Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[gfen]

I have enough pedals that I’d need 2 isolated supplies, though. That’s way more than I want to spend.

Are you sure?

You know you can split the output on them, right, as long as the total doesn't end up more than the mA from the output, you're good.

I have an Iso5+, and the "main" pedals use up all three of the 100mA outputs split across five pedals. The 18v powers a single unit (but has done two before), and then I channel off the 400mA output "just in case."

That "just in case" has been plugged into a OneSpot style splitter and runs 4x additional 9v pedals, including one multieffects which wants most of the current.

No noise. No issues. Works like a charm.

 

[Novarocker]

Nothing worthwhile to add, but damn I keep getting JustFab ads on here...I don't think my wife has been using my phone, very...odd.

 

[kleinenenten]

Are you sure?

You know you can split the output on them, right, as long as the total doesn't end up more than the mA from the output, you're good.

I have an Iso5+, and the "main" pedals use up all three of the 100mA outputs split across five pedals. The 18v powers a single unit (but has done two before), and then I channel off the 400mA output "just in case."

That "just in case" has been plugged into a OneSpot style splitter and runs 4x additional 9v pedals, including one multieffects which wants most of the current.

No noise. No issues. Works like a charm.

I mean, I know that would work, but I’ve used this exact rig and these exact pedals for quite some time without noise. It’s a relatively recent development, so I feel like it shouldn’t be necessary to suddenly add the isolated supply when they’ve all been quiet in the past. I’m hoping I figured it out with the interference from my computer. It was perfectly back to normal when I briefly tried it again last night.

 

[br1qbat]

I mean, I know that would work, but I’ve used this exact rig and these exact pedals for quite some time without noise. It’s a relatively recent development, so I feel like it shouldn’t be necessary to suddenly add the isolated supply when they’ve all been quiet in the past. I’m hoping I figured it out with the interference from my computer. It was perfectly back to normal when I briefly tried it again last night.

What bass are you using? Most of the noise I get in my 800rb is from my bass

 

[br1qbat]

A buddy of mine from a band we played with often had that orange. Sounded pretty damn good, played a Warwick Corvette through it. However, I've heard here that the controls are a fender tone stack and can be tough to dial in.

I've haven't spent a ton of time, but the bassman and super bassman sounded great. I'd go for em myself.

I haven't seen one in person, but if I had the cash for an amp, I'd plunk it down for Ashdown's BTA400. Even rarer is the BTA200, which would probably be enough power for me. Both use the same preamp I have on my current amp but with a tube power section.

The Orange and the mkII Matamps both are fender style tone stacks. Wouldn't be an issue for me, the Tyler/superbass has that same tonestack.

I've played thru an Ashdown CTM 30 (aka the 'Little B@$tard', all tube) and dug it quite a bit. Too many buttons and switches, but I would imagine the 100w and 300w ones sound great.

 

[Novarocker]

The Orange and the mkII Matamps both are fender style tone stacks. Wouldn't be an issue for me, the Tyler/superbass has that same tonestack.

I've played thru an Ashdown CTM 30 (aka the 'Little B@$tard', all tube) and dug it quite a bit. Too many buttons and switches, but I would imagine the 100w and 300w ones sound great.

To be honest I don't know if I've ever actually used a fender tone stack. And yeah those Ashdown's do have excess controls. One thing I did notice with the two I've played though is how intuitive they are. That and you can always just fiddle with the bass middle treble and get most anything you need. The expanded EQ and additional features aren't really needed IMO, but do offer something unique.

 

[br1qbat]

To be honest I don't know if I've ever actually used a fender tone stack. And yeah those Ashdown's do have excess controls. One thing I did notice with the two I've played though is how intuitive they are. That and you can always just fiddle with the bass middle treble and get most anything you need. The expanded EQ and additional features aren't really needed IMO, but do offer something unique.

Fender tone stack is slighty odd, flat is 2-10-2. So I goose mids, if I need more, back off on the bass a little, and you'll hear the mid band get chunkier. Its more a turn the knobs til you sound how you want, vs the GK or an SVT where I can dial it in without twiddling too much, then just play.

Who was it here that has a SVT II non pro AND a GK 800rb? Would love to hear how similiar or not they are. I've always loved the sounds I've gotten out of SVTs, but its always been at polite music store volumes

 

[kleinenenten]

What bass are you using? Most of the noise I get in my 800rb is from my bass

Various Ibanez basses. All get the same hum on that rig, and the same “not hum” on other rigs. If it matters, my rig became noisy again after a few minutes jamming tonight. I unplugged my cord going into the input and plugged it back in, the heard a loud static pop. Noise gone again. Does that mean anything to anyone? I have pedals in the FX loop too, but they stayed in the FX loop this time. In the past I’ve had to redo ALL the connections.

 

[Jolagh]

Various Ibanez basses. All get the same hum on that rig, and the same “not hum” on other rigs. If it matters, my rig became noisy again after a few minutes jamming tonight. I unplugged my cord going into the input and plugged it back in, the heard a loud static pop. Noise gone again. Does that mean anything to anyone? I have pedals in the FX loop too, but they stayed in the FX loop this time. In the past I’ve had to redo ALL the connections.

It sounds like grounding issues to me. We had a similar problem when we had one extension chord with no ground plug and ran our guitarists rig over that chord. Could it be that that outlet isnt really grounded?

 

[cornfarmer]

Sounds like lots of tail chasin'. Run an extension cord from a different circuit in your place. Is this an apartment? (if so maybe a neighbor is doing some jive schitt, KILL THEM) Check if some appliance, timer, hvac is cycling on/off somewhere. Electrical/ground issues are tricky to diagnose.

Meanwhile, band #1 from last week sent the rejection email, saying they went with someone else, yet they posted their ad again today - pretty hilarious, and glad I didn't get involved with that kind of micro management.

'Band' #2 is a guy I'm going to meet/jam with tonight, the music is heavier and more stoner-y and the guitar playing is better.

#3 is probably happening next week, some kind of '60s garage/surfpunk thing, dude seems like a nice guy and is probably the most pro.

#4 is a bonus random prog/psych thing that popped up, but I'm getting flakey vibes with the amount of email ping pong I'm playing.

The old band plows ahead with home recording, while at the same time going nowhere...I record parts on half-formed-sounding song ideas, and then the terrible edits start happening.......dude, don't change the song after recording, jesus....

 

[cornfarmer]

Another thing to check - wifi/modem/network stuff in the vicinity. Any of this stuff is not usually shielded and can totally cause noise or RF probs.

 

[kleinenenten]

It sounds like grounding issues to me. We had a similar problem when we had one extension chord with no ground plug and ran our guitarists rig over that chord. Could it be that that outlet isnt really grounded?

I’m kinda thinking it may be cord related too, since when I rearrange the pedal board it gets better for a bit. There are TONS of cords right there for the PA and computer/recording rig. Never had these problems until recently when I created that set up.

Sounds like lots of tail chasin'. Run an extension cord from a different circuit in your place. Is this an apartment? (if so maybe a neighbor is doing some jive schitt, KILL THEM) Check if some appliance, timer, hvac is cycling on/off somewhere. Electrical/ground issues are tricky to diagnose.

It’s my house, in a room I built and wired to be on its own circuit for the purposes of avoiding interference with my amps etc. That being said, the ground on that outlet could be off. I’ll check. Thanks for the idea! I’ll try the extension cord soon, as that’s something on my list anyway. Might just hook up the computer to the circuit running the lights, which are on a separate circuit and controlled by a light switch.

Another thing to check - wifi/modem/network stuff in the vicinity. Any of this stuff is not usually shielded and can totally cause noise or RF probs.

Good idea, but this is the only amp in the room having these problems, so I’m not sure this would be it. There are literally 8 amps and the PA system in the room, and nothing else has issues.

 

[cornfarmer]

Sounds like an amp problem.

 

[kleinenenten]

Sounds like an amp problem.

Well, localized it to the pedals. Checked every outlet on the circuit, all good. Removed everything and went straight bass to amp. No issues. Removed various cords etc. from PA and surrounding areas around the amp. Still no issues. Put the cords etc. back and rearranged my board again to try and make the various cables and power supplies less tangled, and after an initial static pop when turning on the amp, it’s been dead quiet. Let it sit and idle for a bit to see if it returns, and it didn’t. (It has in the past.) Now we’ll see in a bit if it returns after I unplug it from the wall, let it sit, then plug it in again and power it up.

And it seems to be okay, for now. We’ll see tomorrow...

 

[Jolagh]

Well, localized it to the pedals. Checked every outlet on the circuit, all good. Removed everything and went straight bass to amp. No issues. Removed various cords etc. from PA and surrounding areas around the amp. Still no issues. Put the cords etc. back and rearranged my board again to try and make the various cables and power supplies less tangled, and after an initial static pop when turning on the amp, it’s been dead quiet. Let it sit and idle for a bit to see if it returns, and it didn’t. (It has in the past.) Now we’ll see in a bit if it returns after I unplug it from the wall, let it sit, then plug it in again and power it up.

And it seems to be okay, for now. We’ll see tomorrow...

Sounds like youve maybe got a ground loop between your pedals and your amp? Do you have your pedals plugged into the same power circuit as the amp? If you plug the pedals into the flourescent light circuit instead of the same circuit as your amp is thr noise still there?

 

[C_nut]

Hey fellas! Anybody here rock a Ripper bass? How do you like them? I've been offered one but I'm not sure if I should go for it. Don't really know anyone else than Brian Cook that plays them in heavy down-tuned music. Any bands I should check out? Thanks!

 

[Jolagh]

I think ron from bongripper did for awhile and the bassist from primitive man did. Not sure about anyone else right off the top of my heqd

 

[thombo]

Hey fellas! Anybody here rock a Ripper bass? How do you like them? I've been offered one but I'm not sure if I should go for it. Don't really know anyone else than Brian Cook that plays them in heavy down-tuned music. Any bands I should check out? Thanks!

I have one, and I've actually been using it lately. It's cool, like a woofy jazz sound. The electronics are atypical. The neck is thin for my big'ol'mits and it goes into feedback really easily (sometimes cool, not always). I like it most w/ a pic. Fingerstyle, it has a fun old school/Budos Band vibe, but i don't think it isn't great for heavy music.

It's funny, I feel like I only see Rippers used in heavy music, though I can't think of many examples. Jolagh beat me to Jonathan Campos from Primitive Man, and
Ron Petzke Bongripper (w/ an EGC neck). Michael Shuman from QotSA is the only other person who comes to mind, though I don't think of them as being too heavy.

 

[C_nut]

Same here. I've always regarded Ripper as one of the most metal basses there are, but I can't really think of any bands. Primitive Man's bass tone is gnarly tho, oh man. And Ron is Ron. Can't beat his tone.

The thing is with these bands that they play with extreme distortion and you can't really hear the fundamentals of the bass. Shuman did sound great in QOTSA but they are really not that metal. Would love to hear how a Ripper sounds in a more traditional metal song.

How is the low end on the Ripper, Thombo? I've heard people bashing them about being thin. Haters.

 

[thombo]

I agree that the Ripper is not low-end heavy, but I don't find it to be thin. It's got a low-mid growl. Maybe it would sound thin from a sterile, modern SS amp, but I can't say. I've literally only used it with 300 watt tube amps and big cabs, with all bass knobs died and the EQ pretty flat. Really, if you listen to Brian Cook, that's the classic Ripper sound- Botch, TAAS, and Station, Geneva, Memorial era Russian Circles (after a quick Instagram stalk, it looks like he wend EGC in 2015).

Rippers do have a strange electronics layout. From Wikipedia...
one master volume, a mid-range notch filter (captor/inductor), and a treble roll-off knob. The chicken switch on the originals had the options of:

• 1 "in phase—series"

• 2 "bridge only—single"

• 3 "in phase—parallel"

• 4 "out of phase—series"

For the past decade, I've been almost all p-bass, but I'm expanding my horizons.