Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[br1qbat]

Bought a Hilbish beta700, wow that thing rips! Looking for a 215 cab, would love a smaller builder but impossible to find in Canada, we don't have Emperor, Atlas, Worshipper type companies here..

I've been mulling over the pedal version from Hilbish (Sol Invictus) for a while. My next (eventual) purchase will either be that or a EQD Hoof Reaper. Kinda leaning Hoof Reaper as I can't deny the fuzz, and it's got the built-in analog octave up I love.

 

[Kaa]

Bought a Hilbish beta700, wow that thing rips! Looking for a 215 cab, would love a smaller builder but impossible to find in Canada, we don't have Emperor, Atlas, Worshipper type companies here..

What about finding a good cabinet maker (the kitchen kind) and seeing if he could handle a Greenboy-style build for you?

 

[Kaa]

I've been doing nothing new. Watching a ton of Janek Gwizdala videos, mostly the videos of his podcasts.

 

[emal]

What about finding a good cabinet maker (the kitchen kind) and seeing if he could handle a Greenboy-style build for you?

Ooh thanks for that idea!

 

[emal]

I've been mulling over the pedal version from Hilbish (Sol Invictus) for a while. My next (eventual) purchase will either be that or a EQD Hoof Reaper. Kinda leaning Hoof Reaper as I can't deny the fuzz, and it's got the built-in analog octave up I love.

I had the Sol Invictus, super rad, but takes up a lot of real-estate
2 channels is super cool

 

[br1qbat]

I had the Sol Invictus, super rad, but takes up a lot of real-estate
2 channels is super cool

I use a reissue Electric Mistress which is massive, so the size doesn't bother me. Lol. My board is minimal and if I got it, the Sol Invictus would be replacing several pedals. Good point though

 

[twhitedc]

Been playing this rig for the last little bit, really love it. However, I’ve gotten the GAS for a G3, so I’m trying to let go of some stuff to make that happen.

 

[Michedelic]

All.my musician friends tell modern Traynor is pretty 'meh', and they aren't what I'd call small, in Canada at least

Traynor has always been under the radar in the US, doesn’t have an identity connected with any particular style of music, but has always been solid gear. I have an SB500H amp, and it’s comparable to my Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.2, love both, they’re my token class D amps. The old Bassmaster Mk II amps, like the Fender Bassman, are killer 50 watt guitar amps with a Marshall flavor(EL 34 power), and go for less money.

 

[cornfarmer]

I'm American, and my first amp was a Traynor Bloc 80 combo, about as simple and to the point as you can get, 1x15 and minimal controls. My first basses were basically P-basses so the sound of old 80s SS amps is ingrained in my mind. Right now I own a Yorkville branded Bloc 150B 1x15 combo, Traynor Mono Block II and TS-50B heads. The Mono Block sounds kinda meh compared to the other two, but it still has that brutish SS heft and it's probably the coolest looking bass head around.

 

[kleinenenten]

I have no experience whatsoever, but I have always heard good things about Traynor. I assumed they were a solid brand that just flew under most people's radar.

 

[YawningJorin]

After some trouble, I managed to locate some IR backups, sorted my library, and added some new ones. Now I need to actually back it up externally 'cause I feel like my Dr. Bonkers Sunn IRs are worth their intangible weight in gold and they're not something I want to lose to disk failure. I figured someone might've made a Sunn 4x15 IR at this point but no luck. Stumbled upon this thread which, despite the criticisms of the cab, makes me all the more curious about this elusive goose but I think there may be riots if someone makes another post in there.

Boss also released a big update for the GT1000 Core. While I'm not a huge fan of digital modeling, the models they have are pretty decent and serviceable. I'm particularly excited to try the Darkglass model, so I'm gonna try to set that up tonight.

What's all this for then? I stumbled into game development again. It's something I got into in my youth and got me into software development at large. Something sparked that flame again so I'm working on an N64 style game. And to make the music properly authentic, I need a sound font. I'm making my own, because of course I would. With a bunch of distinct bass and guitar tones

 

[kleinenenten]

After some trouble, I managed to locate some IR backups, sorted my library, and added some new ones. Now I need to actually back it up externally 'cause I feel like my Dr. Bonkers Sunn IRs are worth their intangible weight in gold and they're not something I want to lose to disk failure. I figured someone might've made a Sunn 4x15 IR at this point but no luck. Stumbled upon this thread which, despite the criticisms of the cab, makes me all the more curious about this elusive goose but I think there may be riots if someone makes another post in there.

Boss also released a big update for the GT1000 Core. While I'm not a huge fan of digital modeling, the models they have are pretty decent and serviceable. I'm particularly excited to try the Darkglass model, so I'm gonna try to set that up tonight.

What's all this for then? I stumbled into game development again. It's something I got into in my youth and got me into software development at large. Something sparked that flame again so I'm working on an N64 style game. And to make the music properly authentic, I need a sound font. I'm making my own, because of course I would. With a bunch of distinct bass and guitar tones

Which genre of game are you creating? A LOOOONG time ago I tried to make an old school point and click adventure game with a program designed to make that an easy process. With my limited time and skills, it was still daunting. Never really did much with it.

 

[YawningJorin]

Which genre of game are you creating? A LOOOONG time ago I tried to make an old school point and click adventure game with a program designed to make that an easy process. With my limited time and skills, it was still daunting. Never really did much with it.

3D platformer! A Touhou Project fangame specifically, featuring Cirno the fairy. Even if you don't know Touhou Project, you probably recognise various memes and popular videos created by the fanbase. The games have an incredibly strong community and a very permissive license for derivative works, so it exists very close to the public domain. I have a pretty rough relationship to games nowadays what with all the dopamine kicks from constant achievements and growing numbers. My brain kinda just locks in on them and I lose the enjoyment and the appreciation of games as an art form. So I want to pursue something from a simpler time. And within the framework of a series that has brought me a lot of joy. The N64 predates me, but my siblings got one when I was like three years old so I basically grew up with one. There's some short gameplay videos on my tumblr:

Specialised engines like the one you mentioned are really nice. I toyed a little bit with RPG Maker when I was a kid. I've not pursued any larger projects with one, but you can often tell they're made by people who absolutely love the genre they're built for.

 

[kleinenenten]

I came to the realization today that I can now play a majority of songs (6/10) from Metallica's "Kill 'Em All". Three of the four remaining should be fairly simple, but I get the feeling "Anesthesia" will elude me for a bit. Still - a worthy goal, and I'm sure I'll get better just by practicing to get that good.

I also spent some time learning Kreator's "Fallen Brother" today. Pretty simple, but I just wanted something new to play and I felt I could learn it quickly. Took about an hour to get it 90% down, the rest will probably fall in to place tomorrow when I review it, like usually happens when I learn a new song.

Hope everybody else is having a great weekend!

 

[scabpicker]

Hehehe, ages ago I was going to write a video game, but I didn't want to pay for a compiler. I found out that the GNU C/C++ compiler was the default on Linux, and it was totally free. So, I started out on a Linux adventure. Never got that game written, but I became quite competent on Linux when it was in its infancy, and almost got good at programming and debugging. Without wanting to write a game, I probably wouldn't have the (quite lovely) job I have today.

I don't have much to report music-wise other than I got a new Elektron Digitakt that I've almost figured out how to operate. I also got a Epiphone Firebrid Studio off of a friend, so I have a guitar to go with my Thunderbird. I've finally got to the point where I can kinda sorta put a song idea together with the Digitakt. Like most things, the more you fool with it, the easier it gets. This is the first thing I've recorded with the Digitakt and the Firebird. The bass is the PureSalem Classic Creep into the IdiotBox Fett Drive, split into my Ampeg PF-20t and into a Behringer BDI21 (SansAmp VT clone), with the Behirnger going through the CabDryVr.

https://tunes.drawerdevils.com/tunes/When_in_Transylvania/When_in_Transylvania.mp3

(please forgive the obvious screw ups on the lead guitar)

 

[Novarocker]

Hehehe, ages ago I was going to write a video game, but I didn't want to pay for a compiler. I found out that the GNU C/C++ compiler was the default on Linux, and it was totally free. So, I started out on a Linux adventure. Never got that game written, but I became quite competent on Linux when it was in its infancy, and almost got good at programming and debugging. Without wanting to write a game, I probably wouldn't have the (quite lovely) job I have today.

I don't have much to report music-wise other than I got a new Elektron Digitakt that I've almost figured out how to operate. I also got a Epiphone Firebrid Studio off of a friend, so I have a guitar to go with my Thunderbird. I've finally got to the point where I can kinda sorta put a song idea together with the Digitakt. Like most things, the more you fool with it, the easier it gets. This is the first thing I've recorded with the Digitakt and the Firebird. The bass is the PureSalem Classic Creep into the IdiotBox Fett Drive, split into my Ampeg PF-20t and into a Behringer BDI21 (SansAmp VT clone), with the Behirnger going through the CabDryVr.

https://tunes.drawerdevils.com/tunes/When_in_Transylvania/When_in_Transylvania.mp3

(please forgive the obvious screw ups on the lead guitar)

Nice, cool to hear the Fett in someone else's hands. Been so on the fence to move it as I don't know if I'd use it a lot, but it's such a cool sound.

@YawningJorin that's way cool! 64, SNES and Sega were a big part of my childhood. Got me hooked on being a gamer.

In other news, I'm really chugging forward on redoing my pedalboard. Got some decisions to make, but thought I'd through this up here too considering it's fitting content. Torn between the monarch and giza. Then there's the box of war, I gotta say there's something about the bigger boxes that seem to sound different then the smaller box Wren and cuff pedals. I wonder if it's like the difference between originals and clones. You'll get 95-99% there on identical sound, then get slightly different here and there, but the feel might be the only thing off. In a mix you'd never notice, so is it worth it then?

 

[YawningJorin]

In other news, I'm really chugging forward on redoing my pedalboard. Got some decisions to make, but thought I'd through this up here too considering it's fitting content. Torn between the monarch and giza. Then there's the box of war, I gotta say there's something about the bigger boxes that seem to sound different then the smaller box Wren and cuff pedals. I wonder if it's like the difference between originals and clones. You'll get 95-99% there on identical sound, then get slightly different here and there, but the feel might be the only thing off. In a mix you'd never notice, so is it worth it then?

No idea if the sound really differs in your specific case. Maybe you could devise a way to do a blind A/B test on yourself? Don't be afraid of your gut feeling though. If the practical difference isn't too big, just run with what feels right IMO. I run an HM-3 instead of an HM-2 variant because it feels right. Haters will say I'm violating my Swedish heritage. Luckily I have no haters.

Nick of Dunwich Amplification once said (paraphrasing) that he likes using bigger boxes because people perceive them as sounding bigger. I think there's a decent bit of truth to that. Same as the reason some bands will put loads of dummy cabs on stage. Perception matters, even if it's silly. One of the demos that really sparked my interest in boutique pedals was this one of the Midnight Amplification Holy Mountain and Sonic Violence. I think the sheer size of the Sonic Violence really sells it. Saying that it's a RAT with more gain on tap would not. That said, I think Nick was really pushing it with the big box Wizard Fuzz. Most of that box is empty space.



I prefer smaller, but not uncomfortably small. It's about finding the ergonomic middle ground between too large to handle and install vs. being too small to comfortably set and stomp. I've never liked the 1590A size (smallest Hammond box), and only have one on my board. It's a pain to build and maintain for because they're tight to the point that you have to be really specific about assembly order and things like that. 125B (roughly the size of a Boss pedal) is pretty spacious for smaller pedals. But there's a trend of making pedals with multiple foot switches in these sizes especially among those hip new pedal manufacturers like Walrus and Chase Bliss. That's really pushing it if you want to put such pedals side by side.

On the synth side of things, Emilie of Mutable Instruments understood these design questions better than anyone. Most makers like squeezing in as many jacks and controls in as little space as possible in the Eurorack scene. And that makes it feel like you need a surgeon's precision to operate a rig. Big knobs and spacious layouts are ergonomic and make the creative process more enjoyable.

 

[Kaa]

Nice, cool to hear the Fett in someone else's hands. Been so on the fence to move it as I don't know if I'd use it a lot, but it's such a cool sound.

@YawningJorin that's way cool! 64, SNES and Sega were a big part of my childhood. Got me hooked on being a gamer.

In other news, I'm really chugging forward on redoing my pedalboard. Got some decisions to make, but thought I'd through this up here too considering it's fitting content. Torn between the monarch and giza. Then there's the box of war, I gotta say there's something about the bigger boxes that seem to sound different then the smaller box Wren and cuff pedals. I wonder if it's like the difference between originals and clones. You'll get 95-99% there on identical sound, then get slightly different here and there, but the feel might be the only thing off. In a mix you'd never notice, so is it worth it then?

View attachment 6987414

Therein lies the way to madness. Lol.
It's really only for you to decide. If you like it, it is good.
I am a minimalist when it comes to bass, as many here know, so I cannot offer real insight in to your journey for the perfect tone.

 

[kleinenenten]

Hehehe, ages ago I was going to write a video game, but I didn't want to pay for a compiler. I found out that the GNU C/C++ compiler was the default on Linux, and it was totally free. So, I started out on a Linux adventure. Never got that game written, but I became quite competent on Linux when it was in its infancy, and almost got good at programming and debugging. Without wanting to write a game, I probably wouldn't have the (quite lovely) job I have today.

I don't have much to report music-wise other than I got a new Elektron Digitakt that I've almost figured out how to operate. I also got a Epiphone Firebrid Studio off of a friend, so I have a guitar to go with my Thunderbird. I've finally got to the point where I can kinda sorta put a song idea together with the Digitakt. Like most things, the more you fool with it, the easier it gets. This is the first thing I've recorded with the Digitakt and the Firebird. The bass is the PureSalem Classic Creep into the IdiotBox Fett Drive, split into my Ampeg PF-20t and into a Behringer BDI21 (SansAmp VT clone), with the Behirnger going through the CabDryVr.

https://tunes.drawerdevils.com/tunes/When_in_Transylvania/When_in_Transylvania.mp3

(please forgive the obvious screw ups on the lead guitar)

I like it! I'm debating trying to record an idea of mine, just for fun. Definitely a different style, but I have to decide if I want to do it with fuzz or distortion... Decisions, decisions...

 

[kleinenenten]

I like it! I'm debating trying to record an idea of mine, just for fun. Definitely a different style, but I have to decide if I want to do it with fuzz or distortion... Decisions, decisions...

And after a few hours of practicing guitar to get this even remotely presentable, here it is! It's not anywhere near perfect, as my ability to write for guitar far surpasses my ability to play guitar... I actually have a much better (read faster and more intricate rhythm) that I can't quite get down right consistently. So after over an hour of messing that recording up, I decided to just simplify the darn thing for the sake of having a somewhat finished product. I've actually been working on the guitar part off and on for months... In comparison, I wrote and recorded the entire bass part in under an hour, having literally never attempted to play anything for this piece on bass. You can tell which is my preferred instrument!

Anyway, the tone from the amps is definitely "thrashier", hence the name of the file, but through my mostly 30+ year old and random hodge-podge of recording equipment, it seems a bit bassier. I can't complain, I like it either way! And I finally decided to split the difference on distortion/fuzz - the guitar was recorded with my TightMetal Pro and the bass with my beloved Swollen Pickle. Here's the clip, if anybody's interested!