Thunderbird Club

[dukeorock]

Duke, seeing how you build cabs - having a number of different amps would be necessary , that’s correct isn’t it? .

I like the way you think! I do like testing my cabs with different rigs. Lots of different styles and tastes out there, so I’d like to be able to answer questions when they come up. That’s my official answer, but really, I just like having lots of cool gear to goof around on

If it has wheels, I don't much care how much it weighs. I can get a big cab up and down stairs just fine. Same with a heavy head. It's awkward I won't do. No 410 cabinets for me. Those are the spawn of the devil, looking for poor, unsuspecting lower backs to posses and cause to writhe in pain.

Worst form factor ever! Fortunately, I don’t prefer the sound of most of em either. An 810 is much easier to schlep than two 410’s, IMO

 

[kat888]

Hey @kat888, we watched Quadrophenia last night. Is Him Indoors in it?

He would have been a little young. It's all too 'cockney' for him as well -- he's a Northern lad. Most people in this country can not understand a word he's saying. People ask him for directions and then you see the look of panic descend when he answers. One of life's simple pleasures.

 

[GBassNorth]

See what you made me do? Just measured the .045 from my spare set of KS strings and it's 49" (why do I feel dirty for writing that?) on the schnozz.

That's helpful to know the Ken Smiths are 124.5 cm (there, now we both feel dirty. Yikes, does that mean we're talking dirty to each other).
Never tried KS strings. What would you compare them to sound wise and feel wise?

 

[dukeorock]

Dry your tears. You'll live. People get used to active tone controls, they forget what stuff's like.

I cc can’t st st stop crying...

We are here to enable. Don't ever lose sight of that service we provide. We take it seriously.

And you’re very good at it. Kudos!

 

[kat888]

I didn't know that. I was wondering why I could get away with wearing Chucks all the time when I was a kid, and found them not much more than flip-flops as an adult. It's not JUST because I didn't wear shoes at all most of the time as a kid, is it? Maybe not.

I wear through the soles of Chucks in a matter of weeks. When they were $20-$30 not such a big deal. Now they are $130, there are better ways to piss my money away.

 

[Gaolee]

See what you made me do? Just measured the .045 from my spare set of KS strings and it's 49" (why do I feel dirty for writing that?) on the schnozz.

I don't know. You may need to elaborate. I'm the older twin, but the dumber twin.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Man, sorry you’re struggling. Could be any number of things. Cables, the amp, loose wire inside the cab. Or maybe your speaker is damaged. Check the dust cap? If part comes loose it can sound a bit janky

The cab is a year old and all components should be clean considering the environment the cab resides in, is it possiblt that when all hell broke loose during the jam where my pups were too high that they could have created a loose connection or dust cap?. That cab was vibing and crackling like it was stung by a shotgun.

 

[Gaolee]

Man, sorry you’re struggling. Could be any number of things. Cables, the amp, loose wire inside the cab. Or maybe your speaker is damaged. Check the dust cap? If part comes loose it can sound a bit janky

You have a '15 'Bird, right? Lower the pickups some more.

Oops, I meant to reply to Prog. Proving the point of being the dumber twin.

 

[theFixer]

Anymore... with the cost of a pair of Chucks... these are every bit as "supportive" as the real thing, they last forever, and ya only gotta pay for 'em ONCE!

 

[Gaolee]

I wear through the soles of Chucks in a matter of weeks. When they were $20-$30 not such a big deal. Now they are $130, there are better ways to piss my money away.

That's about how long it used to take me as well. Which is probably why I didn't wear shoes at all most of the time.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

If your amp has both a passive and active input make sure you're plugged into the right one for your bass. I know an active bass plugged into a passive input can cause a bit of an overdrive or distortion effect. Also try the shortest instrument cable you have. Long cables can create a bit of distortion. You can also check your gain and if you have a clipping light on your amp make sure it isn't indicating that you're running too hot on the input. Lastly, some pickups and/or strings are just hotter than others, if you run your on board volume controls at max try backing down to about a 75% level.

Thank you, I will consider all mentions that apply.

 

[kat888]

That's helpful to know the Ken Smiths are 124.5 cm (there, now we both feel dirty. Yikes, does that mean we're talking dirty to each other).
Never tried KS strings. What would you compare them to sound wise and feel wise?

I've only ever used RS66 before. If JAE and Bruce Foxton used RS66s, there was no way I was going to argue ...

The KS strings are a little smoother under the fingers, slightly less zingy when they go on and keep what zing they have. Carlo reckons they sound like the 60s RS66s. I don't know when RS66s stopped being like 60s RS66s, ie whether it was before the early 80s when I started using them. The recent RS66s I had went dead pretty quickly.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

You have a '15 'Bird, right? Lower the pickups some more.

Oops, I meant to reply to Prog. Proving the point of being the dumber twin.

All of my basses now sound dirty going through the cab. Bird pickups are at a sweet spot now though.

 

[Gaolee]

He would have been a little young. It's all too 'cockney' for him as well -- he's a Northern lad. Most people in this country can not understand a word he's saying. People ask him for directions and then you see the look of panic descend when he answers. One of life's simple pleasures.

My wife was born and grew up within the sound of the Bow Bells. She did what she could to de-Cockneyfy herself before we met, and now she's badly Americanized. But, it still leaks out at times. Get her around a pot of tea with her English friends and she comes out with the occasional indecipherable phrase. Not as bad as a few guys from the Nooooth I played rugby with. They needed a translator in McDonalds. That was pure entertainment.

 

[Gaolee]

All of my basses now sound dirty going through the cab. Bird pickups are at a sweet spot now though.

Ah, never mind then.

 

[kat888]

All of my basses now sound dirty going through the cab. Bird pickups are at a sweet spot now though.

You say that like it's a BAD thing...

 

[Gaolee]

You say that like it's a BAD thing...

And you were complaining about measuring a string?

 

[kat888]

My wife was born and grew up within the sound of the Bow Bells. She did what she could to de-Cockneyfy herself before we met, and now she's badly Americanized. But, it still leaks out at times. Get her around a pot of tea with her English friends and she comes out with the occasional indecipherable phrase. Not as bad as a few guys from the Nooooth I played rugby with. They needed a translator in McDonalds. That was pure entertainment.

Picture a Geordie and an Australasian attempting to spell out a word to some Italians in Edinburgh ...

 

[Gaolee]

Picture a Geordie and and an Australasian attempting to spell out a word to some Italians in Edinburgh ...

That's a priceless mental image. Heck, I would have paid to have been the Italians, just to have the experience.

 

[Gaolee]

Happy Boxing Day to you all. See y'all tomorrow, most likely.