Vasquez Rich

[quote name='Buzz' post='35355' date='Jul 21 2007, 07:36 PM']This is just something that's puzzling me slightly, but is it possible to run say something like a Sound City 120 (120w of valve goodnes) as they're lowish wattage, and run it through a poweramp to beef up the output? I'm just really curious if it's possible or if it would destroy the power amp (or amp infact)? *Not that I intend to do it ofc*[/quote] Only if you have a "line out" or some such output from the first amp, that is using it as a pre-amp stage only. Do not attempt to run a "speaker out" line into the input of another amplifier. Amps work in two stages, pre-amp (usually where the tone shaping and general "sound" comes from) and then the power amp, which boosts the signal to drive the speakers. Only by substituting the external power amp for the internal one (by by-passing it physically) can you do what you are suggesting. Most modern amps have a "line out", that is, line level signal output socket from the preamp so that you can input this into another power amp to drive more speakers, that's how you get stacks of Marshall speaker cabs running together when you play Wembley Arena! Richard Sorry for bit of duplication "obbm" posted while I was cogitating!

Just like to add.. Make sure you are well insured, insurers and airlines may have a fineprint clause that assumes your luggage is "clothing". Make sure the bass is in a proper serious flight case, not a plywood normal case that you might carry to a gig. DO NOT ever put "fragile" on it. Take some pictures of it before you fly (so you can prove it's condition afterwards if anything does go wrong) Do not ever trust what airline staff say about it being safe, unless it's very well protected you may be sorry later. Ask the check-in staff if the flight is full, if it is half empty, try to pursuade tham to put the flight case in the hold and keep your bass in a softbag with you on the flight, not much chance, but worth asking I think. Question then... If you buy a bass on ebay, you don't pay VAT on it do you? If you buy a used bass in the USA I don't think VAT applies. Not sure about duty. Maybe that only works if you buy from an individual and not from a shop. Not sure. Richard

I have run with Hartke amps for a number of years, first a 2000, now a 3500. When I got the 3500 I took it and my trusty Fortress to the shop to buy a cab, to find the one that sounded best with my amp and my bass (which is now not as it was originally bought, now has an EMG preamp installed) so doesn't really have a typical Warwick sound to it... anyway, tried every cab in the shop, with the exception of the Ampegs cos they are serious money, and the Hartke 410XL was way the best, much better then the TP and those awful VX, and Peaveys, and Ashdowns, and Warwick, and Carlsbro, and everything else that I can't remember. Richard

[quote name='Alun' post='32625' date='Jul 16 2007, 06:16 PM']Hi Richard, I have an original RC20 and an RC20XL which I picked up recently on eBay quite cheaply. Both are great, the XL is a better unit and has plenty of extra features not on the original, but you'd probably be able to pick up an original one quite cheaply. I've also tried the single pedal RC2, but found it a bit too convoluted trying to do everything with one switch - far too much double tapping, holding down for x amount of time, etc. I've used mine in a band context a few times and the only issue you may come across is making sure everyone can hear it and stay in time with it. Even a tiny time drift will become extremely noticeable against a loop :-) Cheers, Alun[/quote] Yeah, thanks, have played with drum clicks etc before and it can be a nightmare. Will have to think carefully about this... might have to learn how to speak and play at the same time... hmmmm.. I was eying up one of the two pedal ones.

[quote name='Toasted' post='32253' date='Jul 15 2007, 10:38 PM']Don't take a thunderbird on your travels. 1) They're massive 2) They're heavy 3) They're massive 4) They're heavy[/quote] and the neck to headstock joint is notoriously dodgy in the vertical plane.

Guys, Thanks for all this, guess I'm convinced. Was thinking of using it in a full band context though. Mostly so I can do some spoken word over the top of lots of noisy stuff (cos I can't sing and play at the same time.. well, I can't sing at all really!) sometimes I can't even speak and play at the same time!! Guess I spend too much brain power just keeping both hands going So, in that context it's not going to be any complex loops just a basic bass part or two that I can leave running and then pick up on later in the song. Richard

Am exploring some new stuff and know these nifty little boxes from seeing a solo acoustic guy basically backing himself on songs with multi loops from a Boss Loop Station. Just wondered if anyone has used one, if there are any problems. Richard

Try the EMG line of bass pre-amps, they come in a variety of flavours depending on the pots that you have on your bass. Fitted one in my previously passive Warwick.. works nicely. Richard

Please be aware that you will not be allowed to take your bass on any flights with you as cabin baggage, no matter what you have paid for your ticket. This means it has to go in the hold which means it needs a very very good flight case. Do not, DO NOT, ever put anything on it saying "fragile" as this will allow the airline or baggage handlers to smash it up with impunity. Get it properly insured not just on your travel insurance and certainly never rely on the airline as they have lots of fine print, basically they will treat your broken instrument as clothes and will pay you a compensation claim based on the weight rather than the value.... If this sounds a little extreme, I have first hand bitter experience of travelling with my Spector. Richard

Treat???? hmmmmmm chocolate......

Guys, Thanks for all the advice.. done the job tonight.. on the backroom table this time not in the kitchen Masked off the fretboard to brasso the frets.. come up all shiny. Used an old plastic ruler to scrape off the fretboard and got lots of grubby little bits of old finger off it used some Jim Dunlop cleaner stuff I had knocking about and I have amazed even myself. Brilliant. Need some new strings now... and a month in which to get them suitably un-bright and then I'm all done. Cheers, Richard

Thanks for all the advice guys... not sure what to do now, sounds like a few of you have had some nasty experiences. I'm absolutely absolutely sure they will not give it to the work experience person (very PC there).. I know the main guitar man, he's well known around these parts anyway, and have played with him on a couple of occasions.. I doubt if he'd skimp the job, have known him for 20 years. They are a Warwick dealer as well and should know what they are dealing with. Just to let you all know I'm not (hopefully) a complete numpty, the pre-amp in my Warwick was fitted by yours truly on the kitchen table. Your all gonna go "aggggggghh no, don't ever do that!!" now aren't you. hahahahaha Richard

Yes, really cacked up!.. played it last night in good light (new rehearsal room with big windows) and really noticed it. Just shows that I never really get to see it out of it's case in anything other than inside rooms/pubs/venues. The frets don't need dressing I reckon, although it has been in regular use for the last 14 years. Thanks for the advice. Will try it on a fret or two, but I'll probably end up taking it into the shop as although I'm sure I can do the job, I'm not sure I have that amount of patience... and I don't want to make a mess of my baby. Richard

I have a Warwick (1993 Fortress) and a Spector (1988 NS2A) and I love them both. Don't understand the comment re curvy spectors and not being able to rest your thumb... I use the bridge pickup on mine as a thumb rest and never have a problem. My Warwick is the best balanced bass I ever played, can let go and it doesn't budge a millimeter. Never had the inclination to pick up a P or J bass as they don't call out "play me" in a plaintive voice... not the way those gorgeous shiny curvy basses do... nearly bought a Ricky once though, and a T'Bird.. neck dive city. Richard

Have a nice Warwick (that's it over there on the left if my picture loads OK that is...).. the neck/fretboard and frets need a good clean as they are cacked up with... I suppose it was bits of my left hand.. anyway, it needs a clean, problem is it's unlaquered, open grain Wenge... anyone advise on cleaning techniques.. will probably end up taking it into the local shop I reckon. Richard

That's what those Charvel & Jackson headstocks were useful for.... jab the bastards between the shoulderblades

[quote name='dlloyd' post='17764' date='Jun 14 2007, 06:20 PM']Dear dlloyd, Type 430 stainless is a ferritic stainless steel or to be more precise chrome iron. It is the material used for all stainless steel strings as it is magnetic and will respond in a magnetic field due to it having an 80% iron content. True stainless steel is austenitic 18/8 ie. 18% chrome and 8% nickel. It is not magnetic and of no use for making music strings that work with magnetic pickups. Not all type 430 wire is nickel free albeit not high. The material we use is not American. It is of a much higher order and sound and contains no nickel. Swing Bass stainless sets should prove no problem for players with a nickel allergy. Regards, John[/quote] Hmmm... chrome iron? True stainless steel? American? Much higher order? No nickel... ? If I were dead picky...

Who mentioned Metallurgy???? I have two degrees in metallurgy.. ..the issue with strings is nothing to do with the metal, it's the gunge (bits of finger!) that they get clogged up with. I used to clean mine in an ultrasonic bath with meths, works fine, takes them back to almost new. Boiling them will do nothing much in my opinion and the water getting into the inner windings might be detrimental. In theory if you can get them as clean as they were when new, they should sound exactly the same, the metal doesn't know how old it is, nor remembers for how long it's been played, they act of plucking, no matter how hard, will not change the string as the tension is well within the elastic limit. The actual chemistry of the metal will not be exactly the same though and this might make one string sound slightly different to the next... actually, with metal prices the way they are at the moment, I reckon that the manufacturers will be changing alloys or working to the bottom of the chemistry spec to make the alloy cheaper anyway. As far as strings are concerned "stainless steel" is "stainless steel", it never states if it's 316, 304 etc etc... basically they can change whatever they like within reason and they don't have to tell anyone. I thought for ages about approaching the string manufacturers and blagging some strings out of them in the name of "research". As for them being able to develop new strings that would last longer? I think we might be giving them a little bit more credit than they deserve.. they will neither have the facilities to do the neccessary research, nor would they want to I reckon. Richard VASQUEZ

Think we're actually on Sunday evening now...

Yeah... and who in their right mind bids £800 on a bass with 8 days yet to go! Richard VASQUEZ [url="http://www.myspace.com/vasquezdownload"]www.myspace.com/vasquezdownload[/url]

Hmm... my carrying my large cabinet won't give YOU a bad back... and as for tinitus.. yes I have it slight in my right ear, however I am very very very unlikely to die of cancer of the ear... bad examples mate, try again.

It's back, same pictures.

Another Nixon? Early Sabbath is dead good for learning a buncha riffs and getting all 4 fingers moving... Iron Man, NIB, War Pigs etc etc.. Richard VASQUEZ

[quote name='MB1' post='11521' date='Jun 3 2007, 07:58 PM']MB1. Somewhere in my heart???..................................Aztec Camera??????[/quote] Yes.. one of those songs that everyone knows once it starts going.

[quote name='dood' post='11482' date='Jun 3 2007, 06:15 PM']I would like to add some details about the Hartke 4.5XL cab, as I see you have mentioned pairing it with a 1x15. This will sound harsh, but trust me.. don't bother with the 115XL. On it's own its a nice cab.. and with less sensitive cabs its is fine, but the 4.4XL eats it for breakfast in every department. the 4.5 is deeper, bassier, fuller LOUDER and also has all the other benefits of 10" cones and the tweeter. If you want to pait the XL with any cab.. another 4.5 sounds amazing. I really dont mind admitting that I miss mine so much.. but I have a poorly back and am hoping my new cab will at least sound similar. I really cant say anything bad about Hartke. (oh except for the transporter and VX ranges)[/quote] Yep, didn't like the Transporter or VX cabs, cheap rubbish in comparison to the XL range. I agree about not needing a 1x15, although my 410 doesn't have the tweeter, it does sound round, full and reproduces the frequencies well over the whole range that I play (mostly bottom end, none of the 20th fret rubbish hahaha), have thought about possibly getting a 1x15 to go with it, but I don't play anywhere that would actually need the extra air push (have played 500 capacity venue with just the 410 dead easy. So I never really got further than thinking about it... and I didn't want to have two of the things to lug around... oooh me back! Richard VASQUEZ