Count Bassy

[quote name='CliveT' post='1295616' date='Jul 7 2011, 08:18 AM']That's interesting. What bass are you using? I have a Commando combo from the mid 90's and it's been a great workhorse. It's got passive eq so 'flat' is bass = 0, mids = 10 and treble = 0. I find that settings works pretty well most of the time with the odd tweak depending on the room.[/quote] That was with a Fender Urge Mk1 (32" Scale) - Running the bass in active mode but with bass and treble at the mid 'Flat' positions and the main switch in the 'Unscooped' position. Mainly using the Jazz pickups, about 2/3 Bridge, 1/3 neck. But flipping to the 'P' pickup on occasions.

[quote name='Dave Vader' post='1297375' date='Jul 8 2011, 04:17 PM']Conventional wisdom says that as soon as you touch a fret anything you have done behind it has bugger all effect on intonation. However, I'm willing to be told otherwise.[/quote] When you press a string on to the first fret you are not only fretting it, but are also bending it by an amount, so with a conventional nut the first few frets always come out a bit sharp, irrespective of how well you set the intonation at the 12th fret. By effectively moving the nut forward in a compensated nut you are shortening the distance to the first nut so that it nominally plays flat. If you get it right this flattening and the sharpening from pressing the string down cancel out, so the first few frets are better in tune. Obviously this applies to all frets but the affect reduces as you move away from the nut. I played around with one a few years ago (actually with a bit of wire acting as a zero fret). And the affect was really quite good in terms of tuning accuracy. Some day all basses will be built this way.

For moment then I thought we we going to discuss these Yellow Jackets [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItZyaOlrb7E"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItZyaOlrb7E[/url]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='1293293' date='Jul 5 2011, 12:41 PM']Get the pots replaced with decent CTS ones, available from Allparts, Axes-r-us, etc.[/quote] Just want to point out that other 'decent pot' brands are available.

I'm working towards it. I can sing OK (in tune at least), and I can play bass OK (ish). My problem when putting the two together is that where as the bass generally needs to be quite rigid in timing, the vocal lines often need float around the timing a bit to give it expression. When I try to do the two together the singing timing tends to become rigid as well, making it a bit lack lustre. As I say working towards it slowly. Working on things like Pride & Joy, Hoochie Coochie Man, Steamroller, Road House Blues etc. with some success. Tried Too Rolling Stoned (original had a singing bass player) and that one is quite difficult.

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1279898' date='Jun 23 2011, 05:33 PM']And by the same token, unless you actually [i][b]have[/b][/i] shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die, I'd avoid the Folsom Prison Blues, too.[/quote] By that token though there's very few songs first person songs that anyone can legitimately sing. (E.g. shake your money maker - I haven't got a girl who lives up in the hill - does that mean I can't play it). Also, AFAIK, Johnny Cash didn't actually shoot a man in Reno, so what was he doing writing that song in the first place?

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='1279295' date='Jun 23 2011, 02:07 AM']No, just because of all the slow blues tunes that are available it's [i]always[/i] ******* Red House that floats to the top. Bit like the Allman's take on Stormy Monday & the Santana version of Black Magic Woman.[/quote] Aah, the good old Mustang Sally effect! A good song that suffers from it's popularity - 'sometimes you just can't win'.

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='1278861' date='Jun 22 2011, 06:28 PM']A bit of a list... Ain't Nobody's Business - Jimmy Witherspoon (Freddie King too) All Your Love (I Miss Loving) - Otis Rush (but go with the version by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers) Baby What You Want Me To Do - Jimmy Reed Black Magic Woman - Fleetwood Mac (but everyone goes for the Santana version) Born Under A Bad Sign - Albert King Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker Boom, Boom Out Goes The Lights - Little Walter (also Pat Travers) Bright Lights, Big City - Jimmy Reed Bring It On Home - Sonny Boy Williamson (Led Zep as well) Crosscut Saw - Albert King Don't Start Me Talkin' - Sonny Boy WIlliamson (check out Rory Gallagher's version as well) Dust My Broom - Elmore James Further On Up The Road - Bobby 'Blue' Bland Got My Mojo Working - Muddy Waters Help Me - Sonny Boy Williamson Hideaway - Freddie King I Can't Quit You Baby - Otis Rush (& Led Zep) Key to The Highway - Little Walter (also Clapton & others) King Bee - Slim Harpo Linda Lu - Johnny Otis (but seek out the Foghat Version) Little Red Rooster - Howlin' Wolf (also the Stones) Mama Talk To Your Daughter - J.B. Lenoir Mercury Blues - David Lindley/Alan Jackson/ My Babe - Little Walter Nadine - Chuck Berry Need Your Love So Bad - Fleetwood Mac (original by Little Willie John, great cover by Irma Thomas) No Money Down - Chuck Berry Pack Fair And Square - Big Walter & His Thunderbirds (better known by the J. Geils Band) Phone Booth - Robert Cray Pink Cadillac - Bruce Springsteen (but the Jerry Lee Lewis version is the one IMO) Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan Rock Me Baby - B.B. King Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston Rollin' & Tumblin' - Muddy Waters Red House - Hendrix (pleeeasssee try & avoid this one!) Satisfy Suzie - Lonnie Mack Smokestack Lightning - Howlin' Wolf Spoonful - Howlin' Wolf Stormy Monday - T. Bone Walker (but everybody defaults to the Allman Brothers version) Sugar Coated Love - Lazy Lester The Sky Is Crying - Elmore James (SRV/Gary Moore) The Stumble - Freddie King The Thrill Is Gone - B.B. King The Hunter - Albert King Third Degree - Eddie Boyd Tulane - Chuck Berry Walkin' By Myself - Jimmy Rogers That & those already suggested ought to get you started If you look them up on YouTube, play YT Roulette with the suggestions down the right hand side - you'll have a set list as long as both your arms in no time. Pete.[/quote] Curious as to why you list Red House, and the plead for him not to do it? Is it because its not in the correct alphabetical place?

On some basses I have the pickups are connected to the pre-amp with push on connectors. If its the same on the Big Al then it may simply be that the connectors have been swapped over. If the selector switches are mounted directly onto a PCB it seems unlikely that the problem would be with them. Even if the pickups are soldered to the board it still seems more likely that they are wrong rather than PCB mounted switches.

Yes, they were the long flexible wire type things stretched between the bridge and the head. (Sorry)

I make mine myself. Vandamme cable and Neutrik connectors. The only complaint I have with the Vandamme cable is that the inner insulator on the instrument cable tends to melt too easily ( I tend to put a little loop in it so that the inner core does not get strained if things move a bit. Solution is to solder the centre while straight, then put the loop in and then solder the screen). The inner insulation on the Starquad (for mics) doesn't seem to melt at all, so I don't know why they don't use that in the instrument cable as well.

I can't believe that no one's mentioned Suzie.

A month or so ago I started a thread about my first Markbass experience (in a rehearsal studio) and how I couldn't get a sound I liked. I've just had the exact opposite in a different rehearsal studio. A Trace Elliot Commando. Put everything flat, deselected the various boost buttons, guitar bass and treble flat and 'Unscooped'. Plugged in, turned on. Perfect. Didn't have to touch a control all night. Of course the room was also very different in this studio - probably about 5 x 4 metres witha normal height celing, and a bit of eggbox foam on the walls, but I think the different amp must have had something to do with it. Is this typical of Trace gear?

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='1270169' date='Jun 15 2011, 02:39 PM']Post[b]boned[/b]??!! There [b]has[/b] to be joke there somewhere. [/quote] Whoops! My apologies I've now corrected it. In case people are wondering what Basic is on about I originally put 'Postboned' in the title, which isn't actually a word of course.

[quote name='Eight' post='1268992' date='Jun 14 2011, 06:21 PM']You can't break the other guy's fingers?[/quote] I have to be careful - he may be 'one of us' [quote name='JTUK' post='1269046' date='Jun 14 2011, 07:10 PM']I hope the drummer has a decent reason for crying off...as this appears to have been arranged and then someone decides they can't do it..?? Not a good start on their behalf....would be my thinking, especially if no good excuse was offerred[/quote] Suprise birthday meal out apparently.

I was due an audition tonight but it was cancelled as their drummer couldn't make it. Not the end of the world, but they're auditioning someone else next week, so not only have I got to be good enough, the one they audition next week (now before me) has got to be not good enough! One of those things, and nothing can be done. Just felt the need to share my frustration as it sounds like a good gig.

Rectangular style hard case. Hard case because (IMHO) they offer more protection. Rectangular because they give masses of storage for cables, tuners, spares etc. and because they stack well in the back of the vehicle.

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1264232' date='Jun 10 2011, 06:29 PM']Not necessarily. If you get an improvement by moving your jack plug about it could be just teh socket has bent loose. If you can get the jack plate & socket out easily try bending the hot pin inwards to improve the "click" of your jack going in (not too much though), the bit the tip of your jack clicks onto. Do with with a couple of pairs of pliers, if you just use one you risk cracking the insulating layer which will short out (knacker) the jack socket. Maplins sell stacks of different kinds of jack sockets (Neutriks) for peanuts if needed.[/quote] Plus, twist a clean (and dry) 'scotchbrite into it by 10mm or so to clean up the inside of the earth sleeve - can make a big difference. Only works on sockets where the earth contact is made via a solid sleeve. - don't try it where the earth contact is itself a sprung contact.

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1264232' date='Jun 10 2011, 06:29 PM']Not necessarily. If you get an improvement by moving your jack plug about it could be just teh socket has bent loose. If you can get the jack plate & socket out easily try bending the hot pin inwards to improve the "click" of your jack going in (not too much though), the bit the tip of your jack clicks onto. Do with with a couple of pairs of pliers, if you just use one you risk cracking the insulating layer which will short out (knacker) the jack socket. Maplins sell stacks of different kinds of jack sockets (Neutriks) for peanuts if needed.[/quote] Plus, twist a clean (and dry) 'scotchbrite into it by 10mm or so to clean up the inside of the earth sleeve - can make a big difference. Only works on sockets where the earth contact is made via a solid sleeve. - don't try it where the earth contact is itself a sprung contact.

[quote name='paul h' post='1264853' date='Jun 11 2011, 12:57 PM']It's here...and it's on! It was one hell of a jumbo fret so it took quite a bit of work to get it down to size. I compromised and filed/sanded/polished it down to a height slightly between the height of my first fret and the bottom of the nut slots. My nut wasn't actually cut low enough anyway so playability at the first fret is much improved. Intonation is most probably improved although I can't categorically state that. It's fine now but I didn't do a before test and I have never noticed bad intonation before. I put the zero fret in flush against the nut and I am sure I could have improved things by playing with the angle of it. The tone is nice and even over the open strings and the lower action by the nut feels great. However, the main reason I did this was so I can move on from my zero fret obsession without buying a new bass. So even in that respect alone, it's a massive success! A quick £9 mod has just save me a bundle. [/quote] Glad that it's worked out for you. What actually hold the zero fret in place with this device, do you have to cut the fret board or nut at all?

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='1261479' date='Jun 8 2011, 05:22 PM']Sorry but I find your comment more than a bit lame. These carefully chosen pieces clearly show what talent he had. If you don't 'get it' that's absolutely fine, not a reflection on your worth or value whatsoever but please don't stand in judgement of something you're brain isn't wired to appreciate. I was listening to Hejira today and Refuge of the Roads is a great illustration of Jaco's less is more playing. Peter[/quote] I must admit that I type that particular line with a slight sense of wickedness. I accept that he had a talent, but what he did with it (based on those two examples) does nothing for me. I also accept that others' views may differ. Unfortunately if these carefully chosen pieces are presented as examples of his best work then I am not inspired to go and listen to any more. There are far 'less talented' players out there who I would far rather listen to, and that includes people in local pub bands. EDITED TO ADD: The Dreamland clip that someone posted is, to my ear, a far better example. I managed to listen to that all the way through and actually quite enjoyed it despite it not being my natural musical territory.

I'll take peoples word for it that he was one of the greats, but these two examples, to me are just dull. What is the point of having all that talent if this is what you do with it? I listened to the first all the way through. I intended to listen to all of the second as well, but got half way through and thought 'stuff this, life's too short'. Sorry, but I really really don't like this stuff.

[quote name='Fredde' post='1255778' date='Jun 3 2011, 06:36 PM']Worryingly many reports of the same problem all of a sudden... Anyone else? Please tell me which browser you use (brand and version) so I can try and repeat the problem and get it solved![/quote] IE8 running in windows XP.

Am I the only one who can't get it to play anything? I can create it OK, but when I press play the button dims briefly and then nothing. What am I doing wrong? (if its any clue - I can't get anything to play in reverb nation either)

[quote name='Johnston' post='1255474' date='Jun 3 2011, 02:22 PM']Have I got this right. You deepen the nut slots and then put a tangless fret up tight to the nut?? So therefore shortening the distance between the zero fret (Nut) and the first fret. 1st a wee bit of time in the vice with a normal fret and a file should do the same thing. Second if you're going to do it why not do it right. Knock a nut out glue a sliver of something in there. Cut it fret it and then put the nut in further back. A bit more time effort and work but if you're obsessive a better job IMO. p.s. what would be the point of a bone zero fret on a guitar with a bone nut [/quote] From how I read it, and the pictures, the bone one is more of a compensated nut, the metal ones are more of an adjustable zero fret. The zero fret would probably be up against the nut on the G string, further away on the E string. The problem with the fixing a zero fret is that it then becomes non adjustable should you decide to change your action , string guage etc.