uk_lefty

Used the Rootmaster 500 head and two fifteen inch Rootmaster cabs for two gigs this weekend. On a huge outdoor stage and using di it performed admirably, plenty of volume and bottom end. Playing crammed in the corner of a function room with a high ceiling we barely needed any volume at all and didn't di to the PA. This set up is excellent! The cabs give a really pleasing bottom end but definitely don't lose any top, and I have the tweeters off. Want to hold on to this rig for years to come.

Funny thing... No noise at all in last rehearsal. Had two gigs on Saturday both through my own rig. At the first gig there was loads of noise and it was coming through the di out to the PA so in the interests of saving time I agreed with the sound guys to ditch my pedals and play straight to the amp. No tuner or mute but we were playing a quick 45 min set. Also, when going to the active input channel on the amp the di signal went dead, which is odd. A few hours later and I'm setting up my rig for the night gig, no issues whatsoever with pedal noise, used the full lot all night. Absolutely baffled for what the problem could be!!

Used it on a gig this weekend. I've been experimenting with it and I ramp up all the controls to get close to a sort of organ sound for Mamma Told Me Not to Come. Works a treat. Very pleased with it

[quote name='upside downer' timestamp='1499085986' post='3329025'] My old three-piece band used to do Breathe by The Prodigy which was always well received. I think most punters love a 'curve ball', it shows you've made an effort. I'd like my current lot to try more but the drummer's a set in his ways rocker and won't have it! Would love to try something like a Lady Gaga tune or a 90s dance classic. [/quote] We do Step it Up by stereo MC's. It fits in that we play it our way so the feel remains the same (slightly funky rock) but still very recognisable to the original, but it's so far apart from the other songs on our set list that it's a nice surprise for the audience and it "hits our demographic". Always goes down well, and you can make it as long or short as you like which is handy!!

The only reference point I have to my first band is on a copied tape. My 2005 vw actually had a tape deck. It destroyed that tape. Tape must be not just dead but extinct by now surely??

The demise of the cd was well in progress before the big music companies got on the vinyl resurgence hipster bandwagon. Ever tried buying CD storage these days? You just can't get anything half way decent. Since moving house my six hundred odd CD collection has remained boxed in the loft. What's crazy is having the option to buy a download album at 10.99 or buy the cd with free instant download for 4.99. Am sure in ten years my daughter will be excitedly asking me "dad did you have a Sony minidisc? Got any in the loft? They're sooooo cool!!!"

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1496924545' post='3314717'] Billy Connolly phrased this one rather well, and we've nicked it before now: "Don't tell me how to do my job. Do I come to your work and tell you how to sweep up?" [/quote] I'm pretty sure another comedian has a similar one but the place of work is the docks and the task is not sweeping but something involving sailors.

One thing I still do after 15 years of gigs is write "cheat notes" on my set list, so I know what chords the bridge of certain songs moves to, etc. Even some of the no Brainers. It's a good backup for those moments where you are not fully sure and it can be hard to see the guitarists chord shapes. Helps me wing it anyhow!

The beauty is in the simplicity. Very nice!

I know from recently fitting one to 90's MIM Jazz there can be slight differences in the layout of the screw holes. Makes no sense to me but 90s MIM machine heads are slightly different in measurement to other fender direct replacement machine heads. No experience of the Squires but you could potentially have the same issue so you may need to do some minor drilling to fit the xtender. I had my set up guy do mine because I'm useless with these things.

Doesn't have to be a band, why not find a singer song writer type who wants to jam a bit? Work up from there! There are online collaboration things where someone records a beat or something then you submit a recorded baseline and people build up a song, that could be a good way of getting back in to it? Don't give up, just find a path that you can follow at your own speed and gives you the enjoyment you want! Best of luck!

I haven't seen this year's Glastonbury set yet but have heard more negative than positive. For a long time radiohead were my absolute favourite band and I enjoyed the change of feel from album to album, it's a nice concept and movement over time, but when you just want to put on one song and crank up the volume or relax or whatever, you go for one of the first three albums only IMO. I saw them live about twelve years back and they were excellent, amazing presence and great musicianship. I can see why they're not everyone's cup of tea. I do t listen to the radio or read music mags so I didn't know they'd released anything recently, but there isn't a fire in my pants to go and get the album, unlike Kid A which I pre ordered and legged it from college to buy as soon as I could. I think they just spoke more to me as a teenager than they do now.

I have one built in to my ashdown amp head and I have it on pretty much all the time. I also have a boss limiter enhancer on my pedal board but rarely use it, though using it as an enhancer with my fretless bass I can find some benefit. I used to have a line 6 tonecore guitar compressor that had three settings plus the dials, it was very good for bass. In general, if you spend the time tweaking one you'll likely find something useful but unless you have serious dynamics issues I wouldnt worry too much.

[quote name='LeftyP' timestamp='1498252703' post='3323493'] I was taught to use a knife and fork in the conventional way (knife in right hand) and have never had a problem with it although if I'm spreading butter onto bread I use my left hand. When I go into cafes I immediately re-arrange the cups and side plates to suit a lefty and turn my dessert spoon around so that the handle is on the left side - that confuses every body! [/quote] 33 years of lefthandedness here and I've only just realised I do the same! Knife and fork used conveniently but knife only is a left hand activity! Learning something new every day. Welcome! Playing left handed shouldn't affect Tue progress as much as a teacher with a defeatist attitude in my view.

Thanks for all the advice so far! Rehearsed last night and noticed something else peculiar... With no pedals on everything was running fine and the VU meter on my ashdown amp was peaking at less than half its range. However, engaging either my hartke di box to change tones or add some drive, or engaging my Jim Dunlop bass wah all made the vu jump in to the red! With input volumes less than half. Quite concerned by this. Think I need to have my boss limiter engaged to protect the amp?

[quote name='Tony p' timestamp='1497953370' post='3321520'] Has anyone else here just played the set twice when they've used up all their material.... ? [/quote] Yes! It was our first gig in my acoustic duo. My first gig as a singer too. We made it clear to the venue we would do two forty min sets but it would be the same set of songs. They were ok about it and booked us in again

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1497946577' post='3321451'] Another option of course would be to ditch the tuner and replace it with a TC Polytune Mini - I've not had any noise issues with mine on a daisy chain! [/quote] Good point, but there's always another pedal to buy! Want to resolve the problem at the root of possible

Why not try something completely different, crazy, out of character, completely out of place next to your other basses and see where it takes you?

Going to tinker around again tonight but pretty sure it's my tuner which is a cheap Harley Benton micro pedal. Thanks for the links, I had a look at the power unit on eBay, but a bit wary of these as my current power unit was recommended on BC as a good, cheap isolated power unit off eBay! Might have to bite the bullet and buy an MXR or similar just to cut out the issue once and for all, I hope.

Sorry, isolation adapter tip? I've tried to find these via Google but not come up with anything. Sounds like the easiest fix, looked at true isolated power units but they cost loads!!

That's an absolute beauty, good buy!!

Thanks guys. I was removing each pedal from the signal chain but not from the power supply. Will experiment further...

Or you drive out your way late at night to meet at a service station (their idea) for them not to answer their phone or show up. Not even the decency to come up with an excuse.

Help! I'm not the most technical and recently I've been getting some serious noise in my signal chain. The noise is an electronic chirpy noise with a bit of an underlying rasp. Its a loud noise that could become really annoying at gigs, when playing it's hidden. I've been through to disable one pedal at a time, and tried bass direct to amp to check it's not the amp or speakers... I've come to the conclusion the source of the noise could be my power supply... I currently run these pedals in this order: Jim Dunlop bass wah, Harley Benton micro tuner, hartke vxl bass attack, hartke bass chorus, boss flanger, boss limiter enhancer. All powered with a Caline 5 power bank which was a cheap eBay buy but the noise has only been noticeable recently. I do consistently use an extension chord to the mainstream, haven't had chance to see if this could be the source of the noise? Any ideas what could be the source of the noise or a good way to find out? Thank you

Hadn't seen a review so thought I'd do one briefly. Summary: at 29 quid New it's a bargain and does everything you'd want it to very well. Detailed review: I bought one of these brand new in the blow out sales for 29 quid. Didn't think it was a bad deal. Have heard that the NUX pedal at 15 quid is the same but I've been stung with buying cheap pedals before, had three behringer bass chorus pedals that never worked. So, the hartke pedal... I'm a hartke fan but if this was awful I'd send it back. I'm keeping it. I want to have a little shimmery chorus here and there for some passages and fretless play and some spacey open sounds for some severe 80's-ness to mess around with. Chorus is not an integral part of "my sound" though so I don't need the most amazing pedal. The pedal casing feels sturdy, dials turn nicely and don't feel too cheap, and the switch clicks a little but not through the signal chain. It's a solid build. I've tested this using my fretless through an ashdown rm rig using with and without the sub octave. It's a very usable effect, goes from subtle where it can add something to harmonics to the shimmery fast chorus for a bit of "come as you are". Combined with fretless bass it comes in to its own, playing classic pop fretless lines it can get the nostalgia glands going (take my breath away, played it so many times tonight!!!) Overall I'm impressed and I won't be buying the ehx bass clone now as I had planned. If this pedal was full price I wouldn't have got it, but at 29 pounds it's a great deal, at 70ish there's other good options, like the ehx. This chorus is great for those of us who will use it occasionally, I have no doubt it will hold up well at band volumes, and unless there is one very specific sound you're looking for I can't imagine this pedal won't fulfil your needs. When we next have rehearsal in two weeks I'll put it through its paces with a jazz bass and in a band scenario then update the review.