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Jerry C

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Posts posted by Jerry C

  1. If you're not averse to the idea of installing a compressor onboard, like an EQ, then might I be so bold as to suggest the One-Knob compressor that I make:

     

    jtex.ca/okc

     

    I think it really whips the Llama's arse, but I might be biased, so don't just listen to me.

     

    If it must be in a pedal format, you can easily mount it in a stomp box yourself. Just needs the I/O jacks. 

  2. On 09/01/2024 at 03:14, badger said:

    maybe some electronics guru can correct me, but instrument signals are a few hundred mV at peak, so I would have thought that 9V would have been ample

    I've put basses on an oscilloscope and some can easily have transient peaks as high as 2V when played hard. Yes, the average level tends to be in the hundreds of mV, but they're very peaky. Having said that, I've never felt that 18V was necessary. One can always use rail-to-rail op amps that can make full use of the 9V supply. That ought to be enough headroom for anything I can think of in an electric guitar/bass. 

    • Like 1
  3. Dear people who care about bass effects,

     

    I haven't visited here in a while, since I live on the wrong side of the pond, in TalkBass land. I'm happy to report that I managed to put together a one-knob compressor that I consider worthy of installing onboard a bass and thus becoming part of its sound. It's a miniature, 9V battery-powered offspring of the classic dbx 163 "Over Easy" one-slider half-rack compressor. 

     

    I just thought I should inform the other five bassists on the planet who think an onboard compressor is a good idea 😊 

    Just for you, here's where you can find out more:    
    jtex.ca/okc

     

    From frozen Canada with love,


    Jerry

    PXL_20231220_222744768.PORTRAIT.jpg

    • Like 13
  4. 5 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

    That's really quite interesting and curious now how you found that out. 😂

    Trial and error, trying to get rid of dead notes on many basses over many years. Physics, resonant systems, oscillators, damping. Think of a pendulum you're holding in your hand (a weight on a string). If you don't move your hand while the pendulum swings, it will take a while before it comes to a stop. That's like a string vibrating on a stiff, non-moving neck. Now, if you move your hand with the pendulum (same direction), it will stop a lot faster. That's a string on a neck that vibrates (resonates) at just the right frequency and in phase with the string. It will dampen it. Now, if you prevent the neck from vibrating with the string, such as by propping it against a wall, or by adding weight to the headstock, to increase its inertia, it won't be able to dampen the string, so no dead notes. Try it with the usual dead notes on the G string some day. Only problem is, it's awkward to play with your bass pushed into a wall, or with a big weight bolted to the headstock... Solution? Stiffer, denser necks. 

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 2
  5. 2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

    Is that not usually a bridge saddle or the nut gap not wide enough. I'm no expert but kinda curious.

    Dave

    No. Pushing the end of the neck against a wall restored full sustain to the open E. Leaving the neck hanging killed E sustain, and you could feel it in the bass body vibrating too much on that note (sucking energy out of it). Just a bad combination of resonances between neck and body, cancelling out at E 😕

    • Sad 1
  6. 31 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

    I find it simpler to stick with passive basses. Unless you have something like a Wal or ACG filter pre-amp they don't add anything that you should be able to do already elsewhere in your signal chain.

    Yes, they do. They buffer the pickups so they're not affected by the cable capacitance (the longer the cable, the more loss of highs). Also, they can use a low value volume pot (such as 10k or 25k), which again prevents loss of highs when you roll off the volume, in addition to lowering noise. And I agree that filter preamps are particularly useful. They're a great improvement over a passive tone pot, while having the same immediacy. I owned a couple of Alembic basses over time and thought that it was the filter that made them sound great (I don't mean to put down the stellar build quality and great looks). 

  7. 5 hours ago, Fishman said:

    John East does one, although it doesn't seem to be on his new website – I got a couple from him last year so might be worth an email

    https://reverb.com/au/item/14879048-john-east-bli-01-low-battery-indicator-black

    Yep, this one is legit. I used to build a very similar one. The one I build now also flashes green on a good battery, to confirm that the bass is powered. Still negligible power consumption. 

    • Like 1
  8. 18 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

    the 'oh well'.. 'people can't be bothered'.. 'i'm a unique snowflake'.. passive aggression thing gives that impression :D

    I did consider putting on in my 5005, partly because it doesn't have a battery compartment, and partly because there was a hole where a switch used to be!

    Yes, it's definitely a good way to fill an extra hole. Might need a little grommet or something, as the LED is only 3mm diameter.

  9. 40ms latency is OK for things such as watching TV, it's low enough that the sound is still in sync-ish with the picture. For playing an instrument, though, it's way too high, you'll definitely notice it. 10ms from string to ear is about as high as I'd settle for.

  10. 14 hours ago, neepheid said:

    Furthermore, it seems like you're trying to gauge interest in something you make/obtain and wish to sell?  I'm guessing as it's still unclear.  That only became (kinda) clear after you waved a "look what you could have won" picture in our faces.  Again, I refer back to my "Basschat != YouTube" comment - just be straight up here and tell us what you're doing - we don't need to be teased and we don't need to be baited.  Some, in fact don't take too kindly to that.  If you'd come to us with a more straightforward "Here's this cool thing I make and put on all my basses, <show thing, explain what's so cool about it>, was thinking of making them available to others, <price>, who's interested?" type approach, I think you would have gained more traction.  In a week.

    If I've got the wrong end of the stick on this, please feel free to grab the stick off me, orientate it the correct way then slap me silly with it :)

    I think I made a cool thing that others may or may not find useful. While I built a few for myself, I went ahead and made a few more, that I am offering on eBay for what I think is a very reasonable amount, that barely covers the parts and the half an hour it takes me to build one. Basically beer money, that I don't even need, since I quit drinking a year ago... I'm new to Basschat, didn't know if it would be acceptable to promote a "product" - if you can even call it that. It's more of a hobby with sometimes some benefits. My day job takes care of my finances, not this. 

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  11. 12 hours ago, bloke_zero said:

    Yes - you really just want to be able to get a visual check at the beginning of a gig, preferably without hauling out a multimeter!

    My gadget flashes green every second whenever the bass is powered and the battery is good, while drawing flea power (30 microamps). This way you can always tell when the bass is on, so you'll remember to unplug the cable when you're done. When the battery drops to 7V, it turns solid red (with a pulsation on top of it every second, just to catch your eye). The led is 3mm diameter, you barely notice it unless you look for it when it's off. Can you see it? (it's not the big hole, that's a missing pot) 

    IMG_20210402_160056.jpg

    • Like 1
  12. 12 hours ago, bloke_zero said:

    +1 - there is someone else selling these isn't there? But I think those ones require some setting up. I was thinking if the LED was recessed into the cavity cover could be good.

     

    How does the indicator work? Light comes on when battery nearly dead or vice versa?

    It flashes green about once a second when battery is good (over 7V), then turns solid red when the voltage drops below 7V. It only draws 30 microamps while flashing green (and only half a milliamp when red). 

    • Like 1
  13. I am wondering if anybody else feels that an active bass should have a low battery indicator. I have been putting one in all of my basses for many years. I just don't find it acceptable to wait until it sounds broken (or no sound at all), and use that as an clue that the battery is finished.

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