Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Big G wrote:
First off.... My Markbass Rig and custom built Shuker bass.... Excuse my uggly mugg in the shot!....
Ooh! Me likee... Spalted maple on mahogany body (and is that a purpleheart pinstripe or is it binding I see?). Maple, walnut and purpleheart through-neck with a maple board (how'd I do? ?). It's all very yellow, but I have no problem with that - very distinctive.
Next the complete setup (with the exception of my bass head)
What's the Les Paul? Epiphone in tiger's eye?
Then a close up of the rack gear, including Alans old Digidesigns 003R....
More importantly, what's the dbx unit? A channel strip?
And finally the Avantone mics I've been enjoying....
Don't know them other than what you have mentioned before. Look nice though and nice wooden boxes too (which I always take as a good sign).
All-in-all a nice setup G. ?
Ok, quite a bit to respond to there..... Hope I don't miss anything? Here goes....
The bass is Burr Maple on a baked maple body with Padouk fillets, and a black pinstripe. Looks very impressive up close. I'll try and get a shot of the sides so you can see it better. Neck is Birdseye Maple/Wenge/Padouk/wenge/Birdseye, with a birdseye maple board. If you haven't guessed yet, I love maple for basses! The bass is around 7 years old now, and has darkened, or rather 'matured', somewhat over the years, which is partly why it looks so yellow. Also as my camera can't seem to cope with the basses colour, and always photographs it yellower than it actually is.
When I had this bass made, the body shape and design are in line with Jon Shukers other 'Elite series' basses, only I requested that the body be a little larger and deeper than normal to accommodate a sound chamber in the top wing, so effectively this is a hollow body bass. It also has a Piezo bridge, although this is a little too hot for my liking, so hardly gets used. I'm not too worried about this though, as the bass is very versatile anyway.
Ok, next question.... The LP is an Epi 'Boneyard' ltd edition. Its probably the nicest Epi LP I've played so far! And I have played a good few over the years. I'm not sure about the top? I think its a flame maple top that has been artificially 'darkened' to give it that appearance? I could be wrong though? Its actually my friends, but I'm looking to buy it from him, so he can fund a new acoustic. So keep an eye out in the classifieds for a slightly shop soiled Russian bride so I can fund this! She's reasonably low mileage, and just been sent back to the factory to be 'refitted'. ?
AS for the DBX unit, its a 376 tube channel strip. I got it for a very good price, as part of a hire companies clear-out. They had 4 of the units, and I'd have taken more, only I could only afford the one. I'm hoping they still have some left when the next payday arrives! I haven't used it in my studio yet, but I used it 'live' in my church, and it was very transparent, whilst still doing what it should! I've read lots of mixed reviews on this unit, but I have to say that so far my findings are very positive! The metering is especially good for a channel strip, and very clear for use in dark places. Its very reassuring as you really get a sense of what the strip is doing from the meters. Something rather lacking in most budget channels. Its also got a special digital out on it, which apparently makes it near impossible to clip. I'm yet to test that feature though! ?
The Avantone mics are very good value for money. Not quite in the Tul league, but significantly cheaper, and significantly better than the likes of Rode, Samson, and other 'budget' mics. The CK-1 pencil mic is a Gem! Its brilliant on acoustics, and when I went to visit Tully, we compared them to his, and a Rode NT1. The NT1 was very brittle sunding, and lacked any body.... The CK-6 was a good improvement, offering more balanced tone.... The CK-1 offered a close tonal balance to the Tul T12, just ever so slightly less rounded, but the the Tul f47 was clearly a good leap ahead! I'd like to hear the Avantone CV-12 up against the two Tuls, to give a more 'fair' shootout, but I'm sufficiently impressed with the CK-1 to keep it. The Ck-6 is yet to be used 'properly', so I'll report back on that in the future.
Thanks again for looking guys, and for your comments. Feel free to keep 'em coming!
Regards
G!
