Clarky

I got a Euphonic Audio amp this week from BassDirect and the manufacturers had supplied a US kettle lead in the box I can obviously swap from another amp but this is a pain and also a recipe for disater if I turn up to a gig or rehearsal having forgotten to swap over. So does anyone know where I could buy a standard UK kettle lead for an amp? Muchos gracias

[quote name='marvin spangles' post='1243289' date='May 24 2011, 07:07 PM']Hi Clarky The EA is a good amp and should be loud enough for most gigs . I alternated between the AI focus and the EA doubler. The lack of an extra speakon out can be solved if you have a speaker with two speakons. I like both these amps. The EA is slightly coloured IME(not a bad thing especially with EB) where as the AI seems more neutral. Build quality the AI wins. I feel the EA is a little on the flimsy side.[/quote] Interesting. I do agree the Doubler is a little flimsy but I guess that the price you pay for such a miniscule, ultralight (2.5 pounds!) amp. Hope to get a quick go on it tonight when back home (been in sunny Frankfurt for the day hence the absence of my usual 278 posts!) The AI is the single best sounding DB amp I have ever heard but its just not loud enough for my band unless I use it (frankly a bit of a waste of it) as a power amp for my Mackie speaker. One of the two will end up for sale on BassChat of course ;-)

[quote name='walbassist' post='1242322' date='May 23 2011, 09:50 PM']And what do you think of it? I loved the Doubler I had.[/quote] Too early to say - can only play at very quiet volumes due to neighbours! Sounds quite bright with my Shadow pickup. I need to play around with EQ to get a bassier sound .... but I have been instructed by she-who-must-be-obeyed that its too late to be playing it now. I can't believe how small and light it is. Edit: one thing I am less enamoured by is only having one speakon out (I stupidly didn't spot that when researching). Thats fine if you have a good cab that can keep up with the band but in my case I have found the best results with my AI Coda combo with a PA speaker on a stand at head height (for me) as well as the combo cab on the floor (for the drummer). Can probably solve this with my Barefaced Midget as thats mighty loud but even so, an extra speakon out would have been a nice option (which needn't have dramatically altered the miniscule dimensions of the Doubler). Also the DI out is a jack socket, although I had been warned about this in advance by BC'er Fatback so I had a short jack-to-XLR cable made by obbm, as Fatback did. Edit again: I just sneakily tried it at low volume through my Midget T and it sounded a whole lot bassier than through the Mackie C200 PA cab I first tested it with. Promising

Thank you gents - fortunately it worked fine when I swapped for my UK-ended Acoustic Image kettle lead. Phew!

Just got hold of an EA Doubler for a try-out. It has come with a US kettle lead, natch Can I just swap over for a UK kettle lead, given that it came from a UK supplier? Don't want to blow it up without even playing the damn thing!

[quote name='mikegatward' post='1241697' date='May 23 2011, 03:04 PM']I've been lucky enough to get tickets for the champions league final on Saturday. Have got to catch an early train to get the best price so will arrive about 10.30 and can't check into the hotel till 3.00pm or so It seems like an opportunity to explore some bass orientated music shops. Wondered where was recommended and where I should avoid.[/quote] Go to Camden and visit the Bass Gallery - proper bass porn there. Then wander up to Camden lock and get some nice food!

Weekend Warrior and Nigel having a w*** Today's Sesame Street was brought to you by the letter 'W' [attachment=80735:Bert_and...ie_sized.jpg]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Silver-Star-5-String-Bass-One-of-a-kind-/180671155058?pt=Guitar&hash=item2a10d70b72"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Silver-Star-5-String...=item2a10d70b72[/url]

Update: We had a (nearly) full-band rehearsal yesterday ahead of the festival gig next weekend at pretty hefty volume. I used a Mackie 10"PA speaker (a C200) on a stand at head height just behind me and it worked brilliantly (for our drummer as well). Thanks to Mr_Bassman (Keith) for suggesting this route. Will use this at the Meadowlands festival. Setup yesterday was: Shadow SH950 pickup ->LR Baggs Venue DI preamp ->Acoustic Image Coda ->MackieC200

If I can join you Jack, I will - the big variable is Mrs C, who is recovering very slowly from her ski injury. We have her checkup with the consultant on Friday regarding whether she needs surgery and how extensive. If that does not go well she will not be wanting me to disappear into town for the evening

Sold Mike a J-Retro. Couldn't have been more friendly and helpful in his communications

[quote name='BassBod' post='1220684' date='May 5 2011, 09:58 AM']Try emailing Bert Gerecht @ Hotwire in Germany. He seems to have a good relationship with Pyramid and may be able to get them pretty quick?[/quote] Good shout BassBod - I just got some Pyramids black nylon flats (from Thomann, which got them back in stock). They are certainly nicer under the fingers than TruBass - almost feel as if they are made of some soft type of fabric! Also I can get the action lower with these than with Tru Bass, so win-win

1) Given my 'early learner' status, should I really be thinking about an upright at this stage? Or should I concentrate on playing guitar to improve my basic skills first? [i]I am pretty agricultural on electric bass but have made teh move to upright and am in a gigging band. Go for it[/i] 2) Is there any reason why, as a newbie, I should be avoiding EUBs and thinking about an acoustic upright instead? [i]EUBs are less complex when it comes to amplification (little/no feedback) and easier to transport/store .... but most sound part-way between a fretless and an acoustic upright. If its the lovely, woody rich sound of an acoustic you are after, go straight to acoustic IMHO[/i]

Bumpity - our on-stage time is confirmed as 1.45-2.30pm on the Sunday Roll up, roll up for Rattlin Bone plus two clowns and two fire-eaters - thats up to 18 on stage!!!!!

I can get six in the back of my Hummer [size=1]I don't have a Hummer or six double basses[/size]

As an addendum, I have had my DB on a stand for 15 years, despite a busy household with three kids (and countless kids' play-dates with loads of herberts in our house), and never had an accident yet. A crowded stage of course may present a different proposition ... and I have mentioned that there's no retainer on the Hercules

I should have gone the £10 route - I got my 'Doug's Plugs' and they are a loose fit (my fault as I sent slightly sloppy tracings) so I am not sure they really help at all - though to be fair I'only got them last week and I haven't cranked up the voume yet (got band rehearsal on Sunday, ahead of Meadowlands festival gig the following w/e) What I have done is buy a Mackie 10" speaker (the C200) and stand off Mr_Bassman and am going to try this behind me at head height, not pointing directly at the bass. So my setup will be: Baggs preamp into amp (either AI Coda or Markbass F500/Midget), set to one side, with Mackie on stand behind me. Fingers crossd that will do the trick. As a backup I have ordered a mag pickup from the US.

So Jack, will you be selling the Allevas and Statii then? More seriously, I recently did a recording session with my '63P (on a Northern Soul-cum-Motown type song) and the man on the desk was raving over the sound. They may not have the articulation of Jazzes or the punch of Stingrays but they do sit so well as a rhythm section instrument

I daren't even poke my head above the parapet given my history Nevertheless I now have my dream P bass (YOB '63P), my dream fretless (Wal Mk1) and a gorgeous Jazz (wesfinn's Herbie Flowers-inspired '59-alike) so its difficult to think of what I could GAS over, especially as rigs have rarely excited me. Best move on to DB-type stuff then! In which case a lovely original '60s Ampeg baby Bass would be nice. B*gger, so I'm not GAS-free!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1237536' date='May 19 2011, 10:43 PM']The Wal looks fantastic! Have you used it on any recording yet?[/quote] Nope, only got it on Tuesday It replaced a beautiful Wal Mk II/III fretless that I sold to BC'er lafrite as I wanted the thicker neck of the Mk1. Still in the stage of sorting out the strings and setup (just put some Status Hotwire half-rounds on it; the previous owner had incredibly low action of about 1mm (!) which doesn't work with my sausage fingers so I am slowly adjusting it and am nearly there)

OK now I am at home and can upload photos, here are my duo '71 fretless P/J [attachment=80431:P1040211.JPG] '83 Wal Mk1 [attachment=80432:P1040259.JPG]