Balcro

[quote name='silddx' post='417054' date='Feb 22 2009, 11:38 PM']Just doing that typical YT thing where you play along with a number. These two are from the band I play with. I'm torn between the sounds, one seems nicer than the other but I'm not sure it's the one I wanted it to be. Cheers. Nigel [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xksbBRBxpIc&feature=channel_page"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xksbBRBxpIc...re=channel_page[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jp1OmuNNo8&feature=channel_page"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jp1OmuNNo8...re=channel_page[/url][/quote] Hi there, I guess it depends on what you want to do with the sounds. The former, "B1 to Krupa" sounds restrained and tight, for want of a better description. The second sounds more like an EU/double bass tone with more "boom" and overhang. Go for the second, well once in a while, because to my old ears that style of music always seems to have the the tone of the first clip with the white bass. Balcro.

[quote name='henry norton' post='415071' date='Feb 20 2009, 10:28 AM']Saw this on Ebay yesterday - I know it's not a 360 but it looks in really good nik. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150326938254&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=005"]Acoustic Rig[/url] Surely something of a collectors item these days.[/quote] Mmm. Looks tasty. A 2x15 with central slot port. Full of Acoustic thud. Heavy, but then you don't buy an Acoustic to sell it do you. Check out the french Acoustic enthusiast site: - [url="http://acoustic.control.free.fr/"]http://acoustic.control.free.fr/[/url] Balcro.

[quote name='Matte_black' post='407583' date='Feb 12 2009, 01:45 PM']Hello! As you probably know I'm a bass builder and I'm building my own cabs too. It would be very interesting for me to know what dimensions you would prefer for an enclosures. Example: some would prefer a cab as wide as their rack. Some would prefer a taller box... it's a matter of taste, needs and dimensions of your car, I guess :lol: Please feel free to reply to this topic as all the options will be kept in considerations.[/quote] As "benwhite uk" says, keep the footprint down, not of course ignoring the considerations of rack mounts, drive unit size, general stability and ease of transport. A taller cab will bring the drive units higher up and you should be able to hear yourselves better, especially if stacked, rather than the sound blasting past your knees. Balcro

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='407312' date='Feb 12 2009, 09:20 AM']A simple question. Musically he really does it for me, a whole range of his stuff that I find subtle, musically tight, and appropriate. It grabs my soul. Then again I love jazz. I get a feeling that even among bassists I'm in the minority. Yes I know some of you think he's clever, moved the goalposts etc but that's not the question. Musically does his stuff 'move you'? Satisfy my curiosity :) Yay or Nay? Peter[/quote] Nay. Balcro

[quote name='Leowasright' post='404685' date='Feb 9 2009, 07:35 PM']Anyone have general arrangement drawings of the 361's folded horn arrangement? Dimensions of the cab would be good, but at a guess it's probably 1200ish high, 650mm wide, and 500mm deep front to back? If I remember what I previously read correctly, the speaker is at the bottom, facing backwards and up into the horn chamber???? This is the sort of thing that gets built in the shed, just for the hell of it....[/quote] G' morning all. Talking of schematics, this link might prove interesting at least from an academic point of view. The design is probably still subject to copyright. [url="http://acoustic.homeunix.net/twiki/bin/view/Acoustic/BassCabinet301"]http://acoustic.homeunix.net/twiki/bin/vie.../BassCabinet301[/url] The cabinet itself can probably be easily dupicated, but matching it properly to any current loudspeakers will be impossible, because no one alive seems to know the spec of the original loudspeaker. Not even Cerwin-Vega. Unless of course those speakers in the coffee shop are the jewels in the crown! Balcro.

[quote name='Leowasright' post='402220' date='Feb 6 2009, 05:54 PM']I've never seen one out there. I have to presume some measure of rarity on this old rig?[/quote] Now see what happens when people talk Acoustic 360/361. Two people race each other to get one!! Look up some of the on-line reviews. One guy in the States, said "If anyone tries to steal it off you, shoot to kill". Another said he loved it so much he wanted to be buried alongside it!!! No need to worry, you've only got about 2 months to wait, and ............................. Mains transformers at the ready. Balcro.

[quote name='Leowasright' post='402220' date='Feb 6 2009, 05:54 PM']I'm kind of amp oriented today, due to buying a new Hartke 3500 head, and getting my old Fender Bassman 100 head back tomorrow. Pastorious was fairly famous for using and Acoustic 360 preamp with at least one 361 powered speaker cab. I believe JP Jones also used used them with Led Zeppelin in the early 70's. It was a curious arrangement, with the 360 "head " being a preamp driving a power amp (200W I believe, quite high powered for the late 60's) in the 361 speaker cab. Very forward looking, indirectly, as powered speakers are very common these days for PA. I've never seen one out there. I have to presume some measure of rarity on this old rig?[/quote] They are a rarity in this country. Even in the US because of the demise of Acoustic in the early 80's, they are few and far between. However there is an enthusiastic community in the US, see this link - [url="http://unofficialacousticcontrolcorpmessageboard.yuku.com/"]http://unofficialacousticcontrolcorpmessageboard.yuku.com/[/url] for some intersting enquiries and maybe some exciting news. The brand is now owned by "Guitar Center". The 360/361 is the stuff of legend. The biggest set up I ever saw was Slade in the 70's with 4 360's all lined up in a curve. Awesome power. The amp was solid state/transistor, not valve as was the norm - probably one of the very first of its type. Balcro.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='401936' date='Feb 6 2009, 12:39 PM']Some flats dont like through body stringing though but the TI Jazz Flats I use have been OK so far.[/quote] +1 to the above. Other enquiries about through-body stringing, including my own, suggest that only TI Flats can cope. All the other flats are unlikely to last long and some may not even mount before failing. Balcro.

I'm glad the operation went well. All the best for a full recovery. Balcro.

The best for me is Christian McBride. It's clean and understated. Readily accessible to people like me who aren't into what I call deep jazz. Stanley Clarke seemed initially to be playing games with the drummer. Maybe it's an ego thing. Oh well. One question for you jazzers out there. Why do bassists (in particular) seem so reticent to come out and play when it's time for their solos. I know there's got to be a leader somewhere, and it's not the light & shade of the piece, but when Joshua Redman stopped blasting away, in stepped Christian McBride and carried on playing at the same volume as when he was in the background. If I had that ability I'd want to stand up and be heard too. Is it just a case of the manager and the managed or just a jazz tradition? I have 3 Ray Brown albums downstairs and even as a leader he seems to do the same thing. I have to keep reaching for the volume control. Yea, nice bass grooves in general, but jazz bass is so frustrating. Let your groove be heard. Balcro.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='395329' date='Jan 30 2009, 12:28 PM']Or at least sufficient amp headroom for your needs that the power supply is effectively over-rated. Alex.[/quote] Exactly. Balcro

Ditch the front grille - 1. It will only cause whooshing noises from the air movement across it. 2. It adds to the weight. 3. In time it will rattle unless you add extra complexity to the mountings. Do the Thiele-Small calculations. Sticks neck out: - The heart of a good amp is an over-rated, but controlled power supply. Balcro.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='394847' date='Jan 29 2009, 07:36 PM']It seemed like a good idea at the time and now I am thinking... :unsure: :blink: :o [url="http://www.equinoxpub.com/books/showbook.asp?bkid=395"]http://www.equinoxpub.com/books/showbook.asp?bkid=395[/url] Wish me luck; I'm going in! :lol:[/quote] Good on yer Bilbo. Is it going to be submitted to the jazz critics in the posh papers? Balcro.

[quote name='RayFW' post='391380' date='Jan 26 2009, 01:31 AM']My left wrist (fretting hand) makes a clicking noise when I move it sometimes. I only noticed it when someone pointed it out to me whilst setting up a laptop in a meeting so it could have been like this for ages and I've never noticed. I have no pain and no swelling but I did break my wrist twice in the space of 8 weeks as a kid (dozy bugger I know!) My job entails a hell of a lot of typing so I wonder whether that may be contributing. I guess a trip to the docs is the best course of action but just wondered if anyone else had anything similar and whether I should be worrying (especially as I've just taken up EUB)[/quote] Serious response. If you haven't heard it, are your ears OK? Balcro.

[quote name='sifi2112' post='389240' date='Jan 23 2009, 06:49 AM']Thanks for all the advice .. but just how does Bergantino do it with his NV series ? I heard only fab reports/reviews, these are sealed & I don't Mark Bass do a CL range (again sealed) ? .. so do they make their own ? I'm gonna get a new all valve head (Eden E300T) & want a suitable cab but might just have to 'bite the bullet' & cough up for a 'real' cab ! lol Simon[/quote] I'd say "bite the bullet" and or do it properly. If you're going to spend loads of money on an all-valve head, why make such compromises on the speakers. You're "spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar". Why not try some second-hand cabs in the for-sale section. Balcro.

Judging by your pictures, he/she is a lefty! Once they're on it, whatever it is, it retains their smell. It's theirs. Smell is 9 tenths of the law! Balcro.

[quote name='basswesty' post='385932' date='Jan 20 2009, 12:28 PM']I presume you mean off? Unfortunately I can't, Might get that modified though...[/quote] You presume correctly. Sorry. Balcro.

[quote name='basswesty' post='385781' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:47 AM']I currently use an Ashdown MK 500 and two custom built cabs, 4x10 and 1x15 (eminence speakers) both with HFH. I think it sounds very good but I am looking to change to something warmer sounding and lighter. I see a lot of you are users of Mark Bass gear and I cannot find anything negative about them. Would I benefit from just changing the head unit or is the 2x10 combo any good? And what could I expect in terms of sound. I only use passive basses now and like lots of warmth. Your help & thoughts please before I part with cash... :blink:[/quote] There's always someone to muddy the water, This time it could be me. For the moment, ignoring the need for lightness, are you able/have you tried turning the HFH's in one or more of the custom cabs? Balcro.

[quote name='Eight' post='381453' date='Jan 15 2009, 04:18 PM']Well I've been a bass player for all of what, three weeks? Already I'm thinking of getting that next bass - but to be fair, I bought a £50 one (which looks ghastly) just to get me going. I've been searching the £200-£300 range, something that's a definite upgrade but still not splashing huge amounts of cash when I'm new on the instrument. I'm down to three options at the minute but as I don't know the tech, its hard to judge between them other than looks and price. Struggling to find local dealers for any of the basses I had on a list of 9, so playing it first might not be possible. Anyone got any comments that might help me understand which of the three might be a better purchase? My gut is saying the EB-3 or F154DX. I love look of the F-series basses but the EB-3 is no ugly duckling and I haven't seen a bad word against it; whereas the F154DX is at the bottom end of the F-series so I don't know how good it really is.[/quote] One odd question and one plain question. In which County do you live? In repect to your age or size, do you have large or small hands or fingers? [i]Yes, I know, medium.[/i]. These minor details all help to refine the advice Basschatters will give you. Balcro.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='380884' date='Jan 15 2009, 12:25 AM']From an internet article totally unrelated to bass playing, but does crop up from time to time. By comparison, the human voice is general in the range of 80 to 1,100 Hz, and good human hearing runs from around 20 to 20,000 Hz.[/quote] That's the very best it's ever likely to be. By the time you're 20 you've probably lost the top 2KHz. By the time you're 50, the top end is probably down to 14KHz. That's at the level of audibility, so it doesn't mean you will hear 14k as clearly as 2K. On top of that you start to get variations between ears, so it would not be unusual to get 4 - 6dB difference in sensitivity between ears, even in your 30's. ...and it gets better. Long term use of some medicines may have an effect on hearing. Good old fashioned quinine, which used to be the principle anti-malarial treatment 100 years ago, is an established hearing wrecker. Balcro.

Good evening all, The Licensing Officer replied late this afternoon. "That's a first to me. Not aware of any imminent review to suggest that all premises would need to have noise limiting equipment. Will have a look around to see if there are any more rumblings & let you know." So, that's it. I suspect it will be a long wait. If there were a petition to require the replacement of all those obsolete cut-off type sound level controllers, I would sign up straight away. Balcro.

First of all, as your friendly neighbourhood Environmental Health Officer, I think this petition is cracked. It's probably part of a publicity campaign to oppose any noise control in entertainment venues, but it looks misguided. I think "Stylon Pilson" and " bumnote" (Jan 9th 3.28pm) are heading in the right direction. All sort of issues here: 70dB as a limit is patently ridiculous. Take no notice. Even a loud short-term "special effect" in a film at your local cinema (modern one with Dolby sound system) will hit 93dBa. I know, I've measured it. The Noise at Work Act 2005 was updated (2008) to take account of a reduced "action levels". The pressure for the reduction from 90dB down to 85dBa came from the EU. If the Health & Safety law refers to 85dBa as an "action level" why would someone suggest a limit of 70! The article on the BBC web-site as linked by "bremen" is not sensationalist. It states that the law (NAW Act 2008) is already in force and the levels quoted in the small box are fairly accurate. As several posters have said, the purpose of the Act is to protect the H&S of the staff in the venue. Not solve a noise problem for musicians or nearby residents (although you could use it a roundabout way to achieve the same ends). The "action level" doesn't mean that the noise should be turned off. Thank you "BeLow" (Jan10th) excellent information. Noise limiters. Most of you have obviously suffered from old cut-off noise level devices. 20 years ago that's all we had to work with. Anyone remember the Electronic Orange. These things are obsolete. The modern stuff incorporates a level setting with a headroom control. More of a noise compressor/squasher. [u]They don't cut off[/u], just trim off the peaks above the headroom threshold. Far better for control and far better for equipment. Take a look at the Formula Sound Sentry Mk11 and the AVC2 at - www.formulasound.co.uk/nc-overview.php Castle Acoustics probably do something similar. I've e-mailed my local Licensing manager to see if I can get any up to date info. If and when I get a reply I'll let you know. Balcro.

[quote name='Musky' post='374945' date='Jan 9 2009, 11:48 AM']Yeah - I noted the specs on the 1x15 as 102dB -3dB at 45Hz & 15kHz. Besides the fact that giving an SPL at just two frequencies is pretty pointless, I'm highly dubious that it can achieve that kind of volume at 45hz anyway.[/quote] I think there's some punctuation missing or their trying to confuse. So here is a shorthand version: - It's 102dB at 1w @ 1m. General guide to efficiency. Full stop. (Point of measurement in Hz, not known) The rest is a guide to overall frequency response. It's -3dB down from the nominal output level at the 2 mentioned frequencies. So as a guesstimate it produces 102dB (probably + or - 3dB - again, measurement standard not known) between about 70Hz & 14Khz. It's loud. Balcro.

[quote name='bamboofrog' post='361791' date='Dec 23 2008, 11:02 AM']I wish I was up to gigging yet, but I haven't even begun practicing, my wife has wrapped up my bass and won't let me play with it until christmas So a practice amp is all I really need at the moment. Although I do like the idea of knocking down walls [/quote] If you're still at the early practice stage, look for a combo with a headphone socket and if possible also a CD/Aux-in socket. Necesary for quiet home practice and domestic harmony. Balcro

[quote name='cjbassguy' post='369729' date='Jan 4 2009, 05:05 AM']yes, im not lying at all. maybe something on the bass like the bridge or neck or something is breaking the core, this is just getting rediculous[/quote] This sounds odd, but I've had one or two strings go "dead" all of a sudden, but they were very old. You haven't got a hairline crack in the neck have you? I've still got mine - the crack, that is - about 4" long and I live with it. A change of strings and a re-setup seems to have masked the problem anyway. Fingers crossed for you. Balcro