molan

We did discuss using effects pedals but he really wants to just go direct (the gig involves a hugely changing set & the MD is very demanding about maintaining a 'natural' sound). It's surprisingly frustrating really because the tone he wants exists on old P basses but not anything more modern and with 5 strings

I must admit that I can often hear the difference with a live guitarist who's using a, mostly digital, multi-effects unit rather than natural distortion )or clean sounds for that matter) from an amp. To my ears it sounds 'processed' and a little unnatural. I can totally see why a small floor effects pedal or rack unit into a modern light weight power amp & cab is more preferable to lugging around a beast of a valve amp & heavy 2x12 or 4x12 stack It's certainly something I've heard people describe as sounding 'digital' although, of course, this isn't really very accurate

So here's an interesting little question for everyone. . . I spent some time with a seriously good pro player yesterday and he's had a bit of an issue for one particular gig he currently has. His MD wants an older school deep thuddy kind of sound but clear note definition. He's using Thomastic Infeld flats, muting with his palm most of the time and picking with his thumb. Definitely a neck pickup only sound so P basses were most obvious option. Sounds really quite nice actually Anyway, his issue on most basses is that the first three - four frets on the G string sound too 'thin' on most basses and he's having to work around not using these frets which is pretty annoying as he's obviously having to play whole songs in different 'unnatural' places. He can get the sound he wants from an older Fender P - his preference is late 70's ash bodied ones. However, he needs a 5 string for lots of songs &, of course, Fender weren't making 5's back in the 60's / 70's. The closest he's actually found so far to the sound he wants is from a fairly recent bog standard US P5. It's a good workhorse bass but he feels he can get a better quality of overall tone from something a bit further up the quality scale. Money is not a major object here as it's his working tool. It was really interesting to hear him playing a few different basses and demonstrating what he meant - I could clearly hear the issue on everything apart from my '72P bass (not a 5 of course!). So - anyone got any thoughts on this? He's loathe to try a much heavier G string as he has a favourite gauge of TI flats. It would be easy to say that the tone he wants doesn't exist but it's certainly there on a vintage P & a relatively modern P5 as well. We discussed simply moving the lower pickup of a P bass so that it's closer to the neck than the bridge (like a Warwick or Spector 4 string) but I'm not aware of anyone who offers this option on a 5 string? All thoughts or recommendations much appreciated

[quote name='Platypus' timestamp='1339703147' post='1693117'] It's working ok for me, Barrie [/quote] Just tried with three different browsers on two different machines and each one says the site server is down - how odd!

[quote name='Hamster' timestamp='1339688965' post='1692787'] Date: Saturday 29 September[b] 2011[/b] [/quote] I'll need to get a quote on a pre-owned time machine. If I get one at a decent price anyone want a trip back with me?

[quote name='lozbass' timestamp='1339701447' post='1693088'] Pow, no problem at all - I hope all works out, a really lovely bass with some pedigree. Platypus, sorry to mislead, it's the sonic blue '65 J - apparently belonged to Yolanda Charles - it looks stunning with a great re-fin. [/quote] Damn - just tried to look at this & the Gallery site is down

Tough call Ones that spring to mind are: Musicman Bongo Gibson Thunderbird Fender Mustang & Coronado Kramer aluminium neck Vigier Marleaux Jerzy Drozd GMR Mayonnes Linc Luthier Valenti Carl Thompson Lowend Elrick Groove Tools Human Base Lightwave Reverend Carvin Brubaker Kinal Rick Turner Must be plenty more, lol

I have some sympathy about running an SL112 on its own. I much prefer the sound of two of them stacked. I've had a very similar experience with other relatively small stacks I've owned - Berg AE 112's, Aguilar GS 112's & DB112's, Bag End 1x15 & 1x10 (which was a great little combo by the way). Did you play around much with the tweeters at all? When stacked I like to turn the lower cab tweeter right off & the upper cab about half way. However, when using just one cab I prefer the sound without a tweeter at all - no idea why but this just seems to 'work' for me Not sure if you've mentioned this before but what are you currently using?

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1339578550' post='1690724'] No please, not this...I can't stand this track since Simply Red killed it!! If you looking for a Gregory Isaacs track surely it's got to be: [/quote] I totally know where you're coming from on this one - a combination of Simply Red & Glaxo Smithkline kinda killed this for me for a long time but my memories of those have faded a little now. It would never be my first choice Gregory song & John Public or Loving Pauper would definitely be ahead of it. My only rationale was that for a covers band audience it might be worth having some numbers that a, less knowledgable audience will recognise Here's Loving Pauper for those that might not know it - such a good song. Saw him singing this live back in 77/78 at Reading Town Hall of all places, lol. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OzlIuq47qA[/media] Also - just in case anyone is reading this thread to pick up on reggae stuff then this is a classic song with about a zillion different treatments - here's the same lead vocal with quite a different production mix & some great backing harmonies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM_m1EJRGjI

Ok last one for the night - possibly my very favourite female reggae song by Carol Kalphat with Clint Eastwood [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgSUjX64hLA[/media] This is the full fat vocal / toast / dub mix & runs nearly 12 minutes long but just listen to some of the drum sounds on this I have all of the ones I've mentioned kicking around on 12" - signs of a, very mis-spent, university grant. Some of these cost me £4.50 each from Daddy Kool back in the late 70's!

Or probably a better known Gregory song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3VaqcnAMEY&feature=related

Or the two gods of male lover's rock - both sing in pretty high registers: Dennis Brown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HZ04FPK0S8 Gregory Isaacs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs9wkNcdfoA&feature=related

Very cheesy but this would probably work well. If it's Ok for the I-Threes then it's Ok for anyone else to cover http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ybp7BfAFgk

You could do a lot worse than this by Marcia Aitken: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C882Vu-ufSU[/media] You may recognise the backing track I've been to the Carib many times & every single time I go I hear someone play this! Of course this is the full 12" version with Trinity toasting but I just had to include it - I've always wanted some "diamond socks & earthman shoes" ever since first hearing this, lol

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1339538546' post='1690369'] The TC stuff. It sounds great and looks great on paper but I would recommend that this be tried in the environments it's going to be used in. Yes the 450 is loud, but it's a different kind of loud. Louder than a 500watt Markbass head? No. It's hardc to describe how the head sounds. I had the RH750 for a while and it was loud but when it started pushing it had horrible dynamics, due to the way the power amp works. the on board compressor is nice yes but at volume it was useless, along with any minute EQ shift. Great amp, sounds good and feature packed but something missing. At the end of the day, it's nice playing with stuff in a shop, everything sounds pretty decent. It's onlyon the gig where it matters. You may find the head you love in the shop doesn't perform on the gig. [/quote] I totally agree with this about the two TC heads I had. Loved all the features, spent an age getting the presets just how I wanted them & then hated the sound live. To be fair both my sound man & the band liked how they sounded but what I was hearing on stage was really quite nasty I wouldn't mind trying an RH750 just to see if it cures the problems of the other two but I have a feeling it probably won't.

I've owned a Key Factor and an Ex Factor. Great gigging basses due to light weight, general ergonomics, super slim neck and a great 5 position pre-set sound switch. My Ex Factor was my main gigging bass for a good few years, almost always played passive & swapping between the J & P type pre-sets depending on song. They do pop up here pretty regularly and have plummeted like crazy in value from a few years ago. I'd budget around £700 - £800 for a nice one. Maybe a little less if it's got a lot of battle scars & a more if you find a really pristine one or something in a super rare colour

Phil has everything apart from the AG500 (which has been discontinued now in favour of the TH500). Also has a few Bag Ends & DB series cabs (but not any DB112's as these seem to sell as soon as they arrive!). The Baggies are nice, very clean & punchy. Good as reference type cabs as they don't add a lot of artificial colour to the sound. They are all pretty weighty though. The powered cabs are great, 1000w super clean power amp and you just stick whatever pre-amp in front of them that you fancy. One nice option is just to use a little pocket sized Sansamp, or similar, as the pre which you can tuck away in a gig bag. The baby 1x10 is pretty cool, I've gigged with one of these on its own There's a couple of 'name' players I know that use Bag End as their 'real' cabs but don't show them on stage as they have endorsement deals with other brands. . . In fact the only time I've had a quick blast on the Carvin was through a Baggie 4x10 & a 2x12 at the same time - shop next door was closed & I had it jacked up pretty loud, had the roof seriously shaking, lol.

If you want to try the TH vs an LMIII through a pair of SL112's then Phil at BassGear can set this up (he has an MB combo in stock which ha the LMIII in it). I am covering for him on Friday and will be in the shop all day It's 45 mins on the train from Paddington and just 2 mins walk from Twyford station. I could bring my AG in as well. It's a full width 19" head but might give you a different perspective on sound. He also has a Carvin BX500 head in stock. Mid sized but weighs sod all and made in USA I think. I haven't had a chance to really try it yet but Phil likes it a lot.

I know I've said this before but, just to reiterate, the TH500 absolutely works at its best with the Sl112 cabs in my opinion. I agree it can sound a bit too mid range focussed with some cabs but I don't find this with the SL's. I had an MB Tube 500 until quite recently. Great little head but didn't deliver the musicality & warmth of the TH500 to my ears. I felt it needed much bigger, punchier, cabs to really sound best. My favourite combination for it was an MB 410 & a matching 210. Through 6 tens it sounded great and certainly needed at least the 410 to really punch its weight.

Have you tried this email address: [email protected] Should go straight to Alex Carter who runs the main shop