BassBod

I've had to play in some loud settings and its not something I generally enjoy. Its necessary for some types of gigs and settings, but I know making an issue of it will never make any difference. Its habitual, and if people are used to always playing in a certain style/level that won't change. I once stopped a soundcheck (after the bass drum!) in a German ROCK club and just asked the guy why it had to start so F*&^%$ loud. He looked totally bemused and just replied..."but it is a ROCK Club?". I couldn't fault his logic. Put the earplugs back in. I agree that excessive volume kills the feel of a gig - things happen in slow motion, or have to be exaggerated to work at all, and most of the time you end up just playing your part, in your space, waiting to take your earplugs out and get off stage. Those are the gigs I want to be properly paid for. If you're not comfortable with it, move on....

Before you spend money changing amp its worth using a preamp between the Fishman and GK. There are a few common ones (Fishman, LR Baggs Para DI, Sadowsky) or even just an active DI with a high input impedance. That can really improve the sound of some pickups (the Fishman BP100 particularly). Also, with a different outboard preamp you can avoid the GK's internal preamp by connecting to the effects return input, effectively ignoring the GK tone section and using the combo as a powered speaker. I do this a lot with mine, and I prefer the cleaner sound, although I do have to use the "boost" on the GK to get a good gain structure. I've got a nicer sounding Euphonic Audio set up, but I still use the GK combo a lot because it is so easy to carry and go - I happily trade sound quality for an easier life!

Sounds good! Best give the oil a nice long time to dry. I over did a J bass body once, and it took about a week before the oil kept re-appearing in blotches...got there in the end. Thats the great thing about oil finishes - very forgiving and repairable later. Looking forward to seeing the final results...

Best to email John East...but I think his Retro knobs are custom made, so chances are normal Fender style concentrics (usually to fit American CTS pots) won't work?

I was also thinking a good preamp rather than combo. I can't remember the last time I miked an amp...must be years. There are great rack 1u preamps around. Expensive new, but affordable used because they aren't very portable once you put them in rack case. Alembic, SWR, Ampeg, Trace Vtype (or even GP11) Demeter, if you're not in a hurry you could pick up some great units. Also the non-bass specific stuff like Joe Meek, Groove Tubes, Raven Labs, Universal Audio.....and the people that make that really nice compressor.....

Again - SWR 220 and a small modern cab (mesa ext?) would be a good choice, and pretty cheap. Also the red face Bassic 350 or whatever it was called - but some versions may have a fan?

Now that sounds encouraging...time to think about my wish list and budget? I was only thinking FET as they seem to be described as the most "valve like" of the transistor options...but I have absolutely no idea if this is true! Mind you, I read it all on this interweb..so it must be true??

Its a bit thicker and smellier than some - I guess its got more resins and driers mixed in. My fav is Liberon Tung Oil, diluted a bit with white spirit. Can't see the maple staying whitey for too long - just leave it out to dry for a few weeks before it goes in a case and it should mellow a bit?

Question for those with a technical perspective - why does the "fender" tone stack (wasn't it RCA's to start with?) nearly always seem to go with valves? Is it just tube-based-marketing, or is there something irreplaceable about the combination of valve pre-amp stage and passive tone network? Could it be done with FETs and less emphasis on the distortion potential?

I would go for a light grade overall sand - you've got to get rid of the deep scratches anyway, and some of the remaining colour will go with it. Then use coarse steel wool/white spirit, with plenty of time to dry and see what you've got. Most important thing is to keep it flat (sanding block) and not distort any contours too much. Its hard work, but you don't want to be seeing scratches when its time for oil.

Happy to report the E string is still going strong a few days later, and sounds wonderful. Well, actually it sounds dull and plunky, just like it should. Still impressed with Pyramid's support on this one - just hope I can get a good 5 -10 years use before it goes snap!

Looks interesting..but 120v and a hot valve in a small box is a bit scary for me, especially when the keyboard player spills his lager (as recently happened to my GK combo). I might follow up the FET idea...but I need a tame boffin.

Thing is, I don't use an ounce of grit...or grind...I've even got low gain (5751) valves in it. Doom it is not. Its really the tone stack, clean gain boost, and if I'm greedy a DI output, I'm after. That I can put in my pocket.

I'm a numpty when it comes to electricky stuff - but, in theory, could you build half an F2B in a small box, using a FET rather than a valve..with the same passive tone section..and power it from a 9v battery? I love the sound of my old F2B but hate carrying rack boxes to small quiet jazz gigs!

I think its the pickups (single coils or close variants) and placement, and second the body "slant" shape. I've got a 5 string with active SD humbuckers - nice bass, but its not a Jazzzz.

I've thought the same thing (Alembic F2B in a box...no valves?) and I'd suggest the Award JD10 guitar pedal (one was on sale here a week or two ago?) may be worth a try? I've not used one, but I've heard good guitar sounds from them. I did have a VT Bass and thought it was very good for general "amp sim" use. I only sold mine to fund other things in a cash crisis....that seems to be going on and on and on...

They really are expensive!! Glad I got mine here....

Marius Frank - in Bristol, used to play one sometimes. I haven't seen him for a few years but look up Cindy Stratton and you'll find him?

I haven't used loads..but I've used a Realist for ten years or more. Never felt the need to change since I started using it. Hasn't got loads of mid/high detail, focus is on the bass/thump, but I find that's what I need. For my work I never get to hear the details...

Listen to the hypnogoat...and roundwound strings. The harder the fingerboard the more growl/edge you get. Double tracking gives a nice chorus type sound, but more human than an effect.

I used an Orange stack as backline on a jazz gig last year, and couldn't get clean volume. Tried all the usual gain adjustments, but it seemed to have a low distortion threshold. Looked great though! I was using a fairly high output Alembic Epic, so I'm sure that didn't help.

Chris - learn to love your pickup...and let the sound guy deal with the superior and natural sound of the f^&*ing mic! You will live a much happier stage life...and enjoy the music a whole lot more. Try that before you go the EUB route?

Quick update - new E string arrived from Pyramid in 3 days..now fitted and still intact, half an hour after getting up to pitch. Fingers crossed! Full marks to their customer support. Quick and helpful responses to email, from a real person (who I think is the company owner?).

My pre/pwr set up is very old-fashioned, Alembic F2B/SWR Stereo 800. Sounds great but is 4U rack and the fan in the SWR is noisy. I sometimes use my Euphonic Audio 500 head as a power amp, but I find the gain staging a bit more difficult (too hot for front inputs...a bit weak for effects return/pwr amp). I fancy the SWR sounds better, but the heat and fan noise can be a problem for any smaller gigs.