The fasting showman

The suggestion above sounds good, also try a jumper lead between send and return in the effects loop; sorted out similar sounding shenanigans in my old GK400RB due to a corroded switching jack. Not saying it's the reason but trying it will cost nothing. Good luck.

A great one from the late '50s by Dave Bartholomew, I think the title is 'The monkey speaks'. Apologies for no link but it's a masterpiece!

I replaced the stock Celestion in a Trace Elliot 1153 late last year with a Faital 15PR400 4 ohm and it has worked out great; I recently did a backline only gig in a pub to roughly 100 people using a GK800RB and the cab had great presence, admittedly raised to waist height on a table. From the calculations that Balcro has done it seems like the 1153 isn't too far off in terms of sizing. I arrived at that conclusion from sifting around the net, people were using them in applications as an alternative to a Kappalite 3015. I am no expert in this field I must say though. I remember somebody flogging an empty 1153 on Basschat for £40 last year.

I can't get over how timeless the arrangements are, it just doesn't date to my ears at all. Love the cover of 'Jealous guy' too. It's funny to think how sniffy I used to be about playing covers and then you see how a band like that could make all of those songs their own.

I'd get hold of a good Howlin' Wolf compilation, Chess Masters etc. At first glance simple bass parts (that's not the point though!) but interesting structural tips like songs with vocals that start on the IV chord (red rooster), and 'short changes' i.e. songs that go to the IV chord on the second measure of a 12 bar once the vocal starts (Dust my Broom). Also songs that stay on the I chord throughout (Smokestack Lightning, Wang dang doodle). Sorry if this has been said elsewhere. Great songs and captivating vocal performances, the more I listen over the years the more I hear in it all.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1358772292' post='1944645'] No, [b]No[/b], [i][b]NO[/b][/i]!!!! Bass is not a lead instrument!!! When I think about "cutting through" it's because the beautiful, clean tone of my bass is getting lost somewhere in the mush caused by a Les Paul on the neck pickup with the amp set to the highest Bass setting. [/quote] I'm so glad that somebody else other than me has experienced this problem too, a guitarist using a neck position PAF just doesn't combine well with a P bass at all. I've found using a Stingray can help to a certain extent, along with pleading with them to use the bridge pickup.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1358693351' post='1943425'] I regulaly wonder about that too ! He played on a Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) solo album I seem to remember and then disappeared . He was/is a brilliant player who was an integral part of Bowies best ever backing band and his best albums , in my opinion . [/quote] Often wondered the same thing. Has anybody heard the Weldon Irvine albums that he is on?

Did a trade today with Chris, his Stingray for my P bass. Great to deal with and very decisive and positive, he seemed as happy with the deal as i was! Anyway Chris I'm only down the road if I can help out in any way. Cheers, Martin

[quote name='The fasting showman' timestamp='1357301258' post='1920557'] George Murray and Dennis Davis [/quote] I should have added Bruce Thomas / Pete Thomas with The Attractions Fred Smith and Billy Ficca from Television too.

George Murray and Dennis Davis

Hello, Due to us becoming a one car family I've had to sell my Marshall VBC 412, my only cab now is a Trace Elliot 1153. If money wasn't an option I'd ideally get a Barefaced Compact, with this in mind I'm mulling over replacing the stock Celestion with an Eminence 3015. Or...given that my amps are GK800rb and old 400rb ,a 4 ohm speaker could be better, perhaps. So the Faital PR15-400 4 ohm is another contender. I don't have access to a decent PC or WIN isd so I'm pretty clueless as to what would be best, it's the deeper version 1153, the later one. My sound is more of a low mid gritty P-bass sound with not a lot going on underneath 100hz really. I just don't want to make an expensive mistake with neo speakers in this price bracket. I'd be grateful for any advice or insight anybody can offer. Many thanks.

How does the GK400rb fare running at 8 ohms into the BF12 volume-wise? I'm mulling over putting together a cheaper, influenced by but not lightweight, compact (can't raise the funds!) with an eminence 3015 and a Trace Elliot 1153, this will be at 8 ohms obviously.

When I got the UK power transformer for my old US 400RB it was after many an email to GK in the US had not been answered. I don't know whether Polar Audio fulfil this role as far as they (GK in the US) are concerned regarding any technical issues with GKs over here. Anyway, after contacting Polar they managed to sort what I needed, very helpful throughout I found.

I'd add that GK400RBs are life changers! Mine is a similar vintage (early '90s I think), I really wish I'd encountered one of those earlier in my 30 years of playing. It took a shed load of amps to get round to owning one and it cost very little as did my 800rb. Glad you like the cab, I must try one.

[quote name='KingMacca' timestamp='1352104649' post='1858608'] I Anyone know if I can order a replacement back plate for the 212 cab from GK? I can see the fault and I don't fancy shipping the whole unit back to Germany this week when it's just a 3 minute job to replace the whole back plate. [/quote]I'd get in contact with Polar Audio, they handle GK over here, they helped me out with a new UK power transformer for an old US voltage 400RB. If they can sort that out then your item, being current should be a doddle.

Bill has said more clearly the point I tried to make. I think always go for NOS as the valves of that era lasted for decades, and try and get them from a non musical outlet, e.g. Chelmer. I've always found them good to deal with, I don't think you'd have hassle if you had to return something. The music industry often neglects to tell people that audio applications are very much a secondary usage compared to what the valves were often designed for, for example the military use that 6l6s were originally intended. There's also very much a concensus in the world of music of if in doubt or if there's an issue, bin the valves. I've fell into the trap of that one many a time over the years and it is a folly. Preamp valves can last for ages in my experience, it's easy to establish if they are microphonic (tap with the back of a plastic biro) for instance. I dread to think how many good valves I've got rid of 10-15 yrs ago due to bad advice!

I remember also when I skim read the Guy Pratt book that around the time he worked with Zigaboo Modeliste on a Robbie Robertson album (mid '90s?), said Meters drummer had been working in a shoe shop. To think of all the times that his kick drum has been sampled...

[quote name='The fasting showman' timestamp='1351858759' post='1856222'] I think, and I could be wrong, that it's a type 1 tele bass on the early Meters stuff. But yeah in essence a P bass in all but name. I remember seeing a late 60s mixing console and the panpots were a three way switch, left , right or both hence the drastic panning of the era. But yeah, 2 mics on a kit sound great, kick and overhead! [/quote] I'd add to this that I don't think whatever bass he used had any bearing on how good George Porter sounded in that band playing that material. I think i've seen pics of the P-bass mentioned by ted used fairly recently (last 10yrs), I think he'd sound good with anything!

I think, and I could be wrong, that it's a type 1 tele bass on the early Meters stuff. But yeah in essence a P bass in all but name. I remember seeing a late 60s mixing console and the panpots were a three way switch, left , right or both hence the drastic panning of the era. But yeah, 2 mics on a kit sound great, kick and overhead!

...a lot of credit should also go to a certain Mr Modeliste on drums too, you can see why he's been sampled to death and his influence on Bonham. A great band, love the 'dry' sound description also!

I know that a notorious re-badger of JJ valves has stated that there can be issues with pin sizes on JJ valves causing socket seating problems. I don't know whether that's true or not, and it wouldn't put me off JJs, but it was an issue in the Bassman I revalved. Hope it's something nice and easy like that anyway, good luck!