Dood

[quote name='mcgraham' post='702841' date='Jan 6 2010, 02:06 PM']Anyone know of any eq/preamps that you can program eq and pre settings into and use a footswitch to move between? I imagine something like a POD is a good option but I was wondering what else there was out there. Mark[/quote] Funny you should ask - as I was looking at something similar myself. The nearest I had come so far was finding a MIDI controlled effects unit with a good EQ on board. - I'm after some other functionality *as well* as EQ so my findings may differ from yours. There *are* however programmeable EQ's out there either in rack or pedal form. I seem to recall Boss made a pedal that did exactly what you need. As for preamps - they are pretty much guitar based - but you have options like Peavey's errr.. I think it was called Bass-fex or something similarly 80's.. Look out for the Rocktron Blue Thunder bass preamp too. If you don't need 'preamp' especially look at the TC Electronic G Major / G Major 2 - or G-Force. As you've mentioned, the line6 kit - especially the X3 units will give you an awesome array of options to play with - however - I was put off by the 3u sized box of the X3 Pro and ended up geting the X3 Live - which I only really use for recording.. but line 6 havent gotten it together with the Windows 7 drivers yet and I suffer all sorts of BSOD issues on my workstation.

[quote name='basshead56' post='702785' date='Jan 6 2010, 01:22 PM']Just finished all 16 pages. Wow![/quote] Same here, GOOD GRIEF! what a story huh? That's awesome!

[quote name='mcgraham' post='701806' date='Jan 5 2010, 04:17 PM']I had actually resigned myself to never getting one, but then a mint second hand IP cab came up on for the same moola that I'd paid for my Schroeder 1210L and Acoustic Image Clarus... no brainer really! Few months later the EX112 came up for sale at less than what I paid for my Schroeder 1210L on its own... yet another no-brainer. Result? Complete Berg IP rig for (I believe) less than half price... not to mention covers for both! God bless Bass Chat...[/quote] God Bless BassChat, sometimes - I hate BassChat - because this forum knows how to empty my wallet fast!! Nice!!!

[quote name='xgsjx' post='701589' date='Jan 5 2010, 01:50 PM']I wouldn't bother with any effects or a compressor & spend time learning to hold your bass so that you can play how you want to.[/quote] Maybe, however I am thinking that certain playing techniques and bass configurations will lend themselves to a certain tone. Sometimes, you can improve technique, but the inherent tone of the instrument still has the overwhelming majority in the tone stakes. My point is, that Pest may prefer to play fingers with a thumb on the pickup but wants a fatter tone - and thus - a few judicial adjustments to the gear he has will make the learning experience more enjoyable. (Hnece my suggestion over amp EQ controls etc) p.s. - Love your avatar - from one of my fave films!

I find a really good way of smoothing out your tone, before messing around with compressors and such like - is to get to grips with EQing. If you have an amp that has a graphic or parametric EQ - or can grab a pedal to work with, it is very easy to drop out certain frequencies or boost others to smooth out the tone. Boosting at 50Hz and 100Hz will give the bass more of that 'bass drum' thump and bottom end - whilst boosting frequencies around 400hz and 800hz add to the 'boxey' or 'woody' tones. I think you may need more 100Hz and less around 300-1Khz. Going by your description I think that the higher frequncies will just be a case of adjusting to taste - but try scooping out those middles a bit, but not too much and I think you'll get a smoother tone.

[quote name='mcgraham' post='701790' date='Jan 5 2010, 04:06 PM']I couldn't stomach the RRP and brand new retail price through.[/quote] Yeah, pretty much the cost of a whole new rig inside one small box is a bit much to cough up at retail!

[quote name='mcgraham' post='701754' date='Jan 5 2010, 03:47 PM']+1 Although I've found my favourite rig in my Bergantino IP/EX stack. It sounds phenomenally huge when coupled together, puts out beautiful tone and fills even massive venues (I did a wedding gig at the Albert Hall in Nottingham and anyone who's been in there will know it's blooming huge venue - the stack positively filled the place without even getting anywhere near half volume). Sadly, I'm in love with In-ear monitoring at the moment and find this is a better solution than lugging amps around when I have PA support.[/quote] I've a massive thumbs up for modular 'active speakers'. I'd like to try out the IP range to see how it compares to my ISP active cab. I'd love to see more companies catch on to this way of thinking - especially as a musician could turn up to a gig with a bass, a tuner, a preamp pedal (such as a sansamp) and a cab. Makes sense to me!

[quote name='Conan' post='701700' date='Jan 5 2010, 03:13 PM']I may be confused, and they may have updated the spec, but I thought the Big One DID have a tweeter, and the midrange driver was 6"?? [/quote] I believe Alex has a design in place to add a tweeter to a Big One - but the original designed Big One is tweeterless. The Midrange unit is a model that can extend up in to the tweeter frequencies - and with a bit of boost from your amp's EQ can do sparkle. I don't have a Barefaced cab - however - my ISP gear also uses midrange cones instead and a specially designed preamp to produce those sparkly highs associated with tweeters - but none of the harsh top when pushed hard.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='701622' date='Jan 5 2010, 02:16 PM']I must admit some of the really lightweight amps do lack the tone...but thats just me. I like a big powerful vintage rock tone, but I also like the smooth fast and warm Markbass tone....as it has massive lows with such tiny amp.[/quote] I've found that with some of the lightweight amps, they use a selling point that they have a 'flat frequency response'. That I feel is where the problem is - it maybe fine for a bass with big fat chunky tone pickups and a load of EQ going on before you get to the amp - but what makes other amps sound more interesting (read as fatter, ballsy, creamy - whatever) is their non-linearity in the frequency curve. A hump of gain at 100Hz is gonna make any bass plugged in sound fatter - or a scooped cut of gain at 400Hz make it sound deeper - but to be honest - in my search for nice gear - flat response has always sounded - well - abit lifeless in comparison to what I prefer to call 'HiFi' sound. (That pleasing 'smiley face EQ shape!!) I agree that the MarkBass gear sounds great - I love the VPF PLFE LE FE errr... whatever the controls are called! They did exactly what I like - added that deep and fat curve to the tone, with sparkling highs. [quote name='Musicman20' post='701622' date='Jan 5 2010, 02:16 PM']The RH450 is the closest Ive ever heard a micro sound like a tube amp. So much I made myself skint to buy one. But, its not hugely light....its about 10lbs, but it feels substantial. Some of these micros probably weigh less than a large effects pedal. Like the obsession with stupidy small phones, it seems the market balanced out with a larger size but better features (iphone, etc etc).[/quote] Awesome! yes! A fantastic amp. Had I have not already owned a TC spectral compressor and TC effects (Thus rendering the preamp section useless) - I would have picked one up straight away.. ahh - I owned the MarkBass F1 too - so the TC unfortunately wouldn't have won me over on weight either! errkk!! [quote name='Musicman20' post='701622' date='Jan 5 2010, 02:16 PM']I think the obsession with lightweight and complete accuracy/no colour of tone, actually led me to realise thats not for everyone. I tried it...and didnt really see the massive deal with it. Maybe it because of the tones I like, and the music I listen to. For instance, Ive always wanted a Warwick, but I tried one 'on', as well as a Spector, and they just do not suit me. Im an idiot because I cant see past the vintage style of basses.[/quote] I think there is probably a happy medium somewhere with 'lightweight gear' - in design especially - instead of companies trying to find the lightest flimsiest wood and throw in the cheapest wimpy neo speakers - there will hopefully be more sitting down and comparing what sounds great against the new technologies to see how to make the best of the two ideals. [quote name='Musicman20' post='701622' date='Jan 5 2010, 02:16 PM']Each to their own though. Thats the fun![/quote] Absolutely! I love looking for and playing new gear - just a shame my 'pocket' isn't quote deep enough to hang on to all my favourites!

[quote name='mcgraham' post='701610' date='Jan 5 2010, 02:08 PM']At least when we buy gear we're usually [i]changing [/i]it. I'd rather frequently change my gear than continuously accumulate it like most guitarists seem to.[/quote] That's pretty true, yeah. I think we also change it frequently as decent bass gear is harder to come by for us bass players - certainly a lack of stock from the likes of the mainstream high street outlets - it's really the only way to get to try out gear properly. Though thanks to shops like Bass Merchant, Bass Direct and the Gallery - at least we still have one or two 'bass only' outlets out there!! I shudder when I think of how much gear I have bought and sold in the last 20 odd years! OUCH!!!

[quote name='fretmeister' post='701624' date='Jan 5 2010, 02:21 PM']Thank your dood-ness! I think I'm going to split up the Rig of Doom and just go with 1 good amp and 1 good cab. It's not like I'm gigging these days so carting a 2 rig split system is a bit silly. I like "chewy" sounds! I've always been a 12inch cone and a load of compression sort of bloke![/quote] Ahh no problem! - I have to admit I was eye-ing up the Tech site just last night!

Yup - agreed - if you want to make use of the master volume on the amp head to control your level, then plug the output of the sansamp in to the effects return socket.

[quote name='fretmeister' post='701548' date='Jan 5 2010, 01:19 PM']Anyone tried both these cabs? I've been slightly thinking about a UL410 when the Tec caught my eye too. Aside from the £300 price difference - anyone got any opinions on these 2? ta[/quote] I owned the original Tech-Soundsystems 4x10 (the ND410s) and the Epifani UL610. I would say the tech had the sweeter tone and the Epifani was a little more..ermm.. creamy/chewy. It's really hard to describe tone as it is really down to personal..well.. taste ha ha!! Out of the two - if I had to purchase - I would probably go for the Techs as I preferred the tweeter sound/crossover - but the Epifani is still a blindingly good cabinet. Obviously the 610 on it's own had the better bottom end in comparison to a single Tech 410, as to be expected - but the pair of Techs I had made a fantastic 'mini 8x10' set up that never ever gave up when being given 'the juice' from my amps. I haven't tried the newer style Tec-Amp cabinets yet - but I understand they are an improvement on the previous, with better speakers in. - Well - the originals were very good - so I think the new ones must be awesome! That's just my personal taste - but to be honest - I would have either - just more likely to lean to the Tec gear.

The title of this thread made me smile - as I too have changed my gear far too many times for sanity - yet I still have heard, more than a couple of times in the last few months, a phrase similar too 'So, when *are* you gonna get that Hartke rig back???'

- and on that note, let's move on please!

I think the Hot Hand is a pretty clever idea - the vid here shows a guitarist using it on his thumb, but with the amount of thumb-based techniques for bass players, it could be a useful tool. [url="http://www.sourceaudio.net/videos/post/hot-hand-thumb-technique-for-guitar/"]http://www.sourceaudio.net/videos/post/hot...que-for-guitar/[/url]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='695325' date='Dec 29 2009, 01:45 AM']I think the Sonic Maximiser only affects highs. The Aphex Xciter with Big Bottom might be better for bass.[/quote] Yup, certainly in the case of the BBE. The control for the lows is only a bass boost centred at 50Hz. There's another thread floating around here discussing sonic maximisers - but I couldn't find it!

Reminds me - I was gonna come visit Bass Merchant again soon! ;o) Funnily, I felt the same about the Bill Dickens GT-BD7. It was an awesome bass - a bit on the heavy side - but the string spacing being 16mm was brilliant. Tonally, I wasn't really into the Bart' pups and circuit, despite having some pretty diverse 'colours' on tap. Still had me wanting for more. There are aspects of the GT-BD7 and my old Tobias basses that made it over to my Shukers.. but there be magic in the hills of the Peak District!!

Wow! What a cool find actually! Technically, the Dimension pedal isn't a chorus pedal - well - in as much as it doesn't produce it's effect in the same way that a more usual one does IIRC. I remember using 'dimension' effects on the old Yamaha SPX effects units and loving it! With Fretless it's a big yes yes yes! You might wanna check prices around the net as they seem to be worth a bit, being so rare now!

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='678578' date='Dec 8 2009, 10:32 PM']+1 or even a 2u like the Pod XT pros. The 3u X3 pro is just stupidly big IMHO.[/quote] Ahhh yeh, the Pro is a great big stonking box, no doubt mostly full of fresh air! especially if they can fit all the same processing power on the bean. I'd have been tempted to mount the Bean unit on a rack shelf, if it at least had a MIDI socket on it.