Kongo

[quote name='51m0n' post='493527' date='May 20 2009, 05:55 PM']Whilst I used to boil strings, the temperature change, water, whatever does definitely weaken them as well as clean them. I used to get by by doing this but suffer more and more breakages as strings went through the cycle. And I play soft like a babies behind compared to most. Since using the DRs and the tube I haven't had any breakages (yet) and the strings on my 4 banger are about a year old now. Cant recommend it enough![/quote] Yes they do weaken...never broke them but they do get feeble feeling after a while...and build up a "film" in my experience. OMG I missed your post about that string cleaner...that is worth looking into!!! LOL LOVE this bit though!!! [i]"Screw the tube closed and leave your denatured alcohol inside. If it’s closed, it won’t evaporate and it should work for many bass string cleanings to come. It'd be a good idea to mark the tube poison and keep it away from kids [b](and drummers)[/b]!"[/i] LOL I could imagine it...The drummer looks...he see's... *sounding like a neanderthal* [i]Drum...Druuum?....[b]DRUM![/b][/i] Then he bashes something and spills the contents everywhere!

[quote name='ARGH' post='492934' date='May 20 2009, 07:50 AM']Simple solutions.....Boil strings,does return the zing...but its a hassle taking them on/off,getting the pan..water...and towel drying then leaving to dry properly....[/quote] Hell yeah! For 2 years when I had but £160 a month to my name I kept my tone doing this...they begun to stink a bit after a while...that old metal smell would cling to my fingers bad! But it WORKED! and I still don't know how... Oh but this is also best done on strings without silk...Red turns pink and eventually white and Blue / Green / Purple...well you get the picture.

[quote name='overwater' post='493454' date='May 20 2009, 04:52 PM']Hello All, I just spotted this post about fitting ‘ramps’ etc. and can confirm, we do quite frequently fit them to both our own and other makes of bass. We do also do bass set-ups and offer a full repair, upgrade and customisation service to any make of instrument – and we can collect and deliver from anywhere in the UK if need be: Just give myself or Laurence a call on 01228 590591 for more info’... Chris (Overwater)[/quote] Nice...didn;t know we had a direct contact here. I'll give you guys some business in the near future then.

[quote name='liamcapleton' post='492877' date='May 20 2009, 12:52 AM']That's fair enough, I've had a pack before and wasn't sold on them... but it was a while back now [/quote] They do two versions as well. PolyWeb and NanoWeb. NanoWeb were mine, supposed to feel and sound like Trad strings...they didn't... That being the case...Avoid Polyweb!

[quote name='markdavid' post='492873' date='May 20 2009, 12:46 AM']Yeah , they look nice , its a shame Epiphone dont seem to be bringing out a Pro model of the EB3 or the Les Paul bass , would be nice to have a few more options, and an EB3 with a 2 band active eq , man that would shake some walls with the bass eq boosted [/quote] Add an 18" on top of that and you get...[b]"The Landslide"[/b] All the low end mud you could want freely moving around...Mmmm so subby...You gotta do it!

[quote name='51m0n' post='492312' date='May 19 2009, 01:21 PM']Just wanted to post to say I had a jam with someone last night, and for the first time in a fair while I got to fire up my rig in anger. I've been mainly recording for the last few months, and either used someone else's amps for a specific tone, or gone direct. Damn my rig is fantastic The Roscoe sounded utterly staggering, and was way easier to play than a 35" scale 5 string has any right to be. Haven't really tried it at gigging volumes, just for recording. The Focusrite just 'worked' as a set it and forget it comp, I've not had a jam with the drummer in question before, and he was well up for some silly nonsense, so I got to show off with some tapping grooves (disgraceful I'm sure!), and the compounder did exactly what I got it to do, brought the level of tapping up to that of fingerstyle and slapping, without me breaking my fingers. All the while being really transparent. The Berg ae410 / MB sa450 combination is superb, we were jamming in his studio which has a not overly large but very comfortable live room which has been acoustically treated so as to be really useable for recording - nice home made bass traps and diffusers etc. After the first five minutes the drummer was just blown away by the fantastic sound of my rig, and to be honest so was I Its bl00dy brill! Absolute tone nirvana for me, its just so punchy, without being too bright, or too dark, and this is with pretty old strings. Sorry to rant on about this, but I couldn't resist [/quote] It's great when your rig works how you want it and you just scream "MY GOD!!! That's the tone I've always dreamed of"...then next week it's gone either due to a different room or another variable. I hope your tone stays true.

[quote name='liamcapleton' post='492870' date='May 20 2009, 12:41 AM']I use Hi-Beams but to be honest, the brightness of the string doesn't last forever, especially if you're gigging regularly. I don't buy into all that coated protection stuff that Elixir do, the strings I have heard that have lasted the longest are either Hi-Beams from DR or D'Addario Pro Steels. The black stuff is skin, and that dead skin deadens the strings remarkably quickly. I'd recommend trying to clean off your strings after playing with a cloth, or buying some Stringlife, or both.[/quote] I use Pro Steels so I'll add they do last a long time! Especially the Low-B which seems piano like for...well...forever! Elixir strings, whereas I don't like how they play or sound DO work. I had a set that came with my Ibanez BTB556 for almost a year and the tone was still there, they didn't die. I just didn't like how they started to "flake" in places where the coating started to come off or the ultra slippy feel of them...If I want slippy I'd buy flatwounds! They also don't sound like Trad strings either...they keep tone for ages yes, but they keep "Elixir tone" for ages...it's tough to explain.

[quote name='Metalmoore' post='492867' date='May 20 2009, 12:37 AM']Is anyone familiar with this make? Seen them on GAK and bought the Chaos 5, never got it since i waited 2 months and every week they would say "due to be sent out next week" and in the end cancelled it even though i was wanting a nice 35" 5 stringer for some metal. So yeah, anyone seen/played/owned one? They seem pretty interesting.[/quote] I happen to have a Traben Array LTD edition 5-string in Spalt maple. Pretty much brand new...I bought it for £420, took it home, got exited about it, used it for about 4-8 hours and decided it didn't work for me...It's the body shape to myself...it doesn't feel like it's on! Been sitting doing nothing and I have thought about maybe selling it. What I CAN tell you is the do what they say on the tin. The tone is beefy and cuts through like a very sharp knife through very hot butter. Non-nasal tone too so you keep the low end as well as the highs. The Array is a MM / Soapbar combo...unusual but works real well. The 35" scale length of the 5-string is awesome for the low-B and the neck is slim like Ibanez but round like Fender. They are very good from what I've played. They only don't have a huge status name because they don't have well known players endorsed by them, nor do they build them with English / American / German / Japanese labour. They are built well though...the edges of the frets could be worked better but from where they come it may be a humidity issue. Hope this clears up some stuff on Traben. They are really kick ass and I'd love a Phoenix for that OTT flame look in Blood Red but it wouldn't work for me either I'll wager so I never looked.

[quote name='AM1' post='492858' date='May 20 2009, 12:20 AM']Bit of a strange one this. Every time I change my strings, I only get a few weeks out of them before they go completely dull and start turning black. They start out completely zingy but go dead so quickly. I put on brand new Hi-Beams THREE weeks ago and they're dead already and turning black!!! How often are strings supposed to last roughly? Any theories?![/quote] Depends on the person. Sweat and dirt from your fingers as you know dulls the tone of strings. Some people are cursed to the point where fresh strings don't last even a rehearsal. There are a few things out there you can buy to prolong the life but they don't work IMO. I hear Stanley Clarke used to put "Brut" aftershave on his strings after use to clean them. Only thing I can say is, it depends on person and time spent playing. I always change mine once a month but sometimes they dull before...it sucks but strings like Elixir and other coated strings don't feel or sound like normal strings...too slippy and tone is masked. Try wiping them down when your done and get under the strings too, alot of buildup is under the strings where you cannot see. A simple cloth can do this. I use Planet Waves Microfibre cloths as they don't leave lint behind.

Reliable, trust worthy, friendly: [url="http://www.guitarpartsshop.co.uk/acatalog/DiMarzio-bass-guitar-pickups.html"]http://www.guitarpartsshop.co.uk/acatalog/...ar-pickups.html[/url] ONe of the best places in the UK for DiMarzio pups...in fact I think they are a stockist. The Model One is in there as is the Will Power neck...I got the middle Split version of that on me P-bass and BOY does it KICK!!! But the Model one is in there for ya classic tone. Love DiMarzio pups...shame they only do Gibson / Fender shape...No Soap Bar, No MM Humbucker...jeez Imagine a Stingray with DiMarzio pups!!! ULTRA UBER HOT!

There be some meaty tone in here!

[quote name='mcc' post='492840' date='May 20 2009, 12:02 AM']yeah.... if your amp burns out at soundcheck, go and get another one [/quote] LOL! And if it sets on fire...get an exstinguisher!

[quote name='StevieD_FenderP2009' post='492742' date='May 19 2009, 09:48 PM']- Mainly into 80's heavy metal although I listen to a couple of newer bands - Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) is my main influence for playing bass, Although Markus Grosskopf (Helloween) is another big influence - Iron Maiden are my favourite band[/quote] I feel were going to get along very well indeed...cept I prefere 3 fingers LOL! Harris? Check! Iron Maiden? Double check! 80's Metal...half check as I don't like all them bands but like 80's metal all the same. Am into modern metal alot these days but I still love Maiden. Any er...Sheehan love there too? C'mon...80's metal! Have to question the use of an Arbok though...He unfortunatly fell into the NU (Not Used) Tier in D & P...Shame, it's a cool Pokemon. But with Garchomp being Over Used and other great ground types these days...I guess his weakness really shows... *hopes member will latch*

[quote name='bubinga5' post='492797' date='May 19 2009, 10:47 PM']I didnt say it was a jam night?....But yeah your right GBM, i could have...I guess i should know these things...Well i do now, so the Learning starts here..And its actually got me more interested in how my instrument is amplified..[/quote] Well then, some books and the internet to get your head stuck in. It;s a great world of knowledge...I find myself facinated by it almost as much as playing. If you know how your instrument / amp works it's like knowing how you work. Should something happen at rehearsal or worse, a gig, you'll know exactly what to do...in theory.

[quote name='gbm' post='492323' date='May 19 2009, 01:30 PM']I don't know why you were taking such a good rig to a jam night, even if you did know how to use it.[/quote] Maybe cause he wanted to sound good? LOL surely you'd always want to use your best rig...or make it your own? But that's IMO.