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black_mastermind posted:Okay, so I am pricing an SVT Classic, a new one with a warranty and everything. Everyone online (I am going to buy it from a local shop that just became an Ampeg dealer late last year) has it for around $1699 EXCEPT Guitar Center, who has it for an astonishing $2099 (or the ultra-goofy "Used at $1899!") What gives? Did these things go up $400 in the last month and everyone else is late to the party or is Guitar Center high on drugs? I have my suspicions, of course. Those new SVT Classics are crap in my experience. They have almost none of the magic that old SVTs or even VRs have. I definitely wouldn't pay 1700 bucks for one.
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Apr 28, 2011 00:18
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I hate combos, so I would get a 2x10, 1x12 or even a 1x15 if I was in your situation. You should easily be able to find a good one for your budget, and since the 800RB isn't a super high powered head you won't need to worry much about power requirements.
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May 11, 2011 23:33
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baka kaba posted:What's the deal with the different string gauges? Extra-light on a guitar I can understand since they're easier to bend and not as harsh on your fingertips, but is there reason to have a light gauge on a bass? Is it just down to how much pressure you need to use, and the tension your instrument's set up for? I'm assuming you get a better tone from the heavier sets. I've been moving towards lighter and lighter strings lately, partly to give my hands a break, and partly because I like the way they sound. I play almost exclusively with a pick, and I find that lighter strings provide a bit more fundamental and a bit less treble, which helps to even out the excess twang that comes with playing pickstyle. I use D'addario Chromes and Ernie Ball flats interchangeably, since I don't hear much of a difference between them (and in a mix, the difference is inaudible). Flats last for so long that I can easily mix and match as I pick up new sets. For standard E I like to use a 100-80-60-40 set, and for standard D on my 5 I've been digging my 110-90-65-45-32 set.
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May 29, 2011 00:02
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The flatwound B string I've been using for a few years is finally nearing the end of its lifespan, as it's becoming more and more difficult to intonate and keep in tune. It probably would have lasted longer, too, but it's taken a lot of abuse in marathon practices and on the road. I've tried the Chromes B string and the GHS Precision Flats, so what other options do I have? Labella is probably the next one I'll try.
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Jun 9, 2011 04:22
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Scarf posted:You can try the Thomastik Infeld flats. They're lower tension that most other manufacturers (which is one of the reasons I don't use them), but they're really popular. A 5-string set will run you about $90 though (the OTHER reason why I don't use them). Wow, the Thomastik B string is a .136, which seems ludicrously thick to me. From my prior experience with flats it seems like the Thomastiks would be pretty unbalanced with the gauges they use. I think I'll stick to my plan of trying Labellas to see how I like them.
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Jun 10, 2011 02:00
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Your white Stambaugh is still one of the nicest basses I've ever seen. I scored big time on craigslist today: 
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Jun 26, 2011 03:27
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I've been gradually moving towards simpler and simpler electronics lately. My main bass started off as a standard 5-string Jazz before I had two humbuckers put in with series/parallel switching for each pickup. That got too finicky for me after a while, so now I'm down to one humbucker with volume, series/parallel switch and tone. Even that seems like too much now that I know that I prefer the sound of a series humbucker, so I'm thinking about having it rewired as a single humbucker in series straight to the volume pot, since I never use the tone control either. I know some folks like using onboard preamps, but do any of you go for the minimalistic approach?
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Jul 21, 2011 06:47
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Rheyr posted:I'm looking for a affordable acoustic Bass, been lurking around on eBay to see what is floating around on there. I'm currently looking at two, an Ibanez AEM34B and EWB20WNENT. It depends on what you're planning to use it for. Most acoustic basses do not have much volume when played unplugged, so you need one with a large body if you want to be able to jam with other people. If you're going to be amplifying it, or if you're just going to use it to practice by yourself, you have a lot more options. If I was choosing between the two basses you're considering, I would go for the EWB because it seems to have better wood quality, which is highly important for an acoustic instrument. I haven't personally played one, but I've heard that it's hard to beat the Dean EAB when it comes to cheap acoustic basses.
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Aug 1, 2011 02:25
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CaseFace McGee posted:This is what happens when a bassist is given lots of spare time, some power tools and a few hundred bucks: Where can you find the plans for the 212? I looked on BFM's website but it only seems to have the single 12 variations. I just dropped almost 100 dollars on bass strings. The D'addario nylon tapewounds sound excellent on my Tacoma acoustic, and I'm hoping the Labella flats are worth their steep price. I'll find out when I get my tech to put them on after he fixes the intonation and the high 7th fret that I believe is causing problems.
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Aug 9, 2011 03:31
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Narwhale posted:I love my Labellas. I tried Chromes, GHS, and Rotosounds before Labellas, and I haven't had the urge to try anything else since. I use lights, which aren't really that light compared to most other flats. Trying different bass strings is expensive (especially since I have 3 basses with 3 different scale lengths so I can't move strings between basses) but it will be nice to not have to buy any for the next 10-20 years. Until I buy more basses, at least. I got the light five string set. I've been wanting to try Labella's B string for a while, and their choice of gauges seems to be the most balanced, on paper anyway. I love flats for the reason you stated - it takes a long, long time for them to go completely dead, though some brands do better at this than others. I have some D'addario Chromes that have been in constant use for over two years on multiple basses, and while they're pretty worn out, I can still get a good sound out of them with a bit of coaxing. GHS flats, on the other hand, start to sound pretty crappy after a while. I haven't worn my Ernie Ball flats into the ground yet, but I imagine they'll be similar to Chromes, as they are in most aspects.
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Aug 9, 2011 08:11
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You will also want to consider the sensitivity ratings of your chosen cabs. A cab with low sensitivity (95db, for instance) will require more power to achieve the same "loudness" as a cab rated to 101db. In your case, 250 watts per cab would be more than adequate if the cabs were reasonably sensitive, but if they're power-hungry you might want to look at something with a bit more juice. Personally though, I would say that 500 watts at 4 ohms should be fine for most situations.
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Sep 9, 2011 04:45
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After spending an inordinate amount of time and money experimenting with different bridges, pickups, strings and playing techniques, I've come to the conclusion that five-string basses aren't for me. I really like the possibilities afforded by the extra string, and I wish I could find a way to make it work for me, but it's just not feasible from an ergonomic standpoint. I've been having problems with muscle spasms lately, and I've realized that I'm far too tense while playing, so I need to find an instrument that is totally comfortable in all positions. So, the bad news is that I need to sell my fiver and start all over again. The good news is, I get to sell my fiver and start all over again.  I'm thinking of trying a Warmoth build this time, perhaps with one of their new 32" necks.
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Nov 23, 2011 00:11
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Summit posted:Option: ff you preferred having the lower notes of the B you could play a 4 in BEAD tuning. I plan to eventually have two basses: one for standard tuning and one for downtuning, probably to standard C. However, since I'm hoping to find a medium scale bass or have one built, my tuning choices may be limited; I like flatwound strings, and there aren't a whole lot of medium scale ones around.
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Nov 23, 2011 08:32
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Girk posted:You may want to look into a 5'er - I move back and forth between BEADG and ADADG and find it's quicker to just have a tuner pedal and tune than it is to change basses and still have to check my tuning. Full circle in 8 posts. That's got to be some kind of record. I've tried just about every flatwound B string out there for C standard tuning, and none of them have been outstanding. The best strings for C that I've found so far are Ernie Ball extra heavy flats, which are gauged .110 to .050. I like the lower tension because it forces me to use a lighter touch, which translates to better control and less hand tension. I'd love to try a Sadowsky .125 for the low C, but that'll have to wait until I can justify spending $48+shipping to get one string.
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Nov 25, 2011 04:59
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Genz can seemingly do no wrong at the moment. My Shuttle 9.0 does everything I need it to do, but I'm still GASing for a Streamliner or a ShuttleMAX... you know, for comparison.
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Jan 12, 2012 04:05
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These Loving Eyes posted:Also, if you want to go really cheap, I've heard lot of praise for the SX basses although I've never tried one. I have a 5-string SX Jazz that I've been using as a test bed for various pickups, bridges and whatnot. Every single part on it has been replaced, except the body and neck, and you know what? It's still a piece of crap. I don't understand the Talkbass hype about SX and the other Rondo brands at all. Their instruments are garbage at a fundamental level. If you're looking to go cheap, I would recommend Squier. I've played poorly set up Squiers in music stores that were miles better than my SX.
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Feb 14, 2012 04:05
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Schlieren posted:I couldn't agree more. I'm definitely going the Warmoth route for my next bass. I've been interested in their small Jazz bodies and 32" necks for a while now, and right now I'm thinking about putting together a classic looking sunburst with some kind of exotic wood neck.
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Feb 16, 2012 00:32
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FancyMike posted:When making a record you EQ and mix the instruments to sound good together, not soloed. You probably shouldn't put much stock in the bass sound from finished studio track if you're not listening to it in the context of the full mix. I was blown away the first time I heard a solo track of James Jamerson on the Motown classics, not just because his playing is so good, but because his tone is a lot more distorted than I had imagined it would be. In the mix with the rest of the band, however, it cuts perfectly, and sounds like pure liquid gold.
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Mar 10, 2012 05:58
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I've been thinking about moving to a shorter scale bass for a while now, and I finally decided to get the parts for a 32" scale Jazz from Warmoth after seeing some nice examples on Talkbass. It's gonna be a classic sunburst with a twist (several twists, actually).
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Mar 24, 2012 03:35
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Got my medium scale Warmoth Jazz parts in the mail today, and drove them out to my luthier. I'm really excited about the padouk/ebony neck; it looks and feels wonderful, and I can't wait to play it.
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May 12, 2012 02:32
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I had an epiphany about frets the other day. My custom Warmoth sounds great, but it doesn't play the way I like. I've known for a while that the neck is too chunky for my taste, but the other day I suddenly realized that the massive stainless steel frets I ordered were a terrible idea. Not only do they make it more difficult to intonate, but they feel... strange with flatwound strings. Now I have to decide if I should get my luthier to do a refret, or just order a new neck. EDIT: It's pretty funny that I made this post... Juaguocio posted:Oddly enough, I've come to realize that P-basses don't work for me at all. I'm getting a luthier friend of mine to help me Frankenstein an SX five string into a configuration that will hopefully work better. ...since I'm right back to a 4-string P-bass. Watch me switch to a fanned six next year. Juaguocio fucked around with this message at 05:18 on Sep 23, 2012 |
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Sep 23, 2012 05:06
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I haven't found the ideal setup for my Warmoth J/P yet, but it's working well with Labella Deep Talkin' Flats (.128, .095, .069, .049) tuned BEAD. Labellas are the stiffest flats that I've tried. For standard tuning, I like the .100-.040 D'addario Chromes. D'addario makes a nice B string as well. I actually just ordered a set of their black nylon strings, which I'm going to try on my fiver.
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Nov 20, 2012 07:48
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Mixing and matching is the only way that I've found to get certain gauge combinations. The D'addario Chromes .100-.045 set is unbalanced right out of the package, but I found that switching the .100 and .080 for an Ernie Ball .110 and .090 evened things out nicely. I love that set for D and C# standard tunings.
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Dec 26, 2012 04:41
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LordPants posted:Really, if you're not having a speaker for each string you're fundamentally not doing it right. Lesh's thing was more like 10-15 speakers per string. And a buttload of controls:  EDIT: stuart scott irl posted:I have an acoustic fretless that came shipped with roundwounds. I switched in flatwounds, and goddamn, I love the sound and the playability, but I get crazy buzz anywhere below about the fifth thread. I'm thinking I need to tighten the truss rod? Is that right? Any advice would be appreciated. It sounds like you might need to loosen it, actually. Do the flats have more or less tension than the rounds? Juaguocio fucked around with this message at 07:26 on Jan 15, 2013 |
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Jan 15, 2013 07:22
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The holes in the baffle of that Carvin cab could just be ports. Are there any screw holes or other signs that anything was mounted there?
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Feb 2, 2013 03:51
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I'm not very tall, and the "short" Mono Betty strap is perfect for me. It seems like a lot of money to pay for a strap, but It's also the best one I've tried by a long shot.DEUCE SLUICE posted:I really don't need to be messing around with GAS right now but I've been sorely tempted by the ML112 lately; all the posts on Talkbass seem to indicate that it's the perfect small cab for rock. There was an Audiokinesis Thunderchild on my local craigslist that I almost pulled the trigger on as well, but it seems to be gone now.
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Feb 11, 2013 01:24
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Bruce Boxliker posted:So I guess I just gotta tell them they're dumb! Absolutely. It's your duty and responsibility as a bassist to know more about gear than your guitar player(s). If you know more about their gear, even better!
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Mar 12, 2013 00:21
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baka kaba posted:I tried moving the saddle back temporarily to see how it sounds without the silk in contact and honestly it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference - it doesn't solve the problem anyway. I'm not really sure where I should be looking here, the low E sounds kind of dull and thuddy compared to the other strings, all the time instead of when I choose to make it sound that way. The other strings have a nice resonance and timbre to them, this just sounds dead. I don't remember this problem when they were on the other bass, and the low E on that sounds fine so I don't think it's the amp. Have you tried changing the E string? It may have simply worn out, or gotten damaged somehow when you moved it to a different bass. If the silk wrapping passes over the nut or bridge saddle, I always take a razor blade and trim it back. It doesn't make much of a difference in the sound, but it does seem to help with tuning stability. Juaguocio fucked around with this message at 21:39 on Apr 11, 2013 |
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Apr 11, 2013 21:35
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DEUCE SLUICE posted:I don't think the SR5 is an instrument universally praised for the quality of its B string, but you absolutely don't need 35" to get a good B. I've played tons of 34" five-strings with great B strings, and even 33" scale basses with good B's. I think a lot of it has to do with pickup placement, strings, construction "tightness," and the mass of the instrument. Have you ever played a Dingwall or another multi-scaled bass? I've been really curious to try one, since the fanned frets are supposed to even out the tension and sound across the strings.
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Apr 29, 2013 22:40
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MancXVI posted:post your bass face itt  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPJIiaPjDZY
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May 8, 2013 21:29
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I've been seriously considering one of those Baer 112s as well, but I'm waiting to see what the consensus is on the new Berg NV115. The idea of a sealed 15/6 really appeals to me, especially since I just bought a Streamliner.
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May 18, 2013 04:15
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That double Baer rig is dope. I'm still trying to decide if I want to take the plunge on one of those or the new Bergantino 1x15. I've spent some quality time with my Streamliner, and it's looking like a keeper. It's definitely the most unintuitive amp I've tried, though. The controls are very interactive, and don't behave at all like the controls on most amps. There is so much low end on tap with this thing that I like to cut both the bass and the mids at 220hz, then boost the volume to make up the difference. With the gain button in, I can get pretty close to SVT territory, though the breakup on the Streamliner gets a bit farty. Talkbass users recommend putting a 5751 in the first preamp slot in place of the stock tube, so I may try that to see if it tightens up the low end.
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Jun 27, 2013 03:08
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burritonegro posted:I'm a guitar player, but one band I play with from time to time needs me to fill in on bass this weekend instead. I've been learning as many of the bass parts as much/fast as I can with the short notice given, but wondering if yall have any tips/words of zen when it comes to playing bass. We play classic rock covers, somewhat whimsical/fusion-ified versions. Play on the one, and don't fake the funk.
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Jun 30, 2013 03:09
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This should probably be in the OP.
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Jul 6, 2013 02:26
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I'm not a fan of the standard Sansamp BDDI. I feel like it emphasizes all the frequencies that I don't want to boost, resulting in muddy bass, clanky mids and shrill treble. The VT Bass is much nicer.
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Jul 12, 2013 03:14
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I tried an Epiphone? V bass a while ago, and it was more or less unplayable due to the neck dive.
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Jul 23, 2013 22:27
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Swapped out the stock JJ/Ruby set in my Streamliner for a JAN 5751 and a pair of Tung-Sols, and I'm pleased with the results so far. The low end is much tighter, without any of the farty distortion on the lowest strings, and the overall sound seems much more balanced. Now I need a better cab so I can really hear the difference between the Streamliner and Shuttle. I think Baer is calling my name.
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Aug 4, 2013 01:13
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I played some Dingwalls today. That was a mistake, because now I'm going to have to sell a bunch of stuff to finance a Super J. It took me only a few moments to get adjusted to the fanned frets, and I think the neck may be the most comfortable I've ever played on. The Combustion I tried had a better B string, but I didn't like the neck profile or the pickups. The Super J just seemed to fit perfectly with my technique, and when I plugged it into an SVT? Forget about it. It was a "Geddy" Super J, like this one: 
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Sep 14, 2013 00:37
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Blakkout posted:I'm thinking about picking up a used Dean Playmate CE NS acoustic electric bass off Craigslist. Looks like the CE model was introduced in 1999, and discontinued in the early 2000s in favor of the lower-priced EABC ("acoustic electric bass w/ cutaway") which is available for around $200 today ($225 at Guitar Center, $175 at Amazon). I played a new EABC model at Guitar Center last night and was pleasantly surprised at the quality for the price. Much louder than I would have expected, especially when using a pick. I can only offer the same caution that applies to all acoustic basses: no matter how loud they seem when you're playing by yourself, they will not be able to keep up with other instruments in a purely acoustic setting. My Tacoma Thunderchief could almost hang with one acoustic guitar, but not two, and it was the loudest acoustic bass I ever tried.
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Nov 12, 2013 03:53
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EvilChameleon posted:Dear bass expert goons, I have a problem. I have comically small hands and so I have trouble when I am trying to keep to the one finger per fret rule when I am near the nut. This isn't usually a huge problem because I can jump around well enough but there are some things that I want to play that are too fast to really do that and I need to be playing with my index on fret 1 and pinky on fret 4. This is the absolute furthest my fingers will stretch and it's really painful to do more than a few times. What I'm wondering is if there is some way to strengthen this type of maneuver through some type of exercise or if I'm just kinda hosed in this regard and should work harder on jumping around. It's pretty hard to diagnose technique issues without actually seeing you play. Is there any way you could take a picture of your typical hand position? A good teacher would be able to help you with your problem.
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Dec 8, 2013 01:46
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