Beer of the Bass

Has anyone got experience with these? [url="http://mutable-instruments.net/shruthi1"]http://mutable-instr...ts.net/shruthi1[/url] They seem to offer a lot for the money, and I miss my old analogue monosynths that I sold when skint a few years ago (I had a Teisco S110-F and an original Novation Bass Station). These are an analogue/digital hybrid with digital oscillators and modulation sources into an analogue filter and VCA, with different filters available. I've enough experience with DIY electronics that I'd be confident in building one, and the fact that you can get a moog-style ladder filter for it is attractive, as that covers exactly the type of noises I'd like to make. The lack of knobs for individual functions could take some getting used to, but otherwise they look sort of appealing.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1413386783' post='2577800'] I think I've worked out the acronyms in other posts. MB200 I recognise, but I had to google to find out what an EA whizzy 10 is. I've just lifted a 2x10 250w combo, and it was pretty heavy. On a bicycle trailer that weight may be an issue. This is all theoretical at the moment, but I like to think about things well ahead. [/quote] I also have an EA Wizzy 10 I use when travelling on the bus. It fits neatly in a padded cajon bag with space at one end for a head and cables. The weight is about 17lbs, so there aren't many lighter bass cabs on the market (except the Greenboy Crazy 8 design). I'd think twice about carrying one on a bike rack, but it should be fine in a good trailer.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1413371341' post='2577558'] I think this is the wrong comparison. The topic of the thread was meant to be whether the species of body wood makes a difference to the tone. The correct comparison then would be an instrument individually handmade from carefully selected woods with no expense spared to another instrument individually handmade from some other wood with no expense spared other than the choice of wood species. Or, two crudely made basses that only differ in the species of wood of the body. Otherwise you're comparing apples with oranges. Particularly since nobody seems to be claiming that a crudely made instrument is as good as a very well made instrument. Returning to the topic, the violins and brass instruments are good examples of how the personal experience of people who are quite expert in a field can still easily be wrong. That's why we need well designed and implemented experiments to find out what the truth is. [/quote] On the "crudely made" phrase, I was alluding to the idea sometimes hinted at on forums that the cheapest copy with a decent pickup installed will be as good as anything else. It's true that in many contexts the sound will be similar enough to be indistinguishable, but there are all kinds of subtle things which may make the cheap copy less pleasurable to play than a premium instrument. Maybe not strictly relevant here admittedly, but I choose my instruments through playing them and not through double-blind tests. With regard to the violin and brass players, I don't think their personal experience [i]is[/i] wrong, but their interpretation and explanation of that experience probably is. Their personal experience is simply that they prefer playing instrument X to instrument Y, which is a valid (if personal) observation. The questionable bit is whether another instrument made from the same material as X will have the same desirable traits.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1413360349' post='2577389'] What I will say is this. Most brass musicians swear blind that the metal you make their instruments from makes a clear difference to the sound they make. White gold is "mellower" than brass, etc etc etc. However, proper double blind tests, where a high end trumpet maker made a series of valveless trumpets (they have no moving parts so they're fairly straightforward to duplicate) out of different materials showed that the effect of the material was inconclusive at best. Turns out musicians are better at "listening" with their eyes then their ears Same with violinists. "Everyone knows" old violins like Strads are "the best" but in double blind tests professional violinists prefer modern top end violins to old classics. The moral of the tale is that its very, very dangerous to assume anything when it comes to the brains effect on the ears. [/quote] Yeah, this is an odd area. If all of these subjective things about our relationship to an instrument are so important to how we feel about playing it there could be a case for embracing that, as long as we're honest about it. If a player has a positive feeling about playing an instrument individually handmade from carefully selected woods with no expense spared, does it matter whether he could tell it from a crudely made copy in cheap woods with the same pickup when recorded in a blind test? Could it be argued that if that player feels better about the first instrument then it is a better instrument for him?

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1413209627' post='2575834'] If someone who [i]wasn't[/i] a stuck-up, talentless amateur possibly under the age of 20 with an annoying haircut... [color=#ffffff].[/color][/quote] If you're under 25 and in an originals band, having a silly haircut is a time-honoured practice and a sign of dedication! To sport a sensible haircut is to let the side down. The haircuts have changed through the decades, but they've always been silly. There'll be plenty of time for sensible haircuts later on...

I like that. It's got a bit of a lighter touch and more of a sense of fun than I've seen in some fusion-y projects. Can I detect a little Hillage influence in your guitar playing in the opening number?

[quote name='Acebassmusic' timestamp='1413195878' post='2575602'] I think it was on Talk Bass that a guy did such a test using a Jazz bass. He recorded the bass as standard and then swapped out the body for a random lump of wood he found. He was quite particular to place the bridge / pickups / action so that any changes were attributed to only the body wood. I think the result was that in this case there was very little discernable difference. I'll see if I can find the link......here it is : [url="http://www.talkbass.com/threads/scrap-lumber-bass-vs-alder-bass-can-you-tell-the-difference.743932/"]http://www.talkbass....ference.743932/[/url] [/quote] I don't think the Talkbass thread puts the issue to bed forever though. It shows that those particular two materials can sound similar under the conditions used, but we can't extrapolate that to say that [i]all[/i] body materials would sound the same - the data just isn't there for that. It would be interesting to attempt a similar trial using woods of more disparate properties, say a soft, light piece of paulownia and a hard, dense piece of wenge or similar. If those couldn't be distinguished in a blind test, there might be more grounds for dismissing the notion of tonewoods in a solid body.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1413194349' post='2575586'] I don't think it's fair to demand that a young player in an originals band takes a spare bass to every gig, I only had one bass when I was starting out and I know lots of people here still take one bass on a gig. If he had turned up empty handed I'd have laughed in his face but a faulty Jack socket mid gig could happen to any of us, I'd have lent him a bass this time although the five string still gets me out of being asked as does the upright when these things occur. [/quote] Interestingly the double bass has been the one that I've let other players use, but only in very specific situations with players I'd trust. A few years ago my band kept being at the same gigs and festivals as a friends' band from Glasgow, and we often sorted it out between us to bring and use one bass. I think I've played as many gigs on his bass as he has on mine. It helps that my insurance covers accidental damage while on loan.

Gordon Smith have a method of installing rods in one-piece maple necks without a stripe or separate fingerboard. They won't tell anyone how they do it...

Cheers guys. I should probably point out, this is the band I had the thread in General Discussion about leaving, and I'll no longer be playing with them. These recordings were done over a year ago when things felt on a little more of a roll, and I thought I'd stick them up here as I'm still kind of pleased with how they came out. I've been chatting with a guy who's trying out for the post and he's a decent player and seems enthusiastic enough, so I reckon the band will still be worth catching live when they get back to gigging.

[quote name='funkgod' timestamp='1413026609' post='2574257'] Im going for 3 as the tape one ?? [/quote] Correct! We had a fairly limited project studio type setup so it may not show it to its full effect.

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1412927527' post='2573293'] Top tip!? When I get new flats of any make I give them a really good rubbing down with cotton pad soaked in Surgical Spirits - you might not believe the shyte that comes off them & it seems to smooth them off before starting to use them. [/quote] I wonder what the stuff that comes off is? I guess it could be some sort of residue from the polishing process, as I've noticed it on flats and groundwounds, but not on rounds.

I've seen it a couple of times here in Edinburgh, but in both cases it's been instigated by visiting Americans! One is a guitarist who comes over during the Edinburgh festival each year who I do pub gigs with. It seems to work quite well, so I'm not complaining!

[quote name='Burg' timestamp='1412970532' post='2573830'] I was tempted by this bass on Gumtree but the crack in the front put me right off. [/quote] Ooft! That's right where the soundpost sits, and a pro repair would likely be close to the value of the bass. Unless you're looking for a crash course in luthiery you were wise to avoid that one!

I think the stock strings are going to be generic OEM strings, probably Chinese made, otherwise they'd use the branded strings as a selling point.

It does the same job as the Able Bassmaker pedal that was advertised in the back of guitar magazines in the 90s. Sounds similar too! The Able pedal didn't exactly set the world alight or lose us our place in bands, so I guess this won't either.

I think he means that Alex C. was posting build threads on basschat about his DIY cabs some time before he thought of gearing up to sell them to people. With a quick search of the forum, you can look right back to when it was just a guy building himself a cab, through being a part-time hobby business, right through to employing people and moving production to CNC. Looking back at those old threads, I was amused to find that the reservations about strap handles and painted finishes pre-date a single cab being sold! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/46773-the-birth-of-barefaced/page__view__findpost__p__232933"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/46773-the-birth-of-barefaced/page__view__findpost__p__232933[/url]

Well, I was going to avoid watching it but that rant provokes a sort of perverse curiosity...

Is the "£99 junk store bass" sound you're identifying due to the ceramic pickup in the MIM? I know some people like them, but they are one thing the the MIM has in common with your typical cheap copy. There are some great sounding ceramic pickups on the market, but they're probably not the ones designed by bunging steel poles and a ceramic magnet onto an existing design to save on the cost of alnico...

[quote name='Noisyjon' timestamp='1412877337' post='2572946'] It's not the 3 piece body that irks me it's the fact that these were something like £2,200 new and I'm, struggling to see how a J pickup being added whacks on another £800 odd quid! [/quote] True, the pricing is optimistic to say the least! I was more replying to Pete's "below par" comment, as other than the odd choice of body woods (which is intentional) I can't see anything that makes it look like a poorly made bass. And hey, it's still got fewer pieces than something like an Alembic!

I wouldn't say that the ash/alder three piece body is indicative of poor quality, it's just a rather eccentric design decision. If I was ordering one, I wouldn't go for that, but then it's not my bass.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1412858090' post='2572711'] To recognise such differences takes a lot more than it does to recognise the Hook/Berlin difference referred to above. If you only look for 'speed' you will not recognise the value of 'depth'. Malmsteen may be faster but, say, B.B. King is deeper. [/quote] That's massively subjective too, though. I'm sure that Malmsteen does feel deeply about his music, and his fans will too. I don't really get his music myself, but I'm not sure that makes it inherently more shallow or less profound than something that I do get. I can think of a fair few performances by renowned artists which can literally give me goosebumps or bring me close to tears if I listen to them at the right time, which my wife dismisses as w*nking or noodling, so it seems to me that we will all see these qualities in different places.

Hmm, I like the idea of a field coil speaker with it's own switch-mode power supply. It reminds me of the people who were experimenting with 3D printing 12" LPs!

Or sell them both and get the head version of the Marshall plus a lightweight cab?

[quote name='philparker' timestamp='1412764974' post='2571709'] Probably has sections of the film filmed in high speed and then slowed down to normal speed to synchronize with the sound? [/quote] I don't think that's it, as his fingers are still moving in time with the notes. I suspect that it's as The Rev suggested, filmed with a low number of frames per second, so the string movement we see is a result of the difference between the frames per second of the video and the cycles per second of the string.