Hit&Run

This is really a favour for the guitarist in my band, who's looking at buying a 2nd hand Ashdown fallen angel 60 valve combo. These amps seem popular with metal players, so is that what they're predominantly designed for, and will they sound nice at lower gain levels? He's after a more 'traditional' valve sound (classic rock I suppose) and was wondering if this amp could perform well in that respect. Any help you can provide will be class. Thanks, H&R

I've been toying with the idea of putting some flatwounds on a couple of my harem, and have a few questions for those in the know on such matters. I had a look through a couple of flatwound threads on here, but the questions I have weren't answered in them unfortunately. So, here goes: 1) Would I need a different guage to my preferred roundwound guage? 2) I recall reading about TIs being a bit 'looser' feeling than the taut LaBellas. If I were to get some LaBellas, would I need to lighten the guage accordingly? 3) LaBella and TI seem to predominate the choices of many players. Does anyone use any other flatwounds? I'd seen a couple of references to rotosound and status hotwires; is there any more info on these, or any other brands like Picato, Elites, GHS, D'Addario etc.. The basses I'm thinking of putting them on are a fretless (japcrap?) satellite through-neck P (through body strung), with an SD 1/4lb pickup; and, a fretted SX P with a wizard trad in it. Thanks H&R

There's a Dean stylist cabbie [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dean-Stylist-cabbie-Bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ200437028199QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2eaafa5567"]here [/url]on a famous auction site if anyone's looking for one, ending in 5 days. Collection from Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire only though, which will probably put a lot of people off. I'm in no way affiliated with whoever's selling it. Although I do have a couple of Dean basses, and think that generally as a brand they're underrated. H&R

[quote name='Johnston' post='718216' date='Jan 19 2010, 06:43 PM']Are you thinkin of the one that was on the bay of E recently ??[/quote] +1 Edit: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220538336593&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]like this one?[/url]

[quote name='billphreets' post='703200' date='Jan 6 2010, 06:05 PM']hmmmmm , im sure there was a circle k in `bill and teds excellent adventure` come to think of it[/quote] "Strange things are afoot at the Circle K."

If I'm given a choice I like to record both; a slightly distorted DI signal from my Hartke VXL pedal, and a clean signal through a miked-up amp. I use more of the miked up signal (probably 60 - 70%), but the DI gives it that extra je ne sais quoi.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='662717' date='Nov 23 2009, 02:39 PM']I've never been to a Bass Day and chose not to this time too. The well-known SlapFest is one of the main reasons why I never go..[/quote] +1

I alternate between pick and fingers, depending on the song. Even if you don't get up to 260 bpm with your fingers, being able to play fingerstyle as well as with a pick will give you more tonal variety.

[quote name='Kendo' post='648480' date='Nov 8 2009, 12:55 AM']I think I want a 5 string where mine is a 4 string - I think the extra C string can be usefull.[/quote] I think that most 5 string basses have the standard 4 strings (EADG) plus a LOW B string. Some 5 string players use a HIGH C instead of a low B (keeping the standard EADG), but most 5 string basses you see will be of the low B variant. IE Most 5 string basses will have the following strings, from fattest/lowest pitch to thinniest/highest pitch: B-E-A-D-G. The 5 string setup you are talking about goes, from fattest/lowest pitch to thinniest/highest pitch: E-A-D-G-C. H&R

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='635930' date='Oct 25 2009, 10:11 AM']You could also look at a s/h Peavey Cirrus BXP. Excellent. I can get *near* MM & P tones from mine. G.[/quote] +1 I've got a cirrus bxp and it can't be faulted on it's 'bang for buck'. I saw one in a second hand shop in Leeds on Wednesday for £150. They're meant to retail for about £400, and here's the specs: *35" scale (889 mm). *Neck-through-body construction. *Two Peavey VFL active pickups. *Active three-band EQ with +/- 10 dB boost/cut. *Black hardware. *String-through, finger-style bridge. *Pau ferro fretboard. *Hand-rubbed oil finish neck/ Gloss Lacquer on Bubinger Model. *Dual, expanding truss rod If you can bag up a cirrus bxp cheap you'll be laughing. The weight & balance of the instrument are good as well. Good luck.

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='607961' date='Sep 24 2009, 06:07 PM'](with brass)..I'd guess that the transfer of any reverberations of the strings through to the body woods will be more efficient so you may hear more of the intrinsic tonal qualities of the body woods whilst playing?[/quote] ...as I suspected. Cheers Ben. Anyone else have any hardline metallurgical opinions? Or has the nail been hit firmly on the head?

What are the pros & cons of brass Vs aluminium in bass bridge manufacture. I was wondering what the audiable difference is, if any. Sorry if someone's asked this before. Thanks, H&R

[quote name='lanark' post='564783' date='Aug 10 2009, 11:07 AM']A guitar shop nearby has stock of Adam Black Titan basses for under £100 (rrp £200) but I can't find any reviews in the usual places. I was wondering if anyone on here has used one and how they compare to the usual entry level guitars, like Squiers, Staggs etc. Also - for practice with a band (not for gigs) how much wattage do I need for an amp? 20W, 30W more? We're playing salsa, so I'm playing with percussionists, horns and a piano.[/quote] I think those Adam Black basses are meant to be pretty neck heavy. I reckon you could get a better bass 2nd hand for the same money. If you have a go on the Adam Black bass, and like it, then it'll probably work out ok for you. But there are a lot of other instruments that can easily compete with it for your cash. Amp wise, I reckon at least 100W is in order; probably more. I wish that us bass players could turn up with a 50W combo like guitarists do, but it's just not viable. Well, not if you want to be heard, and to hear yourself. I'd rather have a more powerful amp on half power than a less powerful amp running flat out. I've tried the latter, and it's not nice sounding, or healthy for the amp. Good luck. H&R

Peavey do have a reputation for building stuff with 'bombproof' constuction. Which probably explains why you always see loads of peavey gear out & about. It simply won't die. I've got 2 peavey basses, both bought 2nd hand, and both are solid. The only issue I've ever had was when one of the bridges ( a Wilkinson bridge, on my Axcelerator 5) seized up. I replaced it with a gotoh number and that was the end of that problem. Secondhand prices on peavey stuff can be seriously cheap. My Axcelerator cost me about £170 inc shipping & hardcase off ebay. It was a little battle scarred, but I was after a workhorse 5 string for pub gigs, and this was ideal: [list] [*]lightweight poplar body [*]made in USA [*]comfortable neck dimensions & string spacing [*]35" scale [*]18v active electronics [*]pseudo-fender styling, which was appreciated in my band of a couple of years ago [/list] I've also had a bit of peavey amplification (very old TNT combo, Mark 6 head; 2x10, 1x15 & 8x10 cabs) and have never had any problems with any of it.

[quote name='Rayman' post='564131' date='Aug 9 2009, 01:49 PM']Well I've pimped my Tony Levin to within an inch of its life, and ended up with a bass that is [i]seriously[/i] superb.[/quote] I'm in a similar boat; I've pimped my OLP Levin as well, maybe not as flashly as Rayman's though. I put in a bartolini pickup and an 18v Agi OBP3 preamp, which makes it sound ultra-modern to my ears. I think the OLPs are a great platform for upgrading electronics. I'd checked out the bass on ebay that Herbsley just bought, but thought the polepiece/string arrangement on the neck pickup looked a bit iffy, iirc. Mind you, I've got a few basses where the polepieces don't line up exactly, and it hasn't affected my tone. It's just aesthetics, and I'm really anally retentive like that. H&R

I've got some 84s in a jazz, and a trad on my p bass. Both are class and good VFM as well!

I've always liked a couple of their tracks. Poison arrow's a good line.