More Balls For Bass Players

In response to an increased need among bass players for double ball end strings for instruments like the Steinberger et al, James How Industries Ltd, makers of Rotosound and Superwound strings are now making their popular RS 66 'Swing Bass', RS 55 'Solo Bass', and the Superwound SF 101 'Starfire' ranges of bass strings with double ball ends.

Another new line is being introduced to cater for players of the Music Man Stingray bass. A complete range of Swing Bass sets will be marketed, with a special run-off designed to suit the distinctive anchoring on the Stingray.

As well as their flexible design 0.140 strings which are in demand by players of extra low basses, Superwound are bringing out a bronze string, differing from the customary phosphor bronze used in string manufacture. The 'Starfire' 80/20 Bronze should be in the shops by Xmas.

For further details contact James How Industries, (Contact Details).

It's a DODdle

A new addition to the burgeoning rack effects market comes from the US company, DOD Electronics. The DOD RDS 3600 digital delay has been designed with both studio and stage use in mind. It features a full seven second delay that can be triggered by drum machine or footswitch. It enables the usual flange, chorus, double and echo treatments, beginning at 1.5 to 14 milliseconds for flange, up to 7200 milliseconds for echo.

Functions include Repeat Hold — activated either at the front or the back of the unit, and a feedback option, in or out of phase.

The front panel has LEDs for delay 'Kill', 'Headroom' and 'Delay Time', and there is a two second mute preventing unwanted noise when switching 'delay time'. 'Mix Control', 'Effect switch', 'Output level' and 'Input level' complete the front panel, and the unit is intended to be powerful yet inexpensive.

Further details, contact Max Kay, (Contact Details).

Classic Jazz from Peavey

In a guest for 'added punch and low end solidarity', sound qualities much desired by Jazz musicians, Peavey have come up with a new amp in their 400 series. The Peavey Jazz Classic, available now, is described as "the smoothest punchiest amp ever offered to the Jazz market", and is a self contained and portable unit.

The unit, which delivers 210 watts RMS power at 4 Ohms, features Peavey's patented DDT circuitry, designed to virtually eliminate amplifier and speaker overload distortion, and a 15 inch Black Widow speaker.

The preamp features a 'variable negative feedback gain' for maximum dynamic range with minimum noise. The Eq section has low, mid and high controls, with the mid range control being semi parametric. Reverb consists of a six spring Accutronics (Hammond) system with current source drive, and the amp has noiseless FET channel switching. The suggested retail price is £425 inc VAT.

For further details contact Ken Achard, Peavey Electronics, (Contact Details).

Play it again, Einstein

If your leisure hours are taken up by hopes of what might be in the world of musical instruments, take heart. The Crafts Council are taking musical instrument making as the subject of their second open exhibition. The exhibition takes place sometime in 1986, and any budding inventors out there should have submitted entry forms by December 6th, 1985, with actual instruments being submitted in March next year. For further details contact Nick Arber, Crafts Council Open, (Contact Details).

A drop in the right direction

Anyone considering investing in either of Akai's top selling musical products, the AX-80 Synthesizer or the S612 Sampler & Quick Disk will no doubt be pleased to hear that the retail prices for both of these items have been dropped. The AX-80 is now available at £799 and the Sampler and the Quick Disk are now £749 and £199 respectively, the package as a whole looking good for less than a grand.

The source of this solace (though no doubt chagrin for those who are owners already of these systems) is attributable to the appointment of Dave Caulfield as sales and marketing manager of Akai's musical instrument and recording division. Dave, who shared the responsibility for putting Casio instruments on the map, has initiated the price drop as one of a host of policies which he hopes will do the same trick for Akai.

Further details, contact Dave Caulfield, Akai (UK) Limited, (Contact Details)

ILP: Into the Gap

ILP Electronics Ltd. are launching what they term as a 'missing link' in the loudspeaker market. The project was to design a loudspeaker that would fulfill the functions usually associated with 15 inch and 18 inch cones, but would occupy less space, be more versatile, and most importantly, be cheaper.

Using a new coil method, a revolutionary damping system, and special heat dissipation, the new 12 inch 350 watt speaker is described as being able to move the air of speakers much larger in diameter, and to put up with the rigours of longterm use and abuse. Pairs should not be necessary to obtain the handling and the speaker will cost a fraction of its nearest competitor. All this should result in bass cabinets that are more compact and more portable, with no loss in punch or bass end power.

Contact Graham Bell House, (Contact Details).

Going Solo?

Dave Yorath, whom we featured in our July Home Taping feature has recently opened up his Harrow based all MIDI, song writer intensive, 8 track facility for public consumption. For a truly amazing introductory rate of only £5.00 an hour plus tape, Solo Sound Studios offers access to a wide range of MIDI keyboards, computer sequencing, 16 second sound sampling — with sound library, digital drums, electronic grand piano and a range of digital effects. Contact Dave Yorath on (Contact Details).

Condensed Mike

In a quest to combine convenience and adaptability with professional performance capabilities, Shure have come up with the first professional quality unidirectional condenser microphone. The SM98 utilizes state of the art technology in its low noise, low distortion pre-amp, enabling it to withstand close miking of drums, brass instruments and amplifiers.

The SM98 has a wide, extremely flat frequency response with switchable low end roll off giving faithful reproduction of acoustic instruments, whilst its small size (0.5 inch in diameter and 1.25 inch long) gives it a near perfect cardioid polar pattern at all frequencies.

A detachable cable adds to ease of set up, and a unique swivel adapter is included so that the mike can be used with all standard microphone stands. Special mounting apparatus for drums is currently being developed. The pre-amp is powered by two standard nine volt batteries, or by a simplex (phantom) power source.

The complete package includes mic, windscreen, pre-amp, swivel and mike to pre-amp cable, and retails at a recommended price of £275.92 plus VAT.

For further details contact H W International, (Contact Details).

All part of the service

Part and Parcel, a mail order company catering for guitarists' needs, has just made an addition to its catalogue designed to aid guitarists searching for the best of the new, and the old, in effect pedals. Entitled the P&P Effects and Tuners List, it is available free as a supplement to the existing catalogue, and lists over 100 pedals by makes such as Arion, Champion, DOD, Frontline, JHS, Jen, Morley, Ross, Schaller, Seiko and Solec, with prices starting at £18 for a Champion volume pedal, and going up into the £200 mark.

The publication also lists some 50 tuners and a wide selection of accessories such as headphone amp systems, power supplies, connectors mini mixers etc, and there is also a rack effects section. Copies of the catalogue are available free from P&P, (Contact Details).