Dr.Dave

I was - am - a huge series 6 fan. 'Sensible' amp. Sadly I'm too engaged in other deals at the mo to take an interest but hopefully someone here will do so , and I doubt very much will ever regret it.

Hofner Violin Bass
Fender Precision *
Hofner somehing or other
Fender Musicmaster
Gibson Grabber
Hohner B2
Antoria Precision defretted
another Gibson Grabber
Fender Telecaster bass*
Status Energy
Fender Jazz
KGB 5
Shuker Custom *
Status Energy 5
Shuker Fretless *
Epiphone Explorer *
Status series 3000 *

Still got the *

Amps? You name them - I've blown them up! Eden's,GK's,Hartke's,Marshall's,TE's....don't have much luck on the amp front.

Had it a week and it's surplus to requirements already - it was bought new and I used it once last night when it travelled by car boot rather than van.

£35 plus postage at cost.

Welsh T himself will only have 75% of your worries, the great man being ...er....digitally challenged!!!

I'll give you a 10 min break on Sun aft. you poor old soul , so long as you put some chalk marks on the triumph!!

[quote name='finnbass' post='33199' date='Jul 17 2007, 06:50 PM']Dave, that stuff sticks like sh1t to a blanket. You will have to chisel your amp out of the rack case even if you do tape it all up.[/quote]

Just tested it by sticking a sandwich bag in an envelope and squirting it in. Buggered off and had some nosebag - when I returned a nice , solid , sandwich bag enclosed, lump of expanding foam came straight out of the inside of a spotless envelope.

I'm tempted.

Even though my butty went stale in the fridge. Maybe I should have used a new one.

[quote name='five-string.co.uk' post='32885' date='Jul 17 2007, 09:46 AM']As far as the insided is concerned, i've fitted a little battery powered LED (camping) light into the roof of my larger rack case. This serves as a great light source to prevent 'mole-eyed-squinting' on stage. Do a search on the 'bay for one.

Hope i've helped,

Greg [/quote]

I already use one of those plug shaped baby night lights that go straight into the 4 gang. Quid from Wilkinson. Point is ,if the insides of racks were white we may not need to.

I hadn't thought of the 'insulator' effect of using foam. Underneath though wih a fan side mounted??
It won't be messy or spoil the amp/rack because I had a further idea of squirting it into a pre positioned cheap sandwich bag.

Anyway I'm glad of the input - any more reasons why it might be a crap idea?

I was putting the new gear in the new ABS 4u yest. The amp is well off the bottom and I was wondering what to pack the space with to reduce the strain on the front.
Ideal material would be light,cheap,strong,easy to install and fit perfectly.

Brainwave..... why not cover the amp and rack surfaces with low tac tape to protect them and squirt some builders expanding foam into the gap. The stuff they fill door/window frames with.
Weighs nothing,it's strong when set,exact fit,piss simple to get in the right place and cheap as chips.

So long as you avoid getting it near fans or other orifices can anybody think why that's a really sh*t idea before I try it?

While I'm on. I can see why rack's tend to be black - but where is it written that the inside should be black too. Why not white so we can see in the back better.

As promised - here's the new 'A' rig.

The Mark Bass amp , bought from our very own Rohan , arrived this morning and now it's in the rack along with the korg tuner and AT wireless receiver.

The Ashdown 2x10 compact , freshly ebayed - pairs up with my existing 1x15 compact.

Sounds great in the house - chance to test it all out in anger on Friday in York. At the pub venue where something bad always happens to me!!!

On the half rack blank plate is an old Ashdown name plate , just because it was laying about. I'm thinking of half rack FX or a straight half rack compressor to fill it properly.
All suggestions welcome.

Just bought a Mark Bass head from Rohan.

He know's how to pack stuff up well I can tell you. He even sorted , and paid for , the delivery - despite me doing all that being the deal we'd agreed.
Top man in my opinion - Thanks Rohan for a great bit of kit.

Just to be a sort of fly in the ointment...

We did a festival type gig a bit back ago and forgot to load my 1x15 , leaving just my mini 48. What was in the trailer were 2 turbo sound bass bins from our PA which weren't needed that day so I hooked up one of those. Got a phenomenal sound!!

It was a one off though. Horses for courses generally and sure you could find a scruffy old bass guitar cab that the great unwashed can spill their pints on.

Nice to see a 'different' Fender. So different I've never actually seen one except in pics.

I like it's quirky look - reminds me of the Parker Fly's in a way.

[quote name='nottswarwick' post='31662' date='Jul 14 2007, 07:38 AM']what is your new rig to be , Dave?[/quote]

Ashdown cab wise ,out goes the mini 48 to be replaced by a just aquired 2x10 compact paired with the existing compact 15.

In the 4u ABS rack in my kitchen sits the Audio Technica wireless reciever - awaiting installation of my existing Korg tuner and the Mark Bass old style Little Mark I just bought here.

The GK 400RB head will live in a 2u rackbag and stay home with the mini 48 for small gigs, maybe paired with the compact 15 again if they're not that small.
I'll tune with the Korg AX300b multi FX with this rig and use a couple of the patches.

I'm looking at half rack multi FX to fill the gap in the 4u.

The big GK 1001rb head get's sold.

It's really a variation of the 2 rig system I almost had completed when some theiving pikey scum relieved me of it.(that was Hartke 3500/korg tuner(the one you sold me!)/zoom FX -racked- and the huge Ashdown 15+2x10 cab) 'B' rig had to be adapted and pressed into service for everything. (the 400RB,tuner,compact 15 and mini 48). It's been so good it's taken the bigger gigs we're doing now with the trib band to feel the need for change.

Pics will be forthcoming !!!!

I feel like an intruder on this forum - FX and me never having had that much time for each other.

I use a bit of slow chorus from time to time , and recently a touch of overdrive/distortion for the ZZ trib band. I've always been a fan of the octave pedal when playing fretless up the dusty end too.
I'm also pig idle. How many gigs I must have done with the pedals still in the gig box. I'm always scared of batterys going , wary of those thin, piddly adaptor cables and I can't bare the lead in front of me anyway - tripped once too often.

Anyway - my new trib band rack is almost complete and it has a half rack space left. Looking around I see a few Boss half rack units , ranging from the older SE50 to the newer VF1. I've no interest in tap dancing with midi pedals etc , just want a few basic presets that I've ...er...preset(!) that I can't NOT use because they're already powered up in the rack.

So - anyone use or used these units , comments please - anyone got a half rack alternative for a tight arsed dinosaur?

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='30656' date='Jul 12 2007, 12:02 PM']Must get to another of your gigs Dave - Wayne58's gonna come with me.[/quote]

With any luck - my new rig (the rack at least , may be using generic cabs) will be in evidence at the Clarence Park Festival here in Wakefield on Sun 22nd July. We're doing a 40 min slot at 7.45 pm with our ZZ trib band 'Eliminator'

All welcome - I'm the one in a ridiculous long beard fighting the Explorer!!!

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='30576' date='Jul 12 2007, 09:32 AM']Hi Russ, I need a new compressor and wondered about buying a half rack unit (Presonus Blue Max) to mount on the right of my rack unit (see above) cos I'm pretty sure it won't reach the fan but are you sure that a half width space is enough not to cause problems?[/quote]

If you do get the half rack comp. I'd be very interested to hear how you get on. I've a half space next to my wireless above my tuner and (soon to be) Mark bass amp. Needs filling and a dedicated comp. is something I'd actually find useful. Certainly worth a trip over the hiils to watch you using it.

Bit of a change of direction but when your much sought after and long awaited bit of new kit arrives - do you ever get that strange feeling after you've had it home for 20 mins that you've had it for ages.

Always happens to me , wondered if anyone else is the same.

The most reliable amp in the world is the one that hasn't let you down....yet.

It's a box of electronic witchcraft - it can go wrong , I promise you.

I could give you a list of all the 'name' brand amps that have let me down. Quicker to just say 'all of them'.

Hearing what others say is very useful - a forum like this is esp good - re. reliability of any bit of gear. Some gear has a higher build quality than others. The more functions an amp has the more bits there are to go wrong. A bit of sensible common sense maintainance or a service every so often never goes amiss.

All of those things may help.

But there's no guarantees.

If I can carry a spare of it I will.

Remember that if you use a 20ft lead , the 12ft spare in your box is no spare at all.

I have a small tool kit too , encourage the other members to get their own. I'm happy to lend mine to anyone but when you're all rushing around setting up chances are they'll forget to return 'that' screwdriver.

If you have 2 square inches of space anywhere - put a new PP3 battery in it.

My mic stand beer holder might be a gag from time to time but get one. If you don't - I guarantee one day you'll put your drink on your amp , even if only absent mindedly.

I like Slaphappy's idea of carrying a DI box in case the amp goes tits up. I'll start doing that - thanks matey.

And for Jaco's sake get a pair of decent working gloves. Use them for loading/unloading.

When I finally got through packaging that even the Royal Mail would find it hard to destroy - out popped my FX unit in the original box with the manual and even the unused stickers. Like new.
Well happy and a treat to buy from him.

It's 'stockings' - not socks - and I'll be wearing both!

That , and 'I thank you' are in our set but we only have 45mins at Clarence and don't know if they'll both make it in. One of them hopefully.

There's a bit of the former here - from our debut gig at the Clarence fundraiser last year.
[url="http://www.eliminatoruk.net/media.html"]http://www.eliminatoruk.net/media.html[/url]

Having watched you play , Dave - though only the once on the Triumph - you never strike me as 'heavy handed'. I'm not sure how your hands would take to upping the action.
You mention how your approach to your basslines has changed with the EUB and I'd have thought any help from the instrument - like a low action - would be a help to you rather than a hinderance.

Not sure you give the right impression describing yourself as no more than a bass line player. The lines I've stolen from you are hardly root note wonders!!

I'll be coming to see you on the Sun aft at the Clarence Park Fest. If you stick around til early eve we're doing the ZZ trib there , where you'll see a bass player struggle with a dog of an instrument and sticking to root notes!!!
Sadly the Explorer is hardly my Shuker or your Warwicks.

I do a fair ammount of it in Dr Blue.

I do know that it always has a way of tripping me up if I get overconfident or don't concentrate properly so I have a small stock of 'get out of jail free' riffs to get me back on track. Like Eric Morcambe slapping Ernie Wise's cheek. He did that when he forgot his lines. Same sort of saviour.

Have a listen to one of my fave tracks. 'Walk Between The Raindrops' on Donald Fagen's 'Nightfly' album. Bass by Will Lee - heavily processed but the line's wonderful around the jazzy chord changes.

Your teacher is right in a sense - I reckon he/she may have neen meaning it's a style that isn't as scary as you may think , that it's generally a Q of linking set patterns together , and you should have a try.
Like any technique though , competence and mastery are 2 very different things.

[quote name='Muppet' post='20111' date='Jun 19 2007, 12:22 PM']Hi Clive

I prefer Boston straplocks for a few reasons


3. VERY IMPORTANT. They have two nuts on the shaft of the strap part as opposed to one. These act as locknuts. Schallers do not have this and unless you apply threadlock they tend to unscrew themselves over time, whereas the Boston ones do not.

cheers

Steve[/quote]

A tale I've told several times in these parts. Exactly what happened to me , mid-gig in York , dumping my Status on my foot. I was lucky not to break a toe.

Since then the Schallers have been in the bin and I have Dunlops fitted to all my basses.

Billy Sheean , according to an account I read , had his strap (made from the stuff they stop aircraft from crashing on carrier flight decks with) coachbolted directly to his bass.
Bloody good idea.

[quote name='Machines' post='25537' date='Jul 1 2007, 09:48 AM']I keep mine in Iraq.[/quote]

What....you've only got an air base?

EH!....Eh.....air bass....eh!!!!!

I'll get me coat

Anyone had experience of the 'Trad' Precision jobby??

Mine currently sports an SD QP which is a bit too much of a monster , the original 73 pup self destructed and I'm on the look out for something comfortingly vintage sounding