Dood

Anyone used these as a MIDI controller?

I had a chat with Jon the other day about some up and coming news - I understand he has more than 20 basses on the go at the moment. - Sorry Steve, I've no plans to head up just yet so I'm afraid I cannae help on this occasion mate.

Same 'ere ! I love my basses! I really can't ever see a day when I'll stop playing!!

Bit late to the discussion - even with my string killing fingers, I really rate Rotosound Rotos. They are smooth under your pinkies, have a nice tone to them and for those who change strings regularly they can be picked up for a brilliant price. I order custom gauged 6 string sets for my headless bass.

Ahhh congratulations! A beautiful Shuker! I feel the same about mine too - just so comfortable and I think they make me noodle and play more.. just can't leave 'em alone ha ha!!

[quote name='Sawtooth' post='1230565' date='May 13 2011, 11:31 PM']Yes they do! (MC?) 4558 (C?) / KOREA / 5A - the print is very small, but I can clearly make out the numbers, the letters less so. Wow, I must admit that most of your information has gone straight over my head but I thank you anyway. You obviously know your stuff and I value your opinion, so, I'm willing to throw a good wedge at a new preamp and would like some help narrowing down my choices.[/quote] Yup MC 4558C - Sorry, I got told the other day by one of my students I kinda go overboard with the detail a bit ha ha ha!!! - ok, in short - the 4558 was like a Ford Escort and you could get a Mercedes version to plug in instead for a more quality ride! - but they're not actually crazy expensive. But that aside - there is a massive choice of preamps on the market from EMG, Seymour Duncan, Aguilar, John East, Bartolini and many more - none of them are bad and will all be a good upgrade. I have experience of some, but thankfully as icastle has said, we have a great collective encyclopaedic knowledge on BC so you'll be sure to get lots of excellent helpful answers!

[quote name='icastle' post='1230578' date='May 13 2011, 11:52 PM']Doesn't matter what you need to know, someone here will have the answer... [/quote] We're like 118... but better - especially numbers!

I'll move the thread for you.

I'm not sure - but I own the Digitech stereo JamMan and can edit the files on my computer. It comes with some default stereo backing tracks on too.

Just out of interest, do those two op-amps say 4558 on the top? I can't quite see. If they are, they are a generic op-amps - ( a pair of 741's in a package for all the geeky types) So my guess is that it's a fairly old preamp - because there have been a lot of advances in both performance and power consumption since they came out. The same Op amps appear in an old combo I have which is well over ten years old, as a guide. It is possible to upgrade the chips - as iCastle has pointed out they will pop out and with a bit of investigation I'm sure it'd be easy to find out what the latest incarnation of a quality pre op-amp is. I recall names such as TL072, LF353N, OPA2xx, NE553x, LT1358(?) from waaaay back - most will just slot straight in - but it'd be hard to make a 100% definite choice without seeing knowing the schematic - though my major hunch looking at the lack of stuff on the board is that it's probably a gain stage and baxandall bass treble network - a very obvious method and used a great deal in active circuits. Given what we can see, if you decided to upgrade to an up to date preamp I am positive you will notice a big difference in Bass sound.

There's a recent post about the very subject: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=134360"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=134360[/url] Hope it helps!

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1229965' date='May 13 2011, 02:33 PM']Oh, I missed that one. I desperately want a Harpejji! [/quote] Just for you mate: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=134706&hl=harpejji"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...amp;hl=harpejji[/url]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1229984' date='May 13 2011, 02:45 PM']And let's face it, there is a very small minority of people who buy basses with lots of strings that do it mostly for the attention. They must love threads like this.[/quote] Fixed it for you.

[quote name='bremen' post='1229918' date='May 13 2011, 01:57 PM']Yeah, but you're one of [b]us[/b] ;-)[/quote] I'm clicking the imaginary 'like' button right now. Very true, I am a BC lifer - always have been, always will be. Cheers Bremen!

Ok, I'll bite! - sure have an opinion about how a Bass isn't to your liking but seriously, ripping a guy you don't even know just because of the Bass he plays or the music he's in to is a major low ball. All the chats and comms I've had with John Turner have been helpful and informative. He helped me select and import a Bass once too - which he didn't have to do.. Not shouting or ranting, just would like to add a bit of perspective to the thread. Sometimes I am amazed at the closed mindedness of some!! - I've long hair, a goatee and long hair..oh dear, I play more than one ERB and like Dream Theater. WTF does that make me? As an observation, it was interesting to see that my Harpejji thread got lots of love - but as soon as a Bass comes along that *doesn't* have as many strings, it's deemed a freak of nature. I wonder if people's perception of what a Bass should be is creeping in to the equation just a bit here?

I...I.. Nope, I actually can't bring myself to post any response.

Speaking of preamps - There are a few names that come up often as proved upgrades. My friend and fellow BCer has an Aguilar OBP-3 that is installed in a metal box, a bit like a pedal and it was nice to hear what his jazz bass sounded like with and without it. Very nice with, I can tell you! - I think John East is also making some really good circuits too with tons of options available for different instruments. I have to put a shout out for Jon Shuker too, who has his own line of preamps that are really very good.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1226933' date='May 10 2011, 11:32 PM']I would have thought the preamp would have as big if not bigger influence on the sound.[/quote] Yes and no. Some preamplifiers are designed to not colour the sound at all, but just allow bass, mid, treble boost and cut where as other manufacturers have engineered a 'frequency curve' or 'tone' in to them. Interestingly the EMG preamps are pretty transparent - but the boost and cut is in really sympathetic frequencies for Bass guitar. Pickups will in most cases make the most amount of difference. I guess you'd only have to look at the pickup upgrade market for a P Bass alone to see that the differences are worth the upgrade/crossgrade costs.

Well, if anyone saw my Facebook ramblings today, it's this prototype beauty: Made by Andy Guyton of Guyton Guitars in Suffolk for Brian May. or at least a production model of - this one was at the London Bass Guitar Show:

[quote name='silddx' post='1225102' date='May 9 2011, 02:05 PM']Do it. Try and get a Jap Fender non-export model. A good S/H one won't cost much more than a new MIM, and it will kick a USA Fender's backside to kingdom come.[/quote] Yep yep! Infact, CIJ non-exp did do a 70's P with a maple neck. I was at odds as to whether I should get my black one with a rosewood f/board or a natural bod and Maple f/board. In the end, Mr Deacon won

Hmmm - I might just counter that opinion a wee bit. Yes I do agree that there is a percentage of the instruments tone locked away in the woods and physical hardware, but the pickups and their position themselves govern a large percentage of the overall instrument's amplified tone. So I'd have to say that swapping the pickups out won't make the bass sound exactly 'like the Spector you played', but there will be a marked difference in tone of the Bass. For example, the EMG DC active pickup that Spector uses in a lot of it's basses has a very strong character or 'voice' if you will and you can definitely hear it in different instruments. Whether or not it's an improvement is personal opinion.

Bring me an Alligator sandwich! And make it snappy!! [/coat]

Wouldn't mind running a HA5500 with my rig to see what they sound like! - I've heard other people with the 3500 and it sounded great!