Guitar Nerds Anonymous

It's generally not a slow fade; my experience is they sound fine then when the battery is about to go you've got about 20 seconds of slightly fuzzy notes, then nothing. So could easily happen when you're not playing.

Cleaned up and rejigged the big pedalboard this week... Wasn't sure about compression at first, maybe I've got a bad preset but I was either getting nothing happening, tone suck or loads of distortion... Got it sounding okay now but not sure if that's the way it's supposed to be! The Hall of Fame is really good, think I'll stick with it... Still need to get a separate wall wart for the RE20, it's so noisy on the same power supply, bloody annoying!!

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Thanks all! Have only ever had passive pickups before so wasn’t sure but sounds like the battery. Didn’t know about unplugging the cable either so that’s probably helped run it down.

Off to the shops I go!

Edit - batteries replaced and working as normal.

It’s a great bass, first new one I’ve had for 20yrs so panic over and joy restored. Thanks all!

Hey man yeah. Bought a moody chromed steel Chinese B5 for my late 90s Epi Riviera (like a 335 but with a trapeze tailpiece).

I took months to arrive, was crappy, cheap looking, cheap-feeling, weighed a ton and i felt it would be doing the (sub £300 s/h) guitar a disservice to put it on.

Bought proper a s/h sand-cast aluminium B7 and they're night and day. I love it.

I hung on to the fakey one thinking I might put it on a cheap tele or something, but to be honest I'm not gonna. If anyone wants it for a virtual beer or forum donation, they're welcome.

Just dug it out. I might have been a bit harsh because i'm slightly drunk, i'm sure it's fine really but the offer still stands.

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Compare and contrast

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Such a great looking board man.

I've been having fun experimenting with compression lately. I have a Barber Tone Press and although I've always liked what it does at sensible settings, i've been enjoying setting it at full whack and seeing how it feels. Definitely a place for it. More of a feel than a tone thing i reckon.

Any thoughts on this madness?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXZgOyFN54k

I think I approve.

Mental

It's an odd effect, I kind of like it... I think... I've been having tone anxiety this week, been trying to dial back the dirt so I get a bit more clarity to my sound but that's now thrown everything else out and I've started to question everything I'm doing!!!

Bloody stooopid things to even consider worrying about, innit... Also plugged in my old Deluxe yesterday and it almost ripped my head off, that thing roars!!

That’s a sweet looking board. What’s the yellow/red one, top left?

I didn’t watch the whole thing, but it was fun. I like the JHS channel in general, Josh Scott is entertaining and I like the dynamic between him and his son.

Thanks! That's a Tym Murderess, a Kim Salmon/Scientists signature pedal that I helped design the graphics for (I think they stink BTW, bit of a designed by committee mess).. It's a double fuzz, fat fuzz on one side (copying the fuzz circuit out of a Morley Fuzz Wah) and thin and trebley (aping a Monacor Fuzzder FS-1) on the other... It's pretty fun!

ICBF to watch it, it's a step too far for me... He thinks he's Jerry Seinfeld, I only find him mildly amusing... Stick to the pedals, boys... >>>>>>>>>>>>

EDIT: That isn't entirely fair, they are amusing but fuck musical theatre!!!

I like the dynamic between him and his son.

That isn't his son... 🤣

Haha! I used to loathe musical theatre but the last 5 years of watching children’s movies with my kids has given me Stockholm syndrome and I now love loads of kiddie movie music. I have been buying Disney movie sheet music and learning the tunes on piano.

Currently obsessed with the Hans Zimmer soundtrack to Muppets Treasure Island.

I should just google this, but also think it offers scope for entertaining keyboard fights (even if the ire will be in my direction I’m sure): I’ve never played with a fuzz pedal since deciding when I was a kid that there’s no point getting something that sounds cuddly vs something called “distortion” or “overdrive”. Constant references to the 60s also put me off.

What’s a fuzz and why should I have one?

Fuzz is a state of mind, maaaan!

IMVHO It's the greatest thing ever when used to extremes... It plays itself if done properly, it's like gently steering an intergalactic rocket ship...

https://youtu.be/g9c9jvWlEOY

https://youtu.be/Z4AewahHom0

Hah!

Never mind smooth 60s fuzz, the best fuzz sounds like chainsaws having a fight.

Is it not? That’s who he said it was in a couple of videos I’ve seen, didn’t see any reason not to take it at face value.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIbJylD_c84

It's one of his employees, they also employ at least one of his siblings (looking at the thumbnail I think it might be her in the Octavia get up).

I got as far as the fuzz face before giving up. I can't stand musicals either tho.

It is all a teensy bit shark-jumpy. He's a knowledgeable guy and his videos are normally great but this is a bit much for me. Though not as bad as the cringefest where he promoted his mate's restaurant under some tenuous pedals/food theme.

Nice board - maybe for cleaner (relative term) stuff one of the fuzzes could be swapped for the Timmy I saw you had?

Haven't got a Timmy!

My 'clean' sound is quite dirty and splashy, it's difficult to get clarity when your starting point is so filthy... I think I'm gonna have to live with it!

It's a good sound, I'm tinkering with it which is dangerous... Easy to get lost and then mess your ears up...

Oh, why did I think that? Must have been someone else!

Dirty is def good.