BigBeatNut

I have reliability issues with my Bass PODxt. Particularly in a live context. It's now 3 or 4 times in the last 3 or 4 years (twice in the last 6 months) that the PODxt has died on me. By 'died' I mean that I power it up, and get a lit-up, but blank, screen. I've used the line6 forums (same thing as support) and tried the various answers. I always get it back working again, but it usually requires several hours of messing around with a compputer and repeatedly (like, maybe 20 times last night) reloading the firmware drivers. Also (minor thing) the PODxt is extremely sensitive to power supply fluctuations. I once did a whole set where the POD repeatedly cut out and came back. During the first break, traced the problem to my power coming from a socket near the drummers hi-hat foot. Every time he hit the floor hard, there was a small interrruption to power which caused the POD to re-boot. [b]First[/b], Am I the only one with these problems ? The Line6 forums suggest not, but I can't find it being discussed here. [b]Second[/b] are there any alternatives to the PODxt ... which for me means 3 or 4 switchable channels with different EQ and differing valve emulations ? I'm thinking along the lines of a Sansamp programmable Bass driver, but I'm not happy about saving into a memory and then not being able to 'see' what I saved e.g. how much 'drive' selected on preset 3. Ideas ? Thoughts ? Andy

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='805709' date='Apr 14 2010, 08:56 AM']Rob Allen basses are perhaps one of the best sounding acoustic-esq bass guitars, but they ain't cheap but do sound lush - jump to 2:15 to hear the bass solo: The cheaper alternative, and often referred to as the poor man's Rob Allen, is a Godin bass. Basically though, any electric bass will never sound exactly like an upright bass due to the differences in physical shape etc. But, if you get a fretless bass, some nice flatwounds, turn all the mids off your amp and play over the neck you can get somewhere close. The Ashbory system is good as well, but it's so short scale that intonation with such thick strings that break often is a bit of a turn off for me.[/quote] I'll second the Rob Allen recommedation. 'BG that sounds like URB' was my holy grail for a while. I've stopped looking now I have my Rob Allen Deep 5, but that's not because I've found my holy grail, it's because the Deep 5 is, I think, as close as I'll ever get (or possibly as close as anyone will ever get). I have a friend who said he'd make a pedal for me that did the job (and I suspect he'd do as good a job as anyone, given he's had a long career in music synthesis and electronics for sound engineering ... AND he did some research by extensively miking up an upright) but I've not chased him on it ... the last thing I heard was that the prototype he produced was causing a stir with local bassists ... I must find out how far he got with the idea. Andy

[quote name='gareth' post='825079' date='May 1 2010, 07:36 PM']Fender Precision HMT[/quote] Nice. Has to be said I'm not a fan of the headstocks on those, but every time one with a traditional Fender headstock comes up on eBay, I get a GAS attack ... despite that the fact that these days I'm pretty much 5-strings only.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='818066' date='Apr 25 2010, 02:04 PM']Congrats, Nick - Those top of range PM's are really nice basses with a huge dark sound to them as well. I always play the "Supreme" model whenever I go to Electro Music. [/quote] Funnily enough, I was in Electromusic on Saturday and was very impressed with the PM4 they had ... guess it was the Supreme you're talking about. Andy

I guess I'll have to order a set of Detroit Flats and hope for the best.

[quote name='nick' post='812979' date='Apr 20 2010, 08:24 PM']Look like Webstrings Detroit Flats to me. I've had sets with gaps in windings before - good flats.[/quote] Really ? Did you see this above ? [quote name='lowendfriend']The second pic is Detroit Flat Stainless from webstrings.com. No silk but a smoother wrap style than your pic. [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=164375&d=1271516679"]pic 2[/url][/quote] He decided that it wasn't those strings because the gaps didn't look the same in his pic. But you think the gaps vary (from set to set), and it might be those strings ? Andy

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='811641' date='Apr 19 2010, 06:32 PM']If so, does that suggest OP's strings might be groundwounds?[/quote] Nice idea, but I just had the cut end of the string under a magnifying glass ... the outer wrap is definitely rectangular. There was an inner wrap that appeared to be round.

[quote name='Musicman69' post='810968' date='Apr 19 2010, 01:51 AM']... good luck with your quest.[/quote] Hmmm, yeah .... I'm beginning to wonder if I was nuts to ask anyone to ID a string with no silks.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='805809' date='Apr 14 2010, 10:42 AM']Silk wrapping is just used to give the outer wrap a final seal, but many manufacturers like D'Addario and Ernie Ball don't use them as they've realized they don't actually need them.[/quote] Ernie Ball's have no silks ? I'm trying to identify some flats with no silks at the moment, could you possibly take a look [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=84755&view=findpost&p=809404"]HERE[/url] ? Andy

Whoops ... there have been some things eliminated because of the [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=649020"]talkbass thread[/url]. Notably: [quote name='Meatrus']My first thought was Fender flats, but unfortunately no, as they have green silk at the ballends.[/quote] [quote name='MarkusBass']Blue are Chromes. Lakland JO Flats are black, GHS Precision Flats (same as JOs) are purplish.[/quote] [quote name='lowendfriend']My first reaction was Sadowsky Stainless Flats (Black Labels). But on close inspection, they have grey silk real close to the color of the strings. I also see the wrap is tighter than your pic. (Sad's are wound by LaBella). The second pic is Detroit Flat Stainless from webstrings.com. No silk but a smoother wrap style than your pic. [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=164374&d=1271516679"]pic 1[/url] [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=164375&d=1271516679"]pic 2[/url][/quote] Andy

[quote name='Mateybass' post='799385' date='Apr 8 2010, 12:31 AM']That top one looks like it might be a 5 string [/quote] Looks even more like one now [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270565560467"]LINK[/url]

Nobody got any ideas on what this string might be ?

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='809246' date='Apr 17 2010, 10:58 AM']So I thought I'd give Status halfwounds a go... and I haven't looked back since. Literally half the price of a set of La Bellas, smooth feel, great stiffness, and adding in a bit more of that top end I needed to get the growl back. But it might be a different story on fretted.[/quote] I ordered status halfwounds to go on my first fretless (a Status S1 5er). Great string. I can also vouch for Labella Black Nylons (on my RA deep 5) ... distinctive sound but it's a distinctive bass too, so I'm not sure where the strings are contributing. Status black nylons also work well on my Status electro (contributes the acoustic tone, more so than status half-rounds), but I've tried them on other basses (Lakland HB) and not been so keen. Hmmm ... seems I like black nylon strings on piezo pickup basses . Just starting on the flats-on-fretless route again myself, so I'll be watching this thread. Andy

This is going to be a tough one I think. It's a nice growly flatwound that's an odd one out in a set that came with the bass. Haven't found anything to match it. I think it's an A strung in the E position ... so detuned and that may contribute to the growl ... that and it being on a fretless. The only other distinctive thing is that there a clear gaps in the windings ... gaps on labellas are much tighter. Pics Any help would be appreciated as I'm starting to get obsessive about the sound of this string. Andy

[quote name='paul h' post='806822' date='Apr 15 2010, 09:02 AM']That looks rather sexy. Any thoughts on how to achieve this? Maybe grub screws and magnets. Mmmm. I am going to steal this idea, come up with a cost effective way of achieving it and make a fortune! Muuuhhahhahhahaha.[/quote] Blu-tack ? Double-sided sticky tape ?

I missed out the cheapies ... here we go. 2 Squier precision specials ... (fretless and fretted) Jackson C5 (I think that's the model) ... and SX fretless

The Beatle basses look like they're nicely done ... not so sure about these "pucker" (folding ?) basses with the hinge in the middle though ... have my doubts about how solid the connection is between the hinged parts. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270558872268"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270558872268[/url]

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='799219' date='Apr 7 2010, 08:52 PM']I particularly like the look of this one, even though it's not finished [/quote] Seconded .... I suppose it's too much to hope that body is chambered ? Andy