Lfalex v1.1

[quote name='Muppet' post='23917' date='Jun 27 2007, 10:30 AM']Nope - pretty sure you're in a minority of one there! "Basses" would be my guess as far as innovations go, I'd like to be able to recall preprogrammed preamp settings, though I'm sure someone's though of that already.[/quote] And as well as the Vigier Nautilus system (on the bass), there's the programmable Trace Pre-amps (separate from the instrument). A couple of folks on here have them. I forget the official designation....

Whilst I recall someone (Binky?) giving Born2Rock Aluminium (Sorry, Aluminum) Tubular basses a pasting recently, it is worthwhile noting that their string tension is carried by the "spar" above the fret board, and that the neck really does "float", being held in place by the strings' collective tension. Trekker (as previously mentioned) spring to mind also, in addition to the Basslab L-Bow (perhaps) and Vigier Passion/ Arpege instruments. These are all variations on the same theme; Taking the pressure off of the neck itself. Crazy innovations? Anything with moveable pick-ups, such as the Westone "rail" , Viper Bass etc. (there's a motorised one out there somewhere with a recall facility for the pick up positions.) The aforementioned B2R tubular instruments. Bizzare EQ options; Vigier's Quasi-parametric system; you can change [i]f[/i] but not Q or bandwidth... (shame about the Q, but Patrice Vigier did mail me back with a modification!) Warwick's Fortress and Streamer "Pro M". Stick a Twin Jazz Pick-up half-way between the bridge and neck and apply a separate 2 band EQ to each coil. Bet it worked, but where is it now? (I'd like to try it!) That's all I can think of right now..

Nice triumvirate! Given my proximity to Colchester, I really, [i]really[/i] ought to pay Mr. Green a visit at some point. (GAS attack ahoy!)

Excellent idea... with one caveat; Do they do them in black?!

I've decided I hate amplifiers. That, or they hate me! Tube or SS, you send 'em, I'll bend 'em. (And it's not like I'm some psychotic volume freak who wires it all up wrong, either. Before you ask!) I need something that will not go up in smoke at the sight of i) an input signal ii) a pair of cabinets. Not very constructive, I know, but I'm sick of things breaking without them suffering what I'd call abuse.

Can the said power amp be bridged? I ran my QSC PLX1202 in bridged mode to great effect. Until it died. Which was (of course) unrelated. That was a good month. Pre-amp died (valve) Power amp died (solid state). I'm taking up the recorder, now! I still can't afford replacements...

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='23292' date='Jun 25 2007, 11:17 PM']IIRC the optimum volume for a 2x10 was around the size of an average 8x10.[/quote] For that sort of size box, you might as well go back to using horns or even transmission line enclosures. The only reasons they're not as common as they might be are that all the woodwork/complexity make for expensive manufacturing (relative to a plain 8x10), and the fact that we've all been indoctrinated to believe that a huge complement of drivers is a good thing. Well, it looks impressive! (And I suppose it doesn't hurt power handling.)

[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='20908' date='Jun 20 2007, 05:38 PM']I think you're right. I don't think I've ever seen a corvette with a pot in that high position. Perhaps he felt it got in the way or something.[/quote] I think these two gents have it right. Check out other Corvettes, FNAs, $$, Passive, active. They all have their controls in the good old "Musicman Smile" arrangement- a curve following the shape of the lower bout. Streamers have the diamond layout (as a rule) Look closer at this Corvette, and you can see that the diamond shape is not symmetrical as it is on other Warwicks (and Spectors). My interpretation; It's difficult to say if it was originally active or passive. Either way, you've got a serviceable and good looking instrument. The cavity looks entirely normal for a Warwick, so a 9v can be installed for active circuitry if you want. As for the hole, either put a dummy control in it, or put a real one in there that does something! The world is your oyster; Vol,Vol,Tone,Tone. Vol, Balance, Bass, Treble Even more options with stacked pots! Edit-For £250, I'd be running away with it, laughing. A bargain, hole or no hole!

[quote name='Machines' post='19786' date='Jun 18 2007, 06:05 PM']Depends on the Steamer - some Streamers come in all sorts of pickup configs including J/J. Probably isn't a huge difference in tone between Streamer LX and Corvette Standard (Ash).[/quote] Streamer LXs are Maple (2piece) bodies, and are generally heavier than the ash-bodied Corvettes. As a result, there are some tonal differences. My LX6 sounds very meaty indeed.

[quote name='binky_bass' post='19717' date='Jun 18 2007, 04:36 PM']for me, it just doesnt look good, it looks cold and harsh! but, it may play like a dream. im interested to know the price on these things. any ideas? anyone played one?[/quote] Seen 'em before. About £1400 shipped was last I heard. No UK dealers/ importers that I'm aware of. If they did a "Jazz", I'd own one by now.

I'd opt for slots myself (I filed some into my B.A.II on my Squier) The only reason is to prevent the strings moving around - I'm quite heavy-handed. If the strings are moving about, albeit imperceptibly, it [i]might[/i] be the cause of your overtones. Usually, these are supposed to be caused by strings being too close to pick-ups. The saddle change hasn't significantly lowered the action, has it?

Bass of choice >>> 80w 1x12 (modified damping) Creative Zen Touch >> Musical Fidelity B200 >> Audiovector 3x (A relatively accurate & flexible stereo with a large yet refined pair of loudspeakers) The speakers are wired 180degrees out of (absolute) phase, and thus partially cancel the combo's output, This helps reduce the impact on my neighbours.

Ibanez? EYE-BAN-EZ EEE-BAN-EZ EEE-BAN-ETH (For the Hispanic contingent!) [Runs away...]

[quote name='BassBod' post='18790' date='Jun 16 2007, 01:41 PM']Interesting discussion. My limited experience suggests that the various graphite "recipes" also sound different. I used a Status graphite neck for a while, but really didn't get on with the clacky sound - very even and great sustain but had an edge. I also borrowed an old Zon with a glued in graphite neck - very clear and strong sounding but had much more warmth. It also had no truss rod, so I guess you'd be in trouble if it ever played up..... BB[/quote] I'm convinced that the "clack" is partly a function of the phenolic fretboards that inevitably seem to accompany graphite necks. Sounds like the glued-in Zon echoes some of the traits of the neck-through Vigier 10/90 necks. As an adjunct to the query about graphite/structurally reinforced necks, apparently Roger Glover once took a Vigier Excess, rested it across two cabs (supporting the base of the neck and the volute area) and STOOD ON IT to prove its resilience to journalist types... Didn't someone once de-string a Steinberger and play Baseball with it, then string it up and play it (again to demonstrate its strength)? (Don't try this at home, kids!)

Are they actually Isobaric?, or does the rearward cone just act as an ABR?

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='18740' date='Jun 16 2007, 11:02 AM']Rob will tell you that his necks don't need truss rods as they're stiff enough, but he installs them anyway so people can have more control over their set up.[/quote] I can see why... And yet my "uncontrollable" (as it were!) Vigier's neck is utterly superb. Feels like it's not going anywhere, but it's [i]soooo[/i] slim and fast.

[quote name='Vasquez Rich' post='17757' date='Jun 14 2007, 06:06 PM']... In theory if you can get them as clean as they were when new, they should sound exactly the same, the metal doesn't know how old it is, nor remembers for how long it's been played, they act of plucking, no matter how hard, will not change the string as the tension is well within the elastic limit...[/quote] I think I'm plucking too hard then. All my strings die a Hookean death somewhere in their plastic region. I've got a set of Elixirs which are tangibly sagging on my Ibanez!

Isn't Wenge "sawdust" toxic, too? It's a great wood IMO. So is Zebrano (AKA Zebra Wenge) I'll warrant that its being difficult to work is a prinicpal factor in Warwick using Ovangkol for necks these days. I far prefer the feel of the old, all Wenge, ones. I'd love an Ebony boarded bass, but I quite like the Pau Ferro on my Stingray 5 Fretless. Purpleheart is another superb tonewood...

As an adjunct to Ped's post earlier, I find the Graphite/Resin/Phenolic board conundrum interesting. I agree that phenolic boards seem to sound clanky or clicky/plasticky. They certainly sound that way through an amp. Through a desk (studio or live), they just sound clear. They're also relatively free of dead-spots. I own; Vigier - Maple Neck. Graphite bars set in it (at an angle) to compensate for string load. NO TRUSS-ROD. It has a phenolic board. Yamaha - Maple Neck. Phenolic board. Usual single truss-rod arrangement. Fender - Maple Neck. Posiflex Graphite reinforcement. Rosewood board. There are others that only broaden the issue; Steinbergers Statii - Which in graphite-necked form have truss-rods. So, in summary, we have graphite in a number of applications; [b]Structural[/b] (Vigier and other Rod-less necks) [b]Reinforcing[/b] (Fender, with rods to adjust bow) [b]Main Material[/b] (Status, Modulus, Steinberger, Moses etc. Some with Truss-rods, some without) Fine. So, Truss rods are there to resist neck movement due to string tension AND give the neck a controlled degree of curvature to stop fretbuzz at the centre of the strings' length where their deflection due to plucking is greatest (typically 9th - 15th frets) Yet here we are with rodless necks! Are they "straight"? or is the relief built into the neck - sanded in perhaps? And also, we have all graphite necks with truss-rods to adjust them! In spite of their stability... Hmmm.

[quote name='finnbass' post='16636' date='Jun 13 2007, 12:54 AM']...I can't access any 'live' forum from my local government PC WHATEVER the content. So your 'user' should consider him/herself lucky [/quote] Ditto. I can't get a thing at work. But I work nights, so it's less of an issue, as no-one would reply to any posts. I've not yet fallen foul of any such obscenity / blasphemy / profanity filter, but the BC one does seem to be functioning more like a [i]Sanity[/i] filter at the mo'!

Lovely example! I'd like one in Ocean Blue with Silver Hardware. What's the betting It'll cost an arm and a leg? (semi-custom ahoy!) One is next on my hitlist, but I fear it's a long way off. There's a counterpoint to what we call GAS. In Hi-Fi circles, it's called WAF. WIFE ACCEPTANCE FACTOR And normally relates to (stereo) loudspeakers being too large/unsightly. It also seems to occur when you own >10 Bass Guitars! Are they Swamp Ash (apart from the £1200 "Swirly" Bubinga ones)? I've had a gut-full of Ash basses, and need something different. I hope they're lighter than either the Zebrano-bodied Infinities or Maple-bodied Streamers! If it has Warwick Red Labels on it, It deserves better strings, Black Labels, Elixirs or DRs (FatBeams) would be my choices, although the Rotos on my Streamer sound good.

My Zoot uses an SD MMHB into a Jon East E-Pro @ 18v. That gives Monstrous output. It will drive a power amp. Without a(nother) pre in the way. Sounded great through an SWR 2x10 driven by my (deceased) QSC PLX 1202. It IS designed to give greater headroom, but the pick-up shoves out a fair bit, and when you switch it to "series", run away. [i]Very[/i] quickly, and whatever you do, don't slap it...

Never seen a Neck in Hickory or with Hickory laminates. Hickory certainly grows large enough- They make pick-axe and sledgehammer handles out of it, so necks/fretboard should be manageable. It's plenty strong enough. Okay, it's not as pretty as Bird's Eye Maple, Wenge, Ebony, Pau Ferro, Purpleheart, Walnut, Ovangkol and all that sort stuff that can get into that part of a bass. If it's good enough for drummer's sticks, it's good enough for me (or maybe not! ) Anyone else got any suggestions for necks/bodies that they've never seen and wondered why they're not used?

[quote name='BlockInlayMan' post='16270' date='Jun 12 2007, 02:59 PM']Eric Avery (original Jane's Addiction bassist) - a great sense of melody and playing what the songs required. Check out "Three Days," my favourite song of all time. A good ol' P player.[/quote] Spot on! I think he plays on the "Deconstruction" album with Navarro, too. Listen to "The wait for History". More of the same! My 2pence; Andrew Weiss and Melvin Gibbs (both of The Rollins Band) Cass Lewis (Skunk Anansie & Terence Trent D'Arby) Tony Butler (Big Country) Michael Visceglia (Suzanne Vega) Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report, Phil Collins) - Just check out "This Must Be Love" from Collins' "Face Value" album. Stunning.

Unless, of course, your modern bass is a Fender (etc) that uses some Keraaazy imperial fittings like my 2004 MIA. I took it to my local (excellent) tool shop, cracked open the case and said; "I want an allen key to fit that (truss-rod), and those (saddle grub-screws)" They nearly fell over backwards, but then, it [i]is[/i] a nice bass... Beware imperial fixtures and fittings!