WinterMute

1 hour ago, attackbass said:

Thank God for that!!

Saved me a trip to Sheffield...

Can you comment on the neck profile? 

Is it like the earlier, thinner necks or the more chunky D shape?

String spacing still 16.5mm?

1 minute ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Can connect the S3 to logic if you want

Yes you can, works with anything that has the EUCON protocol, it doesn't;t work as well as Protools however, some of the really useful mixing functions are absent.

23 hours ago, BigRedX said:

I think it very much depends on what you use your DAW for.

 

Mine is used for programming and then running the drum and sequencer backing tracks for my band to use when we gig and for recording my bass for the songs were are going to release to the public. I have Helix Native which allows me a bit more flexibility for my bass sounds without having to re-record the parts and a Simmons drum plug-in that replaces my somewhat incomplete set of samples I made when I used to own the real thing which I was accessing through Logic's EX24/Sampler plug-in. For everything else the virtual instruments and effects plug-ins that come with Logic are more than adequate, and I still haven't anywhere near exhausted the possibilities of those to even think about buying any more 3rd party plug-ins. Plus everything is far superior to the hardware I use to have in terms of sound and user-friendliness.

 

The way I look at it is that my setup will never become obsolete and I won't suddenly find myself with plug-ins that I can no longer use because I have upgraded my computer and either I can't afford to upgrade the plug-ins or that they are no longer being supported by the developer. Both of which have happened to me in the past.

 

Unfortunately Protools soft-synths aren't anywhere near as good as Logic/Abelton, but then its a different beast.

We've taken to using Logic as a writing platform so as to preserve continuity between the various set ups, then In throw it all into PT once the demo is done, re-record everything and add or subtract for the arrangement and then mix. I have a few 3rd party synths in PT to expand on the Logic parts, SSD5 for Drummer replacement parts etc. but often I simply bounce the audio from the Logic session files. Logic/Abelton are perfectly capable platforms without a ruck of 3rd party soft-synths.

I prefer PT as a tracking/mixing environment as I have an Avid S3 desk, but I think Logic is much better for writing/programming.

On 24/05/2025 at 10:12, Owen said:

It turns out that 1097 of my 1715 are UA plugins, of which I "own" perhaps 20.

I remove all the UAD2 plug-ins not in my library and put them in an folder marked "unused plug-ins" saves you scrolling through a list of plug-ins you don't have access to.

Only needs doing every time they release an update... 🤣

Depending on what you're planning to house in it, you may want vents to the top and bottom too, you may want to leave a 1/2 rack space between the units too, some people leave a full rack space with a vented blank panel for valve or class A kit between the units.

Have a look at the cases of the units you want to put in the rack, if they have vents to the top and bottom of the case and/or fans to the rear, you'll need some way for the air to get to the interior of the units.

I have a 2U rack for the bass amp/management for my studio monitors, I had to cut vents to the top to stop it overheating.

10 hours ago, simonlittle said:

Thanks @WinterMute! 
I think it’s because I played Warwick 5-strings for so many years with their tight string spacing. Wasn’t the sound I was ultimately looking for though; which is a particular shame as this bass sounds exactly the way I want but I can’t quite get my hands round it without drastically changing my technique. And of course most Jazz-style 5-stringers have 19mm spacing. My current main 5-string is a Ken Smith Burner which is 17.5mm and much easier for me to get around. I’ll be sad to see this one go though; it sounds amazing 

I played a 5 string Thumb for 20 years, just got another one, luckily I love the sound they make. I get on fairly well with MM SR5's and I had Alan at ACG build me a 17mm spaced Krell fretless which is a beauty.

I'd love a Pedulla Pentabuzz or a Mark 3 Wal, but the spacing just doesn't work.

Such great basses, but I can't get on with 19mm either, GLWS.

Kate Shaved

I'll get me coat...

I had an 87 NT 5 string, with the single piece bridge, played it for 20 years and sold it on when I thought I'd quit playing.

I recently replaced it with a wenge/bubinga NT 5 string with MEC pups.

Neither one suffered from neck dive, both sounded immense.

Best fretted 5 string on the planet IMO.

Used sparingly it can be very effective, I mainly use in on fretless in very sparse arrangements that feature quite a lot of reverb on other instruments, and I make sure to apply a HPF to the reverb itself to ensure the bottom end doesn't get bloated and unfocussed, set at about 150Hz if I remember rightly.

I was at the last Fish gig at Hammy Odeon, wasn't a big fan, but was playing in a band with ex Sounds journo Phil Bell who helped break them early on.

Great gig, and I do appreciate early Marillion more than the later stuff, but they're a properly good band.

Can't recommend QSC K12.2 speakers highly enough, with or without a sub, been using a single one for my 5 string rig for a while now and it's flawless with the Quad Cortex, sounds great for monitoring too.

The QSC subs are pricy mind, but I can echo what others have said about a single sub in smaller venues.

TBF, the K12.2 has some proper kick in the LF anyway. Not a big cab or a heavy lift if you're using poles and is stable on its end or as a wedge monitor.

On 21/03/2025 at 15:52, thodrik said:

Just for tracking drums and room mics we needed 12 tracks, so I knew I needed a decent ADAT preamp from the get go. I got a used Focusrite Clarett +. It is really nice. The main drawback to my set up is me. I am very much an amateur (though my brother/guitarist is a qualified sound engineer who keeps me right in terms of mic placement and basic gain staging).

 

I just thought 'I have the Apollo, I have loads of UAD plugins and Luna is designed to work seamlessly with Apollos.' With a Mac plus Apollo set up, I really like it and even in the last year new features like 'Bounce' have been added which really improve the process. 

I do have Logic too, but barely use it. I just find it easier to navigate Luna as even just trying to manage UAD Console and Logic together is comparatively a bit of a hassle. Logic though has much greater midi/virtual instruments though. 

Most of the Luna shortcuts are taken from Pro Tools so apparently it is easy for Pro Tools users to move to Luna. I am tempted to go the Pro Tools route, but I don't think my skills are really good enough to make it worthwhile to move to another DAW. 

I looked very closely at Luna, I have it installed and keep it up to date, but the lack of EUCON control for the S series consoles means I always end up in Protools, I write in Logic occasionally, but even that doesn't implement the extended control protocols.

Luna is very good.

I have a twin and a X16 Gen2, I generally only use an LA2A on inputs for bass, I have an RND Shelford channel with a Quad Cortex driven by the link channel from the DI input, output of both go to the X16.

I often use the 1073 plug-in on mix down with either the LA2A or the Distressor. Occasionally I'll use the Eden WT800 or the GK800RB on the DI channel for tone.

Before I got the QC, I used the standard SVT3 plug-in, but the version in the QC is better.

I use the 1073 and LA2A on mics for vocals, guitars and the like, but leave any serious tone shaping for the mix.

Done.

I've had no issues with mine regarding mains noise or indeed any noises I didn't intend it to make, I do have the studio on power conditioners mind, is I wonder if it's not a dirt mains supply?

I record with both XLR and USB outputs variously, and they perform faultlessly.

Try doing a whole gig with the volume on your bass turned down, put on a show, if anyone notices tell them to shove it, if no-one notices, tell hem to shove it.

Yeah, tell them to shove it.

13 hours ago, Dood said:

 

Wait, mine's a wall wart! Are you all saying you have a different power supply than I? I mean, my QC is an early one from the first batch of consumer models. (It might even be a pre-release model!)

Yeah, mine's a solidly made block with an IEC mains cable, I have no issues with it at all.

9 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

So what's wrong with the PSU that comes with the Quad Cortex?

 

Aside from the fact that IMO any multi-effects that doesn't have a built-in PSU is not a gig-proof piece of equipment, it worries me that the supposed weakness of the supplied PSU is actually a known issue.

I don’t think there's anything wrong with it except that it's external, large and the connector doesn’t lock. It's not a wall-wart type, which is in it's favour, it has a proper IEC connector.

It provides plenty of current and induces no noise as far as I can tell. Mine is studio based mind.

I could see why you’d use a 3rd party unit on a pedalboard, just for size, but any decent cable management will secure the connector, it’s the same as a Boss pedal.

I have Schaller on both of mine, work very well.

I saw Ozzy's Blizzard of Oz at the Brum Odeon with Randy Rhodes, bit like not seeing Kate Bush at the Hammy Odeon after seeing the Tour of Life, I think I'd like to remember him in his absolute insane pomp.

I think it's a brilliant tool for a recording studio that needs to be able to create convincing tones for any number of guitar and bass sounds in sessions etc.

Most of them in use live will have a couple of patches, at best, for bass, I have one for fretted, one for fretless, both with switchable OD/distortion/chorus as needed.

Maybe a guitarist would have more patches, I know my guitarist mate, who uses the Helix, has a different set of patches for each song, he tap-dances in his spare time...

If you don't use an amp/cab of any description, these modellers are worth the effort I think, and probably the expense. I tried the HX Stomp, didn't like it as a replacement for my Line6 Bass Pod Pro, the QC does everything I need in a one-shot box. YMMV.

Excellent condition and in full working order, this A16 has been faultless in my studio for 5 years.

Replaced by its newer brethren, this is still a monstrously good piece of hardware for anyone needing I/O for tracking/mixing or physical synth inputs etc. Has the MADI interface for extra connectivity, although I've never used it.

You can buy into the UAD2 plug-in suite if you want to, the quad processors allow for plenty to be inserted, but it acts as a brilliant interface in it's own right.

There are no plug-ins included in this sale, but I have dropped an Apple TB2 cable in, as UA don't include one, the tight b*st*rds...

Acts as a stereo monitor controller in it's own right, works very well with surround/Atmos systems.

Please note this is a line level interface that has no mic pre-amps or DI inputs.

Local pick-up preferred, happy to ship at your expense.

I've had one for a couple of years, it's a brilliant bit of kit provided you treat it as a PA monitor and don't expect it to behave like a standard bass cab.

I didn't like the bass specific EQ preset and run mine in full range mode, which is to say no EQ in the pre-amp. I run a Quad Cortex and do all the tone modelling in that, just using the QSC as a dedicated PA.

I replaced a BF Big Twin T and QSC power amp with the K12.2 and while it doesn't have the absolute grunt of a BF cab, it's plenty loud enough to deal with a hard hitting drummer in rehearsals, and is an easy set-up for a PA guy, you just send the XLR to FoH, instant bass tone.

I put it on the floor in front of me like a monitor, but there's nothing to say you couldn't put it behind you on a stand if you need backline style amplification onstage. 

I think its a cracking bit of kit, handles 5 string very well.