Storky

Thanks very much for the size info, really useful 👍

7 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

I also use Fishman Platinum Pro and a QSC, the K10.2. Great setup for acoustic basses and also any other basses you might have as well as acoustic guitars!

Thanks for that, the FRFR solution seems a popular and successful solution. My slight reservation is that I didn’t want a large speaker cab and some of the little acoustic combos seem very neat. I’m not really sure how large these QSC cabs are in comparison 🤔

13 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Having had an AER I can say they are excellent as are PJB and Acoustic Image, both of which I have played through with both acoustic bass and acoustic guitar but all three were easily beaten by a powered speaker and a good preamp. I use a QSC K12.2 and used to use a Fishman Platinum Pro until I got a HX Stomp. The Stomp and the QSC is, by a country mile, the best set up I’ve ever had for playing in my acoustic duo, I’ll never look at a trad amp/cab or combo again.

Thanks for the comment; very interesting. I do have the Fishman platinum pro, but that’s really good advice based on personal experience; I’ll investigate further 🤔 thanks again 

Presumably this is sold/no longer available?

I play acoustic bass in a band and am considering a new combo, maybe around 200 watts, so I can play small bars etc. I’m thinking of an acoustically focused amp. I’m looking at AER, PJB, or Acoustic Image. Does anyone have opinions on any of these, or other suggestions I should be considering?

I’m on my second Squier. I do like it and I love the tone, it works well with my 60s trio. I could develop it more with chords and more guitar like riffs etc, but I’m not playing it quite as much recently - scared of the string spacing, which does trip me up a bit, although it’s only practice and getting used to it. Mine it comfortable and not heavy. Great to palm mute and play with a pick

10 hours ago, Dropzone said:

I tried the Bose and was not overly impressed. I am well impressed with the stagepas. Appearing live in Bognor Regis if anyone wants to check it out.

Is that the Stagepass 600 you use or with the two conventional speakers and a mixer or the line array system?

8 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

What about AER?

And what about PJB?

This has been very interesting as I have been looking for a more compact set up for small pub gigs etc. I have two bands; a 60’s trio (vox x 2, bass, drums, guitar) with just the vox going through the PA and an acoustic band with vox x 3, acoustic guitar, double bass, and violin or mandolin, all of which would need to go through the PA.

I brought a RCF Evox 12 yesterday, got it home and it’s massive - too big with its large sub for the small gigs I’m planning to use it at. I spoke to the store about an exchange and they suggested the Bose Pro 8, but I’m worried because of the negative comments about Bose on this thread. I’m confused as they really rate it. I spoke to two other stores and they also came in with the Bose Pro 8 as first choice (along with the Yamaha StagePAS 600, but I like the idea of the linear column systems.

Advice appreciated….

Hi Yes, now sold I’m afraid.

I must admit the same thought had gone through my mind, but I was also allowing Ashdown, which I’m not sure are built in UK?

Put it together with a Barefaced cab and a nice bass from one of the several UK builders and I think you’d have a great rig.

Sale agreed 👍

Sale pending…..

Sorry wrong thread 

5 minutes ago, Merton said:

Ooooh. You’re only a few miles up the road from me. This could be problematic 😅

Oh yes you are very local to me. You would be welcome to come round and have a go if you’re interested.

I’m going to have to move on my Handbox WB-100 all valve amp head. Many of you guys know about these great amps; 120W solidly built and ready to gig. I’m playing more “doubling gigs” and use double bass as well as electric, so my two channel head is getting most of the work. But the Handbox is loud and sounds great. Importantly it’s not too big or too heavy, so it’s a practical choice if your want a proper valve amp.

I had an older one of these a few years ago, but it was 32” (medium scale). I know the more recent ones have been 34” (long scale). I could be potentially interested if it was the shorter scale and if it was less than 9lbs weight. Would you mind checking if it’s not too much hassle?

I got mine online without trying it out as they weren’t available and in stock at the time. I put an order in and waited. I think it’s safe to order online, they are very nice instruments, but if you get one with the well documented faults (cracked headstock, knobs that rub due to the shafts not being vertical) you would have to return it. So maybe best to order from a local retailer. My first 1005MS had the cracked headstock but I just got it returned and replaced with another. I sold that one and brought the 1505 instead which was perfect.

Hi Rick

Yes, I like the EHB1505MS, the pickups are a bit better, but the others weren’t bad in my opinion. Otherwise they are similar to play, despite different woods.

My only issue is finding occasions to actually use it with a band as the two I play in are a bit retro for this futuristic beast!

Ade

On 07/02/2021 at 15:33, Storky said:

Talking of knobs. Does anyone have an ehb with knobs that turn smoothly? Mine are a bit stiff and so were the ones on the first ehb I had which was returned due to the cracked “head stock”.

I have just followed suit and got a set of the East knobs and they are nicer, but still stiff on the two stacked knobs. On further investigation I find that the shafts are not vertical, so the knobs are rubbing against the body. Are they all like this?

My first one (also returned with cracked headstock) had stiff knobs (!) also due to non vertical shafts (!) but the replacement was fine, although the East knobs I brought did not fit as well as the original plastic ones and rubbed a bit, so I have kept the plastic ones at the moment 

10 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Roger Sadowsky licenced the design to Warwick. I believe he had input during the licence set-up and hand-over phase, but has no part in the manufacture, marketing or quality control of these basses. The hardware and electrics are not made by Sadowsky, but are licenced to, and made by, Warwick. I would guess also in China.

Are the pickups and electrics, preamp etc not based on the Sadowsky designs of Roger Sadowsky even though they are not manufactured by his company?

11 minutes ago, alyctes said:

 

Isn't that a baritone?  Or have I misunderstood?

No, not a baritone as that would be A-a or B-b, this is like a Bass VI and would go as low as a standard 4 string bass guitar or (double bass for that matter). This instrument would just have an additional two higher strings (a B and an E).

11 hours ago, dudewheresmybass said:

Wasn’t he played by James c***en in the joe meek film?

Yes, I’m sure he was; I was thinking the same thing

4 hours ago, mrtcat said:

Just remember, if using helix, you have lots of options with signal chain and also output signal. If going into the front end of an amp make sure your output is set to instrument level but if going direct into effects return make sure it's set to line level. 

For me, the best thing about the helix (and the LT is a really capable bit of kit) is the ability to split signal, apply fx to certain frequencies and then merge the signal again. For example, when I use overdrive, I split the signal at 250hz, compress the low signal and apply drive to the high signal before merging it back together. This maintains lows and low mids without making them mushy / boomy but still gives the benefits of nice overdrive. 

If I was using a helix with both amp and pa support I would have two signal chains running. The one to pa could have amp and cab sims (I personally never use cab sims) the one to the amp wouldn't have any amp or cab sims if I was running into the front of the amp head but could have a preamp sim if i was going into fx return on the back of the amp. 

The trick with a helix (or any other similar preamp) is to take your time and build your sound at gig volume. What sounds good at low volume at home usually sounds pretty bad at gig volume.

Thanks Mr TC

Great advice, I kinda know that the Helix has great potential, but as I said at the top of this thread, I’m a bit of a Neanderthal and I haven’t got to grips with it properly, to the extent that my sound is possibly better going straight to amp. 😏 If you lived nearer, I’d be hitting you up for some 1:1 help as you sound like you know how it works?

1 hour ago, uk_lefty said:

I have been round the houses with a number of options but for gigs you always need confidence in your sound whether you have room for a pedal board or not. The quandary is that a pre amp pedal that sounds great with one of your basses might sound awful with another, E. G. An EHX Batallion sounded great with my passive P bass but awful with my active jazz. If you have a Helix already and it's creating unwanted noise then you really need to get under the hood of what it is doing so you can tweak it to get rid of what you don't like and build up some good basic tones for your go to basses. The PC based editor is really easy to use and there are good presets available for free on the Line 6 forum and elsewhere so you could try some of those and experiment with pulling out bits you don't like or don't want. You can easily build up settings from scratch too: I had one called "Nowt" because it had nowt in it for when I just want to bypass, I've got others where there is a compressor and pre amp I can switch on and off by footswitches, nothing else going on, nothing fancy. Since you have it I'd recommend persevering with the Helix and starting off with basics. 

That sounds sensible, I haven’t got to grips with how to use the Helix LT not having used any kind of effects in the past.

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

 

What is it about your sound that you are not happy with?

Last week it was boomy, lacked definition and clarity. As I mentioned earlier, it was better once I removed the Helix LT which surprised me. Even then the speaker was a bit “farty” like it couldn’t handle the power from the valve amp (120 watts vs 600 watts that the speaker should be able to cope with).