mike257

Hey Lew, Amps with a tube pre are ok, pre-amp tubes take much less of beating and rarely need changing. I haven't changed the ones in my SVT-3 since I bought it in 2006. Used a Trace cab with my Ampeg head on a gig earlier this year, found it had a lot more mid grunt than my Ampeg cabs, a very different sound - but a good sound! I'm not sure what they've got in Dolphin/Dawsons for bass gear at the moment, but it might be worth having a poke around and trying a couple of things, just to get a feel for what you're after. Oh, and the bands going great thanks mate, the EP is mastered now (some tracks on myspace.com/thebuffaloriot) and we're just getting a couple of dates sorted for Liverpool Music Week. Checked out your band on myspace, some filthy riffs on those demo tracks

Rocking! Just giz a shout when it's on the way I've used UPS in the past when I've been shifting cabs about, but I'm sure there's cheaper options around, didn't somebody mention Interparcel in another thread recently? Any courier should do the trick.

Any news on the next moves for the Big'un?

The Kangol works for Samuel L Jackson. Maximum cool points already, I'd give that a go

I've got a tasty, slightly gig-worn black/maple from 1980, it's a beast. It's been out of use and on my 'things to sell' list for a bit, but I'm increasingly tempted to slap a nice set of flats on it and give it a run out again. I'll get the camera on it soon as I get the chance, it's a beasty!

Hey Lew, did you not pick up that Nemesis head then? I'm moving on my SVT-3 soon, but to be honest it doesn't have enough kick into 8 ohms, especially as you're metalling it up!! There's this [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=63158"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=63158[/url] GK 700 in the For Sale, but I'm not sure what it puts out at 8 ohms, although a more learned soul could enlighten you. In your budget, and only a hop down the M62. They're wicked heads, would do you fine tone-wise, I'd say. This guy [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48813"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48813[/url] has a Warwick head in your budget, but doesn't mention if he'll post or not. Or if you want lightweight, there's this: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=62426"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=62426[/url] Plenty of options, just keep an eye on the forum and see what takes your fancy! Mike

I'd spend some time gigging with the J and P you have now, and see which one you feel suits your sound the best, and call it that way. If you're looking for something to be your long term 'main' instrument, you're in the lucky position of having your two top choices already, so take your time and see what works!

[quote name='Adee' post='614708' date='Oct 2 2009, 12:42 PM']Calm down, Calm down fella ! Not long now ![/quote] Haha, I hope thats a proper Harry Enfield Scouser 'calm down' I'll send the PM over now, nice one mate! [quote name='alexclaber']Tonally I know what I'd prefer but in terms of loudness you probably haven't got enough power for the Big One to keep up with the 610HLF.[/quote] I'm running my Shuttle with the master at about 10 o'clock normally, I don't ever get to halfway with it through the 610, so I'm not pushing much through it in terms of power. The cab is probably overkill for my current volume needs. Given that, do you think I'll still get enough power into the Big One? Got a long way left to go on my volume knob!! Mike

That's good news man, I can't listen to them now (work blocks the myspace player!) but I'll check it when I get home! Are they At The Drive-In fans, by any chance?

For what it's worth, there's not a huge difference between the A, X and XT. The A is the more recent model, which had some small component changes but was basically a redesign to make manufacturing easier. The front panel components seem a bit 'cheaper' than the older ones too, but apparently there's not a great deal of difference in sound. I've used the 160X in the studio plenty of times and it's a cracking compressor. There's apparently not much between the X and the XT, I think one has XLR outputs and the other doesn't, I'm not sure if much else was changed. You might notice the difference in the studio, but in a bass rig any of those three will do the job. There isn't a tube model that I'm aware of, unless there's some squeezed into the original 1970's 160 (sometimes called the 160VU), that's a little half-rack thing with a big VU meter, also sounds the business, but more expensive and not something I'd want to bounce around my gigging rack.

[quote name='Etienne' post='612090' date='Sep 29 2009, 03:40 PM']Mike, you're more than welcome to try out my Compact- you can borrow it for a rehearsal/gig one night soon when I'm not using it myself... get in touch! [/quote] Etienne, you're truly a gentleman! That'd be ace, I'll definitely take you up on it. I've just realised it's very nearly my turn for the Big One that's doing the rounds, so if you fancy it we could get them together and A/B 'em in a couple of weeks time. I'll give you a shout soon as I know it's coming our way

Crikey, it's almost my turn! Excitement kicking in, looking forward to getting my hands on this and putting it through it's paces next to the 610. I've got a feeling my Ampeg's gonna get it's ass kicked

[quote name='yorick' post='611780' date='Sep 29 2009, 11:37 AM']Sandberg JJ's are in your price range. Basically a super jazz, active/passive etc. Worth a look at.[/quote] +1 Truly brilliant instruments. Never looked back since I got mine.

Wahey, the Northern Compact is creeping ever closer towards Liverpool, I might squuze it in before the year is out Really looking forward to having a blast on this, and the feedback so far is really encouraging. Alex, if you're ever up gigging in Liverpool, there's sure to be a pint with your name on it in return for this gentlemanly endeavour!

Very topically, I've just been watching an Earth, Wind & Fire gig from Japan in 1990 (on BT Vision, if anyone wants to check I'm not just going nuts) and they do September right at the start. There's at least two bits in the song where Verdine White's right hand is nowhere near his strings, but I swear the bass is still bubbling away. It's all well and good bouncing round the stage in perfect choreography, but at least have the smarts to not be waving at the crowd or tweaking your tone knob when your instrument is still playing away, well cheeky!!

I did a Carling Academy tour once and we got properly looked after - butties, crisps, beer and water in the dressing room, and buy-outs for dinner too! Made a nice change, most gigs I've done we're lucky to get a pint or two, never mind getting fed.

[quote name='iamapirate' post='610628' date='Sep 28 2009, 10:18 AM']OT, but I've just seen one of the new ampeg transparent basses - look nice! Probably sound like sh*t for the price![/quote] Haven't tried the bass, but a mate of mine has the guitar. I wasn't expecting much, but it blew me away. Perfectly balanced, and a great neck on it. Sounded the business too, although that interchangeable pickup nonsense seems a lot of messing around. Clever idea though!

Can't comment too much on the content, as I'm not to clued up on how the covers scene works, but make sure every last bit of material you hand over to the landlord/agent/whoever has your contact details on. The front, the back, the disc itself. That way, when the landlord throws the disc on in his car and manages to lose the case somewhere, he can still book you when he realises how utterly badass you are - result!

All plans for a spare 6.0 are now off. I wonder if it's much heavier? That's bloody ridiculous.

Ah, 'Sticks and a smile' bands. Get them in sunny England too, and it's almost always kids with pushy parents. We ran into some on my old band's last tour. One in particular in the Music Box in Manchester who literally had drumsticks, guitars and nothing else. Not even a lead. Still stuns me every time.

Guitarist in my band has the Ernie Ball one, and it's truly superb. He has just replaced a pot in it, but he basically uses it to simulate pedal steel playing, and therefore hammers it right through every song in our set, so it takes some beating! He had a couple of different pedals on loan while his EB was out of action and none of them came close. It's expensive, but it's money well spent!

[quote name='Lew-Bass' post='600473' date='Sep 16 2009, 05:06 PM']or could I get a good head for £200?[/quote] On Crown Street of a night, probably. [quote]Did you find that you have more 'sonic space' in a band like the one you're in at the moment? I've always wanted to be in both an indie (I'm using the term broadly here) and a metal band, as the bass has two different functions really. I've insisted, as the band former, that there's only going to be one guitarist in the indie band, to allow the bass more room to be heard and utilized. I reckon we'd be ready to gig within a few months in all honesty, it won't take long to knock a few songs up with the odd cover thrown in. It'd be great if we could open for you or whatever, if you have any say in that[/quote] The demos on the site are pretty old (pre-band, missing half the members) and don't really reflect how we sound. There's actually me, the drummer, acoustic guitar, two electric guitars and a steel player. All of that is backing up three lead vocals with almost-constant harmony going on. We're all very careful to leave plenty space musically, as the harmony vocal is the focal point in the music. I play less notes than I've ever played in my life! The new recordings should be getting mastered next week, I'll drop you a line when it's up if you fancy a listen. As for amp shopping, check out this for £480 in the For Sale forum: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=60660"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=60660[/url] It's a hefty head, racked, with a rack tuner included, and a 2x10 cab. You'll be putting 300ish watts into the cab at 4ohm, and as the head runs up to 2ohm, you could always add a second cab in future if your needs change. The seller is in Cumbria, but says he'll come as far south as Warrington to drop it off, so I guess that's close enough to us in the 'pool. Well worth a shout, I reckon