Bloodaxe

[quote name='bassbloke' post='1054419' date='Dec 10 2010, 07:29 PM']I opted for the old trick of slightly loosening a scratchplate screw and wedging a couple of spares in the gap.[/quote] I don't have a scratchplate, but this method seems to work: It ought to work on any bridge with fairly chunky saddles, but probably not on the Fender BBOT. Pete.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='1049904' date='Dec 6 2010, 09:36 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-PRO-II-TSB-350-THOR-SOUND-Bass-MIJ-JAPAN-MATSUMOKU-/120656752428?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c17b3ef2c"]Aria Pro II TSB-350 Thor Sound[/url][/quote] This one has been loafing around on London Gumtree for a yonk & a half, still overpriced IMO, but edging down. Seller doesn't state if the case is branded which would help the value a bit. [quote name='zbigniew' post='1052507' date='Dec 9 2010, 10:25 AM']I really like the look of this one [/quote] [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1052522' date='Dec 9 2010, 10:39 AM']Watch the weight on those Thor basses ...[/quote] Approx 3.5 Tons. The catalogue claims they have "Nato" bodies. It's debatable whether that's some kind of Indonesian Mahogany or a fully-loaded Cold-War cruiser. [quote name='tauzero' post='1052735' date='Dec 9 2010, 01:45 PM']At least they should take a bit of hammering...[/quote] I know your game, Zero. Comin' in 'ere wiv yer punnage, tryin' t'drive the good ship Japcrap onter Knobgag Reef to be at the mercy of the Murd'rous Finns wiv their Rubber Dresses & fibreglass & that Actually a TSB can take a good battering. Mine has, & continues to do so. If you drop them, they tend to go out of tune a bit, but that's about all - you might have to duck to avoid the shrapnel if the paint gets chipped though. Mats from this era are unbelievably robust, not so sure about the later models from 1983 onwards when specs were dumbed down a lot to be more like a certain Californian manufacturer.

[quote name='Mikeg' post='1049718' date='Dec 6 2010, 07:04 PM']ive been playing with my fingers for the entire time ive been playing, but last week i decided to dabble into using a plectrum. ive got the techniche but after about 5 minutes of playing my hand begins to cramp up. This happens when i TRY to play the guitar as well. Any advise?[/quote] As stated earlier... DON'T attempt to play through it. It [i]could[/i] just be that your hand isn't used to it & that it'll pass, but better to play it safe. How are you picking? Are you keeping your hand steady & flexing your thumb and forefinger (like some guitarists do) or are you holding the pick steady and letting your wrist do the work? Also, what gauge of pick are you using? The former is generally regarded as Bad Practice for bass players, the latter is far more the norm. To get the best out of it, you may need to adjust your strap so that your wrist is relaxed. Make sure your wrist is free to move & that you're not catching/pinning your forearm on the edge of the bass. Pick choice is hugely personal (even more so than strings & almost as much as setup preferences), but it is certainly possible to use a pick that's too thin, & ditto one that's too thick. Too thin & you're likely to attack harder to get the effect which could impose strain on your hand. Too thick & you're at risk of forcing the pick through the strings and giving your hand a small, but cumulative, physical shock on each stroke. In both cases in the short-term you'll just ache, but over time Unpleasantness could ensue. Have a look into the Carol Kaye method. After all, she has played on every record ever recorded ever & uses a pick, so she must have it right. For your delectation, two threads on TalkBass that could well be relevant: Firstly a post that reads very much like yours, with a very good reply from Fergie Fulton (who knows quite a lot about this kind of stuff from personal experience): [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=716002"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=716002[/url] Secondly an overview & discussion about the Carol Kaye Pick method: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=452467"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=452467[/url] To top it off, have a look at this guy - he's close to getting his bus pass but can still do this for 2hrs a night: Doesn't look like he's straining, does he? Pete.

Sounds like your shielding wants a bit of looking into, something's getting through. Did the venue have any house lighting controlled by a dimmer circuit? They're known for playing havoc with instruments. Which bass & what p/ups? P.

I started with these guys: Lancaster, Williams, Butler & Glover.

Which model Aria?

Oh, it's in B btw. (According to the Stones Songbook wot I've got).

I wonder if it's a feature of '60s Decca recordings - a load of Small Faces tunes are a quarter tone 'out' & I think the early Who stuff is similarly featured.

[quote name='Mumbles87' post='1040485' date='Nov 28 2010, 09:36 PM']I wasn't sure how robust the liming wax would be to wear, so didn't know if a bit of Danish oil or the like would protect it enough. So would it just be left to leave it as just liming wax then a bit of Danish oil? Also any ideas what would be best bet for the black? Thanks[/quote] I like the stuff on the Woodworkers Institute page, inventive yet tasteful. Reading up on [url="http://www.liberon.co.uk/colour-with-wax-and-dye/liming-wax,434,464.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0zMDQmYWN0aW9uPWZpY2hlUHJvZHVpdCZpZD0xODMmfA%3D%3D"]Liberon Liming Wax[/url], they suggest final finishing with Oil. There are no restrictions on the number of oil coats you can apply - one old regimen I have somewhere calls for "A coat of oil a day for a week, a coat a week for a month, a coat a month for a year... after that as required" - so around two dozen! Liberon stuff is excellent. If you went with their spirit-based dyes, liming wax kit, & Finishing Oil I'd be very surprised if you had any problems. They don't seem to do an Ebony stain, but Tudor Oak should be virtually black. Avoid their water-based dyes though. Pete.

Sounds like you need a [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRIEND-CHIP-Digi-Max-Pro-8x8-digital-audio-patchbay-/220690561036?pt=UK_Consumer_Professional_RL&hash=item33622eb80c"]MIDI-controlled patchbay[/url]. It'd need some 1/4" to Phono adapters & a floor controller, but...

Bit of Robben Ford:

Child of the 80s here: Arguably the most awesome lighting rig of them all: & some properly heavy music... This was about as funky as I got back then:

I'm after cadging a lift from any roving SE Londoners/Kentish Massives if anyone's up for it. Master Plan 'A' has gone titzup, so that leaves me at the mercy of Public Transport (shudder). I'll be loafing about on here most of this evening, so should pick up a PM fairly quickly. Failing that my 'phone's always on - 07*** *** ***. Hopeful thanks in advance, Pete.

[quote name='funky_numba' post='1037300' date='Nov 26 2010, 02:11 AM']Currently trying to practice bass notes for some songs.. Broken Wings by Mister Mister, Canned Heat by Jamiroqua and It's My Life by Talk Talk. Getting somewhere with the first two but don't understand the tablature for It's My Life. My left fingers are numb... is that normal? Any of you know any easy jazz songs to play along to or even some 80's songs? Thanks!!![/quote] I found this tab for 'It's My Life' via 911 Tabs: [url="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8453031/Talk%20Talk%20-%20It_%27s%20My%20Life%20%284%29.gp3"]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8453031/Talk%20Tal...e%20%284%29.gp3[/url] After a cursory listen, it seems pretty close. You'll need either GuitarPro or the free [url="http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/"]Tux Guitar[/url] to open it though. '80s stuff? Gi's a clue Duran Duran? Gillan? Motorhead? The Jam? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5IFkU8zciA"]The Piranahs ?[/url]. Easy Jazz? Try Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue". Incredible recording that works on many levels - very easy to get into & never stops giving. Also look up Cannonball Adderley, especially the stuff he did with a young chap called Joe Zawinul: Numb Fingers = Bad. I'm with TNIT in thinking you're gripping too hard - does your left forearm go stiff at all? I've had a 'bar of steel' forearm a couple of times at gigs where I've had difficulty hearing myself, soon learned to ease off & turn up a bit. [i][b]Any[/b][/i] hand/arm/body discomfort when playing, other than blisters, is wrong & needs rectifying ASAP. Pete.

Dated May 16th 2007 @ 22:15 [quote]All Sorted! Just when I'd got used to the brownness of BT, someone's turned the lights on. Massive Kudos to all who've been bothered to do all this. Pete.[/quote] Was BassTalk noticeably Brown & Ill-lit?

[quote name='Jase' post='1035571' date='Nov 24 2010, 08:31 PM']Jack Bruce on Steroids!!![/quote] Listening back to the first one I thought more Geezer Butler on Grass

I'll play... Somewhere, in a box, probably in Somerset I have a recording of possibly my second or third time of 'playing' bass. If it turns up, I'll see what I can do... However, for the moment, these will have to suffice: Exhibit A - an instrumental take on a Robin Trower staple from late 1982 or early 1983 (probably about 6 months into playing): [url="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8453031/Day_Of_The_Eagle-Take_1.mp3"]Day Of The Eagle[/url] Exhibit B - from the 3rd of March this year at the Coach & Horses Jam in Leyton High Road: [url="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8453031/Too_Many_Drivers.mp3"]Too Many Drivers[/url] Pete.

[quote name='nugget' post='1035442' date='Nov 24 2010, 06:46 PM']I've tried 2 cables both with high quality 1/4" plugs - BUT I've tried them both into the same output, I could try the other speaker output on the amp. i dont think there are speakons on the amp (I'll look later) ta Dave[/quote] Ah... I wonder if there was some cack in the socket that's now been dislodged. Might be worth popping the covers off the amp to see if it's riddled with fluff (or if there's obvious oxidation on the speaker output contacts). P.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1034427' date='Nov 23 2010, 08:53 PM'](she signed us up for some cat food stuff online today, We don't even have a cat !!!)[/quote] [quote name='icastle' post='1034497' date='Nov 23 2010, 09:57 PM']Ah. Can I suggest you consider eating out for a few days... [/quote] +1 Consider yourself warned

[quote name='Bass Awkward' post='1035234' date='Nov 24 2010, 04:17 PM']I'd also say; is it not the case that speaker cables are thick for the purpose of reducing resistance (not EMI, which is negligible on this level of signal), and aren't fuses pretty negligible in terms of resistance?[/quote] Speaker cables use higher gauge wire to handle increased current, not to reduce resistance. Resistance over a cable run of less than 1m will be so small as to be unmeasurable by any reasonable means, even if you used the cheapest twin-core mains cable (or even zip/bell wire) that you could find. [quote name='Bass Awkward' post='1035234' date='Nov 24 2010, 04:17 PM']Ampeg seem to use some sort of fusing system on the horns in their cabs, with lightbulbs. I guess it's because they're non-ohmic resistors, and they give an obvious feedback when you're pushing too hard - the trouble would be in finding the right lightbulbs, and whether there is a particular issue preventing their use in fusing bass frequencies.[/quote] Riddle me this... If the lightbulb is such a panacea, why doesn't everybody use it? I've only heard of it in relation to Ampeg... no-one else. If the Eden has a piezo tweeter, then it's kind of self-crossovering (you can tell I'm not an audio engineer ), so shouldn't need any protection as it's intrinsically out of harm's way. [quote name='Bass Awkward' post='1035234' date='Nov 24 2010, 04:17 PM']Again, I'd like to restate that I'm really happy to be told I'm wrong - especially when I can be told [i]why[/i]. I'd far rather learn of my ignorance than implement a crap solution on an otherwise serviceable - though not ideal - setup.[/quote] Forgive me for saying this, but it seems to me that you're worrying over nothing here. Since you've downsized your rig to suit the needs of the gig, if a single 1 x 10 isn't providing enough SPL, then you'd probably be better off just adding another. By the time you've cranked the Orange up to the Eden's danger level, you won't have a tone that Jazz/Latin audiences would regard as appropriate anyway - sort of like Chris Squire playing 'Watermelon Man' . Just my 2p. Pete.

Speakons or 1/4" Plugs?

[quote name='Moos3h' post='1034209' date='Nov 23 2010, 06:48 PM']Here's one for you! If a bass amp puts out 300w at 4 ohms, but is fitted with an 8 ohm speaker - is there any way of wiring something in series/parallel with the internal speaker to make the amp 'see' 4 ohms and thus put the full welly through the one speaker? I'm SURE there must be a reason why this can't be done? Cheers, James[/quote] No. You [i]could [/i]wire a [b]very[/b] chunky 8Ω wirewound resistor in parallel with the speaker so that the amp would think it was driving a 4Ω cab, but it'd be a fairly pointless excercise as the 'extra' 150W would just make the resistor very hot. If you want the extra 150W to be audible you either need to get an 8Ω extension cab or recone/replace the existing speaker with a 4Ω equivalent. Extension cab FTW. Pete.

[quote name='Martin E' post='1033233' date='Nov 22 2010, 09:50 PM']Boiled Linseed Oil. Been using it on fretboards and unsealed bodies for years. Seems quite harmless - smells nice too.[/quote] This. Thinned with a little Distiiled Turpentine to aid penetration. That Jerzy Drozd recommends boiled linseed too. P.

[quote name='ConnorHamilton' post='1027086' date='Nov 17 2010, 05:15 PM']Thanks guys, [b]its a planet waves lead[/b] Ive been using. Yeah I can solder. Think Ive got an iron in the garage. Ill check how the contacts are against the lead! Thanks for the snappy replies. Connor[/quote] Seem to recall that Planet Waves cables use oversize plugs too. Utterly unnecessary IMO. If you don't want it to happen in the future, either run up your own cables with standard Neutrik plugs, or get a couple from our very own [url="http://www.bassic-bits.co.uk/"]OBBM[/url] P.

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1025498' date='Nov 16 2010, 08:24 AM']When I started out, my favourite band was the Sex Pistols, so had some lessons, where I learned what the notes were on the bass neck, then bought the songbook to Never Mind The B*llocks, and taught myself from there, learning to play all my favourite songs. I still don`t know scales, after playing for some 30 years, but my musical "ear" can tell if something is out of key. Probably an unorthodox way of learning, but it worked for me.[/quote] Swap the Pistols for 'Highway To Hell' & 'Piledriver' & that's me as well