warwickhunt

21st Sept 1979... I bought this album and played it NON-STOP.

We differ in that I don't really need/want and amp (or cabs) to achieve what I want; I'm looking at a preamp pedal that I can take to gigs (festival/multiband line ups) and literally give an engineer an XLR feed and ideally the pre-pedal will feed my Rolls PM pedal for IEM. At the minute I have the Fishman Plat Pro with a TC Clean Boost (which does a bit of dirt) in the effects loop but it's about 75% of the tone that I hear in my head and want to achieve. We are however similar in that I want to be able to play different basses and to tweak that pre amp tone to suit... sometimes even dialling all the grit out for one particular band scenario. I have just borrowed an EBS Microbass (II) which is really good but not the right kind of top end drive that I'm looking for.

I 'think' you and I @NancyJohnson are possibly trying to achieve the same sonic goal/tone re a sound and I'm following this as I'm struggling to achieve it as well, hence I've read and I'm following this thread. I'm going to use such vague terms that I'll be laughed at but here goes... I want a sound that is slightly aggressive, a bit of grit/drive but not overdrive; almost a good valve amp just starting to break up that is also maybe fattening up as you get speaker compression. Like you I have good amps (Thunderfunk, Tech Soundsystems Blackcat, EBS HD350) and some decent cabs (TC RS210 x2 and a TKS 115) and I have a few preamp pedals (Fishman Plat Pro, Sansamp, BBE Acoustimax, Radial Bassbone) but I can't quite achieve that tone in a package that can (easily) go with me to a range of gigs. I also have an MXR OD (too much drive even when dialled to minimum) and a TC booster (adds a nicer break up but it is still really 'distortion'). The Sansamp drive is an easy fix but it is too global on it's application; I almost want drive but just on the top end. I know some folks achieve their goals through modelling but I just can't, I've honestly tried and I end up spending 5 times as long messing about to achieve the same result as I'd get from my Sansamp or Radial pedals. I have tried Helix, I owned a Kemper (Toaster) and the Nux MLD through FRFR and through IEM; as a result I'm actually more comfortable using IEM and going through the PA with no backline but I can't find the pedal(s) that will get me the tone I want. Any way, I'll see if you manage to find something and I'll see if it works for me!

The latest compilation.

To be fair I've had a love/hate (love) relationship with them BUT if 'I' was likely to be incapacitated carrying gear about, they'd be my absolute go to solution! I realise the factors of each band/individual would vary inc' PA abilities but it does sound like needs must and maybe the OP needs to take the step?

Why can't you cut the whole transition to IEM... and just go IEM? I'm not a 'total' convert or advocate of them but they absolutely work in a LOT of situations, even in small band/pub gigs.

+ Thunderfunk + Mesa Boogie + Orange + Marshall... + Sansamp + Boss inc' DI + SM57 + Rode... and Gawd knows what else I tried! LOL

Can you keep a secret? LOTS of hair pulling and a 4 string Sandberg P bass.

Our latest offering. One for the fans of the 'darker' side of Cheap Trick!

Having experimented with and trialled a multitude of pre/amp/modelling options, I came to the conclusion that there wasn't one absolute answer to my needs... sorry if it doesn't help! For many years I had a trad amp and cab(s) set up, then went pre/power, dipped into pre/FRFR, bought (and sold) a Kemper toaster, went through 5-6 analogue and 2 modelling foot pedals and I'm sure a couple of other options. I retain a couple of analogue pre pedals (one clean/transparent, the other can add dirt/grit), 3 bass amps (I only need one to use as a trad amp or power amp BUT I'm loathed to sell the others) and I have a single good quality passive bass cab... Oh and a couple of 10" QSC powered PA cabs for my use or PA needs... and a selection of effects pedals. I'm lucky that I can have these and store them till I need them. I should add that I play in multiple bands with differing needs and I play acoustic guitar in a duo. If I was to offer one bit of advice for your situation, it would be to look at the Fishman Plat Pro! It is transparent, has a HPF, a good EQ and a notch filter, all useful for electric and acoustic bass. I find it works great if I want a nice clean bass sound and doubles up for acoustic instruments; I can use it as a pedal into PA with a feed for IEM, into a powered cab or into the front end of trad amp/cab that might not have very good EQ.

You have loads of options available but I'll offer a few observations... Don't get hung up on speaker size, particularly that you need 15" speakers for more 'bottom end'! Don't be afraid to raise a cab off the floor to get it nearer your ear. Consider a modular rig, especially one that will get the drivers closer to your ear height (a pair of 2x10 stacked on their ends to create 4x10 in one vertical line). 'Literally' ignore speaker ratings other than ohmage; some companies claimed wattage is a joke and is meaningless. Are you sticking with your amp? The TC is a different amp altogether compared to the Ashdown ABM. No mention of digital (I just mentioned it) but sometimes, claimed power ratings are massaged!

First question - have you adjusted 'this' truss rod before and you know for a fact that the truss rod operates in that direction? Only asking as it isn't unheard of for truss rods to operate the opposite way, you also get 2 way rods.

You nailed it! Now sorted thanks.

I've never had an issue with posting images into BC (ever). Yet when I try and post anything I get this! Now 28.2kB is pretty small.

I am he. I've been into the band since the late 70's and though I swear I've never modelled myself on Tom, he's patently been an influence on me. We are trying to entertain in the first instance and educate in the 2nd but a lot of folk simply want the best of 'Dad;s Rock' CD... regardless of the quality of CT.

I'd be gutted if they scaled up production. People may not be aware that necks are paired/numbered to bodies and made to fit. The necks from my Lionel fretted and fretless basses can NOT be interchanged; the tolerances are so tight that one neck will not fit the other! Is it really hard to post images on BC at the moment or is it just me?

The bassist is always looking for a bass with more strings! I'd rather play a T bird or P bass (as per Tom's early days) than play a Dean or Galveston.

Full version of 'Surrender'. I'd like to hope it isn't going to shock anyone but it'll sound a 'bit' like the original... tribute means just that for us.

Agreed, I have the KZs but moved on to the Senn IE100 because they were an all round better fit / seal (regardless of tips used).

I'm involved in a recent resurrection of one of my old bands and the singer (in his 30's) suggested we do a Velvet Revolver song... Surrender! As anticipated, the guitarist tried to busk through the song and couldn't get the opening chord sorted despite me telling him it was a A# bar chord... but JUST the bar; he also couldn't grasp why you'd key change after the opening chord sequence and then do another key change in verse 3. 'Because it is Cheap Trick and that's what they do!' LOL

Ultimately it's a hard sell! If you want to be a Bon Jovi, Fleetwood Mac or one of the BIG sellers you can find gigs despite there being dozens of similar bands; obviously the better ones command the best and most prestigious gigs. You aren't going to get venues offering to give you more money than a regular covers band UNLESS you are going to pull in a crowd and will Cheap Trick, The Cars, Split Enz or whoever, pull in a crowd? We drove 120 miles to a gig which was 80% of ticket sales to us with an advised ticket price of £10 - £15 (we went for £10). The venue was a well respected rock music venue in Edinburgh and we had good feedback that CT would be well received... we made enough money to cover our parking fees! Gutted doesn't cover it but if folk don't want to come out and pay for a ticket, you are stuffed. We genuinely thought there'd be enough fans in and around Edinburgh to at least fill a 150/200 capacity venue but it wasn't to be! On the flip side we did a local rock music venue for a flat fee (same as any covers band) and we had a cracking night with lots of 'fans' coming out to see us. We love the music we play (especially since replacing the guitar player with a genuine CT fan) and making money isn't important BUT playing to a big appreciative crowd is. We did a big bike rally/festival as our first gig and as the opening band on first night we had a blast (approx 1800 people in the tent) but those moments are hard work, needing good connections and luck! I'd say to do the music of a band you love is NOT hard work but you'll need like minded individuals around you. Oh and we haven't even touched upon just how authentic you want to be.

I'm literally trying to get all of this done now and 'hopefully' it should all work. Let's see if YT works!

One of the easiest songs in the world... for a guitarist to NOT get right!

Ah ha... incompetent promoter is to blame. https://www.dropbox.com/t/sm1cgvbSAO8kSdWT https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m0l90q22yz9f5xamh88g9/2024-08-20-Cheat-Trick-Promo-1.mp4?rlkey=oip4oa4cs57nt14xk2naw6s5z&st=091z1oh3&dl=0 I... sorry 'HE' still probably hasn't got it right.

My first musical love so it was obvious at some point I was going to form a tribute to them! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-kaRuKaezzBftF4vxyiztwNAlbEzphIM/view?usp=drive_link