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The whole Squier/Fender thing has made me realise something very odd going on in my attitudes. A tin of beans is just a tin of beans as far as I'm concerned, regardless of if it's got Tesco or Heinz printed on the label. An estate car is just an estate car to me, doesn't matter whether it's made by Renault or Mercedes. A teeshirt is just a teeshirt, I don't care if it's made by Asda or some upyerbum designer label. But tell me to choose between a Fender or a Squier and the Squier will lose every time because I wouldn't even pick it up - how odd...

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1330274265' post='1554992'] It's snake oil for the easily influenced. [/quote] I'm an advertisers worst nightmare - I'll question anything and everything and then walk away from their product either because I don't believe the responses or because I'm bored with discussing it with them. I was extremely sceptical until I tried one, but they really do make a noticeable difference - not one of those 'my bass pots are rolled on the naked thighs of young virgins on the night of a full moon' type things either.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1330287238' post='1555304'] My cab's on castors and standing on a small, hollow stage. I went for the alternative option of filling the cavity under the stage with old duvets etc... it worked for my drummer [/quote] How many duvets did you manage to get him to swallow in the end, or did you use the sink plunger and rubber glove method?

There's definately a fuse in there - I've seen a photo of the PSU one, but it's not close enough to be able to see what value it is. In fact, I'd suspect that there's a couple in there - you're going to have to take the lid off and take a peek. Years ago voltage selector switches used to have a little plate to stop you from sliding the switch unless you undid a screw, but I guess that they've fallen out of favour...

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1330263633' post='1554777'] Interestingly,when Squier first appeared in the early '80's they pissed all over the US made Fenders. Hence the popularity of the JV and SQ series. [/quote] Ah, just you wait. Those 80's Fenders will be 'highly sought after' in about 5 years time.

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1330255541' post='1554584'] So these things work on concrete floors when the speaker cab is on castors. What principle is involved here? Has anyone carried out any before/after measurements? [/quote] Well the principle involved is that vibration that would normally travel throught the cabinet and be transmitted through the surface that the cabinet is sat on is significantly reduced. That's been a particular problem for bassists playing on hollow stages for many years. As castors have less surface area to pass that vibration to the supporting surfaces, standing a cab with castors on a Gramma pad increases the isolation even more. Playing on a concrete floor prevents that 'boom' but you have to tweak your tone controls to get a full bodied bottom end again. What the Gramma pad does is to use soundproof foam (which is what Auralex have made for years) to essentially isolate the cabinet from the supporting surface and give a far more consistent 'tone'. There probably have been measurements to equate this in scientific terms but I've not bothered with them - it just 'works' and I'm happy with it.

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1330260927' post='1554717'] Yes, after measurements = your cab is approx 2.5" higher than it was before standing it on a Gramma [/quote] ...and bouncier as well...

[quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1330256820' post='1554610'] Precisely, thats why I suggested that the OP might be better using a continuity tester or a battery and bulb rather than a DMM. a few ohms aint really gonna make much difference, so he should be looking for either a high resistance or an open circuit. [/quote] Well, as the OP is getting the same problem using a mates guitar, the scope of where the potential fault resides is getting smaller now and it's going to be a really easy fix or something beyond a DIY solution...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330260062' post='1554695'] Er... oh yeah, that's right. Exactly. It's only fair. [/quote] Absolutely

[quote name='timo' timestamp='1330258963' post='1554673'] I saw Fairport last night with Peggy doing his thang as only Peggy does. Somehow I've never seen Fairport live before, was a great gig. [/quote] I've seen them quite a few times over the years and have never come away without at least three tunes bouncing around in my head for a week. [quote name='timo' timestamp='1330258963' post='1554673'] In other news, the new Albion Band album is now available from www.thealbionband.com and we are doing a massive UK tour from 1st March - 3rd April, would be great to have some Basschatters come along! [/quote] Well, circumstances permitting, you've got one that's coming along [quote name='timo' timestamp='1330258963' post='1554673'] Awesome sound for two people (and a double bass on the CD but never mind that), Kat is also in the Albion Band. [/quote] I don't know how I missed these two, I only discovered them about two days ago. Love Jamie's percussive guitar technique - I've seen a few people try this out and they always seem to fall flat on their faces but Jamie's got it down to a fine art. [quote name='timo' timestamp='1330258963' post='1554673'] Totally different, but if you can see this show I hugely recommend it [/quote] Now this is quite pertinant - I remember Albion were very much into working with the RSC (probably about 30 years ago - jeez, I'm getting old!)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330257508' post='1554630'] Nine is bad enough. We haven't seen the trumpet player for so long, we think he may have been kidnapped. The current mrs discreet sang with Bellowhead at the South Bank recently... ...it's kinda depressing when your mrs is doing better than you, isn't it? [/quote] Anyone that kidnaps a trumpet player has both my gratitude and sympathy I'm kinda figuring that you are taking an intentional step back from the limelight to allow your Mrs to shine. [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330257508' post='1554630'] Nice. 'Filters Ahoy' on that one! [/quote] Just a bit

The story behind this one is that Martin Simpson (the guitarist) wrote this song for his Dad who was cr*p with money but encouraged Martin to embrace nature and music. Kate Rusby is well known for her solo work. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJfQ2JsZyd8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJfQ2JsZyd8[/url] Another stealth bassist here - Danny Thompson who has worked with ABC (!), Donovan, Kate Bush, TRex, Talk Talk, Ralph McTell and dozens of others - and I thought Tim Harries' CV was a bit excessive!

A great example of how 'less is more', this one just sends shivers down my spine whenever I hear it. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l1kYWhuZso[/media] The DB player is Tim Harries who has worked with the likes of Steeleye Span, Peggy Seeger, Yes, Katie Melua, Eddie Reader and Brian Eno - that's one hell of a CV he's got going on there...

This one kinda upsets my stance that bass works best as a supporting instrument. Damn you Dave Pegg... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Hw6cBuM4I"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Hw6cBuM4I[/url]

Forgot to ask, how did you get on with this gig Gareth?

[quote name='musophilr' timestamp='1330208173' post='1554244'] Does it still work if your cab has castors? [/quote] Yes. I have castors on my lower cab. If anything, I suspect it works even better because there is an 'extra' level of seperation between the bottom of the cab and the Gramma.

[quote name='Jungle VIP' timestamp='1330033076' post='1551905'] Although after that I thought I would try my friends guitar for a laugh... Mmm. I don't know where Snap is but I've found Crackle and Pop! Guess it's not the bass. Weird... [/quote] Right. If you're getting the same effect using your friends guitar then you can pretty well rule out the bass being at fault. That leaves your amp, leads and mains supply. [b]AMP:[/b] Ask your friend with the guitar if you can borrow his amp. [b]LEADS:[/b] Try your friends lead whilst trying his amp - if that's working OK then substitute his lead with yours. [b]MAINS SUPPLY:[/b] If there's an issue with mains supply then, going from what you've said, it's going to be something related to the ring main earth and that's going to need an electrican to trace and fix the defect.

[quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1330214065' post='1554303'] If youd spent as much time as I have trying to make sense of the wierd readings you sometimes get if you try to take measurements on long, O/C or high resistance or floating cable runs, or where there are strong AC or RF fields using a DVM, then you might. My trusty old 20,000 OPV AVO 8 with its 15V battery gives much more reliable readings under those circumstances than my Fluke, with its test voltage across the probes of less tha 0.5V, which is sometimes less than the induced voltage. Also, using meter with a lower OPV, or a continuity tester, or [i]even[/i] a battery and bulb, will draw a little current through any poor cpnnections, and so will be much more likely to show them up. A bit like when like using the continuity tester on a DVM, if the probes are not pressed together well, you can hear the buzzer 'rattling' , Just speaking from personal experience mind, others might well have, and are welcome to, different ideas.. [/quote] Like most test equipment usage it really depends on interpretation of the results and an understanding of what you are likely to find based on experience.

I'm gonna be totally 'up front' here and admit that my experience with Squier is based on the brand when it first appeared. By the time you've bought a Squier, replaced the pickups, upgraded the electronics, put a new set of machine heads on it and maybe pushed the boat out and fitted a new bridge - wouldn't it have been cheaper and quicker to have bought an MIA in the first place...

[quote name='lxxwj' timestamp='1330189340' post='1553945'] Are Squier basses actually any good? [/quote] Well.... those that own them rate them...

[quote name='gub' timestamp='1330158682' post='1553396'] Sounds interesting ! Where do you get them from ? Any links ? [/quote] Well Auralex themselves are here: [url="http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_gramma/sound_isolation_gramma.asp"]http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_gramma/sound_isolation_gramma.asp[/url] Various companies sell them, around £40 for the standard one and £75 for the bigger one.

Been using one of these for well over a year now and wouldn't be without it. Significant reduction in booming on hollow stages, and I get a much nicer defined bottom end. I was incredibly dubious about the difference it was claimed that these pads had, but I'm completely sold now and wouldn't be without one.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1330113378' post='1553061'] However I didn't really notice any tangible improvement in my tone. [/quote] ...and nor, indeed, have we...

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1330100790' post='1552829'] Sorry but no. The centre of gravity has everything to do with balance, not weight. [/quote] True, but a well balanced heavy bass causes less muscular stress than a poorly balanced mid weight one because you're not fighting with the thing all night.

Oh dear. There is an internal fuse that would certainly have blown, all I can really suggest is that you replace it and just pray that it blew before anything else had a chance to fry.