VAMPYRE 5

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183974374975

Some nice pics of this rare and historically interesting beast?

23 hours ago, CameronJ said:

That compressor does look like a beast to be fair. I know I’d love it but I can’t justify the expense or the pedalboard real estate!

...it’s all about the TONE.

On 14/05/2018 at 15:40, fleabag said:

Utter tosh

If tone was in the fingers alone,  basses and amps wouldn't need EQ controls.

Who mentioned the word ‘alone’?

Tone IS in the fingers or are all the great pioneers of bass talking crap?  (Great guitarists for that matter, bless ‘em ).

They all have their own tone or ‘character’ that makes them recognizable due to a lot of factors inc. skill and technique. Tone pots sell (gimmicks) & help root-note ploders think they’re bassists! 👊🏻 😂😭

...although I have to be honest. I bought these NEO1x15’s (400w Sica loaded) over ABM’s primarily because they DID sound better. Broader, less honky with LOTS of headroom. Fantastic cabs. 

You’re nuts!!

Neo are lighter- simple. 

Just remember John Entwhistle always sounded like himself, regardlesd of what rig he chose.

Tone is in your fingers so pracrise amd remember... give those HPF’s a wide-birth! lol

49 minutes ago, jezzaboy said:

Hey Muzz. Sorry to burst your 5 count jazz theory but Whole lotta Rosie starts with a 5 count. Of course, we could be playing it wrong....

 

Auditioned a guitarist a few years ago... 

..,My Spidey sense was tingaling now.

 

😂😂😂

Moving In The Shadows - XII

...Thought it’d be cool to have something ‘Bass’ on the cover of a Rock band album instead of a band or guitarist or singer/ frontman. (Of  course it wouldn’t be unusual on a Bass instrumental album). 

Anyone else featured their beloved on the front of an album or CD, etc?

2 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 I realise that, whilst modern, compact cabs have a lot going for them - clarity, punch, tonal accuracy, etc - there is something missing. Warmth.

...and you could just lean back on the sound and luxuriate in it. Lovely.

Lovely @Dan Dare indeed. 👍🏻

@Kevin Dean Your ‘hair splitting’ has worn me out lol.

Payment advice or Invoice - doesn’t really matter because the point is (please no more splitting hairs?) Ashdown do not need to justify their business practices especially to forum nerds who have no ACTUAL knowledge. 

2 hours ago, Kevin Dean said:

It's actually a payment advice note from the band .

A company showing an invoice or any financial document to a fan / joe public isn’t necessary so must’ve felt REALLY under fire?! 

Saw the credit section and did wonder?

Ashdown paying Foo’s? 

???

😂😂

@Kevin Dean?

15 hours ago, Al Krow said:

A discussion on dirt pedals seems to have got well er, a little dirty...I may have said in response to a query that:

"PS You're right [the pedal] could have been Geddy inspired, but not quite (ok not even close to!) in the same league as the maestro himself. A chap by the name of dUg playing in a band which did hit no. 49 in the UK charts in 1994 (highest ranking in the US charts was 85)...but have not really had much chart success in the last 24 years over here..."

To which 

So was I out of line in saying that dUg Pinnick and Kings X were no Geddy Lee and Rush?? 

@Al Krow;@Cuzzie; @krispn;

I don’t think it was Al, er...erm... you went all...erm... well...er...sod it! You went all Forum Nerdy by wanting to move off Topic. Bit of conversation never hurt forums except the HPF i.e. anti-Bass brigade mutterings 😂😂

ANYWAY, BACK ON TOPIC!!

On 23/03/2018 at 10:58, Ashdown Engineering said:

'Money probably.' - Nope, I think it's fairly safe to say money isn't a huge concern for Nate or any member of the Foo Fighters these days... Unlike many brands today we don't give any free gear to any Artists and Nate pays for his Ashdown gear the same as any other artist. Pic of their payment for Nates last rig attached for you. As you'll see that's money coming in not out...

'In the studio the bass will be DI'd and tracked via some esoteric vintage valve pre-amp' Nope again. Usually it's a mix of Mic and DI from his ABM 900 Head, an old B-15 combo thrown in once in awhile and his BTA 400 as well. It's been this way for the past 15 years.

'The choice of amp and cabs makes zero contribution to the sound either recorded or live' - Really?!?  Wow that's quite a statement, if that's the case then I'm not sure what we're all doing here to be honest....

 As for testing gear vs ours... The Foo's do this every touring cycle, as you can imagine being in one of the biggest bands in the world Nate is constantly getting gear offered to him, they usually get all the gear together from a multitude of brands for a week of testing during their pre production, after this Nate will pick what he wants to use for that tour. Always a nervous few days from our point of view to be honest but touch wood we have always come out on top. Not for reasons of money or support or promotional purposes but because that's what Nate chooses...

 

Blimey @Ashdown Engineering !!!

You actually showed an invoice? 

How many players have played big gigs let alone made live albums/ dvd’s or released anything on major labels? 😏

Top marks for full disclosure though 💪🏻

What matey failed to realise it that most effects run in-line thru an amp... Even if thru an fx loop then that still has to be present in the D.I. or no fx FOH or in wedges?!

Bedroom playerz.. bless ‘em 🤭

Elites Stainless 

5 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

'Now hold on,' I thought to myself, 'Old Brian uses Optima Golds, doesn't he? Has done for decades.'

'Brian May used' and 'John Deacon used'.  Being a bit liberal with the facts really.

Very 😉 

If you didn’t know @NancyJohnson the world runs by ‘who you know’. Unfortunately talent alone doesn’t get you the gig (middle class uni types headlining rock festivals!!!) and same with manufacurers whose business is to... wait for it... take our money. Of course they’ll name drop.

I never had multiple basses and artist deals aren’t free, honestly, more like 50%

1 hour ago, radiophonic said:

Same experience with Rotosound and similar short life with Ernie Ball. The longest lasting non-coated string I've used is the D'Addario Pro-Steel. They don't sound like new for any longer, but do seem to retain enough harmonics to still sound rich for a decent stretch.

D’addario Pro Steels are fantastic strings. Blimey!! I forgot how good they are!  I still have a pack unused. Very, very rich in harmonic overtones, zingy resonant tone and bendy for soloing too.

@radiophonic good call.

Elites stainless give me the longest ‘zing’ on a gig. Solid tuning stability within 10mins. Zing gone after an hour. Non gigged and they’re kinda bright enough except the B & E string sound bit rubbery. Red Warwicks give Roto’s a run especially for the money. 

I run 2 x15” cabs most of the time now. The Ampeg HLF410 has some serious low end happening which I’ve used a fair amount but it’s a big lump to lug around!! 

It’s like CD’s vs Vinyl. 15’s are like vinyl, you also ‘feel’ rich, warm bass extension. 😋

On 15/04/2018 at 12:34, Lozz196 said:

I`ve found the ABM410s to be a bit "boomy" and lack definition, so have had the port on mine blocked off, and put speaker-wadding in the cab. It now performs exactly like I want it to - their 610s & 810s, both of which I understand are sealed cabs. Now I have a tight, focused sound, and can add in the low end I want.

Carefull or the HPF police will be making a visit!!! 😂

I once tried out the ABM 1x15 which was a bit honky so tried out the ‘shelf ported’ Klystron Neo 1x15 - Cleaner, weightier bottom end. More even tone right up to the glassy top end and surprisingly fast so I made a purchase... 

6 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

@Al Krow except they influenced a whole generation of bands that are household names and made it big and these bands and their members reference them.

Kings X certainly made waves way back when and definitely influenced many bands.

IRON ETHER ~ XEROGRAPH - 

LPF with 12db or 24db slope down to 40hz!!

Touch of resonance and it rumbles like an angry herd of wildebeast!!

(HPF nurds’ll be foamin’ at the mouth!!) 😉🤭

Static LPF or bash in an expression pedal for sweepability.

Class act worth every penny.

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Not really my thing in terms of 'dirt', but if you want to find out more then @Cuzzie is a chief cheerleader and will be able to tell you more.

There's a whole thread dedicated to it, in case you've not seen...

 

 

Nice one Al 👍🏻

4 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Nah! Cutting the crud below 20Hz, tightening up the low end, and stopping the house shaking when practising at home has been one of the better marriage-saving discoveries for me for 2018. HPFs rule! Every bass player should consider using 

 

...as do LPFs 🤘🏻🤘🏻

4 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Thanks for sharing that clip - sounds really good. 

Three things in response of I may: 

a) "The Ashdown is all about response so it demands to be practiced for months to ‘get’ it." - so definitely not for the fainthearted, but pays dividends if you're willing to invest time in it.

b) I do agree that you're getting a sound pretty close to John Entwistle (one of my all time bass heroes!):

 

c) there's a pedal about to be released which gets somewhere pretty similar, that folk have been getting pretty excited about...

 

That’s a very cool sound. Geddy insired? Wonder if there’s any clean top end in the mix if you crack the strings? Ashdown lets through bit of clean ‘zing’ over the driven tone if you get the gain just right.. 

Warwick Vampyre SN5 High Gloss Black Custom Shop.

0m:36s

Ashdown Drive Plus!!

Received it 10 years ago when I gained an Ashdown Artist edorsement. Tried all their other pedals, chorus and dual-band compressor, etc but they really weren’t up to much for my tastes and yes they are a size but the growl & colourful harmonics can’t be matched. Bought and returned or sold just about every OD pedal going froum US to 80’s Jap over the years even more recently the Darkglass’s. Serious pedals (instant production & gratification)  BUT you get the ‘cold’ sound everyone has nowadays and really, just not convinced.. 

Other pedals sound like lo-gain distortion which is kinda thin, fuzzy and cold.

The Ashdown is all about response so it demands to be practiced for months to ‘get’ it.

Sure, get a pick out and strum like an unknowing thug and fuzz is all you’ll get. Dynamics will lift your game. Fingerstyle will definitely give you a tone and timbre that can be truely tuned. Fine tune the Hi gain then figure where on the string and how hard to pick/ strike is best to get a tone!!! Basics!! ...and nevermind being sidetracked with HPF scientific -20hz debates 😂😂