nottswarwick

YOu use rounds on the fretless?!?

Well, here is the report after gig one. Large ish hall, wooden floor no stage but solid floor on concrete. Boomy reflective room. I set up with Pa support just to add a little foh clarity. Head set with pre shape filter on (kind of scooped), with slight bass cut and upper end boost on the EQ. Valve drive on at about half. Sub harmonics off. Single 410 8ohm. First set used MIM with flats. Second set Squier with rounds. The MIM obviously sounded woolier, but I was mostly fingerstyle on it so that would make a difference too. Action a bit higher, strings a bit stiffer but nice to play. Also it had bite for pull offs etc, and I did one song with a plectrum and it cut ok. The guitarist said it sounded a bit undefined, but it was probs the room. Second set was Squier with rounds. I was mainly plectrum and I wound up the treble on the amp slightly. This absolutely rocked. Drivey and rockly. Exactly like simple minds waterfront intro tone. Songs like Mr Brightside sounded ace. Also nice to play. The Squier has a thinner neck than the MIM, FYI. I think the head could do with a second cab. It was loud enough and with more to give on about half. But another 2 by 10 on top of the 410 would be awesome. I also noted that the head stayed cool. The air coming from the fans was basically cold, which surprised my as I was pushing it at points. So, both basses nice. I think I need time to get used to the MIM with flats. The MIM is very well built and solid sounding. Overall it is the better bass, but the Squier is no slouch, and is amazing for what I paid. Tonight is a big marquee. With a stage, so we will see how that sounds. Chris

I recently swapped from a F1 and Tecamp to Ashdown, the freeing cash up. To be honest having Gigged my set up now i would not call it a downgrade. Just different. Sure it is heavier in weight, but also in tone. Really nice pillowy supportive sound.

Stepping into the bass chair this weekend for 2 nice gigs - a party, and a Summer Ball. For the first time I shall be using my new old styleeee set up: Squier VM P bass, with rounds on it. MIM P bass - with flats now on it. Ashdown rig. I will have PA support at both gigs, and it is a right old mix of stuff - Brown Eyed Girl to Sex On Fire to Lady Gaga (lol). Should be fun. Looking forward to putting all this stiff through its paces. Will sure be different to SR5 into Markbass. I shall report back. C

Don't know, but is your old fave no longer up to the job of gigging? Why retire it?

[quote name='kingbee' post='1279833' date='Jun 23 2011, 05:04 PM']Sorry (told you I was thick), but I just want to make sure I've understood the options here. I had assumed that all I have to do is to go straight from the bass's 1/4" jack out to the 1/4" input on the pedal, then via the pedal's XLR output straight to one of mic inputs on the mixing desk. However, the scenario below (lifted from the blurb for the Radial JDI Passive DI box) suggests an intermediate stage involving an amplifier of some kind. [i]# A 5-string active bass connects to the JDI's ¼" input jack [b]# The JDI's ¼" thru jack is connected to the amplifier input[/b] # The JDI's XLR output connects to one of the mixing console mic inputs[/i] Is this 'amplifier input' stage required in every case or is it just a feature offered by the Radial box? Could someone kindly set me right here? Mean to say, too (as indeed Nottswarwick suggests), that I am not looking for an 'effects' pedal [i]per se[/i]: I usually like my sound 'straight'. Nor do I want to compete with the guitarist! No, I simply want to leave my combo at home whenever possible - that's really what I want the pedal for, as an amp 'substitute'. Mind you, some of these pedals cost a damned sight more than I paid for my combo (s/h off Basschat)! Thanks again.[/quote] The amp thru jack is something you can use if you want to use a backline amp also, but you dont have to - you can use it exactly as you describe

forgive my ignorance..this 62 reissue of which you speak...is it CIJ/MIJ/USA?

[quote name='uncle psychosis' post='1279256' date='Jun 23 2011, 12:03 AM']Yamaha make some great instruments (I've owned several) but I don't get on with the aesthetics of their basses. It may be shallow to dismiss a bass based on looks---but when there are so many great playing/sounding basses that I *do* like the look of theres not much point settling for something I'm not aesthetically pleased with! [/quote] Totally. :-) I am not keen on the newer (well, not the older) BB shapes at all, and this would put me off personally.

looks great

I have never owned an Ibanez. BUT I have never played a bad one - a couple of students have SRs, and I have played them in shops in the past and always been pleasantly impressed. I also like Yamaha instruments a lot, so these might be worth checking out too.

[quote name='RandomBass' post='1279239' date='Jun 22 2011, 11:42 PM']Ok cheers for that. I may still try an ABM500 just to compare - the valve grit thing still appeals as well. I do like Ashdown gear, and my MAG600 has been faultless since I bought it, and I had one of their Electric Blue combos before that. I seem to be collecting gear at a stunning rate at the moment, but I want to find the right amp to settle with - then I can liberate whats left lol. Cheers Geoff[/quote] I know what you are saying. I think that sites like this are great, but I have been through more gear since the internet took off than you would think possible, as it is so easy to trade, and always be tempted by other things. It used to be that you went to your local music emporium, tried what they had in, bought what you liked and used it until it died!

Wazoo - it that a tube compressor one? If it is it will be good - I once had an old heavy first line MB head - it was a silver one, and had a tube compressor in it, and was nice.

Hi Geoff, I have not actually used a MAG series head, unless you count a test drive in Electromusic about 6 years ago (when I bought a Hartke 3500 lol). I have had a bit of a rig change recently, as I wanted/needed more warmth and potential valve grit than my old Markbass (F1) set up could give. Plus I needed to realise some cash (I have to keep 3 rigs going as I play bass, guitar, and drums - expensive business...), so I traded my small and light rig for the ABM set up I now have. I have to say it sounds ace, and the head is not really that heavy - in fact, it's easily manageable. Cab is a bit weighty though. But it does sound rather good.

I have used the Sansamp BDDI to great effect in the past. However, I used it to provide grit - whilst it will do clean too, it will scoop your tone. I have also used a simple Radial JDI Passive DI box in just such an application as yours. This would be a good choice if you simply want to pass the sound of your bass, unaltered, to the desk.

Hi I used to use the EBS Multicomp pedal. It has a 2 band mode from memory, and it used to sound fine to my ears. The DBX rack stuff I believe is good, but I have not used it on bass, I am sure others will advise on this.

What is the PA amp in question? Some (like my old QSC amps) will drive a 2 ohm load.

I looked at Andertons at 8am today and they were showing 2 left at £299. I did not buy one, but will be following thoughts of users closely.

Nice. I've got a Blue Flower Tele, but a reissue. It's nice, but not the real deal..

Do you have to bolt through into the can to attach casters? Thus necessitating the need to get inside?