Dood

[quote name='Passinwind' timestamp='1472920276' post='3125369'] There's a thread on the build here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/281844-a-diy-bass-head-build/page__p__3023103__hl__passinwind__fromsearch__1#entry3023103"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/281844-a-diy-bass-head-build/[/url] I have a slightly revised version about halfway built sitting on my workbench at the moment. [/quote] I've just been looking at your build thread. My reason for wanting to get hold of the Berg' B-Amp is probably the same as the functionality in your own design. A decent parametric and HPF really does make a big difference! Like your ideas, very tidy inside too

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1473144490' post='3127247'] A lot of people use them for doing chords - I dabbled in it when I had a high c on my 5 string, they do sound nice. [/quote] [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1473146583' post='3127260'] As mentioned above, I use the high C in chords mostly... I don't find the extra width in the neck a hindrance so I like to have the option of a high c for th odd occasion I use it On an related note, thinking of trying TI flats on my sixer... [/quote] [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1473151496' post='3127317'] I use it a lot when I'm jamming in my funk band, or making wild sounds or playing chords in my weird metal band, but now I think about it, I do quite a bit of work for other people's pop/rock/folk/country and I doubt I've used it once in any of these situations. [/quote] Yup all of these. I like chords, play melodies, double up on guitar harmonies and certainly with the styles of music I like to play, there's plenty of options for getting off the 'first five frets' to play something across octaves. Tapping sounds great on a six. I like tapping chord shapes with my right hand whilst hammering out a bass line with my left. Not always mind. It's not a show off technique for me. I'll never do a shred video etc. If a song warrants it then it's a useable technique. Works well when you don't have a keys or rhythm player. In fact, having the high C means that I can strum chords in just the same way an acoustic guitarist does. I depped for an acoustic gig once and I was slightly overwhelmed by the kind comments about playing the bass like a guitar. It was a really big full sound that suited the material perfectly.

[quote name='Al Heeley' timestamp='1472946260' post='3125574'] Erm, I think you missed the part when I asked for cheap - second hand midi mouse selling at £75, disaster area pedals at $125 upwards...looking to play with a second hand £50 amp, not really wanting to spend this sort of money just to change channels up and down. Is there really nothing out there for £30 -£40? Basic midi channel up/down/select pedal? [/quote] They don't tend to be cheap new. I managed to snag a Boss FC-50 here sold by a very kind gent who kept the price down, but I think that was still £60 secondhand.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1473074033' post='3126533'] Are we counting televised performances? [/quote] Around 6.5M for approximately 5 seconds lol... But the audience has doubled with re-runs.. but no one was watching me.. Or realised I was there. And I wasn't the subject of the show. So that's the same as most gigs then...

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1472566374' post='3122162'] If you can manage to, it would be a good idea to take her to a shop to try them out. I've taught lots of 7/8 year olds, and IME a full size board is invariably too big for small hands (and as a 'by the way', causes more kids to quit than any other single reason). Sounds like a 1/2 size will be too small; most likely a 3/4 will be the one to go for. [/quote] I'd say a rubbish playing guitar has put off more students. I've seen 8 years olds tackling a 34" bass because it was easy to play. [quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1472566374' post='3122162'] Don't worry about quality issues either; think of it as a stepping stone - if she takes to it then you can move up to a full size when she's grown a bit, and if she doesn't then the school or the tutor should have no trouble helping you to sell it on and get a fair chunk of your money back. Sorry to press the point but buying a full size guitar that she can 'grow into' is just wrong I'm afraid - it may work once in a while but generally speaking it causes more problems than it solves. If the tutor works for the local music service (very likely), then there will often be a policy in place that dictates the type of instrument they recommend. If in doubt ask the school; if they can't help then they should be able to put you in touch with the music service for your area. [/quote] I'd say that quality issues have put more students off playing a guitar. If a teacher is actually worth their salt, then they will know how to help a student tackle chord shapes on a larger guitar, but there's no way they'll fix it on a guitar with an action you can drive a car under, intonation or badly cut nut. The problem here is that 3/4 guitars, for the same money as a cheap full size, generally suck. It'd be great to recommend an instrument that is the right size, but most parent's budget won't stretch to something of comparable quality that is of a smaller size. Nylon stringers in the lower price brackets are usually the worst offenders. So you either shop blind for a 3/4 instrument that may not perform but is the right size, or go for a better known brand that produces a larger instrument that you know won't have the issues that the lesser produced 3/4's do. Yes, they do come in cut down body sizes too, especially 'thin-line electro-acoustics. I've never seen a music policy that states a particular instrument type. The music services don't have the budget to invest in seeking out what is a good or bad instrument. On speaking to them, they couldn't tell the difference between guitar types anyway. Have you seen some of the stuff at schools today? - No, it's usually down to the teacher themselves to make a judgement call on what to purchase and that's usually budget driven. - Not what type, how much they aren't allowed to spend.

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1473021777' post='3126209'] Won't stay in tune - new strings needed perhaps [/quote] Really sorry to hear that - it was my worry with going with a 3/4 size guitar RhysP said it more eloquently than I. It's not limited to steel strung either. Nylons can be pretty rubbish in the same price bracket. My recommendations for something like a baby Martin (which unlike the suggestion above) is actually a shorter scale guitar and also built by a very reputable company. A bit of extra expense, but 'small guitars' that play well are in the minority. Thus my thoughts about going for a full size electric or skinny electro' are still viable ones. I'm teaching some small students right now and as I'd said earlier one is ripping up a full size strat. Oh and 3/4 electrics are awful too.

The reason I suggested it was that I wasn't 100% sure if the MM pickup would be in the way of a split coil's standard P position? If it was then maybe a split coil in a J cover would be an option? - I mean, there's enough variables between pickups that a close approximation would be enough? E.g, My Dimarzio Split sounds nothing like the CIJ US Vintage which sounds nothing like the SD SP-3 etc etc..

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1472998852' post='3125873'] Back on topic... If you don't mind! Just looking on ebay just now i found a 51p pup for less than £55 posted. It's a hand-made "Baytone" from John Anthony guitars. That could be worth looking into. [/quote] Heh heh heh, yes - back on topic then. No bruises to remember the incident then... Excellent, I'll take a look at the pickup later! Thank you for that!

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1473001427' post='3125907'] Its perfectly possible, but I don't think you need a split P pickup to give a P tone, the positioning is far more important. [/quote] I think the options other than using a Split Coil in the correct position would be to use a J pickup with dual coils wired in series instead - Dimarzio make one which I think would probably be the nearest thing to having a split coil pickup in a jazz shell. - That would probably make installation easier. Your other option Pauls S, of course is to go for the SIMS Super Quad pickup: http://www.simscustom.com/pickups/ Which will give you a P style, a J style and an MM style in one cover. You select which you want.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1472940578' post='3125531'] Sorry, don't know what I was thinking of there. [/quote] He he!! - My girlfriend found the instant coffee in the fridge the other day. I've no idea how I managed to put it in there!!

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1472982342' post='3125698'] Having played a Harris sig bass and a Dirnt sig bass I much preferred the Mike Dirnt as it was much lighter and felt nicer to play I am a huge Arry fan but did not really like the bass as much as I thought I would by the way there is a new Harris sig bass on ebay for £848 [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steve-Harris-Fender-Precision-Immaculate-Bass-Iron-Maiden-REDUCED-BARGAIN-/232064140523?hash=item360819c4eb:g:c-sAAOSwFe5XxFLp"]http://www.ebay.co.u...-sAAOSwFe5XxFLp[/url] buy it now which looks a good buy to me [/quote] My gut feeling personally is for the Dirnt as I kinda like the Tele headstock too. But right now, I won't be buying anything. I only just managed to not have to sell one of my favourite basses recently. The Fender might not be so lucky leaving the stable.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1472971212' post='3125625'] Dood, you might want to revisit the 'Arry nut width spec fella [/quote] I was quoting from the Fender website - Are the details incorrect? 41.02mm

[quote name='gs_triumph' timestamp='1472927170' post='3125430'] We don't currently have a drummer so we use backing tracks from karaoke-version.co.uk if we need s specific song. Lots on there, even some oddities, and they are cheap... £2 each. If the track we need isn't there we've used people on fiverr.com to do a track for us... Costs $5. [/quote] Also very good indeed. I buy a few backing tracks from them too

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1472856190' post='3124930'] Video not there. You mean the BB714BS; with the split, then the humbucker at the neck as Billy Sheen? That's not as you described though. Funny how you're after the added punch from a big bridge pup presence. I'm trying to sell a Thumb as the bridge pup punch isn't what I look for. But then again I, regrettably, don't gig. I don't have cutting through the mix to worry about. I digress. [/quote] I don't follow you I'm afraid! I *am* talking about and describing having a pickup in the neck position in front of the split-coil and not bridge position (or sound). I want to explore having a 51 pickup and a split-coil and to hear what happens when you combine them. BB714BS does actually do that but with a full size humbucker and all that it brings tonally, but it is all the way up against the 21st fret. My plans to test the 51 position or near to is to allow some finger space for some slap abuse.

A good time to ask as I'm researching P basses too! I know you've had a 62RI with a 42mm nut. I have one here that might go for the chop. I see the '63 & '58 P's are as you say, 7.25 on 44mm. The two basses on my radar are: Steve Harris P. 7.25" 41mm and the Mike Dirnt 9.5" at 40mm. The only thing is that both of these have fat necks that you might not like but I love the idea despite not having tried them myself! Oh wait! 70's P basses. The Nate Mendel is a 7.25 with a 40mm nut. - it's apparently based on his own 71 (??) P bass. - I'm also wondering if my rather awesome 'law-suit' is the same spec, but have to say, is a better bass than the Nate I played recently!

[quote name='AustinArto' timestamp='1471626012' post='3114626'] Max at SFX would be a good person to call. [/quote] Funnily, I do have a block diagram schematic for such a pedal that I have been planning to contact Max about. I can't see anything else on the market that has the same options so 'going custom' is the only way.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1472907322' post='3125265'] That solves the issue of output levels from the pedal, but the main reason I want this is to fix the input levels into the pedal, e.g. an envelope filter that needs a boost before it to make it useable with a quiet passive bass. [/quote] I'd also like adjustable input gains too as there are some dsp pedals that have no input gain. It'd be nice to use this sort of loop to attenuate the input but then have 'make up gain' on the return.

Yup, Tech 21 MIDI Mouse springs to mind. I've seen a few small controllers on eBay in the past too.

Yes EZ Drummer 2 here. Great song writing tool and intuitive beat editor too!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1472824942' post='3124567'] It's for things like this I sometimes get tempted to go and do drain test routs on a bass I've picked up cheap. Right now I have an old Encore. It's a P with a roadworn body. It's dinged and has stickers etc. The neck has the TR adjustment at the heel. It cost peanuts. I could afford to really lay into it with a router... But it's got Mojo!! It's ok. There's nothing wrong with it. Why wreck a perfectly healthy bass? [/quote] Similarly I have two basses sat here, that I *could* grab a cheap body for some abuse to test the theory, but I'm thinking, having played the BB714 and heard this review video (below) I might not need to. I think the plan could well work!!

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1472835819' post='3124684'] Have a listen to this chap playing this bass: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RERGJWtT5Y[/media] [/quote] You sir are a diamond - now that was very interesting!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1472746785' post='3123891'] Hmmm... now isn't that a real case of "when old meets new" ? Maybe, if someone has a body with a swimming pool rout you could borrow it and try it out? Dood, is this an arbitrary thought, or do you have a bass actually waiting for a router if it ticks the boxes? [/quote] You got it! I really like the idea of melding the two 'famous' P sounds, but at the same time I also thought about the neck humbucker + Split coil tone, but not taking up *all* of the area between split coil and neck with a massive pickup. Reason being is that a little room to get in to slap might be necessary. I'm thinking something like the Yamaha BB714BS or similar. Well, the bass itself doesn't exist yet, but I guess it might be possible to knock something up to try it if no one else has!

I love how this discussion is still going on. We've done heft... Umm... What next?