Beer of the Bass

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1398877264' post='2438594'] doesn't the SVT preamp have about 7 valves in it? how they fit all them and a power amp in there? Caitlinbread SFT is quite a good little (solid state) version of the SVT [/quote] I'd guess they're not using valves, as surely the word "valve" or "tube" would be all over their marketing copy and they'd have the inevitable LEDs behind them to make 'em glow brighter...

As Lozz says above, really. You have used the thing for a time. That has a value, surely? I'd say that the delivery charges are a small price to pay.

The last time I had a set of Picato flatwounds they were un-silked at both ends. I had a four string set so I can't comment on the B, but usually manufacturers will mention it when their strings are tapered.

I have a bass-cut capacitor on my bridge pickup on a push-pull pot, otherwise the bass is wired like a Jazz. I can't remember what value I used, but I think I copied the Rick value. I like the effect, but I tend to use it in conjunction with the two volume controls, with the neck on full and the high end of the bridge pickup dialled in to taste.

Purely on aesthetics, an old B15n with the light-up perspex panel on the front. Come to think of it, that could sound rather good too...

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1398583821' post='2435394'] Doesn't Tru oil give a gloss finish? I'm only going on some videos I've seen, but won't that be the same as a lacquered finish? [/quote] It goes on a lot thinner than a typical lacquer coat. It can achieve a gloss finish if you use a large number of coats, but using fewer coats and cutting back with fine steel wool gives a nice satin.

I have friends in a signed band who tour regularly, and they all still do other non-musical work the rest of the time.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1398420649' post='2433876'] Erm, it doesn't have to be a perfect mathematical interval, modern pitch shifters allow any ratio, including modification +/- cents. If there is more random variation and 'slop' required, then a 100% wet chaotic chorus effect on one of the signals will do that. It would be easy to make a Max/MSP patch that has whatever variation is needed. [/quote] Indeed, you [i]could[/i] do this. But I'm hearing a straight octave-up into some distortion on the videos above, a sound I got tired of very quickly.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1398409741' post='2433740'] Not quite true. Using multiple pitch-shifters can create power chords from the bass signal. When I had a go at creating a Royal Blood type sound, I used two pitch-shifters in this way, and it created a thicker sound than simply pitch-shifting one octave up. [/quote] Sure, you can use different intervals, but the pitch shifted sound will always be a perfect mathematical multiple of the original, and will be phase-related to it. I was talking more about the small random variations and "slop" between separate instruments that make them sound complex and pleasing together, which this approach misses.

I think that after the initial "wow, there's only two of 'em" has passed, the sound they make is actually duller and less interesting to the ear than if they'd just added a guitarist! A pitch shifter is tied to precisely doubling the bass an octave up, with none of the harmonic, tonal or pitch variation that makes the sound bigger and more alive when two instruments play together. That's not to say that nobody should like the band or the song, just my feelings on their approach...

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1398200206' post='2431668'] Unbelievably, I've never had a Basschatter at a single gig of mine despite putting ads up here for the past two years and inviting people left right and centre...but finally I know for sure one is coming this Thursday. At last! [/quote] London is far, far away! I've got the album pre-ordered though...

I think the worst offer we've had was from an Edinburgh club, for which we were expected to sell tickets, receiving a couple of pounds for each one we sold and nothing from anyone who bought from the venue in advance, on the door or from the other band playing. The icing on the cake was that the gig was on New Year's Eve! Anywhere in central Edinburgh will be full to capacity on that night and the bars can charge what they like, so there's no way we'd do a Hogmanay gig without a larger than normal payment agreed in advance...

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1398243296' post='2431912'] I expect there is someone out there who has a bass with a 'mapple' neck, though! [/quote] Mapp-leh, surely?

Would leaving the preamp out drop the price that much, given that they'd sell fewer of them than the regular heads and lose out on some economy of scale?

Between the laminated body and giant headstock logo, it's got an interesting aesthetic! I like the look of it, though I'm not sure I'd like to put much confidence in the Ukrainian postal service at the moment...

The weak point in the plastic Behringers is not so much the casing as the PCB mounted jacks, pots and footswitch. A proper re-housing job would replace these, which would be a substantial proportion of the work involved in building a new pedal. So unless you can DIY, you might be as well looking for a used Sansamp or living with the Behringer as it is.

I'm sure I've seen more posts on here about basses being damaged due to straplock failure than due to not using them! I'm another bottle washer fan.

[quote name='ape' timestamp='1398024699' post='2429704'] Thanks for all the responses, a fair bit to think about, seems like briwax is a winner wax wise for protection, don't suppose any body that has used oils above on maple have got pics so I can get an idea? [/quote] Here's a pic of the tru-oil on maple on my parts guitar. It's a little darker than bare maple, but far from the whole "vintage tint" yellow thing.

Tru-oil on maple is about the nicest feeling neck finish there is (IMO) and it doesn't darken maple too much. For a satin finish, you can just sand the neck to 600 grit, apply plenty of coats of tru-oil (I think I used around 8, cutting back every couple of coats) then buff with the finest grade of steel wool. You can buy it from gun suppliers.

I like that purple! It's a change from plain old black, but still understated enough that you won't regret it in a year or two.

The five string version seems to have all but disappeared too.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1397842436' post='2427920'] Not as frequently as I would like. On one occasion I advertised a drummer vacancy for a severely rootsy project. One of the requirements was a willingness to bring no more than a snare and a hi-hat. [/quote] I think this one is fair game, as the right drummer for that sort of project wouldn't be put off by that suggestion. And drummers who can work that way are worth their weight in gold! It's much the same as a bluegrass band asking for someone willing to play un-amped double bass.

We've been working on some new songs with my idiosyncratic acoustic outfit the Forgotten Works. We're working towards a full album worth, but here are the three tracks we have at the moment. I'm playing double bass, and we have tried to include the background sounds from the locations we recorded in. Of these three tracks, one was indoors, one was out in the open in a woodland and one was inside a tent in the rain! [url="https://theforgottenworks.bandcamp.com/album/tinto-3-track-album-sampler"]https://theforgottenworks.bandcamp.com/album/tinto-3-track-album-sampler[/url]

Whichever service you use, make sure it's a recorded/signed for service. Returned eBay items have an uncanny knack of going "missing" if you neglect to do this, leaving you with no item and no refund!

A slightly sharp G almost certainly means that the bass is picking up mains frequency hum from somewhere (since mains power is at 50Hz and low G is 49Hz). It could be a shielding or grounding issue with the bass wiring, or you could be standing too close to something with a transformer in it.