Pirellithecat

Thanks Phil, I suspect it's partly my ears .... I've always been a bit "bright-sensitive/averse" . So it might not be the speaker per se, but more the limitations of the mixers ability to adjust the specific frequencies that are a little too pronounced. Spent a few hours with a very experienced sound guy this week mixing a track which we'd put together "remotely" . Although he has an analogue desk, being able to spend the time minutely adjusting each channel EQ/volume/compression etc. was interesting. It brings home how VERY small amounts of EQ adjustment make big differences to the mix and if you have time and the ability to critically listen, a great mix can be achieved. However, in the live situation, I just don't have the time or the ability to really listen to the FOH sound whilst "tweaking" and certainly not time to do that to each feed going into the mixer. So, back to the excellent being the enemy of the good, I need an "overall" EQ adjustment which tames the excesses. Thinking about it, I guess the complexity of using a digital mixer (so many more options) might not help!! So maybe the Graphic equaliser will be the answer in the short term - although it'll be greeted with derision by he rest of the band! Tin Hat came free with it though so ............. Actually - one final thought ........ how bright are the Shure SM58's compared to the SM58 Beta's - our vocalist has a fantastic and very powerful voice, which is really the main ingredient of the mix. Maybe a different mic might be an idea ..........

Hmm .....if I've read this correctly, the "speaker" you're looking for will provide the on stage and FOH volume i.e. not via PA? I've tried monitors, and RCF Art 710's with a view to doing this and, I have to say, I wouldn't go that route. The GR solution seems like a great idea, and there are also some nice Combo's from Mark Bass and Ashdown (2nd hand?) - even some "Kick Back" versions. Something like ...https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/ashdown-rm-c115t-500-evo-bass-combo A couple of bass players I know play in Rock three/4piece bands using these - and the sound defies the size!!! So, an easy lift and certainly not more difficult than an eg. RCF 732. The Kemper can just go into the PreAmp section "flat" or into the FX return if that's important, although the pre-amp section might work out as a simple "fix" for different room acoustics rahter than changing the core Kemper settings for different rooms?? it might, of course , be that I'm a luddite .........

Thanks for the input everyone - I think that, for a live (pub) band, with a stressed out bass player trying to set-up and nursemaid the mixer, in the face of antediluvian band members, the prospect of a modern digital mixer which finds, and sorts, feedback, mic sensitivity, etc. etc. is going to be the way forward. Might not be "the" best sound around, but as "Excellence is the enemy of the good" it's an almost irresistible proposition. Just need to convince myself that digital wizardry can be trusted .... especially without the physical faders to grab hold of in an emergency ............ Damn! And, as life is short, I might have to look at more benign PA speakers which, unlike the band, don't SHOUT at me ............ In the meantime I've borrowed a graphic equaliser ............

Dare I ask, what did you end up with instead?

Ditto. I recently bought a V5 - it's pretty good. Weighs in at around 3.9 kg - so around around 8.6lbs. I've really only played variations of P-shaped objects before and endorse the comments above. Pretty good sustain etc. "acoustically" but the pickups are noticeably low output compared to all of my other basses. In hindsight, I'd probably be happier with a P7 - just wanted to try a jazz style bass. The P7 has a PJ configuration AND a 38mm (Jazz) width neck and being active would overcome the quiet pickups. Goldilocks bass?

At a gig last weekend, there were a couple of comments about the "brightness" of the room and could we do anything to control it. This resonated with my suspicion that our PA might actually be rather bright. It's RCF 932's plus single sub. + Mackie ProFX 16v3 mixer. Only female vocals and a little rhythm guitar, plus drums going through it. I have compared it with a similar set up - Mackie SRM450 Mk2's plus 2 subs, and compared to that it is brighter (clinical?). So, couple of questions. 1) Anyone else find the RCF offering a tad bright/clinical/revealing? 2)I can't accurately control the frequencies contributing to "brightness" with our Mixer/Speaker combination. I have the chance to add a friends Stereo Graphic EQ unit to the outputs - any thoughts on trying this? I know it's added complexity/gear etc, but is it worth a try? I guess the alternative is to bite the bullet and move to a digital mixer with better EQing options - simpler on the gear front, but a steep learning curve.

Well we not all pretty, I meant " pretty much hostages to fortune" 🫣

Good thought! Thanks. We have one Spare Channel left so we may run into problems soon! How does the Drummer get to know what he sounds like " out front". Is it just a question of making sure it's ok at sound check and hoping he doesn't crank stuff up during the set? Or is that just a guitarist problem? I suppose after sound check we're all pretty hostages to fortune anyway though ..........

Just had a look "under the hood" so that I could get a template for the Pickguard. It's very tidy. All black screening paint with the Pups earthed to a "screw" into the paint (!)). Very neat, cloth insulated colour coded Pup wiring, very well soldered and cable-tied for tidiness. Routing all great and screw holes all neat and straight. Bit of saw dust in the cavity but otherwise clean. Really simply and well done. Nice! I'd assumed the Pickguard was plastic - but it's actually a pice of alloy/metal. 2.8mm thick and pretty heavy (for a pickguard). It might just be in comparison with my other basses, but it does seem fairly "quiet" in terms of output, and it's noticeable noisier (hum).

I found a labelled picture on Talkbass (courtesy Kerren 2009). And that makes sense with what it does. (basically means it's very difficult to get a specific sound when used live ......... too complicated for an old dummy like me!)

Nah ..... it's not a Pan/Blend - it's a "Frequency Sweep" (whatever that is!).

Ha! Taken it apart to check! This is an extremely well made bass! Anyway, the second rotary knob does appear to be a Pan/Blend knob . Without the centre detente its tricky to gauge where you are on the Pan - but I guess that all good as it's the ears that decide! Whilst there are comments about the pickup outputs being fairly low, they seem quite high compared to my new Sire V5, but that's using headphones so I'll check through a rig later. Going to try to understand how to get the best sound from this before any modding, especially because the paintwork is a bit "worn" so I think it's a DIY refin at some point, so might do everything at the same time.

Thanks Dood! If anyone can help demystify the controls, that could save me lots of potentially expensive "upgrading" ( ..... possibly ....). There are two large rotary controls. The one nearest the neck is the Master Volume. Anyone know what the one adjacent, but towards the Bridge does? It changes the tone, but not in any obviously predicable way - I can't convince myself that it is a Blend control because I would expect clockwise rotation to give a more mellow, Neck pick-up tone, and counter clockwise the opposite. If anything it's the reverse effect. Moreover, if I use the use the selector Switch (Larger Black one) which predictably switches between Bridge, Neck or both pickups, and select the Bridge setting, one would expect there to be no sound when the Blend control was rotated Clockwise to favour the Neck pickup. The smaller rotary dial is the TBX dial and that does what it says on the can, with centre detent and all. Any insight greatly appreciated - within this "recovering" instrument I suspect there's a lovely bass pining to be released!

So no takers for parchment then? I'll check out the options mentioned above . Thanks.

And now I've gigged it, and started to think what I'd like to do to it ...... the first thing is ..... "UnBling" it - probably a new thread, but any suggestions on colours for a replacement Pickguard? I'm leaning towards "Parchment" or similar, but hard to envisage from pics on't internet. Any suggestions welcome!

Well - went for the Sire! Pros The neck is great - in terms of being able to navigate it, despite the extra frets, it works really well. The body cut out also works very well in terms of points of reference and easy access.. - very nice feel and profile, not sticky, sits really well in the hand and is very comfortable and "fast". - sounds powerful with lots of bottom end - it'll take me a while to get the EQ predictably right, but it's a lot more powerful than other (PJ) basses I have. It's also quite different - more so than I imagined vs a PJ. - gets noticed! (my other basses are all black). This could be good .... or bad! It's VERY good for a budget bass - to the extent that I'm glad I didn't go for a Fender at a similar price (or similar spec at twice the price). Cons - some of these are not Sire related - just the difference between J Bass/P Bass Arrived with a "scuffed" Headstock - just cosmetic but am having a conversation with Thomann. The set-up is OK - action a little high, and there's variation in String volume/feel so maybe need to get the string heights sorted +/- pickup heights - otherwise good. The body really is noticeably different to the P Bass styles I've always played - bit clumsy in comparison and BIG - and of course it doesn't really want to stand up straight in a stand. It's little bit heavier than I'm used to, but OK (used it last night for the first time in a 2.5hour gig and no problems.). More neck dive than I'm used too - so maybe lightweight tuners called for? The Headstock isn't better in real life! (Predictably) - Insertion loss on Pup Controls (very noticeable live and difficult to predictably change the sound on the hoof). So, it's very good and a great introduction to a J Bass, albeit with 24 frets and a bigger cutaway (which work very well). It doesn't feel cheap, but it certainly doesn't feel "high end". It's probably a keeper in which case it'll probably get a few mods which will bring it up to a great gigging bass!

Having recently bought a Power Jazz Bass Special as a Project, I find the controls too complex to use when gigging so thought I'd "upgrade" them! ... Can anyone suggest suitable replacement electronics/pickups? Preferred configuration would be; Master Volume, Blend control, Bass and Treble tone controls (not really used a mid on an instrument) There are three rotary controls and 2 three way switches so could probably use on of the switches as an Active/Passive Switch or a Mute Switch? Suggestions welcome Ta!

The CQ range looks great - very tempted to replace my Mackie ProFX16 v3 with one! Anyone know if there's a phone app so that individuals can control there own monitor mix?

Thanks everyone! All working now - via Left input or Splitter so all good! It's not a Mixer issue it's just that the gain is way too low on the feed from the Trigger - live test tomorrow evening ..... 🤞 Hadn't twigged that the gain adjustment on the channel ONLY adds gain to the MIC input and not the line input (unlike the other mono channels) - now I realise this and have checked it with other sources it's clear it's the trigger output itself that's the problem.

I have tried this but with no success - I'll have another go tomorrow - I'll double check the leads too. Thanks

Drummer just added 4 drum triggers so I need 4 extra line inputs (Jack). It would be handy to use the Stereo Line in Channels - but as a mono line in feed. Won't work just plugging into the R channel, nor with a splitter I have which splits a single mono Jack into two mono jacks (for left and right channels). Perhaps the splitter isn't right , but surely there's a way of doing this? The Mixer is a Mackie Pro16 FX v3? Anyone know ?

I'm teetering ......... How's the Monza vs the Monaco in the live setting? Any noticeable differences in terms of Bass frequencies, overall volume? Or anything else?

I'll check the Ashdown out - 38mm nut?

Shallow, float, boat .... where's this all going ....... (boat anchor, rocks , changing like the tide ......) You're right about the Headstock though!!

Well it's getting closer ........... maybe this or perhaps this .........