TimR

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1396435981' post='2413484'] Can you provide some evidence that this actually happens, and how loss of elasticity affects the sound? [/quote] As Number6 points out. You have to stretch them when you first put them on. They're quite unstable until they've settled in. The exterior wrapping is stainless the core is steel. This does depend on the manufacture though. Which is why some strings seem to last longer. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DRLRMH545/specs

Every song will get boring when you've been playing it for 10months without a gig.

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1396433580' post='2413434'] Would be interested in reading what people think happens to strings as the get duller/older. As far as I know and from what I've read elsewhere, over time natural oils from your fingers combined with sweat, skin and general dust, liquids etc, build up between the windings on the string, this affects the sound of the string as it vibrates. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious. I know people have their preferred method of cleaning but, all you are effectively doing is trying to 'de-grease' the string, and the easiest way to do this is simply a bowl of very hot water and some washing up liquid, just wipe them in the water with a cloth until no more marks appear. How do I know this? Well, I've had headless basses for most of my time playing and one of the great advantages of double ball end strings is they can be cleaned repeatedly, I've extended the life of strings this way for months, years even. Sorry for going a bit off topic. [/quote] Playing the strings also stretches them and together with tuning up/down the steel core eventually loses its elasticity. Heating them up will restore this a bit. The problem with water is that it'll rust the core eventually and the string will break mid set. I've only ever broken one string. Back in the 80s when everyone was boiling their strings and playing like Mark King

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1396434525' post='2413452'] TimR drummer had texted me (post#10), indeed, several times now, ... [/quote] Ok. I didn't read that properly. I would forget texting and ring him. Texts and Facebook are pretty rubbish when it's got to that stage.

We had a very good guitarist suffenly pack up a leave. He'd been playing with an old band from his university days and decided that two bands was too much for him. No great shakes, two years later he called me and asked me to dep for them as they'd kicked the bass player out. If the whole band and gone off and formed another covers with a different bass player then you would have something to worry about. I think you're just venting though.

I'm not your enemy and I'm not here for a fight. Just that I've been there and done that.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1396429151' post='2413360'] Thanks Skybone, communication and a little respect are exactly the key. TimR at the risk of me being Modded I look at your comments on many threads and frankly think half of them would be an attempt to start a punch up in a convent. Just my perspective, you understand. [/quote] No that's fine. I don't see why you would be modded. I suspect you might feel like that because I seem to have a completely different perspective on life than you do. Possibly so do your band mates. I would only inform the people I played with that I'm doing something else if it was directly going to affect them. Maybe that's the take your band mates are taking. By your own admission you haven't heard back from the drummer and you are a 'tart'. I think you should sit back and think and wait before throwing your toys out of the pram and end up being bandless for the sake of a bit of hurt pride.

Blimey. You don't own them mate. Show a bit of perspective. Have they actually cancelled rehearsals for the gigging band yet? Do you actually need rehearsals if you are gigging regularly? Many of us are in two or three bands and manage it quite well. Why do you have to be bandless? If the gigging band is going well stick with it. If it starts to look like you're not gigging enough, join an additional band. I assume that this 'university' band are playing originals and unlikely to be gigging regularly and will very probably be a flash in the pan.

There are many people who are in bands because they like the idea of being in a band. They're quite happy just to meet on a weekly basis to play tunes just for the hang. If they wanted to gig they would have done by now. Ask them how often they want to gig. Ask them for free dates on their diary as you want to start gigging in 6 weeks time. My guess is they'll either want to gig less than once a month or not be able to find any free dates in their diary. Eventually you'll recognise these type of bands when you first audition...

[quote name='EMG456' timestamp='1396269064' post='2411540'] Bass Centre Elites? I've been using them for years and they do the job well and last a good length of time. [/quote] I'm sold on these. They're really good. I can't remember when I last changed them. Maybe two or even three years ago. Still don't sound dead.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1396273474' post='2411624'] d} Still in coma!!! [/quote] e} Not in the band anymore. I think his band will get PO'd with his antics very quickly.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1396202841' post='2410935'] I'm surprised so many are taking this seriously. It's clearly a wind-up, guys. [/quote] He's like a bad Dewey Finn from School of Rock.

I lasted right to the end. Really gets good around the 6minute mark. What a character.

I had assumed that was his logo. Well, there you go.

Get yourself some opaque acrylic sheet and a Dremel... What does Alex do? Maybe he's interested in buying a load off you if you can find out what the minimum order is. https://www.ponoko.com

[quote name='subrob' timestamp='1396095008' post='2409874'] Personally I think it'd be instructive to anybody to plug their bass into a mixer, through a di, and listen to the tone difference. Any decent pa rig should be aiming for low distortion (transparency) and, having done this, it felt immediately clear how much any bass amp colours this. It could be argued that the dosh you pay for your bass amp is that default colouration to the tone. The EQ is the table salt, pepper and condiment that you add, to your taste, to chef's preamp circuit dish. [/quote] Definitely. I think the sound I get from my bass when I plug it into my sound card on my PC is what I was aiming at when I bought my amp and cab. It's close. That's why you can get amp simulator plug-ins.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1396091962' post='2409823'] Desks aren't different in the sense that I'd expect to start from zero. [/quote] In a live situation I would engage the high pass filter on practically everything though. I suppose it depends on why you are selecting a particular default stance (other than everything flat) on your bass amp.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1396089189' post='2409785'] ... and if you hired a studio for a day would you expect to find all the controls on the desk at their zero position (not only the EQ) or would you not care If the last engineer had left everything all over the place? [/quote] Desks are different though. They're supposed to have transparent pre amps. If all the pre amps had humps at 2kHz to cater for vocals they'd be useless for any other instrument. Most bass amps have characteristics designed in for Bass guitars. So setting your amp flat is taking advantage of those characteristics. If you don't like them, then you need to select a different amp.

Excellent.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1396011895' post='2408991'] So on every single amp you've ever used you set the eq the same? [/quote] Pretty much if you look at my post yesterday. The eq just tailors the frequencies a touch, it won't alter the colour of the amp. Which sounds a bit counter-intuitive. However, what I mean, as pointed out above is, an SVT and a Hartakle sound different no matter how you EQ them. They'll even sound different depending on which cabs you use. So yes. Set the EQ flat. That is the standard starting position. Then if you find certain frequencies are causing issues cut them. If you want to create a hump then boost one. It's not against the law. That's the reason why you take YOUR bass to the shop and try before you buy and you select an amp that sounds good to your ears.

[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1395998948' post='2408743'] Call it what you like but if it doesn't sound good then It's pointless. [/quote] It's not 'what I like', they're industry standard terms. Go looking for a mixer with 'flat' preamps and see how far you get.

[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1395997626' post='2408709'] I'm not the one being picky ! I'm saying your bass isn't flat plugged in. I turn the knobs until I get the sound I like and that works. Imagine if sound engineers didn't use eq at live gigs or on recordings. [/quote] Read my post above. It's flat. You're talking about transparent. They're entirely different things.

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1395985766' post='2408610'] Agreed! I didn't know whether to raise my disgust with S4C or to continue laughing! For what it's worth, I used to go through the PA but for some unknown reason we started getting dreadful feedback through the stage monitors when it was a bass drum and my bass heavy part (we have an old Peavy system with proper bass bins), so now I just crank up my rig and wear earplugs! The problem with feedback for the singers and keys is now much better. I think it's system age. And Myfanwy and Da need to wind their necks in! [/quote] You may have been putting bass in the monitors and this would spill into the kick drum mic. Also a lot of people push the lower frequencies on the kick drum channel instead of around 120Hz which is where more of the punch is. Recipie for feedback. Avoid bass in monitors and use your rig for on stage sound unless you have good control over the monitor mix.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1395954219' post='2408421'] My thought as well. Strange question to ask someone on being introduced - probably more interested in gear than music. Still, it takes all sorts. [/quote] I suppose I should count myself lucky I didn't get stuck with him discussing gear. Or more likely him telling me what gear I should be using

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1395933473' post='2408144'] Well if it's an old desk then it might just be age catching up with it. Transformers have a finite life and there may have been a damaged component in the mixer for years which finally gave out. ... [/quote] Definitely.