la bam

evening all.

probably an odd question, but aside from my Ashdown evoii rig, i have x2 good quality yamaha dxr12 active pa speakers.

i use a zoom b3 from my bass for the ashdown and im interested in using the b3 running into the yamahas as a separate rig, with there being so many amp modellers etc i thought it might do a great job.

question is, with these being a 12" speaker with tweeter/horn, and not a designated bass cab, is there any specific eq / frequency is should be enhancing or minimizing to get a good sound out of these speakers? I can do it all on the b3 so itd be nice and simple.

effectively it could end up being a nice compact rig (as a 1x12) with the ability to enhance into a powerful 2x12 rig.

Ridiculously you can get the abm500 evoii combos for under £200 on eBay. I've seen 2x10s 4x10s and 1x15s go for that price. Absolute steals!

My Girl - Otis reading.
Dock of the bay - Otis Redding.

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1490228709' post='3263507']


Then that pays £200 of their running costs, it's not really sad it's just a fact of running a large organisation, people want paying for working for them and the rent needs to be paid.
[/quote]

So in essence hardly any money from the 9k goes to the people in need. You've just worked your socks off gigging, giving up your free time and effort to pay somebody else's wages.

I've no problem with covering costs, but giving such a low percentage of the 9k doesn't help in the spirit it was meant to and how all those who helped raise it hoped out would be.

Events and organisers like that need exposing. It's pretty much using a charity to fund there own pockets.

Sad thing is, out of that £200 a big percentage of that will be used to pay running costs at the charity, so they might end up with only a small percentage of that.

Hi all,
This might be an odd way of doing this, but...

My current rig is an Ashdown abm evoii 15 combo, with a 2x10 ext cab.

Just thinking about back up at the moment. A couple of options would be to take a backup amp head, of various sizes, but I wondered if I could do this...

Keep the 15 combo, then buy the exact same combo, but the 2x10 version. Then keep the 2x10 amp section unplugged, and unplug the cable connecting the amp head to the 2x10 on the back panel. Then go out of the 15 into the socket I've just made free.

That way I'd have the exact same set up, but if anything was to happen to the 15 amp, I could reverse the process and power everything from the 2x10 combo.

Just an idea, but would give me backup piece of mind in 2 self contained boxes.

As suggested, you'd be just as well off buying one or two Harley Bentons for a similar price.

Watching the youtube NAMM videos I kind of like it.

Just a couple of things though:

1) in order not to flop this rig MUST be able to hold its own at a full on gig. Otherwise its useless. No one needs to be spending huge money on a practice set up. I really hope it can.

2) it's obviously been marketed very cleverly. I think they've took in essence a 4x8 combo and broke it down into a power amp, tone control panel and 2 2x8 cabs.
You probably need all 4 items to get the full effect which obviously bumps up the price.

3) with big trace rigs going at ridiculously cheap prices second hand, I'm not sure I could justify this set up for 3-4 times more.

Haha! Yes, this phone spelling auto correct doesn't half come up with some interesting corrections!

I'd genuinely ask them what let each song is in, then just play riot notes to get you through. Then make notes of each song. Then each time you play add a bit more to fit with the drums and then build on that.
That way you won't sound as if you're doing nothing, it will add to what the band had previously and you've got room to build, without confusing yourself.

Gig days I always have a large dinner, then a small tea.
This works well for me, and if you need something after, then theres no harm done, it's not like having 3 big meals.

Magic!!

Cheers all, I'll get a set on order!

Hi all,
I'm die to replace the strings on my yamaha bb424.

It is still fitted with the strings it came with. The thing is I love these strings, but don't know what they are. Can any help me find out what strings these basses come fitted with when new?
Thanks.

as above - that's the way I do it when mixing our bands. Bit, a genuine question, how do you do it for the singer (eq wise as stated) when they're the last to be added to the mix? - genuine question - do you then go back down and eq everything else once happy with the singer?

If I remember correctly, the 'off' position for these isn't obvious. Have a look at the manual to see where is off and where the dials start to take effect.

Gorilla amp with added crunch....and crackle when it kept cutting out.

My first private gigs (x3 of them) were:
Fender USA Precision.
Zoom multi fx.
NO AMP!
I somehow took an out from the zoom, into the desk, then went through the pa. to hear myself i stood right next to the main pa speakers!

First public gig in a pub was:
Fender Precision USA.
Zoom multi fx.
Trace Elliot Commando 12.
I think my back up bass was a Westone Quantam headless bass.

I spent years in band where everything was the standard drums, bass, guitars, vocals, and everything was done live. I was always against backing tracks etc.

I am now in a band doing dance covers and we are using click tracks, samples and triggers, and its completely changed my mind!

Triggering samples does take skill, firstly to get a sample to fit, then work out what time to play it, and play it in time is trickier than it looks.

We also have a self made track in the background that contains effects that are impossible to do live, so we have to play to the track in a full band set up (drums, bass, keys, vocals), so that the fx come in at the correct place. Its a lot harder than you'd think, and very unforgiving if you get it wrong!

I also use different bass sounds throughout, from vintage sounds, to modern treble sounds, to synth sounds and detuned sub octave sounds with distortion, and that is very confusing playing wise regarding the attack and decay of the sounds. Ie some are much more responsive and take more controlling.

It adds a lot to the performance, but allows us to play a genre of music we wouldn't be able to do justice in a standard set up.

The trick is to do enough and show enough playing so that the audience doesn't question whether or not it is an issue.

For me its:

Yamaha bb424x.
Zoom B3.
Ashdown ABM evo ii 500 15 combo.
Ashdown ABM 2x10 ext cab.

Pretty much get any sound I like out of that. I run the bass pretty neutral, the amp set on its flat eq with the valve drive on, and any adjustments and effects on the b3.

For me rehersal should be something you really look forward to. The challenge of learning new songs, getting all the dynamics in, getting right and having a laugh.

Once band members say they don't want to reherse I get worried that it's all about to collapse, and cant understand why they wouldn't want to reherse.

I've used that exact same rig.
Loved it.
It isn't loud, it's ridiculously loud for its size and weight. I never got anywhere near half way on the volume dial.
But....I can't see it doing the likes of the stage at butlins etc.
I found it a very directional sound. It certainly wasn't a stage filler, even though it was loud when you were near it.
Pubs and small clubs, yes, but anything bigger and you could be in trouble.
Its also difficult to hear as its only really knee height and slim.

On a serious note, ring your PLI company and ask the statement direct.

"If i dont have any equipment PAT tested at all and it is proven that my equipment is the cause of a fatality or serious accident or damage by electrical fault, will i still be covered?"

Insist you get a "yes" or "no" answer. If its a "yes you will still be covered" ask for it in writing. Then youve no need at all to have PAT. Apart from when a venue asks for it .....

Yeh, weasel words ..... its not like insurance companies to try and weasel out of paying out is it?

Do what you want. Its upto you.

Its not me youll need to convince should anything happen.

For the sake of a few pints, myself, as well as others on here, are covered, kit is covered, insured, as is the public, and it allows us into almost any venue.

PS - to the OP - make sure your PLI is £10m or youll struggle to get in a lot of venues, especially hotels if you want to go down that route..

I know this is a thread about PAT but people need to be educated on these 2 vital aspects that go hand in hand. A genuine piece of advise - if you have PLI go and check your PLI policy. I'd be very surprised if your policy is valid if you can't provide evidence of PAT testing should you need to claim. Thats the part you're missing. Even though PAT isnt a LEGAL requirement, it may be a requirement of your PLI policy. If in doubt ring them and ask for a concrete answer.

So in theory, should the worst happen, you have no PAT and no Insurance - thats not a good position to be in.

The just buying labels and pretending to have PAT is fraud and youll easily be caught out. Have a look at a genuine PAT certificate - it contains a lot more information than 'passed'. Would you be able to provide the required information if needed/scrutinized?

Theres lots of examples.

Just think of house much it would cost to repair a hotel if your kit set it on fire. Repair bills, labour, lost income. Can you afford these repairs out of your own pocket? Do you think a venue is going to pay for you if the investigation proves your kit was to blame? No. They're going to come after you.

Granted there now should be trip switches etc at venues, to prevent major damage, but I've seen some shoddy venues.

For the sake of £100 a year youre crazy not to be covered.