I know I hate watching a band take half an hour to set up like it's their first time doing it. You want that to be done as quickly as possible.

How quickly do you need to set up? I've got a single cab, 4-space rack, and pedalboard. I'm always the first one set up.

How much does having a cab affect your setup time? To move it to where you want it, then plug a speaker lead in? Man up. Bass through the foldback always sounds poo.

And I never take a spare bass.

[quote=Spaceman Spiff;17812133]I know I hate watching a band take half an hour to set up like it's their first time doing it. You want that to be done as quickly as possible.[/quote]

Same. And the same thing goes for unloading (drummers, you do NOT need to take off your cymbals on stage...take it outside and do it...sheesh!) It also leaves less time for sound checks and stuff, which is something I really try to take time with and do right.


[quote=:amaze:;17812140]How quickly do you need to set up? I've got a single cab, 4-space rack, and pedalboard. I'm always the first one set up.[/quote]

It's horrific and complex (will be much faster once I get the wireless systems set up): 2 four-space racks (one for preamp stuffs, one for crossover and power amp), 2 cabinets (4x10, 1x18), pedal board, and two basses.

I don't usually have any issues because the soundguys almost always check drums and both guitars first, so that gives me some time to set up, but it's still annoying.

I need to get started on building that BFM cab. With that and an 8-space rolling rack, I should be able to wheel everything in pretty easily and it saves me the time of setting up two more individual items. With the wireless systems in the mix, I will then only have to plug in one or two cables and I'll be all set.

[quote=fatbandit;17812179]How much does having a cab affect your setup time? To move it to where you want it, then plug a speaker lead in? Man up. Bass through the foldback always sounds poo.

And I never take a spare bass.[/quote]

Considering I have to run in with one, then run out and grab another, it's a minute or extra that I could be using to change my EQ a bit for the house and focus on sound checks.

Setting up two racks requires 3 or 4 cables to be placed, so that's another 30-second time waster. Opening up 2 cases and tearing down 2 cases = another 30 seconds gone. If you want to be set up in under 10 minutes to maximize the sound check and set time, then those minutes add up and detract from it.

I always take a spare bass. Actually, I almost always use both basses on stage to switch back and forth between tunings. With the way my tuner is run in my rack, I can't mute the signal, so tuning silently is not an option, and it's convenient to just grab another bass and keep going.

You obviously soundcheck differently to me.

[quote=fatbandit;17812288]You obviously soundcheck differently to me.[/quote]

If possible, we like to soundcheck as a band with our stage volume and amp angles before we ever check the FOH. 1) Stage sound shouldn't bleed out and f**k with the FOH mix. 2) The better the stage balance, the less we'll have to rely on monitor mixes and the tighter we play.

I get all my equipment into the building and set up long before we soundcheck. Then it doesn't take me a few minutes to go back outside to get my cab or to plug things in when I could be soundchecking? :s

Then I just turn my amp on and rock. That's about the long and short of it.

Many venues we play only have vocal PA. Which means I turn my Matamp to face melting volume. If we have monitors, great, I know I only want my vocals, bass drum and snare in it. My amp should be loud behind me, as long as I can hear the hi-hats.

Things work themselves out, and it's never me who is asked to turn down. We know what we're doing with soundchecks, and we aren't primadonnas about onstage mixes or anything, so our soundchecks are normally zero fuss, with minimal time spent. The word I'd like to use is professional, but I think it's more that we're jaded by so many gigs where sound is mediocre at best, so to expect awesome sound in a small venue with only a 10/15 minute soundcheck is just a bad idea.

[quote=fatbandit;17812356]I get all my equipment into the building and set up before we soundcheck. Then it doesn't take me a few minutes to go back outside to get my cab? :s

Then I just turn my amp on and rock. That's about the long and short of it.[/quote]

Oh, it sounds like venues are set up slightly different here.

Here, you have to pull around back and wait for the band to get off the stage, then you unload and go directly onto the stage, so you have to unload and set up simultaneously.

In other news, how's that pedal treating you?

That pedal hasn't arrived yet. It's been sent, but the track'n'trace says it hasn't left America yet. It's been in that state for like a week :(

[quote=fatbandit;17812366]That pedal hasn't arrived yet. It's been sent, but the track'n'trace says it hasn't left America yet. It's been in that state for like a week :([/quote]

I've heard that the tracking is extremely inaccurate for foreign-shipped items. It very well could be en route right now and the tracking updates are just a week behind.

[QUOTE=FunkMetalBass;17812185]
It's horrific and complex (will be much faster once I get the wireless systems set up): 2 four-space racks (one for preamp stuffs, one for crossover and power amp), 2 cabinets (4x10, 1x18), pedal board, and two basses.

I don't usually have any issues because the soundguys almost always check drums and both guitars first, so that gives me some time to set up, but it's still annoying.

I need to get started on building that BFM cab. With that and an 8-space rolling rack, I should be able to wheel everything in pretty easily and it saves me the time of setting up two more individual items. With the wireless systems in the mix, I will then only have to plug in one or two cables and I'll be all set.[/QUOTE]

sounds like you can/should streamline your stuff if you are running short on time setting up.

I played an upright bass at a music store today. I want it so badly. It just felt right.

$2400, though. Sigh.

[quote=BenJammin;17812389]I played an upright bass at a music store today. I want it so badly. It just felt right.

$2400, though. Sigh.[/quote]

Look for a used NS electric. Great basses, half the price.

I'm trying to keep on top of the shipping because if it reaches England without me knowing, I have to wait for a letter to come through telling me I need to pay the import duty, and then wait another couple of days to receive it. But if I know the day it comes in to England, I can pre-empt the letter and just pay for it as soon as it comes in. Saves me a couple of days.

And yeah, I'd simplify your rig. Try and get one good full range cab, and shrink your rack down. I went through a massive downsizing/simplifying process recently and I'm much happier for it.

[QUOTE=FunkMetalBass;17812398]Look for a used NS electric. Great basses, half the price.[/QUOTE]

I really doubt it'd sound anywhere near as good.

[quote=fatbandit;17812400]I'm trying to keep on top of the shipping because if it reaches England without me knowing, I have to wait for a letter to come through telling me I need to pay the import duty, and then wait another couple of days to receive it. But if I know the day it comes in to England, I can pre-empt the letter and just pay for it as soon as it comes in. Saves me a couple of days.

And yeah, I'd simplify your rig. Try and get one good full range cab, and shrink your rack down. I went through a massive downsizing/simplifying process recently and I'm much happier for it.[/quote]

That's why I need to build the BFM cab for my full-range needs. It would eliminate the need for my crossover and stereo power amp and I could look for a 1U mono power amp to throw in there instead.

[quote=:amaze:;17812378]sounds like you can/should streamline your stuff if you are running short on time setting up.[/quote]

Yep. I'm working on it. Haven't had the money or time to do much about it, though.

[quote=BenJammin;17812403]I really doubt it'd sound anywhere near as good.[/quote]

You'd be surprised - NS basses actually sound really good if you can EQ them right. Played one through a Glockenlang amp and it really impressed me.

[QUOTE=FunkMetalBass;17812423]You'd be surprised - NS basses actually sound really good if you can EQ them right. Played one through a Glockenlang amp and it really impressed me.[/QUOTE]

Meh. I'd still rather have a real one. It's partly mental, but having something without the full body to it just wouldn't feel right.

in the same way i wouldn't play a steinberger, i wouldn't want an EUB.

[quote=BenJammin;17812432]Meh. I'd still rather have a real one. It's partly mental, but having something without the full body to it just wouldn't feel right.[/quote]

Look for something used. I've seen then around here for under $1000 used. They'll probably need a good setup and good strings, which will cost you $250 or so, but then you'll have an upright.

[QUOTE=fatbandit;17812400]And yeah, I'd simplify your rig. Try and get one good full range cab, and shrink your rack down. I went through a massive downsizing/simplifying process recently and I'm much happier for it.[/QUOTE]

Simple rigs are the way to go. I've got one head and one cab, set up time is inside of a minute and the ease of transport is just fantastic.

I've got a small, lightweight cab, a heavyish head, and a pedalboard which needs very little setup. I'd say I take longer than a minute, but I wouldn't be playing in that time anyway, as the first thing I do is set the head up and switch it onto standby to let the valves warm up at any rate ;)

I still don't know how I'd feel about having tubes in my bass head. I have a guitar combo with valves in it but it doesn't really leave the house. The extra weight/cost of a tube bass head would really not suit me at the moment.

Just how fragile are the tubes inside a head anyway, I've never actually broken one but, say your head is standing up on its end, and falls over, is that likely to be a tube damage situation?

I have a combo, my set up time is extraordinary.

Haha.

1) Find power outlet.
2) Plug in.

Pretty much!

[quote=gaslight;17812669]I still don't know how I'd feel about having tubes in my bass head. I have a guitar combo with valves in it but it doesn't really leave the house. The extra weight/cost of a tube bass head would really not suit me at the moment.

Just how fragile are the tubes inside a head anyway, I've never actually broken one but, say your head is standing up on its end, and falls over, is that likely to be a tube damage situation?[/quote]

There is a company (pigtronix?) that had a new tube head at NAMM. The head weighed almost nothing. These are the same guys that have started using phantom power to power pedals and basses. Pretty sharp guys that seem to be ahead of the curve.


Nevermind, it was P3 and the tube head was a guitar head that packed 50 tube watts in a 5lb head.

[url]http://milbert.com/guitar[/url]

Just ordered one of these. Should be pretty sweet. :)

[url]http://store.guitarfetish.com/onvtrmocoki.html[/url]

Nice man.

Do post some pics and sound clips when it's put together.

[quote=gaslight;17813596]Nice man.

Do post some pics and sound clips when it's put together.[/quote]

Will do. I might wait to put it in until I order the EMGs and the Aguilar OBP-3 at the end of the month. I'm converting my 4-knob, 2-band preamp layout into a 3 knob, 3-band layout so that I wont have to do any additional drilling to fit the effects in (with the excepting of a toggle switch). I will also be routing a spot for a quick-change battery cavity and replacing the threaded inserts for the electronics cavity.

Oh, you're putting a tremolo inside your bass?

[quote=gaslight;17813629]Oh, you're putting a tremolo inside your bass?[/quote]

It's a tremolo effect, not an actual tremolo bridge. It has a rate knob, depth knob, and on/off switch. I was actually looking to get a Boss TR-2 tremolo pedal for one of our songs, but I figure I'll just install it in the bass that I'd normally use the pedal with.

You're an odd fellow that's for sure.

I've got a TR-2, it's good fun.

[quote=gaslight;17813679]You're an odd fellow that's for sure.

I've got a TR-2, it's good fun.[/quote]

I've always wanted to experiment around with onboard effects. The same company makes chorus, compression, analog delay, and distortion as well. I have pedals for all of those things, though.

It must equate to a shitload of extra knobs on your bass.

[quote=gaslight;17813689]It must equate to a poopload of extra knobs on your bass.[/quote]

Well, I'll have 3 stacked knobs, one push/pull, and 2 switches.

Well the thing about valves being fragile is an odd one. I've never broken one through transit in the last 5 years I've been using valves in my amps, but I take care of my stuff. Bottom line is don't drop anything. If I used a transistor head, I wouldn't want to drop that, and I'd be just as worried about dropping that as I would a valve head. As for having a valve amp stood on its end? That just wouldn't happen if I'm around D:

My amp is still a (hefty) one hand carry, and I had the money free from selling my old amp and pedals, so I didn't see a problem with dropping a lot of money on a really nice head.

chris

ill do your band thing

gogogo