la bam

Morning all, Ive decided that now I really have got the bass bug again (not gigged for ages until last saturday, now im chomping at the bit to gig again!) that Im going to go for a new amp and cab (prob second hand). I absolutely love the Mark Bass stuff - always blown me away when ive seen it, no matter who has played it - so whether new or second hand im going to get a Little Mark 2 or 3 (300w at 8R, 500w at 4R). That leaves me with a quandry over which cab to get? Im looking approx £200 second hand. Which runs best with the LM2, a single 15 or a 4x10? I also notice a lot of Mark Bass stuff uses a single 12, which is confusing matters more! Ive seen some great deals on the Ashdown ABM15, several Warwick 4x10s and Hartke XL 2.5 2x10. Any help greatly appreciated.

Interesting replies. Its weird that we all (including myself) spend ages looking for that perfect sound - changing basses, cabs, strings, pedals etc - then use different ones to compliment the band when gigging. I have noticed that a real middly aggressive sound close up turns into a clear warm sound when having a wonder out to listen. Its the correct thing to do though - sacrifice for the greater good of the band sound.

Hi all, Just a weird one from last weekends gig. We were in a large Nightclub that was hired for a big birthday party bash. There was a big stage, dancefloor etc, a proper nightclub. We put the full rig in - tops, subs etc and got a really good sound with laptop music as we were DJing as well, so everything was set correct. What I did discover when doing the soundcheck for the band was that the bass was completely lost - really dull and blurry, despite being nice at other gigs. In the end to get a real nice complimentary bass tone for the band, I had to go so trebly it was almost Entwistle distortion-esque - and I usually play a 60s style warm motown sound. The tone was warm when mixed with the rest of the band through the PA whilst in the crowd, but horrible close up! Just wondered who ever changes their tone, during a sound check, depending on venue?

Just wondering if this has ever been covered? It may be of help to many. When I was just having a look for a spare backup bass for an emergency gig - there seems to be loads of new makes and models turning up around the £100-£150 mark. Theres a lot of makes ive never heard of, but then well established makes such as epiphone etc? What new (not second hand) sub £150 basses are any good? Are there any hidden gems? Personally, Im just after a cheap backup bass, until i can finish my second custom build.

I had 2 Westones. Thunder 1A was my first bass - great bass to learn on, tough as they come too. Also had a black Westone headless Steinberger copy - great great sound - just too shorter scale for me as I was used to playing a precision. For the amount of £100 basses out there nowadays - these are a steal if you get chance to get one!

Think ive solved this now: Im running it: CHANNEL 1 OUTPUT High Bal this goes to amp for tops LEFT Low Bal - Low Bal this goes to amp for subs LEFT CHANNEL 2 OUTPUT High Bal-High Bal this goes to amp for top RIGHT Low BAl - Mid Bal this goes to amp for subs RIGHT and the LOW SUM OUT is for a 3 way MONO system? It was the 2 different names on the Low Bal - Mid Bal that threw me!

[color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3] Evening all, Just have a quick question - how are you all setting up your crossovers on your PA (for the band) when powering tops and subs with different amps - ie 1 amp for x2 tops and 1 amp for x2 subs - again theres differing opinion out there. [/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3] Set up is MIXER-CROSSOVER-AMP/AMP-SPEAKERS[/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3] Moreover, im confused how to actually wire the crossover up to my 2 amps (1 for tops, 1 for subs).[/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3] The back of my crossover has: Channel 1 and 2 inputs (simple enough they come from the mixer) - theres 2 inputs on each amp L and R so thats 4 connections from the crossover, but the crossover has 9 potential outputs? [/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3] CH2 INPUTS 1.High Bal - High Bal 2.High UnBal - High UnBal 3.Low Bal - Mid Bal 4.Low Unbal - Mid - Unbal 1.LOW SUM OUT CH1 OUTPUT 1.High Bal 2.High Unbal 3.Low Bal - Low Bal 4.Low Unbal - Low UnBal Which of these outputs would go to the inputs on my amps?[/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3] And as a rough guide, what would you set your frequency crossovers at (this is for a 4 piece band PA with drums, bass, guitar, vocals).[/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Arial][size=3] Any help extremely appreciated - thanks in advance[/size][/font][/color]

Thanks, but I have got an active crossover in the lock up somewhere, if i have any trouble with it i'll give you a shout. Thanks.

Ive heard stories of them being neck heavy, EB3s even more so - even the epiphone versions are sub £150 brand new nowadays. Ive never known why, seem a bargain to me. I fancied a new epiphone EB3 but having had a neck heavy telecaster bass once it put me off. Shame though, cool looking basses.

Ah, I was assuming you were assembling everything yourself? Are you just buying? Just a few pics of the Jazz i put together. Just to give you an idea if you are assembling. [url="http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu354/ttfunk/j4.jpg"]http://i663.photobuc...4/ttfunk/j4.jpg[/url] [url="http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu354/ttfunk/j3.jpg"]http://i663.photobuc...4/ttfunk/j3.jpg[/url] [url="http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu354/ttfunk/j2.jpg"]http://i663.photobuc...4/ttfunk/j2.jpg[/url] [url="http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu354/ttfunk/j1.jpg"]http://i663.photobuc...4/ttfunk/j1.jpg[/url]

I put myself a jazz style bass together from hand made parts, and used a standard passive system rather than an active. It was fairly easy, but I got lucky and the stuff I bought purely on spec from a company online (cant remember who, really wish i could) was absolutely spot on. Beware though some are cheap. Ive just fitted some Seymour Duncan SJB3 pickups and im chuffed to bits with it. Im undecided, but i fancy one of those varitone control plates too. Personally I now rate as good as, if not better than a USA jazz.and cost about £1000 less (although i may have rose tinted glasses on as i put it together myself! ) Id recommend anyone to give it a go - even buy parts or a cheapo bass for breaking off ebay to see if you can do it before buying quality parts etc. Resale value though is peanuts. I also made a deep cherry red strat - all gold harware, quality body, genuine fender hot pickup loaded pearloid scratchplate and blue LEDs in the neck, cost me a fortune to make - and it sold in pristine condition..............for £90 !! aarrgghhhhhhh!!

Thanks very much for your help. Its much appreciated. Good job you mentioned the left/right - on/off - i was just thinking the same!! Thanks again.

Just one last thing! The EP2500 is second hand, and has 10 dipswitches on the back. As i dont know in what configuration he used the amp for - what configuration is best for me in the set up mentioned above (ie to power the subs) [url="http://www.retrevo.com/pdf/23214dj390/9/Rear+panel#q=Behringer+EP2500"]http://www.retrevo.com/pdf/23214dj390/9/Rear+panel#q=Behringer+EP2500[/url] Thanks

I think its the best route, but just a bit disappointing to find out that what these manufacturers claim (ie will handle 2ohm loads etc) isnt exactly 100% true. On the plus side once i get it up and running it should be easy reaching max power with them being 4ohm cabs. Just need a bigger amp rack now - the one i have has no room for an external crossover!

Thanks everyone, theres so much differing opinion on the net. Some opinions are that the Behringer stats are a bit false and running at 2 ohm is a bit of a lie? Also, theres debate to whether the cv sub and crossover / high pass would in fact spread the load to 4ohm across 2 speakers and not make 2ohm. Even the Samson amp, some places quote in runs to 2ohm. Anyway, to be on the safe side, im going to add an active crossover and use one amp for the tops and one for the sub. Thanks for your help though.

[color=#606060][font=tahoma, arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=3] Evening all, Just getting together a larger rig, tops and subs for band and dj, and was wondering if anyone can help with this: I have x2 4ohm tops, x2 4ohm subs and x2 power amps that run at 8,4 and 2 ohm. I want to run all speakers off one amp with the second amp as backup. (i really dont want to use a separate crossover) Ie amp to bass bin with crossover built in, bass bins to tops. Question is: Whats the best way to run the amps to get the maximum 2 ohm? ie bridge, parallel, stereo etc - does it do it itself or do i have to adjust the switches on the back. kit is: Behringer EP2500 - this will be the main amp. Samson SX1800 Peavey UL15 Cerwin Vega 15 SUB In time i'll be getting some 18 subs or 12 tops to balance the system a bit better, but for now this will do nicely. thanks again, [/size][/font][/color]

Im part of a band called La Bam. We are a 4 piece (Vocals, drums, bass and guitar (sometimes keyboard)) function band, playing weddings, functions, corporates and the odd pub gig. Used to be in a band playing all Indie (before it became massive again) but split up just as every other pub was crying out for Indie bands. Its good to play party music people can dance to and sing a long to, as a change from playing cool music. We cover Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Manchester, Merseyside etc My influences are mainly early rock and 80s and 90s indie, so its ironic to now be playing cheesy Wedding music!! Bass heroes John Paul Jones, Geezer Butler and Mani and James Jameson. Our site needs a real update, we now have much better stage set up, backdrops etc - the video on the site was from our first ever rusty gig. Please visit our site, and our facebook page and we'll reciprocate any 'likes' [size=5][b]http://www.labam.co.uk[/b][/size] [b] [size=5][b][url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Bam/250836334932179"]http://www.facebook....250836334932179[/url][/b][/size][/b] [size=3][b]Thanks again,[/b][/size] [size=3][b]Andy[/b][/size]

Its only when people in the band who havent previously booked gigs for the band give it a go, they find out just how difficult it is! Its not easy at all - we try and shy away from pub gigs nowadays thanks to the uselessness of the majority of venues - a lot really are clueless, but there are some good ones out there, Im afraid in my opinion its less about the band and how good you are, and more about how well you sell and market yourself nowadays that gets you the gigs.

Just to throw a curve ball in - theres a few good mixers now at top prices - The Allen & Heath Zed10FX has USB ins and outs and comes with onboard and software FX and recording software. £200ish but youre getting a top mixer as well.

I definitely wanted to include the likes of Brian wilson and Mccartney but couldnt think of how to describe them! - 60s melodic pop will do great, thanks, I was trying to explain (pretty badly as it was late) that when completely different styles of playing have been invented or evolved on bass, which were previously unimaginable, a new style of music has been created from it. Theres more to come out of the bass, thats for sure, and we're due a fresh batch of pioneers soon!

Morning all, Im fairly new to this forum and theres some excellent stuff on here! I was reading one of the other topics when someone, about Mark King's impact with his new style of slap playing in the 80s had written "he inspired thousands to take up the bass - how many other new bassists have done that?", then got to thinking: [b]Does a new genre of music need a ground breaking new style of bass playing and player for it exist as its own musical genre?[/b] My case is - each of the following were ground breaking styles of music AND had completely new ground breaking styles of bass playing: 50s rock n roll - pentatonic and double bass style playing everywhere 60s motown and similar - Jameson, Dunn and Kaye, lovely feel and sound, but distinctive. 70s metal - Geezer Butler, heavy attack and dark atmosphere created (just the 3 notes in the title track 'Black Sabbath' were enough to scare the world!) 70s disco - Bernard Edwards / funk / groove - nothing like anything heard before 70s punk - Matlock/JJ/etc fast growl and snarl 80s ska - great mix of reggae, speed and syncopation 80s pop, synth and slap ie - would the above styles of music have existed if the bass players concerned with them hadnt come up with new techniques/ideas and styles, rather than just new basslines? Each bass style above is completely different and exists in a completely different type of music. Is that because of the music or is the music because of the bass playing? To come full circle - I dont remember a bass player in my time creating the hysteria it is said King did - ive not watched anyone on TV do anything completely unique and groundbreaking to make people gasp and take up the bass in their thousands? And to be fair - with the exception on Indie music (which i love) has there been any great new styles of music created? Theres dance music - but i dont hear of any famous dance music bassists inspiring people to take up the bass? And is there any type of ground breaking bass playing around that is likely to create the next big thing - or have we gone stale?

Hi all, As part of our set we're introducing a (deliberately) cheesy 'intros of the band' as we're coming to the end of our final set. Just for a laugh - we know its cheesy, but its meant to be! We're doing it during an instrumental bit of a hybrid version of Stevie Wonder/Stevie Ray Vaughan's - Superstition, you know how it goes, chorus finishes, instruments play on and the singer announces the band one by one and when its their turn each player does something fancy. (well, thats the theory!! ) For the rest of the band its great and its all nailed - but, despite being the easiest thing in the world im struggling for something decent to do when the spotlight comes to me! Im stuck in plod plod plod mode of the song. I dont know if its because throughout the song im doing the constant steady E to help the guitarist play over or what, but i just cant seem to get anything good down! Can anyone think of a decent, shortish solo (4 bars ish) - or famous effective riff to play that will keep in the key of the song (E) and in keeping with the speed and straightness of the song (ie so theres no dramatic change), but sounds like a decent bit of playing to the crowd? Its very simple on paper, but in practice its driving me mad, especially as im at the mercy of when our singer 'announces' me! Thanks in advance for help.

If youre lucky, you may pick up a Line6 Lowdown 300 combo. Amp modeller Effects Tuner and loud too, well built and a great allrounder.