pete.young

My powerblock died a death quite quickly, and Foxen is now using it for spares. The only way I got it to sound half-decent as a bass amp was to use a pre-amp and go in through the effects return: the gain brings on distortion so quickly that it's essentiallly useless if you need a clean sound through the main input. I bought a markbass head to use as a backup for my unreliable valve head, and ended up using the markbass head as my main amp. Eventually I acquired a Puma 110 and now that goes everywhere as a backup/di/monitor just in case. I might actually now be in a position to run bass through the PA without using backline, but I'll still be carrying the Puma as a just-in-case measure for the forseeable future.

I had a Columbus Jazz bought second hand in the late 1970s, happily I don't have any pictures of it to jog unpleasant memories and I don't recall what happened to it once I got my hands on a Yamaha BB800 (which I still have) in about 1979.

Yes, there's an input gain. Perhaps I'm being too fussy, but it was quite an expensive bit of kit and I don't want to break it through not knowing what I should be doing!

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it this year, due to gigs + 'er indoors being away for the weekend. Have a good one!

This seems like the same guy. Something very strange going in his head! http://www.gumtree.com/p/community/bass-player-wanted-for-gigging-blues-funk-rock-band-female-bassplayer-welcome/106262943

No PAD switch unfortunately, but the guitarist's pre-amp does have a -10dB setting so we'll go with that.

Thanks Bert, much appreciated especially the bit about feedback from the compressors. Will use sparingly. I now understand how the guitar stuff works a bit better, and I think it'll be OK - there's some control over the signal strength so we can back it off at both ends if necessary.

I've just bought a new mixer (Yamaha MG206C) because the band has outgrown it's old one, and it's occurred to me that I'd better get my head around how it works, for self-preservation purposes. Guitarist uses a system which is baffling in it's complexity, but seemingly involves him giving me a stereo left and right signal via a pair of balanced cables with XLR connections. He's demanding to use 2 mono channels (based on wanting to plug XLRs into the desk). I think he actually needs a single stereo channel, which has two 6mm unbalanced jack inputs. It seems to me that if I obtain a couple of Jack - XLR adaptors I can plug these into the jack sockets for the stereo channel, and connect his left and right signal XLRs to the adaptoprs - job done . Is this right? If so, can I use a TRS-type stereo jack adaptor, which would put the 'hot' signal from pin 2 onto the tip of the adaptor? If i were to humour him and allow him to plug into the 'mic' inputs on two mono channels, would I be right in thinking that this would be bad for the mixer, since I'd be putting a line-level voltage into a mic pre-amp designed for a much lower signal? It seems to me it'd be better to plug him into the 'line' input, which is a TRS balanced Jack - so I'd need the adaptors as above, or a balanced cable with a TRS jack on it instead of an XLR. Is this correct? What about keyboards? Any reason why I can't just use two unbalanced jack-jack connecters to plug one into a stero channel? What about DI-boxes for bass, acoustic guitars etc - should these also go into the TRS line input or is it OK to connect these to a mic pre-amp input? My brain hurts, think I'll take an asprin and lie down in a darkened room!

And all of it is filtered through whatever speakers and soundcards you're using on your PCs. So everyone's experience will be different.

Someone got a pretty good deal with this. I'd have bought it myself, but couldn't face a trip to Reading. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251101232264?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Anybody here get this?

Wood? How primitive. If you must use materials from the last century, what is the most sustainable? If this involves actually cutting down real trees, I'll take something sustainable and replantable over exotic jungle hardwoods every day of the week.

How do you know that it's MIJ, the seller tell you? It's not stated in the ad. If 'MPN' in the ad refers to the serial number, a 'T' followed by 6 digits would be right for a MIJ from 1994-1995.

[quote name='Cjd191' timestamp='1340525742' post='1705498'] ... the last trip ended up at Thomann and took in the Nurburgring on the way back. [/quote] Best lap time for a Vauxhall Corsa with an 8x10 in the back?

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1340360560' post='1703243'] Thanks. The ebay one could be a great bass for the money. [/quote] I think £500 is on the high side - in these troubled times you might pick up a not-for-export MIJ/CIJ Fender for that sort of money.

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1340374800' post='1703622'] I think I'd look at this from a different angle, say 47 degees. You arrive at the Dog & Custard pub and the landlord says to you, "Lovely evening, I'll have you playing in the beer garden tonight". What do you do? [/quote] You say, sorry, we don't play outdoors, equipment is too valuable .

I'm with AndyTravis on this one. Don't do it. Makes me regret even more that I didn't buy it when it was up for sale. Besides ruining an unusual and interesting instrument, what you're proposing to do won't work. It will never sound like a traditional fretless jazz bass with those horrible strings on it, whatever pickups you put in it. If you absolutely have to do it, take it to a proper luthier to get it done - I've seen so many original '70s Precisions that have been destroyed by cack-handed routing in a vain quest to make them into something they're not. [quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1338556966' post='1676320'] I have a router, if I get a good template I might just go at it myself. [/quote] Oh well.

Would the 5th string be a low 'B' or a high 'C' ? I think it will be difficult to achieve a decent low 'B' with a 32" scale length.