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

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='369799' date='Jan 4 2009, 11:37 AM']Hmm. They have a full-page advert in this month's Bass Player mag which doesn't really give much away. [url="http://www.wharfedale.com/"]There's something on their website[/url], but it gives nothing away either. I wonder what they're going to come up with...?[/quote] It does indeed look like Prosebass is right. Just another expansion into a new area. Oh God, it's so sad. All those great British Companies now reduced to just a brand within a conglomerate and all with interchageable parts. See also Harman International and Harvard Electronics. Just holders of Brand names. I must go and cry into my beer. Balcro.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='367698' date='Jan 1 2009, 01:21 PM']That was Kelly Jones from the Stereophonics.[/quote] Thanks Beerdragon. I should re-emphasize my Kelly Jones comment. Not "some" as in a little bit. He has SOME talent. Balcro.

+1 for Jools' band. The drummer looks even older than me, but who cares about his age. Didn't see it all, went to bed about midnight.15, but 2 standouts for me. Annie Lennox. Superb performance. Songs delivered with real conviction and confidence. Class. Secondly, Dave Edmunds. Yeah, Ace. Just toe-tappin'. Martha Reeves & the Vandellas. Had the absolute top song for just after midnight on NYE. Dancing in the Street. God, didn't she make a mess of it. So disappointing and I think the Vandellas knew it too. Shame, the previous 2 songs were good. Young guy singer: ? ?? Kelly. Never seen or heard him before, but has some talent. Duffy - very average this time. Never thought anything of Lily Allen until last night. I only saw/heard one song, an old standard. Wow. Not spot on, she seemed to be nervous, but what was great was the way she sang with the freedom to make a mistake and not worry about it. Delivered. The confidence of youth I guess. I've almost been converted. Balcro.

[quote name='Absolute-beginner' post='356301' date='Dec 16 2008, 07:32 PM']I think this must be me. I've been playing for about a year now, teaching myself and trying do it properly with scales and a warm up routine. How is it that recently I seem to be getting worse? Is this normal?[/quote] Yea, normal. I've been doing this for 8 months, initially taking it very easy because I had a touch of RSI. Now OK. I'm in that classic position between 2 & 3, just like Skankdelvar says. So much good advice in all the posts. I like wateroftyne's idea. Just go and chat people up. I've got one mate who's a really rusty guitarist, but I have to take my bass round to him, and there's a supermarket manager with a Gibson & a Fender hanging on the wall as ornaments. There are hundreds and thousands like them out there. Go for it. Balcro.

Hi There, More background than experience. First came across Volt about 25 years ago, when they were seen to be supplying real hi-fi manufacturers. Cheap drive units they're not. A look on their web-site shows that they're supplying REL as well as Glockenklang. So I would guess they are into the high end commercial audio and professional studio monitors market. The emphasis appears to be on longevity, with high quality low distortion drive units. Seems reasonable to expect a high quality, clean hi-fi sound. Some of their units are shown on the wilmslowaudio.co.uk site, which is mainly biased toward DIY hi-fi. Balcro.

[quote name='Golchen' post='362104' date='Dec 23 2008, 04:09 PM']Any bass designs that really turn you off? I love the Status classic shape, but I REALLY don't like either the Kingbass shape or the newer Streamline. I know that they are great basses, but if I won either they would be straight on eBay with barely a pluck in anger. I find both unpleasant to look at! Another one for me is the GB rumour. It's supposed to have a womans curves, but I prefer my women with a little less ass! It makes me think of one of those chubby assed women in a renaissance painting rather than a curvaceous babe. If I had a GB I'd go 100% for the Spitfire. In no way am I knocking these superb instruments, many people have them and many love and admire them. This is just a totally personal opinion on aesthetics and not intended to offend. Any designs that you lot don't like???[/quote] Until I joined here some months ago. I'd never given it a thought, but now. Oh groan. First off, I play a black 'n white Precision copy. It's not saleable/tradeable and beyond critiscism - the missus bought it for me. Anyway the basic answer is probaly 95% of all basses. So it's easier to say what I like; sound, playability & or quality immaterial. The Status Stremline and Stealth. They look like works of art and were probably designed in the 21st century. If only they had heads and a mahogany body. A few Ibanezes. That's it. The dislikes: - RANT 1. Gibsons. Dreadful bodies and colours. The headstocks OK ,but the rest is in serious need of an industrial design consultant. RANT 2. Fenders and every clone or near clone, custom designed, hand-made whatever and anything with a Fender-like headstock. Include all those fancy names - GB, Shuker, Fodora, Sadowsky etc, etc., and on & on. So many I don't know all the names. BORING. RANT 3. Music Men. Can't stand the tear drop in the middle. RANT 4. Anything with an overlong thin pointy top-horn. Oh, and any bass or guitar which looks like it's made of petrified wood and been reclaimed from the sea-shore. C'mon out there. It's 2008.

[quote name='Jarhead' post='362162' date='Dec 23 2008, 05:11 PM']A bit OT, but I was wondering, what do people recommend as a very bright string that holds its tone for a while, in 50-110 gauge. If possible without silk wrappings as well, but doesn't need to be. Any help greatly appreciated. Zach[/quote] Try ELITE Stadiums 50-70-90-110. Purple silks: brightish and with the slight added sound of flanger pedal. The thicker the string, the stronger the flanger sound. Still running mine in. Balcro.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='358266' date='Dec 18 2008, 08:49 PM']Body, bass, sound, oh yes. [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fOqR84PtctA&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fOqR84PtctA&...feature=related[/url][/quote] [u]TAKE 2.[/u] I've re-run it, this time a lot louder and watched lots of the Weather Report stuff, Joni M and Jaco. I'm beginning to get this, having put them all together. Not that I'll ever be a major fan, but it's not just the notes is it? It's about bringing the bass guitar out of the shadows like no one had ever done before and showing it to be a stand-alone instrument. It wouldn't have worked in rock, but Jazz Fusion. that'll do. He probably couldn't have done it without the swagger and eccentricity. Thanks for the prod. Balcro

[quote name='steve-soar' post='358419' date='Dec 18 2008, 11:31 PM']Agreed, he was the Dali of bass guitarists, all the the time, all of the time.[/quote] Sorry Steve, I'm with Monz and Tombboy. It doesn't look that difficult, well it would be for me, but for hundreds of other B/C'rs it's not ground breaking. I've tried, honest I have, I've tried, even stood in Zavvi demanding to use the headphones and ploughed through 2 albums. Gave up disapointed. I've downloaded stuff as well but all to no avail. If you play bass you're supposed to like & admire Jaco, aren't you. He may have had prodigious technique, but that clip didn't reveal too much. Balcro.

[quote name='Stingray5' post='355229' date='Dec 15 2008, 06:01 PM']I'm wondering how many BCers used to frequent the various music stores around Shaftesbury Avenue, Charing Cross Road and Denmark Street, etc. For myself, I used to get the bus or tube and go 'up West' to check out as many music and guitar stores as I could in one day. Shaftesbury Avenue had the two-floor [i]Rose-Morris[/i] 'superstore'; [i]Guitar Village[/i] was opposite; down the street was [i]Take Five[/i] plus the dynamic duo of [i]Music City[/i] and [i]Sound City[/i] - not to mention their little brother [i]Drum City[/i] on Charing Cross Road where [i]Maccari's[/i] also still are today. Right around the corner on New Compton[/quote] Ah. happy days. I still remember the most beautiful stack I ever saw. Does anybody remember Gibson Amplification. This is circa 1970. I think it was in the Rose-Morris shop, Going north up Shaftesbury Avenue & about 250 yards before Centre Point, on the right. A thick pillared building where the bottom of the showroom window was about 4' above the pavement. There it was, in spangly metallic green (like a Ford Capri), including the grille. £2000 worth of guitar amplification. Gulp! Gasp! Pure showbiz. A HUGE cabinet with a valve amp on top. The green was not unlike the shiny cross on the bottle of "Day Nurse" in front of me now. Never seen one anywhere else or since. Keep walking straight on up Tottenham Court Road. Yes, I rememer Lasky's and many other "hi-fi" shops. but what you could also buy along there were chassis speaker units. I bought a Celestion G18C from one of them. Carried it home on the Tube. These days they'd charge me an extra ticket for it, it was (is) so big. Balcro.

[quote name='fretlessguy' post='314512' date='Oct 25 2008, 01:20 PM']I have a Fender 54 P-Bass Reissue with body thru stringing. It has a set of TIs on it. No problems. My Carvin ABG has body thru stringing with a set of GHS Precision Flats on it. No Problems thus far. [/quote] Well, I think Beedster's picture paints a thousand words, doesn't it. In the end I chickened out. I have little cash to spend on what could be a potential disaster. I went back to heavy roundwounds. The consensus appears to be that TI Jazz Flats are the most accommodating brand for thru-body stringing (although not infallible) and maybe GHS Precision Flats are a possibility, although they don't seem very common over this side of the pond. Never did get a reply from La Bella. Thank you all fro your contributions. Balcro.

[quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='354334' date='Dec 14 2008, 04:36 PM']f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ckf*ck f*ck [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110323038483"]I really hoped to be outbid[/url] BUT DAMN!!! I've got a figured necked musicman stingray5!!!! F*CKIN AYE!!! It's a crimbo pressie to phil, that's all! Please help, wtf will i tell her? How can I hide it?! GAHH!! I'm so happy, yet, terrified of the wrath of Katie! Help!!!![/quote] Cor! Look what I found in the Woolworths closing down sale! ..... or, With the collapse of the Pound against the dollar..... this was an absolute steal....or, I know you find these so sexy, I thought it was about time you played alongside me. So how about it. Balcro.

[quote name='Kenny_K75' post='343331' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:23 PM']Hi All, Just took up bass two months ago. Starting with an encore bass. Bought a Fender Rumble 100. I need to know what should the gain and volume be set at on the bass and what is the best neutral setting for the amp. Compressor or not? general EQ settings etc. At present the E String has a habit of clicking when played open. Didn't get that with the 10 watt practise amp? Any ideas ?[/quote] Hello fellow Encore player. Just so happens I asked a very similar question about gain & volume 4 or 5 months ago. A different amplifier, but I think the principle is the same. Bass Volume control set to a maximum of about 70-75% of it's rotation. Beyond that it tends to "boooom" out a little. Bass tone controls: turn them up or down as you wish. Amplifier gain control: set to about 2/3 of the maximium rotation. If you have the offset twin pick-ups, try screwing them down a little away from the strings. Just try half a turn all-round to start with, to see if it makes any difference to the clicking. I think you need about 3 - 4mm between the pick-up and the underside of the "E". Balcro.

[quote name='Absolute-beginner' post='347593' date='Dec 6 2008, 11:21 PM']Cheers Hamster. I realize that the unit probably isnt going to cut it for playing a gig. But it does sound better than the drive 10w practice amp that i bought although it must be said that it aint so bad for what it is. I just thought that i might be damaging it by using it in its current set up. A 'proper' amp/speaker/combo is something that I have been mulling over for a while. I know bugger all about them! Going into a shopo full of them dont help, 'cos I am, a bit embarressd about not being able to play anything worthwhiile yet to get a proper idea about what the amp 'shoul' sound like. thanks for your help ! matt[/quote] FWIW I agree with Hamster. PS. learn 2 or 3 lines or parts of songs. Play 'em to death. Then walk in the shop. Just like me. Base camp 1. Cheers, Balcro

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='345075' date='Dec 4 2008, 08:55 AM']I'm looking to buy another 5 string. Currently I'm leaning towards the Ibanez BTB 305fm but have yet to go properly guitar shopping and play a few, so just looking for a few recommendations. What I'm after, 5 string, Fretted Preferably Active or at least active preamp I pick, never slap or pop. Occasional fingerstyle. I play rock/metal. I like a warm, soft and mellow tone and have a dislike of treble. lol Something that looks cool and original but not OTT I don't like P-basses or Jazz basses. Budget £300-£350 max. Fanks [/quote] Just speaking for the Ibanez's 'cos I've drooling over them myself. The BTB 305 looks like it ticks all the boxes: Mahogany body, 35" scale and good "eq" that gives a positive bass lift, not a bass-middle hump. Squarish section body contours. Fairdealmusic in Birmingham appear to be selling them for £269! The SR505 looks gorgeous, but perhaps with a little less edge (visually) than you'd like. I think the eq system is the same as the BTB 305. 34" scale. Rounded body contours. Check out the info on the Ibanez web-site for facts, figurtes and sizes, but select US for language. The UK language site doesn't show you the "eq" graphs. Try them in your hands before you buy. Enjoy the search. Balcro.

Have ordered a DVD of Al Kooper and the Re-Kooperators. The Re-K's are his friends from when he did a stint at Berklee College of Music. Nice easy going stuff and probably not too challenging. Balcro

[quote name='Golchen' post='343832' date='Dec 3 2008, 09:39 AM']I get problems with this as well. At my worst point my fretting fingers get cracked and bleeding and it just won't heal unless I lay off playing for a couple of weeks - have to swap to keyboards for my musical fix!. When I really want to play I end up using a combination of plasters, nu-skin and superglue! I also have a problem with onycholysis, which is the fingernail separating from the nail bed - excruciatingly painful, especially when bending strings (mostly with the old geetar) The bane of my life!!!!![/quote] It is your life! I don't know how to start this reply, it's either type in capitals, say AArrgggghh!, or scream. How about "for God's sake look after your skin". There, I feel better now. Nickel allergy with contact -> localised irritation & skin cracking -> fungus enters via cracks in skin -> onycholysis!! Seem reasonable. What else could fall off? Switch to stainless strings and frets. Also try coated strings or those plastic/rubber strings. PS. Golchen, do you use lots of string & fret board polishes or treatments? If you do, cut those out as well, at least until you've got your hands back to as normal as they ever will be. Now that you've got nickel allergy, your skin is probably also ultra-sensitive to a host of other compounds including mineral oil. Best of luck with your problem. Balcro