thodrik

A Musicman Stingray ever since I saw that Tim Commerford rig rundown... It will be something else next week.

I always use the Pre Shape 1 when I use my Trace Elliot combo. I found Pre Shape 2 to be far too muddy in terms of sound. I know 'mid cut' or 'smiley face' pre shapes are unfashionable these days, but I always thought that my Trace Elliot combo was naturally pretty middy sounding anyway. The Pre Shape helped to open up the sound and remove the natural 'boxiness' of the combo. I would always add a bit of the mids back in to even out the sound. I could try and EQ the sound in I wanted using the graphic without the pre shape, but I found the whole thing a bit fiddly and the pre shape was just quick way of getting a half decent 'reference sound' to work from. From experience though I far prefer bass, middle and treble knobs rather than a graphic EQ.

The older I get the less fussy I am in terms of the action of a bass. Most of my basses now have about the same action, but I make allowances to fit each bass as I can't expect to get the same action on my Gibson EB3 as on my Sadowsky. I generally use heavier strings and a much higher action now than I did about ten years ago. I started using the bigger strings to fit the lower tunings, but it also had the knock on effect of making it harder for me to continue 'slapping and popping and double thumbing on really light strings' technique which I l had learned for the sake of learning rather for the sake of actually being interested in that type of playing. I usually have D'addario Balanced Tension 120-50 strings on the 'downtuned' basses and 105-45 D'addarios on the standard tuning ones. I'm not fussy in terms of strings though, I will swap the standard tuning D'addarios for Ernie Ball or Rotosound with no problems.

[quote name='bjelkeman' timestamp='1477949239' post='3165524'] I haven't had lots of time testing it yet, but at least in some tonal ranges (lots of mid), the M900 approaches my Mesa Carbine M9 in behaviour. They aren't the same, but considering that I really like having a Darkglass preamp in front of my M9 normally, the M900 is going to be my lightweight amp for when the M9 isn't practical to shlepp. The M900 is punchy, loud, quick. The M9 is too, but somewhat gnarlier in a smoother, more organic, way, with the gain cranked up. The M900 is edgier, and will clip at very high volumes in a way the M9 doesn't. (But all class D do?) Two great amps. And then I haven't taken the Darkglass preamp effects into account yet. I If I can only add something small to a backline, the it will be a Darkglass B7K. If I can bring a whole rig it will probably include the M9, but the M900 can do both, and really well too I think. [/quote] Interesting. I just bought an Mesa M6 the other month. I have have been using it with the B3K and Darkglass Duality with good to great results. The M900 might be a good call for the same reason, though I just bought the M6 for situations when my Trace Elliot V6 is impractical, though to be fair a 400 watt valve amp is pretty much impractical in just about every situation.

I have a 1978-ish Precision that I have owned since I was 14 (I'm 30 now). I have played it so much the lacquer has pretty much worn off. It has suffered numerous cosmetic dings to the body (people bashing stuff into it, guitarists ramming into it). So essentially it has a bass that has suffered 16 years or wear and tear on top of the 20 years of wear it had before I even owned it. Funnily enough though it is still in better condition than most 'hardcore aged' guitars you buy new for an additional extra fee. I only have two basses that I have bought brand new. My Vigier Excess has 12 years of wear on it including some scratches and dings to the . Numerous cosmetic dings and the jack socket had to be replaced after it stopped working. My Sadowsky Metro has been gigged relentlessly for the last 6 years or so since I bought it (the Fender was getting a bit too unreliable). Lots of little dings and some work to fix one of the tone knobs that got bent out of shape. Otherwise it is still okay and in pretty good nick. I take care of my basses, but cosmetic dings are bound to happen when you use them in a practice and gigging environment. I actually take far more care of my double bass and even that has suffered some damage from cellists who should have paid more attention to their surroundings when swinging their bow around when setting up! If any of my basses suffered serious damage (broken body or neck) I would be absolutely devastated.

I think that they look pretty damn cool. My 'super jazz' needs are largely fulfilled, but if I was looking for another one the Mayones would be on the list of ones to try for sure.

I tried a Mark I. Really nice bass but I didn't buy it. I don't think that I would buy one now and I think that there are a lot of basses out there which are of similar quality. If you want a Wal though then you will need to get a Wal, as I don't think that there are any direct comparisons.

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1476442382' post='3154331'] That's what I was thinking. I don't have any remasters, just the originals. I've heard negative things about the most recent remasters too... [/quote] Really? What were the negatives? To be honest, I'm not really a fan of remasters of originals unless I consider the originals to be a bit flawed. For example, I don't see much need for the Temple of the Dog 25th anniversary remaster. I have the original, it still sounds perfectly fine! I consider the original Metallica albums to sound pretty flat and devoid of any real bass, though apart from Justice, I don't have any real problem with the originals. I think that the remasters are an improvement of the original, though I don't consider them to be essential purchases. I think that the original Justice is mixed terribly and that a remixed and remastered version of the album would sound entirely different and one that I would love to hear. Even then, I still think that the songs are needlessly long with unnecessary parts. Still, I want to hear it.

Cool video. It is a nice change to see a bass rig rundown with a guy who has really thought about every aspect of his rig. It nearly made me want to try a Musicman as well.

If I remember correctly the 2008 remasters for just for vinyl. The 2016 remasters were part of a 'special' reissue of Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning as expensive box sets with extra videos, photos and outtakes. I haven't spent much time comparing the 2016 remaster with the 2008 remaster. I would imagine though that if you already have the 2008 remaster, you won't hear a massive improvement.

I'm not sure that the Justice for Jason stuff is actually Jason. I always thought that it was somebody else who had rerecorded it. I think this has a better remix of the songs featuring Jason's parts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3rhsKdFCmM It is nearly a fun hobby to wade through all the different attempts to make Justice more listenable. Some people love the original, I just think that it sounds broken. I think that there will be a remastered (and hopefully remixed) version of Justice in the not too distant future. The remastered Ride the Lightning album is pretty damn good. You get far more of Cliff in the mix.

I lusted after a Wal for several years. I eventually tried a Mk 1 with the intention of buying it. It was a very nice bass but I didn't think that it was worth the money, which was £2000 at the time. It would probably be worth about £3000 now given current marketplace demands so I lost out on potential 'sell on' profit. However, I didn't think that it was worth it at the time, as I already had two basses which I considered to be equally as nice sounding and nice to play as the Wal. It was still a cracking bass though and I still think that Wals are among the most beautiful basses on the market.

I feel bad pretty much echoing Dood's recommendation of the D'addario Balanced Tension 120 - 50 set for about the fifth time! I have used the strings for D standard/drop C, C# Standard/Drop B and even C standard/drop B flat. Personally I think that the strings are most suited to C# tuning. If we are talking D# standard/drop C#, I can make do with a standard 105-45 set. It is all down to personal preference though. I have seen lots of bassists using standard 45-105 sets for that tuning with no problem whatsoever. I just like the big 120 string! Personally yes, I prefer a stainless steel string to a nickel, but with the massive difference in price when it comes to buying single strings, I'm happy to buy the balanced tension nickel set at £18 or so. If D'addario made a Prosteel 120-50 set I would buy them. They are fantastic value for money and in my opinion are far better suited to the lower tunings than more expensive sets apparently optimised for lower tunings (DR DDT and the Dunlop equivalent). Again, that is just my personal opinion. I know that a lot of fellow Basschat folk will recommend Newtone strings as well as they are able to make you a custom set to match your tunings. I did this once but ended up going back to the D'addario set again as I thought they offered better value for money.

Okay, I don't mind the look of them. The question is how they play and sound. The price point is reasonable for a made in America bass. Generic yes. However, I see a bunch of basses (and amps and cabs) that I consider equally as generic looking. My own view is that the horn just looks too long and the design looks more suited to a bolt on design rather than a set neck. Pick ups and bridge look cool though.

Seven years and counting for me and the Walkabout. No issues whatsoever and it has been the best piece of gear I have ever bought. My only complaint is that the 1x15 combo could really do with some side handles. The shape and uneven distribution of weight can make it a pain carrying it one handed for more than a few hundred yards.

I like Victor Wooten and I like metal. I don't like this metal.

The Mesa Walkabout Scout 1x15 has been my main gigging rig for the last 6 years. The combo is easily loud enough for small/medium gigs. The bonus to the Mesa is that you can remove the head from the combo and use it with other cabs. I have used the gig through an 8x10 and it has been brilliant. If you want clean headroom though, I would probably look at another option. The Walkabout has a lovely gentle overdrive after you push the gain a bit. I love it but it might not be for everyone.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1473799040' post='3133281'] There's some fantastic petite female double bassists, when in thumb position your thumb doesn't go behind the neck at all unless it's about 3 foot long! I started on upright because I couldn't bend my wrist to play horizontal, I now play with a electric bass held sort of diagonal and use the three finger technique from the double bass, a dogs breakfast but I'm still gigging! [/quote] That sounds like a nasty injury. Well done on managing to find a solution to keep on playing though. That is pretty much my view in the event that I suffer any serious problems. Luckily so far my only problems have been goalkeeping related football injuries. I fractured the middle finger on my right hand the week before a grade 6 double bass exam. I tried to play around it with an agricultural 'grip it and rip it' bowing approach. I managed to pass though, mostly because that approach didn't really differ from my normal approach to bowing! Safest thing to do after that was to stop playing football, not so much to keep my fingers safe, more so because I was rubbish at football!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1473784919' post='3133114'] I've seen many people swap to five strings BECAUSE of their arthritis to use the playing across the board technique to make it easier on their hands, fingers and arms. [/quote] I've been told this. In fact one the guys at Guitar Guitar told me a few years ago that he had switched to five strings for this very reason. However he might have just been trying to convince me to buy a five string Sadowsky or Sandberg... On the double bass front, I have small hands and never had a problem playing double bass or five string. My opinion is that it is all about technique and the longer you play the more your fingers will be able to stretch and cover greater distances. I have also people with much smaller hands than me excel on both the double bass and five string electric bass. I can't comment on any medical conditions like arthritis though, which would obviously be a consideration, though I don't think playing a five stresses my hands any more than playing a four.

[quote name='christhammer666' timestamp='1473751236' post='3132694'] the tuning will be B,F#,B,E. I don't mind adjusting saddles and tweaing truss rods I just don want to bugger the nut in case I go back to standard tuning with 45-105s [/quote] Nuts are easily replaced (and generally really cheap) so that has never been an issue for me. The set I am using for that tuning is 120 - 90 - 67 - 50. The E string is slightly heavier than normal, but the others are not much bigger than the equivalents in a 105 -45 set. I actually didn't even need to adjust the nut when going back to standard tuning with a 105-45 set on My Fender Precision. I don't see it as a 'massacre' of a four string bass when I widen the nut to accommodate alternate tunings, I just see it as setting up the bass for my own needs. As said above though, multiple tunings lend themselves to multiple basses. If I just had one bass things would be a bit problematic!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1473715937' post='3132583'] Do you NEED to change your tuning to match what the rest of the band uses? On the two occasions when I've played with guitarists who down-tune or use non-standard tunings I've kept my bass tuned as normal and haven't had a problem. In fact IMO it generally leads to more interesting bass lines and overall arrangements since I can't always do the same as the guitars but an octave lower. [/quote] This is always an option worth considering and can lead to some very cool results. I usually tune my four string to match the guitarists as I find it easier for the guitarists to follow what I'm doing during a writing session (it avoids the 'what notes are you actually playing' discussions...). If I am using a five string I will sometimes tune that to suit the tuning of the guitarists as well rather than keeping it in standard tuning. That is just my personal preference though. For the original poster, what type of drop B are you using? Standard tuning with just the E string dropped to B or the drop D equivalent of tuning to C# standard? If it is the latter, I would look at the D'addario balanced tension set at 120 - 50. You can pick up a set for less than £20. I have used the strings for all manner of tunings from drop B up to D standard. If you prefer being in the same tuning as the guitarists then this might be more beneficial than tuning a four string bass tuned B E A D or getting a five string in standard tuning. It really just depends on how you want to approach it though. Personally, I play quite a lot of low tuned stoner and doom music and have never had any problems from setting up basses with various tunings with larger strings and then later setting the bass back up for standard tuning when I start another project. It will not under any circumstances mess up the bass. You just have to be conscious that there are no magic strings that will be able to play drop B and then tuned back up to standard tuning without the need for another set up. I have never turned down a band because of alternate tunings. I have however turned down bands where every song is played in drop D tuning using the same chord patterns, though that is the band's fault rather than the tuning. I have however turned down guitarists who are not willing explore alternate tunings, such as the songs are in D standard or drop C and he/she insists that it isn't possible to set up a guitar for this tuning despite the fact that they are a massive Mastodon fan and half of their songs are in that tuning or lower). If you don't want to play in that tuning though then just tell the band you are not interested and leave it at that.

[quote name='dyerseve' timestamp='1473683442' post='3132201'] Steve Hodson of Oceansize and Kong fame uses a Gibson Grabber and acheives a very nice tone from it! [/quote] I have seen a number of hardcore bands over the years who have been using Gibson Grabbers or Rippers. They always sound big and meaty. I would love to try one. I have an 1974 EB3. Great tone, though I think it hasn't been designed that well. Three bolt bridge, set neck, pickup selector options ranging from 'front', 'back' 'mud' and 'super mud', tone pots that are essentially on/off switches, massive neck dive, incredibly heavy. Still, great tone!

Peavey only bought Trace Elliot in 2005 so your amp is barely ten years old at most. You should get years and years of use out of it, probably decades. There are still people out there using Trace Elliot stuff from 1980s at gigs without any issues. I have 3 Trace Elliot amps made way before the Peavey purchase and they are still alive and kicking. If you like the amp, you could just get another Trace Elliot as a back up. A good model to look up is the Trace Elliot SMX series as they also offer dual band compression and a tube/solid state blend and pre-shape options. I have one myself that I picked up for only a couple of hundred pounds and it is really nice. The Trace Elliot Series 6 line is also really good and fairly cheap.

I always liked his playing, especially when he started becoming more audible in the mix. I would like to hear a properly remixed version of And Justice For All.