Dood

[quote name='Dread Bass' post='1015774' date='Nov 7 2010, 09:44 PM']I thought i would start this thread for people who own or have played 7 string basses to discuss pros vs cons etc. I am currently planning a new bass with a builder and it is looking more likely i am going to go with a 7 string with a low f Sharp . WHY? i hear 90% of basschat scream? Well my main band is a tech metal band and my guitarists are planning to buy 8 string guitars in the not too distant future. I already play a 6 string and use the full range of the bass so i dont wanna loose the high C string. Now i hear you all shout "just play the higher bits higher on the neck. Granted this would work for some sections but not all and i dont like the way some parts sound further up the neck opposed to in the first 5 frets say. What i wanted to ask the people who already use 7 strings is: What are the pros and cons of having a bass with that many strings? What do you use them for? Is it your main bass or do you just use it when the 7th string is required? Now i am half expecting loads of comments criticising people for using more than four strings but if we could please try to keep that to a minimum this could be a useful thread.[/quote] Cons???? Absolutely none at all! What i wanted to ask the people who already use 7 strings is: What are the pros and cons of having a bass with that many strings? - Ok, seriously now - the thing to be mindful is that a wider neck may require you to adjust your playing technique to accomodate playing a dextrous style of music. What do you use them for? - Absolutely everything! - Slap, Tap, Strum, Chords etc etc... I play ERBs because I like to experiment with different styles and genres and instead of having a whole selection of different instruments I really like the idea of a 'one bass fits all' plan! Is it your main bass or do you just use it when the 7th string is required? - Yes, both this and my 6 string Shuker are my main and only gigging / recording / practicing instruments.

[quote name='Flanker' post='1015012' date='Nov 7 2010, 09:24 AM']sh*te it's embarrassing to see the gear I've been through! The wife is right I do have a problem. Anyway here's some of my last years comings and goings........ [/quote] Beautiful! That P is gorgeous - and the Tec Rig looks great!

[quote name='steverickwood' post='1014121' date='Nov 6 2010, 11:51 AM'][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLvTVrHVbKU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLvTVrHVbKU[/url] Hopefully this link will work - apols for the unfinished mix, but here is my bass orchestra recording of The Cantina Theme from Star Wars. It uses 13 Basses: 4's, 5's, fretted/less, upright and uses various effects (I think the synth one is pretty close to the one on the original recording) and techniques including two-handed tapping, tapped harmonics etc utilised to try and replicate those on the recording. I had to transcribe each instrument from the original in order to decide how to orchestrate on my basses. So feel free to slate me or see it as I do as a piece of bass fun - your thoughts and critisisms are invaluable to me (provided they are constructive!!) Best Steve R (if link fails, go to youtube and type in Steve Rickwood and you will find it there amongst some other stuff I probably didn't want posted by other people!)[/quote] Love it - I'm gonna share your vid on my Facebook page!

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1003894' date='Oct 28 2010, 02:37 PM']Does your cab have a tweeter?[/quote] This could be an indicator. Are those who don't notice any/much hiss not using a tweeter? - Or are those who notice hiss, have a tweeter and is it iturned right up / particularly sensitive? - as this could help to make the natural hiss of the amplifier more prominent. All amplifiers create noise as a byproduct of amplification, though some are inherently noiseier than others due to design and quality of components.

On a happy Spinal Tap note, I once had a lovely e-chat with Harry Shearer. He comes across as a really warm and affable chap. I'd love to meet him in person.

It's back up now. Sorry guys, I'm not sure what happened with the site. Thank you all for the kind comments

Wow!!! I'm off to see what other colours they do! I nice neon blue would look great on my Flip-painted Shukers!

Shep, have you considered the Line 6 X3 Live? - They're gonna be coming up cheap soon I reckon, now that the new HD models are being rolled out.

The Line 6 equivalents to the GT-6 allow you to name patches, but my long time favourites that are surprisingly easy to program AND are seriously good quality - TC Electronic effects units, such as the G Major, the G Major 2 and G-Force. You also have the Nova System and G-System too.

p.s - yes to option b. 250W going to each cab, more or less.

Are 2 Hartke 410XLs in parallel the same as one 810XL? Yes, they use the same speakers in both. Two cabs together will give you a 4 Ohm load and a total handling of 800W RMS. - to be honest, you'd be fine throwing the power of an LH1000 at the two cabinets with no fear of blowing them, if you are careful. Those XLs are pretty resilient - and don't forget, just because you have a 500W amp - it's not constantly running at that wattage - you'll only peak every now and then.

[quote name='ironside1966' post='1011557' date='Nov 4 2010, 01:40 AM']Yes I also play chords using harmonics.[/quote] Another sound I really love! - in stereo, with a tastey bit of dimension, ping pong delay and a 'real' reverb!

For those who have watched my gear journey for the last however many years will probably have a little chuckle to themselves when I say that it took me FAR too long to realise that it was the cabs all along that I needed to get right!! - and yes, it did cost a lot to learn that lesson too *gulp*. Bass speaker cabinets play a much larger part in the final tone of a signal path than an amplifier in most cases and thus I have spent more money on getting my sound right from a speaker cabinet P.O.V than an amplifer one.

Ah! It seems like the site is up and running! - Yes indeed I am! - not only have I a bunch of material here to be worked on with the guys - I have also been confronted by the man in his undies, so yes, I guess we've got to that level of 'the relationship'!!

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1011413' date='Nov 3 2010, 09:57 PM']TBH though as bass players we're usually putting the finishing touches to someone else's chord, so we rarely need to play more than one note, just the right one. [/quote] That's very true. As an example, I've played a fair amount of stuff where a listener has complimented the 7 string guitarist's girth to his tone - but I then had to explain that it was a standard tuned 6 string guitar but we worked closely to voice the chords between the guitar and my bass to give the illusion of a drop tuned guitar. Most of the time he played chords with a 5th on the bottom and I would make up the rest of the voicing with root, maybe a third and the fifth to meet in the same octave. I think most of it was also working on the bass and guitar tones so they 'melded' together, instead of being so fussy and precious about each other's personal taste in tone! lol

[quote name='Bass_Guardian' post='1011393' date='Nov 3 2010, 09:41 PM'] Personally i would love to learn more advanced chords on a bass as i love the sound too. The ones i do sometimes are just pretty much octaves. Very amateur as i am [/quote] Ahh! See if you can find 'Chord Basics' by Jonas Hellborg - it's a great little book to throw in your case that features tons of chords that you can refer to at rehearsals etc. Also check out this great resource [url="http://www.davegrossman.net/guitar-and-bass/"]http://www.davegrossman.net/guitar-and-bass/[/url] for tons of information about scales and chords on Bass too!

Ahhhh I LOVE chords on bass! There's something about the tone of them which is so pleasing to the ear! Especially with nice new strings. I use 6 & 7 string basses B_G; the extra strings allow me (like many others) to play bass lines and chords at the same time. As you say, nothing new - but iI find that anyone who says that you *shouldn't* do something on an instrument is close minded and blinkered! I'll play drums on my bass if I damn well want to! he he (as long as I think it sounds good ha!)

[quote name='keeponehandloose' post='1011306' date='Nov 3 2010, 08:22 PM']A single 15 pushes more air than 2x10s ,as it has more surface area,so 2x10 + 1x15 should seem louder[/quote] [quote name='Ian Savage' post='1011308' date='Nov 3 2010, 08:28 PM']I'd agree with this, and the mix of speakers SHOULD also give you a better balance of sound, but that'll depend to a large degree on what kind of sound you're after.[/quote] If the 2x10's sensitivity is much higher than the single 15, then 2x2*10's will be far more effective, because the 15 simply won't be loud enough. I found this with mixing a Hartke 4.5XL with a single 115XL. It was actually pointless using the 15, because the 4x10 tranched it in every way [i]especially[/i] bottom end. Two 4.5XLs though a very different story ;o) = a very nice one too!

Made Sticky!