Jakester

I would respectfully disagree with this. The PA cabs I/we have used over the years have meant we can’t hear the vocals; perhaps we set up differently to everyone else but with guitars and bass amps used as backline, even if everyone is circumspect about stage volume, it drowns out the vocal bleed from the PA. IME at least one stage monitor is essential if you’re not using IEMs. Doesn’t have to be a massive wedge; I successfully used one of those ‘monitor on a pole’ jobbies by Mackie and Behringer for years. We currently use smaller versions of our tops (DXR10s) as monitors - also good for redundancy if one of the tops goes pop.

Stagepas etc with kick drum probably won't be powerful enough. It would probably be fine just with vocals though. I use the Yamaha DXR12s as tops in our rock band and at a push they could probably cope with a kick - the 15's definitely could though. Ideally use a separate sub if you're putting drums through.

I have a three-band preamp with adjustable mids, but no more than that. Lol at the beachball though I get the idea behind it. Same principle as this I guess: https://gollihurmusic.com/accessories-for-upright-bass/fun-bass-stuff/bass-bomb-feedback-fighting-resonance-reducer/ Hmm, I was hoping to avoid having to go down the ‘extra pedal’ route - I usually play both electric and DB in the same gig (sometimes even in the same song!) and I’ve been using a dual-input Providence preamp (which is what allowed me to cut the bass on the DB at the gig) into a pedalboard for effects etc (on the electric only!) I guess I could run a HPF before it goes into the preamp but that would make the setup that extra bit more complex.

Does anyone know of any alternative products to F-its? I played a gig last week and basically had to cut all the low and mid-low end from the DB sound to prevent feedback on stage, meaning I struggled to be heard out front. The bass wasn't DI'd (which was probably an issue on its own, but owing to the nature of the gigs I play probably unavoidable in the short term). I'd really like some f-hole covers like the F-its - https://www.f-itsfeedbackblockers.co.uk/ but a notice on his website says that he's not making products for the foreseeable, and there's been no response to the message I sent. I suppose I could mess around with foam myself, but does anyone know of a similar product before I start?

That looks great. I wonder if it would work for PA speakers?

Similar experience to OP - bought something off them as showing ‘in stock’. However, their ‘in stock’ means ‘we may be able to get it from our supplier’, not (as one would expect) ‘we have physical possession of said item’. They claimed not to see the difference when I called to chase - disingenuous and generally unimpressive, though in fairness after I had chased, it did turn up when they said it would (a while later than expected, however). I wouldn’t use them again.

Yep, I think a better shout would be the Mostly (Moseley) Jazz & Soul festival, which at least has some decent artists appearing! I think the problem with the Brum 'scene' is that it's stitched up by a few people who are very protective and as you say, lean far more towards the 'trad' end of things. I remember a run-in with one of them when I was trying to get gigs, and his exact words were "why should I give you a gig when I've never seen you at one of my gigs?" (meaning Birmingham Jazz gigs, which was of course patently untrue!). Very much gatekeeping unless you paid the appropriate amount of fealty.

Hmm, of the lineup I think I recognise Chris Bowden (sax) and Art Themen (also sax), and 'Shanghai Hustle' has Tom Clarke-Hill playing, who's a great double-bassist (and was once the voice of Tony the Tiger!) but other than that, no idea, sorry. There was a core of very good musicians on the Brum jazz scene back when I lived up there like Percy Pursglove, so hopefully that's still the case. Perhaps get along to a couple of gigs and see what's what?

I was playing DB at the weekend over midday, and the tuning was ALL over the place, even with it left as far as possible in the shade. Someone suggested leaving it in their car (!) until I pointed out it would probably top 50deg in there and the glue would probably melt, leaving me with a flatpack double bass!

Well, there's a requirement that goods are supposed to be reasonably fit for purpose, and I would expect that would include being gigged for a bass amp! If the issue manifested within six months of purchase, then the onus is on the retailer to prove it was fit for purpose, not for you to prove it wasn't. After that, you have to prove that the amp was not. Note also that if PMT offers to repair, then they must do so within a reasonable period of time, and bear all of the associated costs (including postage).

I picked one up a couple of months ago and agree - it’s lovely! I somewhat shamefully haven’t done a NBD yet…

This was my issue. I couldn't have any confidence in it, and with it dropping out completely at a couple of gigs, I ended up getting the replacement working head instead. I also bought a 'micro' head from a different manufacturer as a portable backup too.

Yep, I know - just saying it would be a dream!

I’d love to have Jobeky install triggers into something really high end, like a USA Gretsch, and run that into a TD50 and presto - no more stage volume issues! Zak Starkey has been using a DW set up as a trigger kit with the Who: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0ByZfrkbwmuyQAea2ea3WGNomQrcmCVRA9wxxfm9XWEqqacMyH8RAfTGBxcJ1Zopal&id=346120672546&__tn__=%2CO*F

Nope, they said they couldn’t replicate the fault but it could have been the pots causing intermittent volume drops, so suggested replacement, to which I agreed.

Yep - sadly owing to VERY truncated setup time (“band” singing to backing tracks - 2 hrs setup time; actual band ended up with 10mins!) we didn’t get to put the proper camera out, that’s actually phone footage from someone with very steady arms!

We recently got hold of a 360 camera to try out and it’s a really good innovation in the sense that it allows really varied shots. Not sure we got the best out of it but if you’re regularly videoing gigs could be worth it: I hired it via Fat Llama for £15 for a day.

Yep, I used to do it in a previous job quite a bit to obtain mobile phone tracking data for suspected fraudsters!

Just a direct swap, as you say. Take the cover off the ‘new’ amp and it just slid straight in.

Not strictly true, you can obtain what is known as a ‘Norwich Pharmacal’ Order which can require a third party with information pertaining to wrongdoing to deliver up that information to an interested party. Most companies will not object if you can demonstrate cause - they just need a court order for their own internal and DPA compliance. However, the costs of getting one are pretty high so it’s not something easily done on your own.

I haven’t tried it clipped to a headstock, but I/we use TomTom Bandit action cameras and they work fine for close up or band member shots when cut with a wider shot. There’s a few around on FB for £50 or so and they do do 4k video etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/TomTom-1LB0-001-00-Bandit-Action-Camera-White-Red/dp/B00WV69ZI4

Is this not what Action Fraud is for? They oversee fraud notifications and liaise with the local forces?

Of course, it happened outside their ‘warranty’ period as it hadn’t been used much due to lockdowns etc.

Nice! That must have set you back a bit! Interesting module/brain solution. I presume the edrumin is a trigger MIDI interface over USB? Do you use that setup live?