Beer of the Bass

Ok, I think I may be leaning towards Hotcovers. I like the idea of the vinyl material they use. I have of course picked the week that most of their staff are on holiday (there's a note on the website), so the quote might be a little slower than normal.

Out of the two suppliers above, which one would be more recommended at the moment? I seem to recall reading that one had been less dependable in the last couple of years, but can't recall which, or whether that still applies. Or are there others in the UK worth looking at?

I'll use buses where I can, if I'm playing guitar or electric bass, if I'm using either a small amp or a house rig, if the gig either finishes before midnight or is close to the route of the night bus that goes to my neighbourhood. If the gig involves double bass, larger amps and less convenient locations or times I'll use the car. I used to manage on public transport more often when I lived in the centre of town, but now I'm on the outskirts the car comes out more often than not. Parking in many parts of Edinburgh is a challenge, so I do prefer not to if I have the option.

There's a local band who keep using a photo with one band member's head very obviously replaced using photoshop. It's on their posters and online promo, and looks daft. If there isn't time to take new photos, I think leaving the old member in would be preferable to that.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1503486837' post='3358588'] I'm not sure the Swastika will ever be rehabilitated, though. [/quote] The chap from Kula Shaker did attempt this a few years ago, citing the older Sanskrit roots of the symbol. Predictably, that didn't go very well...

There exists a middle ground between proudly displaying statues in public parks and squares and having them smashed up by angry mobs. No longer doing the former does not imply that the latter is condoned.

[quote name='2elliot' timestamp='1503340659' post='3357429'] Bin the flags. Get two Bald Eagles instead. [/quote] Real ones? I'd go to see that. They'd probably nick the post-gig kebabs though.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1503321650' post='3357183'] You'e just said you know nothing about the subject and now you preach about it? [/quote] It wouldn't be a basschat thread without TimR popping up to "explain".

The guitarist I'm playing with is fond of calling for bass solos on bluesy stuff during gigs, usually when we haven't discussed or rehearsed it and not even on the same songs each time. I always feel a bit deer-in-headlights about it, but it usually comes off OK. For some reason, I'm much more comfortable with it when doing acoustic gigs on double bass than I am on electric bass.

Very accomplished, but a little smoother than I can get into somehow. I did like where the piano solo went though.

I've never had a compressor pedal in my setup, but then again I do use amps that do their own particular thing to the dynamics. My GK MB200 has an optical limiter around the power stage that does some audible squashing when turned up, or for some things I'll use a valve amp with a hint of preamp grit which acts a little like compression too.

Last night we had the most aggro I've had at an Edinburgh gig, oddly enough whilst doing a barely amped acoustic trio set in a tiny pub on Rose Street. It was fine until a group of guys in their 40s and 50s came in. They were conservatively dressed middle class guys of the sort you might see going to the rugby. I think it was one of those things where a group of work mates go out and drink rounds and no-one wants to admit that they can't really hold their drink. First they were shouting requests at us (we don't do requests), then trying to sing over us, then one of the drunker of the party stumbled into the guitar player. The guitar player is no shrinking violet, and some curt words were had. The bar staff then told them that none of the group would be served, but didn't explicitly tell them to leave. Just when we thought things were starting to calm down, we ended up with one of them squaring up to the band and threatening the guitarist as his friends tried to usher him out of the door. About half of the party (who had already been served) stayed around giving us dirty looks for the next hour while the others hung around outside. No-one got hurt, but the gig was no fun at all and not worth what they were paying us. I do think the bar staff could have dealt with things better too.

I think the manager of that venue has gone off us, but if I'm back there some time it might be interesting to try my GK MB200 in the same setting and see how it fares.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1502698323' post='3352866'] Strangely, most (if not all?) 600w class-D 'powerhouses' have hi-pass filters to remove the really power-soaking lows, yet a 120w valve head can outperform them. But watts is watts, right? *raises eyebrow* [/quote] I'm pretty sure the Ashdown MAG in Whistlebinkies is old enough to be one of the class AB models, and the Orange is a solid state guitar amp, no valves. I wouldn't say that output topology is the issue here.

I haven't gigged there with the Orange, but I've been surprised at how far up I have to turn both the Ampeg and Ashdown heads with that cab in that room. I had put it down to the cab having low sensitivity, so I'm surprised the Orange is louder. I wonder if it has something to do with "guitar clean" not really being clean, and not wasting power on the sub-100Hz stuff.

Would it not be Britpop-esque 90s attire to accompany one of these?

I'm none the wiser about P-basses, but I'm kind of enjoying the guy's dress sense. Check out these fine socks: [url="http://youtu.be/CVAogj4U92M"]http://youtu.be/CVAogj4U92M[/url]

Hooray, it's working and making the right noises. The bias voltage was not quite right at first, so that required a resistor change to get it into the correct range. The reverb is a little shallow at the moment so I'm going to play around with that some more, but I've had fewer issues to iron out than on the last one. I've just been using an old speaker sat in a cardboard box so far, but even with that I can hear that it's a nice sounding amp.

My favourite "no need to bring your amp, you can use ours" was at a gig where the other band actively offered to share backline then brought a 1x8" practice combo just for us, but when it was time for them to play their bassist rolled his 8x10" rig out of his van. I've been wary of such offers ever since!

I've been cracking on with my 6v6 version in the last week or so. I've got everything wired and checked over bar a few connections on the reverb circuit (I'll try it with that disconnected first). With any luck I should be able to pop some valves in and give it a try over the weekend, then it'll be time to get the cab for it built.

Is your bridge missing a bit? It looks like there should be some sort of raised saddle in between the studs. That would certainly explain the duff intonation if so!

[quote name='scrumpymike' timestamp='1498746410' post='3326802'] Wonder what this is worth now... sold it and another identical one around 12 years back after gigging them exclusively for a few years. They were a delight - only 550 LP Triumph basses ever made apparently. Can't help thinking they've squandered their valuable heritage! [/quote] Did you a piece for Bassist magazine about them some time in the late 90s, maybe early 2000s? They had a regular item where readers wrote about their basses, and I'm sure I remember one from a chap who had a pair of these.

I bet they'll keep sending out the Cease and Desist letters to anyone who makes a bass resembling the ones they don't make, though!

Are they running a mic on your cab there? I always like it when venues are up for that. Edit; aah, you posted about the mic while I was typing. Makes this post a bit redundant!

When you look inside the bass through the f-holes, is the end block that the end pin slots into split? If it is, it's time to start looking for a loaner bass for your gig. If the end block looks OK, then I think I'd risk it until you can get to a luthier.