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The Combo Club

#12,621
Welcome to the weekend, one and all! Hope you’re for a relaxing two days filled with music, merriment, and a good working combo.

Picked up a new preamp tube for the Terror Bass as I’m finding the JJ 12AX7 to be darker than what I’d like to be hearing. Grabbed a Tung Sol Valve which tends to be brighter.

Otherwise, homework. What else is new? Did survive my second to last class Halloween party, Pandemic-style. We had a good time regardless. Ya can’t squash the free-candy enthusiasm of a ten-year old!

Listening to Pink Floyd’s Animals album. Put it on if you, like me, haven’t heard it in a while. I’ll be checking in and out all weekend.

FL
 
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#12,622
themickster said:
Mini CMD 121P and New York 121
Click to expand...
I had the Mini CMD 121p for about 3 years. The weight to power/loudness ratio is incredible. This beast gets fu****g loud. Of course there are some low freq limitations with a 5 string. A second cab will extend the volume and lower freq limit but I never needed that. It has that typical Markbass right-in-your-face midrangy voicing which sounds very good with a P-Bass. I only used the 4 band EQ to compensate the room acoustics. For tailoring the sound I mainly used the VLE and VPF controls. I wish Markbass would still provide them in there current amps.

Later I replaced it with a AER combo which I also could use for my EUB. But that's in a completely different price range.
 
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#12,623
iagtrplyr said:
Of course, M...for scientific purposes only. Of course, your VT pedal has a DI, correct? If so, that’s all you need. If not, heresy I say! :mad:
Click to expand...

The truth of it is a little more human.

Imagine if someone were to cut a test bass video to see if it is possible to monitor but not record a backing track. Imagine if the same someone wonders why no bass is recorded ... helps a great deal to plug into the amp that's got the live DI ...

is my face red
 
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#12,624
TheBass said:
I had the Mini CMD 121p for about 3 years. The weight to power/loudness ratio is incredible. This beast gets fu****g loud. Of course there are some low freq limitations with a 5 string.
Click to expand...
Frankly, I'm surprised that you experience any limitations with your MarkBass rig when playing the B string. But admittedly, my MarkBass combo is a different beast. I have the Jeff Berlin Players School combo (115) and it easily plays well below low B. (I love octave pedals.)

Maybe because it's a fifteen?
 
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#12,627
iagtrplyr said:
Listening to Pink Floyd’s Animals album
Click to expand...

One of my favorite albums of all time.

TheBass said:
I had the Mini CMD 121p for about 3 years. The weight to power/loudness ratio is incredible.
Click to expand...

New band has the MB 2X10 combo in the studio for me to use. While it's usable, I prefer the sound of my GK MB212-ii.
 
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#12,630
TheBass said:
I had the Mini CMD 121p for about 3 years. The weight to power/loudness ratio is incredible. This beast gets fu****g loud. Of course there are some low freq limitations with a 5 string. A second cab will extend the volume and lower freq limit but I never needed that. It has that typical Markbass right-in-your-face midrangy voicing which sounds very good with a P-Bass. I only used the 4 band EQ to compensate the room acoustics. For tailoring the sound I mainly used the VLE and VPF controls. I wish Markbass would still provide them in there current amps.

Later I replaced it with a AER combo which I also could use for my EUB. But that's in a completely different price range.
Click to expand...

AERs want to be good for what they cost. I know what you mean about the VPF. It gives the cut-through twang I was wanting without killing the low end. When transport and floor room at gigs let me, I hope to take my Carlsbro 150w and Trace Elliot 1x15. It has a high pass output, which I will feed into the Mark.
 
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#12,633
iagtrplyr said:
Welcome to the weekend, one and all! Hope you’re for a relaxing two days filled with music, merriment, and a good working combo.

Picked up a new preamp tube for the Terror Bass as I’m finding the JJ 12AX7 to be darker than what I’d like to be hearing. Grabbed a Tung Sol Valve which tends to be brighter.

Otherwise, homework. What else is new? Did survive my second to last class Halloween party, Pandemic-style. We had a good time regardless. Ya can’t squash the free-candy enthusiasm of a ten-year old!

Listening to Pink Floyd’s Animals album. Put it on if you, like me, haven’t heard it in a while. I’ll be checking in and out all weekend.

FL
Click to expand...
Welcome back FL! My weekend so far has included putting a new exterior door on my workshop, so now I have the assorted body aches that such physical activity creates for those of us in the sedentary 50+ set. But it sure looks nice on there! I'll take a pic and post it.

My friend who helped with the install (he's a contractor by trade) was the guitar player in a couple bands with me for a number of years. We had a great day of frustration, success, concrete dust, and catching up.

Today, I have to do some work due to a looming deadline, and hope to plug in Silver (Jazz) and Shorty (P-bass) and work on some Pink Floyd with my two GK amps to see if there really is a difference in sound between the vintage on those amps.

Plus, I made an offer on a new bass this morning!

Busy, busy, busy!
:laugh:
 
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#12,635
RodRy said:
Welcome back FL! My weekend so far has included putting a new exterior door on my workshop, so now I have the assorted body aches that such physical activity creates for those of us in the sedentary 50+ set. But it sure looks nice on there! I'll take a pic and post it.

My friend who helped with the install (he's a contractor by trade) was the guitar player in a couple bands with me for a number of years. We had a great day of frustration, success, concrete dust, and catching up.

Today, I have to do some work due to a looming deadline, and hope to plug in Silver (Jazz) and Shorty (P-bass) and work on some Pink Floyd with my two GK amps to see if there really is a difference in sound between the vintage on those amps.

Plus, I made an offer on a new bass this morning!

Busy, busy, busy!
:laugh:
Click to expand...

Wow, you really see a busy old geezer. 50s...I’ve got undies that old. Never mind.

Please take a pic of your new garage door, but don’t forget to wheel out your Kustom Kasino for ambiance. If you can’t do that, how about a pic of your D-4 combo? If you do, I will too.

Pink Floyd...nice.

Finally, pray tell what you’re looking at, bass wise. Traditional or modern? Grab a Precision, RR, and you’ll never look back.
 
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#12,638
iagtrplyr said:
To finish out this evening, dear members, I’m filing this story under FWIW. It’s an update on my mild Rumble 100 makeover a month or so ago where I bought done really nice self-sticking foam liner to “tighten” up the sound a bit. Well, after what I believe was a third attempt to improve the combo after first lining the top, sides, and back, I finally reached utopia.

I bought two sheets of the foam and by the time I finished this afternoon, the sides and top of the cab are still lined with everything else back to good old wood. Uh-huh, one sheet would’ve been more than enough, and that’s why I’m passing this info on to anyone who’s thinking of misting their amps: be judicious about it!

Until today, I hated with a passion the sound of my once fun-to-play amp. After the first install, it sounded like I was playing through a king-sized pillow. Muffled upper mids and highs, lower dynamics, and decreased volume. It slowly improved as I began lessening the foam until I got it right today. And about time too.

Now I have the punch back, there’s more air and focus in the midrange, but because of what’s still in there it’s less boomy so I’m able to run my bass and low-mid knobs closer to noon; something my ears haven’t allowed until now.

So for those of you thinking about a little shade tree mechanics this weekend, go ahead because it’s fun, but start a project like this with smaller changes and add as you hear the need. I am indeed happy with it’s sound now.

That is all,

FL
Click to expand...
How thick is the foam?
 
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#12,639
iagtrplyr said:
Wow, you really see a busy old geezer. 50s...I’ve got undies that old. Never mind.

Please take a pic of your new garage door, but don’t forget to wheel out your Kustom Kasino for ambiance. If you can’t do that, how about a pic of your D-4 combo? If you do, I will too.

Pink Floyd...nice.

Finally, pray tell what you’re looking at, bass wise. Traditional or modern? Grab a Precision, RR, and you’ll never look back.
Click to expand...
You've got undies that are more than 50 years old? I have to wonder where you're buying Kevlar Jockies? On second thought, never mind, they sound like they'd chafe.

I think the pic will wait until tomorrow, providing weather is good. Did the foaming around the door today, need to go clean it up and finish with the caulk. With no Kasino, I'll have to bring one of my much smaller combos to dress up the photo.

I'm working on a short scale Stingray (the less expensive type, not the much more expensive ones). In Daphne blue.

I've had a PJ bass since 1989, and a short scale P since about 2000. I enjoy those quite a bit, and have really been having fun with my Jazz and flats this week. Somehow I think it just goes well with Pink Floyd.
:laugh:
 
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#12,640
Miles_ONeal said:
How thick is the foam?
Click to expand...

Hello. I believe it was 1/4”. The half-inch Foam was too thick for what I wanted. I ended up pulling most of it out because it dried the sound out faster than StewMac drained my bank account.

If I remember, what padding I have left is on the back wall but that’s about it. What I did was slowly take out what I placed in til my ears were satisfied.

So my take if you pursue this is to use no more than 1/4” liner and keep it lite. I bought two panels and really only needed one. It was for a Rumble 100.

Keep us posted on what happens. Better yet, take a picture of your combo and I’ll give ya a number to this great club.
 
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