MichaelDean

Ah yeah, whoever designed the Traben ones needs a serious talking to.

It looks like I'm possibly in the minority of liking quite like a lot of these. Especially the ones with metal plates that don't really need to be there. I love that sort of thing. Even the Jackson/Rick medly works for me somehow. There are exceptions (the Steve Bailey, JP-90 and the Sandberg Basic) but, yeah...

What I don't like is Jazz pickguards that include the controls. Makes it look like a dong on the end and they've missed the ease of use of the metal plate.

That is gorgeous! I need something with that sparkle level in my life.

I quite like the indigo - it's subtle. I've owned a couple of red instruments and it doesn't quite work for me for reasons I don't fully understand.

The only time I've had to deal with alternate tunings like that was for a band I was planning on auditioning for. They wanted me to record a bassline to a song. I couldn't get in tune with it though. I eventually emailed and he said it was something like 432Hz. I decided then and there that I couldn't be arsed 😅

@MartinB if you can solder: take the ends off the mono and stereo cables, feed them through some braided sleeving, solder the ends back on, bit of black insulation tape to make the ends look neat. Bosh. 

https://amzn.eu/d/d9vF3Qu

51 minutes ago, police squad said:

so the impressions thing

I read on here that you should bite on something when having the impression done, to ensure a good seal.

 

I spoke to a hearing specialist recently and he said if you're a singer you shouldn't do the bite thing during the mould

But if you dont sing, then do the bite.

 

any thoughts?

Caveat: This is just my experience and it might be ear shape dependent.

I had some ACS earplugs made while I was at uni for a discount. I didn't have a bite block and the resulting moulds didn't seal properly. Everytime I opened my mouth, it broke any seal I managed to get. Infuriating but I didn't do anything about it and just guessed they weren't that good.

A couple of years later, I tried making my own custom tips for IEMs with two part setting silicone*. I had better results when I kept my mouth open duing the setting.

This year, I've had ACS earplugs made and used a bite block and they're great.

*The steps were:

• Take some from each pot and mix them up - I think one pack did two sets because you're sticking the IEM in there
• Jam it in your ear as deep as you can
• Stick in the IEM
• Let it set
• Remove the whole thing
• Let it fully cure, I usually waited 24 hours
• Attempt to drill a hole from the exit of the IEM to your ear canal (I just held a 2/3mm drill bit in my hands)

Not always 100% successful, but when they were, it was delightful. I was properly isolated from everything. Each pair lasted about 6 months of daily use.

Sounds pretty good on the YT demo.

Oh man. My GAS list is too long. 

Realistically, it might be a few DIY pedals. I should be getting a kit or two for Christmas. And I really should finish my home build. 

Unrealistically, first on the list is a D-Roc 5 string. Then in no particular order...

Custom Dingwall of some description

Cort Space Bass

A custom Alpher

An ACG

4003

Squier Rascal 

Limelight P Bass 

Les Paul Bass of some sort

Spector Dimension 5 HP in Plum Crazy

A 6 string bass?

Quad Cortex

A bass VI could be fun

High quality bitsa?

Custom Zilla 4x12

3 minutes ago, SumOne said:

 

Top 5 Bass arguments:

 

1. 4 vs 5
2. Plectrum vs Fingers
3. Tonewood
4. Compressors
5. Solid foundation vs technical noodling

 

You've missed out class AB vs valve vs class D watts 😜

@waldemar does small custom metal orders. He might be able to make up some custom saddles for you...

Not used him, but I do follow him on Instagram. Looks like he does some cool bits. 

https://www.instagram.com/small_scale_cnc

5 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

I am a stirrer, but TBF I only phrased it that way because the OP came in swinging on the 5 string side of things and it's the premise upon which this thread was started.  I personally don't believe in any bass supremacy - I'll play what I like and I expect to be afforded the freedom to do that without judgement while I afford that freedom to others.  Anyone coming up to me giving it all the "5 string's better/why aren't you playing a 5 string?" bollox (and it has happened IRL to me, BTW) will get the short shrift they deserve.  I don't think I'm better than anyone else because of my choices that don't affect anyone else in the slightest, I just want to be left alone to work within the parameters I have decided are correct for me.

I've had a similar schtick for my 5 string at a gig this year as well. "Why have you brought that extra string?" 🙄 This is the bass I'm playing, get over it!

10 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

My 5 string was multi scale with an extra long neck. Amazing sound on the low B and similar tone across all 5 but not as easy to play as a standard 4 string. It was a bit of a modern metal weapon but sometimes it was just nice to play a normal P bass

I know exactly what you mean. I play my 5 string Dingwall in my band, and only had short scale 4 string basses as my other options. I missed having something at 34" scale to noodle around on sometimes so picked up a PJ bass. It's fun having different basses in different tunings to play. 

I got my first 5 string after years of almost exclusively playing short scale basses. It took a while to adjust back to full scale, but the 5th string was never that much of an issue for me. Now I'm happy moving between all of my basses at the different scale lengths and number of strings. 

I'm getting a bit of GAS now though for a 6... Tuned GCGCFC for my band, it could be fun to have those extra low notes, but I really like having the three octaves of C to create a massive sound. Especially with a +1/-1 octave, fuzz, reverb and delay on. 🤔

You can always get a set made up by Newtone to your spec. I'm really enjoying my first order from them! A custom set at .125, .09, .07, .05, .03 for CGCFC tuning on my Combustion. And now they've got standard multiscale sets on the website, I didn't have to measure the strings like they ask you to. I just said it was for a Combustion when placing my order and that was fine. 

7 minutes ago, Wombat said:

Hola!

 

Qestion about abmient mic placement please.  The drummer and I have been using IEM's in our 4 piece pub band for a while but we are finding the experience a bit 'sterile'.  Its also a pain to hear the singer counting in if he isn't talking into his mic!

 

I have an Aston Element that I was using for recording so am going to have a go at putting that up at the next gig.  Just not sure where!  If I put it near the drum kit I guess I'll just get 'more drums' so was going to put it on a clip on one of the FOH speaker stands (so its behind and won't pick up that/feedback).  Or will that be 'too far away'?  For context a lot of the places we've been playing I'm using a headless bass so I'm not constantly braining the singer!

 

Not particularly bothered about picking up the band or using it for recording (using a Zoom L12 desk with everthing goin in there), its more so that the Drummer and I don't think we are in a separate room!

 

Thoughts?

We used to have a couple of overheads on the drums soley for monitoring and found we got enough ambient noise through those that it was never an issue for us. It wasn't really high up in the mix, but gave you a sense of space. At practice, we could talk between songs and not have to take our IEMs out.

It is a really good CAR on the Revelation. Here's a closeup of mine. PJ probably means it doesn't do the Duck Dunn tribute very well though. 

Thought I'd do an update. They turned up within three weeks, and I used them for the first time at practice on Monday. It's like a blanket was taken off compared to my old off the shelf earplugs. Totally worth it. Such a good investment.

1 hour ago, kevin_lindsay said:

The price is now £18.99 for a twin pack!!!!!!

I literally can't resist for that price. Ordered!

I hope it's ok to post this here. My band have organised a doom night, should be a good one. Pretty close to Temple Meads, in Moor Beer's brewery on the 14th of December.

https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/moor-beer-co/sat-14-dec-christmas-of-doom-114885#e114885

Next gig is about a month away at Moor Brewery in Bristol. We've organised this one and it should be a corker if you like Doom!

https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/moor-beer-co/sat-14-dec-christmas-of-doom-114885#e114885

1 hour ago, BaggyMan said:

Just surpised how wild the changes i have made have made only a small amount of difference. 

So, you're saying the tone is in the wood? 😜

My tongue is firmly in my cheek before anyone else comments!

I think it must be a mistake with the controls based on this YT video. Must be VBT or VVT.
 

These look fun! 30" scale, two humbuckers, matching headstocks, roasted maple neck, laurel fingerboard, poplar body. The website claims a weight of around 3.6kg and £449.

Controls are apparenlty Volume, Tone, Master Tone. Seems like a possible mistake on the website - unless they've done the Keanu wiring?

https://www.shergoldguitars.com/the-basses/telstar-bass.html

9 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

It's funny isn't it. Here on Bass chat (and Talkbass etc) we seem obsessed with Pre amp pedals. It's like no one uses EQ on the amps themselves. Im just as guilty of that, and while I get they can offer more EQ/drive options, I hardly read any posts about built in EQ on amps. "Got a tone issue, get a pre amp pedal" Still not right, add another .Then do the gig with a basic sine wave rumble 😂

Yes, I like the flat tone from my amp. My pedalboard? Well, there's the Noble, the Magellan, Le Bass, MXR, Sans Amp, BK7, Bass Butler, Digbeth. They're all running flat though. It's just the basic tone 😜

I've got a custom set of Newtone hex core nickels on my Dingwall for CGCFC tuning at the moment. They're perfectly fine. Not as amazing as I'd hoped. I might try the round core next time. It's certainly the best way of getting the guages I need for the tuning though, especially as Payson prices at Bass Direct have shot up.

There's also D'Addario 50-105 EXL160M on my Mustang and a set of Addagio rounds on m Revelation PJ bass. The Revelation gets the cheapest strings because it's the least used. I am wondering about stringing it up with a set of Adagio flats though. I've not been that impressed with the rounds. They're a bit rough like stainless steel strings and have a bit of a copper hue in certain places.