Pirellithecat

Very Pragmatic solution!! 👍

😂 Rabbit hole ..warning! I'm sure that its something that most people don't notice or care about ..... but, once noticed it's a pain. When there are two pickups in a passive bass, the wiring circuit "sees" both pickups. The effect of this is that, particularly when both pickups are at "Full" there is a change in the tone/volume. No problem, until you roll off one of the pickups. At this point the volume/tone changes in a "strange" way, which means that you have to "re-mix" both pickups to get the tone you're after. This is fine at home but gigging it's a bit of a nuisance. Happens with traditional VVT AND/OR Volume/Balance/Tone. This from EMG " Insertion loss is a naturally occurring yet frustrating phenomenon that occurs most frequently with traditional balance pots, usually when it is in the middle position. It is characterized by a drop in signal strength that occurs when two competing signals are mixed; the nearer you move the balance knob to the middle position the more directly it affects the signal of the other pickup." They sell an ABC control which rectifies the issue, and I modded one of my other basses from VVT to VBT using one. Works really really well, but you do have to add a battery to the circuit. I may well add one to my V5 if it makes the grade as a gigging bass.

Set up my Sire V5 yesterday. Neck relief, string height, intonation, Pup height etc. Now all to Fenderesq specs. BIG difference. Now plays very well indeed and sounds better. I'll get a few more miles out of the strings and then replace them with D'adarrio NYXLs strung through the body so that it's comparable to my other basses and post an update. Still not a fan of the black plastic knobs or the insertion loss, but I'm not sure that most people would find that a problem. So lots to like!!

Well ........ Easy bit first ....... Mic technique - getting better, sings very close to the Mic and still "cups" the Mic "Bulb" from time to time (I have explained - and its now pretty rare). Wondering about adding a little more compression on this particular Mic ....... currently just a "tad"! In terms of FX - usually use Reverb plus a small amount of delay - bit limited on the Mackie, as the delay is a combo with Reverb so I've been experimenting with just Reverb of various types. In terms of EQ ....... well this is a trade off, as we have to manage feedback via monitor, and, as vocal mics are in front of drums AND Guitar cabs they pick up lots of mid range "bloom". So, usually there is the HPF on, bass rolled off a fair bit, as is the treble, with as much of the Mids (freq/volume) as we can manage without monitor feedback. In an ideal world I'd cut some of the upper mids (1500/1800) and the lower mids (400/500 ish) but can't do that on my Analogue desk. So a bit compromised really. (Monitor has significant "Cut" across the range!). Indeed, the Graphic Equaliser might be best used to tailor the monitor(s) leaving the FOH EQ with more options. I might check ot a few Mics though ............. Feel free to point out any obvious errors!!!

The Antediluvians 🤣 To be fair, it's mostly just me who wants the sound to be "better", most audiences (exception last gig) don't mention the sound quality (it's usually just the VOLUME!) Mostly though they just stand there drooling over the vocalist and the shredding guitard, whilst consuming inadvisably large quantities of alcohol! 😭

Thanks Jack - that's a very generous offer! However, we don't really get past the Middle East, let alone making it all the way out to the Far (N) East!!

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.