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Are the big amps history?

No.

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Tell me about that Fender Jazz/Precision, hows it sound? Did you put it together?


Bought this '75 P out of the back of a van in 1980 for $200.
Was playing a lot of T-40 cover bands back in the day. Wanted something I thought could double as a P and a J, so went to a luthier friend who worked repairs at the local music store. Originally wanted EMG pups and to make it active. He said "Nah - leave it passive. I have just the thing." So he put in SD QuarterPounders with stack tone and volume for each pup. I don't do any luthier stuff, so can't help you with any technical questions. Pretty much a plug in and play guy. Also added a BadAss II bridge and a brass nut. Later on added a "kill" switch -- otherwise had to turn down all pups seperately.
This mod was years before the Fender "Urge" bass which came out in '93, iirc.

Sounds GREAT! Good enough to buy me a house and a few Chev Luvs and S-10s. Still use it, all though she is old and worn. LOVE IT!
Luthier was Mark Arnquist who use to work for Rickenbacher. He restored McCartney's 4001 back when he wanted to remove the Magical Mystery Tour psychedelia finish and go back to Maple-Glo.

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Bought this '75 P out of the back of a van in 1980 for $200.
Was playing a lot of T-40 cover bands back in the day. Wanted something I thought could double as a P and a J, so went to a luthier friend who worked repairs at the local music store. Originally wanted EMG pups and to make it active. He said "Nah - leave it passive. I have just the thing." So he put in SD QuarterPounders with stack tone and volume for each pup. I don't do any luthier stuff, so can't help you with any technical questions. Pretty much a plug in and play guy. Also added a BadAss II bridge and a brass nut. Later on added a "kill" switch -- otherwise had to turn down all pups seperately.
This mod was years before the Fender "Urge" bass which came out in '93, iirc.

Sounds GREAT! Good enough to buy me a house and a few Chev Luvs and S-10s. Still use it, all though she is old and worn. LOVE IT!
Luthier was Mark Arnquist who use to work for Rickenbacher. He restored McCartney's 4001 back when he wanted to remove the Magical Mystery Tour psychedelia finish and go back to Maple-Glo.

fenderfront.jpg

Thanks, it looks like it sounds good, I remember Mark, he was the resident Ric luthier on the Ric Forum many moons ago, is he still working?
 
I know this is off topic but, the only time a sound tech worked out, as far as I'm concerned, was when we hired a guy who was a musician 1st. We paid him an equal share and he worked as hard as anyone else. So often I hear bands who use a big PA with a sound tech who is really a roady who took an interest in running the PA. The sound tech has more to do with the band's' overall sound than any other band member. Why put it into the hands of the least qualified person?
 
I know this is off topic but, the only time a sound tech worked out, as far as I'm concerned, was when we hired a guy who was a musician 1st. We paid him an equal share and he worked as hard as anyone else. So often I hear bands who use a big PA with a sound tech who is really a roady who took an interest in running the PA. The sound tech has more to do with the band's' overall sound than any other band member. Why put it into the hands of the least qualified person?

^ I totally agree! I have argued with my current band that a good sound man is as important as any band member. A bad sound man can make a GREAT band sound bad just as a GREAT sound man can make a mediocre band sound pretty damn good! No help for bad bands...........sorry
 
^ I totally agree! I have argued with my current band that a good sound man is as important as any band member. A bad sound man can make a GREAT band sound bad just as a GREAT sound man can make a mediocre band sound pretty damn good! No help for bad bands...........sorry

I don't - I think that saying the soundman is more important than any band member is WAY over stating things... IME, a marginally competent soundman will get the job done well enough so that a good sounding band will still sound good to the "paying customers" - however, if the band doesn't sound good to begin with, no amount of talent behind the mixer is going to change that... For example, more important than the singer? - I don't think so...
 
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I don't - I think that saying the soundman is more important than any band member is WAY over stating things... IME, a marginally competent soundman will get the job done well enough so that a good sounding band will still sound good to the "paying customers" - however, if the band doesn't sound good to begin with, no amount of talent behind the mixer is going to change that... For example, more important than the singer? - I don't think so...

For example, I'm running sound and playing at least half my gigs these days - do I consider myself more important than the singer I'm backing? - hardly... and running sound isn't exactly brain surgery, IME...
 
For example, I'm running sound and playing at least half my gigs these days - do I consider myself more important than the singer I'm backing? - hardly... and running sound isn't exactly brain surgery, IME...

True, it's not rocket science, but there are some skill sets.
Many rooms we work, we are not allowed to do our own sound, they have staff at hand.
Best and most desirable results are often achieved as illustrated by this recent photo of myself consulting with the Engineer:

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OK- I kid...
Don't anybody start posting how "They don't take no **** from the Sound Engineer!!":roflmao:
 
For example, I'm running sound and playing at least half my gigs these days - do I consider myself more important than the singer I'm backing? - hardly... and running sound isn't exactly brain surgery, IME...

I too am running sound for my band from behind the kit with a QSC Touchmix. We've pretty much got most of the clubs we play dialed in but there is still a need for someone to adjust levels for lead vox and backing vox, etc. So whenever possible we'll have a tech with an iPad adjusting levels appropriately but it's always better when this person knows the art of FOH sound and it's really nice when the club has a good PA and FOH/Monitor engineers but those are few and far between.
I do understand your point about importance of sound engineers not being as high as the players especially the singers so I'll admit to overselling my opinion there :thumbsup: but I still think a good sound person is worth the cost, IME.
 
I too am running sound for my band from behind the kit with a QSC Touchmix. We've pretty much got most of the clubs we play dialed in but there is still a need for someone to adjust levels for lead vox and backing vox, etc. So whenever possible we'll have a tech with an iPad adjusting levels appropriately but it's always better when this person knows the art of FOH sound and it's really nice when the club has a good PA and FOH/Monitor engineers but those are few and far between.
I do understand your point about importance of sound engineers not being as high as the players especially the singers so I'll admit to overselling my opinion there :thumbsup: but I still think a good sound person is worth the cost, IME.

OK, now that I can agree on - it's always better to have someone who knows what they're doing on sound rather than one of the players doing it, and yeah - a good soundman is worth the extra expense, IMO/IME... I always run wireless, and am used to checking out the room's sound even when I'm not mixing - I'm told that I'm pretty good at playing and running sound, so I know it can be done... I haven't yet gone digital, since good analog boards seem to work better for me making adjustments while playing... I use A&H boards - a ZED12FX for small setups, and a Mixwiz3 16:2 for larger stuff - anything that can't handle, I'm farming out anyways...
 
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True, it's not rocket science, but there are some skill sets.
Many rooms we work, we are not allowed to do our own sound, they have staff at hand.
Best and most desirable results are often achieved as illustrated by this recent photo of myself consulting with the Engineer:

View attachment 1177223

OK- I kid...
Don't anybody start posting how "They don't take no **** from the Sound Engineer!!":roflmao:

Believe me, I prefer to "just play" instead of pulling double duty... I've been at it for a while now, and know all the good sound techs in my area - and have an excellent working relationship with all of them...
 
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