Si600

I've got a couple of questions, as always, the second of which should maybe in Techniques, but you decide. Firstly, progressing. If you're considering giving being a band a shot at what point do you start looking for the bits you're missing and how good should you look for? My mate and I are getting more songs in our library and we can play along to the record quite happily. Our originals are lacking but we always have a bit of a jam see-what-comes-out session after our "formal" practice. Back to the point, we're starting to think about finding a drummer, but what do you look for? I think our level is going to be pub band if we're lucky, so we're not after Nicko McBrain but would we be better going for someone with live experience or all muddle in together? If we had a good drummer would it bring our playing up or would they get fed up with our lack of skills? We're good enough to not make a fool of ourselves but not brilliant if that helps, some of you have actually seen me play, but I'm better than that now! Secondly, listening. I don't seem to have the ability to work out a bassline from just listening, I can hear what it's doing and where it's going but I can't catch it. Is this innate or can it be learned? As an example I'm currently learning Upstarts and Broken Hearts by The Dropkick Murphys. I can follow the root quite happliy, but the bass isn't doing that directly. I can hear it's not doing it but I can't play it. Any advice on both or either gratefully accepted, I'd like to do at least one gig before I peg out, even if it is on my deathbed and I'm propped up with mic stands with a drip in one arm!

Ooops, I got a Speakon cable from Dave before Christmas and forgot to say how great the service and price was

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1358122306' post='1933630'] I'll just leave this here : [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFWMgwPgstw[/media] [/quote] Genius, just genius

How many of you fill both roles of bass playing and singing? What's the best way to get started? I either lose my bass line or make a hash of the vocals when I try. I'm rubbish at singing in tune as well, but that's another thread

I wonder why they felt the need to refinish it and then relic it. Why not leave it as was?

Why won't it work? Apart from the strings rubbing the paint off, which is only a cosmetic thing anyway.

Cheers chap. I suspect that this is hijacking the OP somewhat, but are those Gain and Master controls a ratio or something? If it sounds nice at home will it still sound the same but louder once it gets into rehearsal or rocking it out at the Dog 'n' Duck if I leave the Gain where it is and just turn the Master up? If that makes sense

I'm going to dare to open this can of worms again and ask if someone can explain the controls on my MB Fusion. I have A and B Gain and A and B Master. The B channel is called "boost" in the literature, I think it engages the valves to provide a dirty overdrive as opposed to the clean A channel. If I turn the Gain B up the OD gets more pronounced, Gain A just gets louder as far as I can tell. I keep calling it Gain as that's what it says on the box, from an earlier post should it be Pre-amp Volume? My question is really do I run the Gain at full and then control the volume with the Master controls, or is there a particular ratio between Gain and Master. I suppose that the B Gain is to taste as it were, more or less OD? The manual says leave both Master controls at 3 o'clock and fiddle with the Gain controls until the required level is reached. It'll happily run at quiet practice levels or ear bleedingly loud and anything in between but I don't want to break it so I'm asking for help. Better that than the alternative

Steve Harris, and he's still better than me I was listening to some Less Than Jake for the first time in a while a week or so ago and Roger Manganalli is doing some nice stuff in the background, so I suppose that sort of Ska/Punk is what is really pushing me to change from playing straight 8ths to opening up my structure and I think I've got better for it. But that's only my opinion, the wife and the dog may disagree

I'm going to show my ignorance again, but what about the GK MBE210? It's only got a rating of 400w, but as the amp only produces 350w at 8 Ohms there's a 50w gap at full chat, if it ever gets driven that hard. Then if needed I can get another 210, and plugged into the other speakon output, the amp should provide 350w to each 210? Or does it not work that way?

I hadn't thought of that! :s Cheers chap. I'm away at the moment so as soon as I get a real connection instead of a phone I'll check it out

Dang, I was going to PM you this evening about it! Never mind, another one will come along no doubt.

I don't know how cabs are made so this may be a stupid question, but can you swap out the 4 ohm bits for 8 ohm bits? Just thinking about running the 4 ohm (If I get it, have to wait until the new year anyway I think now) until it needs changing and then swapping out the electrics and get an 8 ohm cab. Wild speculation on my part, so if I'm wrong so be it. Why won't a 4 ohm cab be able to handle extra power?

Thank you all for your input, even if it wasn't percieved as being particularly encouraging or helpful at times . As the GK MBE212 has popped up quite a few times in the suggestions then I'll try and find one to try/buy, or even a Neo, there was one for sale on here in May for £280 so although it's a stretch it might be worth it to get the next level up as it were. I guess the suggestion for going 8OHM instead of 4 is that it will probably be loud enough anyway, and it gives scope to extend to another cab if needed? Though quite what venue will require that I have no idea, nothing I'm going to be playing any time soon anyway . I've made representations to Santa, so while I doubt a whole cab will appear, a contribution to it might and then I can peruse the classifieds! Cheers all. Simon.

I suppose that at the moment my budget is maybe a couple of hundred quid, whilst saving up to maybe replace whatever I end up with should I discover that it no longer fulfils my needs as a rig. Looking at the suggestions, a MBE212 seems pretty good.

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1354792888' post='1890374'] So you buy a relatively expensive and good quality amp head, but you're after cheap speakers? Nice one. [/quote] I'm not sure that's quite fair This looks a good option, possibly a little too large physically, [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/193603-fs-eden-n410rs-4x10-cab-l190/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/193603-fs-eden-n410rs-4x10-cab-l190/[/url] Are Eden classified as "cheap speakers"?

Because I'm probably a fool, and my money and I are easily parted, I've just got a GK MB Fusion. Now I need a cab to go with it... So, has anyone any recommendations for a small footprint, lightweight, 500w @4 OHM single cab solution that will suit the amp? If anyone says Barefaced I'll be very rude to you as I want one anyway but I can't afford one, at least, not new, and even second hand they're a bit frisky for me.

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1354738826' post='1889929'] Ford are well aware of it but are denying any responsibility for a recall (like in Fight Club) [/quote] Not surprised. It's still available if anyone wants it after reading this! Any idea how much I'd get for it as scrap value?

I did bang it into a pothole at over 70 so you can't really blame it . I chopped my Zetec S TDCI in for a 120ps Titanium, and didn't think to put the extra wheel in the boot when it went I had it serviced not long before I changed it and was advised that both near side wheels were buckled... I think even Quality Street is too good for them

One 17" current model Ford Fiesta Street Pack alloy wheel. It's been professionaly straightened but it's still scruffy. Collection from near Daventry if you want it.

Roger Manganelli from Less Than Jake

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1354106805' post='1882087'] Well the signal coming out of the FX loop is usually a line-level low-impedance signal, so it will survive cable travels better than the signal from your bass. But most pedals are designed to operate with an instrument-level signal at the input - not line-level - and some (vintage fuzz circuits particularly) operate best when fed a higher impedance signal from the passive pickups of a guitar/bass and don't sound so great when fed by active electronics, so they would no doubt be even worse in an FX loop. In short: 9m is (IME) enough cable to suck tone, but after the first 3m you've got your amp so the signal gets buffered right there. From there you're looking at a mere 6m run to the board and back which isn't too bad at all, but you might find your pedals don't like the signal you're giving them. [/quote] Thanks At the risk of properly derailing the original thread, what's the FX loop for if it doesn't supply the right signal for a pedal board?

What happens to signal degredation via cable if you use the FX loop? 3m from bass to the amp, 3m out to the board and then another 3m back to the amp before it hits the speaker? Just asking really, 9m of cabling may not make a huge difference but I'm curious whether it does.

[quote name='MB1' timestamp='1352369652' post='1862174'] MB1. Why turn a seven string into a six string? [/quote] If you're going to do something as daft as that, at least change the pickup to a six pole one so they line up with the strings... I wonder how much a seven string Jackson is new, the only reverse headstock hardtail Jackson I can see is the JS32RT which retails from GAK for £226.