Ziphoblat

The Warwick rep is active on the ultimate guitar forum and regularly responds to threads on the subject. I think the job changed hands a few months back though.

It depends what it is. I bought an '86 Gibson Explorer Bass for £450 and sold it for £650. Also bought a Gibson Grabber for £400 and sold it for £850. However that was on eBay, and I took a bit of a risk with both listings because all that was provided was one or two phone-camera pictures and a hastily written sentence or two. I sold them back on with proper photographs and descriptions. There's also the fact that Gibson basses from that era are appreciating in value. When I sell on here though I just look to get my money back, unless I bought something new in which case it'll be listed for the going rate.

My singer once did this and rolled up toilet paper and put it in his ears. Didn't seem like a good idea at the time; he ended up in A&E 'cause it wouldn't come out.

[font=Arial, sans-serif][size=2][size=2][i][color=#222222]Ok. fair enough, I didn't want to, but ok... "Bloatware" what bloatware? What third party, pointless, useless software do you get on a new Mac? I have never seen any! Are you saything that a Dell, Asus, Acer, Zoostorm, HP doesn't come fully loaded with Symantc trials and start up windows getting you to register, dell download manager tools, Mcafee trails, etc. Come on?"[/color][/i][/size] [size=4][color=#222222]What bloatware? Well, all of it. I'm not saying it's bad software per say, but the fact you're compelled to purchase it is is simply a money-grabbing tactic (force somebody to pay for something they don't want/aren't going to use). GarageBand is a tidy bit of light music software, but a non-muso has no way of getting a mac computer for a reduced cost without seemingly useless software bundled in.[/color][/size] [size=2][color=#222222]"[i]Apple say they use "the latest in technology and top of the range components" What is wrong with that, they use current technology and on disassembling various macs over the years, I would agree, they are top end quality. [/i][/color] [i][color=#222222]Aren't they still using 1300 MHz RAM for gods sake? Unless they haven't updated their website in a while, they're lying through their teeth.[/color] [color=#222222]The latest imac uses 1600 MHz, my mid 2010 imac uses 1333 MHz[/color] [color=#222222]A mac mini quad core is £679 not “£1500”"[/color][/i][/size] [size=4][color=#222222]I was specifically talking about the laptops here. Yes, laptop hardware is more pricey, but still £1200 for something with 1300MHz RAM and a dual core CPU is daylight robbery, and not the “latest” in technology.[/color][/size][/size] [size=2][i][color=#222222]"Asus have to be decidedly average, if not decent budget boards, they are nowhere near the best. Gigabyte have to be the best if recommending PC motherboards."[/color][/i][/size] [size=2][size=4][color=#222222]Sorry, but that's just not correct. ASRock perhaps; although they are specifically designed to be budget boards and perform well for the price. Asus boards are up there with Gigabyte and MSI as the best you can get. Read any e-literature on the subject and it will only echo that sentiment. Regardless, they certainly knock seven shades of sh*t out of Foxconn.[/color][/size] [size=2][i][color=#222222]Suicides at ‘Apple‘ plants? Yes, there have indeed been suicides at plants that manufacture Apple products. There are also suicides at other Chinese plants that don’t manufacture Apple products. Are you saying that there are more than average suicide rates there? If so, first I would be interested to see proof of this, as I have read to the contrary in various articles which I can find if you wish. Plus, this isn’t helping the OP really."[/color][/i][/size] [size=4][color=#222222]Simply a passing criticism of their website. Yes, I'm sure they're generally not much worse than other manufacturers but I don't see others rabbiting on about how morally conscientious they are. And neither is feeding him misinformation about the reliability of a windows based system.[/color][/size] [size=2][i][color=#222222]"Windows as an operating system is no less stable than Mac. OK, so this is useful information, but is this your experience. Do you use/own an Apple computer?"[/color][/i][/size] [size=4][color=#222222]Yes, as mentioned, on a daily basis.[/color][/size] [size=2][i][color=#222222]"Blue screens are caused by failures in hardware (usually memory or storage).” No, they really aren’t cause by just by hardware, they can be but they can quite as likely be software related."[/color][/i][/size] [size=4][color=#222222]The only bsod I've ever experienced that was caused by anything other than a hardware failure was a driver confliction, which is easily avoided anyway.[/color][/size][/size][/font] [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1377267685' post='2185617'] Not true. I know this for a fact because a few weeks ago my 'office' PC wouldn't boot and went straight to a blue screen because it couldn't read the hard drive. A hardware fault certainly crossed my mind, but it turned out to be file system data corruption and I fixed it simply by running CHKDSK from within the windows recovery console. I lost no data and the hard drive has been working perfectly ever since. [/quote] Yeah, I had the same thing with a hard drive too. A month or so later the same thing happened again, worse. Turned out the harddrive was just on its last legs. I'd only had it a few months... but it was a cheap POS from PC World so you get what you pay for.

The main problem with Windows XP is RAM limitations.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1377265234' post='2185561'] All the studios I've done session work in over the years since digital became the norm have all used PC based systems. Been in four different studios this year & there wasn't a Mac to be seen in any of them. I've never had to sit around twiddling my thumbs for hours while they tried to get the PCs working properly or had them crash on me even once. I recorded with a producer who has had some major success over the years in January & when asked why he didn't use Macs he gave the same answer all the others gave me: Logic is a pain in the arse to work with. I'm not saying Macs don't get used in studios but this "most studios use Apple" myth is just not true. [/quote] Pro Tools was the first and was designed to feel familiar to people that had previously been working with analogue equipment. Consequently that's what everyone got used to using. These days it doesn't mean it's any better; it's just what a lot of older/successful studios are used to. There's nothing to stop you achieving the same results with a PC, it simply depends on the skill of the person doing the recording.

[quote name='jaydentaku' timestamp='1377263511' post='2185525'] [size=5][font=Calibri]This is just diabtribe.[/font][/size] [size=5][font=Calibri]Chucking terms around? When I refer to a windows fan boy, it’s just that, a windows fan boy. An avid ‘windows can do no wrong’ fan boy. That is NOT a windows user.[/font][/size] [size=5][font=Calibri]I am a windows user. I am a PC user. I am writing this on one now. I like PC’s, I have a windows 7 system, a windows 8 system and we run server 2003, 08/08 r2 and 2012. I manage all exchange iterations from 2003 up until 2013. They all have their quirks and benefits. BUT, I prefer OSX, it is simple (for me) better. I am not being blindly pro apple here. It is just what I have experienced and it comes from a balanced and non-bias background. [/font][/size] [size=5][font=Calibri]I do however get frustrated by these Anti apple rants by people who clearly don’t have all the facts. The OP wants an honest opinion, not some anti Apple waffle full of misinformation or indeed an anti pc waffle full of misinformation. I could pick your post apart, but I have fuffing clients ringing me telling me their pc isn’t working as it should. [/font][/size] [size=5][font=Calibri]If anybody has any genuine, none bias experience of PC or Apple, who has some kind of credence to what they are saying, I am sure the OP will appreciate their time an effort. [/font][/size] [/quote] I just found it amusing that the term should appear so hastily in the thread. There's no bias here. I use Macs on a regular basis. I'd love to know what "misinformation" I've provided though. Pretty much all of it is an assessment of Apples own website! You might not like the tone of my post, but I too get frustrated by Mac users who perpetuate the "windows is unreliable" nonsense because of experience with cheaper machines using cheaper hardware.

I avoid multieffects because it's very rare that I like all the sounds on them. I may like the octaver, but hate the chorus for example (or vice versa). When you can pick and choose the particular effects you want you just have that bit more freedom. Not to mention the distortions tend to be downright dire.

Depends if you're never gigging again. My pedalboard comes out for gigs and rehearsals and that's it. The rest of the time I use effects in Amplitube when I'm practicing; hardware effects seem more hassle than it's worth for that. My approach would be that if you were still hanging onto your rig, keep the pedals.. if the rig goes and you stick to headphone practice, get rid of the pedals with it.

[quote name='jaydentaku' timestamp='1377259058' post='2185408'] In my opinion, as good as but cheaper? No Same hardware specification and cheaper? Yes A Skoda VRS has the same 2.0 Turbo engine as an Auto TT but they are twoi entirely different things. Windows fan boys will argue the toss until they are blue screen of death in the face, but the long and short of it is, a mac has a much greater chance of not letting you down. [/quote] Nice to see we're already chucking the "fan boy" term around at Windows users. I think the term fan boy generally pertains to an irrational love of something, and mac is much harder to love for rational reasons. My main problem with mac is that I just cannot fathom the price tag. It's probably all the bloatware you're getting bundled in and the privilege of being an irritating brand-sheep; but who knows. I can't stand their whole "mac uses the latest in technology and top of the range components" mantra littered throughout their website. Aren't they still using 1300 MHz RAM for gods sake? Unless they haven't updated their website in a while, they're lying through their teeth. Not to mention that anything beyond a dual core processor comes in at entry level of £[i]1500 (!!!)[/i] That's insane. Macs supposedly utilise their hardware better because they use purpose built motherboards for the specific hardware that they're using (built by the fabled Foxconn believe it or not. Yeap; top of the line alright!). You could always just buy a laptop built by a manufacturer of motherboards though; Asus would be a good bet, their motherboards are among the best. Let's not mention the whole "green environmental impact" thing they've got going on. I imagine the biggest impact they have on the environment is as a result of the reduction in human population caused by suicides at their plants (which as I understand they'll now sue the families of the deceased for). Mac and Windows are not the same kind of business as many are quick to overlook. Most folk aren't fans of Windows, just of PC's. Mac produce one product themselves and sell the end thing; that's it. In some senses they've almost got a little monopoly over their own market. Windows these days simply create an operating system to use on PC. You don't have to use it. There are plenty of fantastic (and free!) Linux based operating systems out there. But the reality is that as PC hardware is an open and competitive market, the prices have to stay competitive. Macs could triple in price and some plonkers would still buy them because they're silver and shiny and have an apple on the back my my mate said apple are totally better because he read it in a magazine but couldn't even tell the difference between a processor and a tractor. Windows as an operating system is no less stable than Mac. And when something does go wrong on Mac, you're usually buggered. It would be naive to expect a trouble-free experience on any sort of computer; it's the nature of computers. Blue screens are caused by failures in hardware (usually memory or storage). If you're having these problems; you've probably had sh*it components in (and no, because it was built by Dell, it isn't the pinnacle of PC!). Unless you're after a laptop, buying a PC on the high street makes no sense. You could build a monster of a PC (or get one build for you by a one of a plethora of companies that offer this service) with top quality components from the best manufacturers (superior to those used in Macs) for a third of the price of an equivalent Mac. As you mentioned, Logic is max exclusive, but then, you could always just get Reaper for PC. An equally powerful program with a much more 21st-century approach to it's development and pricing methods. The only thing you can't do in Reaper is scoring dots; but it will do near enough everything else better. With all the money you've saved you could invest in a load of killer plug-ins, or take your family on a nice break somewhere!

The original designs did have their flaws, but Fender have improved upon many of them by now anyway. You can't really say that one instrument is "objectively" better than another. Music is a very subjective thing. That's why some people lug around great big heavy fridges and valve amps despite their being louder, smaller, lighter and more efficient rigs available for less money. On paper they win hands down; in practice? It depends on what the individual wants to hear when he plays. Fender get a lot of schtick, usually by people comparing them to instruments twice their price. There aren't many companies who offer an American made instrument with top quality hardware and electronics in a top-quality hardcase for the money that Fender do (indeed many of these companies Fender are often compared to charge what Fender do for an American instrument in a hard case for an Asian one chucked in a rubbish gig bag). My go-to bass is a Warwick Corvette. Very modern; 24 frets, extremely open-sounding pick-ups, active EQ, fancy woods etc. But for playing anything a bit more classic, it just can't compare to my Fender. You can't really improve on that sound for playing that kind of music because that's the sound that was on that music; it's that simple. Around the Fender price point I really don't think there's any much out there that can do that as well as a Fender can. And sometimes there are times where you just need something a bit more modern. I think spending a fortune to get a boutique builder to build you a hybrid modern take on a classic design wouldn't cut it for me. You'd probably end up with an instrument that can manage a good approximation of a modern sound or a classic sound, but nail neither. Personally I'd rather spend half the budget on a Fender, and half on something a bit more modern. But each to his own.

They should put that on a t-shirt. I'd buy one.

Yikes. One of those things I think I only need to be exposed to once in my life... perhaps once was too much, even. And I like some of his stuff.

Yeap, I can echo that. I owned a 2002 Precision and have played a few S1 Jazz's in my time. They were okay; nothing special. I owned a 2008 white/rosewood Jazz bass which was a great bass. So good I bought another; a 2010 sunburst/maple Jazz, which was even better. Truly a killer instrument. Turns out one was enough, so I ended up selling the white one. Played a couple of the ones with custom shop pick-ups including one of the hand stained ones and they just sounded flat and played somewhat clunky. Just didn't have the "nice" feeling or playability that I had from the two I owned.

I was recognised once, although it wasn't outside of a musical context (it was by the guy who served me when I was buying some new strings at the music shop).

Probably the millionth rendition of this on YouTube, but oh well; this is mine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Rl_XRI3ys

I had a quick listen to the first track through laptop speakers (no headphones to hand) so this won't be a particularly reliable assessment, but I could hear a real disparity in the acoustics of the drum kit and the rest of the track. It sounds like a completely different space, which prevents everything from gelling, the drums felt really superimposed upon everything else.

Not a big fan, to be honest. Seems really lacking in dynamics; never seems to go anywhere. Almost the entire song felt like a pre-chorus. It eventually changed up a bit before the end before jumping back into the same anti-climatic chorus. I'm sure some people will enjoy it though.

Hi all, looking for some information about the Ampeg BA500 amp. I recently got Ampeg SVX (been using Amplitube for a while) and it has a model for the BA500 amp, which as I understand is (/was) a cheaper amp as Ampegs go. However, I love the sound I'm getting using just the pre-amp model for this amp. I'd like to try one out in the flesh, but I could only find them attached to those ugly combos. I seem to recall reading a while ago that they had the same pre-amp as a standalone pre-amp that Ampeg made for a time. Is this the case, or have I muddled my memory? I was able to find the B2-RE which looks to have a very similar looking pre-amp stage. Does anybody know if this is the same? And does anybody know if they did in fact make a standalone pre-amp that's the same as the one in the BA500? Cheers

Not really classic punk, and perhaps not even punk by the standards of some, but I always loved the bass to this track (not really a big fan of the band though): [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R34SA1qTfQw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R34SA1qTfQw[/url]

Can't stand that sort of condescending, naive "f*ck-the-police, man" conforming to anti-conformism lyrical content. It's just painful to listen to.

Geddy Lee's one-fingered raking technique and a lot of thrash styled pedal notes on an open string.

1. Sound. As a big enthusiast of amp modelling and such, ultimately it is an imitation and isn't (currently at least) quite the same as the real thing. If I had the money sat around for a Matamp rig, I'd buy one. 2. Volume on stage. I don't like having to rely on the soundguy to hear myself on stage. Perhaps more comfortably done if I know the venue and soundguy, but it's a risk I'm not willing to take. Soundguys idea of what's an adequate level, and what actually constitutes an adequate level can often be very far apart (and that's not because I want to be too loud). That's assuming of course that the gear is up to the job of monitoring bass, which isn't always the case. 3. I own it for recording anyway, it enhances my live experience; why not take it and use it?

Definitely just a Precision.