Musicman20

I sure like the PJ's Mike makes. Im not keen on Thunderbirds anyway, but his interpretation would be my first call if it was my type of bass. The headstock is a bit of a 'hmm' point, but I'd get over that. The prices are very high though, so I'd have the be certain about one before taking the plunge.

I actually like how they look now. It took me a while, but its grown on me, a lot. Mine is going to stand out like crazy as well (all Bongo's should!) Tangerine Pearl/Black Plate/5 HH

[left]Shuttlemax 9.2 – First outing[/left] [left]Ok, so in-between moving twice, starting a new job, and settling in to a new city, I managed to:[/left] [left]A – Pickup an absolutely immaculate second hand Genz Shuttlemax 9.2[/left] [left]B – Start a new project (all of our own music) with a guitarist who has very similar tastes to me[/left] [left]C – Decide that I don’t currently have time for any type of covers/function band because work is very busy and I’m trying to attempt to spend more time in the gym (this is some kind of revelation to me. I used to hate the gym).[/left] [left]Last night, I had the chance to REALLY get to know the Shuttlemax 9.2.[/left] [left]The practice room brought through a large, possibly 2x15, (definitely no tweeter and just a small port on the rear) Hiwatt bass cab. [/left] [left]Great, at least its a fairly large cabinet.[/left] [left]So, firstly, its a good job I took a speakon to quarter inch speaker cable, otherwise, we would have had problems. [/left] [left]Plugged the Max 9.2 in, used a Stingray 4 H, with EB Group III flats (and the EQ was pretty much untouched on the bass).[/left] [left]The first thing I noticed was just how punchy this amp is. Incredibly mid definition. I used the FET channel first with a bit of low mid boost at almost the lowest frequency available on the parametric EQ. Slightly boosted the treble to compensate for flats.[/left] [left]This channel will give you everything you put and virtually NO colour. It can, I suppose, seem almost sterile as it is SO clean. Every bit of finger noise etc, goes through. If you fluff up, its much more obvious. The EQ is fantastic. [/left] [left]The TUBE channel gives you a little more warmth and will quite easily grit up (push the gain button, raise the gain level high and the channel volume down to compensate). This enables a perfect gritty rock tone. I used the hi freq. filter and added a little more high end for more ‘cut’ (I wouldn’t have probably done this with nickel rounds) and it was just right.[/left] [left]I’m still learning about the amp, as it has so much versatility, but it very much takes me back to the Trace 400SMX I used to own on the FET channel, but cleaner, more powerful, more versatile, more features, and ridiculously light and small.[/left] [left]These latest micro/lightweight amps really have pushed the boundaries. I admit, the bit Orange tube amp I have does have a certain girth to the tone, but I think part of that is the Orange voicing. I can’t see how anyone can say the larger/heavier amps have ‘bigger tone/more authority, especially when its a solid state or hybrid.[/left] [left]I still look at other amps. Heck, I still want another Markbass amp again, but I don’t see the point at the moment. The only amps they make that catch my eye still are the LM3 and the TTE500. Now the F1/500 is no longer around, I think they need another amp with something new about it, (and not just the Big Bang).[/left] [left]I was also tempted by the Gallien micros, especially the MB800, but I very much doubt it can compete with the Shuttlemax 9.2 for the customer support, versatility, build quality, etc. [/left] [left]I must admit, I enjoy have the pure FET channel of the Max 9.2, but I can see why I also started to turn to warmer/tube sounding gear. Next to the TC RH750, its like the 750 adds its own character and warmth, (personally I like both types of tone).[/left]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1341527649' post='1720678'] How come? CB [/quote] Ordered a new one and the usual wait is 3-4 months now.

I've got about another 3 and a half month wait for mine!

I tested a BF Compact (early version) and I didn't think it was neutral, to my ears anyway. They can really wallop in the low end (push a lot of air) but even after boosting mids I didn't get any 'cut'. May have just been a bad room, or whatever.

DI for the weekend?

Lovely! Was it expensive to import?

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1341435052' post='1719129'] Got my Bongo 4HH today. OMG. Structural reinforcements to house and furniture required. All other instruments packed up into their little cases and put into the toy cupboard. Bless them. OMG. CB [/quote] Pics!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1341409424' post='1718514'] Is this going to be a five-minute argument, or the full half-hour? [/quote] Haha, we all have different requirements. I know the gig is what matters, but for me, it has to also sound pretty close to what I am after on its own, cranked to a decent level, If it doesn't, then the £1000 or whatever it may be is going on something else that sounds good in the mix and on its own. Tone is not just about the mix, its subjective. Otherwise, why would you get players that scream out of the mix like Flea (still in the mix but absolutely one of the main parts of RHCP) or players that blend and just hold it down.

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1341320434' post='1716924'] Yeh I have gone the exact opposite to what I used to be. strange how life changes you [/quote] I've had this experience, and im 31. I was 30 at the time, and I'd rejoined an old band who played hardcore punk. We USED to have a lot of fun, and it was all about what WE wanted to play. As we all grew up listening to (and I still listen to it!) 90s skate punk, hardcore, and ska, (obviously with some of the original 70s and 80s stuff thrown in) we tried to just do it, and ignore the current wave of very heavy hardcore, which isn't really my thing. Its more like metal to be honest, and as much as I appreciate some good metal bands, bands like NOFX and Bad Religion do a lot more for me, and you can HEAR the bass properly as well. Anyway, I went back. It was a disaster. They had turned into what the disliked and wanted to stay away from, (eg they had followed the masses and toned down the melody and speed and just written heavy heavy beatdowns). The drummer is still class, but that wasn't enough. Plus I wasnt the oldest, yet I felt myself wanting to leave the tour as I felt far more mature and friendly than anyone else. I just didn't care, so I left. I also fell out with a good friend due to it all, even though I never did anything wrong. We still don't get on like we used to. My girlfriend said I'd obviously moved on. I have. I play 80-90% fingerstyle, and I learn pop/RnB/motown/funk/dance songs now, and I love it. Recently, a guy we all toured with back then from another band came round to jam...just to see if I fancied joining his new band. I have, as his requirements for time match perfectly (he is at uni doing a masters and I'm very busy with my career) and we just seem to have that level of maturity that matches. He also likes the bass a lot, and likes busy bass players and told me to play whatever I wanted, pick, fingerstyle, whatever, as long as I like it and I put my personality into it. We are doing what could be described as a modern approach to punk, with folk and country in there somewhere. More about the songs than the riffs, and more about getting really good before we do anything. We all must go through it. You will eventually probably join a metal band again, Maybe at the moment the time isn't right.

I'd quite like my old HS410 back! Let me know if you don't buy it.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1341407793' post='1718466'] Was that solo or in a band mix? You can see where I'm going with this, can't you... [/quote] I get where you are coming from, but still, it's got to sound right to you hasn't it?!

Only the sealed 6x10 will give you that 'sound' that many crave. If you don't want that, avoid it.

Get a P bass copy and learn on that neck. Then you can more or less play any bass neck. Worked for me and I have small hands. I learnt on a bass with fairly high action and it was a traditional P bass size. My teacher just took me through scales etc and now I have zero issue.

That's a looker. Not sure they should be calling to give you deals...good if you want it, but, that's going quite far.

[quote name='1976fenderhead' timestamp='1341271938' post='1716350'] To be honest, this p*ssed me off so much I contacted them about it, let's see if they reply. [/quote] They shouldn't have written that on the cabs, I agree.

[quote name='zero9' timestamp='1341235067' post='1715468'] It's all about personal preference. My ears are different to someone else's. I tend to set everything 'flat' on the amp and then listen to what it sounds like. If (IMO) the resulting sound is crap, I won't bother with that particular set-up, as no amount of 'tweaking' will make it sound much better. [/quote] This whole modern requirement of a flat EQ to sound great is crazy. You might well be missing out on a fantastic amp which needs a small tweak. Also, not all amps at their 'flat' setting are actually flat. Don't get me wrong, it's easy when it's good at 12 o'clock, but the EQ is there for a reason.

Yep, this has happened to me! Weird isn't it!

[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1341257366' post='1716005'] I am truly gutted for you. I hope you are reunited really soon [/quote] Plus one

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1341233357' post='1715422'] And the assumption of the "amateur experts" that they know best because they read the book is an arrogance that I don't accept. There you go. Denigrating the experience of others and belittling their opinions when you haven't heard them. Snake oil comes at us from all directions, as it did when I was being told that mixed speaker sizes couldn't work. [/quote] Solid post!

All the ones I've heard have been designed to be mixed, with good results. Personally I wouldn't mix random manufacturers anyway...I think that's much more of a gamble than same manufacturer but different sizes.

[quote name='mushers' timestamp='1341173410' post='1714759'] that bass is very nice indeed would love a white one, i have no idea why white never did it for me before frustrating thing is wifey demanded a dog just after xmas i flat out refuesed until she offered to buy me a stingray but when i went to buy one i walked out with a ray 35 which i ended up paying for anyway, her argument being thats not a stingray ! [/quote] Mine is a white Ray 5 HS, Tort guard, rosewood board. Stunning looking bass!

[quote name='TG Flatline' timestamp='1341166251' post='1714600'] The only way is to play through as many cabs as you can and see what you like about each one. After using Ashdown ABM cabs for ages (mini 1x15 and 4x8, 1x15 and 4x10, and then just 4x10) I know I won't be buying any of them again, unless I needed to go back to the very compact size of the minis. To me they sound like you've got a blanket over the cabs, they sound dull and "thick" but not full or fat or bulked out with lows, nor did they cut through in a band mix without some fairly excessive EQ'ing. Even then it was a compromise. I now use two BFM Jack 15's. Complete overkill but never mind. They are very loud and very clear (even without tweeters), far more so than any of the Ashdowns. Better cabinet design and higher quality speakers in this case having far more impact than speaker size. If I was making the above choice, I would choose a 2x12 over a 4x10 any day. I would like to have two BFM Jack 2x10's at some point (more overkill), but they would be vertically stacked so not a traditional 4x10 by any stretch of the imagination. Whilst I say that the best thing to do is to try as many cabs as you possibly can, I think it also makes sense to read as much of the information on the Barefaced website so you can have a bit more knowledge to work from. Someone mentioned the "3 bed house" analogy above, a good one I think. Consider getting yourself a bit more clued up on the tech side of things as doing a reccy of the area the houses are in so you know you're not moving into a nice house in a sh*tty area. One thing I would say from experience (and that you would read on Barefaced or the BFM forum) - don't mix speakers. Use tens, or twelves, or fifteens - but not a combination. If you want to combine different speakers for mids and highs etc either buy an EAD Foundation 212 or build a BFM Omni. Good luck with the search. At the very least I would suggest the 5 questions posed by BigRedX are essentials [/quote] The BF site suggests mixing speakers on their modular rigs, I think...

I went around the houses for years about the 5 string Musicman basses and now I have three and another on order. Fantastic basses.