Dunlop & MXR!

RocketMusic · #1 06-24-2011, 01:00 PM

We just got setup to buy direct from Jim Dunlop & co., so we'll be getting even better pricing than we've been getting through a third part distributor.

Dunlop has been making a big push in the bass area for a while now (as the recent bass octave and bass envelope filter pedals attest). They're planning to continue that push this year, they've got a new bass compressor pedal coming out in 1-2 weeks that they expect to do very well. I've got several of those on order now.

Dunlop has also gotten into the string market. They're winding their own in CA, not just re-branding some third party string. I've got some sets here to try myself as well as a bunch of sets on order for resale. They will work just fine on 35" 5's & 6's from the likes of Roscoe. Through-body 35" basses like Lakland might have an issue with the taper starting too soon.

Dunlop is trying to make it easier & cheaper for all the botique-y bass places to get Dunlop gear, and I must say I took it as a compliment that they reached out to me!

Darkstrike · #2 06-24-2011, 01:37 PM

This is fantastic news!

Been an avid fan of MXR pedals for a long while now, loving the Carbon Copy, Blowtorch and Bass Envelope Filter, really want to try that new Compressor(though I've never used one before), the new Analog Chorus(or the Black Label one), and the El Grande Bass Fuzz.

The Dunlop Nickle Plated strings are one of my very faves too, and seem to last a long time, and IIRC require little to no break in, or stretching.

The Robert Trujillio signature set are bad though, they're tapered on the E,A,D and G strings, and not on the B, and the tapered ones give off a lot of weird wolf tones and such. Also, the EADG are steel and the B is nickle...

VroomVroom · #3 06-24-2011, 04:09 PM

FYI - thru-body 35" fitment shouldn't be an issue...these are stock on Lull basses.

RocketMusic · #4 06-24-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

FYI - thru-body 35" fitment shouldn't be an issue...these are stock on Lull basses.

Good to know. I only mentioned it 'cause the Dunlop dude said Laklands are an issue... good to know Lulls are not!

So does that mean you've tried the strings, Jerry? Whaddaya think?

Darkstrike · #5 06-24-2011, 04:22 PM

I have them top loaded on a 35" Traben bass, and they certainly won't fit it through body, that could of course be the design of the bass, mosre than anything.

**nostatic** · #6 06-24-2011, 04:31 PM

Am running Dunlop nickels on my PJ. I like them a lot and the price is right. Don't know that I'll buy Sunbeams again...

VroomVroom · #7 06-24-2011, 05:08 PM

For me, they're in the, "not bad, but..." category...along with D'Adds and a few others. Fresh, they're a little zingy, and they seem to quickly turn to being dull.

Unlike Todd, my go-to is DR. Love me some Sunbeams on everything but Roscoes, where nickel Lo-Riders fit the bill. My only "complaint" is that they are too short for thru-body 35" action.

Lots of folks love Dunlops, though, so don't use me as a judge. (Actually, that last part should probably apply to everything in life.)

RocketMusic · #8 06-24-2011, 05:16 PM

Cool - thanks for the data points, everybody!

Darkstrike · #9 06-24-2011, 05:23 PM

I tend to find they're the best "handy" strings for me, can be got quickly and sound/feel good. Though had I to chose, I'd probably pick SIT's, they feel a little smoother. I don't know DR's too well(only tried beat to hell Low Riders, and Red Devils), but they're more than double the price of Dunlops here, and not as easy to find.

Darkstrike · #10 06-24-2011, 05:26 PM

On the MXR side, that's pretty fantastic too, the more I've been thinking of it, I've realized you can make an utterly killer board with just MXR pedals, or even MXR/Dunlop if you want a wah. Especially with that new Compressor on the way, which given their recent track record should be awesome.

**nostatic** · #11 06-25-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

For me, they're in the, "not bad, but..." category...along with D'Adds and a few others. Fresh, they're a little zingy, and they seem to quickly turn to being dull.

We must have different finger oil chemistry or something as that is my criticism of the Sunbeams on my basses - zingy at first but go dull quickly. So far the Dunlops have gone through a number of rehearsals and gigs and are fairly consistent sounding. They had a bit of high end bite the first session but that mellowed quickly.

D'Adds just don't send me at all. I have a set of LowRiders sitting around that I may try next on the PJ, but generally I don't dig the feel of stainless string. I liked the SITs on the Roscoe, haven't tried them on anything else. One thing I like about my Rob Allens - you basically never change strings

RocketMusic · #12 10-25-2011, 01:22 PM

I've been remiss about getting some new pedals up on my site. I've had the MXR M87 Compressor and the M101 Phase 90 in stock for a while now, but I just now got them up on my site. Sorry for the delay!

The compressor really looks nice. I've had it sitting on the corner of my desk in the studio for 2 months, but I've yet to actually plug it in and try it. I need to do that!!

RocketMusic · #13 10-25-2011, 01:39 PM

Jeez, I was thinking maybe I should do a video of the MXR compressor... but I don't think I'd be able to do any better than this:

MXR Bass Compressor: Darryl - YouTube

VroomVroom · #14 10-25-2011, 02:10 PM

Nice! Just in case anyone doesn't know, that's Darryl Anders. He's (obviously) a ferocious bassist, and is a wonderful fellow to boot. He makes that Lull sing, even without the compressor.

RocketMusic · #15 10-25-2011, 02:13 PM

Yeah, I was initially thinking Darryl Jones as I watched the video, but they gave Anders the credit somewhere. They should have given the man at least 200 msec of face time, he did such a nice job demonstrating what compression can do for you...

Darkstrike · #16 10-25-2011, 02:28 PM

Or at least put his full name somewhere more clearly.

mwbonsall · #17 10-25-2011, 09:30 PM

Greg, have you compared the new MXR M87 to the Keeley 4 knob compressor or the T-Rex Squeezer?

Mark

RocketMusic · #18 10-26-2011, 08:30 AM

I've used the EBS MultiComp, the T-Rex Squeezer, and now the MXR M87. So far, the M87 seems to be my favorite. I'm going to mess with it a few more days before I decide to take the plunge and have to tear my pedal board apart.

I started with the Squeezer, but I ditched it because it had so many knobs and the knobs turned very, very easily (too easily if you ask me). I was constantly adjusting 4-5 knobs every time I opened or closed my pedal board, and that got old quick. I think it had a bit of a hiss to it, too (which is fairly common with compressors).

The MultiComp is what I'm using currently. It's also got a bit of hiss to it, but my main knock on it is the lack of controls. Yes, I'm a walking contradiction.

For whatever reason, I just have a hard time telling what this particular compressor is actually doing to my tone. These days, more often than not, it's off and stays off.

The M87 has me a little excited. The knobs are stiff, so they'll stay put. There's an awesome meter that gives a visual indication of what the pedal is doing to your tone. And it seems like they picked the right parameters to make available to bass players (i.e. the knobs they provide are all useful). I love having the variable ratio presented as discrete ratios (4:1, 8:1, etc.) rather than some continuous "ratio" knob that you can't really tell where it's set. The discrete settings just feel more comfortable to me since that's what I'm used to in a studio setting. And I may just be in the honeymoon period, but it seems to me that the M87 is less hissy than the others (I'd almost go so far as to say there's no hiss, but I need to play with it some more).

I've not tried the Keeley compressor with bass, but I should. The 4 knob version should be really good for bass, assuming it doesn't lose any low end. I'm out of stock on those at the moment, though, so I can't really speak to that just yet.

mwbonsall · #19 10-27-2011, 09:27 PM

Thanks Greg. I have the EBS and I can’t tell it does much either so I have been considering something else. The MXR may do the trick. I am still curious how the Keeley would work for bass. The Markbass looks good also, but I don’t want to buy stuff from the box store.

Mark

RocketMusic · #20 11-02-2011, 02:27 PM

Ooooh - I just got off the phone with Dunlop (makers of MXR pedals). They've made a bunch of pre-packed pedal boards with the idea being that stores like us can have the pedal board laying around for folks to try the pedals all at once. There's a guitar board and a bass board, and I'm trying to get both headed our way. The boards each have 12 or so pedals on them, so they're pretty serious. Very exciting!!

Now I just have to decide where the pedal boards will live... I'm thinking the bass board here at the new spot, and the guitar board over at the other store. Or maybe both over at the other store after I get my jollies with the bass board...