That doesn't seem off-topic to me. In fact, I was just wondering how all of this would sound in the band mix. That's what really matters, and I'll find out this weekend!
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Carvin BX1200
- Thread starter Sundogue
- Start date
That doesn't seem off-topic to me. In fact, I was just wondering how all of this would sound in the band mix. That's what really matters, and I'll find out this weekend!
Ain't that the truth! Nothing exposes our shortcomings as players like a nice clean recording.
So far, I kinda like the Compression setting at 9 o'clock. Not too much, but it does even things up a bit. Like when I switch from fingerstyle to Slap. Tonight will be the first true live test for the amp, and I just installed the Kappa Lite 3015LF into my LDS cab yesterday. I also played through it for a couple hours to help break it in before tonight's gig.
I thought it already had the 3015LF. You should be able to really crank that beast with the extended xmax of that speaker.
I'm looking forward to your post on the BX1200 as well as the 15/6 out on a gig. Have fun with it!
There was a shipping mixup between Eminence and LDS, so Don accidentally installed the non-LF 3015 speakers in a few of the recent 15/6.5 cabs. Don is taking care of us, and he is having the 3015LF speakers shipped directly to us. Mine arrived in a day from Parts Express.
Yeah, I'm looking forward to tonight!
Ain't that the truth! Nothing exposes our shortcomings as players like a nice clean recording.
Of course, that stuff may not invariably be a problem. I remember somewhere reading a funny comment about Chuck Rainey. I don't have the exact wording, but the gist of it was something like this: If you solo one of Chuck's tracks, it sounds like he's working on his Buick, but when you put the track in the song, all that extra stuff either isn't noticeable or sounds great.
I've always loved the phrase "sounds like he's working on his Buick."
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Likewise. And I was trying to get at that too - the track in context is where it's at, not isolated. In fact, a lot of bass tracks in recordings to me sound like the players/producers were too buttoned down; more concerned with abolishing fret noise and stuff than they were with groovin' and movin'.
Kind of a parallel there with "bedroom tone" as well. The way we tend to hear is referential. Alone we try to fill response holes. With others those holes may already be covered. Sometimes a nasty sound actually fits right in and frequency masking from the other instruments kind of takes off the rough edges and it all goes together just so. In the context of the mix the sound turns out not to be too nasty and gnarly after all - it's just right.
This is such a good point! Adjusting your tone by itself and without the context of the other instruments can lead to undesirable results.
I listened to an isolated bass track from Rush where the tone was somewhat ratty and trebley on its own, but when listening to the whole mix, it fit with the guitar sound perfectly.
Even playing live, it may be a good idea to set the EQ; 1) from a distance from the speakers beyond arm reach, and 2) while the other instruments are playing too.
Sundogue I think you will like that head. I bought the BX600 in August of 07 and
it has been solid. For the difference in price I wish I had gone with the BX1200 as
the ability to bi amp would be nice as well as the extra headroom. But the BX600
is plenty strong. Last year I bought the Carvin 4 x 10 BXR Neo cab. A week ago
I blew one of the 10 inch drivers. Called 'em Monday morning and they are doing a
warrantee exchange for me. That is a 1200 watt cab and my amp only 400 watts
into 4 ohm so don't know why it would have gone out. No distortion or effects. It
is a very nice sounding cab to my ear so I hope not to have further probs with it
and keep it. Afterf you use it a bit repost and let us know what you think of it.
it has been solid. For the difference in price I wish I had gone with the BX1200 as
the ability to bi amp would be nice as well as the extra headroom. But the BX600
is plenty strong. Last year I bought the Carvin 4 x 10 BXR Neo cab. A week ago
I blew one of the 10 inch drivers. Called 'em Monday morning and they are doing a
warrantee exchange for me. That is a 1200 watt cab and my amp only 400 watts
into 4 ohm so don't know why it would have gone out. No distortion or effects. It
is a very nice sounding cab to my ear so I hope not to have further probs with it
and keep it. Afterf you use it a bit repost and let us know what you think of it.
I have my onboard wireless (instead of being tethered to my amp) and run our own PA. I not only can find what sounds good close to my amp where I will be most of the gig, I can get it sounding as good as it possibly can anywhere and everywhere, onstage or out in the crowd through the PA.
I try to get the "perfect" sound in my area onstage and also out front, but from there I can tweak things as needed. I like the DI on the BX1200. It's clean, noise free and I can send it post EQ and not worry if it's coming out too hot or too little and being able to adjust it from the amp. Running the DI post gives me most of my sound out front with very little adjustments needed on the board.
I try to get the "perfect" sound in my area onstage and also out front, but from there I can tweak things as needed. I like the DI on the BX1200. It's clean, noise free and I can send it post EQ and not worry if it's coming out too hot or too little and being able to adjust it from the amp. Running the DI post gives me most of my sound out front with very little adjustments needed on the board.
He has already used it a bit and posted some thorough reviews in this thread. Enjoy!
I was considering the BX600, but I thought if I was going to replace my amp I might as well just get something that would handle my needs now, as as well into the future (should my needs/wants change).
If the 410 cab actually handles 1200 watts, then they have four 300 watt speakers in there.
I don't know of any 300 watt 10's. Anyone else know?The BX600 puts out 400 watts into that 1200 watt cab, but can easily put out way more than 400 watts at times. And you can blow speakers in a cab by boosting lows too much, especially if you slap or dig in a lot. No cab is danger free.
Yes, my BX1200 had it's maiden voyage last weekend and I'll have another gig tomorrow night too.
The one I'm really interested in testing it on is my outdoor gig on Aug. 8th. Loud, big stage, outdoors, guitarists get to crank 'em up free (unlike having to hold back a bit indoors), so it's the best possible test for it. That's the gig where it will show it's mettle or melt down (I'm guessing the former as it's twice the output of my former amp that held it's own there last time, but ran rather hot being pushed so hard).
Yeah, I think I'm playing indoors tonight and outdoors tomorrow night, so I'm looking forward to hearing how my new rig performs.
Yeah, I think I'm playing indoors tonight and outdoors tomorrow night, so I'm looking forward to hearing how my new rig performs.
You use a couple of different basses too, don't you? I'm going over some of my settings later today and working out a few details in my pick versus fingerstyle (or wireless versus cabled) sound.
I love the switchable EQ on or off. Which reminds me, I need to look for my old Carvin footswitch (looks just like your newer one). I don't need footswitching all that much, but to be able to use the footswitch and turn on the EQ preset to a different tone (mid-song) might be worth looking into.
Not yet. My custom 5-string should ship next week.
Yeah, using the footswitch seemed like a no-brainer to me. The ability to instantly change my tone will come in handy. Right now, I have my graphic EQ adjusted for a good Slap tone. So far, I prefer using the graphic over the Contour control. Otherwise, I don't make a lot of major EQ adjustments.
I don't do much slapping...once in a great while, though there are a few songs where it's that tone I like, and it's easier for me to just crank the contour quickly and then back when the song it over. Normally I'm not a smiley face EQ kinda guy.
Here are some examples of simple EQ adjustments I make on stage.
Songs like Sublime's "Santeria" - Boost the Contour control, solo the neck pickup, and turn down the Tone control a bit on my bass.
For a sorta aggressive fingerstyle tone - I boost the mids at about 500 Hz.
For songs that seem to need a lower mid boost - I boost the mids at about 200 Hz.
The BX1200 has plenty of clarity, so I haven't found a need to boost at 800 Hz yet.
I could possibly cut the Treble control a bit if I find that finger-to-fret noise during slides to be a bit much, or I could also try turning down the Tone control a bit on my bass.
Otherwise, my changes in tone come from favoring certain pickups, changing my plucking position, and using the Tone control on my bass.
I'm pretty much the same way, using pickups, placement and technique. I only use the Graphic EQ switch or the Contour for a quick extreme change in tone.
Needless to say, the options for tonal control are pretty good on the amp itself. I was just tweaking a few controls on the EQ a minute ago and it didn't take much to get what I was after (enhancing what I was using on the gig last weekend).
