acidbass

I bought a Stingray recently (albeit an OLP version) and modded it to include a Nordstrand MM 4.2 pickup and a John East MM 2 Band preamp. I must admit - having come from a Fender background, the tone has taken a bit of getting used to. I'm very much a 'plug and play' bass player and usually just have my amp EQ set totally flat, and the tone/volume controls on a bass maxed. However, I've had to take a very different approach to playing with a Stingray. I find the midrange of the Stingray quite unmusical - I suppose this is to be expected by having a humbucker at the bridge position. I have had to cut the mids considerably on the amp, as well as back off on the bass boost control onboard, but have found a lovely sweet tone which fits perfectly in the soul band I play in. It has justified it's purchase thankfully!

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1400640478' post='2455721'] Nowt wrong with a Lakland! Hi IBWT I've lived in Belfast for about 10 yrs but now in Edinburgh. You'll enjoy Belfast and for good food (and now beer) go to BubbaQue and bask in their slow cooked meaty delights. [/quote] Oh God yes! Sugar Rays in Dundonald also great on a similar theme!

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' timestamp='1400533261' post='2454790'] Hello IBWT - Pleasure to meet you here. For some lovely low end rumblings get yourself down to The Empire on a Tuesday night for Mr. Conor McCreanor and to The John Hewitt on a Thursday night for Mr. Trevor Dyer - two absolutely wonderful bass players and fine gentlemen indeed. [/quote] Does Trev still do that gig on a Thursday Gareth? Must get down some night! +1 for the Tuesday slot at the Empire too - great stuff.

Great guys thanks for the advice! I've only heard good things so far and seems to have all of the right faculties for my type of sound! Will see if I can try one pronto. Lozz - what did you replace yours with and why?

Hi all Anyone had any experience with these? Mighty impressed by the specs and the simplicity of the tone controls - unfortunately I don't do the graphic EQ thing! I play blues, rock and pop and favour a warm, thumping tone so I think the valves would be a nice touch. Danny

They are truly wonderful cabs - I am really looking forward to my next gig to hear some more of mine!

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1399405947' post='2443982'] Congratulaions Danny. I'd love to hear your new cab at a gig. Are you playing around Belfast much these days? Frank. [/quote] Yes Frank quite a bit - PM me your mobile number and I will send you a few gigs through - would be good to see you sometime, also you're welcome to try the cab any time you like

[quote name='aldude' timestamp='1399303179' post='2442901'] So! I gigged this beast. Aaaand ... wow, I think this is the cab I've been looking for all these years! It has power in absolute spades - it was a smallish pub so I ran the amp through only the 4ohm Super 12T, the Compact was there to give the other cab height but wasn't plugged in. Still, the amp had more headroom than I would ever need (so through both cabs would be ...even more!!!) The sound itself is very punchy - it's great. So easy to change the sound with the simple controls - low mid, mid etc... and if I needed thunderous bottom end then the sub bass control added ridiculous amounts of it if needed. The sound itself is fairly "old school", particularly if you crank up the drive on the preamp tube, which I don't really do. Still I felt I was coming through loud and clear even up at the dusty end and I had a really great night because of it. I would really recommend this amp to anyone! Can't comment on the BX series - 3 EQ stages is a bit mush for me - but I expect them to be great too. If you're on the fence ... go for it! [/quote] Good food for thought there - thanks! Considering B1000 to power my BF Big Baby 2. Looks the business!

Hi all, Just took delivery this week of a Barefaced Big Baby 2! First impressions when I signed for the delivery - SUCH a light box despite being huge! Opened it up and it was very well packaged. [attachment=161870:bf.jpg] Build quality - very good. The tolex covering seems as if it would withstand a nuclear war. I went for the cloth grille which of course is maybe not as sturdy long-term compared to the metal grille, but I knew this before ordering. The cloth has a beautiful silver sparkle to it - proper vintage. I intend to write a full sonic review of it when I've used it a bit more in a live context, but I used it last night at a gig for the first time and it sounded absolutely superb! Very smooth, consistent tone right from low E to 19th fret on the G string. I left my amp settings completely flat and it did not need any boost or cut whatsoever. I could tell that it was not struggling whatsoever even when I dug in, and even with 350w pumping through it, and I am led to believe it will happily run with 800w! The speaker does need to be broken in a bit with playing and so I intend to use it over the next few weeks and update this review after some more use with it. Very pleased so far! Danny

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1397997938' post='2429335'] I'm looking at a new amp myself to go with my Super Compact. I've just move on a Genz shuttle 6 on to get something with more power. Budget is £500-£700 and I'm after something with 500watts at 8 ohms. And struggling to decide what to get. [/quote] Shuttle 9.0 surely?

Some dead spots along the G string. I mainly use Fenders. Does it work?

Just if it's worth it. You say you [i]used[/i] one. What made you want to use it - and what made you stop using it?

Anyone use one?

OH MY WORD! Bought an OLP MM2 4 string bass on a whim on eBay (got it for a song) as I have a session gig coming up with 14pc funk orchestra. Read a little about the Nordstrand MM4.2 pickup and the John East MMSR 2 Band EQ so thought I'd buy the whole lot blind and see what it sounded like. Well - MY WORD. I cannot get over how great this bass sounds now. Installed the whole lot and it just punches and growls. Perfect MM tone with a slight attenuation in the mid highs - I think this is due to both the Nordy and JE being modelled on the late 70s Stingray sound as opposed to a more modern tone. I'm a huge fan of Bernard Edwards and John Glascock and this bass can mimic them pretty closely (playing aside of course!) With the controls maxed it sounds just like Flea from the Blood Sugar era, loads of musical top end! And with the treble slightly down, it reminds me of Bernard Edwards on 'We Are Family' - just enough treble for the slap lick in the chorus with a nice warmth for the verse fingerstyle playing. I am a long-time lover of flats but I put a set of SIT 45-100 nickel rounds on this and it just sounds superb. I think I will keep rounds on this bass - it'll be my only one without flatwounds. Just thought I'd share my joy! Well chuffed taking a gamble on a bass and mods without hearing it before - it really works!

Has anyone tried playing this in a covers band? What way did you approach it?

A guitarist I know plays Gretsch, Burns Bison, Danelectro etc style guitars, and his rule when shopping for clothes is [i]'it has to match my guitars'[/i] He has the most impeccable dress sense.

Hi all, Going to be using a solid state head (probably LM3) with my new Barefaced cabinet. However, I know for a fact I'll miss the valve warmth of my previous Ashdown head. What's the best pedal out there at the moment to achieve this in my signal chain? I used to use a DHA VT1 with a valve inside and it was the business. What options are out there at the moment? I like a lot of warmth and harmonic content, just verging on drive. I have no need for a heavy bass overdrive as it's not really my thing. No pun intended but I am somewhat out of the loop with effects! Cheers! Danny

Hi all, I recall someone posting on here recently recommending a good retailer, I think in Italy, where Markbass stuff can be had for great prices. Anyone point me in the right direction? Or recommend anywhere else? Cheers! Danny

The key is communication. Let your bands know that you play in other bands, and that you work on a first-come first-served basis. If you say no to a gig at the start it is much better than stringing someone along and cancelling on them at short notice. Always be transparent and don't make up excuses for missing gigs as you will always get found out - I am guessing your local music scene is as small and as clique-y as mine!

The main enabling factor in a successful band is being able to get along with the other band members. It's just a social situation really. Mistakes are completely pointless - I guarantee you not one person in the audience notices it (maybe one or two musos but why are they are your gig if they are there just to criticise?) Would you rather have a guitarist who was flawless in every way when playing but was an arrogant imbecile? I'd say you are probably on the right side of things at the moment, frustrating as it may be sometimes.

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1391246955' post='2354876'] With a hairy back and diabetes? [/quote] Lol