Phil Starr

Wellington Timber and Yandles of Martock both in Somerset.

I'd really advise any bass player to avoid 4 or 16 ohm drivers. Most of the available ones were designed as 8 ohm drivers and then offered as a service to customers as 4/16 by simply adding a different voice coil. Because the rest of the speaker was designed to work optimally with the 8 ohm coil they are usually not as good as the 8 ohm version. Guitarists get away with it because they are not so interested in the bottom octave (two if you include the one we have that they don't). Changing the coil also changes all the speakers parameters so they no longer match the box. Stick to the recommended drivers, they were chosen for a reason.

Hi Lawrence, don't know which bit of Devon your folks live in but if it is near Chard I'm happy to cut a few panels on the bench saw.

+ in goes to the pin on your jack input or the + on your big speaker, often but not always a red wire. - in goes to the sleeve or - on the big speaker. There should be a terminal marked + on your tweeter (sometimes marked with a red dot) and that goes to T+. For reasons which are a bit complex the tweeter can be out of phase with the woofer at crossover and can sound better with the terminals reversed. You either get a small peak of a small dip at the crossover point. I always listen to both configurations before deciding. So long as your crossover is filtering out the bass neither way will damage the amp or tweeter. In any case when you test always start at low volume until you know you haven't made a mistake. Good luck

second the www.Lemonrock.com link particularly if you end up in W. Dorset. It will link you into the pub bands down here.

Hi Lawrence, you've probably cut your speaker holes by now but if you are stuck with using a jigsaw then you need a blade which is ground so the teeth are wider than the rest of the blade rather than a cheapy where the teeth are just offset. T101B is good or a T101BR which cuts on the down stroke. If you have to cut smaller than 10" holes then you would be better with a T101A0. Set the blade speed fairly slow and take your time. Use a new blade, I find old ones wear more on one side than the other and they wander off true as a result. Interesting you have chosen a PA driver for bass with an essentially flat response. I have done the same and I'm not sure of the results. Having true bass is interesting in a gigging situation as room acoustics become quite important. I almost always end up rolling off the bass, sometimes quite a lot. The relative absence of peaks in the 2-3k range means that the cabs lack character a bit. The speakers do what it says on the tin but I wondered if I might have preferred some of the 'inaccuracies' of the Eminences and the made for bass Celestions to the clean sound I have. It's all down to taste and I'm looking forwards to seeing what you think.

This depends upon how much twiddling you want to do and which drivers you have. As Bill has pointed out it is probably more to do with implementation than any inherent problem with the piezos. Most piezos act like a leaky capacitor in terms of load so you can trim down the volume by putting a capacitor in series with them. Try a 2uF polyester and see what it does to the sound. Bigger if you want even more cut and smaller if it is too much.. the other problem I have had with Piezos is that they don't have a very flat response and some are better than others although they all look similar. A lot of the cheap ones only have much output above 4kHz which leaves an empty gap between them and the bass driver. As Bill has said you'd be better with something crossing over at 2kHz or even lower for bass. My experience is that even fairly cheap coil based tweeters sound better than nearly all piezos though the absolute need to have a crossover makes them much more expensive

If it is in your price bracket the AER amp one [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/157525-aer-amp-one-the-best-amp-i-have-bought-evar/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/157525-aer-amp-one-the-best-amp-i-have-bought-evar/[/url]

You can run submixes in though you will need to match them, they might need to go to a jack or a phono input (line input) if the output from the submixer isn't a balanced (XLR) output. You might like to also think of looking at a mixer which takes all of your inputs and just feed the stereo output to the Stagepas which will act as an amp. The Yamahas have a great sound if you can put up with the relatively low sound output.

Don't know if this might help, there are other related articles as well, though you might need to go via my profile page to track them all down [url="http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/gear_maintenance/a_guide_to_live_sound_speakers_and_amps.html"]http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/gear_maintenance/a_guide_to_live_sound_speakers_and_amps.html[/url]

If you are in a covers band playing pubs, like a clean sound, and storage is a problem then take a look at AER's amp one. It's a tiny combo and it achieves a remarkable sound by the equivalent of an optical illusion (auditory illusion?) It compresses the bass end of your signal to reduce the demands on it's little speaker. At the same time this makes the bass sound louder and more 'in your face'. Compression is why the ads on telly sound louder than the programs. It also cleans up your sound. Because of the way our brains and ears work we can't really hear that this isn't genuine loud bass. Honestly I wouldn't have said this until I heard these things at gigs but the little so and so's work really well and if you are the sort of player that just likes to plug in and play then they are unbelievable. You'll love them or hate them but you really should have a look.

The Chain, Fleetwood Mac or Pump it Up, Elvis Costello or Psycho Killer, Talking Heads Oh, and I once played Tobacco Road with our new drummer who responded with "I used to play with the Nashville Teens" so that's now out.

Modding cabs isn't worth it in most cases unless you view it as a way to teach yourself about speaker design. For any given speaker there are sizes of cabs that work best and changing speakers means changing the cab (usually) or putting up with less than optimum results. Swapping speakers round without doing the maths is rarely successful. Your cab is worth something as an original but will lose cvalue if it doesn't have the original drivers so it is usually cost effective to trade up rather than add the cost of two new 10's that may or may not work well. I too use a Black Widow but when i checked found the original Peavey cab designed in the 70's was too big, I built a smaller cab coincidently the same size as my 2x10 and it sounds much better than the original Peavey cab. Peavey still make the Widows and sell new cones that will restore your speaker to original (at a price). If you were keen you could look to make a new cab for the Widow. You'll need to know which one it is though.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1318943772' post='1408047'] [b][font=courier new,courier,monospace]STOP PRESS: Money changes the laws of physics.[/font][/b] [/quote] [quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1318948712' post='1408109'] Speaker management incorporating multiband limiting can accomplish quite a lot, though...which is why as I say I've wondered whether these units use it. Apparent loudness of bass in recorded pop music played through any cheap-o PA is way higher than what you can typically achieve with a live instrument for similar reasons. Of course, I don't actually know whether they do use it but having heard the AER stuff the amount they pump out does seem rather more than what you'd expect from the somewhat puny specs. [/quote] Clearly they do obey the laws of physics. There has to be some explanation and i am quite curious as to how they do it. I suspect Lawrence may be right. For those of you who are not techies compression 'squashes the difference between the loud and quiet bits of music. If music has a 40dB range then the 'average' power of a 200W amp is 20dB below the peak or 2W, compressing the dynamic range to 20db means the 'average' power can be moved up to 20W without distorting on peaks. Compressed sound is also a lot louder subjectively which is why the heavily compressed sound used in ads on telly seems so much louder than the programmes. If you use compression on your bands vocals you'll know that it helps them cut through the mix. Our brains also are pretty easily fooled into hearing things that aren't really there. If you filtered the bass frequencies and applied extra compression to them making them louder in the quiet bits then the overall balance might well seem bassier but without the need for extreme excursions at the high levels that only happen for a few thousandths of a second anyway. All this is guesswork though, I wonder if anyone (Alex) has taken one of these apart to see how they do it?

I have to say these are remarkable. I went to see a pub band and the bassist had one of these. It really filled the pub with sound and I assumed the bassist was DI'ing, but no just the little AER. Great sound too. Unbelievable.

Peavey IPR 1600 (530W a side) is currently on offer at HTFR [url="http://www.htfr.com/p/377623/peavey_ipr_1600_530_watts_per_channel"]http://www.htfr.com/p/377623/peavey_ipr_1600_530_watts_per_channel[/url]

Interesting question. We don't know from your post how the subs crossover to the 10's. If the bass to the 10's is filtered you have no problems. Your cabs are tuned to a particular frequency, by changing speakers they may not match the new speakers. Filling the volume with blocks will raise the tuning frequency of the cab. Having a tuning frequency which does not match your speakers will affect the frequency response low down and if it is particularly bad might cause you to suffer over excursion of the speaker cones at lower powers than if it were tuned properly. You'd hear this as a farty rattly distortion that wasn't there before and it would be a warning to turn down. If you are not noticing it you probably don't have a problem though you are carrying around a cabinet which might not be getting the best out of your new speakers and which could be smaller. When you get time you can feed the new speaker specs and the box size into winISD and see what size the ports should be and try these out. you obviously don't mind a little fiddling.

If it isn't working it is a complete gamble. It could be just the valves gone and replacing them will re start it. You'll then need to replace a lot of the other components to get it working properly but it would be worthwhile. If the output transformer is gone then it is a major and expensive repair. Sniff the transformers and examine them for signs of burning or any malted goo/resin seeping out. Old valve stuff like this is valuable when working though.

I've got to thank everyone again for taking time to answer my questions, judging by the number of hits there are other people who are interested in your answers. Of course they may just be wondering how stupid my questions can get Bassman7755 Honestly I get what you are saying. I'm going to do some ear training along the lines you suggest. Personally I think the evidence is that we are all somewhere on the bell curve of abilities ranging from those with perfect pitch to the tone deaf. Having said that we are not trapped by our genetics, practice and learning will take us a long way. All I can say is I personally find rhythm easier than tone so I need to work on tone more. Doddy, I seem to be reserving my most stupid questions for you, sorry. Yes I can play scales up one string and playing over two octaves is just another spider exercise for me. In the end they are both more patterns, I'm incorrigible. Perhaps I should just move on to Nashville notation and accept my limited abilities. I suppose what I am asking for is for someone to explain how musical theory will improve my playing in a practical sense. I don't doubt that it will, and I read as much as I can. In a theoretical sense I understand modes, scales, triads pentatonics and can even convert sheet music into tab so I must know what all the little squiggles mean. None of this is any practical use to me so far. If I'm playing a new song and it moves from G to C then I know the patterns for both, I know what notes there are between them and which ones they have in common and I play some variation of those, it works. Lots of books, teachers and bassists and other musicians I respect seem to emphasize the learning of scales all over the fretboard and knowing, usually by calling out, all the notes in each scale. Major scales followed by minor scales and eventually all the modes and so on. I don't think they are all wrong, I just don't get it. It's a huge investment of time and it is immensely boring to just play scales even for 10 min's each practice so I need to have a reason I understand to start this. Can anyone explain? Uncle psychosis, that's really interesting, what sort of things did you learn and how has it helped?

[quote name='Doddy' post='1366282' date='Sep 8 2011, 12:34 PM']You can read about things like chord tones anywhere and then apply them to the instrument when you get chance. It's not overly time consuming to read that a C major chord contains the notes C,E,G.You could read and understand this in a few minutes while watching telly or having a crap or anything. Then when you get to pick up the bass,you just have to play them. If you only did one of these a day,you would know what notes make up every major chord in less than 2 weeks,and will have seriously increased your fingerboard knowledge. Of course,you could learn the shape in 10 minutes and move it up and down but you won't actually know what you're playing-only the shape.[/quote] OK that sounds fairly practical. If I'm honest I'm most of the way there with this and it wouldn't be hard to fill in the gaps. I already know about triads, bits and pieces about modes, circles of fifths and snippets of other musical knowlege, just enough to scare myself with my own ignorance I suppose. None of it is systematic though and it is knowing where to start. I also want to understand how things make me a better player. Its easy to see how ear training will improve things and I'm trying to work on that. Music theory is trickier. If I'm playing F# then my fingers know where the 5th above is without thinking and my brain knows it is C#. I can play scales of F#,C# without thinking but how does knowing the note names help other than when I'm talking to another musician. That is probably a dumb question but I suppose it is the bit I don't get.

[quote name='bassman7755' post='1366242' date='Sep 8 2011, 12:06 PM']The audio courses I already mentioned will give a very good return on invested time. Not only that but you can often make use of otherwise "dead" time such as when your travelling/driving, or even at work if your a bit cheeky Really the old "Ive got a talented mate who can effortlessly do X and therefore its pointless for me to even try" is the oldest excuse in the book for inaction, just order the courses today and get started.[/quote] Yeah, I'll have a look at the courses, no point in asking for advice unless you intend taking it! I'm not saying they do it effortlessly but that they spent thousands of hours as a kid learning these skills with proper teachers taking exams. Grade 8 piano A level music, that sort of thing and that that sort of effort and training has given them what i would like. I know it is the formal knowledge that makes it look like magic. My problem is that I would love to spend hours learning this stuff but I can't. So which bit do I tackle first and why?

[quote name='Dave Vader' post='1365396' date='Sep 7 2011, 04:09 PM']Unless you are a lazy git like myself, and just look at the first note on the stave, and move relative to that in semitones/tones (best not to, it encourages mistakes)[/quote] Yeah I do that too.

[quote name='Doddy' post='1365383' date='Sep 7 2011, 03:55 PM']No...do both.It's never an either/or choice. If you get your ear together you will be able to hear what the chord is,if you get your theory sorted you will be able to know what notes are in the chord-it will also give you the knowledge to know where a song is going before it gets there (this is where understanding at least the basics of diatonic harmony comes in very handy.) By using a combination of theory and ear training it becomes easy to learn 20 songs in an afternoon.[/quote] The trouble is that I know you are right but I wonder at the cost in time. I've two friends who learned classical piano as kids to a good standard and they both have an uncanny ability to listen to a song once and play it back fairly accurately first time with all the chords in their correct inversions. It would take me a day to play the melody only and twenty listenings. They both had good ears though before they started though. I don't have enough life left to do the 10,000 hours at the hour a day i can spare for practice or formal learning. Equally I don't expect to become expert, just better than I am now. I'm not looking for shortcuts, just the most effective way of using the time I have and some practical next steps.

This is getting closer to the sort of advice I was looking for. I'd say my 'ear' is pretty poor. My sense of rhythm seems to be OK, some of our songs are in 12/8, 6/8, 5/4 and others have other Latin rhythms that I cope with. the only thing I've struggled with is the little bit of 7/4 in 'Times Like These'. I can 'hear' rhythm pretty well and that gets you halfway there I suppose. Whilst I am getting better I can't really hear the notes very clearly. I struggle just to pick out the root from a song and tend to work out songs by trial and error. I avoid songs where I don't have an accurate set of chords and tend to ask our guitarist to help out a lot of the time. I can't sing in tune at all confirming all the bass player stereotypes. So are we saying it is a choice between ear training and formal music theory? I've another 20 songs to learn in the next two months.

Wow! I've only been gone a couple of hours. Thanks everyone. I suppose the question I'm asking is how best to spend a limited time improving. I'm old enough not to expect shortcuts but I know I haven't time to do everything. I play in two bands including an acoustic duo and I have about 200 songs learned. I need to practice pretty hard to keep them all up in the air and I try to learn a new song about every other week, mostly from chords, tabs tend not to be very accurate anyway and I only go to them if I'm stuck. I practice about an hour a day. Sadly keeping this up for another 30 years isn't an option as i will be well into my eighties by then! So lessons, learning formal scales or musical theory would all have to come out of practice time, at least in part. What would be the one thing you would do next?