Lfalex v1.1

Allow me to up the score a little. +13 giving a new total of [b][size=6]34[/size][/b]

I like the look of most of the Adamovic basses, too! He seems to know what he's doing with his tonewoods. Not that other luthiers don't, but I think I can see what he's trying to achieve with each instrument (And that he'd understand what Iwas looking for in an instrument)

Having seen pics from the recent Led Zep reunion, I was surprised to see how well John-Paul Jones was wearing for a man of 61. Then I began to think of how many other bassists seem to be lasting longer and/or better than their bandmates. Without plundering Wiki or some other source at length, I wouldn't know how old some of these are, but they're all looking quite healthy to me! Steve Swallow Chuck Rainey Carol Kaye Tony Levin Marcus Miller Stanley Clarke Bootsy Collins Those of you with encyclopaedic minds may wish to enlighten us to their exact ages... Feel free to add more to the "durable bassists" list!

[quote name='queenofthedepths' post='101143' date='Dec 7 2007, 09:53 PM']I was tempted to get one a while ago, but I tried one out and the strings didn't appear to be very sensitive to it - is there some sort of technique I missed? I had thought it was just not appropriate for thick bass strings...[/quote] And on a [i]fretless[/i] 5 it just gets worse...

I have a printed sheet of A4 that can be tucked into a cabinet grille that states; "This amplifier/cabinets are not for hire or loan. Nor are they a table for beverages to be placed upon" It resides in my gigbag. As you may be able to tell, I've had issues with amp sharing and abuse before...

[quote name='alexclaber' post='101642' date='Dec 9 2007, 11:35 AM']Bass Rack Cabs x2 Bag of random things Alex[/quote] Minimalism must be an "Alex" thing... Bass (x1) Head Cab/s x1 or x2 as required by size of gig Bag- (actually it's a laptop case) containing cables, Korg GT3, Spare battery, limited tools, spare cable and patch leads for guitarists and a strap. With the castors on my 1x15 in play, I stack it all up, strap it together, and can move it all at once. I've gone half a mile from car to venue before (Camden) with it like that. Only problem is if it rains!

Methinks 'tis foam. Warwicks and Vigiers definitely use springs (they feel springy when the pick-ups are depressed) Edit - I think my 'Ray5 has springs, too.

Ped, I'm not going on stage in these! I'll look like a Cyberman! Guess I'll settle for my Trace SMX for the live work...

[quote name='SJA' post='100399' date='Dec 6 2007, 05:46 PM']I think I'm in the same boat as you. I practice and record at home through DI into a mixer and headphones. I'm happy with the DI tone of my basses, sometimes with effects and eq as needed. I've got tired of lugging a 4X10 cab & head around to gigs, and since I'm no longer in a "volume battle" with the guitarists I play with, I don't need the power anymore...[/quote] We do indeed occupy the same boat! I use headphones from a small desk, with a choice of preamps (!) The (proper) headphone approach has it all; Flat frequency response (well, flatter than a cab, anyhow) No crossovers Amazing speed and linearity STEREO SPLs to die for (if that's what you want) The only thing they can't do is throw you across the room with a visceral bottom end... Otherwise, they're tonally perfect, and a revealing window onto how well you play and how good your bass really sounds. Every time I go back to combos or cabs, I just think about how poor they sound by comparison! The stack is just a necessary gigging/rehearsing evil!

[quote name='Sibob' post='100474' date='Dec 6 2007, 07:48 PM']I do hope he's joking just to rub it in your face! if he's not, just clench your teeth, and tell yourself its his money he's wasted Si[/quote] Yeah, but like, you're subsidising his proposed insanity by paying him your money in return for his teaching services. Kill him. Now. Tell the authorities that; "BASSCHAT made me do it." Really. They'll believe you...

My SMX used to blow a fuse every time I turned it on. Trace said it was because they'd changed the power supply to a stiffer one, and it was drawing more current at start-up than the specified fuse would permit without blowing. The tech suggested using a slow-blow fuse of the same rating (3.15A in my case) I tracked some down at a HiFi shop and bought 10 for £2. That was over a decade ago, and I still have 9 left... The Tenth is still in it! Worth a try, but mail or phone them first.

Potentially controversial, I know, but I just don't have any empathy towards amplification at all. I have a lovely collection of instruments. And I have some things I plug them into. They're made by people who know what they're doing (Trace/Hartke/Ampeg/QSC/Peavey) but the things fill me with no joy at all, to the extent that I'd consider amp buying a chore and would be more likely to buy another bass whilst trying amps out. Do I need help? What type of GAS do you specialise in? Basses or Amps? Or are you one of those well-rounded individuals who likes BOTH?! Please relate your experiences!

Try lots of basses! Try them all. Even if they cost four times your budget. Even if you've no intention of purchasing there and then (music shops hate me!!) You'll soon build up a set of preferences. Buy with your hands and your ears before your head or your heart and keep an open mind. Have you a friend who plays? Take them! A second opinion can be helpful, especially if they're experienced. They do need to remember that the bass is for you, though! If a bass feels and sounds good in a shop environment, a good set-up (Learn to do it yourself, so you can tailor your instrument to you) and your favoured strings will only make it better. With regard to amplification, a degree of familiarity can be beneficial, but if you can't get something you know, try your shortlisted instruments through several amps/ combos. (I hate buying amps!) Hope this helps!

I've been told I'd get £800 max for my rather nice LX6. Not that it's for sale.

Not a million miles removed from a MIA Deluxe "P" They've got a "P" and the Double "J" style HB at the bridge - Same sort of Pick-up as the one used in the "Big Block" model. Nothing wrong with an P/MM It's like a back to front Attitude, too. They're HB/P...

Making the sleeve was the easy bit. Cut a top and bottom, plus two sides to sandwich (standing vertically) between them. I just screwed through the top/bottom into the edges of the sides (they're quite thick on mine, mind!) 6 screws top, 6 bottom= 12 per side and 24 in total. It's fallen, and it just bounced! I just sanded the outer edges slightly, carpeted, and added feet, a handle and corner protectors.

[quote name='Beedster' post='98576' date='Dec 4 2007, 05:26 AM']Hi, yes I have, I've tried a lot of websites. I suspect that stcked pots might work a little differently to the same combination of discrete pots, that is stacked Volume/Tone for 2 PUPs might require different wiring to seperate Volume Tone for 2 PUPs? Chris[/quote] [disclaimer] I know VERY little about electrics [/disclaimer] But... I reckon you could get it all to work by wiring both wires from each P/U to their respective stacks, perhaps tone first, to stop it being influenced by having the volume pot before it in the signal path. So; Pick-up >>> Tone >>> Volume >>> Output jack. Try this for both pots, and the only point at which wires from one meet the other is at the output jack, certainly in the case of the "Hot" wires, at any rate. Try also joining the cold wires together here, too (plus the bridge earth) If the pot shells need earthing, do it straight to the cold side of the output jack- independently of the signal earth. More wiring, but it [i]might[/i] work! I want to go to 2V,2T on my Squier 70's VMJ, but I just haven't got the time at the moment!

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='97254' date='Dec 1 2007, 03:52 PM']They look better that way. [/quote] Also, they're more stable (having a lower centre of gravity). This , in turn, avoids lawsuits from crushed players who pulled their stacks over! Not all heads (although they're getting smaller of late) will stand atop a vertically-oriented 2x10 or 2x12, as the top surface area is too small. Whilst plonking your head on a vibrating enclosure is hardly good for it from an acoustic feedback point of view, it's still where most of us deposit our amps for practicality's sake...

I live in the South East. The contracation of various local scenes has caused the bulk of decent gigs to be London jobs. That, of course, incurrs the wrath of Mayor Livingston to the tune of £8 a time. No chance of going in later, as London Venues frequently demand preposterously early load-ins (1600 for 2000 start) - I wonder if they get a cut from the congestion charge? I'm so glad (in a round-about way) that I'm no longer gigging. Cost of fuel + General aggro of travelling + evil travelling times (2hrs, approx.) parking + loading / unloading etc. Just makes it too stressful to bother with if you're not getting paid IMHO.

[quote name='Vasquez Rich' post='97452' date='Dec 1 2007, 10:57 PM']Paper centres with aluminium outers??? How's that gonna work when you're wobbling 41Hz though them, need some pretty darn good glue in my opinion. I have Hartke 410XL and it's very good, if it ain't broke... Richard[/quote] In fairness, most moving coil loudspeaker drivers of the types that we'd be using feature pretty darn good adhesives in their construction anyway... Primarily, where the cone (H) joins the surround (G) and where the said surround is bonded to the chassis (I) Also, where the cone is bonded to the voice coil / former assembly (D), to which the "Spider" (F) is also attached. The Spider is also glued to the chassis. Finally, dust caps are often bonded on. I reckon if you looked at the stats, more drivers would be found to fail due to being abused by clippng amps / being driven beyond their thermal and electrical limits. That, or physical damage such as torn surrounds and damaged cones. I don't think you'd come unstuck with the Hartkes...! (That's a Peerless XLS 830500 driver, BTW)

DO fit 2 lockable castors/wheels (leave the other two plain) Don't put them both on the front face of the dolly board/ cab. It makes the stack unstable! Either put them on one end, or diagonally opposed. Stops the rig tipping over when you walk away from it mid-gig, run out of cable and... TIIIMBERRR! Flat guitarist.

Do bear in mind that the replacement EQ need not [i]necessarily[/i] be an MEC unit. The Warwick control cavities are fairly generous, and you may also be able to source a unit from the likes of East, Aguilar, Audere, Duncan, Bartolini etc that will fit. They also may pop up on here second hand as has been previously suggested (good idea!)

Perhaps a Maple fretboard? Strings make a difference. Look for something really "responsive" (If you know what I mean- They react quickly and accurately to player input) Otherwise (judging from my own basses), "hotter" basses seem to be punchier. Higher output may help your cause. Whether that's achieved by hot passives, warm pick-ups & an 18v EQ (for headroom rather than gain), or active pick-ups and active EQ is a matter for personal choice. I once read that body shape has an impact on sound. I think the rationale was that; "For a bass of a given mass (and even density), a more compact (but necessarily thicker) body gives a punchier sound. A broader, flatter (and thinner) design gives a more open, expansive sound" Sound like rubbish? Think about Warwick Thumbs and Active Jazzes... Which leads to another Warwick related point; Harder body woods should give a more immediate attack and "snap" to the sound. I own a Zebrano-bodied Warwick Infinity SN4. Compact body, fashioned from a (very) heavy and hard wood. That has some punch, and it doesn't have the headroom of an 18v EQ, as it's a 9-volter. I don't think that neck-thru/bolt on/glued in has as much impact as some people think. Certainly not in the "punch" department.

I did it with a Trace H122SMX (2x10) Combo. Took all the gubbins out of the enclosure; Speakers, Horn, Crossover, wires, Amp, the lot. Peeled back the carper, lay it face down and ran a jigsaw through the side sections holding the "amp" onto the combo. Sanded them flush. Stretched the original carpet back over the new "top" of the "cab", cut to size and re-glued it. Filled the original hole for the speaker cable. Routed a space for a new connection plate on the rear, wired it up and sealed it off (so the jack socket doesn't "breathe" like a port for the enclosure) MADE my own sleeve for the head in 12mm MDF, carpeted it, slotted the head in (make sure you accurately mark/drill where the securing bolts go!) You might get a sleeve out there, but the SMX I have is the same width as the cabinet, so 3" or 4" wider than a 19" rack mounter. I reckon the Ashdown might be the same.. Cost? The new back panel for the "cab" A small sub enclosure to seal off the new jack socket 8 screws Wood glue Carpet 4 rubber feet A fold out handle (sprung loaded) I actually got a Penn Fabrications one identical to the ones left on the "new" cab A sheet of MDF I already had. One trip to Maplin. Less than £35. One afternoon's work. Result? 5 years later it still works. Everyone likes it better than the originals (it's the same width as the cabs, not narrower) Fits in the boot of a Punto without lowering the rear seat or cracking the rear screen! I can use the new head with my Trace 1x15 or 4x10 or bastardised 2x10 or any 2 together. Worth the effort. Happy cannibalising, but take it easy and be careful!