jazzyvee

It's not that I don't find a difference in sound from basses generally, and I have no axe to grind with any make of bass or player at all, it's just that I think most of the bass players "I hear on gigs" play with a fender type of sound so even if the bass isn't a fender it's eq'd so that the tonality is in that ball park and the differences become subtle. Now that may be the player's decision, the design of the bass itself or the FOH engineer making that call. Who knows what is the strongest element. But it does start with the bass and the player. I don't dislike the fender sound at all but for my personal sound, I wanted something that started off not aiming for that sound hence me getting an alembic.

OK good call. I must add I'm no expert on basses or the business of bass. One of the reasons I read and participate in this site is to learn. Anyway, here are the basses I've owned, whilst I was a guitarist so never played them enought to gain any insight to bass tone really. I used them mainly for working out song ideas and the occasional once in a blue moon gig or jam. ( I did learn that none of them could make my fingers sound the way I wanted them too) 1970's Woolworth bass, Washburn Falcon 4 string bass, Wasburn Force ABT (5 string) hope I got the model right, Musicman Sterling 4. (the last one I had for about 3 years and sold about 2007). Other than that the basses I've actually played over the last 10 years are: One Fender Victor Bailey Jazz bass, maybe about 3 other Fender Jazz basses, a warwick bass, a steinberger, Fodera Anthony Jackson & Yin Yang, Wal fretless, Ritter R8, Roya and Corsa, a couple of Jaydee bass, an old antoria semi acoustic short scale bass and most of those were during one afternoon at the Bass Gear shop. Out of those, I didn't get a wow factor or GAS from playing any of them and the ones that made my fingers sound the best was the jaydee and the Victor Bailey Signature bass. That said I can't see myself buying any of them, though never say never and they all make other musicians fingers sound good when I've heard them being played. :-) I hope that answers your question. :-)

Hmm, I thought all basses sound the same, it's the fingers that make them sound different........ I''ll get my coat....

I'm gigging with a new Stevie Wonder Tribute band called Know Wonder started by Dennis Seaton, ( Musical Youth), at the Jam House Birmingham on Thursday 17th May. http://www.thejamhouse.com/birmingham/live-music/event/4794/know-wonder-may-2018.htm

I have to head out at 14:00 for a gig at The Avenue in Chesterfield with Musical Youth. If anyone is up that way and going to the gig, feel free to come over and have a nerdy basschat. I'm tame and approachabe even though I look serious when on stage.

Well isn't that interesting, I prefer the those very ones that fit outside your rule. So we won't be in any competitions for 5 string basses anytime soon. :-). But I've run out of GAS now so no new gear for me anytime soon apart from replacing anything that gets broken or worn out. If I was going up to sixers I'd go for a 4 + 2 on an angled headstock or 3 + 3 on a non angled one.

I was hoping to get there again this year but earlier than last time but have just had a gig come in for that evening. No idea what time we start or where it is yet but if there is time before I have to head off for gig or if it's on the way I will drop by with my Alembic Series I 5 stringer.

I'm greedy I have two sets of ACG EQ02's in one of my basses, one set for each pickup with an overall master volume and pan. Though now that I'm more used to two filter based basses I'd like it modified to have a volume for each pickup and possibly if there is space, a master volume. To be honest I don't gig with it but do use it a lot for rehearsals and jam sessions. For me this would have been the ideal setup for reggae since the bottom end control is RIGHTEOUS!!! clear deep and heavy. Unfortunately any cab I tried it through couldn't handle this amount of bottom end at anywhere near gigging volumes. So for that use it was useable only via DI into FOH and eqing the heavy bottom out of my rig. Now I have Barefaced cabs..... this could change things!!!!

I'd like another for a backup. I love it, it gives me a great sound and I like really simple tone controls. Win win for me.

Yep for me Walkabout with Barefaced Big Twin II is an incredible match made in sonic heaven. You are right the BF Twin cab delivers in bucket loads. I did a gig with that setup last weekend and the boogie was on about 1/4 on the input and 1/4 on the master and that was filling some space sound wise.

If you like filter based basses like the wal, alembic would have been a good choice but the models with filters are quite heavy which is something you are trying to avoid. Like was mentioned above, the ACG filter based basses would be good alternative and the weight is a comfortable.

A local bass player I've seen many times uses a really old stingray tuned BEAD and it sounds HEAVY!!!

This will give you some righteously clean and deep dub bass sounds. They are not cheap new but occasionally they come around used on ebay. http://www.alembic.com/prod/sf2.html I use mine only if I'm using decent cabs that can deal with heavy bottom end.

Thankfully i got my bb2 order in before the end of feb so getting the old price. Now i just need to convince myself to get rid of my boogie powerhouse 1x15 i’d be fully lightweight gigwise.

Great interpretation of that classic Stevie wonder song. No idea of the licensing but if you send me a cpoy when its released i will give it airplay on my notstrictlyjazz radio program up here in Birmingham. Cheers

What's not to love, jazz bass style and same number of knobs and switches as strings. . :-)

I'v recently bought a BF Big Twin II after having powerhouse cabs since about 2003. I love the mesa cabs and they do sound great but for what these days they don't do big fat low end very well at reggae band eq and the off axis sound has no depth to the bass. I've sold my PH cabs 4x10 and 2x10 cabs and compared to the BF, they are completely different animals and you either prefer the sound of one or the other. Mesa seems to be voiced to give more emphasis on punch and mids maybe as they are more common in rock bands??? And these days I'm downsizing both number and weight of cabs. So Mesa had to go though I am sad to see the 2x10 go as that is a great all rounder cab.

I had a 5 string set of those on my main bass for just about a year before i thought about changing them.

I'm not into the edgy, gritty, overdriven or vintage sound so I always go for whatever gives me the cleanest sound at the volume I need for a gig. Usually for me that means having the master as far open as I can without hiss, which on my QSC PLX 2402 that means fully open but not so with my walkabout head. Then I bring up the input gain of my pre-amp till I get the volume I need. That always gives me a clean powerful sound.

I've had my mesa 1x15 since about 2004 and it's been a great cab and mainly used with a walkabout head. I can highly recommend those cabs. My only two reservations with them are: 1) for playing reggae, I find the off axis sound falls off at a short distance from the cab so really doesn't have enough umphf in the bottom end to have any authority for that genre. ( Other stuff where I need more full range sounds it works great.) 2) Now I'm gigging more often I'm finding the weight of them to be unpleasant. I'd still recommend them and with a 2x10 or 4x10 it's superb.