BassTractor

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1361909775' post='1992989'] I can see why you’re jittery though. Roger’s done the right thing and employed you to OK the technical performance of the speaker and you messed up. In theory you are now liable for the cost of recalling and modifying all the Baer speakers in the field to meet the published spec. Nice one! [/quote] Hm. How do you yourself rate your above behaviour as compared to the Roger Baer behaviour that you criticised so vocally?

[quote name='neil_d' timestamp='1361967179' post='1993686'] Any suggestions for earphones that are a bit more robust? Or some way to stop this happening? [/quote] Dunno about glueing the Q on this thread. Seeing as this thread probably is seen as in its last hours and soon to die, a new thread might give you more response. Anyway, I think this: It's all as you describe and, very roughly and IMhO only, the main culprit is the length of the plug's bend protection (dunno the word, but you get the gist). The more advanced and longer, the better it will take care of this, effectively augmenting the bend's radius and thus reducing the "metal fatigue" effect. But you knew that. So to stop this happening, you could change the protector with, for example, fluid rubber or carefully cut and applied bits of tape, avoiding any abrupt strength changes in your solution's construction. IME, Sennheisers have got this aspect covered, but admittedly at a higher price. My cheapest was £99, and I don't think I could say it lasts 3 to 5 times longer. Best one in my "collection" is a very expensive Shure that has served me almost daily for seven years now, whereas a cheap Logitech with less use and only at home, gave up after half a year. [quote name='fumps' timestamp='1361968031' post='1993705'] Dog the Bounty hunter wears them. [/quote] You just cost me £250, mate! best, bert

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1361969433' post='1993745'] OK, thanks guys. [/quote] Waidaminnet! It was meant in a figurative manner. [i][b]NO[/b][/i]one actually indicated you have some! Blimey! [s]balls[/s] best, bert

Hey Jim, Welcome to BC, where all the awesome, positive people are waiting for you to hang out with them! Sadly, no-one here understands the question, except me. But if you ask it again, ask about people's favourite bass, and you'll be alright. (Seriously though, as not everyone reads the Introductions, you might wanna ask in the Gear -> Basses forum as well.) I can answer though: I have no favourite bass, and there is no sentimentality about basses. To me, they're mere tools. Like with any other tool, I worship them and make love to them, but that's about it, really. Sorry to be a bore. OK, just forget about me, and start enjoying the rest of the site. best, bert

Hey Deejayen, Welcome! You're sure to get loads of good advice here. Be forewarned though: I was a keyboardist who wanted to put down some bass lines on home recordings. Once. .... This site is vast, and there are loads of searchable topics about advice about first basses - especially in the General Discussion section. You can also start a thread with info about your budget and other things. People are gonna respond helpfully. Good luck with your quest! best, bert

Don't know the ABM 500, but to nooby me, the VU meter on my MAG 300 evo II seemed to work very well, whilst the one on my Little Bastard seems like a gimmick indeed ("Play louder to get the needle to move to the right" -"Well, thank you! That seems like a nice game! I'll sell my Xbox!") Of course, this could be the second time in my life I was wrong about something. If the ABM has the same VU in the same position in the signal chain as on the MAG 300, then it should be able to tell you when you're close to overdrive the pre amp tubes. best, bert

Living in the Past - Jethro Tull as well as a few others I seem reluctant to remember right now.

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1361910000' post='1992998'] It put me in mind of a chap that I once met in Holland in 1974... [...] He looked at us as if, somehow, a point had been made. [/quote] I could explain, but sadly we're not allowed until 40 years have gone by. Just remind me next year. dutchbest, dutchbert

Hey Bret, Welcome to BC, and congrats with your beautiful, almos' perfec' name! You're in, of course, after that great introduction, and right now, there are only two formalities left: 1) We need to know more about the Dillion bass 2) We need to know more about the helmet After those things are dealt with, you're fully fledged. Anyway, enjoy the site, the info, the discussion and the banter! best, bert

IME, wearing a headband or Buff Headwear like thingy is all that's needed to keep the in-ear earphones inside. If not, a flake of soft foam will help tremendously. I've also had a headband with built-in, watertight earphones, but can't remember the brand name. Not very Hi-Fi, but worked very well. best, bert

Hej, Tång, Välkommen till BC, din unga vipparsnappar. Only kidding! OK, I'll do it in English: Welcome to BC, you young snorunge. Demn! Can't seem to get it right. Anyway, I hope you'll learn a lot here, and teach the newbies (=me) while you're at it, and generally just enjoy the site. best, bert

Hi Steve, Welcome! You came to the right place, as I guess you've already seen on the other thread. Search the vast site and ask away, and all your questions shall be answered. best, bert

Not at all for me personally. I dread the thought though, but that's about my concerns for other people and for the culture. But me myself, I'd just delve into all the music I know I love but have not used the time on lately. Also, new music pops up in my head all the time. No production necessary. I think I've not even written down anything for maybe a decade or so. best, bert

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1361825310' post='1991653'] Very Zen of you, Bert, I must say and - kayak?? [/quote] Yeah. Zen say: "Day have 24 hours, not 30". Kayak as in sea kayaks - in my mind the coolest hobby that is not music, and also my occupation. But, back on topic: I understand where the OP question comes from, and have certainly received hard times for gear purchases myself. In an ideal world, I wouldn't wanna be in a relationship where grown ups behave egoistically or with lies, but in the real world many relationships are just less than ideal, and one stays together for numbers of reasons, one of them being that one simply loves one's partner, and can live with some peculiarities. I wouldn't judge less-than-ideal relationships too harshly. That said, smuggling in basses does seem to me to push the boundaries. I've never ever smuggled in an EMS Synthi 100, a Moog System 55 or a Synclavier II. Honest! A guy in our community was busted by his wife while he was counting the 6,000 quids he had hidden in an old record player in the basement. She immediately ordered a new kitchen for the money plus plus. LOL. best, bert

My ex never demanded one out for one in, but it has worked like that most of the time at any rate, as it was the only way I could afford the new thing I [s]lusted after[/s] deemed absolutely necessary for my development. These days, living alone, if I want a new bass, I sell a car, a synth or a kayak, so essentially the one-in-one-out principle still rules. I wouldn't want it to be different either, as I like to keep my possessions somewhat limited in number. best, bert

In this vid, only thing I liked less than my beloved Bongo, was the P. 1 Matize and/or StingRay, 3 Jazz, 4 Bongo, 5 Precision Hm... best, bert

As a keyboardist myself, I think I can imagine several reasons why that could be. I have no definite answers, but here are some thoughts, some of them also mentioned by others: 1) IME, and in my seriously-not-humble opinion, in pop and rock music, most keyboard players can hardly play their instruments, as documented by almost every song shown on TV. They show some insecure, unsteady, stumbling and nervous playing that leaves me with the question whatever they did in the studio or whether they did anything there at all. 2) Many good keyboardists have learnt to express a personal view on the music. and may tend to bring that musical view with its timing complexities to bands as well. 3) Related to 2), they may be used to playing solo, and may have difficulties adapting to the demands of playing together. BTW, not one of my own teachers pre college ever taught me to accompany other players or singers, and I had to learn the hard way. These days, things hopefully are better. best, bert

[quote name='Dr M' timestamp='1361798285' post='1990954'] Imagine the insurance premium on that! 320 instruments at upwards of £1000 each? [/quote] Yeah, indeed. Got it confirmed that it was 320 basses quite some months ago, probably more now, and not even counting the basses he owns that are from other brands. I tried to quickly calculate in my head what they had costed, most of them even being expensive limited editions, but when I saw how dazzling the amount was, I just dropped it. BTW; I do have way too much gear myself as well, and am even aiming at 12 basses / 5 amps / 8 cabs, but once I have that much, I'm not going to sell away some of it until I know all that gear a lot better. best, bert

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1361728298' post='1989971'] Quite apart from actually finding a lefty bass easier to play than a righty - cos I'm a lefty, duh [/quote] However, that doesn't actually go for all lefties - at least not for me. I've never found my way around left-handed guitars and basses. Right-handed ones feel natural to me. Dunno why though. For all I know, my very first experience with a right-handed one may have set the tone, so to speak. best, bert

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1361738574' post='1990170'] What was the name of the second album by M (yup, of Pop Musik fame), where Level 42 were the musicians on it? I had the album ages ago [/quote] The Official Secrets Act. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Official_Secrets_Act_%28album%29 Thanks for making me aware. I dig M. best, bert

FWiW, I think Roger's contribution is not only within the boundaries of reasonability, but also appreciated. Not every manufacturer shows this level of restraint and seriousness. That said, I also think we need to be attentive when manufacturers or shops enter the debate, and I think I only need to refer to how the Warwick team started here as to why we should be attentive. best, bert

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1361619775' post='1988331'] Or are you going to stop when you hit 3 digits?? [/quote] Are you mad, man? Have you ever even contemplated what new possibilities those three digits give? On the Music Man forum, there's a guy who owns more than 300 Music Man instruments, 320 IIRC, and I seem to remember all of them are basses too. Seriously. Not that I condone it, of course. best, bert

Cool position by the sound of it. As [s]said[/s] indicated: a three hour drive means you can listen three hours to your own practising. So that spoon cuts on both sides ... er ... or something. Congrats! best, bert

[quote name='Lynottfan' timestamp='1361650246' post='1988888'] My bass sits lower than midrift, got my pick going like a good un' and I don't really have much use for slap, but man that boy Mark King can play and I like L42, infact Mark is one of those players that, though I have no desire to play like them, they inspire me to play better, some can love, some can hate, but Mark King's playing I have to rate. [/quote] Sorry, Andrew, but some of your other poems were better. You practise the bass too much these days, perhaps? best, bert

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1361651138' post='1988909'] . . . .just off to practice this, back [s]soon[/s] - [s]tomorrow[/s] - [s]next week[/s] erm. . . . when I've cracked it. [/quote] You'll be sorely missed, but ... Farewell and goodbye! best, bert