The Combo Club

[RodRy]

^ wise words

I find a J to be just about opposite of all my mind's ear hears when she hears "bass". Some (all?) of it may be my relationship with [AlanSherman] Japanese transistor radios [/AlanSherman] and 60s music, earning me that coveted distinction as a lady GOF. It's the @GonePlaid "Animals" tone ... except I hear it as an Epiphone Rivioli.

This can't be right, is the feeling I get when I first hear the J I'm sampling. And fiddle, and fiddle .... whatever it is, it is not both pickups wide open

I do think "StingRay" when I read "the Rays are looking like real contenders". Seeing my own Ray repaired has become a higher priority for me. But in every honesty, loving the short(ish) scale (31 inches) on the Chowny CHB-1, and loving its neck pickup soloed or blended. It's my daily player!

Speaking of which

I think a loving and careful restoration of your Ray will be a joy when it's finished. Knowing what you've posted, I'm sure you'll do some research, find a luthier who is committed to restoring old instruments to their glory days while retaining their patina and charm.

Warms my heart to think of you playing that fine instrument again, even if Solstice Eve is holding court for most of the sessions!

 

[RodRy]

I always said if I coulda bought an affordable lefty P-bass years ago I would’ve and bypassed the Jazzer altogether. It’s the midrange, baby. And yes, I agree that diming the J’s V and T to create the scooped tone doesn’t do it for me at all, and I’m lazy too. If it sounded good I’d leave it like I do on the Precision.

Forgive me for forgetting: what strings do you have on the Jazz? I really like the tone I get with my Fender 45 stainless flats on mine.

 

[GwenOnBass]

I think a loving and careful restoration of your Ray will be a joy when it's finished. Knowing what you've posted, I'm sure you'll do some research, find a luthier who is committed to restoring old instruments to their glory days while retaining their patina and charm.

Warms my heart to think of you playing that fine instrument again, even if Solstice Eve is holding court for most of the sessions!

As much as I enjoy the La Bella LTFs on Solstice Eve (and I do!) it is not what I hear when it's time to rock. That's the gimme a GK time, and fresh Black Beauties on the StingRay time. There's just something about that string noise on a octave slides that gets all gnarly. That's what my Ray is to me.

 

[wraub]

I also do a radio gig, and the mic I use for that is an LDC, an older (blue) AKG Perception 200. I also have used an older (blue-ish) AKG Perception 220- it's got a darker sound that doesn't like my voice as much, but it's pretty good for bass and bass drum (pad engaged, of course).

The DAW I use is the PreSonus USB 96, and two inputs for quarter inch jack and XLR are available. Used the second line in for (yes, you guessed it) my metronome. The videos I make are boring, musically. Spider exercises and the like that nobody would ever do IRL. Gotta get that stretch, right?

Closer to the Real World™, I'm going to have to add voice to this endeavour. And not seeing any other way around it. Even if I'm just calling out scale degrees, or if I'm actually having to converse in real time, then a mike is what I need. It's the Shure SM57.

Singing is not on my agenda

View attachment 4013040​

 

[wraub]

Re-strings:

Any experience here with either Roto 77s or Ernie Ball Cobalt flats? I've always played Chromes, but want something different...

 

[GwenOnBass]

Re-strings:

Any experience here with either Roto 77s or Ernie Ball Cobalt flats? I've always played Chromes, but want something different...

No first hand experience. If I've gleaned the info dump over at "Strings" properly, EB Cobalt Flats are pretty bright for flats. Also, seems they dropped "Cobalt" from the name, but the strings are the same. About the same tension range as Fender flats. The Roto flats - are the the 77s? or tapes? - the Roto flats are allegedly Roger Waters' choice up through about Animals. He plays hard, with a pick a the bridge, and those are going to be really stiff high tension strings to do what Waters does.

And understood I've played neither.

 

[wraub]

Understood. Thanks all the same.

No first hand experience. If I've gleaned the info dump over at "Strings" properly, EB Cobalt Flats are pretty bright for flats. Also, seems they dropped "Cobalt" from the name, but the strings are the same. About the same tension range as Fender flats. The Roto flats - are the the 77s? or tapes? - the Roto flats are allegedly Roger Waters' choice up through about Animals. He plays hard, with a pick a the bridge, and those are going to be really stiff high tension strings to do what Waters does.

And understood I've played neither.

 

[GonePlaid]

Re-strings:

Any experience here with either Roto 77s or Ernie Ball Cobalt flats? I've always played Chromes, but want something different...

I put EB Cobalt Flats on my 67 Thunderbird and my 95 Les Paul 5er. I really like the fact that with just a little tweaking of the tone knob, I get quite a variety of sounds from the TBird. With Chromes, I kept the tone @ 10 most of the time and would drop it to ~7 for ballads. Still didn't give me enuff 'punch' for the more "rockous"* songs. With the EBCF's, I keep tone @ 7, up to 10 for real punch, or down to ~5 for mellow. I love them. The only reason I didn't put them on my newly acquired Epi EB-0 is, because they only come in long scale, I woulda had to cut waay too much off the windings section to fit a 30" scale bass.

*combination of 'rock' and 'raucous'

 

[GwenOnBass]

I put EB Cobalt Flats on my 67 Thunderbird and my 95 Les Paul 5er. I really like the fact that with just a little tweaking of the tone knob, I get quite a variety of sounds from the TBird. With Chromes, I kept the tone @ 10 most of the time and would drop it to ~7 for ballads. Still didn't give me enuff 'punch' for the more "rockous"* songs. With the EBCF's, I keep tone @ 7, up to 10 for real punch, or down to ~5 for mellow. I love them. The only reason I didn't put them on my newly acquired Epi EB-0 is, because they only come in long scale, I woulda had to cut waay too much off the windings section to fit a 30" scale bass.

*combination of 'rock' and 'raucous'

Great post.

 

[GonePlaid]

Great post.

One of the other guys in Thunderbird Club turned me on to EBCF's. I thank him every chance I get. At the price for a set, I decided to try them first on the EpiBird 5er I had. The least expensive way to get what I considered 'better' tone out of it was strings. The EBCF's almost did it for me but I didn't like the neck profile-not typical Gibson/Epi-or its weight. To sink a lotta $ into a bass I wasn't that knocked out by just seemed to be(potentially) throwing good money after bad so I sold it. I'm not sorry I got it, I'd wanted a 5er TBird since I first saw one. Just didn't work out.
Because of the type music our band plays, I don't need the "angry piano" sound that TBirds are sort of known for, but I wanted to be able to access some of that when I want it and without having to mess with the amp settings-which is damn near impossible at the venues we(used to)play. I know there are those who work by a set list(we don't)and have room to tweak settings, use a bunch of pedals, modeling amps with all kinds of options, and the like. And have room for for the 'toys'. For the amount we're likely to work under the current circumstances, I don't see any point in investing my limited resources on bells and whistles I don't need.

 

[bhendrix]

Re-strings:

Any experience here with either Roto 77s or Ernie Ball Cobalt flats? I've always played Chromes, but want something different...

I have the EBCFs on my Jazz and love them. And that's after years of GHS Boomers. I do EQ for a brighter sound with the Geddy and have not had to change much going with the cobalts. Playability is nice and smooth and feels great on the digits! No string zing and I find I can play faster with these. Some users complain they stain or rust easily after heaving playing - I've not had that issue, but I always wipe em down after a session.

 

[onefitter]

I've had the 77 flats on my t40 for a couple years now and like the feel and tone.

 

[onefitter]

Yes, I knew it! No guitar player would lurk around here if they didn’t have low-frequency backup. Are we talking B-15 here, onefitter? Or are you hanging on to an old bass combo too? If so, post a pic and you can join our distinctive band of musicians who love their combos.

I's an ampeg b-18x. It's under wraps for repair as the last time I turned it on it blew up and shot fire out the vent holes.

 

[onefitter]

I'm the holder of the 2 double nought entry in this fine club,but have been looking in the windows from the 4th post on. Yes I've read every post.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

I'm the holder of the 2 double nought entry in this fine club,but have been looking in the windows from the 4th post on. Yes I've read every post.

Oh no! He knows too much!

 

[onefitter]

The gemini 2 could be ordered with bass speakers. Jensen concert series bass speaker or jbl d140 for extra $$. Mine came with the jbl.

 

[onefitter]

I really like the Labella ltf's on my Washburn AB-95. They're specialists helped me out by making them super xtra long as from trapeze to nut is 40 inches. Thats the shortest string.

 

[Protagonist]

I think a loving and careful restoration of your Ray will be a joy when it's finished. Knowing what you've posted, I'm sure you'll do some research, find a luthier who is committed to restoring old instruments to their glory days while retaining their patina and charm.

Warms my heart to think of you playing that fine instrument again, even if Solstice Eve is holding court for most of the sessions!

If you have any trouble finding repair parts, consider the CLF Research folks, AKA the custom G&L team in Leo Fendor's Fullerton factory with his old tooling and parts laying around. I think I heard they've worked on or can supply parts for some original pre-EB Stingrays. I think they were made at that location.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Just another example of WHY you are our FL! You seem to provide those little subliminal suggestions in your posts that (for me anyway) spark a great idea. Saturday mornings "great idea"? Watch this video - on your big screen if ya can and certainly Cranked Up!!



What a great way to start the day!!!

Oh, they were bada$$ rockers, weren’t they? Thanks for the nice compliment, b. It’s what happened when you allowed a teacher to steer the ship! Hope ya have a blast this weekend, and everyone else too.

 

[iagtrplyr]

The DAW I use is the PreSonus USB 96, and two inputs for quarter inch jack and XLR are available. Used the second line in for (yes, you guessed it) my metronome. The videos I make are boring, musically. Spider exercises and the like that nobody would ever do IRL. Gotta get that stretch, right?

Closer to the Real World™, I'm going to have to add voice to this endeavour. And not seeing any other way around it. Even if I'm just calling out scale degrees, or if I'm actually having to converse in real time, then a mike is what I need. It's the Shure SM57.

Singing is not on my agenda

View attachment 4013040​

M, we’re both using the same interface. I’m sure you know this, if you’re using their DAW software, but there’s a built-in metronome at the bottom of the screen. Works pretty good too, and then you don’t have to burn up an input.

I’m using Studio Live Prime v4. It’s entry level, but my guess is every brand includes a ‘nome. Just thought I’d throw that out to ya.