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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? ficelles

[quote name='bigjohn' post='1179746' date='Mar 28 2011, 05:04 PM']I reckon you'd be quite hard pushed in a blind test to to tell the difference between 2x8 Ohm cabs / 4 Ohm @ 500W and 2x4 Ohm / 8 Ohm @ 300W.[/quote] Not really in these specific circumstances... the handling @ 4 Ohms is apparently 400W, push 500W (the amp's rated output into 4 Ohms) into that and 3 things will happen very quickly: [list=1] [*]The speaker cone will go beyond its maximum excursion and permanently crease and disfigure. You will be aware of this by the buzzing, farty noise it starts to make. [*]The speaker coil will melt. You will hear nasty crackling noises and a very reduced volume. [*]Smoke will start to escape from the amp as the output transformer drives into a load it can't handle. Silence will soon follow. [/list] Best avoided! ficelles

[quote name='obbm' post='1179658' date='Mar 28 2011, 03:58 PM']500-watt max amp into a 400-watt cab? I think you are worrying needlessly. You'll hear any problems before any damage is done.[/quote] I used to run a 575W amp into a 600W cab. See the "free Eminence Gamma 10" post for the result! Interestingly I now run a 160W head into the same (refurbished) cab and it doesn't sound significantly quieter... P=VI may be the maths but cabinet and speaker efficiency put a limit on effective output power... ficelles

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1179566' date='Mar 28 2011, 02:46 PM']2 X 4 OHM loads would = 2 OHMS[/quote] Or 8 Ohms if wired in series... ficelles

I have no words... Sorry, that should have been "I have no words, innit". ficelles

With 4 very different basses (acoustic upright, WAV, Jazz defret, Warwick fretless) I generally just take whatever I think is the one for the night. Mind you if I get it wrong and end up playing a night of thrash metal on the acoustic upright the end result can be more than a few blisters... Generally the WAV is the safe option - I've gigged and recorded everything from metal to trad jazz on that little sucker, and it always fits the bill. And it don't need no steenkin' batteries :-) ficelles

[quote name='endorka' post='1170235' date='Mar 21 2011, 12:02 AM']In my experience the bow radius was good for bowing, although I did set the string height quite high - at one point I had the strings as high as they could go. I also used proper double bass strings. I was also well chuffed with the sound from the Wav. The main problem I had with the Wav was getting it steady enough so the neck wouldn't move about when playing. Nothing I tried could really stop this, which made intonation more difficult than it is on a proper double bass. Needless to say, making intonation even more difficult is not something you want, especially when playing arco.[/quote] I have the bridge at max height but still find it a little low, albeit still using the short scale NS strings at the moment. I have endpin and boomerang strap in addition to the tripod stand - the endpin is great as you can set the WAV nice and steady but still shift around to get the best position for the moment, just like a real upright. The tripod I find very restricting although I use it at home. The boomerang strap is a different thing altogether - I have tried bowing with it (there may even be video evidence on YouTube from Detroit last year with Sarana Verlin) and it kind of works but it's a bit like bowing a bass guitar. Spinal Tap would have done it... ficelles

[quote name='NDH' post='1170221' date='Mar 20 2011, 11:25 PM']...I have full DB strings [Obligatos] on the NXT.[/quote] Interested in this, are you wrapping the Obligatos round the end of the NXT and anchoring in the backplate? I've considered this (as the WAV also has the alternate full-length anchoring) but am worried about damage to the finish at the wraparound point and stress on those lightweight machine heads... ficelles

Salut! ficelles

I've been Jonesing for a PJ Briefcase for some time... I think they have one in at Mansons, must get down there and check it out. ficelles

Living in a flat it's hard to play arco on the acoustic without the neighbours throwing their shoes at the wall and their dawgs howling along in sympathy so I have taken to using the WAV for bowing practice... anyone actually finding a WAV good for bowing? Bridge radius way too shallow imho... has anyone put a replacement bridge on theirs that's better for arco? ficelles

[quote name='Ian Savage' post='1166815' date='Mar 18 2011, 10:55 AM']If it's 'Crafted in...', it's been lovingly assembled by a specialist team of highly skilled luthiers. If it's 'Made in...', it was thrown together by a cluster of drunken monkeys.[/quote] Really? I thought it was the other way round... anyways my '89 MIJ Jazz looks sounds and plays far better than the 70s US one I used to have. Although I will admit it sounds better the more I drink. What is really bugging me is the strings... I have tried everything on it and keep coming back to the set it came with 5 years ago as they still sound the best. No idea what they are, probably .45 to .105, black binding at both ends, brass ball-ends... ficelles

[quote name='fonzoooroo' post='1154918' date='Mar 9 2011, 08:46 AM']There's a pickup that sits on top of the bridge, between the outermost pairs of strings. I've seen one in a catalogue, but have no experience of them... Snag is, I'm not sure what they are... My gut reaction was a Shadow... But I wouldn't swear to it! Do I get the "Most useless reply of the week" award for that?!?[/quote] Not a useless reply at all! There is the Fishman BP-100 as mentioned above which looks interesting and is like that, but also I've found the LR Baggs ultra bass which glues on (having had good experience of other LR Baggs gear that one is tempting). Only problem with all these choices is knowing which one to go for - always good to hear opinions from those who have tried them... ficelles

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='1154281' date='Mar 8 2011, 07:03 PM']Is there anything unusual about the Bausch that prevents you from using the old faithfuls - like a Fishman BP100, an Underwood, a Realist, etc?[/quote] Tried to insert a pic... anyway the Bausch doesn't have even vaguely parallel edges on the wings of the bridge, more like a point on the upper surface. At the moment I have a very innovative solution with an expanding bolt holding the pickup paddles against the inside of the bridge legs - aren't engineering friends great :-) Long term I think I will look at a new bridge, the Bausch is fairly low end (no pun intended) after all... ficelles [attachment=74508:bausch.gif]

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='1152157' date='Mar 7 2011, 07:46 AM']Isn't the Acoustic Radiator just that, an amp designed for acoustic instruments? So it's input will more than likely be set to accommodate piezo pickups and such.[/quote] Yeah the AR is designed for piezo rather than magnetic so no surprise it sounds good straight through it. If I want to get a good tone through my SWR Electric Blue head I really need the Bass DI though. ficelles

As I posted in another thread, I almost always use my WAV through a Seymour Duncan Paranormal Bass DI... I hadn't really thought about impendance mismatch but it certainly improves the sound hugely. On the other hand, the WAV sounds just fine straight into my Ashdown Acoustic Radiator. ficelles

WAVs are great... I changed from my Aria EUB to a WAV last year for portability for a US trip (and yes it's true, a WAV in the gig bag goes in a long overhead locker on a 767 at least and the Continental airline staff were great with it) and I love it to bits. Best on the endpin of course but I took the boomerang strap to the US and have sort of got used to it even if the bass is a bit too close. My profile photo is from a gig in Detroit using the WAV. The only thing I find it needs is some extra EQ and a Seymour Duncan Paranormal Bass DI does the trick nicely (if you want one you have to get it from the US as they aren't available in Europe). I take the WAV & the Bass DI to small gigs and stick it straight through the PA. I'm looking to upgrade to an NXT sometime soon... ficelles