cybertect

Everything goes into an aluminium case from Maplin: MB500 amp, zoom B3 with expression pedal, cables and assorted odds and sods (clip on tuner or occasional offstage use).

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1466250236' post='3074403']You also don't want to be that band who plays the shittiest gigs, because then you become a 'sh*tty band' by association.[/quote] If a crap band plays in a forest and there is no-one there to hear them, do they still sound like crap? Edit: No disrespect to the OP intended

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1465571294' post='3069379'] Mid to late 1990s, formed a punk/goth band and called it Wasp Factory. We got an indie recording deal, and were all set to go into the studio when NME had a gushing write up of an unremarkable indie band called ... The Wasp Factory. So we became Complicity. We shouldn't have bothered with the name change as the indie band went nowhere. An acquaintance, now sadly departed, had a band called Altered States which he formed in the 1980s and which he later reformed in the 1990s (with a bassist who went on to become the Complicity guitarist funnily enough). He registered the name, and I know for sure he stopped at least one other band using the name.[/quote] As you were obviously huge Iain Banks fans, you didn't fancy taking a punt at naming yourselves [i]Frozen Gold[/i], then?

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1465131089' post='3065477'] Beats me why new drivers are required in the first place. USB has been a stable standard for years now so why does a new OS need to have new drivers? We don't have to update all our other software every time a new OS is released do we, so why drivers? Shame on the lazy OS developers if you ask me. [/quote] Well, there are a few things to pick up on here. For basic I/O and many other common tasks, then you're right. Devices which are Class Compliant with the USB Audio Standard (v1.0 1998, v2.0 2006) shouldn't need manufacturer-supplied drivers. It's built into the operating system and when a new version of OS X, Windows or Linux is released, then that built-in driver is also updated. Where this falls down is when hardware makers want to create features that are either unavailable using the USB Audio Standard or which OS makers (Apple/Microsoft) have not implemented in their USB Audio support. I'm more familiar with Macs, but, for example, while there was limited support for USB Audio v2.0 features in earlier versions of OS X, Apple didn't fully support it until 10.6. If you wanted to use [i]High Speed Streaming[/i] or [i]Status Interrupt Control Endpoints[/i] from USB Audio v2.0, then you couldn't do that on 10.5 with the built-in drivers. Manufacturers then had either the choice of writing their own driver in its entirety from the ground up or, for some features, extending the built in Class Driver with a Kernel Extension. Both of these options will probably require updates when new versions of the host OS ships, which will usually stop when the hardware maker declares the product End-of-Life. At that point, as an end user, you're pretty well on your own if it doesn't work. The good news is that as the USB Audio standard has matured and better supported the needs of hardware-makers, while also being more fully supported by OS-makers, the need to write custom drivers for hardware has reduced and the number of Class Compliant devices has increased. You can be fairly confident that if the product is described as 'class compliant' it will continue to work with future OS versions, whatever platform you are using. The small fly in the ointment with this more optimistic view is that the shift from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0 (that is the USB hardware standard, not the USB Audo Class standard) has broken a few devices even though USB 3.0 is supposed to be backward compatible. For example, M-Audio were recommending not to connect their devices designed for USB 2 to USB 3 ports in 2014. This is largely independent of OS version (and even OS platform) however,. Fortunately, new versions of USB do come along very rarely and have delivered significant benefits, such as much faster transfer speeds.

[quote name='casapete' timestamp='1465037129' post='3064830'] Am guessing I should have arranged a commission deal with Amazon.... [/quote] Possibly so. They were out of stock when I placed an order a couple of hours ago.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1464634948' post='3061033'] What's in the previous Wunjo bass shop now by the way? [/quote] Nothing for now. The building is being stripped out and refurbished with a full electric rewire. Wunjo will be moving back when it's done.

I don't think this news has been posted here before... In case anyone didn't know, last weekend Wunjo Bass moved from their shop at 22 Denmark Street into the basement of No. 23, below the keyboards shop. I've written a blog post about the move with a bunch of photographs on my Denmark Street project site, [url="http://streetofsound.uk/news/wunjo-bass-move/"]Street of Sound[/url] A couple of pics as a teaser: Tom being proprietorial in his new basement The new interior

Not exactly 'met', but I took this photo on Denmark Street last June. [url=https://flic.kr/p/vcZkKA][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/vcZkKA]Denmark Street by -cybertect-[/url] A couple of weeks later I was showing some pics to Tom at Wunjo bass and he said "You know the guy in the orange T-shirt is Michael Kiwanuka?"

My 1967 Hofner Verithin, which I bought second hand in 1988. I still gig with it occasionally and, as its coincidentally the same age as me, I'm not selling. [url=https://flic.kr/p/DYgVCu][/url] [url=https://flic.kr/p/DYgVCu]My Höfner Verithin Bass by -cybertect-[/url]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1460740192' post='3028392'] What a great euphemism. "Hey babe... fancy popping upstairs to hit a resonant frequency..?" [/quote] Bass licks and chill

[quote name='Sammers' timestamp='1460711266' post='3028010']Although my friend has Shure's and they just push in but they don't seem to flop out.[/quote] Yes. The cables on my Shure SE215s are detachable, but it takes quite a lot of effort to get them off.

First port of call is usually the 1979 Musicman Sabre that I've gigged with since 1993. It's like a pair of comfortable old shoes to me. I've been needing a 5 string a lot more for some of the numbers we play and I bought a fretless Stingray 5 Hp last year to fill that gap. I've been experimenting with using that for the whole gig to save swapping about and it's working well.

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1460363130' post='3024884'] Meh! I played a huge range of guitars & basses on stage, studio and pit for well over 20 years. I honestly can't remember one of them ever coming loose (and I do recall - albeit somewhat dimly - being quite active on stage, especially as a guitarist). Each to their own I guess... [/quote] I remember watching the Eurovision qualifiers this year and seeing the guitar strap of one of the performers looking somewhat insecure - made a remark to my wife that she really should have checked that before going on stage or there will be trouble... https://youtu.be/HJyXF3oJX-I?t=5 Lo and behold, about a minute later - Whoops! live on national TV. https://youtu.be/HJyXF3oJX-I?t=79

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1460206500' post='3023622'] From demos I don't think they sound like a Ray even with that humbucker in the sweet spot. I like what I hear from the HH models though! Andertons have the American Deluxe models on massive discount right now as they've been replaced by the seemingly identical American Elite line: http://www.andertons.co.uk/Products/Products.asp?keyword=Dimension+bass&type=search&attributeXML0=||||#1460206303837page-1 [/quote] If I had the cash, that would be tempting. I tried a couple of US Deluxe Dimension V HHs last year when I was looking for a 5 string and rather liked them. I thought they measured up well against a Jazz, which was what I had mainly in mind at the time. I got seduced by a fretless Stingray 5 Hp in the end, though.

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1460204542' post='3023584']It's those moments just before a song starts when you can't even fathom which key it's supposed to be in that get me.[/quote] That came back to haunt me this evening - singer forgot to capo his guitar when starting Like A Hurricane, so even though I did remember in time, we had a car crash of different keys. Oops.

[quote name='howdenspur' timestamp='1460193333' post='3023377'] This makes me feel much better...when you are mid set, about to start the next song and your mind goes blank ("what do we start on?)...or worse, mid song, completely in the groove without thinking and then you regain consciousness and it all goes to the proverbial. [/quote] It's those moments just before a song starts when you can't even fathom which key it's supposed to be in that get me.

[quote name='nerminater' timestamp='1460051289' post='3022162']Coronado 2, Starfire, Jack Casady, or Chowney? Or is there something else within that price range. [/quote] I'm a little biased as I own a 1967 Verithin, but there is also the Hofner Verythin CT to look at if you are OK with a shorter neck. Light, comfortable and it definitely has the right sound. That said, I tried a Jack Casady in Wunjo a few weeks ago and really liked it. Get your hands on one to try if you can.

Kim Wilde, Neneh Cherry

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1459782933' post='3019569'] ... and Rufus and Martha Wainwright ... and actually lots and lots of others. [/quote] Dweezil Zappa, Arlo Guthrie... Johan Strauss the Younger Actually, Jakob Dylan's band, The Wallflowers are quite listenable IMO. They've won two Grammys, which doesn't happen by accident or merely because of who your dad is.

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1458764201' post='3010709'] MM Stingray, it's not the first thing people would think of but it just works really well. Get some status half rounds on there and its awesome. I traded a whole load of gear for a used one I found in a shop and never regretted it for a moment. A great recorded sound [/quote] I bought a Stingray 5 Hp FL with an unlined pau ferro board last year (upgrading from a fretless VM Jazz). I love it. Absolutely no regrets. The other guys in my band still complement me on the sound it makes.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1458218968' post='3005690'] Conversely though I absolutely definitely would buy this... [/quote] Hmm...

[quote name='Jebo1' timestamp='1458215855' post='3005631']Paul McCartney bought the double bass played on the classic Elvis tracks by Bill Black. Given what that bass means to the world, it would have been a serious bit of money.[/quote] FWIW it was Linda who bought it as a birthday present for Paul.

Well worth reading. Thanks [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1456833011' post='2992618'] They're doing a bass? [/quote] Or perhaps Darkglass-branded flat-pack shelving to put your collection on?

[quote name='JammyJim' timestamp='1456487266' post='2989489']If you fail to bag the PF350 then I would highly recommend the B3, it is what I use all the time when practicing and is extremely versatile.[/quote] Likewise. My GK MB500 amp has a headphone socket which is perfectly safe to use without a cab, but I use a B3 for practice because it has Amp modelling Built in tuner Looper Drum machine USB in/out interface for my computer so I can play along with tracks on there. That it also does tons of effects is almost secondary. Most of the time I'll just make judicious use of chorus and/or reverb. As a further bonus, for some gigs where it's been necessary for reasons of time or space, I've simply used the B3 DI out straight into the PA. I bought my B3 in the classifieds here for about £100 in pretty much as-new condition.

[quote name='Loudhailer UK' timestamp='1456409867' post='2988717']Anyway, I still have the original Music man catalogue from 1980. Very tatty and stuck together with sellotape.[/quote] Somehow that suggests a lot of thumbing through and good measure of love