Ed of H gigs; 2019

[edwardofhuncote]

Nothing to see here yet...

...but I got an email yesterday evening from Gabe, the Harwell-Grice Band (manager/bookings) wanting to know how I was doing and when I thought I might be ready to return. So I gave them the update, and told them I'd like to try a couple low-impact jobs in February, and see if I can hack it, then maybe some longer nights. Figure I'll know pretty quick what my physical limitations are going to be by how I feel. Got myself a Hover Harness system, that should take all the weight off my shoulders and neck. http://www.hoverharness.com/ In between sets, or just for general purposes, I got this nice, comfortable stool to play from. Even taken some steps at lightening up my gig-rig by going more modular. I've been rethinking just about everything... I sold a couple basses, got a couple more to go. Gear is only the beginning, and everything is on the table when considering doing whatever it takes to keep playing.

Musically, I'm ready to play. Physically... we'll just have to see how this goes. I really miss playing music with the guys, and durn it, I miss performing. Hope it works out so I can pick up where we left off.

It's Alembic's 50th year, and mine... let's get it started.

[allgood]

What’s your traveling situation amp wise?  I took my SWR Redhead to be serviced recently and the guy told me technology has changed the way they are making power modules, getting rid of tons of weight.  I’m sure I’m way behind the curve because once I got the RedHead, and a Bayby Blue for small rooms, I quit fooling with amps.  These are both tube and have really served me well.  It’s funny, one time I was playing a swing band job and rolled in the Redhead and a guy said “you bass players and your huge amps.”  I thought... you would rather I bring SVT 8x10 refrigerator I used to use?!😊

[edwardofhuncote]

My main rig has been a Mesa WalkAbout in a Scout 15 radiator combo-cab. When docked together, they are about 75 lbs. I've never once been dissatisfied with it. This thing absolutely KILLS, but getting it from the house to the car, and from the car to the stage is a problem I don't need. So I put it up for sale, (locally) and will be using my backup/upright rig, which is an Acoustic Image Clarus II, a small 2 channel, 300w (@ 4 ohm) Class D amp with a nice DI that carries in a shoulder bag, and a pair of Bag End SD cabinets, each weighing 25 lbs or less. Once the Mesa sells, I'm considering a Quilter Bass Block 800. https://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/products/bassblock-amplifiers/bass-block-in-depth

[sonicus]

Nice rig . I have been using my little GK MB150S as my little bass amp for about two decades . It makes a great coffee house rig. Ron Carter once recommended it to me when I went to attend a performance of his back in the mid 1990s . I have replaced the  aging speaker in it once with an OEM replacement from GK .It was an easy task .

[lbpesq]

I recently picked up a Quilter 101 mini reverb guitar head.  Two pounds, 50 real watts, class D power section, (there goes most of the weight!), and it keeps up with a full band and sounds quite good with headroom to spare.  It really is a little tiny magic box!  If their bass block is anywhere near as good, you'll be very happy with it.  They also have several light matching cabs.  I got the 1x10 for guitar and it weighs only 15 pounds.  I'm waiting for delivery on the 2x8 which supposedly sounds as full as a 4x12 while weighing 25 pounds!

Bill, tgo

[edwardofhuncote]

Thanks Bill, Wolf, and Allen... it's all the fun, academic part now, just looking at what's out there. Hopefully somebody around here will take that WalkAbout/Scout 15 offa' my hands and I'll flip the funds into something more user-friendly.

Bill, one of the guitar players I work with turned me onto the Quilter product line... he also uses the 101 Mini-Reverb, and a single 12 cab he had a guy build for him specifically to simulate a certain thing... like an open-backed Fender but not quite. Anyway, I like the simplicity, the lightweight build, clean power, with plenty of headroom, and a decent DI out. It ticks all the boxes. I'm a little bit worried about how many are showing up on the used market, but I think what makes the Quilter BB 800 attractive to me may actually be a turnoff for some - not enough knobs. Maybe?

Anyway, the first round of 2019 gigs just rolled in, and I have accepted them. The first one confirmed is on 2/23.
 

[lbpesq]

Gregory, are you worried about too many or too few on the used market?  There are currently 3 on reverb and only 1 used on eBay.   One thing that stands out to me is that across the line-up, used Quilters seem to hold their price quite well, usually only around 20% off the new price.   I did notice that the 800 employs the Quilter two-knob tone stack.  It seems a little weird to me - that's one reason I grabbed the 101 Mini Reverb, it has a more traditional bass/mid/treble tone stack, albeit with the mid being active.  I have talked to a few players who have the Quilter tone stack.  They tell me that, once they got used to it, it worked for them.

Bill, tgo

[soflbass]

May I suggest that you check out the Mesa D800. It absolutely kills. http://mesaboogie.com/amplifiers/bass/subway-series/subway-d800/index.html
5.5 lbs and it comes with a carry bag. Since 2 new Mesa Subway line heads have been released since the D800, some are going used on Talkbass classifieds for $500 to $550. Probably more amp than you will ever need, but an excellent amp.
Many small lightweight cabs to choose from these days. A favorite seems to be the Audiokinesis Hathor 1203.  http://www.audiokinesis.com/hathor-1203.html
A little pricey, but what good thing isn't?
If you'd prefer a combo, the GK stuff is great as well; 30 to 39 lbs, depending on how much power you need.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MB210-2--gallien-krueger-mb210-ii-2x10-inch-500-watt-ultra-light-bass-combo-with-horn
As always, playing anything before buying is recommended.
Good luck in your recovery and getting back to playing.

[rv_bass]

Greg, glad to see you are back at it!  I have a GK MB200, small, 200W, and only two pounds.  I use it for practice, but it would work well for small gigs too.  -Rob

[allgood]

Glad to hear you will be back playing for the public soon!  So anyone else just have a hard time trading the tubes for lightweight and convenience?  Or I guess a better way to ask... those of you that have gone to the ultra lightweight amps... do you miss the tubes at all?  Age old debate I guess, that I’m sure has been discussed hear.  Maybe it’s in my head, but I’m missing the “feeling” of the tubes when I play a solid state.  My back is much better, Greg, than when we spoke last week.  I think I’m ok to lift, it’s the twisting and bending for long periods that gets me.  And by the way, met a guy today that wants me to play swing band with his group, so I’ll get those pics of the upright to you soon.  (I know... been saying that for a while now!😊

[edwardofhuncote]

Gregory, are you worried about too many or too few on the used market?  There are currently 3 on reverb and only 1 used on eBay.   One thing that stands out to me is that across the line-up, used Quilters seem to hold their price quite well, usually only around 20% off the new price...

I think what I've probably seen Bill, is the impulse-buy gear junkies that grabbed them quickly and then decided it wasn't for them. The ones I've seen have been in the TalkBass Classifieds almost weekly. (or maybe it's the same poor unit, over and over?! No quibbles on the used price though... they seem to be, as you say, holding their own. And I don't care that much about resale. I tend to just keep stuff forever... I still have the Crate Acoustic 125 I toured with back in the 90's believe it or not. A capacitor or something in it somewhere flakes out every so often, so I don't gig it anymore. Can't bring myself to pitch it, and nobody's had any luck fixing it.

@soflbass (sorry, can't remember your name... was it Ken?) the Mesa D-800 and the Plus model is on my list too. I really don't have any particular gripe with the WalkAbout amp, and I could just pull it out of the combo-cab and use it, but then I'd be kinda' stuck with trying to sell/ship a 50-some lb. weird cab with a passive radiator that doesn't work too well with much else. It is absolutely violent with that WalkAbout amp docked in it though. FWIW, Mesa now has an 800w version of the WalkAbout sorta' mixed with the D-800.

And Allen, anytime man... I am actually working in my shop again finally. The first big job, coincidentally, is an American Standard upright, with what I believe is probably a busted neck block. Must confess, I also came into another DeArmond Starfire II recently, that I will probably convert to fretless once Mica gets the Custom pickups and mounts done for the other one just like it. I have discovered that short-scale hollow-bodies are quite comfortable to play, especially when seated.

Thanks for the encouragement fellas - much appreciated!

[edwardofhuncote]

After a very long break from live music, I played my first gig of 2019 last night; the first since last September. The Harwell-Grice Band was at a Fire Department fundraiser in the big auditorium at Franklin Co. High School, so I got to try out the new Mesa D-800/Bag End rig in a pretty fair test. (I'm quite pleased with the results!)

Also, this was my first gig with a Series bass... I had the lighter Starfire along for backup, and my chair backstage too, but it was just one set. I just couldn't put it down... will have more reflection on this later, but suffice to say I have a very deep appreciation for the comments about these things that led me here. 

*Somewhere on someone's device, there exists video of a fan-requested, Dead-inspired "Deep Elum Blues", from last night's show that will perhaps be posted publicly somewhere... I'll ask about that, and post a link back here if possible. It was a pretty good jam.

[David Houck]

The bass looks good on you!

[rv_bass]

Lookin’ good!  Cool looking Starfire too, have you covered up the F holes? 

[edwardofhuncote]

Yessir, love my Starfire too... the short scale, lighter weight, and that big hollow body makes them very comfortable to play, especially if I'm tired and needing to play seated. I got that one locally at quite a bargain, as it was supposed to be a factory second, but there was no apparent flaw, and it isn't marked as such either, so who knows. The stock Guild Bisonics on these Newark St. models sound fantastic. I have another DeArmond Starfire with the Westerly pickups, and there to me they are different as night and day. There are qualities in both that I like, but these new Bisonics are quite good.

I think maybe what you're seeing Rob, is the camera flash making the f-holes appear lighter instead of dark. The green is also a bit more subtle IRL than it appears here... more of a deep forest green.

The bass looks good on you!

Thanks Dave!