/ \ / / - _--__| / | | / \ ________--__- O --- ____ | | \ \ / \ =======/-/=======| |) O --- ___ \ | / / ======/-/=====================| |) O--- ___ | / =====/-/===================================| |) O--- ___ ====/-/================================================| |) -__ ___/_/ _|_ | _ ___ ___ __|__ _ \__ __ \ ___\_\\-_ | |_ / \ | ) __ | | | | / \ | | \ \\ \\\\\\\\\-_ \_/ | \ |-- |--< / \ | \_/ \_/ _ |\ \ | | \__ | \ \__/ | ____ \ o \/\ |_\ /\| \_ |___/ ____---\\\\\\| \ \ \ \ \_ /\| \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\--- \_ \ \ \ _/\/ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\------ \_ \ __-\\\/ ---\\\\\\\- Issue #261 November 30, 1992 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To post: Subscriptions, deletions, requests: bass@uwplatt.edu bass-request@uwplatt.edu (Bitnet: bass@uwplatt.bitnet) (Bitnet: bass-request@uwplatt.bitnet) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today's topics: RE: #260, Ampeg power joco FAQ thoughts Woods in basses ? Under the Bridge tab? Brand X in D.C. Upcoming gigs, philosophical quandary IBENEZ SR2005 GK 400RB question Technical Qustion: "Ghost Notes" ---------------------------------------------------------- Administrative notes: Erik and I are going to proceed with the user information survey, but on a section-by-section basis. That is, we're going to divide the user list into smaller parts and mail each group separately to ask for info. In this manner we hope to be able to split the task of compiling all this information into manageable pieces. So, what this all boils down to is this: please do *NOT* send in any survey information until you get an email message from us asking for a response. We will NOT be asking for street addresses or phone numbers in order to preserve some privacy and try to prevent unauthorized mass mailings or calls / theft, etc. Also, you are not required to supply any information you do not wish to disclose. This is NOT going to be a requirement to stay subscribed. However, a good turnout will make the survey more accurate. We hope to post this info at the ftp site for a number of reasons: a) General interest. b) You can search through the list for people who own particular equipment or play a certain style, etc. c) You can search for others who play in your area (like, oh, Boston). d) In describing the list to others (like, say, _Bass Player_ mag), it could be used as a general description of who subscribes to the digest. Please consider taking a few minutes and filling out the form we will provide for you when you get the message. A last little note: as of this evening, we have exactly 600 subscribers to this digest. Let's have a party, eh? Kevin ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Nov 92 06:27:32 PST From: 25-Nov-1992 0903 Subject: RE: #260, Ampeg power In #260, Arte Kenyon wrote: >Well, before the Ampeg, I had played through a 100W Kustom combo, a 210W >Peavey head, and the Fender BXR300 combo (which is supposedly 300W if you use >an extension cab (which I did)). To put it bluntly, the Ampeg head kicked >every one of these amps' ass by a ratio of almost 2-1 (the most amazing >being the Fender amp which supposedly has three times as much power!) Welcome to the tube world. Now you understand why tube amps have such a mystique among musicians. You probably also can see why 400 watt and greater transistor amps are so common these days, you need a *lot* of solid state power to get the kind of dynamics you get from tube amps of lower wattage. >The disinterested store owner told me that my 100W head could be rated at >over 400W based on the "new" rating models (and he implied that with distortion >it could approach 600W (although I'm not sure what he meant by this)). If my >head is only rated at 100W and can get that kind of power, I cringe when I >think of the sonic capabilities of the 350W SVT head. This is bullshit basically. What are the "new" rating models? RMS is RMS; about the only cheat is over what frequency range is the measurement made (i.e. 20-20K like for a hi-fi amp, or at 1K only, common for MI amps) and at what distortion level. The freq. range and distortion *are* important, who cares how much power you have at 1KHz, when a low B is at 27 Hz? Plus, it's easy to claim more power by accepting more distortion: hi-fi amps try to get well under 1%, real high end stuff imay be under 0.001%. MI amps are often rated at 5% distortion! With only four 6L6 power tubes you simply cannot get 300 watts let alone 600 watts RMS power, period. Of course, RMS is a rating for *continuous* power, and music is seldom continuous, so *dynamic* power is more important. This is where amplifiers deviate quite a bit even if they have equivalent continuous ratings. In general, tube amps seem to have a wider dynamic range compared to a transistor amp of equivalent wattage. I have never seen a good theoretical explanation for this (and I'm an EE) but it's a good rule of thumb when looking at MI amps that for apparent loudness, you usually need only half the tube wattage to compete with a solid state amp. Also, double the wattage is *not* double the volume, it's an increase of 3db. Double the volume is 10 db, which requires roughly *ten* times the power. But 3db is plenty of dynamic headroom. So the perceived difference between a 100 watt and 200 watt amp would be mainly more dynamics with the larger amp, not a lot more volume; that is, it would sound less strained. There are other ways to get that 3db, by the way: plug in another cabinet! Doubling the driver area and keeping power constant yields another 3dB increase. Notice that this doesn't burn up a single extra watt! When it comes to *peaks* most amps can put out considerably more than the continuous output. In the old hi-fi days of "music power" and "peak music power" (say, up until 1970 or so) the rule of thumb was music power was 25%-50% greater than RMS wattage and peak music power was double that. I used to own a Univox bass amp rated as "60 watt" that was more like 15-20 watts RMS (i.e. wimpy). Take that 20, multiply by 1.5 to get 30 watts "music power" then by 2 to get 60 watts "peak music power"....sheesh. RMS ratings became common in the early seventies when the FTC cracked down on stereo manufacturers. Now all weattge ratings must indicate the frequency range and distortion and the means of measurement are clearly defined. MI amp makers are not constrained to use these rules, though. Look on the back of that Ampeg, I bet near the power fuse will be a wattage listing of about 400W which is the total power disspation of the unit (tube amps commonly dissipate about 4 times the output power, solid sdtate closer to 2 times). Tell me how a 400 watt power intake equates to 600 watts out and then I guess we should patent the design. None of this is to take away from your amp; I really like those Ampegs. But to pass on that BS about "conservative" power ratings is doing a disservice to others who may not have any electronics knowledge. Brian Rost rost@tecrus.enet.dec.com 508-568-6115 DEC, Hudson, MA ******************************************************************************* "There's too many hands in your persimmon pie, when one hand is my desire" -Roosevelt Sykes ******************************************************************************* ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: 25 Nov 1992 10:45:00 -0400 (EDT) From: SSP2490@OBERLIN.BITNET Subject: joco hi y'all. i need to ask a favor. i have to do a bio on joco, and as we all know, the bass player issue on his playing is not available. first ?- would anyone be willi ng to xerox a copy of the article for me(or sell me their copy)? second ?- would anyone be willing to summarize it on the bottom line? thanks. sp. ocmr box 1725 oberlin, ohio 44074 ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Nov 92 12:06 CST From: russell1@ihlpb.att.com Subject: FAQ thoughts To: bass@uwplatt.edu from the FAQ: >Some manufacturers >even produce seven string basses, with the usual configuration >being to add a low F# to the normal six string layout. I am interested in hearing more about this. Who made it? What string size was used. I don't think we need more about this in the FAQ, I just would like to hear more if anyone can elaborate. from the FAQ: >Pickup manufacturers can wire any of these differing >shapes in similar fashion, so the choice of shape is more >dependent upon look, or what will fit into the bass, than the >actual functionality. This is misleading and I think it should be changed. One aspect of the sound of a pickup is the number of windings. If the pickup shell is too small, you wont get as many windings in it and it will sound different. You could put the inside of a J pickup inside a P housing, but not a P in a J. You could make a J pickup split like a P, but it's not going to sound like a P pickup. The shape and size is more than just looks. It places physical limitaion on the pickups design and this affects the sound of the pickup. Hope I made my point without being to picky. I liked the rest of the FAQ. Good job! Russell Keating, -----------> Send email to: russell1@ihlpb.ATT.COM ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 29 Nov 92 01:38 MET From: fr-hed@proxxi.uf.se Subject: Woods in basses ? Hello there ! Im in the market for a Musicman StingRay 4 string. But im a little confused over the wood-options (Ash, alder, poplar body with rosewood or maple board). Whats the +/- of these wood-materials (from a sound perspective). If anyone out there in netland can clarify the differences between those woods i would be VERY grateful. Until next time, Bass in your ass ! [ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Well, to begin with, different woods create different sized splinters. :) Bass Mgr. ] -fredrik. ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 29 Nov 92 17:04:01 -0500 From: mjkobb@media-lab.mit.edu Subject: Under the Bridge tab? Hey! Alright, I give up. For some reason, I can't seem to get the pass part to Under the Bridge right. Anybody got tab/notation/something? Thanks, --Mike ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Nov 92 08:39:00 EST From: Craig Hicks Subject: Brand X in D.C. I'm planning on going to hear Brand X at 8 p.m. tomorrow night (Dec. 1) at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. Any other Bottom Liners planning on attending? If so, I'd like to meet you! -- Craig ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1992 08:59 EDT From: JWHITE@OPAL.TUFTS.EDU Subject: Upcoming gigs, philosophical quandary Hi, Folks, For all you Boston-based bass-guys, here's a list of upcoming gigs for our band, HOUSE of CARDS: Friday, Dec. 4 O'BRIENS PUB Harvard St., Allston, MA Thursday, Dec. 10 THE OUTRIGGER Rockyneck, Gloucester, MA Monday, Dec. 14 HARPER'S FERRY Brighton Ave., Allston, MA These are full night gigs, each beginning about 9 or 9:30. If you can make to any of the gigs, come on out and say 'Hi.' Which brings us to the philosophical part of today's post. It may appear, by the above list of gigs, that we are doing pretty well. Not nece-celery! The problem? Audiences! As in, lack there-of! We are able to play places like O'Briens and Harper's primarily due to the tenacity our Dave, our guitarist/ booking agent. The club owners and bartenders like us. People say we sound good. We have 250 people on a mailing list. We send out mailings almost every month. I post gigs here. Etc, etc, etc... And yet, only a handful of our friends show up to gigs. "Maybe these guys aren't that good" you may be thinking. Possibly, but I like to think not (of course!). So what does this have to do with philosophy? I have noticed that 'tribute' bands always pack 'em in. We know of Dead cover bands that have people lined up down the block. Top 40/General Business bands seem to do real well here. Horn bands that cover R&B and soul do well. Here's the big question: Is it possible for a band to play their own material and selected covers and still do well? We often discuss increasing the number of covers that we play, so we can 'please' more people (larger audiences = bars sell more beer = club owners like you better). I'm reluctant to add a bunch of covers - a cover band will likely get more gigs, so you play less of the original material because people want to hear familiar stuff ('Play something we know!' has been heard a number of times). I don't intend this to be a 'crying on shoulder' kind of thing. I would like to know how folks have dealt with this issue. Any sage words of wisdom would be appreciated! Cheers, Joel ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Nov 92 12:23 EST From: dwd@village.usl.com Subject: IBENEZ SR2005 Hullo TBLers. I've dug myself into a really deep hole this time... Last week I put money down on an Ibenez SR2005 5-string Bass Guitar from Dixie Music in Tennessee. Due to some rather unfortunate circumstances, I've been forced to back out of this deal. This puts Ed (the proprietor) in an awkward position because he had to special order the bass from another dealer! I'll lose $200.00 if neither Ed nor I can find a buyer for the bass. That's where you (whoever) come in. Here's the low-down on the bass: . Ibenez SR2005/OL 5-string - solid maple body and neck - rosewood fingerboard w/oval pearl fret markers - neck through - two Ibenez AFR "jazz-style" pickups - gold hardware - oil finish - MC100 hardshell case . Price: $1000.00 Give Dixie Music a call if you're interested in this beatiful instrument: DIXIE MUSIC Ask for Ed 502/933-0307 Louisville, KT Just tell Ed that Dave Dougherty sent you and that you're interested in the orphaned SR2005. I will mail my Jaco Pastorius Video (that I've only played once) to the person from this newletter group who buys this bass (or is ultimately responsible for the sale--e.g., if your friend buys it, etc.)! Thanks for your attention. -- David W. Dougherty @ UNIX System Laboratories ARPA: dwd@usl.com TELE: 908/522-6241 MAIL: 190 River Rd., Rm. E-125; Summit, NJ 07901 ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1992 10:01:38 -0600 (CST) From: SMITH@EPVAX.MSFC.NASA.GOV Subject: GK 400RB question greetings subsonic surfers. Recently I picked up a used Gallien-Kreuger 400RB head for $269. I'd like to have a copy of the owner's manual and/or spec sheet and/or schematics for it, so if any of you who bought one of these new would copy these and send 'em to me, I'd reimburse you for copying and shipping (let me know how long the stuff is though, I don't want to spend $15 on 100 pages of long winded sales copy). Also I'd like a description of the innards of the footswitch. Mine didn't come with one, and when I tried to use an old effects switch from a Fender guitar amp, there was a loud CRACK when cutting in the boost. I assume it has to do with the construction of the switch but I don't know what to look for if I want to replace it. Finally, did I get ripped off or did I get a good deal? I probably shouldn't ask since at the moment I think I made out like a bandit. :) Email if you'll help me with the copying thang...thanks.... | James W. Smith, NASA MSFC EP-53 | SMITH@epvax.msfc.nasa.gov | | "I'm going home, taking a hot bath, and sleeping alone!" | | --Omaha the Cat Dancer | | Neither NASA nor (!James) is responsible for what I say. Mea culpa. | ---------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Nov 92 14:07:27 PST From: Annette DeSchon Subject: Technical Qustion: "Ghost Notes" Sender: deschon@ISI.EDU Hello Bass Players, There is something that I've seen in transcriptions that I'm having trouble understanding: It's called a "ghost note" and it is notated as | or x on a particular pitch. It seems to occur mostly on a pickup. x | What I think that this means is that the string is partially depressed, creating sort of a muffled effect. My problem is that I'm having trouble figuring out how to get the right pressure so that I don't get a harmonic and I don't get the note. Is there a trick to this? Is the note damped with a single finger, or does it take more than that? Is there some sort of a rolling motion required? Am I misunderstanding the whole thing and it really means something completely different? Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance, --Annette [ I might be able to lend some help. Whenever I use ghost notes (which is quite frequent) I use one of two methods: 1) Use more than one finger (usually whole left hand) to dampen strings on the neck (used especially for my slapping excursions). I often times will fret the note with the first finger and use the other three to mute the note. 2) Use the other fingers on the right hand to dampen the strings right after I pluck 'em. I'm not really consciously aware of how much I use this one. I'm sure there are other ways, but I hope this helps. Bass Mgr. ] ---------------------------------------------------------- Anonymous ftp access for back issues, etc.: kappa.rice.edu (128.42.4.7) in the /pub/bass directory (Username is 'anonymous', password is your e-mail address. Try typing 'help' for more info once logged in.) _The Bottom Line_ is a digest dedicated to the art of playing electric and acoustic bass. It is distributed on a basis that coincides with the amount of material received, from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville, USA; Kevin Tipple, Erik Habbinga, editors Copyright _The Bottom Line_, 1992 The contents of _The Bottom Line_ are solely the opinions and comments of the individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the authors' managements or the digest management. The editors do not assume responsibility for copyright infringement of submitted material. *************************** End of The Bottom Line #261 ***************************