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itu

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Everything posted by itu

  1. I started to learn music at the age of 5. It was that age-old piano and after 13 years of trying I stopped and made a wise change to my instrument. Yes, first I learned some theory and I learned to read music. Would I be able to compose? Never. My music reading skills are pretty much like reading a book, but I could not write one. I think that is OK. I can use Finale, Musescore and similar but just to copy something. Tabs I do hate, I am not very good at them, although sometimes they have a hint on fingering. Still score is better for me. One of my teachers wanted me to play an unknown song to me. I asked to listen to that (before the time of tube and so on) but he said no. I should make an interpretation of the score! And here we get to the point: the score gives very little to how to play the song. (It was some Clarke/Duke jam that is still foggy to me.) Do you believe that Mozart wanted his songs to be played like they play them today? No one knows! There was a very old man that had been in choir when the old master had led certain composition. This old man was carefully interviewed because the conductor wanted to record (technology just had made that possible) that composition just the same way as the composer had done. The score does have many issues that should be compared to a recording - if one exists! So my suggestion is to add that record to score (+ tab?). Then you can rely on some details that are written, you need to use your ears to find the feel and sound, and most of the notes. Too liberal? Probably, but I have heard that conductors do this, so I take the opportunity to do the same.
  2. This was something I had to copy a bit, when I wanted a board for 7 - 8 pedals. Have to admit that I cut it half and put hinges in between. I use cable ties, too. Can be seen in my attachments. Compared to the original price, this seems to be a real bargain...
  3. Oh dear, I had a similar Prodigy long ago. Happy, that I separated from it. Not MIDI and nevertune as a factory option. Funny thing is that they ask funny prices of those just because it says moog.
  4. Two pickups, just like any other instrument with two. It is up to you to mod the Jag with the setup you are after. If you want to keep the pickup switching, you may end up in a situation where your bass is silent, while vol is open and blend is in the other end. I would certainly think about simplifying the setup. Many switches and knobs, many possible problems.
  5. If you need an A/P-switch, you just need a DPDT switch and some wire to bypass the tone controls. If you do not want to make extra holes to the top wood, consider using a push/pull pot with a switch. A flat preamp should not change the sound of the pickups, BUT that low impedance (lo-Z) output may behave in a different way than a hi-Z output. If you drive some OD/fuzz/dist with your bass, the sound is certainly something else than with a hi-Z output. I found out this while testing different fuzzes and compressors a few years back. Now I have one set for hi-Z (Spruce Effects / Daring Audio), and another for lo-Z basses (Amptweaker / tce).
  6. If you do not have a separate battery box, consider having some attachment to that 9 V thing. It may rattle. I do not like foam. https://www.radioshack.com/products/radioshack-9-volt-battery-holder http://www.3dcontentcentral.com/download-model.aspx?catalogid=171&id=171614
  7. Pictures, please!
  8. itu

    DIY Effects

    The unit arrived today after our somewhat slow customs and post office. Shift-Line posted the package within two days after my order while they promised three days. Total cost including EU customs and VAT: 100 €. + Really well packed. I think you could play football with the box and the stuff inside would be just fine. + The electronics seem to be good quality, no tin balls or anything dirty. + The box is plastics (3D printed) and reasonably tough for the intended use. +/- Size could be slightly optimized, but then the knobs would be prone to hits. +/- 3D printing quality is what it is, but this helps to keep the cost very reasonable. Now I need to record some IR stuff and start tweaking. If the quality of the sound is similar to the PCBA, it has to be good. Might come back later with some test results...
  9. But Lindsey Buckingham's g-word thing is made by Rick Turner, who worked with Ron W., so Alembic. Tobias was Michael Tobias' design and handwork in the first phase before Gibson bought them. Pre-Gibson handcrafted instruments cost quite some. They have some basic lo-Z electronics (bartolini?), but the woodwork is impeccable. The "ergonomic" neck is special, it is thicker under lowest (thick) strings. Their bolt-on version was named as "Killer B".
  10. As you already play a Japanese bass, you should look at the creations of one and only Mr. Matsumoku: H. Noble. https://atlansiaguitars.com/ http://www.atlansia.jp/ Beware: these are really rare compared to Alembics.
  11. They are the ones who happened to be among the first in active, sorry, low impedance stuff. They opened the higher ground to us, bassists. Their superb woodwork gave us hand made high end instruments (compare them to cheap, hi-Z, bolt-on, F-word stuff). On the other hand they represent sky high prices. The 25th anniversary bass had a price tag of 25 ooo $ at a time, when Jens Ritter was still very, very young. If woodwork is your thing, I suppose that Alembic is your thing, too. Electronics have certain reputation, although they are not magical. Very good to excellent, though. Something similar can be found from Wal, Vigier's Nautilus and ROM packages, later Status and few others. My only complaints might be the weight and body shapes but this is very subjective. Every single Alembic I have had a chance to play has been a real tour de force of workmanship and quality control. There may be something very "progressive" in them from 1970's but if their concept touches you, you will get a lifelong partner. http://alembic.com/info/fcvault.html
  12. If you have heard of any grail or similar, she is it. Make her yours.
  13. Yes, the video, your style is very approachable, simple and to the point. Keep going. My Countryman is some 30 years old. Easy to open and needs a 9 V battery or Phantom. Like a brick. Does not make a number of itself but keeps on running, hopefully forever.
  14. There were several meaningful points in the video. My top five are: - size i.e. portability - does it colour the sound? - price (certainly) - operation (battery, Phantom, 230 V) - durability So, my choice has been Countryman Type 85 for ages. It was not the cheapest at the time but the quality seems to be flawless, it is nearly indestructible, and the size is decent for a gig bag. Does not seem to change the sound of my instruments. That red one may be very good but the size... and tubes may break... if I had someone to carry my stuff, all of the boxes could be possible options.
  15. Giblin was mentioned, transcription needed: https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2018/02/08/bass-transcription-john-giblins-bass-line-on-babooshka-by-kate-bush/
  16. https://www.madinter.com/en/ The blackwood fretboard of my fretless is from Madinter.
  17. Police - Every little thing Double bass ideas, try So what Eagles - One of these nights Sade and that song, where the bass has a short solo... Smooth operator Oleta Adams - Get here Morphine, any song (fretless two-string with slide...) Fernando Saunders - The Spin Some harder and really hard stuff: Peter Gabriel - So, Paul Young - Secret of association, Tribal Tech, CAB (Bunny Brunel) Here are many more: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/what-are-some-good-fretless-bass-songs.7100/
  18. I do not see the temperature changes a risk until you keep only the neck facade against sun. Think about a meat that you want to prepare on open fire. This is just the same. Turn it.
  19. UV will affect the colour of the lacquer or colour first and then the wood (lacquer may contain UV inhibitor). The temperature changes are big (although the color of the wood is light) so the neck could turn all the time. Take a picture of the neck before starting the ageing. Then after 100, 200, 500 and 1 000 hours. If your studio has steady lighting, you should see the change. By the way, UV rays (A and B) get through the clouds, the sun does not have to shine from a cloudless sky.
  20. Status is sold nowadays in two colours, but no tuners, so...
  21. There are several painting ideas that can be found from cars: flake, candy, pinstripe etc. Just make a picture search.
  22. How about material manipulating methods along with materials? 3D-printing (plastics, fibers, ceramics, metals, composites of all these as well as functional parts) is the new black, so there may be several ideas coming towards consumer goods. No, all ideas are not used. Something new is coming round the corner all the time.
  23. Congratulations on a neat bass. That Pentabuzz looks very good, too. I have a Modulus Q5 Custom ('91), two Vigier Passions series II ('88 and '89) and two Status necked instruments. Status can be ordered with satin and tint finish. Modulus had a tint finish option and they still offer gloss as an option for the neck. I have tried two Zons and their necks were glossy at the time (early 90's). It is probably up to the customer to get certain neck finish. Also no dots or LEDs or whatever are just (pricey) options in this category. Carbon fiber neck is nice in a country like where I live, as the weather changes lot from freezy to relatively hot and the necks are stressed. I have had so called better quality wood necks that need a tweak at least twice a year. Carbon just stays in place round the year. (I sometimes wonder, have we seen anything new since 1980's and 1990's bass development? Sky high prices of so called master built instruments and awkward looking single-cuts?)
  24. I will take one more approach. Do you use pedals? Do you want to take the line out after effects or before? Basically all effects outputs are lo-Z (low impedance) so practically their output fit any mixing board. If you want just the bass output to the board, a DI-box is reasonable. Many lo-Z (so called "active") basses can be connected directly to mixers. Some kind of a splitter (so a DI-box) is needed if there is a need for an amp, in both occasions. HIgh impedance (so passive) bass output loves DI-box (so a hi-Z to lo-Z conversion) before connecting it to a mixer. Preamps, yes, I think I will write a short book about them and how they behave.
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