Iain

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1437819083' post='2829251']
Isn't the PF500 class D?
[url="http://www.ampeg.com/products/portaflex/pf-500/"]http://www.ampeg.com...rtaflex/pf-500/[/url]
[/quote]

Ah, well spotted - doesn't explain it being a heavy brick which is where my confusion comes from! Unimpressive amp when pushed though - definitely lacked oomph that my Markbass BB has in spades.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1437770541' post='2829013']
Absolutely agree. And if you're playing to six people or six hundred or six thousand, whether they're behaving themselves or not, you should be professional regardless.
[/quote]

Absolutely right. surely it's a non-discussion? Even if, like me, you're not a pro and are doing it for fun - I'd be embarrassed not to play my best.

Having a discussion in one of my bands where the debate is between banging a few tunes out, just having fun and if it's a bit amateur it's fine versus my view of learn material before practise, get it right in rehearsal, gig it when it's good.

Yet t play any real dives though and we've had mostly small but engaged audiences.

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1437763219' post='2828933']Just a question really, but one that interests me greatly.[/quote]

A 'real world' test where the sound coming out of the cab is measured with different heads is the only way to answer the question but it'll still come down to testing the manufacturer's execution (as Alex pointed out) rather than a definitive A/B > D.

My suspicion is that you get what you pay for at the limits of performance on all classes of amp. A really cheap amp must have made compromises in components assuming a relatively competitive market.

If you're running a cheap '500W' class D at '100W' then you'd expect it to have no issues laying down long low notes, cranked up to just below clipping and I'd expect/hope the more pricey unit delivers.

Question on the A/B vs D debate is what would one expect of an A/B run at it's limits for a long time and would it end up in a puff of smoke rather than nasty clipping and thermal cut-off?

I had an A/B Ampeg (PF-500) that used to cut off in practice sessions after about an hour on a warm day. Never had that issue runing longer and harder with the class D Markbass but it proves nothing really!

[quote name='Leonard Smalls' timestamp='1437581228' post='2827283']If it's 70s style rock covers, a Werther's Original or barley sugar will suffice. If it's mathcore or something similarly young then Haribo or cheesestrings will have to do.[/quote]

The forum needs a +1/Like button... genius post.

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1437550358' post='2826876']
[size=5]Is it just me?[/size]
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God no. We've three of the buggers in one of my bands. To be fair to one of them he's the singer and is pretty good. Trying to get the other two to shut up and pay attention when you're trying to explain the difference between F and F# (seriously!) can be trying.

Last gig we finished at 11 as per the venue's live music license and turn off and wander off for a pint before packing up... Queue one of the guitarists staying up on stage doing a random 'greatest hits' of averagely played riffs. I wandered up and turned his amp off. Seemed to do the trick.

[quote name='blockhd' timestamp='1437381149' post='2825352']
In my opinion ( personal experience), the less gear the less fuss.... I recommend getting a passive mixer - they come pretty cheap these days. Speakers should be active IMO.
[/quote]

This was what I was going to post.

Great write-up, thanks!

Just need to get BF to sort out some nice floor wedges for monitoring!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1437138574' post='2823943']
Great, now I've got GAS for a genuine early 60s Fender Precision Bass. Bah!
[/quote]

Having got Warwick out of my system and currently owning a phenomenal Dingwall Z3 and an awesome US Geddy Lee jazz I find myself drawn to P-basses...

Might be something to do with trying to learn as many Maiden tracks as I can...

Gig last night with the quieter of my two bands at a place we've become semi-regulars at in macclesfield - Society. All a bit odd to start with - person who'd booked us had been sacked and not told them we were booked in. They've had some work done so the 'stage' is a decent outside space with one slight flaw - barring a 5' gap it's fenced in up to 3' high all round. Main guitar/vox, the drummer and my were ok but our other 2 guitars set up playing to the planking... cue them being so loud on stage to be heard in the courtyard for soundcheck it was awful. Snagged some tables and raised their amps up a bit and it was just about ok.

Plenty of minor mistakes but everyone had a good time.

Still working on getting them to drop All Right Now form the set...

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1437213955' post='2824444']
So way off what they advertise...
[/quote]

I think it was obvious (if not clearly stated) that they're bragging on peak not RMS. 2k RMS would be epic and a lot bigger!

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1437067861' post='2823361']
I`ve always worked on the theory that my bass doesn`t go as loud as my TV at regular listening volumes, found it`s a good way to minimise this. I`ve also got some thick foam under my practice amp, and lastly only play between the hours of 9am - 9pm.
[/quote]

Top quality suggestions.

Also - cut the low bass on the amp - that's what travels. you won't, hopefully, be playing at a volume that moves your internal organs around. Alternatively play through a decent pair of studio monitors - at home volumes they should be fine.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1436792423' post='2820762']
The other thing that comes to mind is that a lot of bass players put too much emphasis on 'lows' but
you'd have to hear in context to know who was one of them.

IME, bass is too bassy, about 9 times out of 10..
[/quote]

I run my amp with the low bass cut on the EQ for just this reason, suits the rock/metal/punk we play.

[quote name='mrn1989' timestamp='1436783498' post='2820623']
I really do not want a 1x15" so no need to recommend it

Current setup.
[attachment=196203:IMG_1348.JPG]
[/quote]

My practise rig (now live is Barefaced...) is a Traveller 112 and 115. With hindsight I'd have gone with 2 x 112. You won't need a 2x10 as the horn is the 12 is much nicer than the piezo in teh 10s...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436651474' post='2819827']Yes, I know I can get it back to stock easily, but it would be just my luck to lose the original 76 tuner and I'm not prepared to take that risk![/quote]

I can thoroughly understand that!

[quote name='AJ88' timestamp='1436662997' post='2819870']
Don't really want to spend much more than £200

I'd kind of disregarded line6 as I couldn't seem to find a bass specific pedal. I know people use the hd pedals but because I've not used pedals before I'm not sure how easy it will be for me to dial in some good bass tones.
[/quote]

From what I can see the Line 6 stuff has decent bass models and FX - as good as any other bass specific modeller. It's the quality amp modelling that really makes a difference rather than FX themselves. Budget would preclude this option thoguh.

What's your budget?

Line6 Pod HDX, Firehawk or Amplifi?

If you've a big budget the new Helix looks awesome...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436609502' post='2819450']
I've used them and they're OK... it's easy to learn the songs you need a low-D for, just pattern memory, really. The thing is I think they're unnecessary. With a bit of practice it's easy to just manually tune your E to D and back in a second or two. Then you don't have the expense of buying a D-tuner, the hassle of fitting it (possibly making non-standard screw holes in your headstock), then losing money by selling it when you realise you don't need it...
[/quote]

Just fitted a BT-3 to my US Geddy Jazz. Took a few mins to fit, holes all lined up perfectly and it's an exact match for the existing tuners. Actually better quality winding mechanism with nice nylon bushes on the peg that the stock ones don't have giving it a smoother action.

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1436541247' post='2819032']
Thanks everyone. Going to order one from Bass Direct, probably tomorrow or Sunday. Hipshot inform me I need a BT2 as I've got Schaller BMF tuners and funnily enough, it's cheaper sent from the UK to here inc delivery than Thomann in Europe with free delivery to France

So, unless one of you has a chrome BT2 for sale secondhand I'll order one at the weekend.

Thanks for all your input.
[/quote]

Just places a BT3 order from BD cheaper than Thomann and I'd rather support a UK business where I can. Hipshot were quick to get back t me with the right model for my bass.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1436525178' post='2818836']How do you cope with the extra floppiness of the E string when down-tuned to D? [/quote]

We do a few tunes regualrly in Drop-D and, with standard 105 E it's fine. Drop-C is too loose though.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1436473217' post='2818513']
Yes, I have revenue/ source of income outside of gigging. I did the 9-5 day job thing for 40 years and was miserable everyday.

Now when someone asks me what I do for a living, I'm proud to tell them " I Play Electric Bass Guitar and Sing in a Rock and Roll Band " as opposed to, " I'm a Worker's Compensation Claims Administrator " .

Blue
[/quote]

That's pretty awesome really, living the dream really - doing something you're passionate about.

Obviously not gigged mine yet, will rehearse with it next week though and feed back from there. Now I've ReadTFM it's simple and tracks really quickly. Interestingly shows how the pitch changes slightly with initial attack and fade out of the note more than other tuners I've used.

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1436431776' post='2818005']
So you've pretty much answered your own question there as to why so many do it as a hobby and not a primary income stream. If the 12K relates to dollars then thats a little under £8000 at current exchange rates. Assuming you avoided all tax then £8K per annum would be considered a poor income here. Perhaps $12K goes a bit further in the US? If everyone who is currently doing it as a hobby here actually accepted that level of earning I doubt there would be sufficient venues and audiences to accommodate them all if it meant they all had to be out twice a week or more to get that money every year.
[/quote]

Pretty much this. I'd like to play bass for my day job but there's no way I'll take that pay cut.

Nice little bonus in the package - a code for a plug-in for your favourite DAW to allow instrument tuning in the software.

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1436441929' post='2818146']
Did you press and hold button 3 for 5 seconds to toggle between Bass and Guitar mode? (should display 'B' or 'G') . "In Bass mode, the polyphonic tuner is disabled"
[/quote]

Duh, you'd think I'd know to read instructions by now... Works a treat! Thanks!

Mine arrived. Mostly impressed BUT it struggles to display the single not mode on low E & B. E is fine on my Dingwall but reverts to plyphonic mode on the Fender. Low B on the Dingwall does the same. Assuming it's the resonant characteristics of the basses and the low-B fundamental being less prevelent than the harmonics.

Works flawlessly on guitars.