icastle

IMO the B string is something to be used sparingly - use it too much and you just end up with a muddy mess.

I've heard this a lot over the years as well - I usually smile my most charming smile, agree with them and walk away. As for whether it's easier than playing guitar or not is kinda hard to judge as I play guitar to what I'd describe as a 'fairly resonable' level. I suppose it's a bit like comparing a trumpet to a trombone - there are some similarities but they both have different parts to play within a composition and require a slightly different set of skills.

...and don't forget the appropriate way of training your guitarist into the 'getting things right' methodology... ...get the timing right and you can leave the chord that he missed ringing whilst you explain, clearly and concisely, that 'getting things right' is a really good idea...

Welcome to the SR505 club.

Yep. That's a Ripper.

I'd go for 'none of the above'. Adding a 4x10 isn't going to make it any louder - it'll still be a 45W combo. It's resale value isn't going to be very high as they weren't hugely expensive when they were released. I don't really have an answer to your problem other than suggesting you mic up the combo and feed it into the PA system to give you a bit more 'oomph'....

Well at least that's ruled out one possibility. How about slackening the strings off and having a look under the bridge - perhaps the piezo 'strip' has slipped and isn't making contact with the bridge very well?

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1342269741' post='1732601'] The Washburn has an on-board buffer so that shouldn't be the case... I have a BBE Acoustimax preamp I could put it through but it shouldn't require it! [/quote] Totally agree - you shouldn't require it. My Takamine has a pre-amp but it just doesn't drive my amp. I'm guessing I have an impedance mismatch more than an output level issue.

Not tried a piezo\mag combo through my rig but certainly anything with a piezo pickup comes out quiet and 'weedy'. I fixed the problem by buying a little Fishman external preamp and using that.

[quote name='Dr M' timestamp='1342253527' post='1732276'] What about gear and sound? As we're looking at open-mic nights, in most cases I'll be relying on the venue's backline. I own an Ibanez Iceman and a Squier Jazz (both passive). For full-band situations, I usually use a Bad Monkey to just add a little bit of grit. I'm thinking this probably isn't a great plan when accompanying an acoustic, but I am a little unnerved about just going straight into a pa or amp I've never used before. [/quote] The Jazz would probably be a better choice for accompanying acoustic guitar if for no better reason than it won't 'jar' on a visual level. As far as effects are concerned, I'd personally stay away from added 'grit' but it's really a case of 'whatever works'. I do like a smidgen* of chorus though - it adds a little extra depth to a stripped down arrangement. I always use my own amplification, just less of it than usual - I just take a 2x10 and make sure I get to the venue in plenty of time to setup before most of the audience arrive. *A 'smidgen' is just enough that people don't realise you're using it until you switch it off and they know 'something' is missing.

I play in a duo as well as a 5 piece band - we actually run an open mic night! First thing to do is decide on material you can play in a 'cut down' format - some songs just don't work in a cut down format. Don't be afraid to go down the root note path, IME it's often far more appropriate than trying to play the original bass lines without a drummer to work against. Short foot tapping tunes and gentle ballads always work best, especially if the audience recognises them. Engage the audience - chat and joke with them, take the p*ss out of each other. Sounds daft but once you have the audience 'onside' you will definately go down well. Whilst arranging material, be aware that trying to do something clever is probably going to be a train crash waiting to happen. Keep an ear open to the other performers are playing - there might be raw ingredients for a band to be found. Other than that just chill out and enjoy it.

If it's just a basket then it'll need a cone and a magnet - outside the abilities of an average musical DIYer I'd say. I've dealt with the Peavey Service Centre a few times over the years and they're top guys so it might be worth dropping them an e-mail to see if they can either provide a reconing service or recommend someone local(ish) to you. Service Dpt - Peavey Electronics Great Folds Road Oakley Hay Corby Northamptonshire NN18 9ET Phone: 01536 461234 e-mail: [email="[email protected]"][email protected][/email]

IIRC the old TNT150s used to come in two versions - a cheap version with a generic driver installed and an expensive one with a Black Widow driver installed. I can't quite work out whether you have a 15" Black Widow or just some parts of one, but once you have a complete speaker, it's just a case of connecting two wires.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1342025424' post='1728366'] But do remember that many tissues in your body have no nerve or blood supply, they get damaged without you feeling a thing, it's the secondary effects causing the pain, such as inflammation impacting on nerves. [/quote] Absolutely, but that inflammation gives you a reminder to treat that area with a little more care than usual.

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1341991861' post='1727411'] I continue to be apprehensive as their last bassist was a retired pro with 40 years experience, so I am NEVER going to match up. [/quote] Course you will. I've replaced all sorts of bass players over the years and it just takes a little bit of settling in. The only time I've failed is where I replaced a female bass player and was told she had a much nicer arse than me... ...the cheek of it..!

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1342016183' post='1728121'] this has got to be the stupidest thread to date... [/quote] Not yet, but I'm here now...

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1342019923' post='1728226'] Returning to that point, I have tried [i]no[/i] pain relief to date - I was worried that pain relief would hide further issues and potentially cause more damage. A trick I learned in my youthful rugby days. [/quote] That's the approach I tend to take as well - pain is there to remind you that something isn't 'right' and to be careful. However, you have to weigh that up against your ongoing quality of life whilst you are waiting for the problem to rectify itself\be rectified. Using that Ibuprofen Gel stuff probably isn't going to give you the sort of relief you need but it certainly won't exacerbate the situation - [b]provided[/b] you remember you have a sore hand and don't overdo it. Mrs Castle v1.0 had CTS and surgery fixed it without any major issues. She did moan about it being painful for a few weeks afterwards, but then she moaned at just about everything before, during and afterwards anyway.

The last time I did an equipment refresh I kept the amp I was replacing (a Hartke HA3000) and relegated it to backup. I've never needed it, but it's there if I do.

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1341872805' post='1725613'] I've tried to repair my guitarists Planet Waves cable. It's been abused, but isn't really reliable. It has put me off buying them. The tone used to come and go on it. Could be to do with the conductive core getting to the braid at the stressed points. [/quote] The conductive layer is supposed to have contact with the braid over the entire length of the cable.

[quote name='Scotticus' timestamp='1341694707' post='1723005'] Question is, if I change the distance from saddle to nut by that much, will that screw with the mathematics of where the frets have been placed and mean that any fretted notes will be consistently out of tune? Any oppinions? [/quote] The distance between the nut and the 12th fret needs to be the same as the distance between the 12th fret and the bridge. Vary that distance and your guitar will go out of tune as you start to move up the neck.

I did an 'upgrade' from being a whistle player to replace the bass player who was about to leave the band. I was about 16 at the time, so that would have been about 32 years ago (holy cr*p! That means I'm nearly 50 FFS!). Bought my first bass (a Yamaha BB something or other that I really hated) about two weeks before I was due to play that first gig and (somehow) managed to fumble my way through. Still fumble my way through but now I look confident and glare at the guitarist every time I make a mistake...

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1341739895' post='1723271'] Its probably the conductive rubber between the braid and inner insulation. needs to be stripped back so it doesn't touch the inner core. 55k is high enough not to completely kill the signal but it will knacker the tone (of a passive instrument anyway) [/quote] +1 That'd be my first thought in the circumstances described.

This 'step up' transformer needs to be a 'step down' transformer - you need to drop 240VAC down to 110VAC...

Really depends how complex the piece is and how many times I've played it before.

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1341760611' post='1723658'] However, if you connect in serial - ie the second cab plugged into the first cab which is plugged into the head - then you double the resistance, meaning two 8 ohm cabs will combine to make a 16 ohm load. [/quote] Wrong I'm afraid. Unless you have cables specially made to force the cabs to be used in series, this method will still result in the cabs being in parallel.