X-Bass - Experimental 3 Pickup Bass

[KeithAlanK]

Your rigid bass mount sounds interesting.
Hope it won't come to that and you can git yer spurs Dremeled successfully ASAP.
I've had tingling and numbness in my left hand for over a year and was really worried, but it seems to have gone away in the last month so I'm crossing my fingers...

Seems to me if you're sitting in one location to play bass, a surround monitor speaker system or at least a ButtKicker for kickdrum would be a cool thing to play with.
I'm looking at DIY'ing a ButtKicker Mat type thing to stand on for gigs, or at least using a 15" cab under my 410 just for kick--not loud enough to interfere with FOH, but enough to feel so I can lock-in better.

 

[Doner Designs]

I go in to the VA today to see my VA doctor about a super painful "bone spur" in my left shoulder. If it is left unattended to it will end up cutting through super vital tendons that make a person able to move their arm. If that happens, no more bass playing for the rest of my life.

So today marks APPT #1 ... a consultation ... then my guess is the next one will be X-rays here at our local Marine base (probably a week or so from today), then my next guess would be having an MRI done at the VA hospital 300 miles from here (probably a month or so after the X-rays), then the next guess would be another consult, then hopefully repair surgery.

The surgery would involve cutting open the shoulder area, and then somehow shaving off or ~grinding down~ the spur of bone that has grown in my shoulder joint and is tearing in to very important tendons and ligaments that are responsible for arm movement. Once the bone spur (think of a sharp growth of bone) is removed/ground down/shaved down it should ... SHOULD ... be ok for the remainder of my life (I'll be 53 this September.)

In any case, this whole situation is robbing me of precious time I need to complete my ongoing projects. Music is all I have in my life. I have no other form of happiness, no other form of recreation, no other "outlet" or social activity. Take that away and I'm just a living consumer, breathing air, eating food, and producing nothing that adds to the "zeitgeist" of humanity. Making music is my only "proof of life" .. it's the only thing I will leave behind that proves I was even here! My wife and I have been together since 1979, but we never had kids. So making music and recording it, giving it to my friends and relatives, is the only thing that I will leave behind that proves I ever existed.

So ok ... enough whining. Just thought I'd let everyone that is following this (and my X-Rig project) what I have going on that may affect this project.

Fluxtard.

Very sorry to hear of your situation Flux and I wish you the best. Life can be a major downer sometimes...actually a lot of times. But perhaps it is a small encouragement, as we are reminded by the seasonal movie "Its a Wonderful Life", that we all leave behind more than we probably realize.

Regarding bass which is not worn, that could be an awesome invention for a lot of us aging baby boomers, especially if it could be done as a stand type thing that would work as an attachment to any bass or guitar.

The idea reminds me of a harp.

 

[Flux Jetson]

Yea, I suppose a harp is a good way to think of it.

The hardest part (at present) with my situation is the lack of sleep. I am very tired, sleep is caught up on in little 15 minute bursts. Oddly enough I find I can ride my bike, pretty much all I want to. It seems to have no ill effects (affects? .. I never have mastered the use of either word). In any case ....

Last Monday the VA had me go to the local Marine Air Station for x-rays. They took 3 different views (three x-rays). I was supposed ot hear something from someone regarding what was seen in them last week, but it appears that the x-ray tech was on vacation all week (it would have been nice to have been told that before hand .... but I didn't learn that until yesterday .. Friday .. at about 2:30pm).

My right shoulder has an approximately 1/2+ tear in the rotator cuff, I've been dealing with a 75% dissability in my back/neck (near T7 and above in the C-Range of vertabrae) caused by an unknown injury for over 7 or 8 years now, and now this issue in my LEFT shoulder has grown to Two Thousand Watt Loud proportions. I can't sleep on my back (due to the neck injury) I can't sleep on my right side (torn rotator cuff) and can't sleep on my left (this new situation). Sleeping on my stomach hurts the new LEFT thing as well.

Increasing my pain med dosage is HIGHLY counterproductive, anyone that has been on heavy Rx meds (y'know, the "no refills without monthly prescription re-writes and doc visits" type narcos) knows exactly what I am talking about. Those types pf meds can literally ruin your entire life if not handled v-e-r-y repectfully and carefully. I'm talking about ending up living behind the dumpters at Dennys kinds of ruin. So one must be very careful with goofing around with that crap. I have plenty of legal presecibed access to all I could ever need, but man that crap can really screw you up fast. Especially if you're not on some kind of "free money/welfare" situation. If you are still paying your own way, providing for your family, and have people relying on you for reliable business transactions you must be HIGHLY respectful of the power-of-ruin that Rx crap can have on your life.

If you have the "full ride" on the government tit, then you have more freedom to increase pain med dosages. I mean if you end up getting sick on that crap for 3 or 4 weeks .. who cares. right? You're not being relied on for anything other than cashing the monthly checks.

Sorry if I sound so negative. This lack of sleep-+-pain thing is working on my attitude a lot. It's one of THE most effective tools for gathering intelligence in wartime situations, and there is a reason for that! Because sleep deprivation + pain + reduced hope is a super effective tool for breaking a person's inner strengths down.

I'll feel better as soon as some sort of forward motion is made by the VA. Right now I'm going through this sortof "poor me" crap. I'll get over it.

Here's some easy to read details about the LEFT shoulder issue ....

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Ok, I'm done whining for now. I suppose I just needed to vent a little. This shoulder thing is combined with our (still) lost cat. She's lived with us for over thirteen years, never been outside once. On May 30th she got out by accident, and we've not seen her since. We do 2x nightly searches, have handed out and posted over one hundred eighty fliers, wee check with the Humane Society every other day as well as the local vets and pet shops. It's been pretty tough. My wife and I have been together roughly thirty four years (no children) so we get very close to our pets. Losing Dazy May has been hard on us. She's not "just a cat" to us.

Wow .... talk about pity! Listen to me, would ya? There's people that have had their homes blow away in tornadoes and have had the worst human tragedies immaginable happen to them, and here I sit complaining about a sore shoulder and a lost cat.

Ok, enough of this. Like I said I guess I needed to vent.

I'm going to attempt another rest period. More on-topic info on a day when I'm more my manic Fluxholian self.

 

[Flux Jetson]

Excellent news. After several years of being with the VA health care system and getting almost nothing done, I was connected with a new physyical therapist today that really knows what is going on. He spent nearly a full hour going over my x-rays and MRI images, with me sitting right there as he went over each image millimeter by millimeter, and he took actual hand written notes for his own reference that he placed in an all new file he made for me as I sat there. We spoke about ... well .. everything. He allowed me to complain about the previous lack of care, the way I've been just handed more dope and more dope to sweep the pain under the rug rather than actually FIXING the fekking problem. He even shares a motorcycle racing background with me. And, it gets better. He connected us with a VERY caring and knowledgeable person that knows the bureaucratic ins and outs of the VA system like no-one else we've ever met. So ... while my shoulder isn't magically all better, I feel more confident about some successful treatment that has been set into forward motion than I EVER have. I'm already scheduled for all new physical therapy, at an all new facility that has only just this one PT specialist that takes care of one patient at a time with only one patient in the PT gym at a time. So I start this week (no kidding!) with 2 sessions, then it's 3x per week for 3 weeks. And that's just to obtain a zero line and get an evaluation going!

After which the idea is much greater in-depth diagnostics. From the x-rays it is apparent even to me that there is a severe problem in the LEFT shoulder. One bone is supposed to be aligned directly with the collarbone, and it is at least a full half inch in misalignment. Basically I've been living and working with a broken shoulder for about 6 months.

He wants me to get off of these friggin meds just as badly as I do, which is also a super good sign in my opinion. He's not content to continue shovelling dope into me just to make me shut the hell up and go away.

All good. All REAL good.

Looky here, a smile! .....

This X-Bass shall be back on track again very soon now. Now that I at least know that I have a positive road in front of me I am willing to go forward with life and living. I need about another week (2?) before I can invest time into my projects again because I have become behind at my bill-paying job. After I get some catching-up done I can afford to provide all you subscribers with the information and momentum that you want from this project. And I'll be just as glad to see it all happen as well. This project is something I have wanted to do for a very long time.

And now, I know it's going to see fruition.

Thank you.

 

[Flux Jetson]

Almost done with therapy, then a re-evaluation, then ... ???

It seems to be working! I have more range of motion and have learned how to deal with things to get some sleep. I'm even nearly totally off of the meds as well (I'll still be taking to stuff I need for dealing with my spinal issue, but this other hell-crap that they had me on to deal with the extreme pain for the left shoulder is nearly done with and has been reduced to the most minimal levels). I do my own excersizes that they've taught me to do here at home, as well as begun to use weights to strengthen the area again (I was just "dealing with it" since January or so, favoring the shoulder, gutting the pain. But that resulted in loss of strength and an imbalance from side to side, causing even MORE problems). So I'll continue home therapy on my own after these sessions with the physical therapist are done to make certain I keep my shoulder-set symetrical and evenly strong on both sides.

So I would say ... um ... may 1-1/2 to 2 weeks? Then I will be able to get back to working on this project. I have tried wearing/playing bass and that was a no-go a couple of weeks ago. At least now I can play bass for about 20 minutes or so before the pain becomes a distraction.

Ok, enough typing. Gotta get off this blasted computer. Just wanted to updaye my subscribers about the status of this project. It's all still a full-on "GO" folks! I just need a little more time to get well and then everything will be green flag!

Later Taters....

I am Fluxholio!

 

[thisSNsucks]

awesome news!

 

[garythenuke]

Flux that's great you are making physical progress. It is amazing how detrimental it is to "take it easy" and limit your range of motion when things hurt. Frozen shoulders are life changing, in the totally non-positive direction.

Keep up the good work and the exercises. Glad to hear, too, you are getting off the meds.

 

[Flux Jetson]

awesome news!

Flux that's great you are making physical progress. It is amazing how detrimental it is to "take it easy" and limit your range of motion when things hurt. Frozen shoulders are life changing, in the totally non-positive direction.

Keep up the good work and the exercises. Glad to hear, too, you are getting off the meds.

Thanks Gomers. I appreciate the encouragement ... like ... A LOT!

My biggest mental hurdle has been fear. My whole life I had an "S" on my chest, I even changed clothes in a phone booth. Very athletic, very ~able~ and independent, muscular and high levels of stamina (although I am a massive tower of a human being at an enormous stature of Five Foot, Six Inches sportin' about a buck sixty five). I've never been a "stick and ball sports" jock, my whole life has been filled with motorcycle and ATV racing. So, when these ... uh ... (not sure I am worthy of measuring myself this way , but ....) disabilities started kicking in, I became afraid that if I tried to work against them on my own, I was going to damage my body ... perhaps permanently.

That said, I wanted (needed?) medical professionals to at the very least diagnose what was going on with me. It has taken YEARS ... literally YEARS ... to get the friggin VA to move forward on my situation. Finally I have crossed paths with a physical therapist within the VA system that speaks my language, and has things in common with my past. He's a motorcycle enthusiast and as a physical therapist he's seen years worth of injuries pertaining to bike related injuries. So when we began discussing my issues, he knew all the right questions, and what's better is he understood and related to my answers!

His plan of attack seemed questionable at first. I also kinda questioned his abilities to solve my problem (he's not what you'd call "super well spoken" ... he's from a rural area in the US and doesn't speak as eloquently as perhaps some other medical professionals). But I am always willing to give everyone a fair chance and not listen to my stupid doubts, as it turns out he has the right answers, and has applied the right treatments .... so far.

It turns out I've just put a BOATLOAD of wear and tear on myself. Broken roughly 3 dozen bones, been shot in 3 places, "just dealt with" a lot of pain when I probably should have sought out medical help (such as the last time I busted a finger at work, I just put black tape on it, shot down a handful of analgesics, and went back to work. Consequently my left index finger is crooked and playing oddly shaped chords on guitar or bass are pretty much impossible for me without using slide-type tunings). Dumb ass!

Now that I know what I need to do to keep my body better maintained, (and know that I am not doing more damage than I am fixing by doing that stuff) I will continue to pursue a healthier ~me~. At 52 I just plain old need more attention paid to my overall fitness. It really is that simple.

I just did all of my stretches and weight therapy. My shoulder and spinal issue hurt like a mad dog right now. But I know that I will feel just that much better for it tomorrow. Those excersizes I am Rx'd with are like that. They hurt like TEH HELLS the day I do them, but the next day I seem to feel better than I did the day before. I only do weights therapy every other day, and it's only using eight pound dumbells (I have some of those old school cast iron dumbelss that are all one piece ... totally retro looking and cool!). So I pay today, and benefit tomorrow. Always VERY careful to watch my form and be sure to keep my frame aligned.

My attitude on life in general is improving greatly, and the depression is slowly lifting. Those danged pain meds are NO HELP when it comes to state of mind. That crap is pure toxic poo to one's general health and well being. The less of that crap I can get away with taking, the better off I am in the long run.

Ok, so enough of this cheerleading and "yay me!" stuff. One thing I am NOT supposed to be doing is TYPING ON THE COMPUTER!

Tonight we go for our every other day two mile bicycle ride. Even though it's still over 115f out here those bike rides are stupid good for me. Gotta get that heart rate up for at least 30 minutes, and it's important to work up a good sweat at least once per day.

Ok, shutting up in 3 ... 2 .. 1.

(Thanks again!)

 

[garythenuke]

 

[Flux Jetson]

Ok, last PT session is done, and I am cleared to go back to work starting on Monday. WAHOO!!!!

I have to continue with PT at home for the next several months, and they want me to do a few more things this week prior to getting back to work on Monday. But ... hot dayum .. great news folks!

I gotta say I feel a TON better now. I sleep way better too. The shoulder still has limited range of motion, but with each day that I do the PT excersizes on the gear we've picked up just for that, it gets a little better. My spinal problem that causes hardcore pain on the RIGHT side of my back/shoulder is still there, but at least I'm back to having just that be my problem. I've been dealing with that for over 8 or 9 years now, so we consider that "point zero" by now.

Right on. So this project will resume next week.

 

[Balog]

I'm glad things are looking up for you. I have a high enough % disability rating from the VA that I get free healthcare for life, but I've gotten MRSA twice from their horrifically unsanitary clinic (and both times was prescribed the sort of penicilin based antibiotics MRSA is specifically resistant to) so I'm never going back if I can help it. However, from what I hear Seattle is definitely on the low end of VA hospitals.

I am very interested in how this works out, on both a theoretical nad practical level. I have a 30" scale EB-0 that I'm hoping to add a second pickup to in order to get some more mid-range bite (very dubby thump with just a DiMarzio Model One in the neck position). I'm hoping this can give me a good idea of where to place it, although I'm not sure how to translate all the number to a short scale.

In any case, thanks for doing this and documenting it so well. Even for the folks who don't need to use the results themselves it's still fascinating to see some objective testing done like this.

 

[bassbenj]

Ok, last PT session is done, and I am cleared to go back to work starting on Monday. WAHOO!!!!

I have to continue with PT at home for the next several months, and they want me to do a few more things this week prior to getting back to work on Monday. But ... hot dayum .. great news folks!

I gotta say I feel a TON better now. I sleep way better too. The shoulder still has limited range of motion, but with each day that I do the PT excersizes on the gear we've picked up just for that, it gets a little better. My spinal problem that causes hardcore pain on the RIGHT side of my back/shoulder is still there, but at least I'm back to having just that be my problem. I've been dealing with that for over 8 or 9 years now, so we consider that "point zero" by now.

Right on. So this project will resume next week.

Great story and outcome! I love to hear a story where someone gets the medical profession on the right track and then the patient gets back on the right track. No magic cures but little by little each day eventually gets you there! Keep at it and congrats!

 

[Flux Jetson]

I'm glad things are looking up for you. I have a high enough % disability rating from the VA that I get free healthcare for life, but I've gotten MRSA twice from their horrifically unsanitary clinic (and both times was prescribed the sort of penicilin based antibiotics MRSA is specifically resistant to) so I'm never going back if I can help it. However, from what I hear Seattle is definitely on the low end of VA hospitals.

I am very interested in how this works out, on both a theoretical nad practical level. I have a 30" scale EB-0 that I'm hoping to add a second pickup to in order to get some more mid-range bite (very dubby thump with just a DiMarzio Model One in the neck position). I'm hoping this can give me a good idea of where to place it, although I'm not sure how to translate all the number to a short scale.

In any case, thanks for doing this and documenting it so well. Even for the folks who don't need to use the results themselves it's still fascinating to see some objective testing done like this.

The translation to a 30 inch scale is easy. Let's say (for instance) that the stuff that ends up sounding best is at the bridge location and the neck location. And let's say I placed the bridge at the "F36" (36th fret) position and the neck at the "F24" (24th fret) position.

On a 30 inch bass, here's the breakdown:

Fret 12 = 15 inches from the nut (half of the total length of the scale)

Fret 24 = 22.5 inches from the nut (half the total length of the scale, plus half of that length).

Fret 36 = 26.25 inches from the nut (half the total length of the scale, plus half of that length, plus half again of the 2nd length.)

Everything is halved. 30 - 15 - 7.5 - 3.75. Each Fret location is half of the length of the distance of the previous fret. Fret 12 is half the scale, Fret 24 is half the length of Fret 12's length, Fret 36 is half the length of Fret 24's length.

Those are "harmonics" ... places along the length of the string where it vibrates evenly. I can't summon the words to properly describe it so that will have to do.

If I end up with something you've decided you like, write me and I'll do the math for you.

VA: Yup, some clinics/hospitals are better than others. Where I live there is no VA hospital within 250 miles, so all we have here in my city is a VA clinic. I'm serious, I don't even touch the friggin doorhandles! Sick-ass people come and go through those doors day in and day out. So I use some other part of the door to open it, anywhere within the facility. I DO NOT use the bathrooms, or the drinking fountain either. And forget using a phone in there. I pay for flu shots from a private Dr. every year as well.

I mean, when two dozen GIs get sick due to poisoned water at a VA facility that had not complied with water safety standards and had been fined and written up for that exact discrepency and STILL didn't take care of it ("screw 'em, they're just stupid GIs"), I am not about to subject myself to any more contact with any creepin' crud than I absolutely have to when I go there. Even though our clinic is brand new and less than one year old!

Americans think that their military gets the best care available .... HUH! My butt! The way this country treats it's combat vets is disgusting. On TV they only show the happy stories, the successes and the best places the VA has to offer ... we wouldn't want our citizenry to think our vets are treated poorly now, would we!!!

I say REINSTATE THE DRAFT!!! If everyone had a chance to be sent to war, there would be one hell of a lot fewer wars we'd be sending our troops off to! And the post-service care would be far better than it is now. With the draft back in place, every single elegible person would be at risk of having to serve ... which would make Americans think three, maybe four times before voting to send our troops to war. They may be voting to send THEMSELVES off to fight, or their sons, or daughters, or husbands, or wives ... and I know darned well things would be far different if that were the case.

As long as it is an all vounteer military most Americans will continue to live with their heads in the sand, and as long as someone else has to fight their wars for them, the world is warm and fuzzy.

Ahem ....

Sorry for the rant. This is one subject that really ticks me off. Most people in this country live a dream world. They only know what they allow the cable news channels to tell them.

:scowl:

End the 24 hour news cycle. Reinstate the draft. Things would change .... for the better!

I hope you're on a recovery path, brother.

 

[KeithAlanK]

Glad you've found someone in the busted system that actually cares and is competent.
Hope you can finally get repaired ASAP.

 

[Flux Jetson]

Glad you've found someone in the busted system that actually cares and is competent.
Hope you can finally get repaired ASAP.

Thanks! Me too! The only problem is that guy is not staying here. He's applied to go to work at the VA clinic someplace in Oklahoma. So we're losing him soon. Maybe inside of the next couple of weeks. When that happens, the PT department here at our local VA clinic will close down again, and patients will have to start going back to the private PT gym here in my city. That's not really a ~bad~ thing, it's just that they have very VERY limited boundaries and they will not stray from what the VA has ordered them to do. That was the beauty of having this new therapist here at the VA clinic, he was free to attempt different trreatments and methods, simply because he runs the entire PT program. He can order X-rays, and order in different things for the patients on his own. He got me a really nice TENS unit that the VA covered 100% with a year's supply of adhesive patches and three sets of replacement cords, and a nice charger. The private PT center could NEVER do something like that. They just don't have that kind of freedom of movement there.

So I got pretty lucky to have crossed paths with him. Timing is EVERYTHING. I kinda hope for the sake of other people that he doesn't get the job in Oklahoma very soon. We need people like him here. He's one of the few gems in the turd that is the VA.

 

[Flux Jetson]

Great story and outcome! I love to hear a story where someone gets the medical profession on the right track and then the patient gets back on the right track. No magic cures but little by little each day eventually gets you there! Keep at it and congrats!

Hey bassbenj, sorry, I missed your post here!

Thanks, yea now and then there's a happy ending. The VA has a ton of problems, but sometimes something positive happens.

Side note: Last week they had the entire clinic locked down for about 7 days. Some moron called in several times and threatened to shoot the place up saying stuff like "Fort Hood was NOTHING!" (that was where that GI blew a tube and shot up and killed a bunch of service personnel). So they had armed security giving limited access to everyone and all of the doors were locked, both inside and out. It was a total hassle. What on Earth good would it do to shoot up the VA clinic if you're pissed off at the government about the economy or are afraid of "that black guy in the white house"? Just another paranoid freak that lives among his pile of guns and ammo making responsible people look bad.

Some People's Children!

 

[Flux Jetson]

I got back to work today ... what a glorious feeling. All the evaluations went fine, the VA released me to go back to the workbench this afternoon. I hit the soldering bench as soon as I got home! It felt so good to be producing again.

So, I have some catch-up to get done, then back to getting this project on the roll.

Righteous beans!

Fluxola ...

 

[twocargar]

So I have a Dimarzio Model P+J (DP-126) I've been thinking about doing your dual output treatment to, but with a twist.

On Brian Bromberg's self titled album, he does this really cool thing with his piezo pickups. He pans the individual strings to left & right channels. Sounds really cool. Invalid Link Removed

I was thinking, since both the P & J Dimarzios are split, I'd wire the EA strings to one output and the DG to the other. Not quite as cool as BB's, but I could run each signal into separate amps or effects.

Any thoughts, FJ? Sorry for the thread hijack

 

[Flux Jetson]

No problem on the "hijack" .. it's all good.

I'll get back to you tomorrow on this, we've just spent the last several days without power or internet due to a monster storm that came through our area. Over fifty power poles were blown down, and we suffered roof damage due to downed power poles. We're in the midst of more severe storm warnings tonight so we've been doing roof repairs in an attempt to stay ahead of the oncoming monsoon storms that are on top of us as I write this. The next 3 days are going to be tough.

Here's a video link of the Haboob that ran over us just moments before the Monsoon came in like a bulldozer.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

We spent several days in 115f heat without any power, we lost all of our perishable food, and got about one hour of sleep per night due to the unusually high overnight temps (we were sleeping on our driveway ... it was just too miserable in the house). We just got power back a short while ago after our utility company spent days replacing downed poles with all new ones. I'm hoping that the power doesn't go out again though these next couple of monsoons over the next 3 or 4 days. Storm warnings go all the way to next Friday.

FJ.

 

[Flux Jetson]

So I have a Dimarzio Model P+J (DP-126) I've been thinking about doing your dual output treatment to, but with a twist.

On Brian Bromberg's self titled album, he does this really cool thing with his piezo pickups. He pans the individual strings to left & right channels. Sounds really cool. Invalid Link Removed

I was thinking, since both the P & J Dimarzios are split, I'd wire the EA strings to one output and the DG to the other. Not quite as cool as BB's, but I could run each signal into separate amps or effects.

Any thoughts, FJ? Sorry for the thread hijack

Ok, heard the sound on the video ... wow, talk about cool. I say do it up!

Some other guy in the forum did something similar, he's a bit possessive of his ~invention~ so he may want credit for it. He used P-bass pickups and sent various string pairs to different stereo field destinations (kinda like what you proposed, but a little different ... it's all kinda the same basic idea though).

In any case, I think it (the video) sounds very cool, very spacious, provides a sense of dimension.

Y'know, the worst that can happen is you won't like it .. so give it a try! If it doesn't work out, rewire it another way (standard method perhaps?).