jimmyb625

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1090818' date='Jan 15 2011, 08:03 PM']My experience agrees with the Grand Wazoo, its just ridiculous for playing live. Most soundmen would go mental if pickups were being changed every 20 seconds while mid-set...or between songs for that matter. Bedroom player! [/quote] From what I've seen of it, I don't think you actually could use it like that even if you wanted to. You'd have to use your settings that you'd programmed in to the separate banks previously, as if you're trying to program via PC, it takes around 5 seconds to upload. You'd have to build some rests into your songs for that!! Also, you'd have to have your laptop strapped to your back (or at least be less than 5m from it) in order to program the thing. I may have got the wrong end of the stick as to how it works, but the way I'm seeing it, is it's something you program in advance, rather than at a gig or recording session.

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='1090591' date='Jan 15 2011, 04:24 PM']I looked at the EBMM vid actually, and thought it was rubbish! But as I said, I couldn't face going all the way through it. If it's essentially a (highly) glorified pickup selector then I can see it being very useful for guitars, but tbh far less so for bass where lots of the out-of-phase combinations aren't really going to be very conventionally useful, and lots of the series combinations will end up sounding very similar. Fair play to them for giving it a crack as there will be some good combos in there but it's not going to live up to their own hype and revolutionise the bass world![/quote] Ah, ok. It does have a certain 'style' to it, but I suppose it does have to be advertising led as the idea is to drum up interest. Yeah, at the moment it is like the world's biggest pickup selector, but it's possible with the technology of the microcontroller to advance it in the future. I think there will be a lot of sounds in there that won't be useable and there'll be some that are barely distinguishable from others. Still, you never know there might be something in there that absolutely blows your socks off. I've seen a lot of guitarists say that Bass players will get more out of it..... [quote name='Machines' post='1090639' date='Jan 15 2011, 05:08 PM']Finally got round to watching the vids (whilst skipping the guitar parts). It's an interesting idea, however I expect a LOT of the sounds are so similar as to be indistinguishable from each other, thus a waste of time. I have respect for them for trying a new approach though, sounds like Sterling Ball got a bit bored of how things are currently (despite releasing a lot of new models recently). I'd definitely like to sit down with one for a few hours and see what happened - am looking forward to seeing some prices.[/quote] It's listed as a $500 MRSP increase over the regular reflex, with a predicted street price increase of $350. I guess over here it would be around £250-£300 more?

[quote name='Doctor J' post='1090511' date='Jan 15 2011, 03:12 PM']The seem to have overlooked the humble blend pot, which might also offer a gajillion other tonal change possibilities.[/quote] My Bongo has a blend pot. I think in time, it will be offered on the GameChanger though.

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='1090448' date='Jan 15 2011, 02:23 PM']OK so I got 3 minutes through that video before I lost the will to live and had to give up. American guitar/amp manufacturers seem to specialise in these extended commercials completely devoid of information content. So is there anywhere on their site that actually explains what this thing is doing that makes it so special? Because so far all I can gather is that it lets you combine pickups any way you want - but there aren't that many combinations possible with a 2-pickup system so I must be missing something. I was wondering if it used delay between pickups to give continuously variable phase shifts but since it's all analogue...or do the 8 million combinations include 'treble boost 3.1dB, treble boost 3.2dB'? I'd like to see a good explanation of what's actually going on but so far I've only seen meaningless hype.[/quote] Did you look at the NAMM video, or the one from the EBMM website? The NAMM one is a bit pants. The coils of the pickup are treated separately, so 2 humbuckers gives 4 coils. If you take coil 1 for example, you can get the combinations 1, 12, 13, 14, 123, 124, 134, 1234, 142, 143. and you can have them in phase, out of phase, in series, or in parallel (I think Steve Morse says that 1&3 in series sounds different to 3&1 in series in one of the vids). The 8.5 million combinations stated come from having 6 coils in use and works on the assumption that the coils in series sound different. As far as I've been able to see, things like tone and volume controls are not a part of what it does, it just gives lots of switching options, but I can see it being possible to incorporate that within the future.

The first bass I bought was a 5 string, although I had played 4's a couple of times before that. I've just bought my first 4 string (a fretless one as well) which is a remarkably stupid thing for someone who plays as badly as I do. For me, switching between the two hasn't been that bad, although I have had the occasional moment of 'brain fade' where I end up playing on the D string of the 4, when I wanted to be on the A.

[quote name='tom1946' post='1090121' date='Jan 15 2011, 07:38 AM']It probably is a worthy product and a great piece of engineering, I don't think your average gigmeister would have the time or inclination to mess about with it live. I do think you can have too many 'tones', after a while they all merge and you forget which ones you liked imo of course. [/quote] If you're using it in a live setting, you haven't got gazillions of options to switch between. The idea (as far as my understanding of it goes) is that you spend some time prior to the gig, recording session, practice in your bedroom in front of some bored family members etc, playing about and finding tones you like. You then load these 10 presets into the guitar and away you go for world domination. The quotes about all of them sounding the same are interesting. Pretty much every guitarist (and quite a lot of Bass players from what I've seen) obsess over 'their' sound. Sound men get criticised for wanting to DI and control levels of bass in the mix, people embark on life long quests to find the perfect combination of amplifier, cabinet and effects, some people even spend huge amounts on cables (ok, these are mainly Hi-Fi enthusiasts who buy from Russ Andrews!) but you get the point. Don't get me wrong, I think there are going to be some truly awful sounds within the various combinations and I also think there will be some that I won't notice the difference between, but I'm still not ready to write off something I've never even heard for myself, let alone tried. You can't base anything off the Namm video as far as audio goes though, it's difficult enough to hear that they're actually playing the bass, never mind individual settings!

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1089880' date='Jan 14 2011, 09:33 PM']The integrated circuit based switching system has been done by others...but its certainly never been marketed in this way before. I have my Spectors modified for 10 different coil combinations and I only use 5 at the most. I think its a gimmick, EB are clearly targeting bedroom players who don't have enough playing experience to know what they don't need to buy in order to sound good. Honestly, Steve Morse and Dave La Rue just come across as A-grade bullsh*tt*rs.[/quote] I tend to disagree with the gimmick tag and the fact that it's targetting bedroom players. Reading the thread on here regarding G&L vs EBMM, one of the criticisms directed at the stingray was that it was active only and there was no way of changing to passive. Now they've brought something out that will let people have both active and passive presets. It's still very early in the development phase, but I can see a whole load of possibilities that will follow on from this. I'd think both Morse and La Rue would have more integrity than to rave about something they didn't think was a worthy product.

Yeah, the stand has a theme each year. This year it's people who changed the world (to fit in with the GameChanger idea).

There's a part in one of the videos (I think it might be 2, or 3) where Dave LaRue is talking about how he'd use it for recording work. He mentions that he'd have Bank A set to give him 5 good passive sounds, but have Bank B set for 5 active sounds. That's one of the things that appeals the most. I think a lot of people that get it will settle down with a few core sounds that suit them the most. Sure, it's not going to replicate the sound of every single bass out there, but it's not meant to. The upcharge is $500 official, with $350 estimated for 'street' prices, which means that over here it'll be around £700 more!!

It's been a long time since I rode a motorbike, but I'm sure I tried the 'full open' throttle once. Wasn't a pleasant experience!

[quote name='Musky' post='1088720' date='Jan 13 2011, 11:02 PM']Anyone else curious as to how you can actually 'tilt back' an 8x10 without out it falling over? [/quote] 'Carefully' would be my thought.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1089192' date='Jan 14 2011, 12:15 PM']I'd say, the concept is appealing of course as a toy we'd all want to own one, but... the reality is grim: every sound man and studio producer is going to hate you. Chances are if you are a working musicians, and if you sit there in a session with your iPhone / iPad or other android device connected to your bass trying to download sounds which you liked at home but now they don't sound too clever in studio, you are at risk of pissing off every bloke in your band and probably will get fired in the long run for spending too much time faaakin' about with your new toy rather than making music as you are expected to.[/quote] How on earth can you possibly say that Fran? It's like saying that you liked the sound of your Dingwall at home, but then got to the studio and it didn't sound as good. You'd really be in trouble then though, because you couldn't even go onto the 'net to download any more presets, you'd have to go home to get another bass.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1089111' date='Jan 14 2011, 11:23 AM']Here HERE!! We are bassists not synth players, sod that![/quote] It's not a synth module, it's a switching system. [quote name='sshorepunk' post='1089118' date='Jan 14 2011, 11:29 AM']Great idea, but too complicated![/quote] I'd say it's considerably less complicated than even the simplest computer, but we still manage to use those. [quote name='charic' post='1089128' date='Jan 14 2011, 11:36 AM']I'll expand on that... Great idea for in the studio Too Complicated for live However... Combine it with an acg EQ02 circuit for true insanity[/quote] Once you've found some sounds that work for you it's all controlled by a simple five-way switch. I like the concept and I quite like EBMM as well, so I suppose I'll get labelled as a fanboy. A lot of people are instantly writing it off, without even trying it out, which I think is wrong.

Congratulations! It's not helping my Big Al GAS though!

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' post='1062933' date='Dec 18 2010, 08:50 PM']No probs. Warn him that getting into pedals is a slippery slope. Within a year or 2 he'll have 12 and claim each is essential![/quote] Isn't that the truth!!! [quote name='Al Heeley' post='1063313' date='Dec 19 2010, 10:47 AM']+1 for delay, chorus, overdrive - 3 essential pedals for any guitarist [/quote] [quote name='ezbass' post='1063400' date='Dec 19 2010, 11:52 AM']Chorus, overdrive, delay, wah at a pinch, sorted.[/quote] Definitely agree with this. Wah is ok in small doses, but it can become tiresome if overused. I'd also take delay over reverb any day of the week. Although reverb sounds great in isolation, it can muddy things too much in a live setting.

[quote name='bobbytodd' post='1050014' date='Dec 6 2010, 11:08 PM']the back line we use is drummer-roland v electronic kit with 300w drum monitor,[/quote] This is useful, as it gives you great control over the acoustic volume of the drums. [quote name='bobbytodd' post='1050014' date='Dec 6 2010, 11:08 PM']im using a peavey max 450 and peavey 4x10 rythm uses a marshall mg50 watt combo[/quote] Sensible rigs to use. [quote name='bobbytodd' post='1050014' date='Dec 6 2010, 11:08 PM']and lead retardist marshall jcm 900 and 4x12 and a 2x12 one each side of the stage.[/quote] I think we may have found the problem.... Get some wire cutters and 'modify' his cabinets, that should clear the problem! [quote name='bobbytodd' post='1050014' date='Dec 6 2010, 11:08 PM']says it all really and our pa consists of 4xrcf art subs and 2xrcf 12"tops and 3xmackie srm 450v2 as monitors when they work.mind we dont use all the pa in small venues[/quote] Does he still use his full rig, even when you're not using all of the PA? One thing to look at, is refusing to help him load anything afterwards. It might persuade him to use less kit...

Definitely get someone to come and listen to give an impartial ("oi d1ckhead you're too loud!") viewpoint. Mind you, if he doesn't listen to you, he probably won't listen to anyone else either.

You could try shooting an e-mail over to EBMM customer service. My guess is that it will be an imperial measurement, as opposed to metric though.

Completely agree with Big Stu. I've got a DR103, which sounds great with Bass. It's a (relatively) neutral sounding amp with a ton of balls.

Have you checked GAK? They have a white Big Al listed at what seems to be a reasonable price.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='794883' date='Apr 3 2010, 10:26 AM']You know what funny man, if your humour was anything remotely intelligent I would have laughed at your joke but from your illogical statement above I pity you, as I can detect a deep innate ignorance that goes way back in your family genealogical tree, gloriously handed down to you from generation to generation way back to the cave men days. For f*ck sake it's only a bass, you either like it or not. You don't need to diss it to the point of ridiculing a member of a forum you don't even know, that is lack of respect and hatred inciting propaganda, grow the f*uck up![/quote] Chill out Fran, it was only a joke, albeit not a very good one.

I really like mine. Mind you, it's the only bass I have, so I've no real reference point. As far as the looks go, it's very much a Marmite thing. Personally, I've always thought bass players weren't as shallow as guitarists, but this thread is not supportive of that thought....

It's a normal sized sofa, I'm just a midget!! I'm multi-talented, I can play them all badly!

Pete's stuff is very durable. Certainly not the cheapest cables around, but then again, not the most expensive either. He makes them himself, mainly to order, so it's not just a case of 'putting his name on them'. They have a nylon outer sheath to help reduce physical damage and can take a fair bit of punishment. I've seen one of OBMM's cables as well and they look to be really good quality also, so it really comes down to your own choice, you can't go wrong with either in my opinion.