D.I. Joe

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1440087629' post='2848210'] Rotosound flats are quite textured feeling for flatwounds, maybe not quite in round territory but I'd say they don't really have that polished, slippery feel that most flats do. I found this picture on a czech bass forum which illustrates this quite well: [/quote] Oh my, look at those DRs

I use [url="http://www.thunderplugs.nl/?___store=en"]these[/url], both at gigs and when using noisy machinery at work. I always have them on my keyring in their little case. They work well and it's dead handy! I previously used Pro Guard PR20s which were also very good value.

PM'd

Try the Bare Knuckle '58 Lozz. I've got one in my '08 Highway One Precision https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaSgKzEwfHw

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1428424024' post='2741152'] And I thought it was just the jeans you were wearing! [/quote] Good job I don't go fishing if it takes me 3 days to get a nibble!

Turn back that bass dial, dude! I've found that turning the bass knob down and slightly boosting the low-mid sliders gives me a nice tight, round bottom with plenty of definition in the context of the band. I tend to shape my sound primarily with the sliders and the mid knob and then adjust the bass and treble according to the room.

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1427471862' post='2730849'] It depends on how you approach your bass amplification. For all the bassists that like the colouration their cab brings to their sound, there's just as many who want a cab that makes their TONE (which is coming from their hands, bass and amp) loud but not changed in any way. If you're of that mindset then you're better off DI'ing. DI'ing doesn't mean the soundman is in control of your tone. Even if he takes a DI before your amp your hands are still in control, as is your bass. If you're DI'ing out of the send on your amp then you have even more control. Trust your hands to be in charge - they're what make us all sound different! [/quote] The key things for me really are the combination of my amp's EQ and the top-end roll-off from the Compact. I wholeheartedly agree with what you say about the hands taking charge and mine do I suppose that, rather than spending money, I could make sure that a DI is taken post-EQ and ask politely for the treble to be cut at the mixing desk... [quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1427571081' post='2731903'] Whilst your hands have a lot to do with tone three is a huge issue with this approac, you simply cannot hear what's happening FOH from on stage, so how do you go about knowing how to change your tone? Plus it doesn't make a bit of difference really, you ply closed r to the neck if he doesn't like it he'll suck the miss straight out, high pass filter at 600hz and compress you to death then drop your fader back when the kick drum Mic feeds back.... Never ever think you have more control of your sound than the guy on FOH, you are in no position to turn it into a battl, youll just lose [/quote] Wise words also. I know that, ultimately, it is the sound man who is in control out at the front. I guess, ultimately, that I just want to give myself more of a sporting chance at getting the bass sound that I choose to employ in the mix at the front.

Thanks for the suggestions chaps. [quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1427359486' post='2729224'] Can I ask why you don't like DIing? [/quote] Because I like to use my tone, not the tone prescribed to me by the soundman, and also the sheer fact that the same is done for guitarists. Guitar speakers are almost always miked up to capture the overall sound of their rig, so why should it not be the same for the bass? Our rig works in the same way after all...

If I were you, I'd think about the preamp first. The stock pickups etc on the Sandbergs are great quality, and you should be able to get just about any sound you would want from them with the appropriate use of the onboard preamp.The (IME) little known fact about the onboard active preamp is that it is for tone-shaping, not merely to provide higher output as the bass players around here all seem to think (most of whom take the 'Everything on 11' approach) If you're set that you want to change the pickups though, I'd highly recommend some of these, now available for 5-string for the first time! https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=bass&sub=vintage&pickup=60_pe&series=j_bass

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1427140207' post='2726382'] SM57 is pretty good as a budget solution. Don't use a kick mic! [/quote] That answers another part of the question; I was wondering whether a kick mic or a general instrument mic would be better. I've never come across a bass-specific mic (does such a thing exist?) Coincidentally, the cabinet in question is a Gen 1 Compact, so you've got my full attention!

I'm looking for a suitable mic with which to feed the bass to the PA. I'm not a fan of D.I.'ing, despite my (seemingly witty at the time) username so I've decided that the best course of action is to come prepared with my own mic, rather than have to leave my tone entirely in the hands of the sound man. I have no idea where to start looking so any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't really have a specific budget in mind, but I'm more keen to get good value for money than to spend top-dollar on unnecessarily super-dooper gear (I'm not touring the world's top arenas, after all...) Looking forward to your replies, thanks in advance Joe

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=bass&sub=vintage&pickup=58_split_coil&series=p_bass I wouldn't use anything else.

Count me in!

[quote name='deanovw' timestamp='1406276410' post='2509956'] I would be up for it. No further east than Exeter for me though. Exeter would be nearly a 200 mile round trip for me. [/quote] I could give you a lift Dean Exeter would be better than Taunton for us Cornish rumblers. The last one in Sherbourne was a bit of a trek! (and not particularly South-Westerly either!)

[quote name='jrixn1' timestamp='1404299642' post='2491243'] I have a Modern Player jazz neck on my Matt Freeman P-bass. It works really well for me and is currently my "go-to" bass. It sounds similar but not quite as dark as a Yamaha BB (I have a BB425X). [/quote] That is a beautiful Precision For the OP, I'd recommend these if you've got the dollar for their sheer versatility. https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=bass&sub=vintage&pickup=60_pe&series=j_bass