Wolverinebass

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1486895090' post='3235256'] ...sorry, I had to go and make breakfast. So yes, we're at the studio. He sets up and we just have a little chat and decide what to play. As Montgomery Burns would have said, 'And we were off!' End of the first song, me, the guitarist and the singer are kind of looking at each other. The guitarist is smiling, which is strange enough in itself and I'm kind of at that point where I just want to laugh loudly because there's joy in my being. The guy is fantastic; he's taken the loops I put into the original demos and has bettered them. The guy plays like Taylor Hawkins. He sings. He harmonises. He's a machine and frankly one of the funniest guys I've ever met. Band politics are gone, we're a gang. So we gave him the chair. He accepted. We're about a dozen gigs in, we've done studio time and did a two hour radio show. Andy/Wolverine has heard the studio stuff and said some really nice things about it. I'm made up. [/quote] It's amazing how much of a difference an adjustment like this can make. From hearing the Johnsons material I can say that it's fantastic. It has a great energy to it, the songs are really good and it's brilliantly produced with probably some of the best drum sounds I've ever heard on it. The bass is Sansamp perfection if you like a bit of crunch (as I do) and it's almost impossible to come away from listening to it without thinking that the band have had loads of fun recording the material. If there is one thing that is impossible to fake it's the presence of joy and it is clearly evident here. I'm sure that this is in no small part due to the acquisition of a new drummer. I'd certainly be happy to be in a band with him. I'd recommend the tunes to anyone as they're really, really good.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1485423188' post='3223807'] £84 for a bag? That's stupid. [/quote] Darkglass can now officially go and do one. That's just insane and grotesquely greedy. I await the first £400 distortion pedal. Pfft. Jog on.

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1485286221' post='3222821'] also at that price its in the same kinda range as chase bliss brothers, def not the same kinda sound but with all the midi possibilities and different sound on tap via presets the Brothers looks pricey but kinda worth it, but it does sound very good! andy [/quote] A very good point. Unless it's just a stompbox then that's okay to not have midi implementation, but Darkglass are somewhat more than that. Or at least they market themselves as that rightly or wrongly. I think that the ultras and their new amp should be midi enabled. For what they cost for a pedal, I wouldn't entertain getting one without it. No presets on a pedal that costs almost £350? It does seem a bit odd.

Interesting. Glad that there will be a blended output. Wouldn't mind trying one, but I bet it'll end up being £500 when it comes out over here.

I saw them in April 2011 I think and myself and my mate met them all afterwards. Lovely guys and a devastating live band. I'll be going to Islington.

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1484934554' post='3219895'] I emailed Peavey yesterday, those in the Customer Services offices don't yet know a release date apparently. They kept this very very hidden from all but a few employees there it seems. Or so they claim at least [/quote] It wouldn't have been that hard to hide though now would it? The amp is only the size of a matchbox.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1484826287' post='3218773'] Very disappointing. Like a lot of you, what I really want to see is a lightweight small-package SMX with all its classic features. Doesn't have to be ultra teeny tiny, just sub-10lbs and around the 500w mark. A good take on this would see my Shuttle 6.0 up for sale and, I would suggest, could be something of a world-beater. Instead, we get yet another clone fag packet. [/quote] Exactly. This is beyond a level of sub par crap. I'm now not actually disappointed but now quite angry that they thought they could toss off any old crap and get away with it. Awful.

I'm seriously underwhelmed. After all this time, the best they can do is a GK mb200 clone and a pseudo paraphrase of the Tech 21 flyrig?!! Really?!! Try just a bit here!! Obviously, Trace Elliot must have hired the same consultants that advised Hartke to create such awful amplifiers for the last 8 years. How difficult is it? Just put the graphic and drive functions in a box with a 1000w power module and you're good to start on the way. But no. Instead we get this crap. Who even uses a 200w amp anymore anyway? (unless it's a very old trace). Pitiful. Absolutely pitiful.

An updated mp11 would be good. If they did that, old be all over it.

Game on! Shall be along on Sunday.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1484037343' post='3212043'] I played a gig at the weekend and the sound wasn`t particularly good - a lot to do with the venue acoustics. The band on before us went on and the bassist had a great sound until the sound-guy went on stage and changed the eq on the bass amp (provided rig). Suddenly they went to mush as well. Sometimes it`s how the sound-person thinks an instrument should sound that messes up a bands sound, not deliberately doing it to make the band sound bad. The band spend ages rehearsing and getting the sounds of the instruments as they want them and then someone on the desk - who has never heard them so has no point of reference - changes the sound to a more generic sound. [/quote] This is why I generally hate sound engineers. Had someone tried to do that to me I'd imagine that they'd see their own blood pretty quick. Fair enough if you're too loud, but the second someone starts messing with frequencies for you it's game over. I've had this sort of crap happen to me on several occasions and on one of the more "heated" exchanges I had to be restrained by my bandmates. All because this idiot decided to do frequency pans on me for the whole set. Ever wanted to know how amazing your bass will sound when you cut off everything above 400hz? No, you don't. Nobody does. But that's what these clowns do. Reduce you to a dull throb in the background regardless how much you've explained that the bass is occupying a different role to the normal "play a note with the kick drum." Divs.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1482054894' post='3197168'] Don't do ANYTHING until you've checked out the HandBox R-400 ([url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/282884-handbox-bass-amplification-new-to-the-uk/"]Thread here[/url]) Best amp I've ever owned, and that's a lot of amps. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnzJVaMpmo[/media] [/quote] I hope you're on commission for Handbox! If not, you might want to renegotiate your promotional status towards their products.

[quote name='Thor' timestamp='1477092951' post='3159881'] Saw this and actually laughed out loud - got some strange looks too from them travelling folk on the train... http://www.joinmyband.co.uk/classifieds/ambitious-bass-player-wanted-for-upcoming-rock-n-roll-band-t917749.html [/quote] It doesn't matter. I listened to their stuff a few weeks ago and it's exactly the kind of tight jeaned Strokes crap you'd expect. Avoid.

Superior Drummer is so scored!! £76!! Game on! Come on Toontrack, make my day and put the progressive foundry pack on as well!!

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1478422166' post='3168904'] I have an 8-string bass and I fall into your age bracket ... erm ... twice. And I can spell 'new' properly too, if that helps? [/quote] Ha! Quality! In truth, were it not for the age range and 5 string bass, I'd be up for this. Besides, as I play a 12ver, everyone knows that is like 7 better than a piddly 5 string? Well... they probably should!

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1478174040' post='3167248'] He said he didn't count anything. You get a rhythmic pattern in your head and follow that. [/quote] Pretty much it exactly. I've almost totally stopped writing in 4/4 as I find it limiting. Generally, I'll just play something in free time then figure out what it is later. In saying that. from experience of what seems to sound good and generally fun, I'd say 11/8, 9/8, 7/4 with my alltime favourite being 19/8. Totally pickles most people. I guess I've listened to too much progressive metal really.

[quote name='lastanthem88' timestamp='1478028540' post='3166208'] Unsure. I'm interested in the nitro as I'd like it to age and become battle torn, poly basses don't have the same aesthetic appeal to me! [/quote] My point was that the bass in the classifieds comes with a fender bag, so it's probably the poly version. On the other hand you can get one of them new for £720, and that bass is £100 more. Worth asking methinks.

I thought that the nitro version shipped with a hardcase and the poly version was a gigbag?

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1478003024' post='3165859'] Am I missing something or does the Electric Wood website make no mention of nut width and other spec? [/quote] No, it doesn't. That's because you can get the neck profiled to your taste should you wish. On a 4 string it's 42mm nut as standard as I asked Paul about that and neck depth and width before ordering. On the other hand, it would be useful for people to not have to ask.

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1476867259' post='3157841'] I don't think Harkte "aren't trying" with the LH, it has a very specific design goal in mind and IMO meets it perfectly. [/quote] Yeah, it does meet a specific brief and it's one which I don't like due to the tonal inflexibility. So the issue is mine for that. However, I think when you compare class D products as a whole, the TX is going to be near the bottom due to it not being very loud. If one were cynical, one might say they went for the cheapest power module to keep the cost down as opposed to digging in and making something good. Like, arguably the LH series has a cheap pre-amp. That's my reason for saying they're not trying. I think were they to do the HA pre-amp as a midi controllable graphic eq with a 1000W power supply, I'd dig on that, but they won't because they're making things for a price rather than quality like the recent darkglass amp which would appear to utterly kill. But, of course, you're quite right about the LH series, it must work for someone or they wouldn't sell any.

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1476813103' post='3157535'] I think that's a bit unfair on the LH series, it is a stonkingly good simple amp. As with all things there are plenty of people who like and plenty who don't but I don't think it falls into the Kilo or TX category [/quote] Quite possibly I'm being harsh. I suppose it's because I sculpt my tone a lot and I couldn't get to it with that amp and I found it infuriating. Like most, I know my basses and cabs well enough to get what I want as long there is a flat setting as a minimum. I tried for 2 afternoons with my Alembic and just wasn't happy with it. Hence, my somewhat scathing review as I feel Hartke can do so much better and they're just not trying to. Merely my experience though. I still think my ha5500 is one of the best amps I've ever played though. Pity they've not done anything as good for almost a decade.

This thread is another sad example of Hartke screwing up big time. Firstly, we had the Kilo announced and then delayed for 3 years until release. Worse still, it had no flat position on the amp as the preshape couldn't be turned off. Idiocy. That's before we get into reported reliability problems.... Then we get the LH series. I mean, come on!! Try a little here! Rubbish. Again, no flat position for the eq and I found no position that I could get the upper mid response that I like because although powerful, the amps were very inflexible tonally with a mid scoop unless you ran the amp 2,10,2. Who's going to do that?!! Now we get to this. Underpowered TC Electronics lookalike nonsense. Why didn't they just take the pre-amp from the HA series and splat it in with a better power module? There you go Hartke, sort it out. It doesn't take much to figure out that they are on borrowed time. Such a pity, but I believe that they will soon be joining other bass amp manufacturers in the sky like SWR did and people will say "they used to make good stuff back in the day..."

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1476657353' post='3156139'] +1 on this too. My formerly passive Aria SB700 has an active buffer preamp (the now defunct but nonetheles wonderful Hollis GX-10) added into the circuit. It just makes the whole bass sound rather more "present" without changing the actual tonality of the bass. And both volume and tone act as standard passive controls. Still it brings an already great sounding bass to life. In fact, at the SE Bass Bash, when Wolverinebass tried it out he was quite befuddled at its snap and clarity of tone until I confessed the mod to him... [/quote] That's an evil bass. Sounded fantastic as well, hence why I was curious as I was sure that model was passive and it didn't sound like one as it had much more snap. It still weighed enough to anchor the QE2 though. Ha!

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1476730808' post='3156784'] A pal has a Subway and it's a wonderful little head, but the retail prices for Mesa in the UK are a scandal. I'm not knocking Mesa, but their UK importer appears to be taking the p***. US retail price for a Subway 800 is around 700 bucks (and that's including US sales tax - check out a few online ad's from dealers in the US). So why is it the best part of 900 quid here? By comparison, the Genzler Magellan, which costs similar to the Subway in the States, retails for £650 here. Seems to me the prices here for Mesa kit here are more to do with the margins of whoever imports the brand into the UK. They must be slapping on a serious mark-up, I reckon. [/quote] I concur completely. It's a joke. Just like Tech 21 pricing in the UK. The importer is scalping us. $1800 for a Dug Pinnick amp translates to a pre referendum (just so nobody points out that the pound is now worth 3 cents!) a whopping £2200. Sod. Off. I'm not playing ball with this crap. Allowing for VAT and shipping are they really trying to say that it should cost almost 50% more here?! The distribution for Mesa must be of the same mindset. Take price in dollars, change currency symbol to pounds, add at least 300 to the number you have and that's the UK price. Laughable.

As my stuff got deleted when the wrong list was copied, just thought I'd put it back on the list. Added back in at No.8. [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Updated: List of for sale items what a good idea[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]01. Ashdown Rootmaster Mag 212T cab - £60 o.n.o. (silverfoxnik)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]02. Trace Elliott AH300 head - £120 o.n.o. (silverfoxnik)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]03. Mesa Boogie Four:88 with footswitch (markstuk) if not sold by then[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]04 Cort A5 Custom SP. (markstuk)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]05. Allparts Jazz 70's in off-white with maple board/blocks, Wizard pickups & Gotoh bridge (Cetera)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]06. DeArmond (Guild) Pilot Active Bass (Cetera)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]07. Warwick Corvette, 2004, Active with mojo. £400 (Grangur) [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]08. [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Harvest Leather Strap (Brown Cow Antique - 118 - 127cm). £20 (Wolverinebass)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]09.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]10. Line 6 Sonic Port Interface for iPad/iPhone/iPod (obbm)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]11. Knackered blue plastic case containing non-knackered amp leads, guitar leads, a patch lead, and a speakon lead (MacDaddy)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]12. Warwick Rockbass Streamer Standard 5 String[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]13. Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex Mex Stratocaster, White with Maple neck and Fender gigbag - £550 o.n.o. (noisyjon)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]14. Ibanez SR740 - Upgraded £325, Babicz FCH 4 String Bridge, Chrome (Grangur)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]15. EBS Multicomp, EBS Bass IQ, Ashdown Lomenzo Hyperdrive, Gigrig Generator, Distributor and accessories, Diago Gigman pedalboard (Graham)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]16. MXR Custom Comp CSP202 - £45 (JapanAxe)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]17. Status S1 5 string headed, funny post box colour! Price? Dunno yet![/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]18. Epiphone Dot Studio (w/mods). Discontinued black, with black hardware and cream binding. Very clean. Hardcase, long throw bridge, Sperzel locking machines, Wilkinson zebra humbucker in the bridge position, Dunlop Straploks, strap. £225.00 for the lot. If no interest, I'll take it home.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]19. Sandberg vm £650 ish or trade for what have you cash either way as appropriate[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]20. BASS BASH SPECIAL PRICE! £275 MTD Kingston Heir 4 string bass. Passive J-H pickups rosewood board maple neck[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]21. Ibanez ARTB100 short scale arch top bass £200 (if Merton makes it!)[/font][/color]