Passinwind

[quote name='Fonkbass' timestamp='1459449506' post='3016784'] Tell me about it! I've got a list of DIY home jobs building up too! but i've also got the DIY cab build bug! The last project i did was a Harley Benton 2x10 upgrade with the help of Arjank from Talkbass, he recommended the Oberton 10B200 drivers, its a very nice 2x10 for small gigs....but now i'm after more power and more low's. I'm using a Hartke LH1000. [/quote] Cool, Arjan and I correspond on a fairly regular basis. Best of luck in working out your new build. BTW, my latest DIY project is posted in the Amps and Cabs forum here, currently somewhere near the top. That sort of thing is much more my style these days.

[quote name='Fonkbass' timestamp='1459446806' post='3016729'] Thanks Passwind, i'm beginning to realize this fact....i also had a look at Bill F's Simplexx 212, at least a choice of drivers is offered. [/quote] Yep, Dave Green pretty much stopped looking at alternative drivers and configs once he got what he wanted for his own playing situations. He passed along the plans for free and beyond that he has always encouraged people to do their own homework if they crave more or less than what his designs can offer a DIY builder. BFM charges a very reasonable amount to do your homework for you, IMHO. Just depends what you are looking to get out of DIY building. To me the design aspects were where all the juice was, but I eventually copped to the fact that I don't really enjoy woodworking and would much rather throw my energy at other DIY projects.

[quote name='Fonkbass' timestamp='1459405721' post='3016140'] Guys, I'm thinking of starting a 2x12 cab build, possibly a Fearful 1212+6. Are there cheaper alternative drivers to the Kappalite 3012LF? [/quote] Nope, not if you want to do a to-spec fEARful build.

This week's progress: Mounted power amp module and tested thermal properties of my convection cooling scheme, no problems observed. Preamp and HPF/PEQ circuit boards stuffed: Surface mount format opamps installed on DIP-8 adapter daughter cards and tested before installation: Interface between power amp module and preamp section ready for installation on heatsink hanger bolts: All connections will be broken out to quick disconnect terminals to facilitate modifications or service work. Hope to be making noise within a few days now.

[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1459072121' post='3013236'] Superb work there! Will you be open for business and custom orders soon? [/quote] I worked in the music business for many years, time to do something more respectable in my old age! But seriously, economy of scale, regulatory and liability issues, and a general disdain for marketing and answering the phone would make forging a workable business building "boutique" bass amps pretty difficult. Doesn't mean it can't still be a dream or goal though, of course. For now I'm just trying to refine my craft a bit more. I'm really just a tech, not an engineer, and to a tech everything is pretty much either broken or about to be.

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1459178528' post='3014161'] So ... how did you manage to acquire the ICE module ? what with them only being available to OEMs at least officially. [/quote] OEMs all have to start somewhere. In my old day job I became fairly proficient at writing things like evaluation sample requests, but as always, a lot comes down to [i]who you know[/i]. In this case I didn't even actively solicit, go figure. There is also a substantial gray market these days though, and there are also factory blessed closeouts on some of the older modules, at Parts Express in the US for example. Although one of the most attractive features of the 700ASC module is that it has a good quality +/- 15 volt regulated power supply onboard, which potentially saves a lot of hassle and expense.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1459165910' post='3013985'] Good thing, one would not want bass gear to have a name which implies that it will fart out. [/quote] My real feelings about all MI gear would have been better served by "Entropy Electronics", but that's already taken.

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1459166765' post='3013999'] Looks fantastic - what kind of preamp design are you using ? [/quote] It's my own design which I've been refining for a few years now in LTspice, using somewhat "uptown" opamps. I do circuit board layouts in KiCad, which is open source freeware. Bass and mids are active, then comes the one band fully parametric EQ, followed by the passive treble stack, EFX/Aux send/return, variable high pass filter (2nd order fixed plus 2nd order variable), and a final gain stage/line driver. The power amp has a Jensen input transformer added at the input as well. Signal/noise measures at better than 100dB and THD at around .001%.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1459015015' post='3012915'] Looks good! The HPF and parametric seem like useful things to have. Do you include any sort of limiter to protect against overloading the module on peaks, or does the module have that covered? [/quote] Thanks guys. The module has a pretty good soft clipping circuit built in. It can be bypassed if desired though and eventually I will probably take a stab at rolling my own. Since I play electric upright a lot, the HPF and PEQ come in very handy for facilitating switching between EUB and fretless bass guitar. This will be my third build using the same basic preamp format, but I've done at least a few revisions to the circuit boards each time.

After a brief flirtation with 1/2 rack width format builds I recently decided to try my hand at building a more compact integrated bass amp. Just to bump the degree of difficulty a bit further I decided to commission a fully custom enclosure for this one as well. I'm hoping to be making noise within the next week or so, and here are the major bits: Preamp and high pass filter / parametric equalizer circuit boards: ICEpower 700ASC module w/ ~3.3 pounds of added heat sinking, as this will be convection cooled due to my extreme aversion to fans. Test fitting of controls in case: As always, I should reiterate that "Passinwind Electronics" is still just a vanity name for my hobby builds, not an actual commercial entity at this time.

Not sure if this is the model you're looking for: http://mklec.com/project-kits/guitar-effects-kits/fairy-dust-buffer-pcb-diy-kit

[quote name='Philverado' timestamp='1458002630' post='3003888'] Anyone got any input as to whether this is a 'too good to be true' story? The thing looks very sensibly priced if it's not complete tosh. [/quote] The one I heard at NAMM this year sounded good, for being at NAMM at least.

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1458058764' post='3004270'] Wow, those group names bring back memories.... [/quote] I'm still friends in what passes for "real life" with some of those guys from rec.music.makers.guitar in the late 90s. There are quite a few refugees from The Dudepit and even The Bottom Line listserv at Badassbassplayers.com.

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1457861107' post='3002334'] Back in the olden days, before talkbass, bassworld and basschat, did anyone here use or post to alt.guitar.bass newsgroup? [/quote] I posted regularly on several music related USENET groups, but only rarely on that one. I may have posted a bit more on rec.music.makers.bass, but I don't remember either one as being all that useful, in all honesty. I was quite active on rec.music.makers.guitar and alt.guitar.amps and a few of the recording related groups though. It was pretty amazing how rude people could be to each other back then.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1457942726' post='3003098'] As different as amps that generally use the same power module can be... :-) [/quote] The TC doesn't use any of the usual suspects, but I think you already know that.

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1457633937' post='3000500'] I bloody hope so...... I fear it's likely to be something like this: [/quote] You might just be pretty happy with the latter one once you suss the rather dire parking situation in many US urban areas. Anyhow, it sounds like you will be mostly using our Interstate highways, which would make a big one a lot more tolerable than it might be out where I live. Have fun, and rock on.

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1457617262' post='3000169'] Anyone got any advice [/quote] Dante's in Portland? If the girls seem a bit too friendly they're probably on break from the strip joint next door. Not that I'd have any direct knowledge of that.

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1456910687' post='2993367'] Thanks, any links? I've bought the passive box now, but always interested to see how others have done it. Are the Fender ones balanced though? [/quote] Here's how they did it in my guitar amp: http://ampwares.com/schematics/fender_30.pdf As I said, balancing it would just be a matter of adding a line level 1:1 output transformer. I have one in a separate box, comes in handy for all sorts of things.

I've been using an Audiokinesis cab with a secondary rear firing tweeter for a few years now. That can work very well for my EUB in certain very specific situations, FWIW. Duke LeJeune has done quite a few other riffs on that sort of idea in some of his other builds too, for instance this prototype 4 X 8 that I had here for a while: If that Berg cab was at NAMM I managed to miss it, and I was at Jim's booth a fair amount. His new amp would be fantastic for doublers though, I think.

Is Acoustic Image a player at all in the UK market? For doubling with a real upright and fretless BG doing jazz stuff that would be by far my first choice, especially the new series with the extra EQ band.

Take a look at how Fender taps a line level signal off the speaker out signal in many of their old tube amps. All you need then is any old decent isolation (1:1 ratio) trafo.

[quote name='Subbeh' timestamp='1456362318' post='2988371'] Wow, what a stunning venue and setting that is [/quote] Yep, but those pics barely scratch the surface really. If you do a Google Images search on "Maryhill" you'll see what I mean.

Here's a winery venue in Washington State I used to play pretty often with my jazz trio: And the view from the terrace we'd usually set up on, next to the tasting room. The amphitheater seats around 3000 people and we did pre-show gigs on the terrace before ZZ Top and Bob Dylan shows down there.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1456058063' post='2984887'] Im not really into very intricate noodling, but when it sounds this good I'm all ears., i will lay my hat down to this kid, she is a bad ass on the bass.. The solo @ 2.00 minutes is just astonishing. . Incredible technique the girl has. She's 16 years old. Im quite amazed that a person can be this good at 16 years of age. Just goes to show, musical ability is inherent. [/quote] Just finally got around to giving a listen after already having read all the criticism here. I absolutely loved both clips regardless of age or gender considerations, thanks for posting them. I would gladly pay good money to see that second band, no doubt about it.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1456167986' post='2986209'] This method also has the advantage that if you mess something up, feel silly about it and end up shelving the project, you don't have half a dozen people waiting to see what happens next! Speaking purely hypothetically, of course... [/quote] Heh! I actually enjoy that sort of thread done either way. I've done a few as I've gone along with the build and I learned some good things from reader feedback that really wouldn't have helped much after the fact. I also did one with a deliberate projected finish date to put the fire to my feet a bit, and I did in fact finish it on precisely the appointed day. My projects do often drag on for a few months or longer though, and lately I've been more prone to at least waiting until I have all the parts on hand before I post anything in a dedicated thread.