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As an occasional soundman I often dislike the sound that engineers give my bass through a pa so I prefer to shape it to some extent with an active DI box - that way you define the basic tone but they can adjust it to the venue's acoustics. Of course if you like the sound of your bass straight into a desk then that's all you need.

Anyway I got myself a Seymour Duncan Paranormal Active Bass DI which has 3-band EQ, and a "slap" contour which is not unlike the Yamaha NE-1's tone shaping. A really useful box, only trouble is for ROHS compliancy reasons you have to get it from the US. It is particularly good with my NS WAV.

The other useful thing I have is my DB mic mount which can attach directly to my combo or cab, and I keep a condenser mic in with my leads.

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I started on piano at some single-digit age and was rubbish at it even though I liked the sounds it made. Switched to clarinet and did a grade but playing it made my head vibrate (how do sax players cope?).

At around 13 I picked up a bass (Japanese archtop with plastic-wound black strings and an action you could fly an Apache attack helicopter under) and was hooked, although fairly quickly added guitar and then mandolin. Later on learnt some violin and then double bass.

Out of all the instruments the one I am happiest with at the moment is EUB, although mandolin is a close second. I don't really like playing guitar in a band. I love playing violin but the neighbours throw their shoes at the wall when I do. Acoustic upright is great especially for the tone and for bowing but hard work so maybe I need to get my bridge adjusted...

I currently play bass (mainly EUB) with Bristol backing band the Bad Vegetarians, and mandolin with north Devon acoustic outfit Weaver. I also play bass for Sarana Verlin when she is over this side of the Atlantic.

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Mike bought my mic stands and stands case, and is a great guy to do business with. Thanks!

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Now sold to alyctes who is not only a splendid chap, but also has a use for the flight case that I would never in a million years have thought of!

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Update... Alan at J-Tone sent another Deep Bass pickup to try which was far better at noise rejection and certainly had plenty of output and bottom end, however I also opted to try a set of his double-paddle "Reds" which have worked on my DB excellently (after making a pair of wood shims to fit them to the bridge) so I am sticking with them.

Hopefully that's my DB sorted as I now have high-output piezo, plus condenser mic on the Exploraudio H-Clamp, all mixable down to one channel through the Raven Labs PMB-1.

A big accolade for Alan at J-Tone btw, he is extremely helpful and co-operative and I hope his pickups do well. I wouldn't hesitate to buy again.

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Ps I have discovered that retrieving a wooden shim after it has dropped into a DB through an f-hole can provide literally hours of entertainment!

[quote name='JTUK' post='1239854' date='May 22 2011, 12:18 AM']Her name is Esperanza [/quote]

Another bass player called Esperanza? I must tell the jazzy one

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Mine goes in my Renault Megane (the model with the J-Lo rear end), either on the front passenger seat with the headrest removed and the seat folded back, or in the back with the rear seats down and the headstock over the central console. In addtion to the the DB I can also get in the WAV and my Ashdown Acoustic Radiator in its flight case. Oh and sometimes a singer although she complains a bit.

Hint: if you buy an old DB that has been painted black, tie it to the roof of your car especially if it's raining. You never know...

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[quote name='JamieBenzies' post='1064603' date='Dec 20 2010, 02:40 PM']Sorry I forgot to get back to this thread! I haven't had any gigs on where I have played upright and I have barely used the pickup - as I think I have already mentioned it is definitely a significant improvement on the awful Piezo I had before but I can't really say much else yet. I'll post when I get a good chance to play with it.[/quote]

I have just installed my second product from J-Tone... first I tried the twin-paddle pickup which didn't willingly fit my bridge and I sold on. Noticed a high-output, deep-bass single paddle version on Ebay with a 4mm rubber coated pickup which I bought and which turned up today (very fast delivery).

It fits my bridge well and is undoubtedly higher output (although nothing like the piezo on my WAV) and has deep bass. It is unfortunately incredibly good at picking up interference from energy saving bulbs, the central heating boiler, next-door's fish tank, you name it. Obvious things; try different leads, pre-amps, earth lifts etc, still no good. Tried it through the Raven Labs pre into the hi-fi (which runs off a UPS), still no good. It picks up most everything and there is a huge 50Hz hum. Put it near a lamp, and it will react to your hand closing round the energy-saving bulb. A shame, as otherwise this was very promising!

I am going to continue to play with it and see how it behaves with other amps/leads/pre-amps etc. Maybe I will try wrapping the whole assembly in tin foil...

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[quote name='High5bass' post='1236632' date='May 19 2011, 09:12 AM']I use this - [url="http://www.djmmusic.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=SIS14-BK"]http://www.djmmusic.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=SIS14-BK[/url]

Looks the same as Gareth's from Thomann. I've had no problems with it.[/quote]

I have one of these also, via Ebay for under £30. It's great in the house but I'm not sure it's collapsible enough or sturdy enough for gigs.

I like the look of the Hercules db stand and may well invest in one to keep in the car.

Btw the standard Hercules "grab" guitar stand on maximum extension holds a WAV + boomerang strap...

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I haven't been there but I used to own a Gliga Gama violin and the build quality is very high, remarkably so for the price... I have toyed with the idea of a Gliga DB but as I've never seen one have held off so far.

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I have an unwanted stands case containing 3 unwanted boom stands...

The case is by R J Flytes and measures as follows (in mm): external 1030 x 300 x 250; internal excluding foam 1000 x 270 x 220; internal including foam 975 x 245 x 195.

Boom stands are Stagg heavy duty (i.e. not the cheap tinny ones), clips not included. 2 are full height, 1 is short (for drums/amps etc).

The case is in good condition, catches and handles 100%, a few external marks but well looked-after. The stands are in excellent condition as they have alweays been kept in the case.

£75 - collection preferred but maybe something could be sorted re shipping.

If anyone wants the case without the stands or vice versa I am open to offers!

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[attachment=79586:standscase1.jpg]
[attachment=79587:standscase2.jpg]
[attachment=79588:standscase3.jpg]

Owen is now the new owner of my NS Design end pin, and is an excellent chap to trade with.

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Now sold.

[quote name='tauzero' post='1219914' date='May 4 2011, 02:51 PM']As this was also in the pictures of your WAV-4, can I assume that it fits a WAV with no modification required? I tried putting one (from a CR IIRC, think it was mottlefeeder's) onto my WAV but it wouldn't fit - the boss that the bolt goes through was too big to fit in the hole at the back of the WAV.[/quote]

I am surprised as I thought it was a one size fits all deal... the end pin has the same size bolt as the tripod stand and the boomerang strap and all fit my WAV no problem... no mods to anything afaik and as I bought the boomerang strap new that would have shown up any changes.

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NS Design EUB end pin... a great accessory and way better than the tripod stand but I hardly ever use it being a boomerang strap convert so now for sale.

£100 plus shipping (collect from Devon or could maybe meet Bristol/Gloucestershire area as I have a gig up that way in a week or so, likewise am playing down in Falmouth next week if anyone from Cornwall is interested).

More photos available if needed,

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[attachment=78958:endpin2.jpg]
[attachment=78957:endpin1.jpg]
[attachment=78959:endpin3.jpg]

My home-built 1x10 + 1x12 cab is vertical configuration - never quite understood why anyone have a 2-speaker cab otherwise!

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I have a cheap set of DB strings to try this out with, think I will go with the plastic protection idea though...

Btw I think I am going to let my endpin go if anyone is interested, see for sale section.

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1213341' date='Apr 27 2011, 11:35 PM']Alnico is just another magnet material[/quote]

I feel that may not be a sentence to use over in the Les Paul forum...

[quote]I did swap my Ashdown combo (first amp) for an Acoustic 126 a while back. Was that you?[/quote]

That was me. Another swap and your Ashdown combo is now a practice amp for one of the loudest classic rock outfits in Bristol.

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Ok I know it's neither multi-band nor cheap, but has anyone tried that T-Rex Squeezer valve compressor pedal? Sure looks good...

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1211974' date='Apr 26 2011, 07:59 PM']A bunch of the 'vintage' is in the low rating. Look at guitar speakers, they break up easy, any abass speakers have been made not to. Celestion vintage 30s are nice for driven clunky tones.[/quote]

That's the trouble with the vintage stuff, sounds great but mostly low wattage. Not a fan of that Celestion V30 sound myself... maybe neo is the way to go as it's supposed to have alnico-like response.

Btw didn't I trade you an Acoustic Combo a couple of years back?

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Looking for suggestions for speakers with a vintage sound i.e. like Jensen etc but with higher rating... specifically need a 10" and a 12" (my home-built cab is an asymetric speaker design) minimum 75 watts apiece and preferably available in 16 ohms.

Any suggestions?

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[quote name='keeponehandloose' post='1195538' date='Apr 11 2011, 11:35 AM']Seriously,£3.50 for a beach ball,what have you got to loose.[/quote]

I'd seriously worry about taking the soundpost out. £3.50 for a beach ball, £50 for a soundpost reset if you get it wrong.

Are these here Kent Armstrong pickups still available? Can't find a link anywhere...

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[quote name='flyfisher' post='1194213' date='Apr 10 2011, 12:57 AM']I wonder what the H&S police would have to say about such things?[/quote]

Something along the lines of "amplifiers can contain lethal voltages even when disconnected and should not be dismantled except by qualified personnel". And they are right.

As already said, you can get a serious belt from those big caps in there... is you don't know whats what inside it, best to leave well alone. And remember you've got to put it back together safely... anyone remember Les Harvey?

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Anyone know a good db luthier/tech in north Devon? I want to lower my action a bit, not quite up to re-profiling a bridge myself.

Oh as an aside I had fun half hour earlier with the WAV through a Rocktron Vertigo Vibe I picked up cheap on fleabay - trippy!

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Trying to recall where I bought my '83 Gibson Spirit II (yes I know it has too many strings and they are too thin), I am sure it was from a shop called Gig Riggers and I am fairly sure it was in Reigate... thing is that was a very rock'n'roll period pour moi so memories a little hazy and I can't find anything to say such a place ever existed (the shop, not Reigate), anyone remember it?

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