PaulFenderJazz

By the way, the Audio Technica System 10 stompbox is similarly marked down  to the G75, I wonder if anyone’s used this at all by way of  comparison?.

13 minutes ago, la bam said:

You have to scan everytime you use it - but that's a good thing - it makes everything more reliable and best possible quality. 

Scanning also finds any other wireless instruments etc and picks you a channel away from them.

I love mine to bits. Easy to use once you know how (it isnt easy at first!) and has been reliable indoor and outdoor.

Thanks for that, la bam: I'm very tempted to make the plunge - it just seemed odd that it was being described as unreliable, given Line 6's pedigree in wireless, plus the fact that its list price should put it in a different performance bracket to most other systems mentioned....

Seeing a lot of love for the G75, but also some frustrations: given, as noted in the thread G75 seems on a very good offer from the likes of Andertons I'm just trying to gauge the overall reliability. It sounds like problems arise if you don't set it to scan for best signal when firing it up, or if there are multiple unmanaged wireless inputs in use? 

On a wider topic, are you all happy with the G75 as a wireless system for bass? I see it’s on offer at Andertons which is really tempting....

cheers

So, I bought a set of Newtones and started to fit them to the Revelation: bizarrely it’s been a fight to fit any of them! The holes in the tailpiece are not quite big enough to get the whole length of the string through. I managed to replace the bottom E, which was the key one for me as the factory fitted string is so floppy. But I actually couldn’t fit the A string through the hole, I’ve had to refit the old string! Weird! And I guess an indicator of the issues with cheap guitars! 

I’ll keep the guitar a few months (tonally it sounds fine), and if I find enough use for it will probably upgrade to something more expensive.

I still feel 200 quid is a good way to test the usefulness of a bass vi, though 

I’m planning on using it for 2 numbers in a gig on Saturday so it’ll be good to see how it works in action...

On 27/07/2019 at 10:51, backwater said:

I had a Squier Musicmaster Bass that I bought new in 1998 and regretted selling. In recent years I've had standard scale basses, a couple of precisions and a Steinberger but decided I wanted to go back to short scale as it's more comfortable for me. After a search around I got it down to wanting a Squier Mikey Way (pretty rare) or a Squier Jaguar SS.

However, wandering gumtree I picked up a Fender Mustang PJ locally which has filled that gap. A little more expensive than the squiers would have been but it was a good deal.

Not convinced by the colour - it's Sonic Blue but it has more of a blue-tinted white than an actual blue.

Andy 😎

These are great guitars! The colour is actually less an issue (I have a sonic blue one as well) than the pick guard: I changed mine to a pearlood one, it’s really changed the look of the guitar. This is mine: I actually think a more contrasty guard, eg black, would look even better!

Revelation arrived today; pix herewith as promised. 3 pups with sliding selector,  single tone and vol, plus the 5 way chicken head tone switch. Initial Impressions are good build quality for the price, decent finish, no sharp fret ends, intonation seems ok. All in all a good low cost way to see if a bass vi is for you!

8 hours ago, Dem Jolie-blues said:

Put up a pic on here for us all to see the end result please

Will do, if poss with some vid for sound impressions 

8 hours ago, BigRedX said:

It is my experience from the various Bass VIs I have played and from measurements obtained when looking to buy other basses, that apart from the Squier Bass VI (which already has a ridiculously narrow neck IMO), most budget Bass VIs have the strings set in quite a long way (relatively speaking) from the neck edges so the nut widths while seemingly quite generous don't tell the whole picture. 

Add this to the fact that many of them use standard guitar parts for the bridge, so overall the string spacing is somewhat tighter than what I would consider optimal.

I've found it easier to adjust to relatively narrow spacing at the bridge then on the neck, which is why the Burns Barracuda is for me (for now) the best compromise. Ultimately I think I will end up with something custom made to my specifications for string spacing. Unfortunately the only way I have been able to work out if I can get on with the spacing on a particular Bass VI is to actually try one.

One other thing that you do need to watch, which I mentioned in my original thread, is voicing. IME a lot of the instruments that are marketed as Bass VIs are more in the A-tuned Baritone category. IME you really need the 3 single coil pickup configuration to get the maximum versatility out of a Bass VI. I find that the best bass tones come from using the middle pickup either on its own or in combination with the neck or bridge. Bass VIs with just two pickups - neck and bridge - have a tendency to sound like bad jazz guitars rather than basses - in my hands at least.

Thanks, this one is a 3 pup guitar, single coils, hoping for a reasonable sound. Will post some video once I get a chance to try it out 

Quick update, I saw a Revelation used in Reverb for 195 so I’ve ordered it: if it proves really useful, I may splash out on a more up market model later!

2 hours ago, Maude said:

@PaulFenderJazz You've just touched on another point I was going make as to what style ifmusic you want it for. The HB doesn't have a tremolo so wouldn't be ideal for surf/western. I don't have the tremolo arm fitted to my Squier and think it overcomplicates a already lacking bridge/tailpiece design.

If the HB had been available when I bought my Squier I think I would have tried it first. 

Good call, I couldn’t see the point of the trem other than to pull the strings out of tune! 

23 hours ago, BigRedX said:

I'm using a Bass VI exclusively for one of the bands I play with. I have a Squier Bass VI and a Burns Barracuda. TBH I don't like the Squier very much as I find the string spacing on the neck far too narrow. Whoever thought it was good a idea to take a neck that is already narrow by electric guitar standards and fit even chunkier string to it was obviously not thinking straight - even my 6 string electric guitars have a wider neck than the Squier Bass VI. 

I started a whole thread about my quest for a more suitable Bass VI for my needs here where most of the alternatives have been discussed.

And having said that the Squier's string spacing at the nut is too narrow, the Burns has better neck string spacing, but is less good at the bridge (compared with the Squier). IMO the problem with most of the these instruments is that they are essentially guitars with long necks shoe-horned on to give a 30" scale length.

Out of all the Bass VIs I've tried the Burns Barracuda is the one that places the least number of restrictions upon my playing style, but everyone is different so you really need to try each bass and make up your own mind. Personally having played both, I'd pick the Revelation over the Squier, they are fairly similar, but the Relation has more usable tonal variations and slightly more space between the strings which makes it (for me) a bit easier to play.

All of these budget Bass VIs come with strings that are really too light for the average bass player. It is less noticeable on the Burns because it has a different style bridge, but all will benefit from changing the strings to either LaBellas (flat or round wound), or Newtone Axion Bass VI Round wound stings ( my personal choice).

Thanks for the reply, really good info and I checked out your thread on finding the right vi: I hadn’t thought of the Burns, and it’s a gorgeous looking thing. Like you, I’m looking for something that suits post punk etc, rather than 60s surf, so that’s a good contender. I have a suspicion that my original plan to go super budget on this could well be blown! 

In your thread about nut width  you talked about ‘true’ width between strings vs ‘nominal’ full neck width, did you ever get to a definitive measurement comparison? I have small hands, but even so, it’d be good to learn from others’ experience on the ease of playing

cheers

23 hours ago, Dem Jolie-blues said:

Hi,  i use a Musicman Silhouette 6,  its just a more expensive version of what your looking for, over two grand new i believe, but as a guitar an octave down, its actually guitar sized, the Squier is huge and heavy by comparison, the musicman can be re=strung for baritone, how much you wanting to pay ?, besides as little as poss  !

Ha, good question! It’s that classic dilemma between very little as I’m not sure yet how much use I’ll get from it, vs pointless buying something that’s cheap and nasty and therefore discourages you from playing! Having tried US Fender Jazz and Ric 4003 I’ve gone the short scale route fro ease of play and weight in a gig, hence my current go to is an American Performer Mustang, which I find really comfortable and light to play. So I’m thinking something a similar size/weight, while accommodating the extra strings. So the Squier may well be out. I think I’d go up to maybe 500-600 quid, although I keep thinking what’s the risk on a sub 200 HB, as one of the posters on this thread has said as a brand they seem to get pretty good feedback for the money, which also seem s to be the case in other online reviews

8 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Just be aware of the narrow string spacing on the SRC6. You are welcome to try mine before you make your mind up.

Thanks for that, I tried out the Revelation so I’m au fait with the string spacing on bass 6s, plus I used to play classic guitar and regular electric back in the day, so i’m prepared for both pick and finger style on narrow string spacing 😀

9 hours ago, Maude said:

I have a Squier and yes it need heftier strings. I've not had issues with the nut but I don't use it a lot and the bridge was fixed by putting a plastic sleeve over the fixing posts to stop it rocking. I shimmed the neck to increase the break angle. All but the strings is fixable for free. 

I'd wager from experience of their others products that the HB will be on par with the Squier, possibly need a little tinkering, possibly not. Given Thomanns return policy I'd just buy it and see what it's like, if by any chance it isn't up to the job you can send it back. 

Thanks for the feedback: based on Cosmo Valdemar and White Cloud input on this again, the Ibanez SRC6 and the Squier look front runners, for around the 350 mark, or the HB as a super cheap trial for the concept

2 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Ibanez have done something similar I think. Not sure about G&L.

Sure, just found the Ibby, it’s the SRC 6. Looking into G&L now; but I don’t think any of these used would be as cheap as the HB or Revelation, as the Ibby is £500 new....

4 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Do Sire make version of the Bass VI?

Do any of those companies do a bass vi? I’ve not seen any posted?

I’m thinking of getting a bass vi, for adding some extra body to the sound on some of the tracks in our 3 piece. I’d probably only use it for a couple of numbers, plus I’m still working out how best to use the instrument. Hence I’m looking for a low risk (therefore cheap!) option that’s still giggable. Looks like there are 3 options at the budget end, Squier, Revelation and Harley Benton. Has anyone had any real world experience of these? In particular the HB as it’s such a cheap way of dipping a toe in the water.

cheers!

First knew them in their New Romantic phase. It’s My Life definitely an underrated album: all the plaudits for Colour of Spring onwards are fully deserved. And a man of principle, he retired from music to be with his family. Great loss

Any news from anyone on using these in gigs? In particular how prone are they to feedback, vs a more mainstream semi hollow body? Cheers

18 hours ago, BigRedX said:

If you really are going to go the DIY route there are a number of things to consider.

1. Make sure that your band are behaving in a photogenic way when you do the shoot. Get them all to dress appropriately and actually put on a performance. It is a video after all. If you can't look entertaining then your video is going to do more harm than good. Make sure there's nothing distracting happening off-stage, in the audience, or in the background. It's about your band not anything else.

2. You'll need several camera angles that you can cut between in order to make the video interesting. That means either more than one camera person filming the gig; playing the song more than once to capture a few different angles; or knowing that you can cut in bits from other songs with a different angle. On the actual song concentrate on the singer, and get the rest of the shots from other songs. Trust me no-one will notice that the musicians aren't actually playing what is on the soundtrack. Good hand-held moving shots always add interest.

3. You'll need good quality audio to go with your visuals. That means something better than what the camera mic is capturing. Personally I'd go into a recording studio and get a good live take of your band so that it sounds like it would a gig but a proper mix and no mistakes, and then cut the video to match this. If you are going add some audience reaction make sure that it is all very enthusiastic but in relation to size of the gig.

4. Keep it short and snappy. No-one is going to spend ages watching your video. Unless it is brilliantly put together and entertaining most bookers will give it a minute, tops. Either pick your best short snappy song, or if you are going for a compilation to show your range, then a great intro followed by the just the choruses of 4 or so exceptionally catchy songs.

As you can see, a single static camera in the corner isn't really going to cut it. And unless you have a friend with a good eye for visual composition who will act as your camera person, you are probably going to have to hire someone to film your band you might as well get them to edit it too.

But if you really want to edit it yourself, then you'll need some decent software. If you have a Mac then you already have iMovie. If you are a Creative Cloud subscriber access to Premier and After Effects is included in your plan. DaVinci Resolve is cross platform, there's a free version, and it's pretty good, but you may find that you'll need to upgrade to the paid for version in order to get some of the more interesting features.

Really good points, thanks, especially about making sure the performers are performing!

18 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

+1 BRX

I’d even go as far to say that at least half the battle is a very good standard of audio.

I can’t remember how many videos I’ve ended after a couple of seconds because the audio was severely underwhelming.

Very good point, the sound is where it all starts, right?

10 hours ago, pete.young said:

Also a good move to put the least photogenic member of the band out of camera shot. Give Andy my regards when you see him, we go way back.

Haha, that’s makes me the cameraman, then!

Hi everyone: thanks for all your advice. I think we’ll try a bit more diy first of all, but bearing in mind that getting in a pro is actually a lot less than I thought it would be!

My band has been regularly gigging for a couple of years now. I’ve been trying to get some reasonable video of live performances to put on our FB page, and the only way I’ve done it till now has been to put a camera in a corner and press record, and then cut what comes out into individual songs. You can see the kind of thing on our page: www.facebook.com/wearemovingtargets. This is “OK” as at least potential bookers and punters can get an idea of what we sound like; but it’s not really any kind of professional presentation. 

Does anyone have any experience of making a more sophisticated video, with actual cuts between different shots, over a song? I’m struggling with how to keep one audio track underneath and to ensure the video keeps in sync with the audio. I’ve been using apps to cut and paste stuff together, but the basic ones don’t have the exactness of editing accuracy needed, and before I look at spending cash on something more sophisticated I thought I’d throw it out there to see who’s had any experience that can help.