warwickhunt

2 minutes ago, soulstar89 said:

Oh ok. So you don’t care that much for the simulators of cans and amps. 

I spent 4 hrs today with another bassist who has also recently started down the road of Kemper Profiling and between us we profiled, tested and compared a variety of permutations.  I came to the conclusion that yes I probably don't care much for these sims/IRs/profiles et al. and it pretty much renders my original question as pointless!  LOL

10 minutes ago, soulstar89 said:

Oh ok. You returned it?  Did you try adding sims you like?

 

They have around 6 slots. 

 

i bought it up as I’m looking to get this of the laney digbeth db -pre. Doesn’t have cab sim and it option. 
 

the dark glass vintage v2 is another option. 

I bought it used, it was easy enough to sell for the same price.  I actually disabled the cab sims as I disliked all of them, I felt the pedal sounded better with them disabled.

The issue with any of these pedals with in-built captures or files downloaded from sites is that the tone/sound of the amp simulations just isn't a sound I like.   

3 minutes ago, soulstar89 said:

 

have you looked into the bud Melvin Lee Davis preamp and di pedal. It’s very small. The layout is very simple. 
 

you can add cab sims and ir via there software and transfer it to pedal. Also you can edit them via software. 
 

it’s gotten really good reviews. 
 

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/nux-mld-bass-preamp-+-di-pedal/954536?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAx_GqBhBQEiwAlDNAZqiS82VUJeDNEVZmDkF04yMloPfBjIH4IRFNfophV95lT0Elaaks2RoCRpcQAvD_BwE

I bought one recently but tbh it didn't suit and I found the cab sims... Meh!  

I'm sure it is ideal for some especially if it does the core tone you want but I couldn't get out of it what I wanted.

11 hours ago, Dyon said:

Unless a lower price is declared…

Aside from the moral/legal right or wrong... it is a whole world of potential problems 'if' something goes wrong.   

If HMRC decide to open a package (they are permitted to do this), they can get an independent valuation and you are in the sh*t.  The bigger issue IMHO is that if you declare it a lower value you can't insure the package for more than the value... if it gets lost or broken, who is responsible for the loss at the lower value?  

Just saying!   

9 hours ago, 3below said:

Have you thought about/tried using impulse responses rather than amp sims?  I sometimes use a Sonicake IR loader pedal (cheap) to help shape my EUB sound, some of the free cab and amp IRs seem really good. I have reached the stage that most of the time playing live I just accept that the room acoustics, amount of audience, pa, volume etc. will eradicate any subtlety and nuance in bass tone so I just work on getting it sounding superb/excellent/good/adequate/less-than-crap/sh*te as best I can.  Recording I just DI and let someone else sprinkle the magic fairy dust for a good bass tone.  I have an admiration for guitarists and bass players who can hack effects pedals, I never cease to be amazed at our keyboard player with innumerable presets and who knows what.  Me, I just plug it in and play,  dinosaur ++.

Pretty much my thoughts, views and tribulations right there!  

The guitarist in my bands (same one in both) has been an advocate for years and owns most of the big names (Fractal, ToneX, Helix etc etc).  He swears by them and as he owns our PA and does the live sound for us, he has been the driving force for me trying to go silent stage and 'digital'.  I've tried the bass IRs, Cab Sims etc in his pedals and racks + other gear I have begged, borrowed and bought inc me buying a Kemper Profiler (used); this last was the ultimate commitment to getting to terms with getting something which I am happy with. 

*Crux* 

'I am happy with' - I know many of the combinations of equipment I have tried have supplied a decent enough sound/tone to FOH but I've never been happy with what 'I' am hearing!  Playing live (what I do rather than recording), has to be a pleasurable experience, it's why I do it.  Yes I want the audience to be happy but I am making music for me as well.  I don't want sh*t amps and cabs that give me a woolly mush, I don't like the IEM experience (hasn't worked for me but I will be trying again), IRs never quite feel/sound right and I feel I'm almost dealing with a 2nd rate amp sounds. 

We are talking small differences here but if I've got a good sound that I'm happy with why would I accept something not quite as good?  I think sometimes manipulating these digital sounds is so complex that you end chasing your tail and making things worse!  Hence I was hoping if there was a way to capture my amp and settings in an idiot proof way, I could go that route but its not to be.  A few of the analogue preamp pedals I've used have been good but not quite right so maybe I need to persevere and find the right preamp... or take my bass amp along to gigs (sans cabs) and take line-outs to the PA and my monitor.  LOL

Sadly your bass imported into the UK would also attract a minimum tax levy of £500!  

Spent a LOT of hours this week doing tests and tweaks but I've come to the conclusion that of these digitally available technologies, I'm not going to get what I need or like.  Honestly, a tough call as some of the captures I've done have been so close to the genuine article that it has been staggering BUT I can hear a difference and despite knowing that to virtually every 'punter' there's no difference, I'd rather it was 100% OK for me.  I'm a dinosaur and destined to remain that way!  LOL

1 minute ago, Owen said:

I have been close to the QC thing a couple of times. But realised that for what I do it would be MAHOOOOSIVE overkill. The ToneX is as guitar oriented as everything else is, but there are captures of nice things out there. I will try the Noble once I work out how to do it. This is not saying it is hard, I have just not tried yet. 

Nothing in any of the off the shelf supplied samples has ever been good enough for my tastes and as for the cab sims... don't get me started!  LOL

As with all of these things they are guitar oriented which means the architecture is generally over complex for 'many' bassists needs.  I want my amp in a pint size pedal that has an in/out gain + 3 band EQ controls.  If you could do the capture thing and store half a dozen of your favourite amps that could be easily manipulated, I'd be happy as a pig in poop.  

6 minutes ago, WinterMute said:

The Quad Cortex from Neural DSP does a very similar job, but is the same kind of "rig in a box" that the Helix etc are.

 

Their Neural Capture feature allows you to capture the sound of an amp or pre-amp and store it as a editable patch, this can include cabs or you can create IR's to simulate the cab separately.

 

It's a very successful if somewhat complex process that makes for useable hardware models.

 

Not a cheap option by any means though, same kind of money as the other big players, it is, however, a lot smaller and is very easy to use with it's touchscreen and rotary footswitches.

 

I replaced an HX Stomp with mine and I regularly work with a veteran Helix user, I prefer the QC to the Helix. I think it's a better system than the Kemper, although probably not quite as stellar as the Fractal Systems pro unit.

Appreciate the input but again, way more complex than I'd ever want, need or use.  I actually bought a used Kemper Profiler (Toaster) and the capture process is excellent and 95%+ of the sound of the real thing BUT I've ended up having to go to the far end of a fart to set it up to use live, which has been achievable BUT... as soon as I swapped basses I was needing to access sub menus to alter the input clean sensitivity.  A pedal that can get that 95%+ of the amp it is capturing but in a simple 4 or 5 dial format would be sweet.

3 minutes ago, Johncee said:

Hope I didn't do anything incorrect by posting the link in the original post. Just thought it would be of interest to others. These genuine bargains/pricing anomalies do pop up from time to time on Amazon.😊

Helping fellow bassists out can't be doing any wrong in my book.    

Are the 'inlays' stickers?  I've never seen a 91 SSI bass with inlays as they phased them out by 1990 and the low register inlays appear to be much bigger than regular ones.  

Your bass also has a 3 band EQ (I assume the original is with the EMG pups?), it might be worth mentioning that, as some people like the 3 band more than the 2.

I realise you get Helix and NuX pedals that have their own presets, cab SIMs and IRs etc but is there a compact pedal that allows you to profile/capture amps (and cabs) without all of the bells and whistles of a Kemper profiler.  

I know you can get a Kemper 'Stage' board but I don't need nor want 9 buttons/switches and all of the 'rig' capabilities of the full blown Kemper.  

Is profiling/capturing solely the domain of Kemper or does another manufacturer offer this?  

As a gigging bassist I want the ability to profile an amp/cab of mine and store it in a simple pedal format.  

All power supplies are not created equal.  

My X5 Plethora happily runs off my 400Ma rated Arion pedalboard (has been for nearly a year and plenty of gigs) and my Fishman Plat Pro is running off the same power at the same time.  

However, my X5 hooked up to a 500Ma 'newer' supply doesn't like it even when hooked up by itself and switches itself off and on... well it did it a couple of times before I thought 'S0d that'.  

Those cabs are superb (I have 4 of the RS210) and tbh you've got your 212 priced the same as I'm selling a 210... and I thought my cab was cheap! 

GLWTS

On 18/11/2023 at 16:22, Mudpup said:

The £16 heavy gauge NYXL strings on Amazon all seem to be sold from stores full of hair straighteners and various other popular counterfeit items. Check the storefronts before you spend money....I'm suspicious and sure they're going to be fakes 

Going off the recent comments all of the strings bought following the OP link seem to be legit at £13.  I didn't carry out much due diligence when I ordered mine off Amazon but they arrived today and are legit.  I'm sure you get lots of knock offs sold via Amazon but in this instance the D'Addario strings seem fine.

9 hours ago, BassApprentice said:

A metal(aluminium?) neck Sandberg.

 

Their custom shop seems to be doing a lot of cool work these days. Wonder what that would set you back! 

Travis Bean didn't crack it.   

2 minutes ago, paulo m said:

My experience's with outboard preamps has been that virtually all of the units really mess' with your instruments core sound & colour them way to much... & not in a positive light. 

As soon as you engage them' for myself you've lost something that's coming off your hands.... & the price of these so called 'Tone Monsters' is  well.... a total Rip off. 

Do you play purely acoustic instruments with no means of electronic amplification?

9 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

The £16 heavy gauge NYXL strings on Amazon all seem to be sold from stores full of hair straighteners and various other popular counterfeit items. Check the storefronts before you spend money....I'm suspicious and sure they're going to be fakes 

Mine are due for delivery on Monday, we'll see what turns up.  Anyone got actual photos of the ball ends etc of genuine strings?

I once joined a new band and vividly remember the guitarist mocking me for my ear plugs... 2 minutes later he asked if we could swap stage sides as he was deaf in one ear from years of playing on that side with a loud drummer!  The irony wasn't lost on me.    

Meh, I'm done trying to help others and offering insight when it is asked for!  

Are you saying that the student played the drums 'less hard' when wearing IEMs as opposed to having music played back through monitors?  Yep that seems obvious and not a great surprise at all. 

We've experimented going silent stage using IEM and our drummer confessed to it being easier as he didn't have to play harder to hear over the backline.  It didn't work for us using IEM however as I was never comfortable (physically) with them and didn't like the sound etc (ditto the drummer).  The guitarist singer continues IEM but the drummer and I are happier with me using no backline to carry bass to FOH (it goes DI to PA) but I do use a 10" powered monitor mounted on a pole off to the side of stage; both drummer and I have worn hearing protection for 25 years plus.  

One size doesn't suit all but SOME form of hearing protection is a must.

4 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

On most dedicated poweramps there isn't even any EQ controls at all, so would consider that an extra bonus anyway. 

Indeed.  You'd not get EQ on a power amp which does ring a (very) small alarm bell that the unit may have been measured as 100w @ 8 ohms with the EQ turned to maximum: is it boost only or cut/boost, maybe even cut only?  Ergo with EQ off/turned down you may get a reduction in output, easily remedied by turning pots to 100% but that could be inducing a tonal characteristic based on the frequencies that it boosts/cuts.  Totally anecdotal as I've no idea how the amp is configured but it is possibly worth investigation... saying that it isn't a great deal of money! 

2 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

That is the frequencies of the EQ controls, not the frequency response of the unit, which will be perfectly fine.

Yes, that's what I meant.  Often the 'bass' frequency for a guitar is centred higher than a bass player might like; ditto there seems to be no info as to what frequency the mid and high are affecting.  

No reason for it not to work.  The frequencies might not be geared up to suit bass but that's navigable.  100w @ 8 ohms 'might' be a struggle against a drummer and/or loud guitarist but everyone's circumstances are different.  

SWR Behemoth?