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I'm still a bass newbie, but it does sound a lot like a grounding/shielding issue. When I play in my attic at home, I get a low buzzing even when I'm touching the strings, though I can minimize it by standing in a very specific place. There's not much else I can do about it. At my bass teacher's, it sounds perfectly fine. An obvious test would be to plug it in somewhere else to see if you have the same problem.
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Dec 9, 2019 01:22
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| # ? Jun 8, 2024 14:54 |
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Picked up a little Ampeg BA110 40w combo amp for practice, or when I can't justify rolling out my full (or even half) rig. Really pleased with it so far, especially the slant-back so I can set it up like a wedge monitor if needed. I was pleasantly surprised at how loud it is for a 1x10 40w combo. Haven't tried it with a drummer yet, but held up fine with 2 guitarists and an electric mandolin in a coffee-shop setting. The weight is pretty nice, especially compared to my normal rig. Had to carry it about 2 blocks the other day and it wasn't a problem at all. The tone is serviceable, but nothing to write home about, but most of my tone comes form my VT Bass as a preamp anyway, so I'm not super concerned. I always put a DI coming out of my VT Bass on my board, so I think the next time I have a gig set up with PA+subs I'm going to give it a shot as my on-stage monitor. The smaller footprint will be great too.
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Dec 13, 2019 17:47
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Scarf posted:Picked up a little Ampeg BA110 40w combo amp for practice, or when I can't justify rolling out my full (or even half) rig. Really pleased with it so far, especially the slant-back so I can set it up like a wedge monitor if needed. Cool! I had the Rumble 40 for a while. The next step up, 100 watts, is usually what you'll need to be heard with a drummer playing along unless the drummer is playing softly, or with brushes, or an electric kit. I know this from experience. 100 watts isn't actually much louder than 40 watts, but it's just louder enough for that. My 100 watt combo is what I bring along to small gigs, and it's more than enough for my stage volume. I don't even have to have much going through the mains at some places. That said, my Rumble isn't angled, so I can't use it as a wedge monitor, or to aim it at my head when I'm playing and want to hear myself better. I had to get an amp stand.
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Dec 14, 2019 18:39
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tarlibone posted:Cool! I had the Rumble 40 for a while. Yeah, I don't really expect it to keep up with my normal gigs... but that's what my full rig is for. But man is this thing a solid purchase at $100
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Dec 14, 2019 18:54
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The Science Goy posted:Have you tried a Simandl type technique? Basically, you treat the ring and pinky finger as one finger. Index is independent, middle is independent, but the other two act together. It's very common for upright bass. I started out classically trained on the upright bass, and when I finally picked up a bass guitar using my ring finger by itself to fret notes was a huge mindfuck. And thinking about it, I remember doing a lot of work out of a big ol' orange Simandl book.
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Dec 17, 2019 01:35
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just installed a hipshot supertone bridge in my thunderbird and i highly recommend it for anyone that has one. its a direct drop-in and a massive improvement over the stock bridge!
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Dec 29, 2019 20:44
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I'm really new to all this, so: what difference does the bridge make? Why is there replacement better than the stock bridge?
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Dec 29, 2019 21:06
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Solumin posted:I'm really new to all this, so: what difference does the bridge make? Why is there replacement better than the stock bridge? Clarity and/or sustain. Different metals help add more definition to the tone by absorbing more or less frequencies, and more mass absorbs high-frequency vibration while allowing low-frequency vibration to go on longer. In ASenileAnimal's case, the Supertone also adds some amenities like string silks at the contact points, which help reduce stress on the strings and avoid breakage; also, more adjustment functions for string spacing and intonation, and stringing slots to make changing strings a little easier. It's a completely optional investment, of course.
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Dec 29, 2019 22:09
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And the 3-point bridge that is standardized for so many Gibson basses is awful to adjust the action. The replacement is a very different design with much more mass for the saddles and increased contact between the bridge and the body of the instrument. It's a good idea to replace the bridge if it is trash or poorly designed. Most bridges are serviceable and don't require replacement. Some people want to add piezo pickups (built in to the saddles), which can be another reason to change a bridge. Generally every bass bridge should be replaced with a Kahler tremolo so one can do dive bombs instead of playing anything meaningful.
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Dec 30, 2019 01:36
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I've heard (possibly in this very thread) that the Rickenbacker bridge that's on 400x basses is an utter pain in the rear end to do setup work on and that the Hipshot replacement is a big upgrade if you want your bass to be a player.
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Dec 30, 2019 01:39
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Replacement bridges on fenders is also something of a must, the stock ones are just so wimpy and the saddles are so delicate. I don't know about you guys but I've noticed that the position of the saddles will shift depending on how hard I pick/pluck, and I play hard as gently caress. I wholly recommend replacing the bridge with something where the saddles are on a track so they won't move laterally and gently caress up your intonation (I still haven't done this for my squier V cause I'm lazy)
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Dec 30, 2019 01:59
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Thanks for the explanations! I haven't looked into gear too deeply yet, there's a lot to learn. (and I don't need to worry about it yet.)
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Dec 30, 2019 03:05
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Anime Reference posted:I've heard (possibly in this very thread) that the Rickenbacker bridge that's on 400x basses is an utter pain in the rear end to do setup work on and that the Hipshot replacement is a big upgrade if you want your bass to be a player. If you do a lot of palm muting the Hipshot is better, as the stock bridge has little channels that would block the side of your hand (to make room for the adjustable mute in the bridge).
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Dec 30, 2019 04:12
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The Badass bridge on my jazz bass kicks rear end.
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Dec 30, 2019 04:16
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Pokey Araya posted:The Badass bridge on my jazz bass kicks rear end. I used to have one on my old jazz bass and loved it, wholly recommend it too
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Dec 30, 2019 04:19
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I just installed a pickup on my upright for doing dumb high-volume slap stuff, and it is fun. Couple questions for the thread, though:
It is really fun to mess with right now, however. I think I might be able to approximate weird angry synth drums from the click by using a pitchshifter and a bitcrusher. I also just plug it into my interface to record my practice and can already hear where I suck and need to improve.
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Dec 30, 2019 05:23
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I like what G&L do with their bridges. Plenty of mass, big chunks of metal to prevent the saddles from moving laterally, and decent space to thread the strings through - my big fat tapewounds fit without issue. yes my bass is dirty, no I don't care, it's my always-out noodling bass E: there are ABY boxes to combine those outputs for upright, an easy accessible option would also be the Boss LS-2. Use it like a little 2 channel mixer. Unless they're perfectly balanced to your taste, you'll want some way to adjust their relative volumes. Feedback reduction: stay away from the amp, turn the amp, turn the bass - each can affect feedback. Turn the amp down and that'll help a ton too. In-ears to supplement onstage amps will help keep stage volume down and help reduce feedback. An upright bass is essentially a huge resonating cavity with strings attached, feedback will always be a consideration and a possibility when you're playing it through an amp. Envelope filters on upright are a hoot, deffo try that. The Science Goy fucked around with this message at 05:35 on Dec 30, 2019 |
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Dec 30, 2019 05:29
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I believe G&L bridges also have a hex screw that you can tighten on either the bass or treble side that adds tension to the lateral movement of the saddles to help lock them into place too.
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Dec 30, 2019 06:50
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I just had a weird dream. A band asked me to fill in for their bass player right before the gig started. I said yes, they proceeded to give me a hosed up bass guitar with floppy, sagging, tensionless strings. I couldn't get any sound out of it. They also refused to tell me what the set list was going to be, or even what any of their songs were, stating that 'everyone knew'. You know what, I think I was being trolled.
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Dec 30, 2019 07:49
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I have a badass I on my fretless jazz bass and it rules. I wish some Chinese company would make a clone of a kahler bass trem. My warlock bass body was at some point in it's life (factory?) routed for one and filled in poorly. I've had another badass installed on it but the plug is failing and the bridge is pulling the whole block out. I either have to route out the rest of the plug and re plug it/refinish it or somehow find a used kahler that doesn't cost as much as a bass itself to install into it
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Dec 30, 2019 09:05
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Rifter17 posted:And the 3-point bridge that is standardized for so many Gibson basses is awful to adjust the action. The replacement is a very different design with much more mass for the saddles and increased contact between the bridge and the body of the instrument. prettymuch the main reason i replaced the 3 point bridge on mine. adjustments on it were an absolute headache. its also held together by the force of the strings and falls apart when you take them off. i was very pleasantly surprised by the difference in sound with the supertone which i assumed was mostly marketing bullshit. its very noticeably beefed up! also loling that super expensive gibsons come with that terrible stock bridge. i have an epiphone tbird pro that came with gibson usa pickups so it feels like i saved about 1000 bucks
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Dec 30, 2019 12:59
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Got a Yamaha BB234 for Christmas. drat this thing is beautiful. I've been playing guitar for a year and a half. I play the bass for an hour and my index finger has been hurt ever since, even though I didn't play either instrument for almost a week after since I was out of town. I guess I shouldn't barre forever with my index like on the guitar (or even then). Doing 2 step stretches on the bass also hurts a bit. Any tips on how to fret a bass safely?
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Dec 30, 2019 18:07
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use your pinky more, don't do 1-finger-per-fret unless you really need to. Like a 2-fret stretch can be handled with index and pinky, unless you have a specific reason to use your ring finger. (I do a lot of root-octave shapes like that on guitar now too  )you probably don't want to barre with your index finger, but you can keep it in place and roll the pressure from one part of the finger to another (or do this with any finger). Remember, on bass you're mostly playing single notes, so you only want to be applying pressure to one string at a time - don't give yourself more work to do, make it as easy on yourself as possible. Especially down on the lower frets where the stretches are bigger and the pressing's harder
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Dec 30, 2019 18:39
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baka kaba posted:use your pinky more, don't do 1-finger-per-fret unless you really need to. Like a 2-fret stretch can be handled with index and pinky, unless you have a specific reason to use your ring finger. (I do a lot of root-octave shapes like that on guitar now too Yeah I figured my injury came from playing it exactly like the guitar. I do use my pinky since my teacher made sure of that. I guess my problem was holding the lower note and using the pinky to reach. Fine on the guitar, a problem on the bass. Tutors on YT look like they bounce from note to note and don't sit there holding it, so I'll probably try that.
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Dec 30, 2019 19:22
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It is possible to do one finger per fret at lower positions but you need Herculean forearms and grip strength. Even then it's not really worth it.
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Dec 30, 2019 19:32
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I play short scale and there are places where one finger per fret works. Even with the shorter scale I try not to unless it's necessary for some particular run. I last posted here a year ago about band drama and not feeling like playing anymore. I decided I wanted to play bass again right as my old band needed a new bass player so gently caress it I joined again. Going well. For those that recall the band drama about the guitar player getting ghosted: 1) Shortly after I left the band, he rejoined the band as a bass player and never seemed to pick up on or care about the ghosting element. 2) I developed more of a friendship with him but then like a month ago found out he's like, a loving sexual predator and I want nothing to do with him anymore. So with those two things I no longer care about what I felt was a grave insult a few months ago. Is there any sort of common wisdom when it comes to organizing set lists between heavier and softer stuff? Like we're still putting our 20ish songs together but so far we're playing Tom Petty and Spin Doctors but also Pantera and Megadeth. I think the theme is "general rock music that dudes in their late 30s might remember fondly" rather than any sort of genre distinction.
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Dec 30, 2019 20:17
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Does anyone have a Marcus Miller V3 2nd gen and can tell me how good is is its passive mode? There's really good deals (especially for $AUD) for the 4-string Jazz's but I've been burnt on active basses before and don't want a bass with a dependency on 18v power to sound ok.
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Dec 31, 2019 01:54
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I have a 1st gen V7, and pretty much keep it in passive all the time. Otherwise it is a bit much. I do wish I had the rounded edges on the fretboard that the v2s have. Nice.
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Dec 31, 2019 02:52
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Spanish Manlove posted:It is possible to do one finger per fret at lower positions but you need Herculean forearms and grip strength. Even then it's not really worth it. one finger per fret at the lower positions has nothing to do with grip strength or forearm strength, it's just technique and flexibility. i can do it on a 5 string with high-action flatwounds and i'm a skeletal dude, 99% of posters in this thread have more grip strength than i do. let the bass do the work for you, i almost gave myself tendonitis vice clawing with the fret hand before i realized i was pressing at least twice as hard as i needed to. skooma512 posted:Got a Yamaha BB234 for Christmas. you shouldn't need to barre unless you're getting into some very interesting chordal territory, fret each note individually and be sure you focus on your technique. make solid contact between the fretboard and your fingertip, make sure your forearms are relaxed and natural. focus on avoiding tension in your forearm and wrist, there's a natural tendency to want to press super hard on the fretboard but you really don't need to. if you're doing 2 step stretches as in a major third/four frets, don't do that on the lower strings without shifting. bass is tuned in fourths, just go up a string and down a fret. creamcorn fucked around with this message at 03:48 on Dec 31, 2019 |
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Dec 31, 2019 03:41
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does anyone gently caress with multi scale bass guitars? thinking it would be really fun to have
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Dec 31, 2019 17:50
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Helianthus Annuus posted:does anyone gently caress with multi scale bass guitars? thinking it would be really fun to have Like fanned frets? I don't have one but I do believe it's what should be done for every 5 string.
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Dec 31, 2019 17:56
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are there any advantages to fanned frets or is it more of cosmetic thing?
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Dec 31, 2019 17:58
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ASenileAnimal posted:are there any advantages to fanned frets or is it more of cosmetic thing? it lets you play in tune when each string is a different length
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Dec 31, 2019 18:01
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I have tried a few, and it really didn't strike me as a big deal. I adjusted to the feel within like two notes. I didn't really get a feel for it, but it seems reasonable that the length/tension benefits are real. After all, that's part of the reason bass guitars are longer in the first place, and there is a huge difference between low B and high G.
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Dec 31, 2019 21:05
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ASenileAnimal posted:are there any advantages to fanned frets or is it more of cosmetic thing? I was curious of the same thing actually, and managed to find a Dingwall a few months ago. The multi-scale/fanned frets definitely help maintain consistent tone and string tension but I don't think it's something you'd be kicking yourself for not including with a purchase. I think it becomes more a big deal with down tuning, but I can't attest to it myself as I've kept the BEADG tuning. Love the bass though! Sounds amazing and is a blast to play.
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Jan 3, 2020 17:45
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You can make a great b string at normal scale lengths but fanned fret makes it way easier and more consistent. They feel and sound amazing too, with tension and tone properties being way more noticeable than I would have expected.
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Jan 3, 2020 19:46
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Neal Peart has died. Age 67. Brain cancer. No chance for a reunion now. (Not that there was much of one before, but still.) RIP
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Jan 10, 2020 23:24
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loving hell.
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Jan 10, 2020 23:47
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Guess I’m getting a drum kit.
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Jan 10, 2020 23:49
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| # ? Jun 8, 2024 14:54 |
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I’ve been playing a lot lately after not playing for a while now that I have an abundance of free time on my hands. The problem is my hands, specifically the fingers. I’m playing with a pick but my left side fingers are in the process of blistering and thus hurt so bad I can’t play anymore. But I want to keep playing. Do I just play until I’m bleeding or is there some other solution until calluses appear?
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Jan 13, 2020 20:42
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