LawrenceH

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='844935' date='May 22 2010, 10:53 AM']Dodgy soundclip video with the bass plugged straight into the pc's mic socket - You don't realise until you do one of these how difficult it is to play when you can't hear yourself! [/quote] That sound is wickedly 'j-bass in yer face'. Want one! Bank balance says...no

Haven't got an answer for you (but could potentially plug it into WinISD and give one), but for 2000 watts into 2x15", twin 3" ports are nowhere near big enough to get the most out of your speakers regardless of tuning. What kind of power are you actually putting through the cab?

For some reason all I can think of looking at that is Bill and Ted.

That would be a pretty sweet instrument - and I say that despite not being into Metal. [Shameless Plug] I'm selling a pair of big singles on here [/ Shameless Plug]

[quote name='Rachel' post='841434' date='May 18 2010, 09:46 PM']Hmmm... can't find any second hand Mark Bass amps at the mo tho...I did have a look, but all out of my budget by the time I've bought a cab as well...[/quote] The Markbass don't come up that often given how many units they must have shipped, and when they do they tend to get snapped up quick - an indication of just how well-regarded they are in the bass-playing community. I still think the Warwick will be the most powerful and versatile rig...but personally I really rate portability. It all depends how much louder you need your new rig compared to your current set-up! I'd guess that the Genz would be a tad louder but a lot clearer, whereas the Warwick would be a monster, with the Eden somewhere in between. To be honest I don't think you're going to know for sure until you've experienced a few different rigs, which means begging, borrowing, stealing or buying! At least secondhand if you buy wisely you won't lose much if you decide it's not for you.

Your back, or your husband's, will thank you - but it won't get anything like as loud as the full Warwick rig. Course, you could always add a 2x10" at a later date.

I don't really know why anyone would object to an extra pickup - it's not like you HAVE to use it, but it'd make the bass more versatile. I suppose you might worry about the aesthetic, but then a custom build won't look identical to a real Fender anyway. Now, jazz or MM? and if jazz, 60s or 70s position? Matching headstock fo' sure. Do people use Audere pre amps on P basses? That magical Z switch ought to be pretty cool, and I remember that thread where the OP was thinking of modding his vintage P with a pre to make it more versatile.

Mmm, LM3 plus Eden. Lush. But my head says Warwick if your back can stand it.

[quote name='rmshaw37' post='840251' date='May 17 2010, 09:49 PM']hi there, i LOVE my rig its a gene simmons punisher (no hating please, i just thought the active emgs might have an affect on cab selection) sansamp rpm genz benz shuttle 6 (only use the power section, sansamp is the pre and DI) ampeg 115e i absolutely adore the 115 tone, it has all the lows that the big 410hlf and 810 DO NOT HAVE TO MY EARS!! plus the slight click to distinguish notes, plus the gorgeous 2k boost that i love and defines my sound! when i play the smaller gigs, i cant hear myself without turning WAY up (much the the disapproval of the guitar player) i think this may be due to standing close to the cab, and theres not always the ability to stick the cab next to my ear. ideally i want another cab to stick on top of it, so i can hear myself as evenly as possibly wherever i stand on the non monitor gigs![/quote] It may be that you've got too much boom going on low down for the smaller gigs which means when you turn up enough to hear the mids (where the definition is) you get waaay too much low end for the space you're in. In which case I'd say a tight, punchy little 2x10". Think about whether the tone you love sounds best in the mix or in isolation, pay particular attention to the bottom end. If it's great in the mix, then get an identical cab to what you've got already as Mr Foxen has said.

[quote name='Rachel' post='839520' date='May 17 2010, 09:31 AM']It's lighter than what I'm using at the moment, so that's good! ... unless that Dr BAss one has a major plus point that I haven't considered (apart from the price, obv!)...[/quote] It is over 20lb lighter thanks to the neodymium speakers, and the 8" should give it a beautiful clear mid-range that projects well (caveat - I've not actually heard it! They're more common in the states, but I believe they're well-designed), and the attenuators on the crossover add versatility. Plus it's 8 ohms which gives the option of an extension cab at a later date, whereas the Eden gives you 400w max power handling and that's 4 ohms so you're stuck with it unless you get a 2ohm-capable amp. Having said that, the Eden will sound nice and do a decent job - well-respected brand as you say, so will be easier to shift in future, and that's also up at a good price. I've heard of a few dying when pushed hard with lots of low-end though, but that's not unique to Eden even among higher-end manufacturers! (Don't trust watts ratings over what your ears tell you)

Two separate smaller cabs would definitely be my preference, perhaps ideally a 1x15" and a 2X10", a very standard set-up. Don't get too worried about individual driver sizes, except to note that whichever configuration you go for you want a decent overall driver surface area, and you want it to fit in your car. Of course, a 4x10 will do the same job as two separate 2x10s that took up the same amount of room overall and used the equivalent drivers - but you don't have to use both for every gig, it's easier to move two small boxes than one big one, and you can stack them in a tall thin line on stage which does have performance advantages (a square is a rubbish way of arranging speaker drivers). Secondhand is definitely the way to get more for your money. I'd say those SWR would give you a good, full, versatile rock tone. But go and try some kit out - maybe some people on here who're near you would be willing to help out in that regard, I've found basschat a helpful place. Perhaps buy a single 8ohm cab to start with (say, 1x15" Barefaced Compact. About as loud and deep a 15" cab as you'll find on the market, and light weight too), with the intention of adding to it if you find it necessary and funds allow. Be wary of trying cabs at low volume. They may sound nice when they're quiet but totally run out of extension at gig volume. Compacts pop up in the used section on here. Or this: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=85827"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=85827[/url] Which is a steal of a price because the brand isn't that well known...but it will be a LOT better than anything new close to that price.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='838806' date='May 16 2010, 12:58 PM']I wouldnt worry about the specs so much. I used to own a Peavey 4x10 and they do push some air, but they arent that great IMO.[/quote] This. There are meaningful specs, but most cabs don't come with them. Frequency response quoted from manufacturers is usually useless, and watts power handling is also of very limited use in bass applications. Hearing the cabs at volume is the way forward. If that's not possible, then researching the actual loudspeaker drivers loaded into cabs is much more informative but requires a rather geeky mindset and is time-consuming. Fortunately for you, there are plenty of people here who've done the work for you and the more experienced people's suggestions will all be competent performers rather than mutton dressed as lamb. The issue then is what kind of sound you're after - what genre(s) of music do you play and are there any famous players/records whose sound is close to what you're after from your musicman? EDIT: Plus, how are you sorted for roadies and vans? Is weight/size an issue?

I wouldn't worry too much about buying Behringer these days...I've had PA kit fail from Mackie, JBL, QSC and Soundcraft, all supposedly much more reliable, and Behringer's amp range are actually developing quite a good reputation at the budget end of the market. The fact that they're a big company with lots of UK distributors can work in your favour with warranty repairs. Nothing that cheap is 100% reliable no matter what company it's from, and at least it's not esoteric.

Faithless is right of course, and I'd also agree that noisy FX in general aren't the answer... BUT... a sound engineering trick I found worked every time was the optical compression option on an Aphex aural exciter (the 'big bottom' function). This was excellent at squeezing maximum fatness out of a given system, either as an insert on bass or across the whole mix. Great for totally shoddy inadequate bass bins, but also good even on a decent rig for filling out the sound. A useful alternative to upgrading an entire amp/speaker system and potentially sacrificing portability. I think they put it in a pedal for bassists, dunno if Behringer or someone does a cut-price knock-off version?

I have tried one in Edinburgh...FWIW I thought it was very well finished, much better than the Squiers and standard Mex. It was light weight too and the neck was the nicest I've ever played on a jazz. I can't comment on the tone as I only tried through the shop amps at low volume.

[quote name='flyfisher' post='833381' date='May 10 2010, 06:23 PM']It's an interesting idea - I'd not heard of applying different effects to different frequencies and mixing the result back. I wonder if anyone has ever bothered to wire each string pick-up separately, which would allow different effects to be applied to each string. Not sure I could get my head around all the options and possibilities that would allow. Mind you, I don't use any effects anyway so a single pedal would probably confuse me. [/quote] I'm pretty sure the grateful dead did that, as did Paul Jackson of the Headhunters. (scoots off on the internet). Yup, [url="http://pauljacksonbass.com/geraldine.html"]http://pauljacksonbass.com/geraldine.html[/url]

[quote name='parker_muse' post='832141' date='May 9 2010, 01:08 PM']I've not removed it - i'll do that now and give it a go.[/quote] To be honest I wouldn't bother 'til it's fixed, in case it affects your warranty (it shouldn't but some music store people don't realise that). If it keeps cutting out now, it suggests a component that is already on its last legs. It may have been caused by thermal stresses in the past. So, assuming it's possible with these Superfly heads, I'd get it repaired under warranty and then when you get it back take it out of the case. Maybe even mod it for fan cooling.

[quote name='parker_muse' post='832127' date='May 9 2010, 01:00 PM']Well it's broken down again. Ashdown haven't replied yet so i'll call them tomorrow.[/quote] This is a tangential point that's unlikely to solve your problem here but may help in future if you get it fixed. Have you removed the superfly from the outer casing? Supposedly this aids the cooling thanks to a design flaw. Hot components leads to unreliability. Good luck getting it sorted!

[quote name='Eight' post='832121' date='May 9 2010, 12:53 PM']This question probably makes me look even dumber (but hey, if you've been on this forum for a while then you've seen me make stupider posts)... I'm currently using a Warwick Pro Fet 5.2 and a Barefaced Compact. The Fet is 500W @ 4ohm (so maybe around 300W into the 8ohm Compact). I often see posts about getting another 8ohm cab to get the most out of an amp... but if I did where would I plug it in??? The amp has a 1 x speakon (I think) port marked "500W@4ohm Min" and 1 x standard jack "Speaker" output. I'm probably misunderstanding but presumably you can't plug an 8ohm cab into the speakon??? So can this amp only take one cab then??? Or am I missing the vital piece of information all other bass players know? [/quote] Does the Compact not have a pair of speakons then? If so, daisy-chain from that, it'll be parallel. If not (why not? Grr) then just use the speaker out jack, it'll be parallel with the speakon and with an 8 ohm cab will give you 4 ohms total load. The amp doesn't care which way round you connect the speakers as long as it's a parallel connection it's electrically identical, the speakon is just a better socket design than a jack.

Every cheap Ibanez I've tried has been easy to play and well set-up. Yamaha are also very reliable in terms of quality control, and in my opinion have the edge in terms of pickups in the mid-range models.

The Deltalite 2512 has a very high Vas - so in a small cab it has a big upper-bass 'hump' that will be good for some players and will give a perception of strong bass although my worry would be that some people (like me) would find them boomy. The Kappalites should have more true bass capability and a less humped response in a smaller box, and for a clear tone I'd go for the 3012HO rather than LF - it still has plenty of excursion and will function better without a separate midrange. Also the higher sensitivity is good

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='827017' date='May 4 2010, 12:20 AM']Quite true - I've just been reading about Jameson's bass. He was quoted as saying that he, in fact, never changed the strings after he replaced the original Fender stock strings with LaBellas.[/quote] Jamerson was a jazz player to start with, i.e. double bass. That, together with the really limited recording technology available at Motown in the early days where they struggled to fit everything in the mix, no doubt influenced his tonal preference enormously and the latter would have limited what options would actually work in the mix context to a much greater extent than today. Also don't forget, he had tape saturation and a recording engineer to shape his tone - he wouldn't need the facility to modify it from the bass. I must say I kind of like the idea of Chris modifying his bass, just to annoy all the collector-types! It's only a blob of solder, after all...but if resale is likely then I guess it makes sense to be cautious. (I bet this bass isn't on original strings though - would the collectors keep these on too?! Even Jamerson might have broken a couple after 40-odd years)

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='826910' date='May 3 2010, 10:33 PM']Eminence has been using Klippel Analysis to measure xmax on their drivers for about four years. It's defined as excursion at 10% THD. It's a far more valid method than coil depth/plate thickness methods, which are neither accurate nor consistent. For instance, in the case of under-hung coils that method gives an xmax of zero. Comparing the Klippel versus coil/plate figures on Eminence drivers the Klippel figure runs about 15% higher. Using that standard the BN10300S would come in around 2.5mm, and the NTR-10 2520D around 4.9mm. As to why Klippel is not universally employed it's simply a matter of the manufacturers not buying the gear.[/quote] Thanks for an interesting reply Bill - it's funny that the Eminence come out so low in terms of difference between the two methods, compared to (for example) B&C drivers such as the 10NW64 - they claim a one-way Xmax of 8mm measured by the Klippel method, whereas the Celestion method would give 4mm and Alex's would give 6mm. So in this case the Klippel method runs 100% higher and even Alex's method is quite conservative in comparison. For the NDL64, equivalent figures are 6, 3 and 5, whereas the 12" NW100 gives 9, 6 and 9.5. In the absence of properly equivalent measurements, and based on nothing but subjective experience of Celestion PA drivers being very good, clean performers, I'd bet that the NTRs run closer to the B&C end of the scale, and Alex's guesstimate formula, than to 15% extra. In theory I should be able to compare directly (albeit subjectively) at some point since I have a Deltalite II 2510 kicking around.

I can't see any way you can do this without breaking something. The solder joint seems the logical point of attack. Probably some insane hi-fi freak would claim otherwise, but in the dimension I inhabit, solder doesn't contribute one iota to 'vintage tone', or to playability. You could always use a solder sucker and save the original solder in a little bag! The at least you could restore it to 'all original' components. I'm sure that would reduce collector's value, but what's the point in having the damn thing if it doesn't do exactly what you want? You could either treat it as an investment, put it in a glass case and hunt for yet another P that gives you the tone and feel you're after, or just take the plunge!