Beer of the Bass

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1435682125' post='2811422'] So if the after length is so important, an by all accounts it is, I wonder why DPA, Fishman, KK, etc recommend hanging mics and jacks off it. [/quote] I've noticed that orchestral players who double in other settings tend to remove any of these for unamplified work, so this is clearly something which bothers some people. On my bass, I use a wolf eliminator on the A-string afterlength which only works if the afterlengths are left free, so I prefer a tailpiece mounted jack where possible.

I'd be curious about how well some of the Class-D power amps made for PA use compare to a typical small bass head in this respect. For example, the Crown XLS series are light and not too expensive. While one of these plus a 1U rack preamp would be bigger than a micro-head it might be a useful point in between micro and heavyweight.

Stanky Wee?

W*nkey Set?

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1435663707' post='2811068'] Poplar is a bit specialist - that's a good point. It's not something you'll find at B&Q, although I think most major cities have an outlet. There's a supplier near you in Grangemouth. My experience with wood merchants is that they will get hold of whatever you ask them for from their suppliers. It's not usually a stock item though. [/quote] There's one a bit closer to me who say on their website they have a range of speciality plywoods, so I could give them a ring too. Is the Chinese poplar core ply worth a look, or should it be the European stuff?

I'm also going to say Spiro Weich would be worth trying. On my bass they bow quite nicely (more easily than Mittels), though it's a brighter voice than a dedicated orchestral string. With the steel core they're fairly robust too, so there's not much risk in picking up a lightly used set to save some pennies.

Is poplar ply something you can find in decent timber merchants, or is it a more specialised item? There are a couple near me who will also do cutting, but I haven't asked them if they do poplar.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1435607903' post='2810599'] I think that's her talking voice. [/quote] I mean in the overexcited "Glastonbury! Whoooo! Make some noise!" fashion.

Apparently the BBC's subtitle writer was struggling! [url="http://www.oystermag.com/bbc-subtitle-writer-gave-up-on-life-during-kanyes-glastonbury-set"]http://www.oystermag.com/bbc-subtitle-writer-gave-up-on-life-during-kanyes-glastonbury-set[/url]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1435593911' post='2810379'] I think it`s indicitive that we don`t have rock stars anymore due to the fact that for some reason we have "role models" instead. To be a rock star you`ve got to be beating naked groupies around the buttocks with live sharks, preferably in a hotel corridor for horrified normal guests to see. The lot that are around now, well ordering a a chicken sandwich with mayo is probably as daring as they get. [/quote] Maybe that's not a bad thing, as with hindsight some of the sexual behaviour that went with the title of rock star is something we maybe don't want to celebrate. The number of court cases, out-of-court settlements and assorted allegations which have come up in the past few years would support that idea. I'm not saying they were [i]all[/i] at it with underage groupies in the 70s, but it doesn't seem to have been that uncommon.

Did anyone watch the Fall set, by the way? I will say that Townsend and Daltrey's 50 years or so of career have been kind to them compared with Mark E Smith's 30-something years! The sight of him banging two SM58s together to the beat while the damp patch on the front of his trousers slowly dried is probably one for the dedicated Fall fans only.

In the longer term, I wonder whether the whole concept of rock stars (as we know them) is going to be associated with a particular era. I'd guess it would run from the last half of the 20th century up to some time early in this century. Before that, the lack of mass-media meant that fame worked differently and tended to be less global, then more recently we've seen tastes diversify and fragment as on-line media makes so much more choice available.

I'm not saying "they're old, they should stop playing". I have massive admiration for people like Daevid Allen for instance, who kept performing and making new music right up until he died this year aged 77, but managed to keep doing things which seemed fresh and vital. I'm just trying to be honest about how I felt about the performance rather than putting them on a pedestal as "The Greats" and filtering everything I see to confirm that view. When so much of their message in the early days was about not bowing down to their elders, I find it odd that I'm now expected to do so towards them.

[quote name='steantval' timestamp='1435561315' post='2809914'] The two main guys are nearer to 70 years old, your remarks about lack of energy, anger and tension do not make sense, people grow up and hopefully mellow out a bit. I'm certainly a different character than what I was when I were in my early 20's, it's all part of growing up. [/quote] Absolutely, I'm sure they still have something worth hearing, but I tend to enjoy it more when artists move on and reflect where they are now rather than trot out pale imitations of their younger selves. For example, I much prefer Robert Plant doing his own thing to the Led Zep re-union a couple of years ago. I don't feel particularly bad pointing this out, as I don't think the Who were ever about uncritical respect for their elders. I sometimes think that the extent to which we venerate and congratulate that generation of bands above all others gets a little unhealthy and starts to resemble the culture that they were kicking against in the first place.

[quote name='urbanx' timestamp='1435533432' post='2809873'] Might be my age, but I thought they were terrible. Looking at it from a "If I saw them up my local" point of view instead of a "I know they're rock royalty" point of view.... If I saw them play like that up my local, I'd go home early for a few tinnies - Just sloppy has-beens resting on their fame laurels Really disappointing after seeing some decent performances by them not too long ago (Superbowl etc.) [/quote] I'm glad someone else said that before I did! I like the Who, but the energy, anger and tension which I associate them with are no longer in evidence. They made some amazing music in their time, but I'm not sure this represents it that well. This being a bass forum, it's tempting to put this down to the lack of Entwhistle, but I think I miss Keith Moon's drumming as much, maybe even more so.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1435516085' post='2809614'] Anyone else noticed that the bassist has taped over the logos on his bass and his Ampeg rig? [/quote] Do you think he got turned down for an endorsement deal?

[quote name='nick' timestamp='1435508018' post='2809493'] I've done vero & the PCB versions, but it's easier to get it in a 1590B with that PCB layout. Regarding 2N5457's I'd steer clear of Tayda ones, I've got a bag of about 30 useless ones, even a batch that I got from Bitsbox a short while ago, were no good either. [/quote] I was thinking of trying pedalparts.co.uk, since he has the right pots for this PCB too. Alternatively, there's an eBay seller locally whose stock is all left over from an electronics shop which closed a couple of years ago, so hopefully pre-dates the dodgy ones appearing.

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1435493430' post='2809290'] She was tuneless as usual. Even the addition of FIVE female backing singers couldn't disguise the fact. [/quote] I thought the backing singers made her intonation more noticeable, as they were obviously pro session singers who were spot-on. A solo singer over a sparse backing would have far more leeway.

I gather the traditional method is for the afterlengths to be two octaves and a fourth above the open string pitches? Mine is wrong by that standard, as it's about two octaves and a fifth. I've never tried adjusting it, as the tailpiece cord on my bass is the crimped steel rope kind and I don't have the right tools.

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1435476670' post='2809030'] There are many artists who have their own style and the vocals are not on pitch (eg was listening to the fabulous Tom Waits yesterday) but Florence just sounds terrible live IMO. [/quote] I've been trying to figure this one out - I actively enjoy lots of performers who have a cavalier attitude to pitch, yet Florence's performance made me wince repeatedly. I'm not sure why this is!

[quote name='super al' timestamp='1435462971' post='2808996'] Watched The Mothership Returns in full on the iplayer, by far the best thing at glasto in years! [/quote] Was anyone else slightly disappointed at the lack of an actual Mothership though, like they had on some of the 70s tours?

[quote name='Coldflows' timestamp='1435432783' post='2808800'] If definitely draws on a couple of instruments. Got to live the mini musicman pickups! [/quote] I'm sure I can detect a John Birch influence too.

I've ordered a PCB for the Ginger, I thought about veroboard but the PCB should make for a nice, small build. There are still a couple of places with the 2N5457 in stock, so I should be OK. If I like it, it should make for a nice small pedalboard with just the Ginger, my Superfuzz clone, a tuner and DI.

My word, Florence is having a duff night. We've got the radio on, and she keeps being horribly, painfully flat and then screeching unbearably in between songs.

If he ever does a five string version of the naughty unmentionable model, I'd be very interested indeed.