NickA

I've had an OC-2 for many years (now missing one knob, but otherwise as new) and always thought it a bit crap ... doesn't track low notes very well (goes all wobbly) and sounds muddy with any notes lower than an open G. Oct-2 pretty much useless unless I'm so far up the fretboard, my fingers won't fit between the frets. I had a poke about inside it once and found that basically it's just making a square wave by dividing down a squared off version of whatever signal comes into it - so if the sound you are playing has lots of harmonics (multiple zero crossings) it may settle on one of them instead of the fundamental. There is then a bit of filtering that rounds off the square wave depending on how much high frequency stuff is in the original signal. I guess it needs to be driven by a signal that has been filtered down to the fundamental (once suggested to Trace that they put a Low Pass on the send return loop of the GP12SMX as well as the high pass - specifically for driving octave dividers - but they didn't ;-) ). I had assumed that a modern digital thing would sound much better (guitar FX box 3 on my laptop does a better job of simply playing a lower note). So what IS the secret with these things - how DO you track to a low F#??

What's the small TC electronics stuff like, sound quality wise? The TonePrint function looks like a lot of fun .. but they're surprisingly cheap for a compact class D, even without with that extra functionality. I'm guessing there is a drawback somewhere - or are they just great value?

.... still learning. It's only been 20 years mind. This: 1. Chord tones 2. Scale tones 3. Passing tones works OK but can sound a bit bland and "really good" walking bass-liners don't seem to do it. I asked the tutor at my regular jazz workshop if I should be concentrating on getting a root note into each bar (especially at the start, to help the horns along ... ahem) or trying to work in the tones that "define" each chord (ie the 6th's 7th's flattened thirds ... or whatever). He said, what I was playing (as above) sounded OK .. but the bass player in his band hardly ever plays roots, thirds of fifths! Working at creating tension through substitutions and release through return to the dominant or some-such. Hey Ho. Currently playing along to iReal Pro (android app) and supposed to be looking into the Jamie Abersoch books / recordings (which have the bass on one channel only, so you can blend it out and play your own lines). These are not specifically bass oriented mind, but are something to play along and practice with. Welcome suggestions above. Thanks folks.

(was) not my kind of music at all ... but it's just SO damned well made. Masterpiece. Kamakiriad is also quite good, but sadly not in the same league. Quite like (early) Steely Dan too these days - bought "can't buy a thrill" and thought I'd picked up a "best of" album - as I just somehow knew every song on it.

Best thing that could happen to the Assembly Rooms!! Shame they won't build something nice instead .. but this IS Derby: home of the Intu Centre, Cockpit Carpark and Riverlights; brought to you by the same town planners that built Bold Lane car park on a public garden, and demolished Darwin's house and St Alkmunds Church to build an inner ring road. ... off topic. Rant over :¬) He could still do the Guildhall or the Derby Arena tho.

PJB big head? Fits in your pocket. Has an aux input and a bass input with aux and bass volume controls plus a bit of EQ and a headphone (or line) output. You can use it as a PC sound card (Analogue to USB going inwards and USB to sound coming out) and even as the pre-amp into a powered speaker (or the HiFi). It's a swiss army knife of (quiet) bass playing. But lacks an actual speaker itself ... and some might find the sound a bit "polite". Use mine late at night and in hotels for playing along to iReal Pro - admittedly it will never replace the joy of a good loud TWANG through a proper amplifier.

So did it still work when you got home? Or did the genset kill it dead :¬( Speaking as an electrical engineer (day job) I'd be surprised if a Class-D was more sensitive to low voltages than a class anything else, it just depends on what electronics are in there. I'm guessing more modern kit with more built in protection rather than anything fundamentally more damageable. And the "D" does mean digital btw (it has power devices that are ON or OFF = digits; whereas A, B, C, H use transistors that are "partly" on = analogue. Class H is a Class C with a variable power supply rail voltage - the QSC 3200PLX I use at work is one of those, always a bit of a glitch as it switches from one power level to another - fantastic amp tho). It's just handy that D came after C.

which is what whoever buys that 4x10" + 1x15" trace rig will need

That 4x10 GP12SMX jobbie is the one I really wanted .. before I got old and my back started to hurt! Think they also did a 2x10 plus tweeter, but it was hard to find (pre internet) but the 1x15 GP12 I compromised on weighs 36kg alone. Loud and bombproof but needs a soundproof bunker if you're to turn it up. What a beast ... and what a price for all that amp and cab real estate.

Well a fully functional Custom 4-string (aka Mk1) will be at least £3000 (£4500 to £5000 according to Bass direct - who appear to have sold both of theirs) .. so £1620 (and rising, with 4 hours to go) plus repairs is still a good price ... I guess, and this one is quite a rarity.. unique in fact. Though there is plenty else out there that might prove better value as an actual thing to play.

So it's a bass player's forum and people are complaining about too much bass playing! Come on guys, that's the egotistical lead guitarists job! And I didn't see Nile complaining ;¬). Personally I enjoyed the whole set including the bass playing. Hearing a good bass player let rip and slap a bit these days is like having a stiff whisky during prohibition.

Just don't (ever) touch that "sub" knob. Horrid.

Rare as rocking horse poop .. apparently: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wal-MkII-Custom-Series-5-String-Bass/121844263050?_trksid=p5713.c100284.m3505&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D12%26asc%3D20140905073823%26meid%3D0e714e73ed0b4e9db70d146b0b250968%26pid%3D100284%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D121844263050 Yet oddly, here's another for less: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wal-MK-II-1991-Bass/272695447201?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D43781%26meid%3Dc7b661589c7d4a48bba8d77d98a50dd6%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D121844263050 both rather lovely it has to be said ... but also quite expensive.

Nuts!

What you going to do with the old body? Looks pretty good to me .. and will be made from that unobtainium brazillian mahogany too! I reckon you could save up for a new neck and pickups to go with it!

Well. no bids. Seems I was wrong about it being good value! Back listed again, but at the same starting price. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Warwick-Dolphin-Pro-I-5-String-Bass-Guitar-1991-No-16-Great-condition-/152561591166?"]http://www.ebay.co.u...-/152561591166?[/url] .. and listed AGAIN. Now £1500 but still no decent photos. Still think it's a bargain, but still daren't go visit as not going to buy it. Just wondering if these are merely out of fashion and will soon soar in value (as per the Wal I bought in 1999). Pension fund? As for Wals being expensive because they are rare: there are Wals coming up every week on facebook (and sometimes here) but only one 4-string pro 1 dolphin (mine) and one 5-string pro 1 (this one) I've seen in the last 12 months (lots of bolt ons - but it's not the same).