Gear Update - What are you using

[davebrownbass]

Originally posted by JDubbleyoo:

99% of my work is done on a 3/4 size Josef Bitterer Mittenwald Germany String Bass, circa 1900-1910. This with a David Gage Realist pickup through either a SWR Workingman's 10 combo, or more infrequently a 1977 Polytone Mini Brute 3, an SWR Workingman's 12, or completely acoustic. Every now and then I'll play my new Fender Highway One P-Bass through one of these rigs on a gig, but not that often, yet. Both basses are strung with Thomastic-Infeld strings; the fiddle with "weich" gauge, and the P with TI Flats.

Hey JW....

 

I have a German Flatback "Lowendahl" of the same decade.

 

What do you think of the Spirocore Weich? (I assume they are Spirocore) I've long since departed from Spirocore to Corelli Savarez tungstens (great jazz tone) and am now using Picato Innovation, which have an incredible gut tone.

 

For amps, I'm using the Acoustic Image Contra (original 2 way)...which is GREAT!

[SteveC]

Well, since I first posted this topic, my stuff has changed a bit so I guess I'll update.

 

AKG Wireless receiver

Boss TU-2 Tuner Pedal

Boss Chorus (used sparingly)

Boss Digital Delay (used sparingly)

 

Avalon U5 DI

SWR Grand Prix Pre Amp

Stewart World 1.2 Power amp

 

Bergantino HT112 1X12"

 

Yamaha BB605 5 String

Carvin Claro Walnut Fretless 6 String

Jazz Bass (assembled from new parts by myself)

Precesion Bass (assembled from new parts by myself)

[Tom Capasso]

Originally posted by bassdrummer:

Sabian HHX Evolution Dave Weckl Signature Series:

14 Hats

20 ride

16 crash

10 splash

I'm guessing you aren't using this all in one kit (14 Hats?). Is it distributed in differenct locations (one kit at home, one at the house where you rehearse)? How do you decide which cymbal to use when?

 

Thanks

Tom

[joke isle]

For gigs at home (or withing driving distance of home) I mainly use a no-name 60-year-old German plywood UB -- some say it may be a Juzek -- strung with Velvet Anima strings and amplified with a Fishman Full Cirlce, a Schertler Stat-B, and a K&K Golden condenser mic. Depending on the gig I'll combine two of these devices with a D-Tar Solstice blender/preamp. For smaller quiet jazz gigs I'll use the Schertler by itself. A '39 Kay strung with Animas sometimes gets the nod as well.

For amplification I like my old AI Contra by itself or driving a 4-ohm Acme B2 or a 4-ohm Flite 1x15. If I need to move a lot of air I'll bring an Ampeg 4 Pro and drive 2 Acme B2s or one Acme and the Flite 1x15.

For the occasional bass giutar gig I'll bring a funky old Teisco DelRey JB-200 strung with LaBella flast and play thru one of the rigs I use for URB or maybe even a '68 Fender Dual Showman head with one B2.

For gigs on the road I play an Eminence EUB, also strung with Animas, amplified with the Full Circle and a Realist and the Solstice box. If no backline gear is available I bring my old battered (but not fried) GK MB150 combo.

[Thomas Wilburn]

Reminds me of a quote: "It's not like I'm using. It's like my body has developed a tremendous drug deficiency." Some character in Neuromancer by William Gibson. I believe it's the first line in the book.

 

But as for me:

customized Yamaha BB404 (new bridge, handmade pickguard)

Digitech X-Series Distortion

Fender Bassman 200 combo amp

Lee Oskar harmonicas in the keys of G, A, C, D, E, and F.

[Tom Capasso]

Originally posted by Joe Kyle Jr.:

...Depending on the gig I'll combine two of these devices with a D-Tar Solstice blender/preamp...

Joe - fill us in on this. Why did you pick it? Did it have features that made it a better choice for you than a comparable Raven-Labs product? How do you set it/is it easy to use? Have you tried it as a preamp feeding a power amp?

 

From the website (and the reputation of D-Tar's folks), I'll bet this is sweet.

 

thanks

Tom

[mgl68]

Hey Basshappi ... how do you like your Schecter?

 

I'm currently suffering from some serious GAS after seeing the Schecter Diamond Series C-4 in Bass Player. Need to find one and play it!

 

Thanks for any reply

[Basshappi]

Hi mgl68!

I have owned the Schecter for about 2 years but I am only just now starting to seriously work with it. The reason being is that I have played 4 strings for so long that 5 was just too alien to me. Shortly after I got it I started playing with a band again and I couldn't play it without tripping all over myself so I switched back to 4 strings. However, since I have been playing jazz standards I noticed that there are a lot of Eb's in these tunes and I kept hearing them low instead of first fret D. So I pulled it back out and have started forcing myself to adapt.

 

The neck is relatively shallow and the string spacing is fairly narrow. But it is very comfortable to play

 

As for the sound, it's fantastic! Very powerful,I was working on "Sinister Minister" the other day and it will nail that sound.With the thru-body neck it sustains for days!The EQ is pretty good and will give plenty of options.

 

JBFLA has one as well and he can probably elaborate on the various tonal possibilities better than I can.

 

I should point out that I play the Stilletto model. I have handled the C-5 and was impressed with the construction (they're very pretty!) and acoustic tone, but I have not really played one.

 

Hope this has been somewhat helpful

 

Cheers!

[mgl68]

Thx much Basshappi ...

 

Yes, they are very pretty. I'm an alien when it comes to 5-strings, but I'm very interested in the DS C-4 ... need to find one

[WCunha]

Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ (just got this yesterday)

Avatar 210

Avatar 115H

 

Unknown P bass Body and Moses Graphite neck with a single EMG P pick up with an EMG EXB

Carvin neck thru fretless

ESP B-205

 

Boss TU-2 Tuner

Samson Airline wireless

Boss Chourus

Boss Flanger

Sansamp TRI-AC

 

Thats about it. I need to think of more stuff to buy. By the way I went from using a GK800RB to the Mesa 400+ and the Mesa is just flat out awesome. Its heavy but the sound I think is well worth it.

[reachjkh]

Fender Jazz

Carvin R600

Avatar 2x10

[joke isle]

Originally posted by Tom Capasso (Zarkov):

Originally posted by Joe Kyle Jr.:

...Depending on the gig I'll combine two of these devices with a D-Tar Solstice blender/preamp...

Joe - fill us in on this. Why did you pick it? Did it have features that made it a better choice for you than a comparable Raven-Labs product? How do you set it/is it easy to use? Have you tried it as a preamp feeding a power amp?

 

From the website (and the reputation of D-Tar's folks), I'll bet this is sweet.

 

thanks

Tom

Howdy Tom!

I've only briefly tested out the Raven Labs blender so I can't really compare the two units. I could have just as easily gone with the Raven but the kind folks at Solstice offered me a great deal ("artist's pricing")so how could I resist?!

The Solstice sounds great with every bass/pickup combination I've tried. Very clean and transparent and with more headroom than the Raven, I believe. The output level from 2 bass pickups can be pretty hot, though, so I'll probably get one of those Shure XLR -10db pads adaptor doo-hickeys. I can usually set the EQ flat or darned-close-to-flat; I've discovered that by switching the mix between pickups I can dial in a lot of tonal differences without having to tweak the EQ section much. BTW, the Sostice EQ is voiced like this: BASS -- 12db cut/boost at 155hz with a Q of .61; MID -- 12 db at 796 hz/Q.56; TREB 12 db at 10Khz/Q.37. Definitely a different voicing than the Raven. I haven't tried using the Solstice as a preamp feeding a power amp. I've only had the Solstice for about one month but it's been out on the road and around town on a wide variety of gigs and it has sounded great on each one. More on this later, I'm sure, as I get a chance to use it some more.

 

Regards,

 

Joe

[Relic]

My gear right now...

 

Basses:

Aria Pro 2 5er

Olp MM2

Kingston Jazz copy

 

Amp:

Ampeg Svt 4 Pro

Mesa/Boggie Powerhouse 1000

 

Im thinking about getting Spector 5 if i get the cash...

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Since 'Tis the season for GAS, I had to spring my son's Christmas present early (he is visiting his mom this year for Christmas). We went down and picked up his Jackson Soloist Custom and Lo and Behold, there was a 2002 Blonde Millenium 5. Not the 2003 Korean made Millenium SXB, but the US made ones. Managed to talk the sales guy down to a good price and picked up a Peavy TKO 115S to boot. In all deference to B_G_O, Grump, you were right. Having that B is the crap. Will have to wait until Sunday for the amp because there was no room in the car for me, the boy, and two hard cases.

 

Merry Christmas to ME!

[Tom Capasso]

Thanks for the info Joe !!

 

Since you're not doing anything but gigging, try running that pre into a power amp when you're doing a sound check, eating sandwiches, and fending off groupies And tell your sound guy/mates that some geeks at the Low Down want to know how it sounds (I'm sure that will help ).

 

Tom

[jeremy c]

I'm only going to list what I currently use on gigs, not all my gear. But I do know that "he who dies with the most gear, wins". And no one will ever beat Allen Woody.

 

Bass: Mike Lull M4V

Amp:

Small gigs: Roland Cube 60

Medium gigs: SWR SM-400 head, SWR Jr. Goliath Cabinet (2x10)

Large gigs: SWR SM-400 head, 2 SWR Jr. Goliath Cabinets

Largest gigs: SWR SM-400 head, SWR Jr. Goliath Cabinet (2x10), SWR Big Ben Cabinet (1x18)

Tuner: Korg CA-30

Cable: Santo Angelo Cable (from Brazil)

Strap: Levy's

Microphone: Shure Beta 58

Stands: Ultimate Support

Cart: Rock 'n Roller

Vehicle to cart it all around in: Toyota RAV-4

 

Everything else stays home. Unless it is requested.

[Basshappi]

But I do know that "he who dies with the most gear, wins". And no one will ever beat Allen Woody.

Amen Brother!

[shandobass]

This is my current gigging arsenal

 

1987 Guild Pilot model 602. Added EMG BQC system with Tomastik-Infeld Power Bass

 

1987 G&L SB-1 with Tomastik-Infeld Jazz Bass Flatwounds

 

Preamp: Demeter VTBP201

 

Power Amp: Stewart World 2.1

 

Speakers:

SWR Goliath Junior ll (2x10 @ 250 watt) replaced drivers with Eminence DeltaLite 2510 (Can easily handle over 600 watts with more even sound than before)

Mesa Boogie Cabinet with EVM 15L 400 Watt Speaker

 

Cables: Monster

SKB-Pedal Board

Trace Elliot Dual Compressor

SansAmp Bass Driver

Ernie Ball Volume Pedal

Fender PT-10 tuner

 

Everything in the back of Volvo Station Wagon

[bassdrummer]

Originally posted by bassdrummer:

Originally posted by Tom Capasso (Zarkov):

Originally posted by bassdrummer:

Sabian HHX Evolution Dave Weckl Signature Series:

14 Hats

20 ride

16 crash

10 splash

I'm guessing you aren't using this all in one kit (14 Hats?). Is it distributed in differenct locations (one kit at home, one at the house where you rehearse)? How do you decide which cymbal to use when?

 

Thanks

Tom

oops! Sorry for the double quote.

 

Each number means "inches" so 14 hats means 14 inch hats, etc. Drummers are sometimes too lazy to write "inches."

[Nicklab]

Originally posted by Nicklab:

Here's the current gear lineup...

 

BASSES

-Azola Bug Bass electric upright

-deArmond Ashbory

-Fender Jazz Bass - 1973 vintage

-Fender Jazz Bass - 1991 American Standard

-Fender Jazz Bass - 1975 reissue

-Fender Roscoe Beck 5-String

-Musicman Stingray 5-String

-Musicman Stingray 5-String fretless with paizo bridge pickup

-Tobias Toby Pro 6-String coverted to fretless

-Zon Sonus 6-String

-Epiphone Jack Casady Signature

 

AMPLIFICATION

-Eden WT-500 Head

-SWR SM-400 Head (backup)

-Trace Elliot SM 715 combo

-Eden D-210 XLT 2 x 10" cabinet

-SWR Triad III Cabinet w/ horm, 1 x 10" & 1 x 15"

 

EFFECTS

-Trace Elliot Dual Compressor Pedal

-Sadowsky outboard preamp

-Boss OC-2 Octaver

-Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive

-Boss CH-1 Super Chorus

-Boss Flanger (not sure which)

-Crybaby Bass Wah-Wah pedal

 

Boy, I really need to cut back!

UPDATED, as I just picked up my Jack Casady bass late yesteray! WOOHOO!

[g.]

Like it huh? : }

[Nicklab]

Oh yeah. It's cradled in my arms right now.

[Tom Capasso]

bassdrummer - thanks for the clarification. Should have thought of that myself. And if you can muster up the energy, try using the double quote ( " ), which is usually a symbol for inches.

 

Of course, I am not longer impressed by your gear

 

Tom

[DanYmaL X]

OK so now I'm rested, it's Sunday and I just got through playing a nice 4 hour day at church... I missed the paintball tournament afterwards though- bummer.

Here's my latest rig and stuff:

 

Raven West 5 string.

Bandaid HFM (A P-J copy, Homemade Fretless Model.)

Hohner Rockwood LP copy guitar.

Tenesy 5 string Banjo, currently on eBay (no time to play with it.)

 

Carvin R1000 head.

Crate GX-80 guitar amp.

Avatar 4x10.

Old Fender Pro 18" cab with Pro Sound driver.

 

B*******r Bass V-Amp Pro w/foot controller.

Zoom 506II pedal.

Korg PX3 Pandora.

Dunlop Crybaby Wah.

 

Coupla harmonica's, Hohners, I think.

Old silver Trombone mouthpiece from my high school days (it was my dad's, too.) Anyone got a trombone they don't need? Trade ya for a Banjo!

 

Pearl Forum series drum kit. (my son's, but since I paid 650.00 for it, I get to bang on it too!)

 

Assorted rack parts which I got from my previous day gig at the cable co, to build some rack cases for the band.

 

I think that covers it... at least thats what I have left... I got rid of a coupla things this summer:

 

Godin gx series guitar... loved that thing... traded it for a paintball gun.

Acoustic Collaborator B-3 320W amp head... a good amp but I didn't need both big heads.

 

Well, thats it...

gonna be getting a couple cool new things though... a custom bass (already wife approved, got the specs all lined out, It's gonna be awesome! I'll post more on this later, gotta find a builder I like)

Bagppes... not yet wife approved... but it's easier to ask forgiveness

than permission, right?

DX

[bassdrummer]

Originally posted by DanYmaL X:

already wife approved

DX

The three little magic words!

 

[ian101]

Right now I'm using-

 

Spector 4 string

 

Ibanez 4 string-AS OF TODAY A FRETLESS

 

Ampeg BA 210

 

Tech 21 bass compactor

Dod bass overdrive

 

Kind of a minimalist.

[Mike H.]

Same as before, but I just picked up a new Schecter Studio 5 fretless. I LOVE IT! I now am considering replacing my MM Stingray that I sold a few years ago and regret.

[bassplayer7770]

My current rig is:

 

Reverend Rumblefish or Fender MIM Deluxe V (EMG pickups, J-Retro BTB-01 preamp, Gotoh tuners, tort pickguard)

Boss TU-2

Reverend Drivetrain II (overdrive)

Morley Pro Series II Bass Wah

Boss Bass Chorus

Eden WT-400 head through two Aguilar GS112 cabs

[aeroplane]

Warwick Streamer STD

Warwick Sonic III

Bassline Soundcab 300 212

 

[orphan wells]

Epifani T410

EpifaniT212

SWR Grand Prix

QSC PLX 2402

Samson Airline Wireless

Digitech BP200

Lots of dollies and casters

Ibanez Ergodyne 5 string

 

I'm working on a home modified P bass frettless

and am looking at either a Warwick Streamer or Spector Euro for my next bass.