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My rented backline adventures

#221
I just thought of something. It'd be awfully handy to have a thread dedicated to getting an accurately measured, flat response out of the most common backline gear. GK, Ampeg, Markbass, Genz Benz, Fender, whatever. That way, if you know what "flat" actually is on the EQ, you have a general starting point for determining your sound through that amp relative to what you want to hear.
 
#222
rolandm said:
I just thought of something. It'd be awfully handy to have a thread dedicated to getting an accurately measured, flat response out of the most common backline gear. GK, Ampeg, Markbass, Genz Benz, Fender, whatever. That way, if you know what "flat" actually is on the EQ, you have a general starting point for determining your sound through that amp relative to what you want to hear.
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Bass Gear magazine has done that with many of the heads they reviewed. Only thing is I think they blew it with the SVT ;) I've tried their "near-flat" setting and I don't think it sounds as flat as the setting I came up with, which is bass 11:00, treble 2:00, mids 3:00 @ 800. Tom Lees tried a setting using the 200hz mid control, and I don't think it sounds as flat as mine. However, I've yet to scope it to see how it measures, so if anyone with an SVT and a way to scope it would like to try, I'd be very interested in the results.
 
#223
rolandm said:
Had an odd weekend. Friday night in Burlington, Iowa we played a pretty cool spot called the Washington. Fun little place, mostly blues and jazz, but with the occasional rock and pop outfit wandering through (that was us). We'd sent them our stage plot ahead of time (no one apparently reads them), and were hoping for the best. Not so. We run entirely in-ears and are entirely digital in terms of processing - no amps. Extremely quiet stage, with the exception of the drums. Took the sound guy a bit to suss it out, but it ended up alright. Apparently every rock band that comes through there is loaded for Hammersmith, from what he said.

Next night, I sat in for a benefit with a buddy's band, back line provided, so I didn't need to bring my personal rig. I find out it's an Ampeg B2R and a 410HLF. Boomy, squat sound without a lot of definition, partly due to the room, and partly due to the head. I got a decent enough sound, but it was definitely not my cup of tea. I've played through one Ampeg cab that I actually thought was passable to my ear, and that was coupled with an Aggie DB750 head. Other than that, when I see Ampeg on the backline at a gig, I cringe.

We're off until March redoing our show, except for a small benefit for Washington, IL tornado survivors in January, which has (wait for it …) an 810 Ampeg cab on the bass backline. BYOH, though. So my GK gets to make a rare road trip out of my studio. YAY!
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It was the cab, likely, not the head. I used to play through basically the B2R, and it's not boomy, really.

I've been playing through the 410HLF at my rehearsal space... and even using my Mesa D-180, which a nasty grind machine that normally cuts through with all the subtlety of a chainsaw, it's just boomy mud.

I've also played through an Ampeg 810, and it has a completely different sound. Punchy, but also massive sounding without being boomy.
 
#224
New update today!

RigMohegan2014_zps9b499ef7.jpg


Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT. Sold out except for about 100 seats. Two bass players so they brought two rigs, but I think the other bass player on the show is using the Ampeg/REDDI rig, too. Bobby Brennan is his name, and he's from Orlando as well but splits time in NYC. Great guy...playing with Little Anthony and the Imperials while I play with Bowzer, Gene Chandler, The Tokens, Lou Christie, and about 3 or 4 other acts. Hope I'm getting paid better ;)

Show starts in an hour, so I better shave and put on my nice socks.
 
#230
Yes, I gave the other bass player the SVT and my own REDDI while I took the GK/Hartke rig. After all, he's up there for a good 20 minutes while I'm up only there for three hours and only playing with the headliner. Good eye, Will.

:D
 
#232
lowphatbass said:
Can't say how many times I've gotten than 4x10 1x15 biamped rig in some form or another. 300w into a 15 that handles 250w and 100w into a 4x10 handles 350w....step #1 is unplug the 15(or 18" ala SWR) and go full power/full range into the 4x10.
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The biamp will suck on those cabs unless you do it in reverse...15 playing the highs. I'd just leave it full range and play the 15 on the 100 watt high amp. Might be able to goose the 10's a little more that way.


@Jimmy. I honestly only saw the GK/Hartke rig on my phone, didn't expand the screen and never saw the right side of the pic. :D
 
#235
Well that was a fun show and we didn't even have a single train wreck! Bobby ended up taking the GK/Hartke rig even after I told him it was no problem using the Ampeg rig, but that's cool. He played great. He brought out a CAR Lakland Duck with Chromes. Of course, I heard him through the Radial J48 and not the amp, but for a SS DI, I'll give it up for the J48.

Man, it's so nice dealing with pro sound/lights and crew folks. Makes me want to take back all the stuff I said about soundguys in the Live Sound forum and in that DI/mic thread. But then Tuesday's gig will make me not take it all back, I'm sure ;)
 
#237
JimmyM said:
Well that was a fun show and we didn't even have a single train wreck! Bobby ended up taking the GK/Hartke rig even after I told him it was no problem using the Ampeg rig, but that's cool. He played great. Of course, I heard him through the Radial J48 and not the amp, but for a SS DI, I'll give it up for the J48.

Man, it's so nice dealing with pro sound/lights and crew folks. Makes me want to take back all the stuff I said about soundguys in the Live Sound forum and in that DI/mic thread. But then Tuesday's gig will make me not take it all back, I'm sure ;)
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:D

On another note, how's it like playing with Gene Chandler? That's a name you don't hear everyday and has some really cool stuff.*








* Duke of Earl is one of my all time favorites. This coming from a bass singer who loves anything '50's/Doo-Wop/early '60's/"pre-hippie"......though plenty of "post-hippie stuff as well. ;)


That wonderful music is going to be lost if us younger folks don't keep putting it out there/ turning younger people on to it.
 
#238
beans-on-toast said:
I've got a lucky make of underpants that work for me. :p

Any comments from the sound guys about your DI?

You gotta give these older performers their due. So many of them still have their pipes and moves.
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Yepper...they were all great. And no comments this time. I brought it last year and that's when they made the comments.
 

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