Ed_S

A while ago, I had a less than perfect time with a set of D'Addario Half Rounds, and duly asked on BC if anybody else had similar experiences to share. Nobody seemed to have had the same issues so I was ready to put it down to a bad pack and move on; I'd bought them as an experiment along with some Rotosound Solo Bass (pressure-wound) and ascertained that neither were really my idea of fun irrespective of possible defects. Soon after, however, a guy called Don from D'Addario PM'd me to say that what I'd experienced certainly wasn't the norm, and offer me a free replacement set or alternatively something different to try. Given that at no point had I actually contacted the company directly to complain, I thought that was a very attentive gesture. Anyway, I figured that since I was still feeling experimental, I'd go for something different and accepted a set of 45-105 EXP Reds (EXPR165) which, for the uninitiated, are EXP coated, copper-plated steels. The strings arrived the next day and went on my 2008 MIA Standard P for a good work-out. As they're not something I've ever seen in the shops (or even online that often) and have never seen much discussion surrounding, I said that good or bad, I'd write a few words in review, so here goes... Straight out of the packet I have to say they're very aesthetically pleasing strings and against a dark rosewood board the bright copper looks great. I don't know how long they'll last that way before tarnishing but the EXP coating should help on this front. Fitting went as smoothly as normal, but my one observation here is that the 'E' string is right on the first stage of the taper as it sits in the nut, so rather than being its full thickness at this point, it's probably about the full thickness of the 'A'. I realise that this wouldn't be the case had I top-loaded them rather than going through the body, but given that it's the stock option on the USA Precision (which isn't exactly an uncommon instrument) I'd have expected the extra 5mm of full thickness in the string required to get over the nut before tapering away to the peg. Anyhow, I don't think it's making any appreciable difference to feel (though maybe it would if I played with a very low action) or sound, so really just an observation.. on with the playing side of things... For the most part, these strings are pleasantly familiar; it's just like playing a similarly sized set of ProSteels, the only difference being the EXP coating which I guess either bothers you or it doesn't. I'm not a huge fan of coated strings, but I can fully appreciate why it's a desirable feature of this particular product, and in its favour I'm only getting that slightly 'sticky' feel (that I find with all coated strings irrespective of manufacturer) on my plucking fingers, and then only really noticing it for as long as it takes to get into playing the music, whereupon I stop caring! The blurb on the packaging says that the copper coating on the wrap wire "imparts a more 'acoustic' tone", and whilst initially skeptical, I can really hear what they're on about. I've had a number of acoustic basses over the years, the most recent being a Fender Kingman, and have always ended up moving them on for lack of practicality; my main gripe being that for their relative size and fragility in transport and the inherent difficulty of using acoustic instruments in loud rock performances, the difference in amplified tone has always been too subtle to justify. Well, that subtle difference in tone is right there on the P with the Reds fitted, which to my mind makes these strings a great way of showing willing (complete with visual cue) without putting yourself to all the trouble of using a real acoustic in a live setting. Even if you were using an acoustic as your main bass and wanted to keep an electric at the back of the stage as a backup, I could see these being a worthwhile addition. So in sum, I'm suitably impressed, both with Don at D'Addario for his attention to customer service, and with EXP Reds for their subtle contribution to my pseudo-acoustic bass exploits.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1348300216' post='1811968'] +1. I`ve been knocked out by how good my Markbass 104HR is. I can get that "felt as well as heard" sound, with virtually flat eq, just VPF on the amp on full. My previous faves have been Ampeg, but I just can`t lift them any more, just a bit too heavy for my back now, and Schroeder. Schros are amazing, don`t sound too ncie on their own, a bit scratchy/nasally, but sit so well in the mix, plus they sound the same wherever you stand (aside from maybe behind them). That said, the Markbass cab takes it for me. It sounds great both on its own, and in the mix, and the tweeter, whilst adding definition to the notes, is not clicky, and if you like a bassy sound, but without that boom that sometimes accompanies this, this cab does it fantastically. Never thought a brand would take my preference over Ampeg, but Markbass has. [/quote] The 104HR is a great cab. I've seen it take some stick from the 104HF fans, but having tried both I actively prefer my HR for that really controlled bottom end that, as you say, stops it being 'boomy'.

Perhaps a bit late to the party, but as I don't think it's been mentioned yet, I can thoroughly recommend the Digitech 'GSP 1101' for rock and metal tones. Our lead guitarist uses his with the matching 'Control 2' foot controller, and whilst he'd be the first to admit that the factory default patches are fairly rough and it took him a while to learn how to program it and get the patches sounding right, they're now very believable in isolation and to all intents and purposes indistinguishable from a real amp in a mix.

The one that came with mine is packaged as Fender part number '0076157000' and measures 7/64" imperial. Quite a nifty ball-ended affair it is, too!

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1347734776' post='1804506'] What does IDST mean? [/quote] Think it's 'if destroyed, still true'. I've had a Squier VM P for a while and find it completely adequate for the purpose intended; I gig it and it performs just fine. I'm really not sure about people saying there's no difference between them and MIM/MIA Fenders, but all the same, totally agree that those on tighter budgets or just starting out have it really good with instruments like the VMs and CVs out there. My gf tagged along with me to the music shop yesterday when I was picking up my latest acquisition, and she ended up getting herself a Squier VM '77 Jazz and a Rumble 15 as after a previous false-start, she wants to give bass a proper go. Having checked it over and demoed it for her, the VM J is a very nice bass... actually marginally better than my VM P because the Duncan Designed J pickups sound like they should, whereas I had to swap the P pickup for something better.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1347348578' post='1799527'] [url="http://www.soundindustry.co.uk/acatalog/W-Audio-1300W-1U-Amplifier-Horizon1300-AMP44.html"]http://www.soundindustry.co.uk/acatalog/W-Audio-1300W-1U-Amplifier-Horizon1300-AMP44.html[/url] I use the 1100W version. In terms of bangs per buck, it's hard to beat. [/quote] Heh, my 600W Horizon blew up on Saturday - was using it to power a pair of stage monitors at fairly tame volumes and it just started annihilating fuses. Not quite the 'bang' I was after for my buck :-)

I've got two of the Crown XLS 1500s that I use for PA duties these days, and they are indeed light and powerful. I actually bought the first to use in a rig with an RBI and my S12 and it sounded good; I certainly don't think you'd be disappointed.

My 2008 USA Standard and (before I got rid of it a couple of weeks ago) 2010 USA Deluxe both have/had the same thing going on. I dare say that when my 2012 USA Standard V that's replacing the Deluxe finally arrives, it'll look the same. I've always just taken it to be due to the thickness of the finish.

Rotosound 'Solo Bass 55' steel pressurewound strings have brass ball-ends, green silk binding (at both ends, mind) and come in a 45-130 set.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1346107473' post='1785498'] Barefaced super 12 is a 2x12 that should basically totally do you for the purpose. It will go a bit further than a 4x10 and is comically light. [/quote] Yup - I currently have a Markbass 104HR and a Barefaced S12, and whilst I do still like and use the Markbass, it's hard not to advocate the S12 as a worthy replacement. It only drops about 7Kg from what you're used to shifting, but at the same time the 'tall thin' shape means it's a much more comfortable lift and a lot easier to get through doors etc. plus the built-in back wheels are nifty for when you're inside. The one minor is that the textured finish is quite sharp in places and I've actually managed to skin my knuckles on mine before, but you soon learn not to do it, and once you've invested in a dust cover it's a lot less dangerous!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1345553396' post='1778731'] I could be wrong about this, but I think you will find that there haven't been any upgrades to the spec. of the five string American Standard Precision Bass for 2012. Where as the four string Am St. basses have been given Custom Shop pickups, the five string Precision and Jazz pickups remain unchanged , presumably because the Custom Shop don't make as standard a five string P or J pickup. So I presume the only upgrade has been to the price, unfortunately. I don't want to rain on anybodys parade, I just thought it was worth mentioning in case someone had presumed they would be getting new pickups . It still looks and sounds like a lovely bass to me, regardless. [/quote] You are indeed right! I didn't actually check (on the grounds of not being all that fussed) so just assumed that the marketing applied No major... I like the pickup in my 2008-ish Am Std. 4, so I'm sure the 5 will be just fine. I'll still report back when it arrives!

I bought one as a 'cheap, but not too cheap' testbed for C,F,Bb,Eb tuning which my band uses for a few songs that our singer just can't hit in our usual half-step-down. The body and neck are well made, the frets are well fitted and dressed and the rosewood board on mine is quite nicely figured, but the finishing of the back of the neck is a bit 'rough and ready' and I wasn't blown away by the Duncan Designed pickup as I felt it lacked definition compared to the stock hardware of my 2009 MIMs. Likewise, I thought the tuning machines felt a bit flimsy, but they did the job just fine so I left them to it. In any case, the intention was always just to see if the thicker strings and different tuning worked, and if it did, to get another MIM, do the same to it and sell on the VM, but in the event it became clear that it was good enough to be a keeper, so I got it a Quarter-Pounder and a BadAss II (the latter being purely aesthetic), and it's still part of the family today. I don't agree that they're the same quality as a 2009-onwards MIM because the neck finishing and the hardware just aren't up to that standard, but they're certainly 'good enough', especially for the money, and particularly if you plan to make a few hardware changes of your own.

I've literally just ordered one of the new 2012 upgrade ones today... I'll let you know what I think when it arrives!

It's part of the reason why after briefly toying with the idea of selling it, I opted to keep my old SWR Workingman's 4004 - everything else I own has a fan in it, which is, as you so rightly say, very annoying when playing quietly at home.

I play guitar, but wouldn't go as far as to call myself a guitarist; I treat it like a small bass which results in a lot of power chord riffs and some twiddly lead, but because my genre of choice is classic rock, that works out just fine in the 'jamming for fun' stakes and back at school even put me in the "quite good" category for a while To answer the question, I think that playing guitar makes me a better bassist because I instinctively know from first-hand experience what I'd want me to be doing with the bass line if it were me playing the guitar! My theory is all instinctive and I don't read music, so practical experience is rarely unhelpful.

I had one for about a year, but got rid of it a couple of months ago as I didn't feel it was sufficiently useful to me personally. Don't get me wrong, it looks good (well, I thought so!), it's a nice size and weight to play, the neck is very accessible and it doesn't balance as badly as you might think, it's fun to keep around the house and just pick up without needing to plug in, and it sounds fairly pleasant too... ...but it's not loud enough to hang with even one acoustic guitar unplugged, let alone two and a drummer, so you'll always be plugging it in, at which point you'll very likely need to use a feedback eliminator in the sound hole, at which point it sounds [i]just[/i] like a P-bass in the mix. Since I use a P-bass anyway, I figured I'd save myself the additional, more fragile instrument to carry round and just stick with my P. I hope that didn't sound like I was giving it a bad review... I genuinely liked mine, but as soon as I realised that the sound in the mix was nearly identical to what I already had (just an EQ tweak away), and I didn't feel the need for that visual element of being seen to play an acoustic, it quickly became surplus despite being a nice instrument. Really hope you enjoy yours and find it hits the spot visually - one word of caution, however; if you're transporting it in a gig bag rather than a hard case, it's very easy to catch the tuner button on the preamp, which results in a completely flat battery when you arrive where you're going, so, you know, in line with the best held traditions of the bassist, always have a spare

I had an ABM500 that I thought was very quiet. I was running it with matching ABM cabs and everybody tells me that unless it was broken or I just didn't know how to use it (neither of which I'm buying) it should have been knocking down walls. It really wasn't, even going full tilt. I've generally found that the cheaper MAGs seem more 'lively' for less wattage.. so maybe it's an EQ thing?

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1339694578' post='1692930'] Or for the very ambitious, Queensryche's Suite Sister Mary. [/quote] I like your thinking! Taking ambition even further, maybe something like "The Hourglass" from Savatage's "The Wake of Magellan".

Not exactly a 'choir', but... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7eqxg92YG0

I'm out of the house and on my phone at present so this is from memory, but chan gain knob up, chan 'on', white chan fader up, red ST (or similar) button near chan fader pressed in, red master fader up, monitoring set to stereo mix (button out, iirc) and monitoring level knob up ...should give noise through headphones that can be controlled using the white chan fader. Of course, PFL shouldn't be engaged or it works anyway :-) ...I'll have a look at a picture of the desk when I get home to make sure I've not missed anything!

If you're only getting sound with PFL engaged, are you sure that the channel is 'on' (which I always find a little odd on the MG series when I'm expecting a 'mute' button instead) and that it's assigned to what you're monitoring (no point monitoring the sub-group if your channel is assigned to the main stereo mix).

[quote] when what you play... [/quote] Guitar. [quote] ...is more important than what you're playing it on. [/quote] A tube platform.

Sounds like it'll be absolutely fine. You don't need gold plated connectors, and it'd be pretty odd to find a standard male to female XLR / mic lead made with 2-core screened cable that wasn't wired to be balanced.