alexclaber

[quote name='DrGonzo' post='42586' date='Aug 7 2007, 07:04 PM']The thing that a lot of people don't get, and what I think Alex is referring to, is that your technical ability comes a long way second to your feel and understanding of the music that you're playing, no matter what instrument you're playing.[/quote] Yes, that's part of it. But the most important parts of technique and those which are often overlooked are matters like dynamic and tonal control and of course all aspects of timing. I see plenty of new players with amazing fancy technique that can slap at a million miles an hour but how in tune are they to their tone, volume and position in the pocket? Alex

^ awesome! Alex

It's just the way of the musical world, the misguided many believing that it's some kind of competitive event. Even if you can quantify someone's abilities it takes a much deeper understanding than most have to really make an accurate judgement. For instance I'm in a band with three musicians I hugely respect and none of them come out with this kind of rubbish - yet the saxophonist and guitarist still believed the "Ringo isn't even the best drummer in The Beatles" quip, when he's actually a fantastic drummer with great taste and incredibly good time, on a par with the very best session drummers. But does the layman realise that? No. Why? Because he isn't all crash, bang, wallop, big fills, fast and crazy, like Keith Moon (another great drummer though!) Unfortunately that flash that so easily impresses is usually the wrong way to play the bass. Just try persuading anyone of the brilliance of Bob Moore... Alex

Monsters use oversized plugs to get a tighter fit in the sockets. Unfortunately this means that other leads will no longer fit securely as the plug contacts are strained and sometimes it'll even break the plug. The only problem I ever had with my SWR Grand Prix was a broken jack due to someone else's Monster cable - The Bass Centre kindly fixed it free of charge. I had some armoured leads from Studiospares but they seem to be too popular with light fingered musicians at gigs... OBBM is The Man. Alex

1987 Warwick Streamer with EMG pickups and Aguilar OBP-3 on 18V: Alex

Very nice! Glad to see my old Korg keeping such excellent company. Alex

Some BP approved 'excellent advice'! Alex

The Schallers do eventually become less reliable - the 20 year old examples on my Warwick sometimes come undone when I'm playing seated. Alex

[quote name='paul, the' post='40899' date='Aug 3 2007, 01:56 PM']The coolest bassist has to be some fat black man with the deepest bassiest tone. Who has never slapped. Ever.[/quote] Does that mean that Mark King is out of the running? Alex

[quote name='paul, the' post='40899' date='Aug 3 2007, 01:56 PM']The coolest bassist has to be some fat black man with the deepest bassiest tone. Who has never slapped. Ever.[/quote] Anthony Jackson? Alex

[quote name='chardbass' post='40923' date='Aug 3 2007, 03:01 PM']...and a tenner for the cord so I could look like Larry Grayson between sets)[/quote] I put mine in before I go into the venue if the soundcheck has already started and certainly before anyone hits any snare drums or starts ringing out PAs and then don't take them out until I'm loading the car at the end of the night. Sometimes even drive home with them in, possibly disturbing the neighbours when I arrive and the subwoofer is going some! Alex

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='40920' date='Aug 3 2007, 02:53 PM']I know my hearing is worth that but I'm sure I've seen moulds being made at Game Fair trade stands (shooting type game fair NOT Warhammer, D&D etc) for £60-£70![/quote] That £160 includes the price of the filters, which from what I recall of the spare filter prices is about half of the total cost. Shooting ear protection is much simpler, aiming to block as much sound as possible instead of evenly filtering it by a fixed amount. One boutique effects pedal or good hearing for the rest of your life? Alex

Saxophonist has almost finished his parts. I haven't heard it yet but he's multitracked some parts so he has the sax playing in two octaves (live he just plays the higher part), plus sometimes an additional third part playing the fifth or third. Should sound like a small horn section has just appeared! Alex

The one episode I've missed. Typical. Alex

We're going with 4mm aluminium side dot markers (simpler than LEDs and should be pretty easy to see!) and Robbie's hunting for a nice single piece of ash for the top. And 16" fingerboard radius - matching that built into the Q-Tuners. Alex

[quote name='dood' post='40634' date='Aug 2 2007, 08:44 PM']Despite being a 'fancy' finish...[/quote] The apostrophes really are unnecessary! Alex

Never owned one but I can see the appeal. I would never pay the obscene prices Ampeg charge for what is essentially eight cheap 10" woofers in a simple box. This is near as dammit the speaker they use: [url="http://www.bluearan.co.uk/menu/index.php?id=EMIALPHA10A&product=Eminence_Alpha_10_150W_10!dquote!_Driver&browsemode=category"]http://www.bluearan.co.uk/menu/index.php?i...semode=category[/url] Keep an eye out for a well used one, or consider building your own - make it from 1/2" ply and make it a 6x10" instead of an 8x10" and you'll save yourself a ton of weight but get the same tone and only fractionally less output. Sealed cabs tend to roll off at a higher frequency - usually around 150Hz and then the response gradually decreases eventually dropping at 12dB/octave lower down. Ported cabs stay flatter lower and then drop at 24dB/octave - but many have a mid-bass hump tuned in around 100Hz to fake sufficient bottom. Alex

[quote name='dood' post='40391' date='Aug 2 2007, 11:39 AM']I am quite a 'utilitarian' if thats the right word to use. First and foremost I treat my bass as a tool and a tool has got to work well, (at it's best even) be it ergonomics or whatever. So it was just a case of figuring out how to get rid of all those annoying things about other basses that I hate. Jon has an eye for making whats left look really pretty![/quote] Exactly the same here! The bass is a tool for making music and therefore the sound and feel are paramount. I went through numerous ideas on scale length and string count, from 34" four to 33-36" fanned six, before settling on 36" five. Likewise with electronics - although the Q-Tuners were an early choice it took long time to decide on the exact positions and I considered all manner of controls - from onboard preamps with lots of EQ to all passive series/parallel switching on each pickup, mid cut and control bypass switching in addition to the simple vol, tone, 4-way pickup switch I finally settled on. I knew I wanted good balance and a big cutaway but Robbie came up with the body shape that solves the problem and looks good. We just differ on finishes - I prefer non- or lightly figured bare wood with oil/wax finish, so it may dent and scratch easily but big problems can be easily sanded out whilst small marks just add character - I guess your fancy finish is much more damage resistant in the first place. Alex

[quote name='The Funk' post='40399' date='Aug 2 2007, 11:53 AM']Weren't they built by someone else? Did Bergantino make the cabs?[/quote] Bergantino designed and made the cabs. I think Koch Electronics (who make the Eden valve head) designed and built the head. Real shame that the amp didn't sell well because it's a very nice design. Alex

Great amp. Definitely on my shortlist of amps I'd like to own if I could think of a justification for having more than one rig. Alex

[quote name='chris_b' post='40388' date='Aug 2 2007, 11:09 AM']If you really think you have to be louder than 500 watts... try getting better, or more, speakers.[/quote] Exactly. Or do something about your EQ - still waiting to hear how you currently EQ as I'm 90% sure that's the problem. Alex

[quote name='G-bitch' post='40164' date='Aug 1 2007, 07:42 PM']Sadowsky [/quote] Good answer! Sadly the amp and cabs were a flash in the pan... Alex

I didn't realise quite how similar our tastes were: Mostly wenge neck (and practically neck-thru), ash body, EMG pickups, deep cutaway, long horn, ramp... I'll overlook the extra strings! Nice build diary, remarkable bass! Alex

[quote name='clauster' post='40113' date='Aug 1 2007, 06:07 PM']It's your cabs I'm thinking of using (O10 at 4ohm and T39 at 8ohm)[/quote] Check out the new Omni 15TB as well, for an all-in-one solution: Though if I didn't already have some small cabs I'd seriously consider the O10 plus T39 to give me a modular solution. Alex

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='29182' date='Jul 9 2007, 05:08 PM'][Re higher impedance loads]Do you know if it can have an effect on the tone?[/quote] You would theoretically gain tighter bottom due to increased damping factor but I doubt it's audible. rodl2005, maybe you could put that stuff about valve amps in your signature, save you retyping it so often. Alex