Nobatron

I tend to use the different EQs for different purposes. I usually start with my amp EQ flat and use that to make corrections to fit the room like notch out problem frequencies or control the low end. Whereas I'll use an active bass EQ to shape the tone more and will make bigger, more sweeping changes if I feel it needs it. I'd never max out any of the controls on my amp but I'd make big sweeping changes on my Sterling. It may be more of a mindset kind of thing but I see the MM EQ as more musical. Another consideration for me is most gigs where I do use an amp it's for stage monitoring only and might have a DI in front of it. So EQ changes there won't necessarily make it out to FOH.

Usually I sell stuff when there's something I want to buy. I don't like accumulating much stuff and I'm very aware that I have a lot already. I currently have 3 basses and wouldn't want to have more than 4. So if I see something I want I'll usually move something out to make room for it. It also helps me to think about whether I really need whatever shiny new thing I'm currently infatuated with when I have to let go of something else. Otherwise it would likely get out of control.

The Ibanez might have more tonal options with the two pickups but it won't sound like a Music Man. The MM sound comes from that bridge pickup in that particular location. I think the SR bridge pickup is closer to the bride than the MM. The SR will be lighter and have a thinner neck but I would recommend the MM if that's the sound and look you want. But if you want a MM get the SUB though. It's tempting to go for the 'more versatile' option but if there's one specific thing you want then I usually find it's better to go for something that does that well rather than something that does a load of other things and might get close to but might not quite nail that one specific thing you're after. If you are able to try both out that'll give you a better idea of which is best for you. I'd always recommend getting your hands on an instrument before buying if possible.

The one bass I regret selling is a 95 US Forum in white with black p/g. Only got like £100 for it on eBay, but needed to make some room for whatever I was buying at the time. Sounded awesome, though weighted a tonne. Really hard to find too. 😭😭😭

Yeah, there are a couple of metal courses in there now.

SBL has certainly changed a lot since I first started following it (I think around 2014). When I first joined the academy it was quite a small operation. I stopped being as active with the bass for a while and tuned out for a few years. When I got back into it again his videos seemed to have taken a different focus. His gear collection has certainly grown a lot and he seems to wear a Panerai these days so he's clearly doing something right! I think the marketing is just a result of how successful his business has become. He has a team of people who manage a lot of that these days and they'll be marketing to get the most out of the different platforms he's on. The followup emails to campaigns are a bit much for me but that's easy enough to manage with email settings. I haven't met Scott but he seems like a genuinely nice guy and he's a great musician and educator. The amount of content he gives out for free is really great and my bass playing has definitely benefited a lot from being a member of his academy, though I definitely don't get the best I could out of it these days.

A number of years ago I bought a pack of reusable cable ties. Probably one of the best cheap investments I've ever made for music stuff. I have two gig bags. One is an old leather laptop bag which contains a tuner pedal, in ears, my class D head, and any essential cables. This one comes to every gig and practice. The other is a hard carry on luggage sized case. This contains things for more involved gigs like my talkback mic, XLR cables, extension cables, USBs, phone chargers, etc. Every cable is always tied with a cable tie when going back in the bag. Whilst the cables are in use I either put them in my gig bag or attach them to my cab handle. Any cable that comes in and out of my setup (XLRs to and from the desk) are labelled at both ends as to what they are which means for easy setup and helps with sound techs. Pretty much all of my gear is labelled with my initials too so things don't get mixed up at quick pack downs. After the gig I'll coil every cable, tie it, and return it to the correct bag. Cables are either over undered or over overed depending on how they're used and I'm pretty speedy at coiling. Takes a bit of practice but saves loads of time overall. Most of my setup is designed around ease and speed of setting up and packing down. It sounds boring but it means I can be set up really quickly so people aren't waiting on me. It also means my cables are all well looked after. I can't remember when I last had one break.

A great player will sound great on a crappy bass through a reasonable amp. However FX can be used effectively to get a particular sound. Usually those who sound great with FX will also sound great with them bypassed, but they'll know what they're going for with them. So far I don't use much in the way of FX aside from sometimes a light overdrive and possibly some compression added at the desk to the taste of the sound tech. Playing in a function band I'm starting to think of upping my FX game to better replicate some recordings, especially when playing something originally played on a synth. Mostly thinking octavers and envelopes. I could (and do) play the same songs without and get good results, but if I can do something that sounds that bit better, or closer to the recording then why not? Also some people use FX to do really creative things, or to get a particular sound. Take Royal Blood for example. That band wouldn't work without his FX chain and multiple amp setup. So yeah, if you don't want to use FX no one is forcing you. But they're tools that can be used in cool ways so it would be stupid to discount them for any purpose for the sake of being purist.

This COVID situation is a difficult time for everyone in different ways. Some people are more cautious than others, and most people have their reasons for this (i.e. your drummer protecting his mother). It also sounds like your drummer has a lot going on with his job not being secure. It's just a crappy situation for everyone. Being in a band can often create tensions at the best of time and managing that and the different personalities is never easy. At the moment there's very little to rehearse for. Gigs are few and far between and those that are happening are very different to usual. So without knowing the dynamic between you all I'd hold off making any drastic moves. I understand why you don't want to record stuff and that's fair. I think in your situation putting the band on hold until you're all in a place where you're happy to meet up and play together, or until the kind of gigs you do is feasible again would be sensible. If you're all up for it maybe meet for a drink instead.

Bought a Trace Elliot cab from Skezza. Good communication, item, and price. Happy throughout.

Not heard anything further to this from them so I assume this is all accepted their end. The retailer was Andertons. Cracking experience with them. They were the cheapest price as well - alongside Thomann but obviously more local.

It entirely depends on what the internal speaker is. If it's 8 ohm you can though you might need to make a splitter cable if the head only has the one output. However if it's 4 ohm the head is already at it's full capacity so wouldn't be able to take a second cab. I think I've read before that the Trace 130 watt heads are often paired with a 4 ohm speaker in the combos whereas the 300 watt ones are often paired with an 8 ohm one. I could well be wrong about this though but either way you want to confirm the internal speaker is 8 ohm before attempting to power another cab with it.

Yeah, that's right. So the wattage an amp puts out is in relation to the load it is running. Typically amp power ratings are advertised at the number of watts they will put out at their lowest resistance. So if your amp is rated at 300 watts you'll get the full 300 watts at 4 ohms. Assuming the outputs on your amp are parallel (which they probably are) you'll get the full power into that 4 ohm cab.

I'm not sure what you mean by it affecting the volume. The amp would be running it's full wattage into a 4 ohm load.

I don't know that particular model but most likely the outputs are parallel and the head will drive a 4 ohm load into a single cab just fine. Just don't plug a second cab in.

Sounds like the guitar amps are positioned so they're pointed at the back of the guitarists knees. Try angling them backwards so they're pointed directly at the guitarist's ears. And if possible off to the side so it's not pointed at the back of their heads. On some gigs I've done on sound I've put mics in front of guitar amps I know for a fact I won't be putting through the house. That way I can tell the guitarist they should run at a quieter level so I can push it out front and make it sound better. I have sometimes mic'd a guitar amp to only put it in the guitarist's wedge if I think the angle of the cab will be a problem. Re electric drums I generally much prefer acoustic drums but they can be a good solution for a pub / club / function band if you have a drummer who struggles to control their level. You really need a good PA with subs to get the best out of them though.

Ah, it's chickens not bread. My mistake.

Rush have been using various props instead of amps for years. I think as well as running washing machines they've had bread ovens which rotate the bread.

With someone like Derek Trucks he'll be doing what's best to get the best sound, which for him could involve a loud amp on stage. And that's fine, he's playing in big venues with large stages where stage volume isn't so much of a problem anyway. Big amps are designed for venues like that and he's playing appropriately for the venue. It is a problem when you're in a small pub and a band turns up with 2 Marshall 4x12s and an 8x10 bass rig and cranks it. I've done sound at venues like this and you end up fighting with a mix that's pushing over 100dB with all the faders except kick and vocal all the way down, bar staff who can't hear people ordering, the punters who do stay being exposed to dangerous sound levels, and the band complaining that they can't hear their vocals when the wedges are on the brink of feedback. Those bands are not playing appropriately for the venue. I get that big valve amps sound better when they're ran hot but if you're playing in small pubs and clubs then you shouldn't be using a amps designed for arenas and expect to run it at arena levels IMO. Haha. It's an interesting mix! The style ranges from more funky stuff to more traditional klezmer inspired stuff with the focus of stuff that's danceable to. It's lead by the clarinet player who writes all the stuff. It was all kicking off really well with some great bookings in the calendar until gigs stopped being a thing. There's loads of videos on our facebook (https://www.facebook.com/tshokmusic/). The header video isn't me as it was before I joined but all the other ones and the EP are me. This is a good example of the more kesmer inspired stuff.

Sounds like you need to bring out the baffle of shame.

Saw them in Manchester about 10 years ago. Their bassist (Barry Adamson) played a Magnum 2 and a Fender Jaguar. Great gig and great tone. I think the whole gig is on YouTube and Spotify. Worth a watch. They still sounded great.

£200 is a great price for one of these. I had one for a while and ended up selling it on, but they are nice. The necks on them are great if you like a slim neck.

It depends on what you're doing I think. With my function band I always use in ears with no amp. We provide our own PA with subwoofers so I know that it can handle the low end and we recall a show on our digital desk and bring a decent sound tech with us so I know the sound will be consistent for both myself and the audience. For this to work though you have to have at least one person in the band who understands the tech side of things, or have a sound tech you always use and can ask for advice. For the Balkan Klezmer / Afrobeat thing I play in we don't bring a tech and are at the mercy of the venue in terms of PA and backline. Most of the venues we play in have a decent PA and sound tech and will take a DI from the bass so I can be confident that the house sound will be good. Out of those venues most provide a backline (but not all). If I'm able to confirm there is a backline provided I'll usually leave my amp at home, if not I'll bring it for stage monitoring. On the odd occasion that we play a venue without a PA suitable for bass my amp will also provide the audience sound. Usually this is in smaller venues though and we don't play super loud so a big amp isn't needed. If you're playing on the pub scene and don't provide your own PA you'll almost certainly be taking an amp to every gig.

I knew when I wrote that someone would mention Fieldy!

There are plenty of pros who've made a living off a scooped tone. It's all about finding what works in context.