bass_dinger

19 hours ago, RhythmJunky said:

Classic rock radio stations who play "all the classic hits from the 60's, 70's and 80's"

"Classic rock radio stations play all 60 classic hits for people in their 70's and 80's"

Fixed it for you . . . .  

Sliced Ham tastes better in a sandwich when it is all crumpled and rumpled up, rather than laid flat.

I went out in a blaze of glory on 31st December 2025.

A 13-note midi pedal board, won on eBay at 4:40pm and a Roland FP-30X  piano ordered online at 9:20pm.

5 minutes ago, Merton said:

I’m absolutely in, 2026 is a year of learning to play rather than learning to spend more 😀

Is that because you already know how to spend more?!

I am in for both Tier 1 and 2 - simply because I reckon that purchased everything that I needed (or wand) in 2025.

And, of course, because it's terrific fun to try to abstain.

More seriously, it also makes me consider whether I really need an item.

I am in.  Oh yes.

17 hours ago, Pea Turgh said:

I’m in Swansea.  Have you already bought it?

I have now!

For £21, which feels like a bargain (until I add the cost of the rail trip to Neath....)

10 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said:

I’m in Swansea.  Have you already bought it?

Not yet purchased it, but I am exploring other options. 

Ideally, the seller will realise that the market in Neath for midi pedal boards is limited, and will instead offer postage. Certainly, that's what I asked him for.

19 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Gigged in Neath on Saturday

Encore! Encore!!  One more song, ideally at about 4pm on Wednesday....

1 hour ago, Norris said:

organ with drawbars

@ash is selling a module which replicates the organ sound, here.

You can connect it via MIDI-din, and use the Line In on your Yamaha PF-85 to amplify the sound. 

As for your next piano, I would suggest that you try before you buy.  With your real acoustic piano, and your old but worthy Yamaha PF-85, your standards and requirements will be high.

Certainly, I would suggest that you go for something better than what you have now, rather than a sideways move. 

Can anyone help with an Ebay purchase, for an item in Neath?

It's a 13-bass pedal board,  and the seller is offering Buyer Collects only. 

Is anyone close enough to Neath to pick it up and pack and post it to me, in return for payment for your expenses, time, and trouble?

Alternatively, are there couriers that could help me?

5 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

I can see the advantage of using the UMC1820 as a single device for all the audio inputs and outputs. However for MIDI control of the Roland surely it would be easiest to just use the USB connection direct to the computer?

I will try both options, and see which works, and report back.  If both work, then that would be good news too.

I must confess to being fascinated by midi when it first came out, and wanted nothing more than to connect up various devices.  However, it is only now, 45 years later, that I have the opportunity to make it happen. 

https://ebay.us/m/5E9p3T

"Handmade bass bass. New. Now you can not only tune a guitar but you can also tuna fish. Body of the guitar is handmade out of solid oak. Large mouth bass graphic. Glass eye. Constructed with all new parts including neck, strings, pickups, and knobs."

$50,000 is a lot to pay for a pun.

1 hour ago, Mediocre Polymath said:

You've twisted my arm. Have PM'd thee. 

You won't play much mandolin with a twisted arm....

Have PM'd you.

£40, because it's not being played, and that's sad.

4 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Why do you need to connect the Roland Piano to the Behringer interface via MIDI? surely the best thing is to connect the Roland direct to your computer using the USB sockets on each or have I missed something?

@Hellzero is right.  I want to use the UMC1820 interface as the hub. I have an electric piano (stereo), synth module (stereo), bass guitar input, and a microphone, two midi channels, plus the PC, all plugged into the UMC1820.  Moreover, I still have two spare input channels too.

The UMC1820 acts as a midi device for the purpose of Musescore too (Cubase was too complicated for me).

See how times, and Christmas traditions, have changed over the years.

50 years ago, an Orange amp in our stocking. Now, an Elf on the shelf.

That's a lot of good advice, both for me, and for anyone else who wants to connect USB-midi to midi-din - thank you.

Interesting to see that a USB B to A adapter is necessary, and available. That was, quite literally, the missing link 

I will contact you directly, regarding the your offer of the Cakewalk connector. 

Robert 

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

I have to leave right now.

Right now!? You are Santa Claus, and I claim my £5.

No rush, indeed.  I plan to order the piano after Christmas (but before the 2026 Gear Abstinence Challenge starts...). Even then, I can forego midi connectivity, until the right bit of kit comes up. 

I am puzzled by the Roland/Cakewalk MIDI to USB devices - that cable will only plug into the FP-30X's USB Memory slot (rather than the USB Computer output, which the guy in the Roland shop said I should use. However, he admitted that it was not his area of expertise). Also,  the guy in the Roland shop didn't recommend the 

Roland/Cakewalk MIDI to USB device - odd.

Hence, my question about connectivity, here.

Change of plan ....

I now want to be able to connect a Roland FP30X electric piano to a Behringer UMC1820, via midi.

The Midi (out and in) on the Roland FP30X is the USB B-type ("USB Computer") 

The UMC1820 has midi-DIN in and out (and the USB is to connect it to the PC).

There is no such thing as a midi-B to midi-DIN cable.  So, I was instead advised that I need a Midi junction box with a USB-A (for the Midi port). 

Can anyone advise, or recommend a suitable Midi junction box?  Ideally, with a separate power supply input (no combined USB power).

https://www.cme-pro.com/h4midi-wc-usb-host-midi-interface/  (4 midi DIN ports) 

https://www.cme-pro.com/h2midi-pro/?srsltid=AfmBOorC_nVwHWECm7l27q92lOgEx6S5tJUkpTkhHHTngMOImr7B2XkI (2 midi DIN ports) 

https://www.thomann.co.uk/behringer_go_midi_host.htm (a very simple box - but will it work for my set-up?) 

https://www.doremidi.cn/h-pd-2.html (a box from the USA, but available in the UK)

I also want to run an EMU Classic Keys (midi DIN in, out and thru), but I can probably use the Midi out from my UMC1820. 

Help!!!

Gone! 

35 minutes ago, BassTractor said:

Whatever you choose, @bass_dinger, do not underestimate the modest CS505.
It's both a magnificent player and a keeper. Mine's from 1982 or so, and probably needs a new belt now.

Different models exist with different heads, and I can't be very specific, but if yours is the model with the dedicated cartridges under a non-standard head, it's relatively easy to change the head so it can take standard cartridges.
Me, I eventually went for a moving coil (and the arm in that case needed some extra counter-weight), and also exchanged the rubber platter cover with a thicker, softer one. 

I knew that the Dual 505 was a highly-rated turntable back in the early 80s.  In fact, it was the only budget option at the time (with the Rega Planars 2 and 3 being the more expensive options).  However, I had not realised that the 505 is still a contender.

The idea of an cartridge upgrade feels too complex right now - but maybe later.  For now, I have ordered the stylus from Audio Affair, and will be shopping for belts from Thakker: (my Dual 505, my sister's Pioneer PL Z94, and my Yamaha KX580 cassette deck).  

I was grateful for the advice, to avoid cheaper copies of the stylus and risk damaging the record collection.   

9 hours ago, tauzero said:

Put it like this: a box contains a completely unidentified bass which is to perform a completely unidentified function which will fall within its capabilities.

Putting it that way, £200 is expensive to me.

However, both of my current basses are more expensive than that, because they are special, or rare, or hard to get hold of in the UK.  So, I paid more for them, because I knew that that was the going rate for such instruments.

3 hours ago, Hellzero said:

First, go there to find all data available for your turntable:

 

https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable-database.php?make=Dual&mdl=CS+505&sort=2&ascdesc=ASC&search=search&drive=any&motor=any&control=any&auto=any&changer=any

 

Then on the same website, you'll find the data available for your cartridge:

 

https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_database.php?m=any&mod=DN165E&t=any&sort=2&Search=Search&sty=&ovlo=&ovhi=&can=&dclo=&dchi=&stid=&masslo=&masshi=&notes=&prlo=&prhi=

 

Finally, buy a new stylus, like here:

 

https://www.audioaffair.co.uk/ortofon-dn-165e-replacement-stylus

 

@Hellzero and @Dan Dare are my HiFi butlers - very helpful and practical advice on what I need to do next. Thanks 

After 40-plus years, my then-£109 turntable is probably due some maintenance.  So, my next project will be the turntable. 

As opposed to my next turntable being a ProJect https://www.project-audio.com/en/turntables/#primary-line

50 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Therefore I've been looking at what is available and it's a load of over-priced crap.

Could you instead look at older machines, built when cassettes were a viable option for music?

I have an excellent Yamaha KX580, which are still available on eBay etc. Dolby B C and S, plus MPX.

I was wondering what to do with this 5 metre long Midi cable, used to join a midi footswitch to an effects unit.

Mrs Dinger suggested that I should offer on basschat, for free.

So, I have!

A wise man once didn't bother to say "An expensive bass is one that is bought, but never played."