JohnFitzgerald

Here they are, enjoying a lovely day out in the car. ~That's the LS12 Mid Tops in the flight case.

I recommend these heartily. [url="http://www.musicgeardirect.co.uk/pa-sound-products-by-brand/l2-audio/speakers/l2-audio-tx115.html"]http://www.musicgeardirect.co.uk/pa-sound-products-by-brand/l2-audio/speakers/l2-audio-tx115.html[/url] These are an old model Logic System sub, now sold under the L2 Audio brand, they use Celestion bits instead of the RCF components inside the originals. We have the Logic System stuff and it's pretty godamn mega. Seriously mega. We've come to these via HK Audio Lucas system and a Peavey setup. When we got the chance of the Logic stuff, we just couldn't refuse it, it's that good.British designed and built too. Only thing I would change is to add more. The Subs are tiny but hugely effective. In our case, they replace Peavey BW equipped 1x 15" subs, in our drummers case, Mackie SWA1501 subs. They blow both of them clean out of the water.

Apologies if this is a repost. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORMAN-WATT-ROYS-1962-PRE-CBS-FENDER-JAZZ-BASS-THE-BLOCKHEAD-SHORELINE-GOLD-/180747664318?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2a15667bbe"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORMAN-WATT-ROYS-1962-PRE-CBS-FENDER-JAZZ-BASS-THE-BLOCKHEAD-SHORELINE-GOLD-/180747664318?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2a15667bbe[/url] I still wouldn't sound like Norman, even if I owned this baby.

Must try it then. I do like a deep full bodied acoustic sound, with a crisp top end. I also have an idea that a mic'd Bodhran would sound awesome through it too.

Anyone got one / had one ? I had one in the 80s and it got nicked. Only bit of musical gear I ever had that got nicked. I've wanted on back ever since. Our guitarist had the matching guitar too.

I haven't tried it yet, but listening to my Peavey 410tx, it seems to have enough top end that it would be killer for a piezo bugged acoustic guitar. At least, in conjunction with the Trace head anyway. Anyone tried this ?

This reminds me (very obliquely, you'll discover as you read on) of the time I did a fill in with another band. Friday night, Ashdown C300 Combo - 1x15 Mag version. I couldn't hear a thing. Just wasn't enough to do the job. I was out with them on the Saturday and vowed not to be caught out in a similar fashion again. I brought the combo as a front end and brought my PA system as a stand alone bass system. This consisted of 2 complete HK Audio Lucas systems. These are a 1x15 powered bin with two 1x8 plus HF mid top cabinets. I stacked the two bins one on top of the other and the 4 mid / tops right across the top and had that as my main. Then used the Ashdown as a front end DI'd into the mega stack. I heard myself that night, oh yes :-) 2x15s, 4x8s 4 x horns, plus the Ashdown. 1900 watts IIRC. They made me carry it all myself. Wanted nothing to do with it :-)

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1320589338' post='1428622'] I don`t think it wise to get into all the "reasons for leaving"with the band members, because they`ll probably try to talk you out of it with promises of this and that,and arguments may ensue, but in effect nothing will change. If you want to do something else with other people, just say so. Nothing wrong with that and they should accept that quicker. [/quote] That's the thing. I would be leaving with nothing to go to. Not a situation I would choose. And I agree with not explaining things, doesn't achieve anything.

Maybe by way of further explanation. I really really don't like the competitive thing. He's competitive against people that do the same circuit as us. Folks that we all know. It's all one big melting pot. Everybody knows everybody else. Maybe one competitive member doesn't sound like a reason for leaving, but it depends on the severity of it I think. Give you an example. Last night me and SWMBO went out to a local theatre where a band were playing. Charity gig in support of a local cance hospice. 300 seater sold out. Great night. I didn't like everything about it, but they did a decent job and most importantly filled a theatre at a tenner a seat to help a very well deserving cause. Last night, that's all that mattered and we all know every one of them. I happened to take a little bit of video and shared it with the lads, when I got home. Mobile phone footage, that's all. To a man, they all said, more or less, that is was a fair enough performance, but that doesn't matter. It's about the charity. Except your man, who can't say anything positive at all and can't see past "they're sh**e. were much better, why are you posting this" sort of response. I can't get my head around such an attitude. As I said above, if he can't be positive, my opinion is that he should just wind his neck in and keep it to himself. Like the rest of us would. I don't know, maybe it's me that has the problem. All I know is that I don't fit in right now. Regarding telling anyone to button it. I don't imagine that would have a long term positive effect. Indeed, if that's required, I would rather just go. I'm possibly just venting my spleen here.

[quote name='gregsguitars' timestamp='1320586668' post='1428569'] Just tell them its been fun, but your looking for something else to do and wish them the best of luck, never say anything bad about them to other people and stay friends. [/quote] Sounds like a fair approach Greg.

Thanks for the input so far. Can't saying I'm completely leaving music, that would be seen as a transparent lie, they all know me to well for that to come across as genuine. I should maybe add that I've known one if them since 1970 when we went into P1 at Primary school, So I really must be honest whatever I do. I'll go quiet on them for a bit and see what transpires.

Without causing a vacuum. I'm kinda hacked off with a couple of things right now. I don't mind the music at all and get on fine with everyone on most levels. However, one of the guys still has that stupid competitive streak. I can't talk about another local band without him having to comment about how we're better and they're sh**e etc. Frankly, I can be doing without all that nonsense. I'm 45 years of age and in my life right now there is no room for that sort of negativity. If you can't say something nice, as the saying goes. I want to leave, but will hang around long enough to make sure there is no break. I've been with 3 of them continuously since 2001 and one guy in particular since the mid 80s. Any tips on how to get out and close the door quietly behind you ?

Funny, now I'm remembering an interview with Tony from back in the day. He had just stopped using, I think, an Aria SB1000. Reckoned it had too many knobs which would just get knocked and change his sound. Hence the simplified setup mentioned above. Had the good taste to use a wall of Trace as well IIRC. The very first time I saw them (1983, I think) was at The Locarno in Glasgow. This was before Turbosound PA made it big. It was all wave horns, Philishave mids and W bins. Stacks of it all lashed together with ropes. The following week, in the same venue, I saw Level 42 for the first time.~ Two great bass players in the same week.

Tony and Mark Brzezicki were and indeed still are one of those signature rythm sections. Great player. Solid and inventive at the same time is a rare talent. Some of the young dudes with their Ricks around their ankles would do well to listen to how Tony plays if they really must use a plec.

Well, it's what we've been sold as the concept of how to comapre, hasn't it ? It's almost like the things you get now with cars nowadays. "Yeah, I bought the 170bhp version." OK, where does it make 170bhp, at what RPM ? "Haven't a clue, I just know it's the 170bhp version." Right, but I've been in the car with you and you change up at 2000rpm, you're probably using about 100 of those 170bhp. "Ah, ok. But mine's the 170bhp version." Right....

Well, today some of the horrible blue finish relinquished its grip on the body. Not all of it, but progress was made. It's fair to say it put up a bit of a fight, but that wasn't unexpected. So, here's how far I got. Best news is that there is no damage to the body at all, so the only repair necessary will be to the damaged control cavity. I have a plan for this seeing as it's now getting the veneered top. Anyway, the obligatory pics. Not a bad lump of wood, but terrible alignment - as expected. A sound enough basis from which to proceed, I think.

Some of you may have worked out by my tone at the top of this thread that I'm happy with the combination of the Trace AH150 and the Peavey 410. That's still true, so this wasn't really about what to buy or anything like that. I also accept that I then went on to compare all sort of things which weren't even remotely comparable. There you go, I ramble a bit at times :-) It was more about teasing out responses by those of you with more technical knlwedge than I with regard to why the 'big old iron' as it's called above seems to produce the goods whereas the lighter stuff might not always do so. On a similar note, we were speaking to our local shop where we buy all our kit with respect to power amps. The current power amps are a brace of Crown XLS602 amps which are absolutely spot on, but stick them in a rack with a crossover and that's one heavy box. We're also looking to add a new amp for monitors. They have the current Peavey class D power amps in which are ultra light weight and are a good price so we had thought of going to three of those. Foldback, mid top and sub. Our man told us they would be fine but he reckoned we would be best sticking with the ctown for the PA subs. I think that's quite telling and not at all irrelevant to this topic too.

As I think I said previously, it's a 410tx I'm using right now and it's completely blown me away in what it does. Yeah, it's a bit heavy, but we carry a 2.4KW Logic pa and marshall stacks about with us. A bass cab makes little difference. If I'm being honest, another 410tx ? That would be sweet.

Yeah, I know. What a stupid statement. A watt is a watt is a watt. W(h)at I'm actually getting at here is the modern breed of, usually, class D super lightweight amps compared to the more traditionally constructed tackle. Here's my own very simplistic observations. Fans of the boutique kit should probably look away now, there's nothing for you here. My old AH250 MKIV Trace never ever ran than more than say 3 on post gain but was ridiculously loud into a single 8 ohm cab. My old Peavey TNT was 130 watts. I think I got that up to 4 once before the drummer (!!) pleaded for mercy and asked me to turn it down a bit. The current AH150 into an 8 ohm cab is plenty loud enough for me at maybe 2.5 - 3 on post gain. Experience of newer kit is restricted to. Ashdown Superfly. 500W. Seriously ? This thing is 500W ? Nah,you're kidding right ? I had it plugged into a brace of 4 ohm cabs in a rehearsal room and couldn't hear it behind yesterday's chip paper. Phil Jones Flightcase. 150W. Set up the preamp to be as hot as possible and still be clean then increased the post until it was at a repsectable level. I had pretty much maxed it out. Maybe 85-90 % flat out. Is that it ? Never compete with any sort of band ? I know that's maybe not the intention of the Phil Jones, but it just felt very underwhleming to me. Same with pretty much all of the Ashdown stuff I've tried and owned to. Couple of MAG C115 300 combos, just no ultimate reserve of power. ABM 300 115 Combo, wound away up to get a repsectable volume. MAG 300 stack . 4x10 and 1x15. Same as above. I'm having to wind on lots of gain before this thing will actually be loud. Our rehearsal room has a brand new ABM 600 into a 6 x10 and yet again. Plenty of bottom, no good mid or top and really, does it need to be up so far before it produces a decent level of output ? What gives ? Is one watt the same as another watt ? I know there's more to it than that, but what are your findings ?

Andy, closer inspection of the pieces I have to hand reveal nothing significant by way of voids or what you might call significant fissures, so I guess that's a bonus. I still see a benefit in using grain sealer / filler to acheive a relatively sound substrate upon which the tock coats can be applied. Going to head off out in a bit and get hold of some bits and pieces to get this body stripped down and see what lies beneath. Thanks for taking an interest in this project. JF

Andy Glad you approve It's certainly my hope that the grain does come out once I have it finished. Speaking of which. What is your finish of choice for these type of jobs ? Cheers JF