The Funk

Don't buy the DB680 new in the UK. Secondhand on the US ebay is far more reasonable, even after you've paid for delivery and the extra 22.5% in tax. Also, I wouldn't fork out the money for one if all you're after is trying out different bi-amping options. Lovely preamp though.

That's good to know 'cos I'm seriously lazy. The 70s Matamp head we picked up yesterday still had 4 Mullards in the power section from years back. So I don't think valves are as fragile as people seem to suggest. As someone said earlier, they got us through WWII!

I'd like to see the results of this thread too. I'm after a double gig bag and was looking at the Ritter model, until I heard about your experiences, and also the Warwick double gig bag. I figure the Warwick double gig bag should be a good match for two Warwicks... or is there a flaw in my logic somewhere?

I love my Aguilar DB680 preamp. It has ten valve stages. I've had it a year and haven't had to change any valves yet. A time will come when a valve blows onstage just as a time will come when a 9V dies in my bass onstage. That's what back-ups are for. I always run out of the Aguilar's DI into the PA, so I always get its thick, clean valve tone. When I want valve filth, I step on my DHA distortion pedal - complete with two valves. For bass, there are plenty of good and different sounds out there that suit different people well. For guitar though, valves are a must. I've just managed to convince my guitar player of this. Hoorah! 70s Matamp on its way!

Once we've had a fair number of posts, I'm sure we could tot up the votes and induct the 5 players with the most votes into our Bass Chat Bass Players Hall of Bass. I'm sure they'd be thrilled at the prospect, especially the dead ones.

[quote name='obbm' post='12907' date='Jun 6 2007, 10:35 AM']Lets get the terminology right. Stereo is Left/Right Bi-Amp is Hi/Lo for either you need a 2-channel power amp or 2 single channel power amps. If you Bi-Amp in Stereo you 2 x 2-channel power amps. I used to run a Trace GP12SMX using the crossover outputs into a 2-Channel 300W+300W power amp into a 1x15 and a 2x10. Total waste of time. It was much better running a full bandwidth output into each channel and each cabinet. Clearer and more focussed.[/quote] I prefer the term dual mono but if someone says a stereo power amp (as opposed to a stereo bi-amp rig), I take it to mean 1 x 2-channel power amp. I don't think anyone was actually asking about a stereo bi-amp rig.

You nicked a desk from your old school? Wicked.

As far as I know - and I don't know that much about Sadowsky except that the basses look spectacular - the Metro line replaced the Tokyo line. How much it differs, I can't say.

Bloody hell, I was kidding. Still, I reckon that would be the easiest way (for the ears) to decide where in the signal chain the compression and EQ should go.

Stereo's great. It just basically gives you two sets of controls, inputs and outputs - perfect for bi-amping. I don't really see how bi-amping would be possible without a stereo power amp. What equipment do you have at the moment? If you could adapt bits of your rig to a new bi-amped rig with a minimum of expenditure, that's always a good thing.

My Hartke 2.5XL and 115XL weigh far too much. But then they do sound great. When you're driving to every gig and transporting all the band's other gear as well, it's not so bad. It's still annoying though that they're just so cumbersome.

A lot of very helpful comments. Having seperate volume controls for each cab is great when they have different frequency ranges. Bi-amping at its simplest. Did you say you have a Pod and a crossover? If you don't bother with the built-in bi-amping function and just send - the Left Out to Channel 1 of your power amp full range and then - the Right Out to your crossover and then send just the lows to Channel 2 of your power amp, and then Channel 2 to the bassier cab, you should have basically the same kind of set up as me. Edit: I have a GK400RB as a back-up. Lovely little head.

Jack Bruce (Cream) Bootsy Collins (James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic) Paul Jackson (Headhunters) Bernard Edwards (Chic) Louis Johnson (The Brothers Johnson)

Join the school jazz band.

[quote name='Dan_Nailed' post='12259' date='Jun 5 2007, 01:22 AM']Well, with [b]my[/b] dbx166 when I plug my EMG'ed Spectors in the level is basically pathetic, even running at 18V. The inputs on the 166xl are line level inputs, switchable between consumer -10db and professional +4db and the outputs of passive bass guitars are not line level(otherwise we wouldn't need DI boxes)[/quote] So, in theory, you could go from a DI box into channel 1 of your rack compressor then into a reamping box back into the preamp input of your amp through to your amp's EQ then into the other channel on your dual mono compressor?

[quote name='bassbloke' post='12149' date='Jun 4 2007, 11:01 PM']I tried bi-amping my rig years ago. Whilst the bottom end through a 15was certainly impressive, the top end through 10s was lacking. I was able to rig up a decent compromise using an SWR SM400 whereby I sent a full range signal to a 2 x 12 and a sub signal (below 120Hz) to a 1 x 15. I reckon you might the results of this approach more than a complete high/low split[/quote] This is similar to what I do. My Aguilar DB680 preamp has a built-in crossover. I use the low crossover out for real low end to my 1 x 15 and I run the 2 x 10 full range. Sounds awesome like this.

I think it can affect the feel of the music. I think that's why people sometimes get quite heated about how to count something.

Ah, well it's an Aguilar DB680 preamp. It might actually say in the literature somewhere. I'll have a look when I get home.

I get what you're saying. I'm still to find the best place in the signal chain for my compressor. The trouble with shifting it from the Pre-out to the F/X loop is that it might be post-EQ there anyway.

[quote name='Painless' post='11037' date='Jun 2 2007, 02:47 PM']Apologies for jumping into your thread, but on a related note, how do you all feel about leaving tuners inline between your guitar and amp? I have a tuner I'm very happy with, but started to notice that it was cutting out some of the frequencies when I left it inline permanently, even when switched off? I would guess that a good quality pedal tuner would perform a proper bypass whenever it's footswitch was used, so this would solve/answer my question? Russ.[/quote] My preamps and heads have a tuner out or link out. Just try that (if you have it) - your bass sends a direct signal into the tuner and your tuner doesn't feed your amp.

[quote name='BOD2' post='10508' date='Jun 1 2007, 01:24 PM']IMPORTANT ! If the US amp has a "hum cancelling switch" on it then this MUST be disconnected from the circuit, as using this switch while connected to a UK or European mains supply (even through a step-down transformer) can make the amp dangerous.[/quote] Is this true of all hum cancelling switches on US amps? Do they just cut the earth thingy?

[quote name='alexclaber' post='11923' date='Jun 4 2007, 04:48 PM']Having tried both extensively, I'd recommend avoiding compression live except as a specific effect. It's all too easy to end up beating your bass to death because it isn't getting louder like it ought to.[/quote] That's where the 'Bypass' button comes in handy. It [i]can[/i] eliminate all the hard work you've done over the years to get your phrasing right but I still think they have their uses, especially the Limiter function.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='11720' date='Jun 4 2007, 10:45 AM']4/4 with kick on 3 and skank on 2 and 4. Counting it in half time with kick on 2 and 4 makes it much harder to feel the bubbling forward motion. It sounds like your musical director is treating it too much like a polka! Alex[/quote] Agree 100% with OG & Alex. Reggae always has the accent on the 3. That's how Stewart Copeland explains it anyway.

I have a 1977/8 Fender Jazz Bass. I picked it up on ebay for around £650. At the same time as this one was on ebay, there was one on US ebay going for $3000. I love it and would not trade it for anything. My one had some pros and cons. Pros: - best neck I have ever played, destroys everything else - cool looking white block inlays and binding on a maple neck - great custom refinish that someone had done earlier - price - much cheaper than your average 1977/78 Jazz Cons: - the pick-ups were rubbish! will have to be replaced asap with some 60s Jazz clones. have not checked if they were the originals - BadAss bridge - cool, but not filed correctly Pro/Con depending on perspective: - heavy body

[quote name='King of Loss' post='9139' date='May 30 2007, 01:04 PM']Why do people use compression? Is it really necessary? I would look into buying one if I could see the point in getting it for live use.....I can see why studios use them, obviously, but live?[/quote] I've recently started using a compressor in my gig rig. With different settings, it's good for different things. - I use the limiter on my DI out to help the engineer get a good signal at the desk. - I use the compressor for my 2 x 10 cab to get some extra punch. - On different settings, I use the compressor for my 2 x 10 cab to get a more even sound (for ballads and the like). Here your bass can sound as smooth as on a studio recording. - I use the compressor in general to make sure that there isn't a big leap in volume when I switch from fingerstyle to slap. So different people will use compressors for different things in different situations. You should definitely try a decent one out to see what they could do for your sound. I use a Drawmer DL241 btw. Lovely piece of kit. Would have loved a valve compressor but this one works great. Drawmer also do a valve model which I haven't been lucky enough to try out (Tubestation).