TheRev

Raucous action for the South West....

5 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

 I just don't have the space for a DB and our house is pretty big.

I thougt that too, but It's amazing how little space they take up.

Who needs a TV or book cases anyway?

I started off with an EUB (Aria SWB followed by an Eminence) as I lived in a small flat on the third floor and most of my gigs were local so I could walk/bus it.  I think it took just over a year for proper hard-core double bass GAS to establish itself and now I have three of the buggers.

With the benefit of hindsight, I would have been better off just going straight to double bass, but I suppose I had to play EUB for a year to realise that I really wanted to play a double bass.

One benefit of an EUB is that they're easier to set up/change strings/tweak than a double bass, so you can easily alter the feel of the bass as your playing progresses.

I had one of those as my first bass. It was playable enough but the sound was pretty lifeless, even with new strings. I replaced it with a Marlin Sidewinder which was vast improvement in every way.

If you're using the gig bag to transport your bass from home to car to rehearsal room, then the lighter gig bag will be enough.

If you're planning on chucking your bass in the back of a van to do gigs, then definitely the heavier padded one.

Not seen one but there's a pretty lengthy thread on Talkbass about it.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/new-ultra-light-small-speaker-from-acoustic-image-new-video-at-post-125.1304677/

The headstock looks like the family from 'The hills have eyes'.

Check if the bridge feet are flat on the table/belly of your bass. Sometimes, the bridge can become slightly tilted towards the fingerboard, which lifts the bridge feet up slightly and reduces the pressure on the pickup. Although, this usually has the effect of introducing distortion rather than picking up other instruments.

Do you have any dampening on your F-holes or bass body? It could be that your bass is resonating to the sound coming from the monitors and transmitting that through the pickup.  Fitting f-hole covers and/or stuffing a tennis ball/towel between the tailpiece and belly can help kill off the resonance.  

20 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Incidentally, you really do need to follow the SoundCloud link to get the full value from this listing.

Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Always leave them wanting less.

 

I used to put my bass flat on the floor and let my baby daughter silly billy the strings.

It sounded a lot like that recording...

1 hour ago, martthebass said:

Is that a Theramin on the left?   Ooooooooooooooooweeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooo.

I used to have a Therimin, but I sold it cos I haven't touched it since i bought it....

*cough*

Liking the EUB - looks like a DB neck mounted on an aluminium pipe. Very apropriate for the film.

Can't think of a reason why it shouldn't work. I used to do something similar before I bought my EA Doubler amp.

Have you checked out the Mike Arnapol MAS16.

Not cheap, but wedge shaped and powered.

http://www.masoundworks.com/manage.numo?pid=21&module=shopping_cart&component=catalog

[quote name='Rabbie' timestamp='1510216052' post='3404638']
Good to know. How do these things sound Rev?
[/quote]

I really like it. Its a more focussed and direct sound than a piezo but the design of the Krivo allows enough of the lovely double bassy resonance to be reproduced.
I've had lots of compliments on my sound - Bassace and Alexpea both said it 'sounds like a double bass'. Which is nice.

I emailed Jason at Krivo last night and he got straight back to me, offering to send out a replacement. Result.
It's a grounding problem which is solved with the latest version of the pickup.

Have you ever had earth buzz issues with it?
I'm on my second pickup after the first developed terrible earth buzz. Jason Krivo replaced it for postage (plus import tax.. 😡) but now the replacement is having the same issues.
I really like this pickup but if it's gping to fail every 18 months (even if replaced for free) I'm going to have to look into alternatives.

Anyone tried a Biesele?

Dave

[quote name='DivingShrek' timestamp='1510052599' post='3403492']
Maybe Presto Nylon wounds, supposed to sound gut-ish and have a steel core. Fairly cheap but not sure about suitability for arco
[/quote]

I have a set of Presto medium. Didn't like the E at all on my ply bass but my carved bass feels a bit tighter so it may be worth giving them another go.

[quote name='alexpea' timestamp='1509702971' post='3400943']
If you want a darker sound then you could try Belcantos. I find them quite Spirocore like in terms of feel. Bit higher tension than Spiro weichs maybe. I've used them with a mag pickup before too

P.s. Rev, met you at 7 stars a couple of weeks ago! Hi again
[/quote]

Hey Alex! Small world!
Cheers - l'll look into the Belcantos. Is that what you're using on your Chadwick?

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1509630492' post='3400432']
If you really like the particular Innovation set on that bass, I'd be more inclined to address the pickup choice instead.
(Scuttles away, cackling maniacally. .)
[/quote]

I need something feedback proof. Magnetic is the only thing that does it for me.

This is my 'at home' bass, so it only sees action at the odd jazz trio gig or if my main gigging bass is out of action. It's the latter scenario that requires steel strings/mag pickup combo.

The Spiros aren't new - but they are newer than the set on my ply bass (and which sound amazing).

You're probably right though - I need to clock up some hours with these strings. It's just that every time i pick this bass up, the sound of the strings make me not want to play it.

I've recently replaced the Innovation Braided with a set of Spiro Weich on my carved bass so I can use my magnetic pickup.
However,the spiros sound horrible on this bass, all twangy and metallic.

I really liked the sound of the Innovation strings on this bass, so can anyone suggest a string set that feels like Spiro Weich but sound like Innovation Braided? I'm guessing an orchestral string would fit the bill?

They must be steel to work with the magnetic pickup.

Churrz
Dave

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1509120411' post='3396834']
Interesting. I have several PJB 4x5 cabs and one of them is more than the equal of any single 10 I've come across in terms of weight and volume. They do take some driving, however. They're not very efficient and soak up power but they can give it out when fed enough juice.
[/quote]

This has been my experience also. My 4x5 has been a godsend and the most capable cab I've ever used for double bass (though obviously I'm am pushing it a bit hard in some situations).
There's more going on in bass cabinets than just driver surface area. The designer of my cab talks about the note 'envelope' and how a cabinet that can reproduce how each note blooms and decays will sound clearer (and therefore subjectively 'louder'?) than a cab that doesn't.
I don't pretend to understand the technical reasonings behind all of this, but I have used cabs (usually 4x10s or 8x10s) at festivals where the notes all seem to run together, with the result that I can't really hear what I'm playing. The instinctive reaction in this situation is to turn up the volume, but that just gives you louder mush. My 4x5 sounds clearer and more articulate to my ears, so perhaps it doesn't need the cone area/SPL to get its point across.

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1508797560' post='3394557']
Sorry it's almost certainly your speakers. Sure they may be able to handle 250W but that is their thermal handling, They aren't going to handle the excursion at lower frequencies, as Bill has pointed out you have something smaller than a 10" single driver in effect. Your options are to roll off the bass, turn your amp down, use some compression, perhaps a limiter which will reduce the peaks, go through the PA or buy another or different speaker.
[/quote]

You're probably right. Much as I love the MAS45, I've always had this niggling feeling that I really should have bought the bigger brother MAS46 which is more suited to louder stage volumes.

Having said that, the 45 works great on 95% of gigs - it's only when we have difficult room acoustics/quick change over/inattentive engineer that I get the E bottoming out.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1508709178' post='3393987']
As was pointed out the new amp is 650w at 4 ohm, not 8 ohm.
[/quote]

Yep, sorry - my mistake.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1508668446' post='3393606']
Your MAS45 is the 4x5" Mike Arnopol cab? And it's farting out with 250 watts at 8 ohm? That doesn't sound right. This cab should be able to handle 250 watts.

On the MAS website, this cab looks like it's used in conjunction with a sub. Maybe it is struggling to handle the big lows that a DB can push out. I'd definitely try it with your HPF.

Do you get this problem with the other amps in your sig?
[/quote]

I don't know if it's the amp distorting at the input stage or the cab farting out. I'm pointing the finger at the amp as I generally run it at 3/4 on the gain and master volume.
I've spent some time working with the gain stages (plat pro input trim, plat pro output level and Doubler input gain) to make sure that I havent got any stupid variations in gain going on.

I haven't used the Markbass or BFM Omni10 in anger for a couple of years, so I can't recall if my current setup is any more or less farty.

The fartyness only really happens when I get a bit enthusiastic on the E string which is why I'm thinking that an amp with more headroom will cope with the occasional high peak. The question is whether the new Doubler with its 650W versus my current 500W will add enough headroom to make that difference - assuming that it's the amp that's overloading and not the cab.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1508601892' post='3393252']
I`d assume if being on a big enough stage to push a 500 watt amp into clipping surely you`re going through FOH? If so, ask for a better monitor mix.
[/quote]

My cab is 8 Ohm so it's more like 300w than 500 (or does the load not affect input clipping?)
All my gigs are full fat PA jobs, but I'm playing double bass so I need to be careful with putting bass in the monitors as it can quickly degenerate into feedback city.
Having said that, I have had some engineers manage to give me an excellent monitor mix with bass in, but it's too few and far between to rely on for my onstage sound.