Mark Dyer

[quote name='PJT' timestamp='1396733052' post='2416950'] "Within the glow that weaves the cloak of delight" [/quote] "There moves a thread that has no end" All My Love - Led Zeppelin Ok, see if anyone here knows this... "Is there life on Mars?"

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1396787924' post='2417275'] ...I have played[i] plenty[/i] of both and so am quite familiar with the signature sound of both makes , but when I refer to Spector I mean the full-spec USA NS models … [/quote] I'm expecting my Spector (Euro model) any day soon, and as you would expect I did quite a bit of playing and comparing before committing to it. I spent two sessions at Bass Direct, playing both Euro and US models through various amp/cab setups, and although we all admitted the US build had a slight edge in sound quality and build, we all agreed (Mark at BD, my bass tech* and myself) that it didn't justify the nearly £2000 in price difference. Ok, I know there are exchange rates, import duties involved in US instruments but what I'm trying to say is, don't think if you buy a Euro made Spector that it is sub standard to a US build, because it is not. Very excited about it arriving. *Ok, I don't really have a bass tech, it was my mate Dave, but he did once put one of my basses away after a gig so I think that counts.

I use a One Spot Multi PSU for the 9v pedals and the supplied PSU for the 12v & 18v pedals. This is all connected with a Pedaltrain to take all the clutter off the front of the stage. The tuner is on it's own loop to the tuner in/out of the amp and the rest got through the effects loop of the amp. The only issue I have with the Pedaltrain is the mini jack connectors can come loose so I gaffer tape all for gigs. Seriously considering a Voodoo Labs power supply to reduce clutter even more, I like to set up/pack up with the minimum of fuss.

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1396440524' post='2413620'] Is it " I'm bored with ripping off Genesis so I'm going to rip off Fleetwood Mac instead " ? [/quote] Ouch!

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1396440621' post='2413624'] Yes, that's another method - but I don't agree that it is the easiest. Sourcing some IMS (Industrial Methylated Spirit or "alcohol") can be a pain, but once you have it all you need to do is coil the strings up according to the size of your vessel (I use an old "Vitalite" margarine tub), pop them in and pour the liquid over them. Leave them for a few hours, giving them the odd swirl, then take them out and drain the alcohol off. No need to even dry them! [/quote] Okee dokee, I might try this although my method takes about 5 mins yours appears to take a couple of hours? What exactly does the [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Industrial Methylated Spirit or "alcohol" do to the strings?[/font][/color]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1396438765' post='2413565'] This one has got me foxed. I'm sure I've heard it before, though. It's not Dylan, is it..? [/quote] John Cooper Clarke? So tempted to Google it...

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1396438893' post='2413568'] As Number6 points out. You have to stretch them when you first put them on. They're quite unstable until they've settled in. [/quote] For sure, I understand how they need to be played in a bit so that the string stays in tune, but how does it affect the sound?

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1396436186' post='2413493'] Do you have time for more than one band? You could continue with this for the social aspect and find a second band to do a bit of actual work with! [/quote] Yep, good advice.

"He met him eating mushrooms in Peoples Park" Where's me Jumper - Sultans of Ping "Babe, babe, babe, babe, babe, baby, m'baby..."

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1396435191' post='2413463'] Heating them up will restore this a bit. The problem with water is that it'll rust the core eventually and the string will break mid set. [/quote] Exactly how does 'heating them up a bit' restore loss of elasticity? As far as I can work out, my strings are stainless steel or nickel, never seen them rust?

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1396435191' post='2413463'] Playing the strings also stretches them and together with tuning up/down the steel core eventually loses its elasticity. [/quote] Can you provide some evidence that this actually happens, and how loss of elasticity affects the sound?

The solution is simple. Sack them. Then start replacing them with players who want to do something.

Would be interested in reading what people think happens to strings as the get duller/older. As far as I know and from what I've read elsewhere, over time natural oils from your fingers combined with sweat, skin and general dust, liquids etc, build up between the windings on the string, this affects the sound of the string as it vibrates. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious. I know people have their preferred method of cleaning but, all you are effectively doing is trying to 'de-grease' the string, and the easiest way to do this is simply a bowl of very hot water and some washing up liquid, just wipe them in the water with a cloth until no more marks appear. How do I know this? Well, I've had headless basses for most of my time playing and one of the great advantages of double ball end strings is they can be cleaned repeatedly, I've extended the life of strings this way for months, years even. Sorry for going a bit off topic.

My Streamliner worked perfectly first time last Saturday, blue light came on, volume there from the off. Why is this issue so haphazard?

Best Bass Gear ran a survey recently on peeps string preference. Two manufacturers seemed to be clear favourites, DR and [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]D'Addario. As Bubinga and others have mentioned earlier, they do seem to last a while longer before starting to sound dull, which was also a common response on the survey.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I use DR Lowriders on all basses, they are not the cheapest for sure, but they do last longer.[/font][/color]

I remember, or should I say can never forget, playing a pub called The Charles Dickens in Colchester. I was on tour with a local band, we had just come down from Norwich and had been booked there before moving onto to Oxford. Arrived at the venue late afternoon, not a small place by any means, large raised stage, dressing room, all looked good, Gary Moore's "Still Got The Blues For You" was playing on the jukebox as we walked in. Landlord seemed a pleasant chap, we unloaded and started to set up, "Still Got The Blues..." was playing a second time, it finished and then came on again, then a fourth time, a fifth, it just kept repeating back to back? I looked across at the landlord, he was clearly enjoying the song, singing along, miming, etc. I shouted over "I think the song has stuck?" He said "Nah, I love this song, can't stop listening to it." This went on for another hour as we set up for a soundcheck, the damn song playing repeatedly over and over... He had to switch it off for the soundcheck but as soon as we finished he was there shoving more tokens in, "Still Got The Blues..." on repeat, no break, no other songs, just that song. One of the guitarists had started to develop a nervous twitch. After another hour or so I snapped and decided to put something different on the jukebox, selected some Aerosmith, GnR or whatever, got about 30 secs into the Aerosmith track and whoosh, the landlord rushes over switches it off says "I'm not listening to that I want to listen to Gary Moore" On goes "Still Got The Blues..." again and again and again. We had next to no money and had a rider and food at the venue so going elsewhere wasn't an option, so there we sat, for hours, the same damn song playing in the background with no let up, it was like torture, the landlord still behind the bar miming to the guitar solos. Eventually we went on at 10.00 to a virtually empty pub (can't think why?) played an hour's set and started to pack up, yes you guessed it, "Still Got The Blues..." on repeat play once more. We packed up in record time and got the hell out of there, I swear I must've heard that damn song over 100 times that night. Never been back since, still hate the damn song to this day.

[quote name='BigBeatNut' timestamp='1396220502' post='2411194'] ...as Just Kissed My Baby, segued into Cissy Strut, and then changed Cissy Strut into a 12-bar. [/quote] Damn, he didn't do those in Manc, 'Just Kissed...' has to be one of my favs. What did you think of the drummer? Almost stole the show for me.

Sweet as a nut last night, both sets went down a treat, great audience participation on Gimme Some Lovin', dragged back on for an encore of Enter Sandman. Then to top it all, landlord says he'll pay each of us £10 extra if we do Killing in the Name of. No problem mate! God I love Saturday nights, feck knows what I'm gonna do with meself when I get too old for this...

The tickets were priced from £28.00 plus booking fee I think, I'll check, I had one of my people try to book this morning, I didn't get involved in the details...

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1396008104' post='2408913'] Fair point, well made has it got better since I last tried? [/quote] Probably not lol. But I think they kinda replaced the old audio bootleg. We have all at some point bought or listened to live bootlegs, hoping for that hidden gem of a performance or a gig that we've attended, but the sound was invariably poor to downright unlistenable. The live gig CD service (can't remember what it's called) has also replaced that I guess.

His debut solo album came out this week, well worth checking out if you're a Doves fan. 'Odludek'

Glad I'm not the only one, I think it's time for a call to Mark at bass Direct, see where I take it from there. Hope this is fixable, they are the best compact amp I've used, wouldn't want to look for an alternative now. I had no problems with it, had it about two years then suddenly, after a particularly cold night (it had been left in rehearsal room over night) it just developed the same symptoms you described.

Seeing him in Manc tonight, if I manage to photo/video anything I'll post it.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1396005887' post='2408875'] Absolutely never. Nor any other footage of gigs on youtube, it is invariably unlistenable, unwatchable and not good. [/quote] How would you know?

Fail. Oh well, I'll wait for the DVD next year