kwmlondon

Hi basschat folks. I've got a question about adding a passive tone control to my setup. I've got a Dingwall Combustion and, honestly, I never use the active circuit - I just leave the batteries out and use the switch as a handy mute control. I do really miss a passive tone though for songs where I want a darker tone, but it's important I can turn it off/on easily rather than fiddle with the treble on an amp. I'm toying with the idea of changing the circuit to a Glockenklang one on the bass as the treble on that acts as a passive tone when the preamp's off, but that'd be a faff and expense especially as I'd not trust my own ham-fisted soldering so it'd be off to a tech to sort. Would I be bonkers to buy a few components and make my own passive tone pedal? I could even have a selector for different caps. Has anyone done this?

Well, this is embarrassing. Just heard back from Chris at Darkglass and he asked me to check a couple of things, like the PSU, and if I'd accidentally pressed the A&B buttons at the same time and accidentally put it into bypass mode. What? *goes and plugs ADAM in and presses A&B at the same time to deactivate bypass mode* FIXED! So. We've learned a couple of things: 1. I don't read manuals. 2. The Darkglass ADAM has a bypass mode and when activated it looks like there's no power to the unit 3. Darkglass customer service come back quite quickly (and they replied on a Saturday which is above and beyond) 4. I'm a dufus. 5. I've got a spare DI/preamp/distortion pedal now! Have a great weekend!

Just bought an Ultraharmonix Bass Metaphore pedal to tide me over the next couple of rehearsals… £68 posted not bad.

I've got a Darkglass Aggressively Distorting Advanced Machine (ADAM) and it just died in a rehearsal. One moment fine, the next totally dead - no lights, no live, nada. I checked the PSU, it works fine with another pedal. I called Anderton's and they said that it's out of warranty - bought 12 Jan 2022 - so they'll reach out to the distributors to see if they'll repair it. I just wondered if anyone knows what Darkglass are like, generally? I'm hoping they'll accept that it's a high-end product and fix it without my making a fuss (it's an expensive piece of kit and the consumer goods act would apply to something only 15 months old and very well taken care of, I've used the small claims court a couple of times before but I'd really rather not). Anyone got any experience? I'll keep you posted on how this turns out too...

I just looked up the Bravo 112 and it's actually quite a desirable little amp. If you want a better practise amp for bass use I'd suggest selling it and buying a proper little bass amp - I used a Hartke 75w recently and it was brilliant, a Fender Rumble 40 would also be great. If you want one amp to do bass AND guitar just for practise then what I would do is get a small full frequency range speaker, or monitor, and then use the modelling on my laptop - I use a Mac so for me it'd be Garage Band. It's free and it has AMAZING modelling. You can experience an AC30, Marshall Stack, Fender Twin on guitar, and try an Ampeg 8x10 or whatnot on bass. Anyway. That's my suggestion.

This isn't an in-depth review at all but I just wanted to say how impressed I was with the amp that was in the rehearsal space I used on Saturday. We were just having a fun jam, a few rock covers (Floyd, Police, Blockheads, Weezer, that kind of stuff) and I was a bit put out when I got in and saw I would be using the 75w Hartke combo that was provided by Pirate Studios, I didn't think it'd keep up with a drummer, but I was wrong! I was running a Dingwall Combustion via a Darkglass Adam (I know, I know, it's a metal rig and I'm mad for using it for rock/pop/funk but it's sooooo versatile!) and with everything set flat on the combo it coped very well with the rest of the band - the two guitarists were using 4x12x as well! I can't comment about any of the tone shaping on the combo as I just left it flat, and there was only a single volume/gain but I had that at about half way and it was deep, clean and great to play through. The drummer wasn't really going for it though so this was definitely at rehearsal levels but still, when we played Another Brick In The Wall the bass comes in with a thunderous low D and that had real impact and drama - no farting or compression. I'm very much someone who likes to have a lot of power in reserve (carry a big stick, speak quietly etc.) but I'll hold my hands up and say that in this case I was wrong to turn my nose up at the Hartke and I'd happily use one again.

It’s tough though as the combination has such definition and punch even when tuned down, but they’re good for a lot more…. Just ask Lee Sklar or John Taylor!

I met Sheldon Dingwall couple of years ago, he was very pleased that I get funky with my Dingwall, bless him!

Ha! I use a Darkglass pedal… but I don’t play metal or even distorted that much. I play pop/rock/funk so the whole Dingwall/Darkglass is a bit Leftfield. It’s immense for disco!!

You playing 4 string mainly now yep? I have a Singray 4 string that always makes me smile but I always go back to the Combustion. It just works really well for me, it’s moved my playing on for sure, though I can totally understand why you’d get tired of it. I do like a good Pbass tho!

yeah Anderson’s we’re doing the Combustion 5-3 on sale for £1599 about it 14 months ago so I kind of pounced!

Sparkly!!!

I think the 4x10 would be a bit more coloured, bassy, the 2x12 feels very hifi. Let me know if you ever want a 2x12 though, this is probably too much for my needs!

I used it at a rehearsal today. Bloody hell it’s got some clout! I was very close to it so hard to tell what it’s sound like in a venue but I can’t imagine I’d be in a situation where I’d need more grunt.