Ou7shined

I played through Matt's wee boxy yesterday... I have to say I was both surprised and impressed. I once had a plonk through a Promethean 10" and in all honesty I didn't think much of it (sorry peeps) - it was aggressive and occupied a mid spot that wasn't good for my ears... to be fair it may just have been not set how I would have liked it... and yet despite others fiddling about with the settings I still never heard anything that blew my fringe back... even allowing for the tiny footprint. One could argue that this pronounced mid hump offers greater projection in a live situation and I agree but to me it was rather too exagerated. When Matt said he was bringing his new toy around I expected it to be a poor facsimile of it's richer cousin. Alas, my expectations were pleasantly crushed. I honestly think this sounded nicer. I can't say it's a Promethean killer because I haven't explored the Ibby enough but from my experiences of both, the RedSub impressed me the most. Of course as a single 10 it was pushing the mids but I found it was focused while still allowing the character of the bass to come through. It was surprisingly flexible too and could produce a fair range of tones - including at the mere push of a bass or treble boost button some unexpectedly good sub-bass (probably not audible in anything other than a small room or through the aux out to headphones - I think the DI is post but we obviously didn't go down that route) or a lo-o-o-o-ot of ear-splitting top end sizzle. The EQ basically did what you asked it to do (ie reign in some mids - which I found necessary) without leaving you wanting a lot more tweakage. And the wee screw in foot brought it off the deck and improved the focus. It wasn't all shits and giggles though (I promised Matt an honest review) after seeing what the wee combo could do on it's own, we soloed the head into my new 4ohm 2x10 and suddenly it came across sort of weedy - I don't mean weedy as in lacking power or bottom end (far from it - a school photo actually fell off a bookshelf while we were mucking about ) but in the way that the more articulate cab accentuated some of the head's shortcomings, notably it's lack of warmth. Matt tried his best to adjust the colour and contour knobs (one of which was a sort of subtle version of the MB VLE) to correct this but we just couldn't quite find the clarity and warmth I'm used to from the LittleMark. Another thing worth mentioning, I was playing an old '70's P bass (it was the most suitable all-rounder that wasn't detuned all to hell close to hand) and it's not the most wonderfully earthed bass at the best of times - through the LM + 2x10 you could here a little hiss which stopped once you earthed it by touching a string, through the RedSub you could hear a lot of hiss which was quelled but still remained audible when you touched an earth - so I suspect the RedSub head may be introducing a little errant noise (above that of the fan ). I don't suppose we should expect perfection considering the price point of the RedSub and perhaps comparing it to a LittleMark is unfair. As experiments go the 2x10 was a little bit of a let down because of what it revealed about the head but if you think about it, it also proved how it's own wee cab is so very well designed to suit the head's characteristics and makes the most out of what it has to offer. Speaking of the cab itself, I was taken aback at how solid it is for such a small box, not unmanageable by any stretch of the imagination but I expected it to be lighter - look how thick the side walls appear to be when seen from the front (must be about an inch thick) compared to the Promethean. Overall I'd say that this combo should be quite usable for gigging small venues, marquees etc... but above all else it has to be said this wee combo is astronomic value for money... obviously some corners must have been cut to produce it at this price point (one would imagine it has cheaper components than the Promethean) and the hardware looks about right for the money. I suppose time will tell how reliable it ends up being but for now I say Matt's picked a winner.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1332721310' post='1592207'] ...What, no black?? [/quote] No ... but they will probably look black in the photos.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1332721303' post='1592206'] Aaargh [/quote] I was desperately trying to resist (no pun) that one.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1332711745' post='1592101'] Excellent notion. The following colour options should be available: Champagne, Eggshell, Bone, Milk, Vanilla, Antique White, Linen, Old Lace, Ghost White, Vintage White, Butter, Snow, Seashell and er... Cheese. [/quote] And the sundry hardware will come in you choice of raven, ebony, jet, coal, obsidian, onyx and dark slate options.

When you see the [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380402118669"]bloody great hole blown in it[/url] (have a look at the back ) and think of how to fill such a thing, you kind of wonder how much of the "original" was finally used in the restoration.

Holy moly I have no idea what it would be worth but what ever they are asking for it... pay it.

Ah at last. Hope he makes some honest coin.

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1332610763' post='1590732'] But, but... you can't buy a Fender 51 RI with an identical pickup in the bridge position and that's why it was done to mine. ....[/quote] Yep that's what I'm building too. This ebay one has J pups which (apart from the positioning) makes this build a bit of a mystery - why not just put a P neck on J instead of depriving the word of a lovely '51?

I don't have a problem with the concept, I do however think that the implementation on this particular one could have been slightly better.

Holy crap it looks like this might be a tough year for sellers this year.

It certain sounds like it could have been your battery. But usually you get a bit of warning like a bit off distortion when you really dig in. One of the things with 'rays is that the battery lasts so long (years sometimes) that you tend to forget about it until it catches you out.

Its' one of my desert island discs. Checkout this version.... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIrwi-h1fIs[/media]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1332531982' post='1589794'] Don't take umbrage man - I was agreeing with you!! What's the spacing on modern Js then? Sixties style? Ijust assumed that they changed in the seventies and stayed like that. [/quote] Well I guess it looks more like it now you've added the smilies. Anyhoo I've heard some say that it was only used for a couple of years but I think the 70s spacing was used on some basses right up until the early 80s (like '82 or something) then it went back to Leo's design.

It a pretty strange position to lob that bridge pup in. I'd imagine it would add an extremely nasal quality. If he wanted a jazz sound why not just buy a Jazz instead of wrecking a perfectly good 51. Having said that I have a dual 51 pup project under way (better pup placement though).

Ian is a great guy to deal with. I bought his old J-Retro one day, and it was with me the next - safe and sound all wrapped up snug. Many thanks mate. Cheers, Rich.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1332510220' post='1589371'] Well the instrument that inspired the model is a 1972 J, so it certainly should be! [/quote] Oops, apologies for sullying your thread with my input about where it is intrinsically more different to most other jazzes.

70s spacing

[quote name='Who's Who' timestamp='1332498634' post='1589072'] ......Crap song with a really boring Bass line and it means I'll have to faff about re-tuning from drop-D straight after for the rest of the set. [/quote] Most Foos bass riffs are a bit on the simplistic side - I've always said he has the best $$$ to effort ratio job in the world. Don't know about it being a crap song though... a bit commercial maybe.

[quote name='Oldman' timestamp='1332500163' post='1589111'] Rich, what a brilliant job you did on that, when I saw it in the rough it still looked the bizness, but covered in that white tolex it looks great. I feel a 2 x 10 build coming my way coupled with a 1 x 15................... what did I say about GAS. [/quote] [size=6]It's CREEEEEEAM![/size]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1332496841' post='1589032'] Not sure if I ever learn any. I learn them, write them down and then forget them. The most recent one was Henri Texier's Soweto Sorrow (a year ago?) but I couldn't play it now if my life depended on it. I guess the only lines I learn now are the ones I write for my own compositions. If I don't learn those, nobody will BUt if I write them, I am not learning them, am I? I am writing them.... [/quote] Me too. I have learned litterally hundreds of other peoples tunes over the years... yet if I was to sit down right now I could probably only rember a handful. however if you started jamming them with me well then suddenly they come flowing back. How does that work? Our guitarist is classicallly trained and simply doesn't remember tunes at all - even original material. He has note books with mysterious scribings in them which somehow tell him what to do.

Hey Jack. Thanks for joining the discussion. Quite eloquently put for a 13 year old (jack[b]1999[/b] ) I don't think anyone would have a problem with your friend doing up guitars and basses to make a bit of baccy and beer money for himself if it's something he enjoys - in fact some of it is quite entertaining to read in an "only on ebay" kind of way... and the portrait pics are class. But what's getting peoples hackles up here is a guy proclaiming himself a professional while turning out bodged (clearly not professionally treated) gear, disguised by spurious, misleading and at times down right confusing descriptions (even to us tech-nerds), then charging silly money for a set-up which will probably get all knocked to hell in the post anyway. Yes it's a free-market... I think part of your argument was to look out for the kids, yes? Well try thinking ahead to the poor kid being drawn in by the name dropping and erroneous babble then shelling out over the odds for the "professionally set-up" guitar he thinks he's getting when he's clearly not. Can you honestly say that [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Squier-Stagemaster-7-wide-necked-six-string/190518981358"]this[/url] and [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SG-built-big-hands-Guild-7-string-size-6-string-/190568230765"]this[/url] are examples of quality work to be lauded? Your friend signs his auctions "guitar fixer/improver". I think you yourself said it better... he's just an average bloke. Yes maybe he can set up a guitar (let's face it anyone with an interest and a bit of technical knowhow can) but there is very little evidence of actual "improving" beyond that. And there are apparently counless more examples... Someone lucky-dipped into past auctions and showed me a "1960's" guitar that had had his unique treatment and among other idiosyncrasies it had ended up with a "[size=4]Fender" (yet more pointless name dropping) [/size]string tree (from a guitar headstock) at the bridge to (and I quote) "[size=4]increase the down-force on the E and B strings as they cross the bridge[/size]". Now I'm no expert at "1960's" 6 string guitars but I doubt roughly whacking a string-tree into the body (the surrounding lacquer was clearly seen in the photo to be damaged as a result) of a vintage guitar to correct a problem at the bridge/saddles is improving it... but on the bright side, at least it's going to be safer at cornering with the increased down-force. Btw Jack, welcome to the forum... I'm sorry your mate is getting it in the neck on here (and at least you've given him the right to reply), please don't let it put you off contributing further.

I want a fretless with fanned fret lines.

Here's a good way to kill 5 minutes... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPfR9uH8vlg[/media]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1332367423' post='1587479'] I rarely get arsey but what a twat! [/quote] I'm glad you said that. My feelings on these c*nt brained bastard rip-off f*ckers is well know and I probably would had posted something worse.

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1332351359' post='1587172'] That looks the business. When is someone gonna do a Fenson/Gibder? [/quote]