Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[Auspex]

We played our first show in a year last week. Got to open for Today is the Day and a local, Psychomachy. Both are pretty brutal and we were sandwiched in between 'em.

Easily the best show we've ever played, in terms of our performance. THe owner/promoter came up to us while we were breaking down and had nothing but awesome compliments, always a good feeling.

The next wave of Mariana is coming for ya! stoooooooked.

 

[Ender_rpm]

Question for you guys. It seems like you guys run two(or maybe more) fuzzes/ODs fairly often. How do you tame the feedback? Low gain? I really like the tones I get running my 2 to 3 ODs at the same time, but I feedback constantly when not playing. Guitar player wants me to only use one or turn the gain way down. Both options leave me feeling slightly neutered. How do you guys do it?

Is it swelling "woo" feedback or squeally "AHHHH!!!" feedback? If its the former, that's volume related, get a volume pedal or nose suppressor. If its squeally feedback, your pickups may be microphonic, and need to be replaced. I had to put new pickups in my Jazz because at anything over the lowest volumes with my BB it would feedback like a mofo. My SB2 has never had an issue, but that could just be dumb luck too. The sad thing is my old Jazz pickups (original MIJ) sounded SO DAMN GOOD. I may have to swap them back out now that I'm doing folky stuff.

 

[kzr750r1]

Good to know about the TB1000. Not to start a war but I've always been skeptical of Class D. Have a Carvin power amp now, went there for price and weight. Longevity well see.

 

[ampegfuzz]

Ive had so much bad luck with class D amps that i just can't justify buying them any more. Even though i was greatly intrigued by the carvin micro i played. Ill just lug around my GK 800rb for smaller gigs. It also helps having the GT-10 for super quiet get togethers if i need it.

 

[kzr750r1]

I still keep falling back to my 400RB. Stupid simple fire it up and go, takes dirt well.

 

[Speedor]

Bummer, I wanted to buy the TB500 next month, I guess I'll have to rethink that decision. Been choosing between Ampeg Portaflex 350, TB500 and TC BH 250. Got sick of my Ashdown Five Fifteen home practice combo and wanted to swap it for something that I actually wouldn't be ashamed to turn on in front of my friends and would also double as my portable gig rig for some time.
We are playing in a commercial practice space (as far as mostly heavy music practice space might be called commercial ) and the amps provided there are pretty cool, but the moment we decide we're ready to gig, there's no way the owner is going to let me take his sweet Ampeg rig I'm playing there to a gig. I figured I might as well start buying stuff since I've got some extra cash going in.

 

[Lazarus.Bird]

I've had zero bad luck with Class D and my TB1000 is still chugging away like a champ. I guess it is karma for all the times I have been Lazzed.

 

[Speedor]

Probably going to go with TB500 anyway...

 

[Corey Y]

Good to know about the TB1000. Not to start a war but I've always been skeptical of Class D. Have a Carvin power amp now, went there for price and weight. Longevity well see.

Ive had so much bad luck with class D amps that i just can't justify buying them any more. Even though i was greatly intrigued by the carvin micro i played. Ill just lug around my GK 800rb for smaller gigs. It also helps having the GT-10 for super quiet get togethers if i need it.

On the flip side of anecdotal accounts for Class D amps, I have my GK MB800 and Crest Pro-Lite 2.0 and both sound and have held up great. I use the GK constantly at low and high volumes, for demos, for jamming, for recording. The Crest has been used for high volume practice and recording of projects in the last year as well. Neither of them have had so much as a single shut down or issue at all. You better believe I push them super hard too, on the front end with pedals and into cabs at high volume.

 

[kzr750r1]

Main issue I have is the ability to push 2ohm. All of my cabs are 4ohm.
I have the power amp so the two bag end cabs can be my mini stack for gigs.

Next practice though I'll probably run one bag end and the GK, but that will be in December at this point.

 

[Auspex]

I've never had an amp issue til the TB1000. It was awesome and never flinched, just one day it took a poopie. It happens. No hate for it, but it does seem like a lot of people are having this issue with them.

When mine gets fixed it will be sold. The fear of the happening again during a show is a little to real for me. lol.

 

[CL400Peavey]

Main issue I have is the ability to push 2ohm. All of my cabs are 4ohm.
I have the power amp so the two bag end cabs can be my mini stack for gigs.

Next practice though I'll probably run one bag end and the GK, but that will be in December at this point.

Have you been trying to push two 4 ohm cabs with your amps?

 

[Corey Y]

Main issue I have is the ability to push 2ohm. All of my cabs are 4ohm.
I have the power amp so the two bag end cabs can be my mini stack for gigs.

Next practice though I'll probably run one bag end and the GK, but that will be in December at this point.

That's the only thing I don't like about the GK, but getting any amp to run 2 ohm is kind of a tough issue these days. The Crest will run down to 2 ohm or 2 separate 4 ohm outputs, which is how I usually use it (all my cabs except my 1x10 at home are 4 ohm). That's one of the features I made sure to have Nick design into my new Dunwich head as well, running down to 2 ohm.

 

[mc_muench]

Good to know about the TB1000. Not to start a war but I've always been skeptical of Class D. Have a Carvin power amp now, went there for price and weight. Longevity well see.

I'm with you on the skeptical about class D. I don't see them lasting as long as a lead sled SS. I mean my Vulcan is 45 years old, and after the restore I expect it to work another 45 years, I wouldnt say that about any class d or even the newer digital computer lead sleds. Like everythung else made now a days, it's disposable, not made to last the test of time.

 

[Turkeypills]

Is it swelling "woo" feedback or squeally "AHHHH!!!" feedback? If its the former, that's volume related, get a volume pedal or nose suppressor. If its squeally feedback, your pickups may be microphonic, and need to be replaced. I had to put new pickups in my Jazz because at anything over the lowest volumes with my BB it would feedback like a mofo. My SB2 has never had an issue, but that could just be dumb luck too. The sad thing is my old Jazz pickups (original MIJ) sounded SO DAMN GOOD. I may have to swap them back out now that I'm doing folky stuff.

Man, it is WITH my SB-2 which is a total bummer if the pickups are microphonic as I don't have the slightest clue where to get new SB-2 pups. I don't think G&L sells those. I am not sure this is the case though. The feedback certainly doesn't swell when I have the amp at loud volume but it also doesn't really sound like a squeal. Its high in pitch, but fairly consistent in pitch.

After watching this:

It appears that it my pickups may be microphonic which kind of totally blows. Its only really an issue at high gain and volume, but it is very similar to the sounds in this video. Is there a cure? Or is my beloved SB-2 doom ****ed. Maybe I can sell that and my Gibson EB4 and order a new G&L. I'd hate to take that resale hit though, despite my undying love for G&L.

Edit: It appears that G&L does sell them in their online store. Last few times I had visited the site they only had L2k pups. They are cheaper than I had anticipated, still $80 I don't have.

Edit2: Sold out of the neck pup and the bridge is $80. NVM affordable

 

[Niff]

Is it swelling "woo" feedback or squeally "AHHHH!!!" feedback? If its the former, that's volume related, get a volume pedal or nose suppressor. If its squeally feedback, your pickups may be microphonic, and need to be replaced. I had to put new pickups in my Jazz because at anything over the lowest volumes with my BB it would feedback like a mofo. My SB2 has never had an issue, but that could just be dumb luck too. The sad thing is my old Jazz pickups (original MIJ) sounded SO DAMN GOOD. I may have to swap them back out now that I'm doing folky stuff.

i used to run two all the time stacked, you have to be very careful with unmuted strings when you're not playing!

also because i have been a self promoting whore in this thread recently, here's another demo of another band i'm in. ha. https://sonofsuncheersmate.bandcamp.com/releases

 

[mc_muench]

i used to run two all the time stacked, you have to be very careful with unmuted strings when you're not playing!

also because i have been a self promoting whore in this thread recently, here's another demo of another band i'm in. ha. https://sonofsuncheersmate.bandcamp.com/releases

Whore away my man.

Sounds dope. You use the same rig as stone the crows?

 

[kzr750r1]

Have you been trying to push two 4 ohm cabs with your amps?

No way jose... Cause it will burn to the ground. I know better then try and expect anything to last.
Hence the power amp rig. Needed somthing to push the 2 400w 210 cabs so I have a portable rig. Issue I'm having is preamp with the Tech21 VTRM. Need to find a better pre but I can make due with this for now. Not happy how it takes dirt. FLip back to the 400RB 215 cab and all is good with the world in tone but portability goes out the window.

That's the only thing I don't like about the GK, but getting any amp to run 2 ohm is kind of a tough issue these days. The Crest will run down to 2 ohm or 2 separate 4 ohm outputs, which is how I usually use it (all my cabs except my 1x10 at home are 4 ohm). That's one of the features I made sure to have Nick design into my new Dunwich head as well, running down to 2 ohm.

As a general course I would probably never be comfortable running 2 ohm all the time. Once in a blue moon ok as needed.
One of these days I'd like to jump and go all tube but not for a couple years as it looks right now.

I'm with you on the skeptical about class D. I don't see them lasting as long as a lead sled SS. I mean my Vulcan is 45 years old, and after the restore I expect it to work another 45 years, I wouldnt say that about any class d or even the newer digital computer lead sleds. Like everythung else made now a days, it's disposable, not made to last the test of time.

This is one of my issues with consumer electronics in general these days. Sign of the times when the fix is go get the new version and trash the old.
Gone are the days of fixing electronics with a soldering iron and replacing components. Unless of course it's based on a solid old school design.

It's kind of analogous to my car. Being a 2006 it is a ECU controlled car. However the design is such that a shade tree mechanic such as myself can rebuild it. Yes some components need to be replaced and hard parts fail. But in the long run if I can keep fixing issues myself I'm all for that path. It kills me that the fix for products today is flat out replacement. How is that a green plan?

 

[ampegfuzz]

I know people have good luck with class D, just wish I was one of them. They are so convenient.

 

[kzr750r1]

Trust me. I'm hoping for the best with this Carvin HD1500.

Circling back on the Orange deal. I thought there was a run of them that had an issue and they had fixed it. I hope they did cause that is one loud head from those I've heard use them.