rmorris

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1495798767' post='3306695'] ... The important thing is to get a quality one so it lasts well. [/quote] +1

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1495791172' post='3306584'] I doubt Fender are using the best parts they could source on this bass, so you could use this opportunity to replace the electrics with better components; new loom, pots (audio taper) and cap. IME this [i]will[/i] improve the sound of your bass. As far as I read things, changing the caps won't add or subtract bass. The cap is what turns the pot into a tone control, by creating a variable low pass filter that progressively removes the top and mids. Better caps will allow better control of the filtering of the top and mids but it's the quality of the pots that will increase the volume of the whole bass, which will probably unlock bass frequencies your current pots don't let through, but caps they don't add any frequencies. [/quote] It's never a bad idea to fit good quality components (not necessarily the most expensive). Especially with an electromechanical component like a potentiometer. With low quality the taper can be off - making accurate adjustment difficult , the wiper contact can be intermittent - causing crackling / drop out on a volume pot or varying tone on a tone pot, and the thing may eventually just 'fall apart'. But there are no "[i]bass frequencies your current pots don't let through[/i]". Think about it - they work at DC. If anything they can let high frequencies avoid going "through the pot" due to stray capacitance but that's a minor effect in this application. And a pot itself can only attenuate and not increase volume. The response of a passive tone circuit is governed by the complete network in the bass (pickup / vol pot value and setting / Tone pot value and setting ) as well as the cable capacitance and amplifier input impedance. But all else being equal a smaller cap value will shift the filter frequency higher = less loss of lower frequencies. Any reasonable capacitor just "sits there and does its thing". If you want to get 'audiophile' on it use a Polypropylene type.

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1495780448' post='3306460'] I need to replace the tone pot on my Mexican precision as one of the know tangs has broken off. Is it worth buying a genuine Fender replacement at comparatively great expense of would a good quality generic replacement do as well? My technical sided mind says a good quality one should do just as well, but I don't want to lose the tone it has. [/quote] There's no advantage in getting a 'genuine' Fender part. They are just standard components with a big mark up ! There's no 'magic tone' in the pot itself. Honest :-) Just get a good quality pot same value and taper that will fit mechanically and take the Tone knob. If you get the chance a good conductive plastic type will last better than carbon.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1495758663' post='3306427'] If you have a few frets getting in the way then you definitely should have this work done. IME this will be a night and day improvement. I had my Lakland set up and fret stoned at the Gallery. It came back playing like there weren't any strings on it. I wish I'd done it years before. The action was so low I couldn't play the thing so I had to raise it a little, but you can still feel the difference. I currently have another bass at the Gallery having the frets being worked on. This isn't just about low action. It makes your bass play better at any action you choose. [/quote] +1 I had two basses set up / levelled there a few years ago.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1495732375' post='3306238'] Got a stripboard layout from tagboardeffects.blogspot.com. [/quote] Thanks. I thought you might have used that. But seeing as you modified some component values I wondered if you found a schematic or reverse engineered one from the layout.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1495056975' post='3300991'] Been playing about with one of these on stripboard lately - altered a couple of values to suit it more to my taste and it's working very well! [media]http://youtu.be/AqBxMXwc77c[/media] [/quote] Hi. Where did you get the schematic / circuit info ? FSB ?

[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1495012033' post='3300357'] [url="http://thinklaser.com/casestudy/"]http://thinklaser.com/casestudy/[/url] I had my strat laser etched like this by them. [url="http://alembic.com/club/messages/394/108740.html?1426204961"]http://alembic.com/c...html?1426204961[/url] [/quote] As it happens I used to work at the next unit along from there - although I don't think they were there at the time.

Web search gives quite a few results eg (local to myself) [url="http://www.brightonandhoveplastics.co.uk/index.php/4"]http://www.brightonandhoveplastics.co.uk/index.php/4[/url] although you'd probably want to find simeone nearer.

I got a set of the 'budget' Arkay (in Red) from Fretfunk via ebay. Good Service / Delivery. Strings seem okay - not really tested them too much. One point too be aware of though - and I guess this might apply to all coated strings: If you're relying on fingers / hand being in contact with the strings to 'ground' yourself and avoid hum/buzz pickup - the coating isn't really compatible with this. Tending to get 'brushing / rustling' noises as when you make/break contact with strings/hardware. Often it then 'goes quiet' which means either that the coating isn't 100% or that it's thin enough to allow enough capacitance to effectively 'ground' at audio frequencies. Might not be an issue if you're not listening critically or at low gain or low Z pickups. Solution, connect yourself to some other 'earthed' metalwork - equipment chassis etc... The Red strings do look good on a black bass btw :-)

[quote name='Elfrasho' timestamp='1493282332' post='3287062'] Bazztard has pretty much summed it up for me. Not being able to rejig things between songs would worry me. [/quote] I see. But I'd say it was easier to have a few longer patch cables so you can just bypass any problem pedal.

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1493210010' post='3286511'] you wouldn't want to lose a cable somewhere in your pedal 'chain' (see what I did there?) halfway thru a gig. How are you going to find the culprit? Unscrew all the pedals so you can see which connector went bad? good luck. not practicle for the working musician, good for bedroom players only. There is a reason why 99 billion flies eat sh!t......also for why most working musos use velcro..... [/quote] Not understanding this...???

I'd recommend making them yourself...

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1492867316' post='3283774'] Any bodgers in here? I have 3 Fdeck HPF filters which I would like to plumb into some cheap DI boxes (like these [url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_di33.htm"]https://www.thomann....lenium_di33.htm[/url]). If I could power the Fdeck aspects by phantom that would be great, but it would also be handy to screw a 9v socket in there + a mute switch which was silent. One of the Fdecks has a vol control on it, the other two do not. I would like them all to have a volume and a passive roll off. It this the stupidest idea in the world? [/quote] I think we'd need to see the inside of the DI and the size of the HPFs to give any advice...

[quote name='Tech21NYC' timestamp='1492700521' post='3282516'] The Q\Strip was inspired by those old vintage console EQ's but it is a unique design. The intention was that it would be a "musical" vs "surgical" type of product. While having different Q parameters might come in handy for a mastering engineer we chose a medium Q that makes the most sense for musical instrument applications. The use of Mosfets was intentional for the sonic benefits, low noise and also so the unit could be phantom powered. Bipolar transistors would be too power hungry. In the end I would suggest trying one. Specifications are meaningless if you aren't happy with the tone or ease of use. [/quote] Thanks for the reply. It does clarify things a fair bit wrt the transistors. I agree the specs' aren't the important thing but the advertising references the technology and 'inspiration' so the question arises.Good point about the limited power available via phantom. Hopefully you'll get the idea through that it's not a Sansamp type AmpSim unit :-)

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1492691271' post='3282378'] Thanks Lozz, just acquired a B3n but that has no DI out! Wasn't thinking that was going to be a limitation quite so soon! [/quote] Main thing is monitoring - being able to get a decent signal back through the wedges (or whatever) or using IEM. DI - if there's a FOH PA there should be some straightforward DI boxes around to plug your B3n into ?

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1492636584' post='3281960'] Is it not possible to use normal pots of the correct size and value (of course). Just bend the wiper tabs over gently. The tabs may need a trim to fit into the holes. Then be careful refitting and tightening up. Or if the tabs won't bend over, just solder on some small wires to the board then to the tabs. [/quote] +1

It makes a lot of sense to have a console type EQ box even if the price is a bit steep. But I do hav[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]e a bit of a probl[/font]em with the description below: [color=#666666][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1]"[size=4][i]The 100% analog MOSFET circuitry in the heart of the Q\Strip provides the warmth, girth and larger-than-life tones for which vintage consoles are revered. Add in four bands of pro-audio-quality equalization, two parametric mid bands, as well as high and low shelving filters, and you have incredible control over how your instrument cuts through on stage or in a mix"[/i][/size][/size][/font][/color] [size=4]So the two mid bands are more accurately semi parametric given that there is no switchable or variable Q / Bandwidth control - but that's a minor quibble.[/size] But I have to doubt the bit about MOSFET circuitry to give the characteristics of vintage consoles. I'm reasonably familiar with the technology of such consoles from 60s/70s - both UK and USA origin - but not aware of widespread use of MOSFET devices in Channel EQs. Whilst small signal (as opposed to Power devices) MOSFETS can be used for audio work, in my experience the console EQs tend to be based around Bipolar transistors as the active components (maybe JFET but these used more for signal switching in desks toward the end of this era). More than prepared to be corrected on this as I'd be interested to learn of MOSFET based desks... Of course, the important thing is the sound that comes out of it ...

[quote name='buff' timestamp='1492549809' post='3281208'] Would like to see a side by side comparison with the VT pedal, just to see what your getting for twice the price. [/quote] But it's not the same type of thing at all so a bit apples and pears...

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1492186703' post='3278581'] +1 about not winding strings over themselves. [/quote] +1

Bought a Source Audio BEF from me. Quick payment and let me know it arrived safe and sound. So smiles all round.

[quote name='mathlang' timestamp='1491382008' post='3272517'] Thanks for the replies. - I'm not getting any power when it's on, so I don't think I can check the voltages. - Yes, I've tried different power cables, changed the plug fuses and changed the power socket fuse. I'm seeing power on the internal side of the socket. [/quote] Can you also measure mains voltage on the transformer side of the power switch (when it's ON) ?

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1490824482' post='3268419'] Fabric cables are generally bad news in my experience... play one grotty venue and they pick up the dirt and are impossible to clean up. At least with rubber insulated cable, you can get a cloth and some washing up liquid and clean them all up. [/quote] +1. They look good...Until they get dirty.

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1490017257' post='3261457'] If it's a fine cut is it to give you the option of fitting a zero fret where the nut would normally go? Just a thought... [/quote] Good point. But if the neck comes fretted it's probably not intended as you'd need the right tools to bend / fit just one fret ? For fixing the nut I'd simply rely on the string pressure at first till happy then glue it later if necessary. At normal tuning there's a lot of string pressure holding the nut in place.