hamfist

Yes, perfect. You are spot on. Thanks so much. I thought I had tried every configuration of switching, but I hadn't tried that !

Anyone ?

Some fantastic thoughts and info in this thread !

Guys, please can you help me out. I am in temporary posession of a B3n to try out. I am trying to replicate some patches I have on my B6. Anyway, on the B3n for the life of me I can't work out how to turn OFF the Boost on the DarkPre model. The Zoom site states for the Boost - "This sets the frequency bands boosted when the control switch is on". Surely this indicates that it can also be switched off ? but I just can't work it out. Twiddling the dial underneath the Boost display just turns it between Lo, Hi and Lo & Hi. There is no OFF. I really would like to turn the boost fully off. Can any owners out there help ?

Yup, I have used those nozzle cleaners many a time on a bass nut. They don’t go small enough for a guitar nut but for bass they are great. Remember to go SLoWLY !!!

Thanks guys. I have now bought one and am very happy with it. It’s not as flexible as the hx stomp I used to use but the sound quality of what it does is better imo. I think it is also more flexible in terms of overdrive sounds. All the hx stomp’s drives tended to have a similar tonality to my ears.

The tuners I have on there are actually a fraction lighter than Ultralites already ! They are super cheapo ones I have had for years, but they hold tune well and are very light !

Difficult to believe but I honestly didn't see it coming ! It was the Ibanez Steve Vai superstrats that gave me the inspiration for the holes. I have never been a shredder but I admired the hole/handle on the Vai strat the moment I saw it. Yup, I'm vaguely with you there, but you try buying a precision scratchplate for a Jazz neck pickup ! Simply not available unless custom made (and thus lots of dosh). The blue plate was one I made up a few years ago and I simply don't dislike it enough to bother making up a new one !

Not noticeable at the moment, although I don't have my normal effects etc at home. I'll find out more definitively playing at church on sunday.

Not noticeably. It already balanced really well, with not a hint of neck dive, and ultimately the weight change was fairly minimal in the end.

That is the exact same bit as my largest holes !

I've been using my homemade bitsa "Jazz with a P body" for about 3 years. Its got a lovely walnut body which was never massively heavy but I have been wanting a slightly lighter bass recently as I have a back problem. I toyed with getting a new body, or a new bass but I love my bass - everything is exactly as I want it. So a few jumbo forstner drill bits were acquired and drilling began on monday. As well as the holes you see there are also a few more under the scratchplate. It went surprisingly well and I produced a vast amount of walnut shavings. Finished off with a dremel and sandpaper. A quick oil and beeswax finish to the new holes and by tuesday evening I was back in business. Only a 0.2 kg saving, but it all helps and its a manageable 4.0kg now. Personally I think it now looks awesome too !

I bought the D7K last year. Unfortunately mine clipped noticeably on the clean signal (with passive J pickups) - which was really annoying. maybe mine was just faulty or maybe they are all like that. If it hadn't clipped on the clean it would have been a really nice pedal. Not the same as a Darkglass B7K, which I now have ..... again, but in the same ballpark. The Demon D7K had a slightly more old school sound I would say in comparison. Mine ended up in the bin though. It was no use with the clean clipping, I wouldn't sell it on and it wasn't worth sending all the way back to China.

I use a comp then B7K straight to desk. The FOH put this EQ curve on it. Sounds awesome.

I used an HX Stomp into a clean amp and/or straight to FOH for about 3 years (with a passive PJ). No complaints from me. I loved it. It has weaknesses (poor synths being one) but lots of strengths. From memory I used to use the Multiband comp, only a pre-amp sim - no power amp sim (which added nothing positive to my ears). HPF of 35Hz. LPF of about 5.5KHz. Parallel paths to mix in some drive on upper frequencies (I forget which drive sim I used). The cab sims were mediocre, but I found one I really liked (unfortunately I forget which). I do remember that I never found it played well with an outboard comp or an outboard drive. Horrible tone. For me I found it best by far used as a sole source of tone modification. TBH I miss it.

Guys, for those of you who use, or have used, a Zoom B6, can you tell me is there a noticeable gap in sound when changing patches ? Or when switching an effect (say a synth) on/off within a patch ?

Have you experimented with different attack times for different frequency ranges ?

Quick release - absolutely. I'm with you there too. So there are at least 2 of us loonies ! Interesting. I have used and liked the dual band comp on my old SMX trace. I do use multiband compression, so I shall have some experimentation with different attack times for different bands. Already there. I use a Hypergravity. Mujltiband and uber-configurable. Completely designed for a compression fusspot like myself. Attack times up to 100ms are available.

OK, I do appreciate this is a pretty nich topic, and I am a bit of a compression nerd, but in all my experience with compressors I have discovered that what I am personally looking for ultimately in a bass comp is one that lets my natural attack come through pretty much unaltered and then balances and adds some extra sustain to the decay of the sound. I find in the context of a band mix it makes me sound the same but just "better" and better integrated with the rest of the instruments. For the purposes of completeness I will add that 98% of my playing is fingerstyle and the other 2% is with a pick. I never slap. So ..... the essence of this thread is that I have found that I want an attack time of at least 70ms minimum (and for me, I am looking for this on lower frequencies, leaving the top end mostly untouched). I find anything less than 70ms just artificially affects my note attack. However, when I look at the attack times of some very successful and well-loved pedals such as the Empress (up to 50ms), Seymour Duncan (up to 27ms), MXR M87 (only 0.8ms !!!!) etc. they simply don't offer those attack times. A lot of comps seem to have fixed attack times or have adjustable attack times but do not quote the actual times (very frustrating). I can't find definitive info on the Darkglass SS, Boss BC-1X, OE Cali 76, Markbass Compressore, Keeley Bassist etc. Am I just weird or are there others like me ? I think possibly a lot of bassists are just looking for limiting and not really "musical compression" as such, hence their appreciation of such quick attack times, which is what one is looking for in a limiter. Really, the longer I play around with this stuff, the more I realise how different the effects we are looking for from our compression.

Yup, ultimately, I think we are fairly agreed that the HPF should ideally go before the Compressor. As for the VT Bass, it comes down to taste. Before and after the compressor will give different sounds. I much prefer the comp before the drive, to even out the drive amount a bit. The comp after the drive will simply tend to trim off the peaks more. Different effects, depends on what you are looking for.,

Agreed. Thats the way I'd go.

Whats the noise floor like ? The main criticism one hears about these (and in fact some other GK amps) is that quite a few units can have a slightly high noise floor. I so so nearly pulled the trigger on buying one of these. I just decided I couldn't live without the 12 band EQ I have become used to on my Trace.