because the signal is completely 'clean' without any coloration added by amp or cab. I always play with fingers, never got the hang of a plectrum (yet) and that would just produce more ping and top-end anyway I think. I used to play through an old Eden cab and Ashdown EVO amp with a valve pre that helped to give growl and thump when needed. Given that I quite like turning up to rehearsal with just my instrument and a cable - I quite like the DI approach. I had wondered about whether something like a Sansamp - or just using an amp's pre section with a DI out - would make some difference. Alternatively I've always quite liked the Fender type sound, and these look pretty nice: [url="https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/0195402751/electric-basses/fender-american-deluxe-dimension-bass-iv-in-root-beer"]https://new.anderton...iv-in-root-beer[/url] These seem to be a departure for Fender in that they are active (and 18v as well ... double the number of batteries to carry around as spares .. suppose can't have everything). if I revert to playing through amp and cab, I have a (modded/improved) Ashdown Little Giant and a Barefaced Super Twin, which is capable of great 'lows' but again is quite 'hifi' in its sound even without tweeters. Comments welcome ... [/quote] what strings do you use? (brand, model, gauge) I found a lot of joy switching to stainless steel strings. DR Fat Beams in particular.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1462920296' post='3047051'] Thats the problem. Even with the gain really low, hardly even moved above the off position, it still clips. [/quote] really? that's some hot bass you've got! Or you're boosting the signal a LOt. Or both. I typically had mine at around 12 o'clock to 2 o'clock, depending on the bass. There's so much talk about the preamps on those new SUB basses... I'd really consider replacing it. The Stinger from Retrovibe is probably a good solution. I'd prefer the John East, but it's about 3x more expensive (totally worth it, in my opinion, 'though). If you do that, you'll have no more trouble of that kind.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1462919444' post='3047042'] Took my Sterling SUB Ray to rehearsal tonight and I noticed that whenever I boosted the tone controls on the bass, the input gain blue light was constantly flashing with a nasty distorted digital sound. When they were moved back to the centre flat position it was not as bad. I never had this my passive Fender P. I suppose my Markbass is not active friendly. [/quote] Nothing like that. But the preamp in your bass is notoriously hot (lots of threads about it) and you're just pushing it further by boosting the lows. You may need to turn the gain input control down a bit, that's what it is for. A passive Precision cannot boost anything so it's fine regardless. I used that combo for years with various active basses, and it's a very capable combo. Just set the input gain appropriately for each bass: your SUB gives a very hot signal. A Stingray is a lot closer in signal output to a Precision... but even then you can still give a high output if you start boosting everything. Your bass is already very high output so... turn the input gain down. Just play some slap to give strong peaks, and set the input gain so that it barely lights up blue when you slap. Then it'll sound ok.

[quote name='PaulFenderJazz' timestamp='1462882537' post='3046561'] Hi, the age old problem of an ageing back means I need to look for a light amp/rig but I need to compete against a drummer and 2 enthusiastic guitars! I have a budget of around £600-750. I like the idea of the size and weight of the Markbass CMD121P but wouldn't be able to afford an extra cab: could an amp of this size hold its own playing punk, mod and rock? I also wondered about the Ashdown RM heads and associated cabs: does anyone have a view on these? Or alternative ideas? Thanks! [/quote] That combo alone... you'll be pushing it. I had one and it's great but it would be a bit short for what you want without another cab. I'd go separates: I particularly like the MarkBass LM3 (same head as in that combo) and a capable single speaker. I love the TKS S112, it sounds great, it's light and it'll sound bigger than the combo, but one will not be enough, probably, for what you want. However they're not very expensive and they're so light and compact that carrying two is not an issue. Otherwise, a Barefaced BigBaby2 or SuperCompact might be a good solution. Especially if you get a higher power head, as those cabs can take advantage of some extra power.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1462963972' post='3047288'] Hmm, I'd been thinking about trying these. My Sadowsky flatwounds are good in an old-school way, but I'll be doing some stuff this summer with a guitarist who likes to be loud, and a bit more brightness might not go amiss. Shame they cost a larger number of pounds than they do dollars! [/quote] I can't remember what I paid for them but I guess it couldn't have been much different from my usuals or I wouldn't have felt inclined to try them when I really don't have a *need*. I suspect they'll last a long time at this level of brightness, 'though... If you want to give the ATK a try, just let me know.

Do you like the feel of flatwound strings but you want the zing of roundwounds? Cobalt Flats! I bought them a few months ago to try them but stayed in my drawer until the weekend. I have just bought a nice Ibanez ATK300 which needed new strings... it had DR High Beams but they had lost a lot of their brightness and I like a bit of top end, especially as I get to slap a bit. The ATK300 has a Bassculture pickup that is more like a Stingray one than the original... but as I haven't heard this bass with the original I can't say how close it is to one. The preamp is very different though and it does not sound much like a Stingray, to me... but it sounds very good. The preamp is nice. The midrange is in the right spot to add a bit of 'nasality' to give extra presence to the bass, or to cut it and blend in more in the background. The bass is phat city, yet not boomy, and the treble is not shrill and allows you to tame extra clang... The cobalt flats seem a bit lower tension than I'd expect for the gauge, which is not bad. They have a nice bounce in them. They feel smooth, as you'd imagine. But the sound is nothing like any other flatwound I've ever tried. I've often tried half-rounds etc to compromise... nah. I never liked any of those. These ones sound like rounds after they've been on a bit on the bass, and retain a LOT of treble. Finger funk type basslines are a joy to play, and you can move quickly from low to high positions in the neck without sliding noises, so it sounds like your technique is a lot better than it is :-p I am really liking them. I still want to try this bass with my usual steel strings for comparison, but I already know these strings are *the* flats for me. If you want a more traditional flatwound sound, it's easy to roll off treble and a bit of the mids (it may be the bass, but I feel these strings have a prominent midrange output regardless)... I used the bass last night at rehearsal with my ska(ish) band and it fitted right in. There are a couple of songs where I have a bit of slap going on, and it sounded glorious.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1462878830' post='3046477'] I was not suggesting that the BF One10 would be moving at all. The DOD was making the cone move in truly alarming ways. [/quote] A high pass filter may be a good thing to use then. I use an SFX Thumpinator but there are others, some adjustable (mine is fixed). They work subtly most times, but when you really need them they're great to have. They generally reduce a LOT the amount of cone movement that you see, yet the sound you hear is unchanged, or sometimes I even feel it sounds a bit tighter and 'better;' (subjective, I know)... and no, you don't get a weaker low end. I noticed that I end up pushing my amp less when I have the HPF in the chain, without reducing volume.

Just played a bit with mine yesterday, simply going through the presets... uffff, soooo many possibilities! It sounds great, I'm going to have to spend some serious time on this, editing and figuring out what the different parameters do... really cool!

The Artec parametric pedal is pretty good for this. And cheap.

They do have a bit of bottom end, eh? I played at a largeish bar once with the 1126s, and there was a reggae band before us who would used our equipment. The amount of bass that box can pump out was remarkable.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1462529098' post='3043759'] Another thing is, given how loud an amp is at 500 watts, your ears will probably give out long before the cab. [/quote] Dunno. That cab isn't the most powerful... So I can see easily situations where you might be tempted to push it harder in order to get that little bit more oomph. The cab won't get a lot louder but you can stress it. As others say... just don't go crazy boosting huge lows, and listen to it. If it starts sounding like it's struggling, then back down. I have used a (putative) 900W amp into 2x S112 (500W together)... no problem at all. It has the ability of causing trouble, but if you're sensible it'll be ok.

... not missing the 1126 cabs. They were beautiful and sounded very sweet... but a pair of S112 is much more my kind of thing. I've been singing praises elsewhere about them. I ended up with 4 of them in fact! but I only need 2. For 'bigger guns'... a pair of BF BB2 are pretty cool. And they do fit in the boot of my car after all!

I don't, normally. But sometimes I want that sound that you get with a pick so... I'd use a pick. It's just another way to get other sounds. No better, no worse.

I like it but... kind of bland. Where's the grunt? I'd have chosen something more 'in your face' as the first single... so I don't have great expectations for the rest of the album, sadly