The Combo Club

[GonePlaid]

I have not gone to those extremes (I have an ESP 5), but I do have a Jazz with flatwounds tuned DGCF. Makes for a good in-between bass, and sounds authoritative.

I've avoided "non-standard" tunings 'cos I'm often called on to read charts. Too much confusion would ensue trying to read and think everything up/down/sideways a fret or two, and I gots enuff confusion as is. Besides, I have my LPB2/5 to go along with my THUNDERBIRD.

 

[RodRy]

I've avoided "non-standard" tunings 'cos I'm often called on to read charts. Too much confusion would ensue trying to read and think everything up/down/sideways a fret or two, and I gots enuff confusion as is. Besides, I have my LPB2/5 to go along with my THUNDERBIRD.
View attachment 3676667 View attachment 3676668

Cool! Don't look now, but your LPB2 has an alien on it...

I use the alternate tuning for songs I used to play in drop D tuning, or for songs recorded in Eb tuning (a la SRV). I find having every string dropped two frets is easier to figure than just having one dropped down. Plus, I can put a capo on it and have a short scale!

 

[Giffro]

Yeah, that's what I come here for: bass talk and dog history!

Sorry Rod..dog talk is for the dogs..although it is nice to see what bass guitars guys are using to drive their combos..it goes a long way to understand owners different sounds through the same combo for example.
My guess would be my Stingray 5 or Ric 4003 would likely sound a lot different through a Rumble 500C compared to, say, GP Mikes Thunderbird or Morri's Chowney.
So really when you boil it all down this club is MAINLY about combo amps of all descriptions, but you can't disregard which bass guitar drives the sound that comes out of that particular combo compared to someone else's bass guitar. It all comes into play even down to the chosen strings and style of playing. The Combo you use is only part of your sound.
All parts of the final sound are relevant.

 

[GonePlaid]

Cool! Don't look now, but your LPB2 has an alien on it...

I use the alternate tuning for songs I used to play in drop D tuning, or for songs recorded in Eb tuning (a la SRV). I find having every string dropped two frets is easier to figure than just having one dropped down. Plus, I can put a capo on it and have a short scale!

That's my favorite pick. Can't find 'em anymore. I s'pose I could get used to it, but most 'big band' charts were written with a UB in mind, so a 4 stringer gets it done. I'll sometimes hook up the Micro POG on 'octave down'.

 

[G-Dog]

Sorry Rod..dog talk is for the dogs..although it is nice to see what bass guitars guys are using to drive their combos..it goes a long way to understand owners different sounds through the same combo for example.
My guess would be my Stingray 5 or Ric 4003 would likely sound a lot different through a Rumble 500C compared to, say, GP Mikes Thunderbird or Morri's Chowney.
So really when you boil it all down this club is MAINLY about combo amps of all descriptions, but you can't disregard which bass guitar drives the sound that comes out of that particular combo compared to someone else's bass guitar. It all comes into play even down to the chosen strings and style of playing. The Combo you use is only part of your sound.
All parts of the final sound are relevant.

So, you're saying it's not just the Combo Amp Club, but the entire Combo-nation of amp&speaker(s) and bass guitar, and strings on said bass guitar Club? Oh, wait! Does that then also include the pedal(s) and cables and maybe even picks and/or fingers used, too? And how 'bout the player's mind or, in my case the lack thereof, not to mention the physical status of it's connection to the aforementioned? Oh, Lort, where does it end? Augh!
.

 

[Giffro]

So, you're saying it's not just the Combo Amp Club, but the entire Combo-nation of amp&speaker(s) and bass guitar, and strings on said bass guitar Club? Oh, wait! Does that then also include the pedal(s) and cables and maybe even picks and/or fingers used, too? And how 'bout the player's mind or, in my case the lack thereof, not to mention the physical status of it's connection to the aforementioned? Oh, Lort, where does it end? Augh!
.

Loll Doggy dont get ya hackles up..like I said..yep..it's all relevant to what finally comes out as music.
EDIT. All your Wiki pages prove my point.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Combo amps are much more engaging when all the parts, including people, are figured in the calculations.

 

[Giffro]

Combo amps are much more engaging when all the parts, including people, are figured in the calculations.

Well said Morri. I can always rely on you to get my message through when I tend to stumble over my own words..and you did it in 1 sentence..see what I mean loll

 

[GwenOnBass]

 

[StatesideRambler]

Monty Python, right?

 

[GwenOnBass]

Has that Monty Python feel, but can't say for sure

 

[iagtrplyr]

Could you use it to shovel snow, Mike?

SR, a flame thrower was about the only thing that could've done anything with Saturday's snow and I wish I'd have had one too. Anyway, everyone knows baseball bats are used for pounding tough meat...

 

[iagtrplyr]

BEAD tuning isn't something on my plate with the new La Bella Low Tension Flats on my CHB-1. Medium scale, that is. I'd say the silks might be oxblood, or perhaps black cherry.

View attachment 3675023

Black cherry is the perfect description, M. BTW, how do you like them? Curious minds...

 

[iagtrplyr]

Thankfully, not a problem this Mike will ever deal with again(1964-first time I saw snow, shoveling it at boot camp, Great Lakes NTC)

I'm telling ya, GP, you live a blessed life! With any luck, all the snow you'll ever see is while watching White Christmas.

 

[iagtrplyr]

What's snow? lol

 

[iagtrplyr]

Actually Mike GP I wrote about playing my Peavey 5 for 30+ years..thats just the Peavey..I started out when I was 11 or 12 and got my dad to buy me a beat up old home made 4 string P style bass at a pawnbrokers here in Adelaide in 1963 for a cheap price..well poor dad had to buy me a secondhand pawn brokers amp (Goldentone amp) a month later..my old dad came to watch me play many of my gigs over the years before he passed away in 2015. He never regretted buying me the musical gear that gave me the reason to be on this forum today.
At 68 now I love being a bass player this past 57 or so years.

Great story, Giff. Parents can be incredible people. I miss my pop who passed away in 2014.

Hey, you've been playing bass almost as long as I've been alive. Wow! I mean...that doesn't make you old or anything. Don't even think about it that way, okay? Of course, I'll start taking social security in five years, but let's not go there, I don't want to depress you. Thinking young helps you stay young!

 

[iagtrplyr]

Yeah, that's what I come here for: bass talk and dog history!

RR, please do not think I've forgotten you! I messed around with some tunes I plan to record with the Double Four and will get those out to you ASAP. It's driving me nuts that I haven't filled your request yet, but between homework, snow, and Soul Reflection's shovel jokes, I haven't had time to set up my recording studio. Promise you, soon. When do you plan on beginning your massive testing experiment? I wanna get something to you before that. Let me know!

 

[biguglyman]

My newest combo (GK MB212-ii) gets it's first workout this coming Saturday...AND I'M NOT EVEN PLAYING! The bass player for my son's band is still working on getting his amp repaired so he's borrowing mine...again. I sold off the other amps of mine he was using so it's the GK this week. The one guitarist with a truck wrecked it so I get to transport drums too. Roadie at age 63...oy. Gig is in Buffalo, about 1.5 hours from where we live. I'm going to start calling myself Neil Aspinall.

 

[iagtrplyr]

My newest combo (GK MB212-ii) gets it's first workout this coming Saturday...AND I'M NOT EVEN PLAYING! The bass player for my son's band is still working on getting his amp repaired so he's borrowing mine...again. I sold off the other amps of mine he was using so it's the GK this week. The one guitarist with a truck wrecked it so I get to transport drums too. Roadie at age 63...oy. Gig is in Buffalo, about 1.5 hours from where we live. I'm going to start calling myself Neil Aspinall.

Hey Biggie Neil! Say, if you haven't been on of late, check out Page 385, Post #7698. A guy wanted to know about the GK MB212 II and I mentioned you had one. He was looking for an opinion of which you know I had to drop one in. I thought maybe you could give him (us) your latest eval. How's it working for ya?

Thanks, good buddy and be careful of the roadie work. Remember, lift with the legs...

 

[biguglyman]

Anyone had a chance to do a comparison of the Rumble 100 v3 and the GK MB112ii?

While I don't have a Rumble to compare it to, I can give a few insights on the GK. Also remember the Rumble 100 v3 is a much less powerful amp. 100 watts vs. 500 watts for the GK.

1. LOUD

2. Very clear, precise voicing. With all controls flat or off (horn on) it is very articulate, seeming (at least to me) like it is reproducing everything being input in a completely flat and uncolored way.

3. did I mention it was LOUD? I have yet to get the speakers to "fart-out" even at volume levels I'm afraid will garner attention from neighbors.

4. VERY easy to dial in the voice I want. Controls are simple and voiced extremely well. My personal favorite is contour on, EQ's all straight up except for a little bump to the bass. I get that nice boom/thump with just enough on top to articulate.

5. LOUD? Wait until you raise the "boost" level. Adds "girth", volume, and a little "grind", all with the twist of just one knob. Pre/post selector on the DI out lets you send either clean or colored to FOH.

6. Aux in for jamming with your mp3 player and a phones out that I imagine I'll be using for my tuner. Only drawback I can see is there is no mute button for when I'm tuning. I guess I'll just have to use the master volume control for that.

It's getting it's first gig this coming Saturday. Bass player in my son's band is borrowing it. He'll love all the mids this thing cranks with the contour off. Post-gig report next week sometime.