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Alien

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Posts posted by Alien

    Teeny Tiny Amps

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    Mostly out of curiosity (but not entirely :) ), I'm looking for the smallest thing you can plug a bass into. There are a couple of criteria that must be met though :

    1. It's got to have a speaker, so headphone amps are out.
    2. It has to sound reasonably like a bass (ie. not something like the Ibanez GA1 - tiny though it is it sounds like someone farting in a tin can)
    3. Ideally wants to have at least the option of running off batteries, but not essential.
    4. Must be capable of keeping up with an acoustic guitar.

    Extra points will be awarded for thinking outside the box.

    So guys and gals, what can you come up with?

    Andy

    Which way to connect cabs and speakers?

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    I suppose in theory the best way would be to run a cable from your amp to each cab, and then another between the 2 cabs. That way each cab is fed from both sides, which should minimise any bad effects from dodgy connections and differing power requirements due to frequency response. As Bill said though - unmeasureable and inaudible in all likelihood.

    Anti Porn League

    in Gear Gallery

    Posted

    [quote name='Prosebass' post='279979' date='Sep 8 2008, 08:38 PM']bit like the anti nazi league without the Nazi's....[/quote]
    Wasn't that the whole point of the anti nazi league? :) Let's face it, if they'd been up to their arses in nazis they wouldn't have been much of a league now would they? :huh:

    Andy

    Bass related fiction?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='markytbass' post='279435' date='Sep 8 2008, 12:04 AM']On a serious note I think it was Peter or Henry Fonda who played a double bass player in a club and was acused of doing a robbery he didn't do cos someone else did it.[/quote]


    It was indeed Henry Fonda. The film was 'The Wrong Man', and it was based on a true story.

    [url="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051207/"]imdb linky[/url]

    Andy

    A few questions

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    Impedance isn't an issue with piezos, but voltage is [b]very[/b] important. It's not a good idea to run a piezo at much over 25 volts, which is about 150W @ 4 Ohms, 75W @ 8 Ohms. If your cab runs more power than this, you'd be well advised to run 2 piezos in series, which allows a 4x increase in power handling.
    Piezos can sometimes cause oscillation in amps, so you'll want to put a resistor in series with the piezo(s) - something around 10 Ohm 10 Watt will do.
    Piezos should be wired in parallel with your woofers.

    Andy

    Compact Power Amp

    in Build Diaries

    Posted

    [quote name='s_u_y_*' post='271428' date='Aug 27 2008, 11:35 PM']Alien Audio... sounds cool! Cool logo too. :)

    I hope you numbered it number "001". When you launch your successful amplification business empire, I wanna be able to retire on this baby. :huh: I'll be waiting patiently by the door (though I am away most of next week). Think I've got a gig next Saturday, perfect opportunity to test it out on the field.[/quote]

    Pre-production prototypes never get numbered :huh:

    Hopefully it'll be with you tomorrow, possibly Friday. It went out this afternoon via Citylink.

    Andy

    Compact Power Amp

    in Build Diaries

    Posted

    [quote name='Merton' post='270998' date='Aug 27 2008, 01:51 PM']Utterly brilliant. How much?[/quote]

    If I could get enough interest to do a small production run (say 5 or so), it's looking like about £375 - £400.

    Andy

    Compact Power Amp

    in Build Diaries

    Posted

    Final installment time. I've put on a few labels (rating plate, output/load info plus the standard 'arse covering' one about not using it in the bath etc.) and it's all ready to go.

    Final pic before boxing it up:

    [attachment=12677:PICT0512.JPG]

    Nice snug fit in its shipping box, on the way to its new owner :)

    [attachment=12678:PICT0516.JPG]

    So, any requests for the next project?

    Andy

    upgrading power stages in amps

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted

    [quote name='Bigwan' post='269984' date='Aug 26 2008, 08:40 AM']I always bought into the whole "an extra 200 watts won't make any real difference" theory... until I modded my Ashdown ABM combo (from 300 watts to 500 watts). I don't give a monkeys what anybody says - it made a difference![/quote]

    I assume you did this upgrade by changing the speaker for a 4 Ohm one? If the new speaker had more sensitivity (even a couple of dB) then it will sound louder. Also, you get more dB's if the speaker is running in an undersize box - at the expense of lows.

    Andy

    Mounting wall hangers

    in Accessories and Misc

    Posted

    Generally speaking, studs are located at 16" centres, with any extra being accomodated where walls meet.

    This means that you'll find studs at distances of 16, 32, 48 etc. inches from a doorway

    Remember to add an inch or so for the door aperture, and allow for the stud being 2" wide, so you should hit the middle of the first stud at about 18" from the inside edge of the doorframe, with 16" gaps to each next stud.

    This is less reliable in modern houses, but should hold true in a '60s house. Push a pin or a small nail through the plasterboard where you think the stud is - if it goes in 1/2" and then goes loose then you've hit air, but if it goes in 1/2" and stops then you're on the stud.

    Hope this helps

    Andy

    loop question

    in Effects

    Posted

    [quote name='bnt' post='254997' date='Aug 5 2008, 01:08 AM']Alternatively, if you fancy a bit of DIY, I've cobbled together a wiring diagram that ought to work. It's passive, but requires a 3-pole dual toggle switch for the A-B / B-A switching, the kind that [url="http://www.wah-wah.co.uk/price4.html"]these guys[/url] have for £ 6.00 each, and I think there are also some on t'Bay.

    My diagram is a bit rough, thrown together in PowerPoint, but I hope it looks like something:
    [attachment=11601:AB_BAswitch.gif]
    (In case it's unclear: the bottom left pin on the 3PDT is connected to both the top right pin and Return 2.)[/quote]

    I'd make the bypass switch a DPDT to give true bypass, otherwise you'll have the inputs adding crud to/sucking tone from your signal.

    Using a 3PDT works, but you get no indication of what's happening. You'd need an extra pole to work a LED.

    Andy

    loop question

    in Effects

    Posted

    I've built a double loop pedal with that facility - gave it away as a raffle prize at the last bash.

    I've still got a prototype pedal that I call a Twister, which is designed to re-arrange your pedalboard or bypass the lot. It was originally intended to allow guitarists to go Wah -> Fuzz (Hendrix style) or Fuzz -> Wah (everybody else). Switching options are:
    Bass ->Loop 1 -> Loop 2 -> Amp
    Bass ->Loop 2 -> Loop 1 -> Amp
    Bass -> Amp (bypass)

    The pedals use relays rather than switches, so they do need power.

    PM me if you're interested in this or anything else.

    Andy

    How was your gig last night?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    My gig on Saturday night was cancelled. Turned up at the venue to be told they've had the environmental health people round on Friday, and they can't put on any live music 'til their monitor system has been set up. Apparently, they'd been trying to contact me all day (not very hard, obviously, considering they had 2 phone numbers [i]and[/i] my email address)

    Worst part of it was that we had a dep drummer for the night - ours quit on Friday morning :)

    Andy

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