pfretrock

Mine arrived yesterday - 71 pence cheaper than Thomann* I'll let those more qualified do the reviews, but it was an improvement on my previous tuner (once I'd got used to the display): (i) It does not need to be plugged in. (II) It has a sensible on/off switch and auto power off. (iii) It does not have that "OK that'll do" attitude of my previous tuner. The only problem I found was with my bass, it picked up open A and the 12th fret harmonic OK, but A fretted at 12 confused it - I have a buzz somewhere either a rattly tuner of fret buzz behing the fretted fret. Time to buy a decent set of tuners, I think. * For those waiting for Thomann deliveries, I feel your pain and hope your stuff arrives very soon

[quote name='Jenny_Innie' timestamp='1436302812' post='2816968'] i think the guitar tone she gets from her Tele and her Jaguar is total amazeballs. I'm sure she's not technically the best at anything, but she's fresh and entertains me. [/quote] I like that a lot. Not heard before so thanks for posting. She is also playing a hollow body in the WFPK Radio Louisville video.

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1436177909' post='2815538'] I just used the standard pots that were in there (the volume pot from two different PB-Shorty's) and used a [color=#141414]220k resistor.[/color] [/quote] Thanks.

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1431769984' post='2774743'] Decided to modify the controls a bit more. Normally I'm not a big fan of two volume controls, this was also the case on this little bas, replaced one of the volume controls with a balance pot, this also means the resistor is not needed anymore so I removed it again. [/quote] Fantastic work, you have a really nice collection there. I have a PB shorty, only done a fret level, restring and black knobs so far. I'd better check the tuners, had not noticed they can be out of square! The only thing I don't like about mine is the color, but the black pickguard looks like a big improvement - I may try this. the only problem left with mine is it could do with a neck shim as the bridge screws are almost out. They are great fun to play. On one of my 34" bases, I've added two volumes but still get interaction even with a resistor fitted. can I ask what value pots and resistors you used, I guess it is only trial and error will tell. Perhaps I should use a balance pot also.

[quote name='King Tut' timestamp='1436170812' post='2815452'] I've occasionally used loktite on fender bridges that 'self adjust' but glue seems rather extreme! [/quote] Loktite may be extreme if you use the wrong grade. Nail varnish is Ok, a nice pink color

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1436111582' post='2815032'] In my defence I did try the soldering iron first, but it didn't heat the whole saddle enough to melt all the glue in the screw threads. [/quote] Reckon a 50W temperature controlled iron poked into the screw head should do it, but not all irons are like that. Worth a try though.

One more plot, from your data, for lead lengths of 5 (red), 10(orange), 15 (yellow), 20 (green) and 25(purple) feet. The dip at ~7Khz is due to the parallel resonance between the inductance and capacitance of the pickup (what the pickup manufacturer gives a resonance). The peaks positions are a series resonance between the inductance and capacitance of the lead. I'm assuming 33pF per foot. However the best measure of anything is ears! EDIT added parallel, series.

If I add capacitance to the input of my circuit, I get a peak in the simulation. The peak is greater with 500k pots and lower pickup inductance. Of course as soon as you wind the tone pot back, the peak drops.

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1435736938' post='2811860'] pfretrock, can you clarify the point you make above about the resonance point? I always thought that this referred to the resonant peak of the pickup which is a distinct peak in output, not where it drops to it's lowest (as on the frequency chart below which shows the peak for various different loads). Thanks [/quote] Attached a Spice run of the data in your plot. The peak (about 5dB high) at around 3.5kHz depends on the capacitance on the input (i've guessed a 10ft lead at 47pf/ft). You can also see the resonance dip at a little over 7kHz due to the L and C values of the pickup. If the lead capacitance is reduced to low values, you don't get the peak (so some leads may sound different with flat EQ). Also the peak is much higher with 500k pots rather than 250k, so things will get brighter with 500k pots (and a suitable lead?) Sorry the plots are not clear - not sure what is happening. I'll try and fix them. [attachment=195678:basschat.jpg]

For some reason the thumbnail is not opening to full resolution - or maybe its my PC!

Attached spice screen shot. Pickup inductance (L1) is 7.8H, capacitance (C6) 43p and resistance (R11) 11.6k. This resonates at 9kHz. The Seymore Duncan data says this should be 10.2kHz, so I may have some errors in my measurement (they may also!). R12 and C5 is the tone cap and pot, wound fully on. R14 represents the vol pot, wound fully on. C3 is a bit of cable capacitance. The rest of the circuit is the front end of my amp. The upper solid trace shows the amp output as the circuit analysis is swept from 10Hz to 12 kHz. With tone flat out, the signal starts to drop at around 3kHz. When the pot is wound back, this point moves to lower frequency. The minimum response occurrs at 9kHz, which is the pickup resonance frequency since it is at its highest impedance at this point and forms a low pass filter with the other components.Usually the tone pot kicks in before this frequency. It is possible to get a peak like in ikay's post by fiddling with the capacitor values, so that the signal peaks before it starts to roll off. Incidentally the pickup DC resistance (11.6k) only has a very minor effect on the circuit, it has no effect on resonance frequency.

There is a program on PlanetRock today at 7pm, (My Planet Rocks) its an interview of Chris Squire by Rick Wakeman. I believe Darren Redick will play some stuff in tribute on his midnight Prog Rock progream.

it is common to get peaks like your diagram and the lead capacitance seems to be a significant factor, together with the other components. However that peak is not the pickup resonance point, which is 7kHz - determined only by the inductance of 3.2H and capacitance of 160pf. These form a parallel tuned circuit which resonates at 7kHz ( Google will give the method of calculating this). So the pickup resonance point is over to the right in the plot and the other components are already attenuating the signal at this frequency. At the resonant frequency of a parallel tuned circuit, the impedance is highest, which will give a minimum signal. I'll try and post a screen snap of the Spice analysys to show this

Another reason to get a soldering iron.......safer than a gas stove.

Mo Foster and Eddy Grant have just collaborated on a recording of ZZ Top's Cheap Sunglasses.

[quote name='BassBunny' timestamp='1435770417' post='2812313'] They must have few of these as I snagged one of these on Monday night and they have still been available since then. Interesting to see if the "damage picture" is just a generic one or if they have a few with the same ding. [/quote] I can see you are new to this long thread. The 5 string acoustic is one of the most common Dekos over the last 6 months. The ding is a 'D' stamp, usually on heel and back of headstock for bolt ons, to show it is a Deko. Just wish they'd find a lot more P/Js

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1435750672' post='2812050'] ...and you can bet your ass Paypal only gave Thomann £176 [/quote] That's 4% currency fee. I bet Thomann got charged a merchants fee, unless they are big enought to tell them where to go.

Dave Pegg's comments on The Faiport's website: [color=#006400]It is with heavy heart we report that former Fairport drummer Bruce Rowland has passed away following his battle with cancer. Peggy - "Bruce Rowland was a lovely man and a great drummer. He saved the Rising for the Moon album recording sessions by joining us after Dave Mattacks left. His playing and "feel" for music was superb. "His track record is remarkable. Playing at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo with The Guards band, teaching a young Phil Collins the drums, doing the recording sessions for "Jesus Christ Superstar" - for a fixed fee rather than accepting a royalty (something he always regretted) - and playing at Woodstock with Joe Cocker. Helping Ronnie Lane out on his circus tour and his great work with Fairport . "When we split up in '79 he married Birgitte Swarbrick and they moved to Denmark. "For the last 25 years he and his partner Barbara have lived in Devon. They were married at Rowcroft Hospice in Torquay soon after he moved there suffering from cancer. "I spoke to him on the phone a couple of weeks ago when I heard that he was terminally ill and I was scared to make the call. Bruce said - "No tears Peggy. I've had a great life and have wonderful memories. This hospice is the best hotel I have ever stayed in and the staff are wonderful. No tears". "We will miss you Bruce." - Peggy[/color]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1435702026' post='2811729'] The Ben Fogle Five have just announced a series of gigs in National Forest venues for the Autumn [/quote] Their first hit single, Underground, was actually a cover of a song by the 1960's 'Beatles In Disguise' band The Moles.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1435050926' post='2804872'] Just pre-ordered one of these from GAK... No idea when it'll turn up but looking forward to seeing if it actually works. [/quote] I ordered one a few days ago from Gear4Music - delivery was said to be this Friday (I was not hopeful). Email received this morning says it is delayed... I see Thomann are still saying "available immediately" and have been for a few days.

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1435655716' post='2810938'] ....Did anyone go watch The Staves btw? [/quote] Yes - Thank you! Also the Unthanks doing a bit of King Crimson. (BC warning - music stands were in use!)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1435487078' post='2809162'] Side-track away, I'm all for threads going off in weird directions. SPATULA!! There, I've said it. [/quote] Spatula Clark is one of my favorite 60's girl singers. Nice NGD, by the way, i'm tempted and mean enough to wait for the Euro to nose dive.

Never been, same reason. Anyone go here? [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_Festival_of_Blues_and_Progressive_Music"]https://en.wikipedia...ogressive_Music[/url] Look at that line up, if the headliners could not make it, plenty to choose from. (foolishly, I stayed in school to do a bloody exam!)

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1435320623' post='2807640'] [media]http://youtu.be/zQQ5sEOhbjQ[/media] [/quote] Blimey, spookey, your avatar is in time with that tune - or is it me. It is getting past my bedtime.

Being a complete anorak and wanting to put some [url="http://www.linear.com/designtools/software/"]Spice[/url] in my dull life, I was not convinced of the pot change thing. So I did the science bit. Taking a SPB-3 pickup, the inductance came out at around 7.8H and the DC resistanvce measured 11.56k (Seymour don't give the inductance but give resistance as 12.5K but it is temperature sensitive). I also estimated the self capacitance to be about 50pf (I'll spare the details on these) Using a standard 47n tone cap, and a 250k pot wide open, a Spice model gave the -3dB point at 2760Hz. Substituting a 500k pot gives 3577Hz. So quite a difference. I'm not convinced changing the volume pot does much, but it depends how it is wired (single or two volume pup). I may come back to this. Perhaps someone can help me with this? I don't have a J only a P and a P/J. The capacitance of a J pup is much higher than a split P, around 200pf for the J. The reason is the P has the wire spread over two coils whereas the J is bunched up on one coil. This gives the J (in theory) a lot more top cut. The SJB-3 resonance is 4300Hz and the SPB-3 10200Hz, due to the difference in self capacitance. They have similar inductance. (Resonance point will not give the highest output, it is the point where the output drops to its lowest, since all the energy at that frequency is absorbed and does not get out. The output naturally decreases up to the resonance point) So is a P more trebly than a J - in a similar position? The gain from using a 500k pot on J may be less (due to the higher capacitance), I've not worked it out yet, but probably worthwhile. (end of science lesson )