jazzyvee

Rob Williams guitars is another option for custom guitar builders. He's in Wales http://www.robwilliamsguitars.co.uk/Robwilliamsguitars/Welcome.html Jazzyvee

Yep I agree with classic combination. I've heard it at many festivals. Not tried it myself though. One day maybe. Jazzyvee

is there something specific about the wood in the spoiler that makes them so heavy? I've read a few comments on the Alembic forum that describes them as very heavy. I have 5 string alembics which others have described as heavy but I doubt if any are 11lbs. Maybe I should check.

Clarky, I can only imagine how painful letting a beloved Alembic go would be. Jazzyvee

I've played them with a blues band a few years back and for that type of sound it is fine. But my playing has been more around reggae rnb,funk and jazz so a cleaner sound suits my needs better and I tend to prefer a pedal to get dirty. Jazzyvee

I find I don't get a sound I like when I've been provided with Ashdown's as a bass backline. The last time I had to use their cabs at a gig it was a 4x10 and 1x 15 but used my own mesaboogie walkabout and that was better but not great. Trace elliot's sound great when I've heard other bassists playing them but again when I used one of their new combo's provided as back line for a gig it's own sound seemed to dominate and the tonal changes I was making from my bass did not come through as readily like my mesa powerhouse cabs. But then I did try loads of bass amp cab combinations before settling for the mesa boogie rig. jazzyvee

I have one of Rob's custom strat type guitars, in fact it was one reviewed in a UK Guitar Magazine. I bought it off a fellow guitarist friend who had it custom made by Rob as an endorsee. It looks fantastic However I've never got to grips with the sound of it. On paper it should be a fantastic guitar but it has some seymour duncan pickups in it which are too hot for my liking and makes the sound gritty at the volumes I normally play at and I found it difficult to get a warm mellow tone from it. The wood recipe is mahogany body with quilted maple top, neck is mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. With that recipe i would have expected a warmer sound. Rob did offer to wind some pickups for me with less agressive attack and a cleaner mellower tone but I've not been playing much guitar for a while so not taken him up on the offer. I'd be interested in what your in house pickups are like with a view to getting some done for my guitar. I did have a chat with one of his other endorsee's about it as I was planning to sell it and Rob contacted me to offer some advice. In actual fact I did take it back to Rob to get it refinished and the wiring checked and re-done as it was doing odd things and very noisy. jazzyvee

There is a communication barrier between the bass lines I hear in my head and my fingers.

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1348080471' post='1809072'] I think there's weight in the argument that if your basses fanciness outshines your playing then it can inspire you to up your game to match. This may sound silly to some people but having a bass you love picking up and playing is great motivation. [/quote] I've in agreement, I only really started playing bass once I saved up enough and got my dream bass. The reward I get from hearing it really inspires me to play. Even if my playing never reaches the status my bass has, I will have had a great time on the journey.

[quote name='jacko' timestamp='1342623017' post='1738058'] My 'gigging' basses regardless of where the gig is are my fretted and fretless Alembics. Not much point having them if I wasn't going to use them. [/quote] I'm in the same boat you jacko as I only have alembics. But I havent done a pub gig in years. Jazzyvee

[quote name='krysh' timestamp='1344495680' post='1765303'] Hi I own a black canvas doublebag. it is very well made, the padding is super. very comfortable and balanced to carry on your back. the bad points are it is not very light, the two outer pockets should be bigger and it's expensive. definately a quality product and if I'd have to replace it I'd buy it again (used) . [/quote] I've just got the all leather one and you are right it seems very well made. It is heavier than I expected plus I have a heavy bass too. But great for the times when I don't need a flight case. Agreed about he price..... Expensive.

Wow that Orion sure is a fantastic looking bass. jazzyvee

As long as they produce a sound someone wants to hear does proficiency matter as long as the result is music? Jazzyvee

Got it and it fits easily in he passenger side of the car with the front seat reclined. now I just have to learn to play it. :-) Jazzyvee

I've just bought a 3/4 double bass and have to drive to collect it. Im now wondering whether it will fit in my car. I drive a 7 series BMW. Any idea? If not I may need to hire a car for the day to collect it. Any idea of the smallest hatchback or estate car that will hold the bass? Thanks in advance Jazzyvee

[attachment=115243:MesaRig.jpg] This is my bass rig. Its Mesa boogie 1x15, 4x10 and 2x10 powerhouse cabs. I generally use them as either 4x10, or 2x10 and 1x15. Never had the need to use them all at once but it would be good to try it out one day. Alembic F1-x preamp Alembic SF-2 Superfilter QSC PLX2404 power amp. When I need to travel light i have a Mesa walkabout head. Jazzyvee

I'm looking for one at the moment to hold two long scale basses. Reunion blues one I bought was too short to fit my bass so i sent it back and now looking at a Harvest, leather or leather and canvas gig bag. Has anyone got any experience with these bags. [url="http://www.harvest-guitar.com/en/Polyamid-Nylon-canvas-with-buffalo-leather-trim.html"]http://www.harvest-guitar.com/en/Bass-Bags-For-Two/[/url] Jazzyvee

I tried a few of these some years back but found that they pushed themselves out of the jack socket during a gig, so took them back and exchanged them for standard jack leads. I'd never use them again, I just prefer right angled jack plugs I don't have problems with those.

Thanks Liam and dincz, i will check that link out.

Has anyone found the need for an external power supply for their electric bass? I use my basses a lot at home in between gigs so when it comes to gigging I am never sure how much capacity is remaining in my batter and have often wondered if there is an external power solution which does not require drilling holes in bodies to add sockets. My basses do not have a passive option so if the battery goes dead it reverts back to to a piece of timber with metal bits on. The only thing I've managed to find is an external PSU from EMG that supplies power to their active pickups as a battery eliminator. I wonder if this would have enough capacity to power a bass that did not have EMG pickups and electronics installed.? They have both 9v (ES-9) and 18v (ES-18) versions. A balanced (TS 1/4'' to TRS 1/4'') "stereo" cable is all that is required between your instrument and the ES-9 or ES-18. [url="http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/378/265/101"]http://www.emgpickup...dex/378/265/101[/url] [attachment=111986:EMG-Batt-Box-1-Hero.jpg] [attachment=111987:EMG-Batt-Box-1.jpg] [url="http://www.emgpickups.com/content/wiringdiagrams/ES-9_0230-0218D.pdf"]http://www.emgpickup..._0230-0218D.pdf[/url] Comments and alternatives welcome. Jazzyvee