mazdah

10 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

If that was the case FOH and recording studios wouldn't have converted to digital many years ago.

Which part of FOH? The mixing desk? It's a tool I think they are awesome and I wouldn't expect anyone to take Neve to a bar gig

As for the studios - yes, we did used a computer to record the sound coming out of our amps but I don't think I can say that this or any respectable studio I know converted to digital:

21 hours ago, SimonK said:

 

That's a bold claim that probably hasn't been the case for most technology like this produced in the last twenty years. While I do prefer amps, it is very definitely not for this reason.

 

With the bass the situation IMO is easier - we mostly have volume pot full open, we like compression most of the time.

With the electric guitar I tend to use one channel and get clean - rhythm - and solo tones mostly by using volume controls (and rarely booster). I found it very hard to get achieve this kind of reactions on Cortex even with some quite pro third-party amp captures compared to the same real amps standing next to FRFR cab connected to Cortex.

With Tonex (well maybe IK Multimedia, because I haven't used their hardware, only plugins):

Amplitube 4 is plain terrible, Amplitude 5 is much better, but still for bass Ampegs and Fender TBP-1 (which I own in my rack) are just plain awful compared to real ones.

For guitar - same as Cortex, but worse. Maybe my problem is that I tend to compare them in a very straightforward way: I know this amp "in real life" and I know how it would react, and when the digital version of the same amp doesn't do that - I get upset  It's strictly for playing - I haven't compared recorded tracks yet. 

The digital technology came a very long way and is fantastic and very convenient. But still this convenience degrades sound quality. 

While I alway love Tech21 preamps, we (as a band) have tried Tones and Cortex platforms and there is simply no comparison.

Maybe recorded or sent 100% through PA they sound is the same, but I can't stand the fact that they (compared to amps) are non-responsive to articulation, volume changes or anything you do with your instrument. Also we always liked to create a good stage mix instead of using our amps simply as a monitors - we don't really need to hear precisely what we play, but we have to hear how our playing contributes to the whole band/song. 

If I had 150 gigs a year I might want to switch to pedalboard with Sansamp only just for logistics, but I am no pro, I still have my day job and I still have to fill half of the 150 slots, so my amps are doing fine  The FRFR cabs are not an option - they are just a farty piles of mud, nowhere near reproducing a characteristics of real guitar or bass cabinet. 

(sorry for no-bass pic, but you have the rig;) 

Today Michael Leagues CASA head officially (and quietly) joined Markbass 58R line.

https://www.markbass.it/product/little-mark-casa-58r

Without much fuss (one post on socials, webpage) or any promotion it joined 58R line, which was introduced over a year ago. Many of us saw the amp on earlier promo shots of 58R Line, but it was never mentioned by Markbass or Michael League (who still uses old CASA live and currently recording and album with Snarky Puppy)

Finally for those who wanted it -CASA in small package. I wonder will the new CASA be able to compete with Little Mark Vintage 58R and Andrew Gouche signature signature. All of them have quite similar target and old school  vibe.

Changes? Two basic EQ shelving bands are now changed from 50Hz to 100Hz for Bass and  5kHZ  to 10kHz for Treble, which I find less appealing.

This is how the EQ is set now:

BASS: frequency 100Hz (shelving); level ±16 dB

TREBLE: frequency 10 KHz (shelving); level ±16 dB

ULTRALOW: center frequency 65 Hz; level ±16 dB

LOW: center frequency 180 Hz; level ±16 dB

MID: center frequency 500 Hz; level ±16 dB

MID HIGH: center frequency 1.4 KHz; level ±16 dB

HIGH: center frequency 3.8 KHz; level ±16 dB

Weight: 4.4 lbs /2 Kg

You got a newer manual, for B or C revision - with a mistake. Recording Out (XLR cable) is a post-EQ only, as stated in correct manual. You can use "Tuner out" jack connected to any stage dibox to have Pre-EQ DI. 

Also what's even more important for me - I get MUCH better results with tube guitar amp and guitar cabinet for bridge pickup than using a bass amp and cab with dirt pedal. 

Using Ric-o-Sound with another clean bass amp is a worthless idea. However using it with dirty guitar amp (AND CAB) for bridge and bass amp for neck pickup gave me THE BEST dirt sound I've ever heard.

And I have 17 dirt boxes on shelf  

I have Gator one.

With two basses it is heavy and not very comfortable. I wouldn't take a bus route with two basses. With G&L and P-bass I've managed to tear off the handle.

With one or two basses with angled headstocks it's troublesome to fit them safely enough (for me)

Use the blend pot - very powerful tool. 

I was recording so... it's a little over the top. 

Pros:

- none

Cons:

- the sound

3 hours ago, ossyrocks said:

I always fancied trying a MB Casa rig. I'm a bit of a Michael League fanboy, and we both play predominantly P basses.

 

Rob

I'm also a big fan of Michael, but knowing the amp developing history (the REAL one) I'm kinda disappointed and I'm considering this amp as typical "cash jump" for both Markbass and Michael.

It is lightweight, very loud, good looking, nice (but not overwhelmingly good) sounding hoax. 

Right now, four:

- main: Ampeg SVT III with Ampeg Svt410He

- second main: Eden WT 800 with Eden D410T

- small: SWR PB-200 with SWR Goliath Jr. 

- living room one: Markbass CASA with Markbass Classic CASA 104

and racks with two Ampegs SVP-PRO, a Fender TBP-1, SWR GP, Sansamp RBI… 

that’s too much 😛 

1 hour ago, Mornats said:

I have the Behringer copy of this that I got mainly for guitar. What settings work well for you on bass? I've not really set it up for bass yet.

CS-2 or CS-3 copy? They are quite different. 

I have Sustain at 2 o'lock, Attack on max, level to unity gain - Juan Alderete settings

For me  it would be a Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer.

For 20 years of bassplaying I hated compressors, never used them, never needed, never liked how they affect the sound and the feel of the instrument. Until CS-2. WOW. 

My number two would be Xotic Bass BB Preamp. My favorite OD combined with my number three - analog Boss CEB-3. 

It's an older version (first half of the nineties most likely) of current 500W SVT-410HE. It has four speakers of an old 400W SVT-810E, just like the modern one has four speakers of modernSVT-810E

I wouldn't dare to gig with a 7-PRO thru this cab, but I do with SVT III Non Pro and the cab works fantastic and sounds great. It is a perfect match for SVT-III and should be as good with 3-PRO. 

EDIT: 
It is quite heavy since like all Ampeg cabs from the first half of the nineties it is not made of plywood. But the sound IS there and I dare to say - it sounds little bit nicer than the newer version. 

Whoa I'm in deep shock.

I had EBMM SR 5, EBMM SUB5 and I currently have EBMM Sterling Classic 4.  And all of them gave me the same big problem - they do have THE PUNCH. They are LOUD. They are FAT. I had to fight them all the time - no matter how light I touch the strings I hear and feel EVERY note up in front, like a kick in the face.

Whey I play my P-bass I'm sitting great in the mix, giving the solid foundation to the band. With the Music Man bass... me and the drummer are the band, the guitars are lost. 

I use SVT III non pro with older 200W version of SVT-410HE. I really like this setup, plenty loud, sits great in the band mix. 

I also liked 3PRO, but III is more focused and not as dirty. 

Here is the manual. 

https://ampeg.com/support/files/Discontinued User Manuals/SVT-III/SVT-III Manual.pdf

There is one in Poland for sale.

http://ampbroker.pl/en/head/712-ampeg-svt-iip.html?search_query=ampeg+svt&results=48

The Marshall website no longer has  Eden listed as a brand.

Looks like they quietly pulled the plug.

I think there is SOMETHING going on, since Warwick Gnome is essentially THE SAME amp as Elf. 

On 06/11/2020 at 14:57, 4&5 String said:

I agree I think all of the Thunderfunk models were great. Made extremely well.  The 420 were the early one's. He continued the AMP Gibson who bought out AMP in 88 I think. When thunderfunk bought them out around 2000. He made them better and improved the sound. AMP was a few members from SWR who designed it so it had a little bit of SWR in it. And a lot of EDEN. SWR and EDEN never liked each other when SWR pulled away from EDEN who was making their cabinets. That's why EDEN came out with the David series while SWR had the Goliath. Get the resemblance? David and Goliath. Sorry for getting away to far from the amps. But again I really liked Thunderfunk.

I know that story To be honest, I was so hooked up by that when I got my AMP few years ago, that I end up with corresponding stack: 

AMP-BH-420
SWR PB-200 - first SWR model, unfortunately mine is a little older - from 1987
Eden D-410T - "original David" - unfortunately newer one - with golden horn and plastic recessed handles. There is one older - looking just like Goliath - dirt cheap nearby, but the thing is so damn heavy, that I won't be able to take two to the gigs
SWR Goliath JR II - I'm afraid not many original " Made by Eden Goliaths I" survived to this day. 

This setup made me ultra happy and ultra worried at the same time. The amps are perfectly serviceable nowadays, but there is no way to find replacement speakers or recone parts so I must be careful   

No gigs in the future because of the covid outbreak, so I took them all home, to make neighbors mad...
Dragging 40,5kg Eden to the fourth floor almost killed me. 

100% Solid stare: AMP BH-420, which is also the best solid state amp ever created (Thunderfunk I consider as the same amp, with tweaks).

hybrid: I think I loved my SVT-3PRO, my ABM300 and currently I love my SWR PB-200. 

After many years with Ampeg and brief affair with Ashdown I went nuts and got myself an SWR amp with ancient Eden d410t (original David) cabinet. 
 

Couldn’t be happier! Want more SWRs!!!

I’d go for Vietnamese, or older than 1999 USA: us made Ampeg cabs from 1999 to 2006 were from osb board; Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean are true plywood.