thodrik

[quote name='billyapple' timestamp='1340744183' post='1709132'] It's some piece of work. I like it too [/quote] I liked it that much that it prevented me from writing a coherent sentence!

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1340761002' post='1709335'] I got Newtone to make me a custom balanced set for my bass in A. The bottom string is a .152! They would probably work out a lot cheaper than DR's too so theyre definitely worth a go [/quote] I have been tempted to try the Newtone route for a while, but I got a £30 gift voucher for Amazon, and thought I could justify paying £10 or so for the DRs. I wanted to try them for over a year, but I didn't want to spend £40 to try out strings that would require me alter the nut of my bass. it was now or never. I'm fairly damn happy with the Drs apart from the cost. I'm just going to wait to see how my latest bands fare before I would alter the bass even further by putting on a 150 B string.

I really quite like that.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1340714166' post='1708424'] Its only good if you like really heavy amps that don't sound very valvey. A whole bunch of the characteristics of a valve amps tone is down to the limitations of the transformer, the high pass nature is what keeps cabs happy, and there is some compression stuff too. Get big enough and might as well go SS. My green Matamp has an output transformer the size of a child's head and sounds no different to my SS Matamp power amp, until seriously cranked. [/quote] And I didn't know that! Cheers.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1340711349' post='1708364'] The dimensions of the output transformer are pretty much directly related to its low frequency efficiency, so pretty fair statement. Loads of valve amps are designed not to perform at maximum level at all times, its called power supply sag, and its pretty common in amps, they have restricted capacity power filtering which adds compression. [/quote] Okay, thanks. I knew the correlation between size of output transformers to low frequency response, to which my view is that it be great if every bass amp should have 'overdimensioned' transformers.

Very nice.

The D'addario 'magic bag' that keeps the strings fresh until they are opened always slightly amuses me. 'Hand selected' woods on various basses. The EBS blurb on the Classic T90 always amuses me '[color=#000000][font=Georgia,]The special designed transformers are overdimensioned[/font][/color]' Wow, special and overdimensioned, that must make it so great. [color=#000000][font=Georgia,]'all materials carefully selected to perform at a maximum level - at all times.' So all their other amps are not designed to perform at maximum levels at all times, ie they just don't work as advertised? Were the materials on my Fafner not carefully selected? [/font][/color] [color=#000000][font=Georgia,]'[/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Georgia,]The tubes are quality selected and matched with precision'. You mean they don't just just take whatever they can find and throw it in there? It must be very nice indeed.[/font][/color]

Recently strung my Viger Arpege with the DR DDTs heavy gauge which is 55-135. It works fine for tuning a whole tone down. I would have thought that they would have at least had a 140 or more for B, but the 135 works fine for A though, which is as low as I need. Still the 55 and 75 are fairly tight at F and C respectively but eminently usable. Personally I think something like 50 - 70 - 95 - 115 - 140 would have been a lot more balanced but I have found it difficult to source many five string sets with anything bigger than a 105 on the E string. I might stick with the DRs as the tone is way better than what I was using (even when I was tuned to standard), but the cost is seriously offputting. Before that I was pretty much a 45 -130, with it usually being Rotosound or Ernie Ball.

If I had my way I would have a couple of 8x10s or 4x15s for every gig. Reality, practicality, finance and common sense suggests that I do not 'need' such things. I always preferred having a couple of cabs, a 2x10s or 1x15, bought way before I knew the dangers of mixing speaker sizes. Anyhow, they were easier to carry than an 8x10. I have always loved the experience of playing through an Ampeg 8x10, except when it has been paired with the SVT 450, which is a bit of a 'meh' head to me.

I have three basses in one location and two in another. There was a time when I was in three different bands/projects with different tunings, in which case additional basses were helpful with regards to set up and playability. It is a luxury though and if needed I would play everything on my Precision happily.

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1338636807' post='1677433'] I love my Fafner, absolutely adore the sound; but I keep looking at these and think if I traded in my Fafner and proline 4x10 I could get a Reidmar and maybe a Barefaced Compact and if I then ran an EBS Valvedrive in the fx loop would I get the same, or at least a close approximation of the tone? I do keep thinking I'll miss the bright switch as I leave that on pretty much permanently. Any thoughts? [/quote] Try a Valvedrive with the Fafner.

RHCP/Maroon 5 is hardly pushing the boundaries of dirty rock tone, so just about any amp should be able to deliver, with the possbile exception of a valve amp with no real headroom. The trick is finding an amp that helps to deliver the ideal bass sound that exists in your head. Markbass is a good place to start.

1. Guitarist whose 'multi-effects' pedal, was actually a Tascam 8 track with some onboard effects. Of course he also didn't know how to turn on an amplifier and get any sound other then feedback. 2. Guitarists that said that they were writing 'Queens of the Stone Age with the Deftones'. At rehearsal, they are surprised that the sound doesn't have as much low end gurth as the bands they are influenced by. I asked if they were tempted to tune down. The response 'tuned down guitars never sound good'. I tell them that both QOTSA and Deftones tune down. They are shocked!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1336659552' post='1649070'] Which is why you should never buy a Fender (or any other mass-produced bass) without trying it first. [/quote] Absolutely.

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1336135373' post='1641394'] I've got mine in a 4U case with a power regulator in the spare space and not had any thermal problems........hmmm...........wondering if I should do some surgery on my case [/quote] I think you will be okay, since from what I've heard from EBS you can fill the extra space, its just that the extra 1U on the side prevents overheating in comparison to a 3U case (apparently). Still, you never know, but my guess is that there shouldn't be an issue. My 4U case has an empty slot, mainly because I have no money to fill it with anything! I'm always tempted to buy a Sansamp RBI/Trace V-Type preamp, just for additional tonal options.

When on tour I always took a back up, just because you never know and its good to be prepared. Just find a half-decent solid state head for £200 or so (Trace Elliot/Ashdown/Hartke/Peavey etc). Also I found it handy to loan out when headlining and every other band didn't bring any amps. Rather that than my good amp!

[quote name='JakeBrownBass' timestamp='1335713671' post='1634877'] On the counter side, i've ordered loads through them and never had a single issue.... [/quote] It has been a while since I ordered anything but I, nor anybody else I know, have never had an issue either.

The general rules from people that know a lot more about physics and audio engineering than myself suggest that mixing speaker sizes like a 2x10 and 1x15 without some kind of crossover is not the best idea. I bought my cabs years ago when I did not know of any potential issues, so have been gigging with a 2x10 and 1x15 for years without any great problem. Generally this thread will also go a variety of ways: 1. Buy a Barefaced 2. Buy another boutique lightweight cabinet that isn't a Barefaced 3. Buy (insert what person replying is playing) 4. Buy two 2x10 cabinets and stack them vertically for best sound dispersion. 5. Buy (insert gear person replying is trying to sell) 6. Buy this new product that was introduced at NAMM but isn't out for another 6 months! Seriously though, I'm sure Line 6 do a range of cabinets designed for that head that work okay. What you should get depends on factors like your budget, whether the cabinet has to be small and lightweight etc.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1335654414' post='1634370'] Yep, I can happily accept that, provided the converse is also accepted - using drop tuning doesn't automatically make it 'real music' or illustrate talent. [/quote] Absolutely.

My old band's guitarists used to tune to drop E flat (?). I ended up doing the same on a four string bass, as the style of the band needed the open string sound of the two E flat strings. Playing in standard just didn't sound right in comparison. Nevertheless, the concept of tuning up and down from standard at the same time confused me. I don't think there is anything wrong with using alternative tunings so long as you set your instrument up to able to play it. Sometimes I feel that some people view anything that isn't in standard tuning doesn't qualify as 'real music'. Playing in a lower than standard tuning doesn't necessarily make you a talentless, 'nu-metal musician', although there are certain bands that reside in that territory. Plenty of awful bands using standard tuning as well!

I have formed countless of stoner type bands that then change into something entirely different. The latest one is looking promising. I generally just go to Heavy Planet to find new bands. Over Christmas I got seriously into a US band called Elder. Stoner with old school prog/psychedelic tendencies. Generally I find at least one cool band a month.

I have had the mark I Fafner for three and a half years. Tonally it can do pretty much what you want with it once you get a hang of the mid control, high/lo presets and drive controls. It can achieve those very glassy highs and a hifi tone if you want, but if you roll the highs off it can do old school warmth and grit really well. Fantastic amp, though since I have had it long enough (and won't be changing it anyway) I might as well state my niggles/issues/quirks with it, which in no way detracts from its awesomeness. 1. I don't think the best sounds are achieved by setting everything flat with no presets, unless you have a good on board preamp etc. When running it flat like this with the drive at 0, it sounds a bit weedy and a bit bass shy for a 440 watt amp at 4ohms. With some eq and a bit drive the amp is a monster though. The EBS eq is brilliant and invites the user to set any sound they want, so I don't really see this as a problem. 2. It is heavy for a 440 watt 4ohm amp in the modern market, especially if you buy the matching rack case. Since you use Trace Elliot (like I do/did) I assume that isn't an issue though. 3. The light bulb thing. Mine hasn't broken, but it serves no real purpose. 4. The mid knob could do with having more frequency indicators, the vague indicators don't really provide exact spots to boost certain frequencies. You have do it more through 'feel' and by ear, not really a problem though. 5. It could have done with a separate 'drive channel' to make the drive a bit more flexible, which was solved by Fafner II. 6. The position of the 'bypass' switch suggests that it bypasses the compressor, when it really bypasses the whole eq section. 7. Speakon only speaker outputs. I think its regulation now, but if you are playing a 'just bring your head' gig, make sure you bring a speakon-jack connector in case you are playing through a jack output only cab. 8. The positioning of the fan on the side means you have to use a 4U rack case, even though it is a 3U unit. Still, I wouldn't sell it.

I would like to know. Its been out for about a year or so and I haven't heard any decent demo, or much in the way of reviews either. I have the Fafner mark I and its a great amp. I doubt that the Fafner II would disappoint, though with the price its obviously a fairly big investment to make blind, especially with a Proline/Neoline 4x10 with it.