Painy

I think this highlights one of the best things about music in general as a 'performance art'. Making music can be an enjoyable pastime whether your playing to 100000 people at a huge festival or just to yourself at home. I can't imagine there's too many actors out there who can just enjoy acting to themselves at home in their bedroom! Personally though I love playing live to a pub full of happy punters. So far I've got well over 1000 gigs under my belt over the years and I'd guess it'll be several times that by the time I'm done. Just never get tired of it!

So out of interest, what effect is made to the dispersion in cabs where you have 2 drivers but positioned across the diagonal rather than immediately side by side or one above the other?

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1408565260' post='2531462'] The only factor determined by size alone is the angle of dispersion. The larger the driver the smaller the dispersion angle as frequency goes higher. That's why guitar drivers beam like mad in the highs. It's also the primary reason why tweeters are smaller than midranges, and midranges smaller than woofers. The main advantage to a larger cone is that it takes fewer of them to reach a given combination of low frequency extension and output, but at the expense of dispersion. In theory one may use, for instance, eight tens to get the same low frequency output as three fifteens, without giving up dispersion. But if you put those tens in two rows side by side the dispersion angle becomes the same as a twenty-one, so an 8x10 has narrower dispersion than a vertical stack of three 1x15s. [/quote] At the risk of displaying my ignorance, could you define dispersion? Are we basically just talking about spread of sound e.g. how well we hear the sound is affected by where we are positioned in relation to the speakers? Or in other words, will 3 vertically stacked 15s fill a venue with bass more completely and evenly than the classic 8x10 fridge configuration at the same volume?

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1408566130' post='2531467'] So what am I 'hearing' because in a blind test I swear I could tell the difference between a 10", 12" and a 15" speaker [/quote] I suspect some manufacturers may play up to people's perception that larger speakers are bassier etc. by designing the voicing of their enclosures to match that expectation? Or basically what Lozz just said!

Seems one of the most popular topics on here is which size driver to use, with the obligatory response always surfacing that larger cones don't mean more bass / smaller cones don't mean punchier etc. So my question is, what difference does driver size actualy make to the sound? If there's really no difference between them then why do we need the range of sizes we have available?

Hello Pat. Was that the blue ATK I borrowed off you to save me from the weight of my Warwick Corvette when I put my back out or that all woodgrain finish jobbie you had afterwards? Both nice bases but I was surprised when you let the woodgrain one go so soon after getting it. It did look pretty special!

[quote name='Dig' timestamp='1381267809' post='2236862'] Here's my Ken Smith BSR6GN, it has the lowest action of any bass I've played. It plays like butter, with a great neck, beautiful construction and versatile electrics. The last five digits of the serial number are FVP11 which stand for [color=#000000]F= Figured maple[/color] [color=#000000]V= 5 pc body wings[/color] [color=#000000]P= Presentation grade 4a figure in the maple (USA grown English Sycamore, old growth)[/color] [color=#000000]11 = 2011, the year made. [/color] [color=#000000]The body core is western figured maple, quilt/flame, the dark laminates are walnut, sawn from 1" stock and all matched. [/color] [color=#000000]The heel cap is tiger maple from British Columbia/western Canada and the smaller cam touching the neck is Shedua. The body strips to the nack/body joint are shedua and the neck is maple and shedua. [/color] [/quote] That right there would be my absolute, ultimate dream bass! If you ever find yourself in desperate need of a kidney..... 😜

Many years ago I mentioned to my nan that I was looking for a new acoustic guitar but wanted a steel strung one. Bless her heart she went out and found the most hideously warped old classical guitar you've ever seen with steel strings on it from a second hand junk shop and bought it for me! Can't say I'd have recommended it.

EBay item number 380958111406 😃

Another vote here for the Hercules. I have the double and because the legs spread out much wider than on the singles (I had 2 singles before I bought the double) it stays really stable with just one bass on it. It also takes my Cort A6 fine although it is quite snug so I'd imagine something like a Warwick broadneck 6er might be pushing it a bit. Durability wise - I've had mine about 6 years which means around 300 gigs plus practices and the rest of the time my basses live on it at home and it still works exactly like it did the day I got it!

Just an update. After last night's gig and a bit of experimentation by setting everything flat to start off with then going from there, I think I've got it sorted! I know everyone extoles the virtues of lots of mids to cut through but I guess I just like that scooped sound. when I rolled off the mids a bit, it really let the fat bottom end come through and with the treble boosted a touch it gave it a nice bite too. Bearing in mind it was an outdoor gig (with around 300 people in the crowd) the bass sounded like thunder but clear, defined and punchy without trying to compete in the same frequencies as the guitars! Really glad I tried a fresh approach to setting my eq before messing with my bass. Thanks all for the advice!

My old SGC Nanyo fiver is my only 'one that got away' bass. Oh dear... Think I may have just given myself GAS!

Is funny. When I posted this I thought I'd better not mention what a 'little Hitler' the seller seemed to be incase he was a bc member but I guess there's no pulling punches here. It's possible the seller is crazier than the item he's selling!

I just used those extra long matches on mine and sanded them flat! Works a treat

Just seen a listing on eBay - item number 151368795060 if you want to have a look. A Peavey 3620 cab containing 2 18" drivers topped off with a further 2 10s. I could actually feel my vertebrae starting to turn to dust just looking at the pictures! I'm sure it sounds volcanic but what on earth would possess anyone to design such a thing?

Just to add the SVT 450h has actually now been discontinued anyway.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1406577039' post='2512698'] Or Dave Clark with a bad memory. [/quote] Lol. That thought had actually already occurred to me!

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1406640641' post='2513305'] Never read so much diatribe in a thread that has nought to do with the OPs question. I would find the ccorrect frequencies you want to boost before buying a unit that may not do it. And stay away from anything that cheap, it will no doubt be about as usefull as a chocolate fireguard. [/quote] Was kind of thinking, set everything flat then boost each frequency on the graphic one at a time and see which frequency best fills the gap in the sound that I'm looking for (bearing in mind of course that each frequency will have an effect on the others) and take it from there. To be honest I've moved away from the really cheap idea and found what looks like a decent preamp on ebay for a reasonable but not stupidly cheap price that also has some really good reviews online (mainly on talkbass). Just remains to check if the frequencies available well be what I'm looking for i guess.

Mmmm... Fireguard. Err.... Hey, wot?!?

Certainly worth a try. I had been thinking about starting from scratch with everything flat on the bass and the amp and take it from there anyway so I'll give it a go before messing around with the electrics.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1406619153' post='2512972'] @Painy - it might well be that the bass boost is adding to frequencies that don't contribute greatly to the perceived volume levels (I think that filter is centred on the sub-bass region where your rig will struggle to amplify it well) and you've got a bit of a hole in the bass frequencies (though where the bass and mids cross on that graph is about 150Hz which is about D3, the 12th fret on the D string so it ain't that 'low'). However, if you've a chance to boost in the 100 to 300Hz region (via an EQ pedal or amp) then that might help... [/quote] Thanks, that's kinda what I've been doing to compensate (my amp has 3 band rotary and 9 band graphic eq) and it certainly gets me 90% of the way but the amount of boost I'm having to use on those frequencies means the onboard limiter is going into overdrive to control it. I'd rather get the signal how I want it at the input stage where I can tame it by setting the input gain control. I much prefer as few pedals as possible in the signal chain as I do find they take something away from the tone themselves (just a true bypass tuner for me) hence I was looking at a replacement pre. I'm now looking at preamp in the not quite so cheap and nasty but still affordable price range (Tone Monster) which has some pretty good reviews online.

Let me see... My step mum managed the Who's fan club back in the 70s and is still in touch with Roger Daltrey. I knew Paul Samson (of NWOBHM band Samson - Bruce Dickinson's band before Maiden) when he was alive and Samson's old bass player, Chris Aylmer, played with one of my old bands before I joined but I got to know him pretty well too. Did once have a guy turn up to audition for an old band who claimed to be Dave D of Dave D, Dozey, Beakey , Mick & Titch but seeing as he said he was the drummer and Dave D was actually the singer I'm inclined to think that he was just lying.

Well it can manage straight root notes okay but I'd like to see it have a go at a John Pattitucci solo!

[quote name='joeystrange' timestamp='1406233007' post='2509682'] And that guy is Gary Sinise. He plays bass in Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band. He also once played in an episode of CSI:NY. [/quote] Gary Sinise is actually listed as an endorsee on the Cort website!