Pirellithecat

A bit of an Update ..... and a question. Been "implementing" the changes outlined in this post. The GOOD STUFF All instruments in mix but only Vocals and Kick/Snare to FOH. Reducing Stage Volume and ensuring better monitor positioning makes it possible to control feedback. It's very difficult to get the idea over that, if one feed is too loud, it's better to reduce it rather than increase ALL the others to get the balance right. But, I guess, he who has the mixer can overcome this!! Using new Shure 215 IEM's (via Xvive U4) which are excellent in reducing Stage Volume (for my ears!) . Used an ambient mic (an old vocal mic with poor noise rejection!) on a mic stand positioned just above head height and "aimed" to catch as much ambient sound as possible. This really does make a very big difference in the "feels like I'm playing live" experience and could become the main "feed" into the IEM mix with some additional bass to help hear the notes better. Last night's gig (pic), worked really well (for me at least) certainly to start with. The BAD Stuff 2/3rds of the way through 1st set it all fell apart. Finally dawned on me that the Guitarist had turned up both guitar amps , "only a smidge", 'cos from his position, with his ear plugs in, he felt the sound was a bit thin and he couldn't feel the guitar. And anyway (I kid you not) the punters walking in front of the band didn't flinch so we weren't too loud!! Question Any good way to stop this happening ..... or tips on how to tackle it? Or ...... Anyone need a bass player, with great PA set-up, somewhere in the North West!!😂

Tried a Zoom Q2N-4K at rehearsal this week. Promising. Set up unit on top of a mic stand in the "audience position", sent Headphone "out" to mixing desk, mixed this with the vocal and bass feeds and sent via Aux Send to my wireless/in ears. Worked fairly well for a first attempt. I don't think the Q2N-4K is the right tool for me though, as there would be a debate about video vs sound etc. and I don't need the hassle. However, the H4N Pro, (although more expensive) would work alone using one of the mic inputs for the bass, mixed in with sound from the onboard mics, freeing up an Aux send. ........... Might be too late, but this plus in ear might do the trick, combining the need for IEMs' for sound isolation from a noisy stage whist keeping that "live" feel. I might just try a stand alone mic first, but the Zoom solution is very flexible and tidy. Thanks for the pointer Dood!

The updated PJ shared gigging duties last night. Works a treat! My old basses (just finished fettling my MIJ Squier P too) are now both excellent beasts. Very different, both really good to play, really nice necks, and both sound very good (but not using the same EQ!!). Used live, the absence of insertion loss and a blend knob make life much easier. The EMG set-up sounds good - nice punchy pickups (Geezer Butler PJ)which blend well, making the tone control on the bass (nice to have but) fairly redundant. It's remarkable how different the PJ sounds to the P, even with the P pup soloed - both nice but completely different. I suspect that if I were looking fo new (additional) basses now I would be looking active, or a single pick-up solution to see how those set-ups compare ............... I'd definitely like to see how a Stingray (Sterling ...) or the Sandberg Central compare in the wild ......... but other things to sort first on the PA/IEM front. So maybe December ............ Christmas after all.

Update. Before changing pickups I tried the P out at a couple of gigs. It was very good. So, thought I'd treat it to a setup at The Guitar Workshop (Manchester). And it's brilliant. They did a great job of setting it up and refiling the nut slots. It now sounds unmuffled and is a delight to play. Nice low action, no buzzing, tunes well and sounds like an old P The pup is a tad hot and maybe a tad bassy but can now be EQ'd. Might try swapping it one day but for now it's fine.

Double Post - oops

Fascinating - just back from a(nother) frustrating gig on the sound front! So, being a simple chap, just want to check that Zoom H2N set up is connected to the IEM's with a suitably long 3.5mm Jack lead (via a connector) directly to the IEM's?

Apologies if this is a bit "off topic", but how do the Two10's compare to the Barefaced 12inch equivalents? Spec wise the 2x12's seem more likely to survive at volume, but it would be great to get "real world" experience. Has anyone swapped? I guess a Barefaced 2x12 would be loud enough for all gigs and is a single carry and less cost than, say, 2xTwo10's?? But how does it compare sound wise? Maybe the answer is in the photo's above - pairs of Barefaced Two10's ???

Update. First. Tried a Fender Performer P this week. PJ set up and insertion loss just like my pre mod Squire. Second Completed all the cavity routing and battery box added. Added all the bits. And reassembled. Third BRILLIANT!!! Works a treat. Usable blend control to give predicable mix of each pickup. I'd recommend it and, should I ever have another passive PJ, I'd immediately add the EMG ABC control, or go active EMG have been brilliant throughout, lots of questions answered and very helpful. Big callout for Alison at their HQ. Result!!

Returning to "The Central". After the excitement of a new offering and in the light of experience, what's the current feeling? I have a VM4, tried Stingray for the first time yesterday, and was mightily impressed with the "Punch" - quite different to what I'm used to. How does the the Central compare generally and particularly in that characteristically punchy Stingray sound? I like almost everything about the Sandberg VM4 and to have a second bass with similar "topography" but with a different "sound" would be great!

But , of course you're right - try the SPB's first. Trying to resist actually modding anything at the moment as tomorrow I'm routing out a battery box on my other bass and it would be tempting fate to disassemble both at the same time (although typical!!)

When you say "killer" .... how would you describe the tone? I think I need to emphasise the mids rather than the deep bass, as there's plenty going on down there.

Any views o the Seymour Duncan SPB1's - I had them in my "other" back-up bass until recently - be daft to sell these without trying them I guess.

Well - clarity is what I'm after (in terms of reducing the Muffledness!). I wonder whether there's a cheaper option - just because if it doesn't work it'll be (another) expensive mistake! Tempted though, as I have a set of Seymour Duncan SPB-1's and SJB-1's which I could sell and fund (partially) the Fender originals. Maybe one more gig and rehearsal a decent set up and if it still looks promising ............ go for it! Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks. I'll double check for any partial shorts.

Could you expand on this? The grounding wires, including that from the pickup, are effectively "star earthed" before they reach the volume pot and then use the housing of each pot to daisy chain to the jack socket. I did wonder whether I'd the polarity were reversed this might be the cause of the problem. Simply put, the bridge ground, and the ground soldered to the copper cavity screening are summed with the pickup ground immediately before the pot. This feed is soldered to the casing of the pot and a wire goes to the tone control casing and then to the jack socket.

Thanks Bass Adder. I'm pretty much a fingerstyle player, so your remarks are very pertinent. I think the underlying issue is now under control and aggressive EQ helps a lot with getting the sound I want. The original pickups are very hot, but also have a very shallow profile so whilst changing them is tempting I would need to route the current pickup cavity to fit eg a Geezer Butler. I'll have a look at Dimarzio. I'm guessing you think it might help the upper mids?

Yep that is my understanding too. Maybe is was just a dodgy connection? The alternative is that with sufficient eq- ing I managed to overcome the issue. But whatever I've done it now seems possible to get a great sound from the bass, in contrast to my previous experience