Kiwi

[quote name='AdamWoodBass' post='19991' date='Jun 19 2007, 12:36 AM']I was also looking at Sandberg's rather tastey range of j basses, I quite like the idea of the MM/J config on a 5 string. Plus everytime I've played a Sandberg I've really liked it.[/quote] Have a chat to Peter Brown at Synergy Distribution - you may be pleasantly surprised at how accommodating Sandberg can be to requests for tweaks. They're superb value basses as well.

With 17 people on stage (including a percussionist) it was usually a case of sticking the amp where it fitted. However, having an angled 380w wedge combo made a huge difference to hearing myself compared to the 600w or so 2x 2x10 set up I had before. I swear with the wedge it sounded like the mids and highs were reflected off low ceilings when I listened at the back of some venues! Great stuff! I also always got lots of boom when I placed the amp in a corner which muddied things up so I tried to elevate the amp when I could and give it some space. Really didn't like playing any venues that ran a PA with huge subs, like at the Dome, Tufnell Park. I ended up unable to hear myself because the lows were out of phase with my amp. Turning up didn't help!

[quote name='Alpha-Dave' post='10993' date='Jun 2 2007, 12:22 PM']CrazyKiwi: I notice that Bassworld was a sponsor last year, are we going to be Basschat this year?[/quote] It would be nice to support this event, it will be up to Ped to decide though. Marketing and promotion is his thing. [quote name='Alun' post='10988' date='Jun 2 2007, 12:11 PM']And CK - have you heard Doky's new album Nomad Diaries? Well worth a listen.[/quote] Yes I've heard a few tracks off it and even had the pleasure of a chinwag recently with him too

OK, there's a bit of an update. Bassjamm has decided, for his own reasons, not to take up the mods post. So taking over from him will be Acidbass as he was next favoured.

Bad timing for me Jamie I'm afraid. I've got a presentation to give to representatives from all 33 London Boroughs at a launch the following day and I'll need a good nights sleep.

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='19483' date='Jun 18 2007, 09:52 AM']If weight was no problem, a Mesa Boogie Buster 200 combo would worth some attention, they do pop up on Ebay occasionally. Alternatively, anything with all valve construction (eg. Trace Elliot Twin/V4 combo?) would do the job also.[/quote] I should qualify what I'm saying by stating that I own two preEB Musicman basses and I own both valve and solid state amps.

If weight was no problem, a Mesa Boogie Buster 200 combo would worth some attention, they do pop up on Ebay occasionally. Alternatively, anything with all valve construction (eg. Trace Elliot Twin/V4 combo?) would do the job also.

Tinman, I've moved the topic to Off Topic but I'm not aware of any settings that might prevent someone from posting.

Hi nick welcome to the forums

I bought a Warwick Rockbass Streamer Basic from Thumbo's shop in Plymouth on impulse in the days before I had a stingray. It made more than a reasonable account of itself in a side by side comparison with the authentic thing. The only downside was that the bass lacked a bit of warmth - even after I installed an EMG BTC preamp. Possibly I should have put an Aguilar or similar instead but the EMG meant I didn't have to drill the bass.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='18870' date='Jun 16 2007, 05:30 PM']I'm convinced that the "clack" is partly a function of the phenolic fretboards that inevitably seem to accompany graphite necks. Sounds like the glued-in Zon echoes some of the traits of the neck-through Vigier 10/90 necks.[/quote] I'd agree and this has been my experience. There's a lot to be said for a soft wood as a fingerboard on a graphite for taming the high end. Steve Lawson had grenadillo fingerbaords fitted to both his modulus basses. [quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='18870' date='Jun 16 2007, 05:30 PM']As an adjunct to the query about graphite/structurally reinforced necks, apparently Roger Glover once took a Vigier Excess, rested it across two cabs (supporting the base of the neck and the volute area) and STOOD ON IT to prove its resilience to journalist types... Didn't someone once de-string a Steinberger and play Baseball with it, then string it up and play it (again to demonstrate its strength)? (Don't try this at home, kids!)[/quote] I recall someone posting a vid of the same being done to a Warwick. In Christchurch, NZ my bass tutor told the story about the Steinberger rep having one of the first XL2's ever made and he would demonstrate its resiliance by literally tossing it into a corner of the room. Then he'd pick it back up and it wouldn't even be out of tune. However eventually he threw it one time too many and the neck snapped at the 12th fret. Effectively a $2500 bass (back then in 1983 money) which had been reduced effectively to spare parts. How did my teacher know this? He bought the bass and had the neck glued back together with adhesive used on composite boats. I had a go on it and it still had its characteristic steinberger sound but there was no way of knowing how long the neck was going to last.

I'm also a leftie who plays right handed. I learned drums right handed at primary school as my then teacher said 'all good drummers have to play either left of right handed so you might as well start right handed and you'll already be at an advantage.' However, I got stuck when it came to doing fills around the toms because it meant my right hand had to lead. In anycase, I ended up with micro-fractures in the ends of my arm bones form playing too much volleyball at highschool and switched to bass because it was more interesting. Ended up more comfortable playing right handed even though my (left) plucking hand always needs a lot of maintenance to keep it working smoothly. I haven't really regretted it apart from it did make learning to slap hard because my arm muscles weren't as developed.

[quote name='Alemboid' post='17937' date='Jun 14 2007, 11:52 PM']Graphite's pretty wonderful too. CK: not sure about the graphite neck/low density wood thing. My ancient Modulus/Alembic Bassstar (the one in my avatar) has the most absurdly heavy walnut (or possibly koa) body and has the thickest tone imaginable. It's too heavy to play for very long without a team of support staff though.[/quote] Ben, sounds to me like we're in agreement! [quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='17808' date='Jun 14 2007, 07:38 PM']There are others that only broaden the issue; Steinbergers Statii - Which in graphite-necked form have truss-rods.[/quote] Rob will tell you that his necks don't need truss rods as they're stiff enough, but he installs them anyway so people can have more control over their set up.

Thanks to everyone who applied, we had a total of 13 applications so the competition was stiff. The mods were originally going to be given two votes - one to determine who made it onto the standby list and then a second vote to appoint. As it happened there was a clear winner and a clear cluster that could make up the standby list so the team agreed that a second vote wasn't needed. So the winner is: [b]Bassjamm[/b] HOWEVER, the team decided that we could use a second mod so congratulations also to: [b]The Burpster[/b] who came second. The following will go onto the standby list: [b] Acidbass, Hamster and Steve_k[/b] To those who applied but who were unsuccessful, please don't feel discouraged from applying next time.

welcome but you'll have to make more effort than that for a first post! Could we have a short biography and gear list please?

*coquettish wave* in return from London.

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='18020' date='Jun 15 2007, 09:17 AM']i've got... ...a leathercraft one[/quote] I've got 5 of the huge 4" wide padded leather/suede ones from Sound Control and they're the only strap I will use now. Super comfortable and non slip.

People usually go for a starter bass between £300-450. You could probably net yourself a secondhand MM Stingray or new Japanese Fender for your budget - hell you could even make Bassjamm an offer on his [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1044"]Smith BSR5J [/url]in the Basschat classifieds!

What kind of bass do you want? Musicman, Warwick, Ibanex, Yamaha, Spector, amongst others all fall within that price range for new basses. You could go second hand and get much better value for money but you'd have to take responsibility for checking the bass over more carefully before you buy it

If you look at Elixir's website there's a load of guff about how stuff gets in between the windings to deaden the sound. There may be something to this but I don't know. However I think its also worth noting the properties of metal are that its good under expansion, but it can stretch. Part of the legend behind cryogenically frozen strings (like Dean Markley Blue Steels) was that the freezing process aligned the molecules better (tempering process) and made the strings less susceptible to stretching and therefore they lasted longer. I mean, its all a lot of medicine show at the end of the day. You can potentially still end up with a duff set of strings regardless of how good the manufacturer claims they are. I'd prefer to minimise my risk and buy cheap every time. I tend to use D'Addario Stainless Steel and boil them so long as flat spots haven't been worn in. I've had duff sets from status, rotosound and elite. I use Warwick red label sometimes as well if I want softer sounding strings - the Daddarios are very aggressive so good for the Smiths.

I've heard the same, but it doesn't it potentially mean you can pump into them double their power rating? Best to talk to Acme direct on that.

Find a friendly auto paint shop. If you get the final sanding done and grain filling (if needed), they can paint it for cheap as chips and cut back the finish to a nice gloss.

The only problem with hifi speakers is that they may not be shielded. I've also used a pair of Alesis M1 Active Mk2's and they've been very good if a little on the large side. I have a pair of Yamaha HS50's which have proven to be a total revelation - I can hear details that I've not been able to pick up even on my mp3 player.