dmccombe7

I have 2 Overwaters and they are stunning basses that i love. I also have a Jaydee fretless which is good but find the tone a bit limiting compared to some other basses but i guess that's the tone they were famous for back in 80's. I've never really gave the UK thing any thought altho i did want a UK 6 stringer for my 50th few yrs back and that's when i first met Chris and Martin and the team at that point are were absolutely on the ball and so helpful more like good friends than someone selling me something. I can't fault the Overwater team and the basses simply speak for themselves. I am a Fender fan tho and just can't help it. Always had one and always will i think. Dave

[quote name='moonbass' timestamp='1474402405' post='3137792'] Have you ever compared the PRO2 with the PRO4? How do they stack up? [/quote] Have used both with 8x10 cabs in studios for rehearsals and found the SVT2 had a warmer deeper sound but slightly muddier than the SVT4. I was able to get more tone changes with the SVT4 and thought the SVT2 was more a one tone amp even tho it had similar controls. Maybe the SVT2 just had a sound i quite liked and didn't need to experiment with it too much. The SVT4 i had to tweak controls to get the sound i was really looking for. Did find the graphic was a bit of overkill and never really needed to use it unless set up for soloing in a song and just switch it on / off as required. Dave

[quote name='moonbass' timestamp='1474263718' post='3136534'] Well, I went for the second hand USA SVT 4PRO, and I have no idea why I have wasted 30 years messing around with gear switching and GAS; this is what bass is supposed to sound like! Running it through my Bergantino NV610 and it sounds warm, and 'burpy' yet somehow nicely scooped. Perfect one knob compression, loads of tonal options (although sounds perfect flat). It's not even as heavy as I remembered! And it's so different to the SVT 3PRO in all the right ways. One final small, but also weirdly massive point that so many manufacturers get wrong, the volume knob actually lets you dial in low volumes; I've found all my previous amps went from zero to loud in about a millimetre! I can practice even with this massive rig without upsetting the neighbours (much...) Why does nothing else sound like this?! [/quote] I bought one few yrs back as had same thoughts as you. Had used them in studios and always dreamed of getting one. Had the chance of a US one which was 110V but had an external transformer. Tech in Glasgow changed the transformer for me and it was brilliant. I did however find it was never as powerful as i expected altho still more than enough for anything i needed. I was using it with my Berg HT322 cab (another piece of heavy kit ) In past 6mths it started to cut out and eventually stopped altogether. Replaced the valves and after some checks found the Pre-amp section works ok so must be on power side. Where i'm going with it is that its now left me having reliability doubts added to the weight its probably never gonna be repaired. I also have the GK 1001RBii and it doesn't compare tonally with the SVT4. Its a great amp and quite flex but its cleaner than the SVT4.. I now tend to use my Markbass rig which running flat gives me a nice warm sound with my jazz and seems to cut the mix better than either the SVT or GK amps. Dave

I've never given the Mesa amps much thought until recently reading that Mesa Walkabout was being used as a comparison for other tubed pre-amp style amps. This demo was really helpful. Kept it simple and more about the amp than the bass or ability. Too many of these demos get used as a ego trip for bassists just to show off and you dont get the full review of the amps capability. Well done and thanks Dave

Got there in the end. Dave

I have a combination of class D and Mosfet at moment. I love the Markbass 12" combo and ext cab for its portability plus it works well in a band situation. I have a couple of GK amps. MB200 is very handy little thing as a portable back-up. The 1001RBii is heavy but manageable and gives a reasonable tonal range used with my Berg HT322 cab which is extremely heavy. My Ampeg SVT4Pro is an extreme heavyweight amp but love the tone. However it has packed in and due for repair or might not bother. Currently using a TE 150 amp head with a Peavey 4x12 cab at rehearsals and its ok but not exactly my taste. The best sound i've used recently was an old Orange AD200b with Hartke 8x10 cab which was my dream tone. Lots of depth while remaining clear. Just so powerful sounding even at lower volumes. That amp with a 4x10 might be my ideal rig but a bit too expensive at moment. I'm finding the Markbass seems to give me a decent tone and has plenty of power for most gigs. Dave

Consider a pick up with hardtop rear. Holds loads of gear and mines has waterproof carpet in rear. Only downside is MPG which is typically 30-33mpg Holds 5 people comfortably and will never get stuck in winter Maybe not the cheapest to buy either. Newer shaped Mondeo estate is a huge car too. In fact the saloon is pretty huge and has an enormous boot with fold down seats. Can be picked up reasonably cheap. Bigger Volvo 80 or 90 series estates are huge too and worth a look. Know a few people that had a zafira and had no end of problems with them to point they got rid of them. Have you considered a smaller type van and just keep the car too. Van insurance shouldn't be too bad provided you let them know its not for work or used for business. My pick up is classed as a commercial and insurance for 3yr old is circa £250 fully comp. That's with a recognised company and certainly not the cheapest i could get. Van should be similar. Dave

Can the work be done in UK. Maybe the mfr has an authroised repair service here. ? There are electronic repair shops that can quite easily do repairs or upgrades. If its out of warranty then there isn't really much of an issue and its more about finding a good reliable company in UK. Would certainly save a lot of possible issues Dave

Can the work be done in UK. Maybe the mfr has an authroised repair service here. ? There are electronic repair shops that can quite easily do repairs or upgrades. If its out of warranty then there isn't really much of an issue and its more about finding a good reliable company in UK. Would certainly save a lot of possible issues Dave

I use my thumb as a pick occasionally and i seem to feel the rhythm more that way but really horses for courses. I also keep my finger nails a a length that gives me an edge when i want or need it just at the tilt of my hand. whatever feels comfortable is always a good thing. All the best with the pick style. Dave

I'm 56 and only started playing in bands again at 50 after being away for 15yrs and i've had several great offers. My current funk / blues band has a guitarist at 70 and one at 65 and singer at 68. Keys is the guitarists son and drummer is new and not sure his age but think he's circa 50 ish. The mental attitude to playing good gigs is still there with them all and they nearly all have another band on the go for making money doing the clubs etc. This band is more for self satisfaction and enjoyment playing music they like themselves. Have to say i'm enjoying this more than ever before. Don't feel age has much to do with it. I know lots of musicians my age playing in various styles of bands from metal to blues to Glam rock and not just playing the clubs for money. They are all doing it because they enjoy it and they get a good following at gigs too. My advice is never give up until you really want to. Dave

PM sent as test Dave

[quote name='Wiggybass' timestamp='1483653237' post='3209102'] I've been watching the pro audio forums since this fiasco first broke. As in most situations there is probably a grain of truth in everyone's story but I can say this for certain: * The sound company was Maryland Sound, one of the most respected providers in the US and the company who have done the Times Square NYE event for 20 years, in addition to dozens of other national-profile events including the Presidential Inauguration. * Their team would have been on site many hours before La Carey and part of their routine would have been to conduct an RF scan to secure frequencies suitable for use that evening. They would undoubtedly have had backup systems in place for [i]everything[/i] and there was definitely a row of wedges on stage which were on and working. Frankly I'd bet my house that every single piece of audio gear on that stage was not only working perfectly (as stated by Maryland's MD Bob Goldstein in an email to the New York Times) but was also being operated by hugely experienced professionals at the top of their game. * In pro-audio it is not what happens to you - it's how you react to it. Real audio professionals get to be that by dealing with the unexpected every day and I assure you, this situation was nothing that they hadn't handled before, many times. Those guys would have done absolutely everything humanly possible to bring that show in, that's what they do. * There are numerous references to the backing tracks being different to what Ms Carey was expecting, not different songs but different mixes (i.e. with varying amounts of her vocal on - allegedly she prefers to avoid the high notes now). Personally I think it's probable that the sound company played the tracks they'd been given in good faith but they were, for some reason, not what she was expecting. * It's also apparent that she didn't show up for the pre-show run-through, getting a stand-in to do that for her. How effective that might be I'll leave to the reader's own judgement. And yes, I do work in professional audio and no, I am not impressed by 'talent' who can't even sing their own bloody songs, even if they have got a great arse. Rant over. [/quote] Good rant altho i think it puts across a very valid point that i would probably agree with. Well put across and good explanation and description of how things would have operated. I'll go with this Dave

So what is the thread about again ? Dave

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1483618439' post='3208687'] try this link [url="http://www.21frets.com/catalogs/Smx.pdf"]http://www.21frets.c...atalogs/Smx.pdf[/url] Trace Elliot hi fi sound? wouldn't have said that, I might about class D amps [/quote] Excellent. Managed to open and save it and explains it quite clearly. Hi-fi sound is probably a little too extreme. I would say its more of a clean sound in comparison to Ampeg SVT style amps. For me it just doesn't have a "warm" feel to it. Maybe i'm just not explaining it very well. Thanks for the manual. That should be a help. Dave

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1483584467' post='3208498'] They're usually in a PDF format so it should open in your browser or in Acrobat reader? As suggested previously, the balance knob sort of tilts the character of your sound between neutral (irrespective of EQ / pre-shape settings) at the 12 o'clock position and a brighter thinner sound as it's turned clockwise or conversely, a fatter darker sound if it's turned anti-clockwise.. Personally I found leaving it centered and using the graphic to sculpt the sound worked best. Watch the 50Hz slider as it can add lots of sub into your sound which can really muddy things up if boosted too much - personally I always cut it by between -3 and -6dB depending on the gig with my old 300SM, 715 or Twin-Valve combo. If you need warmth add it at 100Hz and your speakers will love you for it.. The bikes are kind of current - I need to update it a little.. The '87 FJ is part way through a restoration and some mods although I've not done much on it for a while. The '92 FJ is sadly history as I got knocked off it last May which killed it at 99 thousand miles. I've since replaced it with a low mileage '89 FJ which is superb despite it's vintage years. I like FJs just in case you'd not noticed! My '80 CX is current and running well althhough it's currently on SORN whilst the roads are covered in salt. I love my '89 NC30 as it's a head banger - a tiny terror thats more than capable of upsetting much more powerful and newer bikes. In Germany last year at the Nurbugring it lived with a two R1s, a Street Triple R and a Zed Thou.. And lastly the Kawasaki - that now lives three doors up the road with my next door but one neighbour who plans to restore it with his brother in law. Have a look on the 'Who rides motorbikes' thread in off topic and you'll find some pix of all of them.. [/quote] Thanks for that. It does verify my own thoughts on the 50Hz slider. As soon as i used it the sound became very bottom ended and muddy. Tend to have that neutral and use the 100Hz boosted a touch altho i did notice the EQ balance was set at approx 2 o clock and just couldn't really find that sweet spot i was looking for but bringing it back to flat and starting afresh should help next rehearsal. Will check the pics on Off Topic section. cheers Dave

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1483563511' post='3208362'] The Aguilar is very nice but unfortunately very far away for me. I will keep Markbass gear in mind though. Trying to remember which particular Gallien Krueger head and cab was in our practise room way back when. Man Id love that rig. Havent seen it in months so cant really remember. [/quote] pretty sure the seller was up to you arranging a courier. I have a GK1001RBi and its pretty powerful but quite a clean sound if that's what you're looking for. I've also got one of the MB200 lightweight amps which is pretty cool but not big enough to gig with. The larger MB500 might be worth a look tho. I've had the Ashdown 1x15" MAG combo but found it a very bland sound. No real character for me. Bit like a Ford Mondeo it just does what it says it will but nothing stands out with it. Just my own opinion whereas others on here love them. This could be a can of worms for you as people get quite passionate about their own gear Dave

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1483556746' post='3208251'] pretty much any cab.. theres a nice cheap aquilar 2x12 in cheltenham on here for £350 which would do the job luvverly.. [/quote] Yep that cab is a steal. I was looking at that too. Just a bit too far for me. I would look at the lightweight amps. Maybe a 2nd hand Markbass. So much choice out there. Depending on the bass you have you should pick up a half decent case for not a lot of money. Dave

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1483558472' post='3208275'] You'll not find a specific manual for a 150SM although a quick google search for the SM series should see you find it rather quickly. Trace used the SM pre-amp on the smaller BLX range right through to the giant AH1200SM so they didn't do a manual for each just one for the entire 7-band range.. [/quote] That's a fair collection of bikes you have there. All current or is it a history collection. ? Dave

Came across a few SM manuals but they wouldn't open when downloadd so not sure if i'm downloading them right. The rest of the amp was pretty easy to follow but this control had me puzzled a bit. Dave

Cheers guys that should explain a bit as it had been set at 2pm ish on dial which i think was boosting certain frequencies and i just can't seem to get around them with the graphic on its own. I'll run it "flat" at next rehearsal and tweak it from there see how it changes the sound. Lot more to Trace amps than i first thought. Cheers Dave

9 basses Ampeg SVT4 Pro (currently not working ?) GK1001RBii GK MB200 TE 150SM Markbass 121 combo Markbass 12" ext cab Bergantino HT322 cab TE 2x10" cab My gigging rig is currently the Markbass for convenience and sound. The GK1001RBii and Berg cab are quite something for bigger venues. The Ampeg was great when it worked but even bridged it never really seemed to have as much power as claimed and the 500W Markbass seems far louder. The Ampeg does have a great tonal range tho. TE rig is kept at rehearsal studio only. Not an amp i'm overly keen on but its ok for a rehearsal. Dave

I recently picked up one of these amp heads for not a lot of money to use and leave at our rehearsal room. I'm not a huge fan of the clean hi-fi sound it has and can't find any manual on it. Looks like its an older amp head but in good condition. My query is the E.Q. balance control. ? Does anyone know what its for. ? Its positioned in the same section as the balanced output and the effects send / return. If anyone has a manual for it that they could attach that might help. Dave

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1463042260' post='3047966'] I am feeling a bit light headed at the moment because I went onto youtube to hear these things. They sound really good. I will try some. However the video I watched was of a guy playing left handed with upsidedown strings. I can handle left handed but the upsidedown strings made everything wobbly in my head. He played lovely stuff though. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI2CgGaKKqI[/media] [/quote] Loved the tone and that bass player was an absolute treat. Weird to watch but boy he could play. Dave