brensabre79

You could use your credit card.... ...either to check the frets are level, or to buy a piece of metal with a straight edge to check your frets are level

What Jam are you going to Random? I'm in Brighton -ish too The ramp... yeah my dad has one on his GW 5 string bass. Horrible thing. I can't play his basses because the action is so low and the strings are like cheesewire (seriously his low B is about the same gauge as my A string). When he got it I pointed out that thats exactly the place I need a lot of room to dig in and get my fingers under! So much so I've shimmed the necks on most of my basses to get a bit more space. He swears by his though, he's put them on his other basses now too! Although my dad pointed out that he actually IS a bass player as opposed to a drummer who has migrated - he always said I play guitar, bass and keyboards like a drummer.

I play in a few bands so different sorts of music. The band I was working with when I tried the Platinums was post-punk covers - so lots of pick work, Stranglers, Clash etc. I also play in a bluesy rock band for which they would probably be ideal, but I like to have a lot of mid/treble that I can roll off with the tone control rather than have to dial it in with the amp. I do have quite a clanky sound most of the time and the Platinums just don't clank. I guess I need an all-rounder string. I have EQ and compression in my rig so a string that negates the need for these is a little wasted on me. Especially as I like to drive the valve compressor to within an inch of its life! Looking at the description of the sound you want I would say the Platinums would probably work well for you, but if you want a string with a more usual tone (as in like most other roundwounds out there) I would go with the Diamonds. Although having said all of that, I ordered both sets in Steel (I'm allergic to Nickel) and this may be a factor in the tone...

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1348136883' post='1809738'] Yeah the waiting time is a bit of a git [/quote] Worth it though I think

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1347966845' post='1807211'] More please. Just ordered a set of the Platinums, hoping for a warmer sound, more depth and less squeak. I was really after halfrounds but thought I'd give these a try. Not looking forward to a lightweight sound on the 'G'. Is it still the case? [/quote] For a warmer sound with more depth and less squeak you've ordered the right ones I think 4Strings

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1348138692' post='1809774'] What was the problem with the Platinums? [/quote] The 'problem' was only for me really, others might love them. They are perfectly good strings, with a very distinctive sound. As I mentioned earlier, there is an incredibly strong fundamental frequency with these, not so much of the higher harmonics (mid or treble). Probably great for a recording where you would normally compress and EQ the bass to sound like these do naturally (I think thats the whole idea) - but for live I need all that stuff in there!

[quote name='Dazzle' timestamp='1348157679' post='1810196'] Definitely wouldn't agree with the "one trick pony" assessment [/quote] Me either, I've heard it said, but I think with a bass like that you need to mess with the amp, and get the sound by playing it. Its a great bass IMO, and you play it well I have GAS for a gold top too. It won't be this year though!

The low impedance pickup/transformer arrangement takes a bit of getting used to I think - you have to forget the settings you would use with a normal bass. I think it was designed to get more top end out of the semi-acoustic bass - normally they can be quite muddy with conventional HiZ pickups on. These pickups are also designed to get Jack Casady's rather distinctive sound so you might have to experiment a bit more with EQ to get something else from it. I heard someone say it was a one trick pony, with a great trick!

Don't take it personally, they might not be available for that speaker. I had so much trouble getting a recone kit for the PAS drivers in my SWR I ended up just buying new speakers! you might be in the same boat if its an old one... Edit: Have you tried [url="http://www.elsproaudio.com/home_page.htm"]http://www.elsproaud...m/home_page.htm[/url] they are in Canada though

Depends what they are doing for £40. You can get some copper tape for £10 and do it yourself pretty easily, its just lining all the cavities with that and making sure its connected to earth. UNLESS you are [u]not[/u] comfortable taking your bass apart. In which case I would get a couple of quotes for comparison. There is a list of luthiers and repairers in your area at the top of this section of the forum...

Yes Ampeg for home use would be fine. But even with PA might struggle to hear yourself on-stage unless you have quite a middy sound. If you're playing in venues with in-house PA though, the boom will come from their system so it could work for you. For my 2p it seems an expensive rig for what it actually is with no possibility to expand/increase power. As long as you know that and are aware that you might have to upgrade your rig if you start doing pub gigs etc. then that's OK. But we wouldn't wnat you to get that rig and find at your first gig that you can't hear yourself...

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1345669653' post='1780367'] I hope you do really big loud gigs, 'cos I have the STM 6 & S12T and that's [i][b][size=8]LOUD!!![/size][/b][/i] [/quote] [b][size=8]+1[/size][/b] [b][size=8][size=5]I HAVE A SHUTTLE 6 AND A SUPER 12 AND IT'S[/size] INCREDIBLY LOUD!!! [/size][/b][size=8][size=2](sorry was I shouting?)[/size][/size]

Shielding will definitely help. Not sure blend control will be any different to two volumes in terms of hum! This is a different thing really, and a fairly common mod to a jazz bass - but not to reduce hum. You could try humbucking pickups, a few companies do these for Jazz Bass, the old favourite being DMarzio Model J, but they are kind of an old school sounding compared to the Nordys and Barts. Whatever you choose make sure its a humbucking model (not all are) or you'll probably end up in the same position. I would try shielding all cavities first though - that may be enough and its considerably cheaper than a set of Bartolinis!! Once you've sorted that you can sort out the blend control thing, either buy the pots and wire it up, or if you're not confident about soldering you could drop Kiogon on here a PM, he might make you one.

True dat Lozz but if you get a Barefaced Super12 you won't need another cab

[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1348079847' post='1809054'] Sounds good .. think I prefer the 50 setting but still undecided about the Jack Casady v Hagstrom Viking [/quote] The Hagstrom is short scale though Jack wins!

Sorry, forgot about this post, I've been blissfully playing away on my Newtones since! So the studio set really didn't do it for me, but the Live set (Diamond?) really did! Amazing difference between the two. I did adjust the pickups and it did sort out the sound balance issue - so no worries there. So over to the Live set... and a slight adjustment again with the pickups. It's all there! all the frequencies and a great sound not too harsh at the top, but there's plenty of it, and what I would call a significant bottom end - especially on the neck pickup. The tone is great actually, it sounds alive. The playing balance is also great, so much so that I picked up another bass that has normal 45-105s on the other day and found it almost unplayable for 10 minutes until i got used to it again. You really have to adjust for the flappy strings. Back to my Jazz with the balanced Newtones and I swear my playing has improved significantly with these on, not having to compensate for the variation in tension has made a huge difference to both the speed and dynamics I play with. So much more control. In summary: Balanced tension is definitely a winner - I thought it was my technique, and it may be that its suited to balanced tension, but a lot of my shortcomings and frustrations as a player seemed to dissipate with them on. I dig in quite a lot and not having a significantly more sensitive string in the middle has made a real difference. I've not tried other brands of balanced tension strings, but the Newtone strings definitely have an awesome (big) sound to them and they do last (if you look after them). I have ordered some more sets. My only criticism is the 28 day waiting time, but I guess this is because they are increasing in popularity. And rightly so!

If its 90% bedroom use, the Ampeg looks better, and you get to say you have an Ampeg stack - which will earn you bass player kudos in the pub. Although If you're playing in the pub the Ampeg microstack is only 100w and it'll probably struggle. If you want to do gigs I'd get the Fender out of those two. However.... Can I ask why you have narrowed your choice down to two amps that are not even remotely similar? Do you like the sound? The look? Or are they just the two that you have found that fit your budget

Yes thats normal. Its happened to me before when I've put a low bid in. Instantly outbid and my name doesn't appear. So someone might have put a bid of £1,000 in for it, and they will win the item for whatever price the next highest bidder puts in, if thats you, then your £75 bid will take it up to £76. There is a risk to that strategy, but if you want something badly it a sure way to win it! You can pick up a bargain sometimes...

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1347980221' post='1807587'] Sorry to hijack, but for all you guys using these for recording, can you get lovely squealy high gain feedback like Gallagher or hendrix from one of these? Cos that's the only reason i am still hanging on to my old valve amps. [/quote] IF you monitor it through speakers cranked up loud enough you can. But if you monitor through headphones so the guitar cannot pickup the sound coming from the speakers then No you can't. But as good as these modelling boxes are, there is no substitute for a good old fashioned valve amp in my opinion! It's the same with plug-in synths et al - close, some very close, but not the same.

Yes you should be ok with the low rolled off and just put it through the PA tops. there will be a perceived low end from the kick when the click combines with the low end from your bass anyway. We do this on larger gigs sometimes where the kick drum is the first thing to disappear in the mix in larger rooms... Edited for smelling

Nice amp I used to have a Sound City 50 head that i rescued from the tip! It was a great sound!

+1 The days of buying old guitars as an investment passed a long time ago in the 80s when lots of bankers bought old strats and gibsons at heavily inflated prices and subsequently lost a fortune. The downside to this is that there are many fantastic instruments out there that musicians can't afford to buy and put them to the use they were intended for. If you want an investment, go invest in smartdust, or nanotechnology, or just open a bank account if you want a better ROI. If you want an instrument to play, enjoy, love and look after for a while then get yourself a nice 60s P-Bass and enjoy it.

Welcome to Basschat Dazzle. Lovely bass

I've had both, the Combo has more... well thats it it has more! The TNT always felt like a practice amp to me, it is more punchy but if its trouser shaking lows you want, the Combo 300 has the edge! Still use mine in our practice room. There's not a great deal of difference otherwise. IF I was gigging it though I would probably go with the TNT to save on car suspensions and osteopath trips. The Combo is bloody heavy!

Cheers Mart, will check it out!