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POS Rig Vs. Top of the Line Rig


burdizzos

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I don't doubt the power of 5"s. I just doubt that you need to pay $1500 bucks for a combo regardless of the porting ot $70 for a cable. PJB is gimmick.


Other applications of 5"s are fine as long as they are not marketed as having magic electrons blessed by the maidens of Odin at the dawn of time - and thats why they need to cost 5 times as much as they normally would without the marketing claims.

 

Mmmm...maidens of Odin...:love:

 

Wait. What?

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I can only say what I know about DIs. I use active basses and active DIs with very good results. I've also used passive DIs without issue.

 

The Countryman is the industry standard for a reason, but if you're just buying a DI as a backup, I'd go with the EWI LDB-101. I use one of those for my effected signal and it does a bangup job. T-broom said that his was noisy compared to his Radial, but I haven't expereinced that. The only downside to an active DI is that it will require a battery or phantom power. Phantom power should always be available if you're running through a PA that is carrying the house, but if you want to be ridiculously redundant, stock a $25 passive DI too, it can't hurt.

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The only one of their amps that interested me was the briefcase and that was because of the size. It looked like it might be handy for busking.
:idk:

I've got a PJB Briefcase. The tone is phenomenal and the EQ has one of the sweetest voicings I've ever heard. Seems bullet-proof (to the extent I can tell).

 

But it's underpowered, expensive, and surprisingly heavy given its diminutive dimensions.

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I've got a PJB Briefcase. The tone is phenomenal and the EQ has one of the sweetest voicings I've ever heard. Seems bullet-proof (to the extent I can tell).


But it's underpowered, expensive, and surprisingly heavy given its diminutive dimensions.

 

 

I've played thru a few PJB rigs, and love the tone as well as their front end(feel, etc.), but I too feel they're underpowered.

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I can only say what I know about DIs. I use active basses and active DIs with very good results. I've also used passive DIs without issue.


The Countryman is the industry standard for a reason, but if you're just buying a DI as a backup, I'd go with the
EWI LDB-101
. I use one of those for my effected signal and it does a bangup job. T-broom said that his was noisy compared to his Radial, but I haven't expereinced that. The only downside to an active DI is that it will require a battery or phantom power. Phantom power should always be available if you're running through a PA that is carrying the house, but if you want to be ridiculously redundant, stock a
$25 passive DI
too, it can't hurt.

 

I might get one of those to use as a backup. Thanks! :thu:

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I might get one of those to use as a backup. Thanks!
:thu:

 

 

It's money well spent.

 

I've learned a lot in the past few years about being in a working band. My best investment recently was a Gator GX-2. I've got all of my emergency gig items in there. It's well organized and everyone knows where it is at every gig, so if anyone needs batteries, strings, tools, cables, a DI or most other las tminute show stoppers, it's at an arm's reach.

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I'm in the camp that believes the player's rig is for his and his bandmates' benefit on stage and in rehearsal. My signal path live is nearly always bass, minimal effects, DI, PA. I carry two DIs (why not, they are small and inexpensive); a Countryman and a Radial JDI. If I'm sending a buffered signal, I use the JDI. If not, it's the Countryman. The other is always available as a backup, but never needed.

 

More and more venues are micing cabs around here these days, but I don't think that's improving the tone FOH. It's my opinion many bassists do more harm than good to their tone if given access to any EQ. :D

 

When given a choice between incorprating my rig into the FOH sound or not, I typically prefer not to as that gives me the ability to adjust my level and EQ to suit the stage without throwing off the FOH.

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It's money well spent.


I've learned a lot in the past few years about being in a working band. My best investment recently was a
. I've got all of my emergency gig items in there. It's well organized and everyone knows where it is at every gig, so if anyone needs batteries, strings, tools, cables, a DI or most other las tminute show stoppers, it's at an arm's reach.

 

 

+1. I have a $5 Home Depot tool box filled with just about anything that can break, multi tool, circuit tester, etc. My old guitard used to think I was being paranoid, until he broke a string, and realized he hadn't brought any more. "Why yessir, just happen to have some extra's here in my trusty tool box. "

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I always carry my Sansamp with me even though the XLR on my GK always worked perfectly.

I kinda disagree that a good amp isn't necessary though. There are times when the PA/soundman/monitor situation isn't ideal and a good amp is needed for the drummer and the audience to hear you. I also prefer a certain tone and many times the soundman prefers his own tone. In the past I have had friends telling me the sound is too muddy coming from the PA and I end up tweaking my tone a bit to compensate. Yes that means my stage amp is being heard by the audience but so what. I want to hear and feel my own amp, if it's too quiet then I end up playing to hard which causes noise and fatigue.

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You can spend $6000 or better on your bass rig, but you're only going to sound as good as the PA it's going though. From what I understand, that band didn't have anywhere near $6k in their PA. The second band with the cheap bass rig had a nice Yorkville Elite PA in their trailer.

 

 

I love it when I try to explain thuis stuff to people and they just don't get it. Under most circumstances, your rig is your personal monitor and nothing more.

 

It's one of the reasons I do my best to never be DI'd exclusively. I use a ton of effects and such, and it's integral to the sound of the music. The crowd needs to hear what I hear, the way I hear it.

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I kinda disagree that a good amp isn't necessary though. There are times when the PA/soundman/monitor situation isn't ideal and a good amp is needed for the drummer and the audience to hear you. I also prefer a certain tone and many times the soundman prefers his own tone. In the past I have had friends telling me the sound is too muddy coming from the PA and I end up tweaking my tone a bit to compensate. Yes that means my stage amp is being heard by the audience but so what. I want to hear and feel my own amp, if it's too quiet then I end up playing to hard which causes noise and fatigue.

 

That's why you bring your own PA and your own soundman. :)

 

I know my PA can handle any venue we're booked at, period. That's how Burdizzos is able to run direct, and our guitarist runs direct as well. We're all using wireless IEMs, too, so having a rig on stage to hear ourselves isn't an issue either. And because there aren't any mics live on stage going through the subs, we can put the subs right on stage as our "backline" so the bass can be "felt" on-stage.

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That's why you bring your own PA and your own soundman.
:)

I know my PA can handle any venue we're booked at, period. That's how Burdizzos is able to run direct, and our guitarist runs direct as well. We're all using wireless IEMs, too, so having a rig on stage to hear ourselves isn't an issue either. And because there aren't any mics live on stage going through the subs, we can put the subs right on stage as our "backline" so the bass can be "felt" on-stage.

 

Do you guys delay your tops then? I have considered dropping our last 2 wedges, but, if you play a wide stage, you would still need a fill for the front wouldn't you?

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I've seen this happen first hand too. I saw a kiddie metal band playing a festival with these old beat-to-{censored} Peaveys and Ibby's. Then the next guys up were a geezer rock band using an Eden and a Lakland. To everyone in the crowd, there was no difference in the bass sound.

 

I've heard a similar thing with a guitarist that was running a Line 6 Flextone and another that was using this really killer old Fender tube combo. There was no audible difference in the crowd.

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That's why you bring your own PA and your own soundman.
:)

I know my PA can handle any venue we're booked at, period. That's how Burdizzos is able to run direct, and our guitarist runs direct as well. We're all using wireless IEMs, too, so having a rig on stage to hear ourselves isn't an issue either. And because there aren't any mics live on stage going through the subs, we can put the subs right on stage as our "backline" so the bass can be "felt" on-stage.

 

That's the ideal situation! :wave:

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I love it when I try to explain thuis stuff to people and they just don't get it. Under most circumstances, your rig is your personal monitor and nothing more.

 

...except that "under most circumstances", your rig is for your band(i.e. your stage sound) as well as for yourself...and nothing more. ;):D

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