BassBod

I listened to Atlantis a lot way back when (80's student with a cassette walkman, and about ten tapes!). Thought his playing was great. Was aware of the Joni Mitchell stuff...but not heard much since.

I've got the SWR service "biasing procedure" somewhere - PM me your email and I'll see if I can send it? I'm sure any good tech could do it anyway, but always good to have the makers' instructions.

That should be a great combination - my first thought is either preamp valve (easy change) or something like component decline (capacitors?) in the power amp. You can get a good 12ax7 for under £15 (Sovtek etc) and if that doesn't help at least you've got a spare for the future. SWR seemed to use Groove Tube branded valves..but they were just badged (or rigorously selected and tested, depending on your level of cynicism) valves from a number of different makes. Those small preamp valves can last a long long time, or can be busted by the amp getting a good thrashing in transit, just depends on how it travels and a fair degree of luck. Bad news is it probably needs a proper test by a good tech...good news is they are traditional technology, put together by people, so they can be brought back to "as new" function by anyone with the right knowledge and experience. One other thing - those amps can push out a lot of very low frequency (really low, under 30hz) that can upset the best of speakers and waste a lot of your power on stuff you can't hear. If you are playing at all loud use the eq to cut these lowest frequencies and it may clean things up. As a rough test you can push on the strings over the pickup area (muted with your hands) and watch the speaker cone - if you see it moving dramatically (with your normal eq/volume settings) then it may be a good idea to take some lows out of your sound. Hope that helps

Its often all fine...until you add that one extra piece! That's what I've always found in rack setups - several combinations are sometimes fine..but equally just two pieces together are enough to give you a problem. Even when made by the same company, to be used together! An audio transformer at the input of your amp/end of pedalboard chain could sort it. So could isolating the pre and power chassis earths from each other in the rack case (rails). Its well worth the time/cost of investigating and sorting out in your rehearsal space, as its a fairly controllable environment. Its always a lot harder when these things happen without warning on a gig (like when you DI from the amp..and the earth lift switch does little or nothing to that annoying loud hum in the PA). Good luck...and don't go disconnecting any earths wires!

Don't worry - the Orchid stuff is very good quality and not exactly expensive (£19 for an inline transformer). Send John an email describing your equipment and symptoms...he'll have some ideas.

Try using "hum frees" on the rack rails of both the pre and per amps - little plastic things that stop the two chassis from grounding. I've had success with those in rack setups. Experiment with where you put the pedal board signal - front of preamp/effects loop etc Look into hum eliminators (Ebtech?) or quality audio transformers/isolators (Orchid Electronics have a few products that may help) I'm sure its fixable...

That sounds a bit mental to me...its usually a decent passive DI at worst, at that's in a good project-type (home) studio. There must have been some decent mic pre's there that would have been just as good? I carry a Raven Labs box to most sessions, but rarely use it - there is usually something set up already that gets the job done..and there is never any time to sit around comparing DI boxes!

The Levy's canvas CM88 is great. Hardly bigger than a single bag, light and strong, with real padding - the light bit is important with two basses. Look for a bloke on ebay in the USA (Doc1Roc ??) as he seems to be the best source. Edit - ignore the prices on the Lev's site, you can get them for a lot less....

I heard the record company pays.......no idea if its true.....but wouldn't be a surprise if it was.

Think about the older EA CXL 112 - not light, more medium weight but a great cab for general stuff. Very clean and "up front" sounding but easily calmed down with eq tweaks. Very cheap these days, despite the original new price! Mine has been surpassed by a BF Midget..but only on weight really (half the EA cab). It can sound very big when needed, but also maintains the accuracy and projection aspects when pushed. For a small all-rounder its the best I've used, together with a Bag End S15 (more traditional sound, but also small and portable).

I've no complaints about the low end on my midget. For the smaller gigs I do, its plenty with either BG or EUB. As things get louder it seems the midrange "bark" gets more pronounced - makes it cut better, which is helpful... but just doesn't sound so good to me (but probably fine for the audience). Would love to use a Big Baby for the louder situations but there's usually good PA and I doubt if my EA Micro would really have the umph.

From memory the Big Baby isn't that baby - its doing a different job. The BF Midget is both pretty small and remarkable in how big a space it can cover...but would need PA support for any real rock setting.

I've had two or three Jazz and P bodies from them (a few years ago now). Very good, accurate shaping and routing etc - seemed to be old Japanese parts. Not the prettiest or lightest you'll find but perfectly good. But I guess his supplies could be from different sources these days? Worth a phone call....

Bought Shep's Clifton bass today - nice bass for a good price (if you like that sort of thing) Shep was fantastic as I sold another bass to raise some cash (takes a while these days)...waited a few weeks as we sorted out a meet-up plan etc Great communication throughout - a credit to the BC community.

Actually that was on a Martin acoustic, with the action jacked up a mile to compensate for the strings! Springy is the word. They sounded wonderful, but were just too weird an experience for me. I've got a Turner Electroline fitted with TI flats...now that works fine. (edit for crap typing)

Yes they are, and they sort of roll under your fingers...weird, not helped by the very thin diameters.

Not aware of any - but the TI flats are excellent with piezos. I found the TI acoustics are just too floppy for me to play. I'd suggest trying the Pyramid black plastic flats - not as middly as others, more of a dark plonk and a very soft feel. They look old and sound older, even when new..more dark green than black. I've had a set on a Jbass for a year or more (with bridge mutes) and it does my "acoustic" gigs when I can't be arsed to play EUB.

Manson basses are good....but the EMG/Schaller kit is a bit generic, and what's up with the pickup surounds? Looks like some bodgery to me.....