Rocker

Sadly threads like this one always end up much the same. Broadly the usual conclusion is that if something cannot be believed/understood then it cannot happen. All this is 'proven' by the use of second level maths. The cable building industry do not help either by making some outrageous claims about the properties or benefits of their products. The best cable, of course, is no cable. But as cables of some kind are needed to connect boxes, it follows that these cables MUST have a negative influence on the signal they are carrying. It depends on the usage of the cables as to whether you or I can hear the alteration of the signal as a result of using such cables. Cables connecting a guitar to some FX pedals and then to an amp cannot make much difference [unless the total length of cable is > say 20 metres] as a guitar amp is basically a distortion generator so losses are irrelevant and anyway that is what tone controls are for! But cables carrying low level signals, from a turntable for example, are a different proposition entirely. Even a minute alteration to the signal, aka distortion, will be clearly heard after it is amplified by the phono stage and hi-fi system amplification. It would be great if this were not the case but it is and the best that we can do is minimize the signal alteration as best we can. Digital signals too are often incorrectly depicted as '0' and '1'. But they are square waves with a minuscule but significant rise and fall time. A 'well built' digital cable will minimize the distortion of the digital signal and result in a truer representation of the signal at the other end. All of the above is mere common sense and pretty obvious when you think about it. Any hi-fi system is a collection of boxes connected together by cables. So it needs to be considered in its entirety as a single operation. Everything from the electricity wall socket to the speakers becomes a single entity whose sole purpose is to play music as accurately as possible. Any chain is only as good as its weakest link. The weakest part can be anywhere in the chain, a chain where some links are stronger than others. A good hi-fi dealer will know the properties of the products he sells, so it is his job to balance the pluses and minuses of the individual components to give the best possible sound from that system. The cables used are part of the problem and part of the solution. When the combination is 'right' the sound is glorious. Get the combination wrong and the sound becomes merely good. A lot better than the sound system in your car or iPod but still a degree or two short of what it could be. A quick A/B swap is not the way to determine which item is 'best'. In my experience the only way to check out anything, be it CD player, amp or cables etc., is to use it in my system for at least a month and then to replace it with what was in use before. Then you will know if it is better, worse or the same. Sound engineers might analyze sound on a scope or screen but we listen to it. Our ears are exceptionally well adapted for the job of listening to music. We need to trust them. In other words if it sounds good to you, it is good. So enjoy it. No matter what anyone else says. One tip for better sound, and I have done this myself, is to get an electrician to install a dedicated SPUR from your mains MCB panel to an unswitched socket for your hi-fi system. And to use 6 sq. m.m. twin & earth cable and to run a seperate 6 sq m.m. earth wire from the socket to the earth block in the MCB board. Unless the electricity supply in your area is very poor quality, this relatively small investment will give a return way in excess of the outlay. 6 sq. m.m. is about the largest cable that can be used with a 13 amp socket. Also to ask your electrician to ensure that the earth connection is actually connected to the earth via an earth spike. Bashing audiophiles [aka audiophools] is a common theme on guitar/music forums. By guitarists that will debate endlessly about the colour of a scratchplate on a guitar!!!! It becomes tiresome defending the 'cable' wicket. So rather than pissing all over anyone who suggests that cables have an effect on the sound, why not put it to the test yourself. If you get any benefit, you have gained something. If not, it has only cost you some of your time.

I am in my 60s, took up bass a few years ago and love it. Still play 6 string electrics and have done so for yonks. I know very little theory and zero about reading sheet music. One of the reasons to learn to read is that someone on this site publishes bass transcriptions in sheet music format. Considering I am not brilliant at reading tab, would it be a waste of time and money to learn how to read? In other words is it too late to learn?

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1505906552' post='3375095'] Where are you? G. [/quote] I live in the centre of the Republic of Ireland. Not a lot of second hand 15" bass cabs come on the market over here. New loaded cabs are very expensive. I know that building a cab is for more than the prospect of saving money but I have an old mahogany headboard that I would like to use for this project.

Fretmeister suggested the use of bass string trees as strap buttons. I got a pair and, had to enlarge the screw hole for the screw to fit through it, they work very well. The strap buttons fitted to most basses are way too small IMHO.

I have been thinking of getting a local cabinet maker to build a 15" bass cabinet. Anyone got plans or internet links for building said cabinet? Thanks

Well in the end I bought a USA Fender Precision [sunburst] as it was the only bass that sounded and felt 'right'. I tried out a couple of Fender Mex basses and a Squier PJ before parting with my cash. The Squier was not too bad, better, but not a lot better than my Aria STB-JB-DX. The Fender Mex's were a disappointment - they felt like planks of wood in my hand and though prices at less than half the USA bass, I felt they were seriously overpriced. If I was a gigging bassist, I would, probably, have bought the Squier as it is more versatile than my Aria. But as I was buying a bass for ME, I went the whole hog in one giant step and bought the USA Precision. It came with a heavy case, very unmanageable TBH, so I will get a good gigbag for the few times the bass leaves our house. A friend of mine bought the Aria and I threw in the Thomann bass gigbag for good luck. Thanks guys for all the advice and support, all much appreciated.

I have the option of selling my Aria but am considering keeping it with a plan to upgrade the electrics. My Aria, which is an entry level bass, is modelled on a J bass but it has active circuitry. I read lots of positive comments about Entwistle replacement pickups. If a replacement J control plate is the same size as fitted on the Aria, the upgrade process would be straightforward. And allow me to retain the existing electrics. Why I don't know but I understand that different value pots are needed for passive pickups. Do you think it is worthwhile upgrading my Aria or should I sell it as it is? And buy a Squier J bass sometime in the future? Thanks.

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1503659578' post='3360035'] Which, I would respectfully suggest, makes it ideal for a large number of BC members... Not wishing to labour the point, but not everybody wants or needs to be able to read dots. If that means they're less likely to be taken seriously as musicians by people who take themselves seriously as musicians, I rather suspect most won't worry unduly. While I'm here, I seem to detect a hint of 'us-and-them' elitism creeping in here (which I have to say I've encountered before in my travels within the industry). People who can read and play to the standard expected of a professional musician have invariably worked hard over a long period of time to get where they are. That doesn't make it all right to be so dismissive of others who have got where they are by different routes (usually for a range of very good reasons). Basschat isn't a professional association, it's an internet forum for people with a shared interest. [/quote] Well said my friend. Your last sentence really nails what we are about here on BC.

No method that helps in the learning of a song/tune can ever be deemed evil. Notation is the most accurate but we are playing music after all....

Thin Lizzie covered 'Whiskey in the Jar' in the early 1970s and it has rarely been bettered.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1502734574' post='3353202'] Depends on what you want to/are doing? I use my Minimark ( assume you mean the 2X8 250 watt combo and not the Micromark) as a 1 stop solution for small gigs and home practice. For larger gigs I use my CMD121P, sometimes with a NYC12" cab in a large venue. [b]If you like the MB sound, why change...?[/b] [/quote] Good question. Firstly my Minimark is the 2*8 combo you mentioned. It is a great sounding little [and light] box. When I tried out the basses in the shop it was through Hartke kit and that too sounded great. So I wanted to get the lowdown, the opinions of the experts here, on Hartke. It is most likely that I will keep the Minimark and add an external speaker to give more volume. An 8 Ohm 15" speaker might be the solution as might a 4*10" cabinet [though it might be heavy, as would the 15" speaker cabinet] Thanks Cuzzie for your clarification on the output power. It is a pity about the TX600 as it looks so good with the built in handle, and seems to be well put together.

I don't understand how the TX600 can be deemed underpowered. The spec is 600 Watts at 4 Ohms, 400 Watts at 8 Ohms. If the amp can output that many watts, surely it is the speaker(s) that are letting the side down. Confused

Tried out a couple of basses in a Dublin music shop recently. The amp was a Hartke TX600 and a Hartke speaker [it might have been a 1*12" or a 1*15"]. Anyway the sound was great, not that my playing was all that good, not sure if the Squier PJ or Fender Mex or a combination of all that got my juices flowing. But I don't remember reading much about Hartke. Anyone here got any experience with this kit or should I just stick with my Markbass MiniMark? All commentes welcome. Thanks.

Do these things affect the open string when tuning up. You do tune up before playing? Don' you?

So, who rides motorcycles these days......

Thanks guys.

Or 360. And so on. Do I have to start at page 1 then Next....

OP. Why must the bass sound be put through the hi-fi speakers? Place a Blackstar Fly Bass amp between the stereo speakers - this appears the obvious way to go to me. The Fly is loud enough for home use and there is a volume control.... Out of curiosity, why are you so set against Hi-Fi? Any working hi-fi system will work for at least a decade and probably much longer. It's primary function is to replay music from whatever format(s) you have. It can accept the audio output from a TV satellite box, thus giving you better sound from your TV. And you can connect your XBox/similar thingies....

Most likely Fender Mex, 4 string. I have a hankering after a Precision but am now having second thoughts about a Jazz. What is the general opinion here about the most suitable bass for Country, Country Rock, Folk and Singalong music. Think Gene Watson, The Eagles, Simon & Garfunkel and Christy Moore. My amp is a Markbass Minimark and, sometime soon, I hope to get a 15" external cab to go with it. Mainly to balance out an enthusiastic drummer! Thanks.

Play with other musicians in a band. Or a band practice. Follow the drums. Keep it simple, roots etc. Lock in with the drums. Play loud enough as the drums/bass is the rhythm section of the band.

Budget? Around €600 give or take. Selling my MiniMark will help too....

At the moment I am using a MarkBass MiniMark. A great amp but its limitations are max volume. I like the 'sound' of a MarkBass rig but the cost of the items are prohibitive at the moment. As always! On an Irish 'items for sale' website the following kit is offered: http://www.adverts.ie/bass-amps/gallien-krueger-bass-rig/6426652 Looks and reads impressive but what is the opinions of those here who are in the know about these things. In August I plan to buy a MIM Fender Precision bass. Would that rig and the P bass give me the same comfy country thump that the MarkBass gives? My playing style is mainly roots, ascending and descending runs etc., no slap or bass solos. Think Don Williams, The Eagles, Smokie etc. Thanks.

Replies to this thread are surprisingly monotonous and uninteresting: Done, Done, Done etc. etc. Is 'Done' the only word that has not been done to death on this forum?