PlungerModerno

I'm 3 weeks into my wait for my compact.... It's not getting any easier!

I'm waiting on my compact It's hard, but I've heard it's worth it!

[quote name='grumble' timestamp='1342261523' post='1732428'] [url="http://www.studybass.com/"]http://www.studybass.com/[/url] [/quote] And http://scottsbasslessons.com/ as well as some others http://www.tunemybass.com/ is good for basic FAQ type stuff... and loads of online gear sites, like notreble.com and of course Basschat.co.uk for all your forum needs. Talkbass.com is also a forum with a bunch of newbie advice, and gear stuff. It's all good. The internet is a funny place, It's nice to have nice places like this though

3 down, an estimated 3 - 5 to go. It's not easy... AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! It's going to be ok. I have some music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h84V0lb_hbI

Nice. I'm looking at that head... I'll probably get it and something similar to store it in. Thank you

[quote name='grandad' timestamp='1341960043' post='1727229'] Out of curiosity I tried a 12" basslite in my Roland BC100. I'm afraid it just didn't sound good at all & I replaced the original. I suspect with small enclosures matching both enclosure & driver is more critical than with larger cab's. [/quote] I think there are a few issues... depending on the cab type (sealed / ported) and the speaker design (for fullrange or LF... or mid). AFAIK there is only a few constants... bracing, damping and tuning (esp. for ported enclosures). If the cab is quite small you can only get so much low end per watt for a given cone... untill you run out of excursion. I don't know if the larger enclosures are much easier to tune ... I know they can be trickier to dampen and brace (esp. with many drivers). I'd say given most pro's design or adapt a cab to the driver... or adapt the driver to the cab (or both), you can expect mixed results when experimenting with various drivers. I've gotta check some of this stuff out! [url="http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/"]http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/[/url]

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1341957387' post='1727161'] In a similar but related scenario. I had a BF Big One, loud with Peavey tour 700, about 500W to 600W into Big One. Yes I know Watts does not equal loudness, I am a Physicist / Engineer in day job. I always felt I wanted a Crown/QSC 2KW power amp with Big One, low, loud and clean. Moving on, courtesy of Rasta (excellent chap) I came by a BF Dubster. The second 3015LF makes a noticeable difference. Yes the amp gives more power - 700W at 4 ohms, but the whole setup just seems to give more. Has stopped feeling the need for 2KW power amp. Incidentally, Alex's website states Dubster lacks treble, I do not find this so, seems to have plenty of twang and clank if I need it. Two Eminence 3015LFs or 3015 in correct cab - bass players dream. [/quote] I think Alex has a policy of being fairly neutral in the Barefaced documentation... The 3 way barefaced cabs have as complete a range as almost any cab, he notes the 2 ways are less so... and the 1 ways less again. Some people have bass needs that include a tweeter. I'd agree the dubster has (judging by the specs) has some mids, even upper mids ... I think clank is subjective. However when he quotes 30 - 1,500 Hz he clearly states 'Usable frequency range' indicating it can go somewhat outside this range, but not in a terribly useful way (not at volume).

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1341961238' post='1727249'] Let's not do things by half - here's my favourite power amp manufacturer! Loved my ole powersoft. What a beast! - I think a rack full of these might just do the job!! [url="http://www.powersoft-audio.com/en/products/touring-amplifiers/k-series/k20.html"]http://www.powersoft...series/k20.html[/url] GENERAL Number of channels 2 Output power [b]2 Ω[/b] [b]4 Ω[/b] [b]8 Ω[/b] [b]4 Ω Bridged[/b] [b]8 [/b][b]Ω[/b][b] Bridged[/b] EIAJ test, 1 kHz, 1% THD 2 x 9,000 W 2 x 5,200 W 2 x 2,700 1 x 18,000 W 1 x 10,400 W [/quote] 18..... 18 thou... 18 thousand.... That's pretty hot. You'd be able to run a fairly potent PA with a dozen or so of these..... 135+ dB? TURN IT UP

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1341930217' post='1726381'] Essential Jaco....I posted this list on Amazon in 2002!!! [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jaco-Pastorius-must-haves/lm/CQV1MT7G3OX4/ref=cm_srch_res_rpli_alt_1"]http://www.amazon.co..._res_rpli_alt_1[/url] [/quote] Thanks for that.... Lots of the above... definitely 'Led Zep II', and 'Jaco Pastorius' - masterful and accessible (IMHO). For some old school go for Motown and Stax.... Booker T. & the MG's are masterful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._%26_the_M.G.%27s --- 'And Now!' and 'Melting Pot' are my favs. Early stevie wonder, Marvin Gaye, Otis Reading, Sam and Dave, etc. etc. Modern stuff is great too... Tool (aenima and 10,000 days), as well as Kyuss (Blues for the red sun, welcome to sky valley) See the good duck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHq4laFwAEM

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1341941557' post='1726692'] I bought a BF Compact, and, used on it`s own, it wasn`t enough for me in depth of sound, although plenty loud enough. I added a Midget, and the whole thing came alive. Really great setup - the Midget added bite to the sound, plus height, so it was much easier to hear. [/quote] Makes sense... I have to tilt my combo or put it on a chair to get good results... the compact will probably be the same... It's doable. The Midget T has a seriously extended range... and Alex and others describe the midget / Super 12 12" cone(s) as being more punchy in those configurations than the compact / super 15.... [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1341943554' post='1726774'] The Dual Compacts feedback was mine, funnily enough. I originally went the route of adding a Midget to my Compact but didnt really get on with the tonal shift, so I sold the Midget and got another Compact. The combination is very nice indeed - obviously headroom galore, and better height on stage. However I found just one Compact was enough for everything I need right now so the other one left a couple of months ago. However I'd get another one instantly if my needs change. My advice is to first contact Alex for his sterling knowledge. You can buy and try a compact for a month! Cheers Geoff [/quote] Yup. Barefaced has a cool policy. It's one reason I'm going to give a compact a whirl. Oh and 12kg......

[quote name='1970' timestamp='1341916435' post='1725994'] This is exactly how I feel. [/quote] While I agree it's one cone.... I think it's a question of sensitivity, power handling and frequency response. At high volumes the single speaker will do as well as two smaller equivalent ones... with different polar response. All systems have their limits... The compact is not intended for stupid loud (like the BF Big Twin ). If you look at the feedback pages Alex has advised people on exactly this conundrum... see [b] Dual Compacts - 27th September (UK)[/b] [b] [font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][size=3]at [/size][/color][/font][url="http://barefacedbass.com/customer-feedback/2011-sept---dec.htm"]http://barefacedbass.com/customer-feedback/2011-sept---dec.htm[/url][/b] whoa the fonts went all funny

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1341876779' post='1725670'] Re Plunger: Avoid the budget GK BSX (and GSX) gear, it's terrible and really not a good representation of the GK sound and build quality in the rest of it's catalogue. If you're talking about the MBE range (which are GK's real budget range rather than the backline crap), then they're great. I'd agree with Lozz except I'd get an 8Ohm 212MBE so that you can add another at a later date. The 500w MB heads (MB500 and MB Fusion) do 350w into 8Ohm which will be enough for most gigs, I use my MB Fusion with one NEO212 8Ohm for most gigs and it's never struggled. If your bassist is sure she never wants to upgrade, 4Ohms is definitely the way to go, but personally I'd recommend the 8Ohm to allow for another cab to be added later on. [/quote] I was thinking of the MBE range.... I wasn't too aware of the backline stuff (I don't see it advertised much, but I've heard the gold ones are garbage)... I am almost certain I'll be going for the MB fusion 500 for my rig... [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1341904805' post='1725756'] My recommendation is a 2nd hand Markbass 2x10 combo (or save a little more & get new). But they're very reliable. Reason being, I was in the same position (pub rock band) & tried countless rigs. Ended up settling on a combo (for quickness) & 2x10 because a 1x15 doesn't have as good a dispersion & I wasn't sure the 1x12 would do the job. Another good option would be a Barefaced cab with any of the decent small heads (there's loads that'll fit in budget). There's a lot of good gear in her budget though, so get her to try loads of different rigs. As for a 4x10, I wouldn't recommend one over a 2x10. [/quote] Funnily enough the 115 I'm going for is a Barefaced Compact: [url="http://barefacedbass.com/index.php?page=compact"]http://barefacedbass.com/index.php?page=compact[/url] It's not a budget cab... but It has decent resale value, and It's light as hell. That can't hurt!

[quote name='S9_S12_Bass' timestamp='1341902285' post='1725735'] Haha surely it's worth a try, reminds me of the bit in Back To The Future, I would stand well back when turning those bad boys on [/quote] I think you'd need to stand well back . . . with ear protection. Assuming you weren't driving it with a bass-buddy 10W built in power amp . Even then You'd get some volume... but nothing like the 8 GK fusion 550's I had planned to drive this (or 1 550, and a stack of 4 1000W+ poweramps)

[quote name='BassMan94' timestamp='1341848150' post='1725051'] It really is just knowing what the note sounds like even before you play it [/quote] Knowing the interval IMO. You can't do much with absolute pitch you can't do with excellent relative pitch. Know what a root - 5th or a 5th - root sounds like. Then (as long as you know the rhythm) you can come up with about 20 billion country basslines... as long as you have chord changes for comparison. I'm no expert. But what I have found hugely helpful in theory is the 12 bar blues. Loads of demos online going through the theory, and common variations... you'll know what root - 4 - 5 sounds like in no time. Give it a whirl: [url="http://www.solfege.org/"]http://www.solfege.org/[/url] There are other options.

[quote name='sixdegrees' timestamp='1341845906' post='1725013'] I can only comment on gear that I've used. So my tuppence-worth would be to have a look (and listen) to an Ampeg PF500. Currently priced at a shade over 300 quid and with a 3 year warranty. Check out Lozz's review in the review section. There is a plethora of small powerful heads available at the moment - the Line 6 750 watt head is on sale for 236 quid! But I don't have experience of this head to recommend it, just an example of what other options are out there. That leaves 400 quid for a decent 4x10 cab. Don't skimp on the quality of the cab, but I would suggest a new head and a second hand cab (less to go wrong with cabs and you'll get more bang for your buck that way). [/quote] You probably have a lot more experiance than me, but I'll say it anyway. A 410 is an awkward thing, a 212 or 210 (or 2) might do the job and be easier to handle on a small pub stage, with better dispersion... just my 2c. With second hand a 410 can make a lot of sense. Great value and some real powerhouses available (Peavey and Hartke are renown for it). It's all good. I try to include my lack of experience with my posts for good reason... I am passing on second hand info for the most part.

There are a lot of opinions, you had better get her to play through a rig, or try it at a gig, before settling on a particular set. You can always return it if it disappoints. My recommendation is the usual: Don't get the cheapest if you can help it (i.e. no berhinger or that ilk... it has very little resale value and is OK, but not great). Also get a great cab if you can. Some brands get a lot of love, Gallien Kreuger, Ampeg, Markbass, Ashdown, and many others offer a few options. GK, Ashdown, Hartke, and even Ampeg have 'budget' versions / options for some of their gear. You could do worse than picking up a 300 pound head and a 400 pound cab (like a 212 or two 210's). I'm basing this on other's experience, I'm in the process of getting my first rig (micro head and a 115). You should try [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/bass_amplifiers.html"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/bass_amplifiers.html[/url] , [url="http://www.session.de/"]http://www.session.de/[/url] and others for price benchmarks. You should check feedback too. A three year guarantee is pretty sweet.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1341836993' post='1724779'] That would be one mighty tall tower! You'd need a Simon Snorkel to get to the amp. If you're doing things in stereo, I think you would get a better stereo reproduction if the cabs was at opposite sides [/quote] Yup. I'm now considering getting about 10 of each (Dubster and Big twin) and trying to rig a hall in surround sound. Acoustic nightmare... but It'd be LOOOOOOOOOUUUUD! I'm not serious.... that'd be a pricey experiment.

I think they would sell a lower powered, more economic version if they felt there was demand. Maybe they will. They already have a huge series of successful preamps and effect pedals. They aren't going to stomp on their existing market untill / unless they know they will be stomping on someone else's more. I'm no business person though.

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1341835964' post='1724741'] You'd be better off stacking them all together rather than at opposite sides of a stage. [url="http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=398"]http://billfitzmauri....php?f=10&t=398[/url] [/quote] True, but even two of the cabs stacked is very tall. Outdoors you could hang them above the stage, 4 or more high, But for practical reasons a 'simple' Dubster, Big Twin stack is now a part of my gas list.

Lol totally true. A source of relief is lots of practice... but It'll come back. It always comes back. Don't give in* to it too often, it'll become a very expensive habit. *EDIT

How about 2 dubsters.... a crossover.... and two big twins. The dubsters get nothing above 200 - 500 Hz... The big twins take 200 - 500 up to the crossover to the mid drivers... and then two tweeters.... It'd go: BT_______________BT BT_______________BT BT_______________BT DD______________ DD DD_____stage_____DD DD_____centre____ DD with the Big twins (BT) on top of the Dubsters (DD). You'd need this big a stage to fire up that monstrosity. EDIT... sorry, this big: BT_____________________________________________BT BT_____________________________________________BT BT_____________________________________________BT DD______________ ______________________________DD DD____________________stage____________________DD DD____________________centre___________________ DD It would overpower most PA's... if given enough juice (hell it would be a fat ass PA system!). I just realized this is a 4 way system (15", 12", 6" and tweeters). Could work....

2 down, 4 - 6 to go.... estimates only. All things going well it'll be along shortly, and worth the wait!!!

[quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1340039401' post='1698111'] Just came across this, looks like its been done with a folded strip of fabric and some Brass Tacks around the outside edge.. [attachment=110785:sigurrossg.jpg] All you need now is 3 of those duck oranments that people used to hang off the wall. Stuck on the front of your cab, [/quote] I nearly got sick into my mouth.... I want one! A doubleneck P + J with the above upholstery... with the ducks as control knobs... And the cones in an 810 fridge painted like commemorative plates... (maybe have a pine dresser look to the cab). Maybe a breadbin amp on top... or a toaster....

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1341302453' post='1716470'] I use a damp e-cloth. Seems to do the trick and certainly removes a lot of crud. I've never found it necessary to treat the board with any type of oil... [/quote] Here are some.... entertaining vids [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=medOfHgsXVk&feature=plcp"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=medOfHgsXVk&feature=plcp[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp3zec6xYvE&feature=plcp"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp3zec6xYvE&feature=plcp[/url] He's big into conditioning & restoring instruments, I tried the linseed oil on my rosewood fingerboard and was very happy. If the board seems dry I'd recommend it. It only takes 3 - 4 drops to make a huge difference.

[quote name='geddeeee' timestamp='1341269272' post='1716321'] A big no-no for lemon oil. It's for furniture!!! It opens up the pores of the wood. Not good at all!!! Use naptha (lighter fluid) to clean all the crap off. Then use linseed oil to 'nourish' the fretboard. Use about 6 drops along the fretboard. Wipe it off immediately.... [/quote] Hmmm, I was told naptha is bad for open grain.... soaks too far in and takes a while to evaporate (It can soak through open grain wood easily). I don't doubt you can use a little, or a generic weak detergent to tackle heavy grime.... just don't let it soak in anything! +1 on the linseed oil, you only need a few drops, and it works wonders. Oh and [u]NEVER[/u] use wire wool unless you take the time to tape the pickups off (and f holes if you have them). Fret dressing = metallic sprinkles. Most of these will contain nickel and iron and so will stick to any magnets. They can also cause issues with electronics (like shorting etc.) I've heard fret & crowning files, or small files, or sandpaper (esp. 600+ grit) is better. A Vacuum cleaner or constant brushing up of filings/dust is a good idea too.