Greetings all
I had the pleasure of playing to the good folk of Blakeney in Norfolk last night for their yearly "Party in the Pastures" event.
We had to provide our own PA and to say it's a bit Heath Robinson is the understatement of 2023. I don't go into the PA, so I have to provide some decent oomph when playing outdoors.
I wasn't sure what to take. We were playing in a circus big top tent with one side taken off so the punters could sit on hay bales and enjoy a few shandys....
I ended up going for my pair of basschat 12" cabs that I put together last year. I've not had many gigs this year where 2 needed to come out to play, but I felt they'd be my best chance of getting the sound and the level I needed.
Let's just say that I wasn't disappointed!
I even stretched to the expense of a 9v battery for my active Yamaha bass. Wowzers! That made a heck of a difference! Top end came to life! If only I could find a decent rechargeable battery to use. The ones I have tried recently generate noise in the preamp. I must investigate further.
I stood the cabs "portrait" mode so they looked rock n roll 😁. I have mirrored baffles, so the top one was in effect upside down, but nobody would've known. This keep the HF elements close together.
They were powered with my trusty, cheap TC BH800 head with a bit of compression via one of the toneprint controls. Simplicity itself (just like the owner)
My tone was clearer than it'd been in ages thanks to the active bass actually being used in "active" mode and really full. I could feel notes as well as hear them. I was mildly concerned for the faital drivers at first, but I needn't have worried.
EQ was pretty much flat. I added a little top end at first (as I usually do when using the bass in passive mode) but this was removed a couple of songs in.
It was one of those gigs where the tone I was hearing and feeling was making me smile as much as the event itself.
We had a great crowd in front of us dancing and singing the night away. It was a very pleasant end to a weekend (although i'm paying for it this morning zzzzzzzzzz)
I even had a fellow bassmonger come up after the gig to ask what the cabs were as he couldn't see any badges on the front. I was more than happy to educate him.
Another big thmbs up for the basschat designs. They really did a fine job.
As usual, thanks to all who were involved in their development.
Just wish i'd taken some photos!
Jon