Beer of the Bass

[quote name='Passinwind' timestamp='1425745239' post='2710299'] Here's a promising looking one based on the B-15: [url="http://www.trinityamps.com/Product_Kits_Triptop.htm"]http://www.trinityam...its_Triptop.htm[/url] Maybe you can get your guy interested in doing something similar? [/quote] I've been looking at their schematic and layout for this on their forum, and their concept of a B15n with uprated transformers to handle KT88s seems like a great idea, as a sort of middle ground between smaller studio amps and huge high-powered beasts. It would be interesting to find out what the measured output is with KT88s - they estimate around 60 watts in fixed bias. I appreciate it when companies like Trinity put their documentation online, as I find poring over this sort of thing educational.

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1426053539' post='2713769'] Hot on the heels of the decision in favour of Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty, re Sam Smith's track, another expensive day out in court, but this time for Pharell and Robin Thicke over similarities between their hit 'Blurred Lines' and Marvin Gaye's 'Got to give it up'. $7.3m dollars to be precise. It raises an interesting point about whether this is merely unfortunate, and an almost subconscious act - based on listening to years of music, or conscious and deliberate. [/quote] I think there's no question of whether this one was conscious or not. In a May 2013 interview Thicke said: [quote] "Pharrell and I were in the studio and I told him that one of my favorite songs of all time was Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up." I was like, "Damn, we should make something like that, something with that groove." Then he started playing a little something and we literally wrote the song in about a half hour and recorded it. The whole thing was done in a couple hours—normally, those are the best ones." [/quote] [url="http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-feed/2013/05/robin-thicke-interview-blurred-lines-music-video-collaborating-with-2-chainz-and-kendrick-lamar-mercy.html"]http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-feed/2013/05/robin-thicke-interview-blurred-lines-music-video-collaborating-with-2-chainz-and-kendrick-lamar-mercy.html[/url] No coincidence there!

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1425996714' post='2713200'] They were on of the few copies that could get the body thickness and headstock pitch angle about right. [/quote] Yes, while the pickups were fairly ropey I think they got the proportions and feel down pretty well and they used decent looking maple too. Mind you, on mine the truss rod was buggered and it suffered a major structural failure where the neck joined the body, so perhaps I shouldn't be [i]too[/i] enthusiastic about it's quality!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1425994469' post='2713168'] TBH the vast majority of people who claim to want a Rickenbacker bass don't want anything of the sort. What they want is something that sounds and feels like a Fender P or J with the Rickenbacker shape holographically projected over the top. [/quote] I may not be one of those, I reckon. I started out on an Ibanez Ric copy, and I still have a bit of a soft spot for the narrow string spacing at the bridge end, shallow body depth and the way the neck feels about the same shape all the way up. I find that pickups up by the end of the neck have their own sound too. I'm not mad about the pickup cover or the way that bridge design hampers palm-muting, but this is why aftermarket parts (or indeed the 4004) exist. So I think that if the funds are there at some point, I could really enjoy a Ric.

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1425986190' post='2713010'] I've heard a disturbing amount of horror stories about them. [/quote] Was that definitely Jimmy Moon? I've heard those stories about a different Glasgow luthier named Jimmy, probably best not to name him here but it shouldn't be too hard to figure it out! Of course, I don't know how reliable those stories are, they're not my first-hand experiences.

I think that if you're building for yourself and the instrument will not be sold you can do what you like, as trademarks apply to trade.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1425946021' post='2712734'] Is MIDI over USB simply a question of making up a suitable lead, or does it require an interface to get actual MIDI protocol data? Every time you have to convert data you introduce latency which is the last thing you want in a performance instrument. [/quote] AFAIK it requires some sort of host device, usually a PC or Mac, though some people have setup things like the Raspberry Pi to do this job. I'm still a little wary of anything which would require me to run a computer as part of a live setup, as every time I've had bandmates using laptops with MIDI devices there are the occasional glitches or even two-minute silences when it crashes and has to be restarted. Perhaps this is me being a little behind the times though.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1425894896' post='2711804'] But do you see them on the 'best' gigs..? [/quote] I would say that you do, but it depends what you mean by "the best gigs". While there are plenty of top players who will insist on their specific Class AB amps and ceramic speakers, there are also guys like Lee Sklar using high-end Class-D and neo gear, and surely he's one of the top working bassists around.

This suggestion may get something of a mixed reaction, but the new Bugera Veyron amps have a very similar feature set to the Streamliners, so might be worth having a look at. I've no idea what the quality is like or whether the sound is close, but if they're up to scratch they could be an option.

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1425861023' post='2711667'] I'd love to build my own one day... 100 - 200w Class A/B output stage (4 x KT88) SS rectifier User adjustable bias 4 and 8 ohm operation All valve pre-stages ( a number of ECC81 and 83) Passive EQ (Fender style) Input gain and Master volume FX loop Compressor w / threshold + ratio Balanced DI out Muteable output stage with no-load-safe studio operation It'll never happen but the V4 has most of the above. [/quote] That's quite a list! For my needs I'd be quite happy with <100 watts with just three big knobs and a bright switch on the front. A post power amp DI out would be cool, but I'd lean towards keeping that outboard for the soundguy acceptance factor (as a rule they seem happier dealing with a DI box than taking a line out from the back of an unknown amp).

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1425841628' post='2711363'] Another sexist comment, you need to use a word that covers witch and warlock really. [/quote] Try telling that to Kev Carlyon, self-proclaimed "High Priest of British White Witches", seen here resplendent in his trademark orange bathrobe! Mind you, if he leans any closer to that candle there is a real risk of witch-burning.

The hardware is a little like a slimmed down Synthaxe, though I guess most of the clever stuff happens in the software (I haven't watched the video yet). I'm surprised they didn't include a 5-pin Midi socket though - that would make it seem more like a useful gigging tool.

IMO the optimal trousers for psychedelic rock are neither skinny nor baggy, they're close-fitting at the top with a pronounced flare to the legs. So I reckon that's a trick question.

It's interesting that Trinity went for two channels, valve rectification and switchable cathode/fixed bias on their kit. Versatility is good, but a single channel B15-esque amp without the extra options wouldn't be a lot more complex to build than one of the 18 watter kits and might shave down the cost a little, especially if they went for SS rectification. If it could fit on a slightly smaller chassis too, that would be a bonus. I wouldn't be too worried about the low wattage, as I found that when I was using a 100 watter I never got it out of the clean zone. Actually, this is starting to describe something I'd like to build for myself some time!

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1425739495' post='2710230'] Have not bought one of the kits from that site but have got lots of bits from there (for a clone of a Fender bass amp). Barry's designs are well proven solid designs and he's a great bloke to deal with. The hard part is building cases for the amp, mine is stil unhoused after a year! I have many years experience of soldering, but this was my first 'lead-free' project and there were a few dry joints. [/quote] I've avoided going lead-free so far - I got a big roll of 60/40 from eBay which should last me for a couple of years at least.

Have you noticed how sneaky G4M's description is? They claim "Solid tone from spruce top", without actually saying whether the top is solid spruce!

I've ordered parts from them but not the kits. However, the kits look like fairly classic designs, use good quality parts and seem well laid out, so I'd be confident about going for one.

I've had the five-string version of this bridge on my bass for several years and it's been fine. My only minor grumble is that the through-bridge string holes are too small for most B-strings and needed to be drilled out a little larger. Is the chrome on the Gotoh slightly nicer looking, or do they just have better photography?

My EA Wizzy 10 cab lives in a padded cajon bag, and still looks almost new after about six years despite having been gigged many times and lugged around on the bus. My other gear has got rather shonky covers made out of post-office sacks and gaffer tape, which I should really look at replacing with proper ones!

All of you people who bought the acoustic basses, what are you doing for a gigbag? I didn't order one at the same time as my bass, but I could do with picking one up. Thomann have several different bags at a similar price, so I'm just wondering if a particular one fits well and is decent quality. There are some available from UK retailers but they're either more expensive or not long enough.

In the spirit of "the longer this goes on the better", I though I'd stick my audio thoughts of the day on to this thread. I have a fairly humble hi-fi setup which is a mix of old and newer stuff. I have a 70s Pioneer PL11 turntable, Cambridge Audio phono preamp, Denon DM39 CD receiver/amp and a pair of old Wharfedale Dovedale SP speakers. I've got to move flat next month and any flat we can afford to rent has a smaller living room than our current tenement. So I've decided to move on the massive Wharfedales in favour of some bookshelf speakers. I've just picked up a pair of 80s Kef C10 speakers for a tenner, and I'm sat here listening to them and trying to get used to them. I had to re-glue the dust caps on the woofers, but otherwise they seem in good order. The Wharfedales have bass that goes quite deep and they're quite relaxed and mellow sounding (not sure what words someone more into hi-fi would use here, but you get the picture I hope). The Kefs don't have the same depth in the bass, and they seem a bit more forward-sounding with anything rockish, but they feel a little more detailed somehow. So it may turn out to be less of a compromise than I had feared. Now I need to find some decent wall-mounting brackets...

[quote name='Caledonian_Enterprises' timestamp='1424918186' post='2701985'] Thanks for the comments guys, this is a field that i am not familiar with, i am a spark and engineer to trade. however, this project concept is something different to whats available todays market and innovative (it wont be everyones taste. Engineered properly it will meet the stated weight and price). The setup is constructed or unbreakable polycarbonate in order to show the valve glow, show something different, allow for LED controllable lighting and perhaps be a talking point. Its worth noting that the point was to construct it to be small yet boast massive power. [/quote] You keep saying it will meet the stated weight, size and price, yet it's hard to see how it can. Just to clarify, do you mean £600 for the 1x12" setup including 200 watt valve amp as the original post suggests? The only high powered (>100w) valve amp on the market that approximates that price point is the Bugera BVV3000, and that's made to a well established design which required little R&D, does nothing to address the size/weight issue, uses conventional metal chassis and wood housing and is made in China by a corporation with their own manufacturing plant, distribution network and massive economies of scale. Factor in custom hand-wound transformers, small-scale UK manufacturing and a case built from unconventional and expensive materials and your proposals seem like pure fantasy. It's very easy to [i]say[/i] it will be smaller, cheaper and more powerful than anything on the market, but again, how will you do this?

I know you weren't looking for a US shop, but I ordered a set of Sadowsky flatwounds from Bass Strings Online, they arrived in less than a week and cost slightly less in total than buying a set of LaBellas in the UK. Alternatively, LaBella distributors might be able to get hold of them if you ask, since they're made by LaBella.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1424865667' post='2701288'] Ah… Would this rep be selling stuff that isn't class D by any chance? [/quote] I'm going to extrapolate that one step further; Would it by any chance be a rep from Orange, who are releasing the class-AB OB1 amps amid rumours that the class-D Terror bass amps might be discontinued? This is pure guesswork, of course...

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1424788659' post='2700479'] Wonder how come Ibanez/Hoshino are happy re-releasing a blinged-up C&W nightmare Jazz copy, but not its guitarry counterpart, the Custom Agent? [/quote] I'm going to guess some of the demand for the Black Eagle bass is from Nirvana fans, and the guitar doesn't have any high-profile users to fuel demand? It's a pity in a way, as I think that styling works better on the guitar than on the bass. It's quite Gibson mandolin-ish.