kwmlondon

I've replaced all the backup batteries in the smoke alarms in the house. The system runs off the mains to the 9v batteries are just there in case of a power cut and they're good for a couple of years yet and I've used as many as I can in my active basses. If you want a pack of 2 PM me and I'll give the first two to get in touch my address, just post me a stamped addressed envelope and I'll post them off to you.

I've found the more I play, the more practise I put in the more I like my tone. I'd say I play 80% of the time with fingers and every now and again I just go off the leash and whack on a bit of distortion and attack the bass with a pick. One of my favourite tones is playing with a pick or the thumb and muting with the right hand at the same time to get a really bass-heavy big attack - dub with thumb, retro clack with pick. I've just now started to get into the Rocco technique of slightly muting with the left hand so I can play fingers on the right and still have that thuddy tone, fewer resonant frequencies. Really fun stuff!

You know what? The gear4music strings aren’t bad, they definitely sounded better after a few hours of playing. The truss rod on the Bass works okay it’s just my other basses are much more free turning so it gives me the fear when I have to twist harder.

Because I’ve tried a Dingwall. I mean, the SR is fine and all but I really liked the sound of the multi scale I tried. The Ibanez is fine but it’s not inspiring, and I’d like to try different basses- scale lengths, pickups, why not a neck through? The new Rickenbacker 5 string sounds amazing and looks fantastic. I bought the Ibanez, I didn’t marry the thing and have kids with it…

Yep, I know but I don’t mind investing in a long-term instrument. This SR505 was only ever meant to try out a 5 string so I’d rather not put more money into this bass.

Well if it was to get something different then maybe but I’m really looking to upgrade so I’ll be happy to move this on when the time comes.

Well I think I’ve got it sorted so thanks but I think that may be a bit advanced for me. I’m fine setting intonation and at a push il tweak a truss rod but I’d not trust myself to do fret dressing. I admire your skills!

It’s the first winter since it had a setup, yes.

Update: actually got a bit of time to mess around and dug out my hex key set. It took the truss rod 3/4 of a turn loosening off but the buzz is sorted. Thanks for the advice folks! I think I’ll upgrade at some point but not in a hurry.

So, I've let some tension out of the neck and I've raised the action and that's sort of gotten rid of the buzzing a bit so it sounds better but now but I think it could sound better. I think the bass needs a proper set up from someone who knows what they're doing or has the time to put into trying it out. While I like the bass I'm just not going to invest any money in it. I'd rather sell it on to someone, but it's done its job - I now know: I really like playing 5 string bass For 5 string I want a modern, HiFi sound and a 24 frets I like narrow string spacing and a thin neck So, I'm going to keep an eye out and maybe trade up in the next year or so but until then this is a superb bass and I'm quite happy with it. Thanks for all the advice, folks!

UPDATE - got a helpful email from Mats at EBS who suggested running it from an external PSU instead of the 48v phantom from my desk and VOILLA. Issue completely fixed. Turns out that the speaker emulator saturates too easily without a proper external power supply. Thank goodness for tech support!

I'm pretty sure I'd tried everything but I'll double check. Cheers!

Sorry if I wasn't being clear. It sounds fine without the speaker simulator, then when I activate it that weird digital-style distortion comes in. Hope that clarifies. The person I bought it off suggested I contact EBS so I've messaged them via their Facebook page.

I just bought an EBS Microbass 2 from a fellow basschat member and it arrived in perfect condition. I've had it a few days and plugged into the desk via DI and found something really odd. The speaker emulator works fine unless there's any gain/breakup in the bass and then you get this really nasty digital type distortion. Any idea what's going on here? It's the same on headphones. Both me and the guy I bought it from are completely stumped. Apologies for the crappy bass playing, I'm just trying to demo the sound issue. IMG_4681.MOV

Well, it got a very good setup not long ago so I'm reluctant to shell out another £35 on it for a setup plus £40 to fit a nut plus the cost of the nut plus a new set of strings (because if it's getting all that attention I'd put new strings on) - I may do but not for a while yet. Thinking about it more objectively it's likely to be the neck because if it was the nut I'd have noticed it before now - I tend to doubt myself and think "why didn't I notice this before, I can't have been playing this bass enough" rather than "this used to be fine, what's changed?" Also, I'd like to try more 5-strings now I'm getting more of a feel for this one. I don't mind spending proper money if it something I really know I'll like and that I'll play but at the moment I'm still working that out.

This has a lot to say for it but I think I’m going to try tweaking the truss rod first. If this sorts it I’ll just stick with it as is. I’d like to try a higher end Ibanez some time though.

True, true.

Yep, starting to sound like it. Especially as, now I think about it, the issue's only really come up recently. I just didn't think the problem that close to the nut would be a truss rod thing.

Honestly, I don't like messing about with that stuff. I can tweak things but the idea of going at my bass with a heat gun, na-ahh. I know my limits! Cheers for the advice tho.

Thanks, very helpful - will have a go. It's the first string, 3rd and 4th. In terms of the sound, I do actually quite like the active tone I just don't really like the eq. It'd be nice to have a passive option, I think the newer ones have that. Honestly though, I'm not going to go messing around ripping out the electronics! I've had a KiOgon loom before though, his stuff is excellent.

Cool, thanks - will do. It could just be due to going into winter, heating on etc.

Nop. I really don't like messing with a truss rod. I know it's a cheap bass but I still don't like fiddling around with the truss rod, tend to go to it as a last resort! Also, I really find I don't ever use the active eq on the bass or deviate from the middle blend of the pickups. It may as well just have an off/on button really.

I thought of this, considered cutting some of the inside of a biro to make some sleeve for the strings to go above the nut. If anyone's got any better suggestions for a quick-fix then I'd give it a go.