Count Bassy

[quote name='Rayman' post='385104' date='Jan 19 2009, 04:05 PM']Superb gig, JB's one of my all time favourite players, guitar royalty. I had the pleasure of meeting him once, very nice bloke, and he leaves the likes of Clapton in his wake IMO. As far as his band goes, I thought they were all top notch, including Tal, who's a very talented bass player, and backed JB up perfectly. That's what she was there to do, not show her chops off to other bass players.[/quote] Personally, I'm not convinced that she did complement him that well. I agree that she wasn't there to show off her chops (what bassists are?), but I just found what she did a bit bland and wishy washy. However, if I may. I'll change my previous comment to say: "personally would be happy to play as well as Tal, but that doesn't stop me thinking that there are lots bass players [b]I prefer [/b]out there" Also please note the first part of this comment: I am not saying that she is not a good bassist.

[quote name='largo' post='384262' date='Jan 18 2009, 07:10 PM']I watched the show when it was shown last year. I always rated myself as an OK bassist, played for 20 odd years now and "think" I can hold a tune, although the stick I get from the guys in the band might suggest differently. All I can say is, if someone asked me to sit in on that gig I wouldn't have a chance ! I'm in very esteemed company if those that don't rate Tal think they could have stood on that stage and held the groove any better.[/quote] I don't think anyone here has claimed that they could do better. I for one was simply dissapointed afetr all the hype I'd heard. I personally would be happy to play as well as Tal, but that doesn't stop me thinking that there are lots of better bass players out there. You don't have to be better than someone to have a view on them.

[quote name='rayfw' post='382253' date='Jan 16 2009, 12:20 PM']Ah, right. I'll give that a try. How about taking them out? I can't seem to do it without it making an awful ptpthh noise through my amp with my active basses.[/quote] I've never had any problem taking a straight one out from any bass in one movement. Yours isn't one of the right angle ones is it? Also, is yours one of the latest generation Neutrik ones (maroon coloured)? If not then I can't comment as I've only used those. Clive

[quote name='rayfw' post='373867' date='Jan 8 2009, 10:48 AM']Re. muting jacks. I've found the Neutrik straight jacks work well enough (but not with some active basses as mentioned above) but that the right angled ones are useless. They seem to stop muting after a while and the plugs start to wobble about. I made 3 leads with them on and they are all the same after less than 6 months use. Not what I would expect from Neutrik as I've got some cables with Neutriks on that work perfectly after approx. 20 years use.[/quote] Same experience here - the straight ones are good, the right angle ones are useless. It seems that any slight sideaways pressure on the RA ones stop the sleeve sliding, and hence it doesn't mute. You wonder how someone like Neutrik managed to let them out of the factory. On someones elses point, they do mostly work with active basses, but you need to put the plug in up to the sleeve and wait a second while the pre-amp powers up/stablizes, and then plug it in the rest of the way.

[quote name='3V17C' post='378780' date='Jan 13 2009, 11:27 AM']Back to Tal though - am I the only one who found the constantly smug look on her face annoying? [/quote] No.

[quote name='YouMa' post='378524' date='Jan 13 2009, 12:33 AM']Tals cute but why i am never as impressed by her playing as everyone else,shes fantastic for her age but i just cant get the buzz.[/quote] I'm with you on this. Having heard so much about Tal Wilkenfeld I came away from watching the program feeling decidedly dissapointed. Not by the the rest of it it, just the bass playing. Can't help but wonder that if she didn't look 12 and reasonably cute (although she doesn't do it for me in that way iether), then there wouldn't be anything like the buzz around her. I've seen many better bassists playing in less high profile positions, but then they are mostly old men (and some with beards as well).

Pete Stroud. Saw him playing with Buddy Wittington a few weeks ago. If I could play like any one bassist - he would be the one (probably).

[quote name='aceuggy' post='366341' date='Dec 30 2008, 03:55 PM']What about the bassist for Free, Andy Fraser I think. Is he British? I love his bass lines[/quote] beat me to it. +1

IN: Ibanez GWB35 (5 string ftretless) Westone Quantum (4 string headless 32" scale) Tascam MP-BT1 Bass Trainer Fender PT100 Pedal Tuner D'addario ground wounds OUT: Nothing but knackered strings

Well, I reckon I'm better than John Entwhistle is Also better than Phil Lynott, and indeed better than Jaco Pastorious. But then I'm not dead, so it does give me an advantage.

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='360586' date='Dec 21 2008, 11:16 PM']If for 10 years every time you did the washing up, you used your feet, by now you'd be pretty good with your feet. Maybe as good as some people using hands? But is using your feet to do the washing up the best way to do it, even though you are good at it?[/quote] I didn't get married so I could do my own washing up!

Well, I did say it meight be a laod of bollocks, but I actually meant that above the comment, not that below it. The latter being a result of not deleting the left over bits of crap at the end!! I like the humbucking idea, but what would you do with the left over string on a fiver?

[quote name='agoulding' post='347734' date='Dec 7 2008, 10:24 AM']carol kaye, meshell and tal wilkenfeld win for me. wilkenfeld is not just "the best female bassist" but one of the best all round bassists imho[/quote] I watched the Jeff Beck thing on the telly a few weeks ago and, after all I'd heard, came away dissapointed by Tal Wilkenfeld

[quote name='Cabal' post='343742' date='Dec 3 2008, 02:40 AM']Also, i'm without a key for the case, so does anyone know if they're universal fit? If they are, would anybody out there be prepared to lend me one to get a copy made, if indeed a copy can be made of this type of key.[/quote] I've always been puzzled as to what good a lock on a instrument case is. I supose that it prevents accidental opening in transit, but if someones wants to steal the guitar they'd surely just take the case as well?

[quote name='Musky' post='92628' date='Nov 22 2007, 11:38 AM']The Hohner B2 and Jack are both passive headless basses.[/quote] Early Jacks were passive, then they went active.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='330452' date='Nov 17 2008, 09:40 AM']That's not an argument, its sarcasm, which is the lowest form of wit. [/quote] It's a fair cop, you got me bang to rights, guv'nor.

Moving a wire in a magnetic field will induce a voltage in the wire. Similarly having a static wire in a changing magnetic will induce a volatge. The later will is how a classic pickup works, as moving a magnetic material in a magnetic field will disturb the magnetic field, and this disturbance induces the a voltage in the pick up winding. What you are suggesting is using the first effect, and a voltage would be induced along the length of the wire when the string vibrates. However the voltage would be miniscule as the pickup wire (the string) only passes through the field once, and is not closely coupled to it. To pick this up you would need to tap the signal at both end of the string. I would have thought that the frequency response would be good. After all the inductance and resistance of the pickup would be very low which should give it a very even response and very low losses before it got to the (extremely high gain) pre-amp. BUT! the string will also act as a wonderful ariel for all sorts of interference, and the chances are this would totally overwelm any of the signal you wanted, which is probaly insurmountable in any practical sense. PS this may be a load of bolleaux

[quote]But this is the bottom line for me; a neatly polished version of Mustang Sally is NOT better than bad jazz, not because it is not good, because it is not professional, not tight, not well delivered etc. It is not better because I know what's coming and don't care![/quote] " Pas d'elle yeux un que nous." That's what Mustang Sally sounds like to you..... You don't get it because you haven't learned to hear it yet. Its not that you can't hear it; children who have no preconceptions about music react just as positively to Mustang Sally as they do anything else. But, if all you ever listen to is hi-falluting jazz, you will struggle with something with the simple beauty of Mustang Sally. If you ever do get into it at any stage, it is amazing how over complicated and pretentious all the stuff you used to like will sound. Its just a different way of listening and very rewarding. With apologies Bilbo, but these arguments can be made both ways. Runs for cover.

Interesting you should say that Bremen - the quantum with the Vol-vol arrangment is also the only passive one amongst them, so may may have somethig Thanks

I have various basses with two pickups, Three have a master volume, a balance and common controls (or two), but my most recent, a Westone quantum has a volume for each pickup and a common tone pot. My opinion at this stage is 'why would anyone want to have separate volumes for each pickup', rather than master volume and a blend. As far as I can see having two volume controls just makes it difficult to adjust your volume without altering your tone, but I guess it must have some advantage or no one would do it that way? I'm thinking of changing the Quantum to a Vol-Balance configuration - should I do do it or not?. All thoughts and comments gratefully received.

[quote name='rmorris' post='327185' date='Nov 11 2008, 11:26 PM']I'm sure I would be saying that if I were an advocate for a company who's product had been destroyed but shouldn't we be on the side of the musician - experienced or inexperienced - here ?[/quote] I don't want to get into a protracted discussion over this, but I just wanted to make it clear that I don't own or use any pedals, and don't own or use anything made by Behringer. I'm not sticking up for Behringer specifically, or for manufacturers in general, but for the principle that if you don't use equipment according to the instructions (eg connecting the wrong power supply) then it might get damaged or destroyed. While manufacturers could improve their designs to make things more tolerant it is ultimately up to the user to take responsibilty and ensure that it is used correctly. Perhaps they should print a warning on each pedal saying "Warning: Conecting the wrong power supply might destroy this unit", but this is rather remeniscent of the ridiculous "warning: contents may be hot" on the coffee cups.

OTHER: Fender Urge Mk1 (Mex), Fender Urge Mk1 (US), Westone Quantum, Ibanez GWB35, Thorne MK1.

[quote name='rmorris' post='322975' date='Nov 5 2008, 09:11 PM']It's still rubbish design if 9V polarity reversal causes permanent damage. It's fairly well accepted that the environment in which a product ( any product ) is likely to be used is relevant with regard to malfunction / damage etc.[/quote] It's designed to a price and performance that is acceptable at that price. If you want Jaguar performance don't buy a mini! [quote name='rmorris' post='322975' date='Nov 5 2008, 09:11 PM']And it's obvious that the inadvertent use of a different supply or polarity reversal is a likely event given the same / similar and unidentified connectors commonly used, dark stages etc...[/quote] A fact that you and most users are aware of and thus should proceed with due care and attention [quote name='rmorris' post='322975' date='Nov 5 2008, 09:11 PM']Since 9V is arguably the most common nominal dc voltage then it seems wholly reasonable to expect protection against polarity reversal of a 9V supply or use of an unregulated supply here. I'm not necessarily expecting it to survive, for example, being fed with 230V ( nominal ) ac mains voltage - it's not a reasonable scenario. And given that the protection can be simple and low cost ( very very low cost ) then I can't see an excuse even for low cost product.[/quote] I'd agree with that in principal to some extent, but a diode in series will immediatley drop the available voltage for the box to do its work. and putting in some sort of crowbar device would also need a fuse etc, and so add costs. [quote name='rmorris' post='322975' date='Nov 5 2008, 09:11 PM']I have to say that I don't think the analogies given are particularly valid - under what circumstances would you take it into your head to pour kerosene into your Lamborghini ?[/quote] Under what circumstances would you take it into your head to pour 12Vdc, of either polarity, into your pedal which clearly states 9Vdc? Picking up the wrong plug on stage and just plugging it is akin to driving your lambo into the petrol station, picking a pump at random, and filling up. [quote name='rmorris' post='322975' date='Nov 5 2008, 09:11 PM']And where is this source of 320Vac ? It's worth noteing that a product running from European ac mains should be able to able to run at significantly above and under the nominal voltage as there is an allowed tolerance on the mains voltage supplied ( +10% / -6% around 230 Vac ? - but I might be incorrect on the actual figures ). Plus should be able to survive various surge transient conditions as defined in emc standards ( there is a sort of opt out for manufacturers but I'll stop now before it gets very nuanced and legalistic :-)[/quote] I only used 320Vac into a telly as it is 230Vac + 30%, ie the same % overvoltage as plugging 12Vdc into a device designed for 9Vdc. The +10% on the 230V spec is generally to accomodate the UKs continuing use of 240 volts, + some tolerance on that. You're right about being able to absorb some surges, but I dont think being connected to 30% overvoltage for what must have been quite a few seconds counts as a surge. Having said all the above, it does seem a shame that pedal manufacturers don't standardise on a 9vdc supply and the same polarity on the same type of connector.

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='315003' date='Oct 26 2008, 12:22 PM']Fender PT100 stomp box tuner. £40 new. Gigged one for 4 years and has worked a treat - very easy to see in dark. Has a mute out and everything. [/quote] +1

Thanks for your replies people. I've just stumbled upon the tascam GTR-1, which seems to be a blend of the MP-BT1 bas trainer and the Boss microBR (ie it has inbuilt mics, has a line input, and allows recodering/overdubbing) Mind you at £265 you'd expect it to be good! Any one come across that one ? Thanks again. Clive