Mikey R

Cheers guys!

Morning all,

Just listening to some festive Faith No More this morning, King For A Day album. I was just hit full in the face by the bass tone - a quick look at Wikipedia suggests this was Billys fingers playing a Zon bass through an Ampeg. Anyone able to add any more information, which Ampeg or which Zon, with which settings?

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ob6O0GEMK0"]https://www.youtube....h?v=3Ob6O0GEMK0[/url]

Cheers, and Happy Christmas to everyone

Just out of interest, what voltages does Beavis run the 6550s at? Im guessing V[sub]A[/sub] = 400V, V[sub]G2[/sub] = 270V, with R[sub]A-A [/sub]around 3.4k, from the 6550 data sheet?

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1356089049' post='1906622']
...and you don't think we're odd?
[/quote]

Ive not really played a propper gig for a good few years - in the absense of the crazy punters, I only come here to get my weekly fix of odd.

Years ago, in my college band, we had a guy say he could "manage" us and get us signed. Turns out the guy just wanted to hang out with us and tell the girls he manages a band. In the end I think our vocalist was rude at him till he went away - Jon was rather good at that.

Then a couple of years later, some punk latched on to us at a gig, wanting to join our band and do Sex Pistols covers - and this bloke was really narked noone was going to give him a chance. Since we were a rap rock act, we said this wasnt really our thing. He was a pretty crazy guy, seemed to enjoy our music though and I guess just wasnt so good in social situations.

You play music, you meet odd people - its part of the fun.

EDIT: speling

Ive typed out a few responses but Im struggling to find what I want to say - so I think I'll just say I sympathise with the OP, we've all met that bloke.

Excelent reviews, cheers!

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1355152232' post='1894666']
I assume it was an adjustable bias model as it was a re-issue model bought from Doncaster. I think it had svetlana KT88s. I've never used these in anything so I'm not sure of their character traits. Maybe it would have been better with EHX or Shuguangs..?
[/quote]

So whats the difference between the different makes of KT88 / 6550? Both the KT88s and the 6550s from EHX look like they are actually good value, what are their qualities in a bass amp? Whats the difference between them and, say, the much more expensive Genalex Gold Lion ones?

Is there a big difference between the makes in terms of efficiency, so that loading an amp with one type will cause it to have lower output as well as differing tone?

It seems theres alot of single ended mono amps out there, if a single KT88 can go for over £50.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1354474822' post='1886415']
Hiwatt were never point to point.
[/quote]


According to the front page of their website, the modern ones at least are:

[url="http://www.hiwatt.co.uk/"]http://www.hiwatt.co.uk/[/url]

[quote]Boutique Quality,
Point to point wiring,
Military Style Construction..[/quote]

I always thought point to point meant turret board, tag strip or similiar - is this wrong?

I had a chance to play through a modern, point to point wired Hiwatt yesterday at Mor in York.



They let me crank it right up, and Ive been on a total high ever since - the experience was totally different to playing through a cranked solid state amp like a Trace, and that was just my bass direct into the amp. Im pretty sure the beast would bring out the best in my effects too.

However, for the price, the tone, though sublime, wasnt quite what I was looking for, a little too polite and not quite gnarley enough. When youre used to modern EQs, the passive jobs on the classic amps are a little hard to work with and I struggled to get a nice middy burp with a bit of grind when I dig in.

Maybe this amp is what someone here is after, if youre in the North and after a classic valve amp, you might want to give Mor a try.

[quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1354127681' post='1882488']



[/quote]

Now that is a thing of beauty!

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1353976750' post='1880527']
Does anyone have any experience or own one of John Chambers (or anyone elses for that matter) 200w (4x) EL34 amplifiers?

I always think of EL34s as a valve that begins distort early which (in most cases) isn't great for bass. My own experience and what I percieve my bass 'should' sound like shows I prefer a cleaner valve such as 6550 / KT88. I'm not saying they don't get loud, a 50w Marshall on the boil seems somewhat massive not to mention the Sound City Energizer 120 (6 x EL34) I had. That thing was capable of hurting speakers but again with plenty of distortion. EL34 amps always seem to begin to break up then go loud whereas 6550 / KT88 go loud then break up. And I know this isn't strictly true because it doesn't work like that but it's always how I've percieved it..

Beavis used to run EL34s and was marginal at best but with the appropriate mods (bias etc) now runs a pair of R/I Tung Sol 6550s and is capable of keeping up with most situations. I don't play in any rock groups.





[/quote]

Thats an awesome looking amp, so is that one of John Chambers? Any chance of a gut shot?

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1353680593' post='1877346']
I don't a new bass. Hurrah! :-)
[/quote]

How does a lack of bass shopping translate to a 'Hurrah!' ?? You clearly didnt read that section of the BC rulebook, check the index under G.

[quote name='BassPimp66' timestamp='1353833327' post='1878749']
What is meant here is: small amp wattage + big speaker wattage = DANGER for the amp.
If you try to drive a 500W cabinet, with a 10 W amp, the amp may burn/explode/disintegrate trying to keep up.
[/quote]

I dont know how this myth got started - please could everyone stop saying this please.

[quote name='omikin' timestamp='1352914937' post='1869361']
Had to call Alex and tell him how fantastic it is. Now our guitarist wants a guitar cab from him!≈
[/quote]

I dont know about the Super 12, but the Compact actually sounds awesome for guitar when driven by a valve amp.

[quote name='BigBeatNut' timestamp='1353246219' post='1872915']
Nice. I find the practical advice on which knob to twiddle first particularly useful. I bought a fully parametric EQ pedal a while back, and while I know what each of the knobs does, the combinations of the 3 variables was just too much and I never found it did anything useful for me. I will now tackle it again.
[/quote]

Yep, cheers Si - definately made me question whether a graphic EQ is more handy than a semi parametric on an amplifier.

If you had two amps to choose from, one with two swept mids and hi and low shelving or peaking EQ, the second with a 10 band graphic, if all else was equal which would you choose?

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1352764428' post='1867289']
There is a 100w valve head for £250 in for sale, its built to be clean, and appears to have most of the relevant stuff replaced so should be pretty good to go, that is a good way to go for the clean valve experience.
[/quote]

Oli, Ive had a look in the For Sale section, no luck finding it - is it still there?

Are these like a scaled up Little Bastard?

If youre getting it modded anyway, would getting it rebiased with KT88s be an option? Reading suggests they stay clean alot longer than the EL34s, but then break up right at the last moment - maybe some of the valve experts could comment?

Cheers guys!

Bit of background - Ive played bass for around 18 years now, played in a number of originals bands when I wa'a lad, ran open mic nights at uni, those kinds of things.

Bass has always been there for me when I needed it, which is why Im feeling a little lost now Im in this low spot. Im going back to basics, practicing scales and so on. I have no doubt this low spot wont last for long.

[quote name='Thurbs' timestamp='1352119750' post='1858883']
Wow, you have more patience than me! 3 months tops is my limit from joining to gig. This has been learnt the hard way unfortunately.
[/quote]

Its been my fault as much as the other two guys - we were all a bit surprised when going through the old emails to find the first set list really was a while ago... playing just hasnt been a priority for me and now I think Im starting to see the results of that.

EDIT: speling

I dont normally play along to a drum machine, maybe I should give that a try. Cheers for the suggestion.

Our drummer is really good, and I think I play alot better when playing with the band, but you play differently with others as you dont have the time to be so self critical. Unfortunately, we're all grown ups so music happens only when a house isnt being built / someone isnt working out of town / looking after kids / on holiday - which means its already taken a couple of years to even get gig ready.

Hey all, does anyone have off days / weeks / months? Like, practicing just makes everything worse and you just get frustrated?

I feel like Ive been in this rut for a couple of months now, I thought I was just not practicing enough but practice just doesnt help. Got no control over the strings, my quarter notes are all different lengths, cant seem to hit the strings with the same velocity each note, the ghost notes dont sound, and I keep forgetting what section of the song comes next. Its like my muscle memory has gone to pot.

Someone please tell me it'll pass some time soon cos Im really not enjoying it right now!

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1352071649' post='1858517']
As a musician highly interested in math and physics, I'd say they're essential.
[/quote]

I just dont get them - surely they only affect any notes played open string?

As I understand it, they are used on a guitar to make the B a little sharper which makes it better harmonically related to the other strings when playing common open chords - as bassists, we just dont have that problem. Am I missing something?