sdurborow

J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel both wrote excellent basslines. I use their minuets as etudes playing the bass clef (left hand) of the score along with YouTube videos. I’ve found most of the minuets follow modal theory and playing them provides solid foundational knowledge.

Thanks Dr. Dave. I did mention to one of my buddies that I thought the E string was "running hot". Lowering the pickup might do the trick.

Although it is a standard Fender bridge, I'll give a look to see if there is anything interfering with the vibration of the string -- at the bridge or nut. Thanks for the suggestion. Regards.

I’ve got a 2008 Fender Precision Standard, made in America. After receiving it, I had it setup with D’Addario Chromes (regular-light, .045-.100) and had the action raised. I was with the guy during the final setup. Each time he raised the action, at my direction, he adjusted the neck relief and intonated each string. The bass plays and sounds great except for the low E string. No matter what amplifier I use, notes played on the low E string sound distorted. At first I was in denial thinking that was only those played below “A” (fifth fret) and my amp did not have the frequency response to handle it. But I’ve played through an SWR Workingman 1x12, a Fender Bassman 2x10 and an Ampeg BA 2x10 and get the same results so I know it’s not the amp. What I mean by distorted is that the note does not sound tight and focused – it sounds ragged. I thought too that maybe it was just my ear hearing distortion on the low notes but after pulling my head out of my arse, I realize that it happens on notes played above “A” too. Softening my attack and adjusting the EQ seems to minimize the distortion some, but it is still there. I thought I’d post my situation on BassChat to see what you guys think. Thanks.

[quote name='xgsjx' post='185861' date='Apr 26 2008, 06:07 AM']I see you have no responses yet so I gather that no one has tried one! When I was looking at getting a combo this too was on my list, but from what I've read in several forums Ampeg SS amps ain't so hot (though I never got to try one, so I don't know for definite). If you have a look at my post (what combo for £6-700) you'll see I had quite a list to narrow down. I ended up splashing that little extra on a Markbass combo from the Bass Merchant. I had not tried any MB stuff before, but had heard them in the Guitar Centre in Vegas & was impressed so decided to take a chance & just buy without trying & to be honest, I love this combo so far. I can get just about any tone I want just with 2 dials! I haven't touched the EQ dials yet. Have used it a couple of times at rehearsals & is plenty loud enough for that (was the first time I have ever been asked to turn it down by a guitarist!!!). And this thing weighs less than my wee Vox 1x12 combo but about 4 times the size. My advice here is have a go of the MB combos & see if one of them would suit you. They're light, excellent quality & loud (300 watts on their own & 500 with a cab attached). If you get a shot of an Ampeg BA300 let us know what it's like.[/quote] ~~~ The best word to describe this amp is TONE. The 12AX7 tube preamp and solid state power amp do a great job producing the SVT sound. Upon hearing the BA300 at rehearsal the first time, our lead guitarist said several times, “I can’t believe the tone coming out of that thing”. I researched many combo amps within the 250 to 400 watt range (SWR, GK, Fender, Eden, Ampeg, and Ashdown) for about six months. My criteria were specific and it whittled the list of possible contenders down considerably. The amp must have: 1. A tube preamp for warmth 2. 10-inch speakers for tight clarity 3. No less than 300 watts for punch 4. A 3-band EQ for full spectrum control 5. A variable compressor for attack balance 6. Weight less than 75 pounds 7. A price less than $1000 With the BA300’s Ultra-Hi and Ultra-Lo switches, Bass, Mid, Low, Horn Level controls and Style selector, I can dial-up almost any sound (tone) I desire. However, I strive to achieve a clear, warm, tight sound with some punch. I play a Fender Precision bass with flatwound strings (with medium-high action) and I usually have a foam-mute stuffed under my strings near the bridge. With my Precision’s treble control on 10, and the BA300’s preamp volume slightly past mid-point, bass at -3 db, the mid at -15 db, and the treble at +3 db, the sound is amazing. My need for simplicity is another reason why I chose the BA300. Its simple controls are noteworthy -- I just plug in, adjust the EQ and volume, as needed, and play. I typically don’t use the Ultra-Hi or Ultra-Lo settings and I leave the Style Selector flat and the Horn Level at mid-point. I have two issues with this amp: It is not loud (I have to mike the cab in order to be heard) and the DI has a bit of a hiss to it. If I keep the BA300’s master volume at mid-point and use a good dynamic microphone about 3-4 inches from the center of the speaker grille, the tone is perfect for my style/sound and it sits in the mix extremely well. Overall, I am very pleased with the BA300/210. I’ve subsequently read in several forums about the suspect quality of the new Ampeg combos. Knowing this, I guess I took a gamble. But in my case, the gamble has paid off -- I really love the sound of this amp and its ease of use. ~~~