funkypenguin

Hey guys,

Im interested in hearing peoples opinions on the EBS Fafner head. Im not looking at changing my rig anytime in the immediate future but the EBS gear has caught my eye and im thinking of a potential change for after i graduate in a month or so...I do like my trace gear so it would have to be something pretty special to make me part with cash, but i'm maybe thinking its time for a change...who knows, i might not...Anyway, what are peoples experiences with them? Whats the preamp like? Are they a really 'bright' bass head? Im after warm midrange rather than a really trebly sound (ideally with the EQ set flat). The only Fafner Ive seen is the one Henrik Linder uses in the Dirty Loops videos, and his sound is much brighter than what i would generally go for. Is that typical EBS?

Thanks people!

Ben

I use an old AH300SMC with one of the newer 1048 cabs. Love the sound of the rig with no EQ and a little compression, so much warmth and projection there, specially with my warwick 6. Ive used the same rig for nearly 5 years and havnt tried anything thats convinced me to change it yet. Horses for courses though

+1 for getting your degree first, then splurging as a reward

on the GAS front though, what will your new purchases do for you that your existing gear wont...and if you have to sell to buy will you regret selling what you already have....critical questions to consider

Bad luck with those guys going out of business!! but its great to know theyre very much committed to the highest quality of manufacture! Hope progress is swift from now, really cant wait to see this completed!!

[quote name='JD1' timestamp='1334342508' post='1614994']
I'm with Chris 2112. Janek and some of the other guys mentioned in this thread are supposed to be the "top" players - operating on a different level to mere mortals like me. They've found their "voice" etc. (don't get me started on the beanie hats and the ramps though). But none of them are really making a massive impact or raising the bar and making a benchmark recording. I've not heard his latest album and I don't intend to - but an improvised jam???? Come on Janek (and the others) lets have a proper statement worthy of your talent.
[/quote]

What do you have against ramps?

Having read the thread on talkbass, ive got alot of admiration for the way Janek has gone about talking about his music/music in general

Is there any plan to have a Yorkshire bash this year?

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1334172864' post='1612116']
I was only joking mate
[/quote]

fair play

I saw a peformance of it at the bridgewater hall in Manchester with the BBC symphony orchestra and the BBC voices. One of 2 or 3 performances of any type that have left me speechless

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1334158604' post='1611802']
Bach and Beethoven are sh*t. Mahler's yer man, he shits all over Bach and Beethoven. If you don't agree you don't know sh*t, man. Seriously.
[/quote]

You obviously havnt been at a live performance of Beethoven's 9th symphony

[quote name='Faithless' timestamp='1334069725' post='1610455']
I think some guys are missing the point about this album with discussing 'creativity' and 'compositions'.

Janek didn't compose pretty much anything at all on his latest release - all he had was a few sketches and rough ideas to derive the stuff from. What followed next, was an impromtu jam session.
So if you're blaming him for not having the right creativity, then you're equally blaming all the other guys that were featured on the album, which includes Mark Guiliana, Jojo Mayer, Tim Miller and Justin Vasquez.

Are you sure?
Kjb is right saying that nearly everyone has the right to [negatively] criticise others' work, not to mention that no one has anything better to offer. Saying that one 'lacks creativity or his stuff is 'dull, derivative pap' and not point out why, is not a constructive criticism.
I'm not arguing about taste, but saying that the stuff is dull, is just unbearable, IMHO.
[/quote]

Writing music and being creative are the driving forces behind releasing an album of your own music as a bandleader, Therefore looking at it from a creative and compositional perspective is completely valid. Its an album of improvised music yes, but Janek will have brought sketches and leadsheets to the table and his (stellar it has to be said) band will have brought those to life. regardless of how little, there IS composition and lots of creativity in there.

Im not having a go at the players, Janek is streets ahead of me as a musician and as a bass player. That doesnt mean i have to like what he's putting out there as a composer and bandleader. Im not being overly negative, it just doesnt gel with the way i approach writing and performing music. thats not to say i can do better in this medium, im not a match for any of the players on this album, but in my humble opinion, the compositions are sketchy as opposed to refined, and are fleshed out with improvisation. I prefer the mix to be the opposite, more like the way Hiromi writes for her band. Thats not to say its better, i just prefer it. As ive already said, I like Janeks playing style, he's one of the most lyrical bassists out there, I just wish his compositions were as in depth and as refined as everything about his playing

Any news on this one shep??

[quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1333842658' post='1607364']
Jawohl mein Pengiun Kommandant.
[/quote]

Danke herr bigjohn

in retrospect i was a bit sharp there, joys of posting after an unproductive rehearsal theres nothing wrong with having a chilled atmosphere in the rehearsal room (especially if its for your own pleasure) but time is (literally) money, and you get much more done when sharp and sober. At the end of the day, if you want to drink, go down the pub. at least you arnt paying by the hour there

You're in a rehearsal to rehearse, not to drink. End of, especially if you're paying for the rehearsal space.

I liked Janeks last album 'Space in Between' but i'm pretty underwhelmed with his new one.

I really like Janeks playing style. and his instructional videos are outstanding, but his compositions, IMHO, always seem lightweight and lacking in substance, especially in comparison to Matt Garrisons work. His latest album with Human Element is stunning

Having seen similar threads on here, all that will happen if you do this is that you'll regret selling it, especially if you're happy with the sound/feel of your existing gear

Anthony Jackson with the Michel Camilo Trio - From Within

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd349Df1Ows

John Myung with Dream Theater - Scarred (not such a fan of some of his sounds these days, i love his chorus bass sound rather than his distortion)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xJumDqKBRQ

Geddy Lee with Rush - Cold Fire

Matthew Garrison's sound in general ranks among my favourites

If you're used to the sound of B-G on a 5er then E-C will seem less full across the range at first. I would definetely recommend heavier gauge strings, 100 E - 30 C is a good starting point. I would also look at your EQ, how do you have your onboard EQ, Pickup pan and your amp set up at the moment?

Just got in from a really incredible gig at the RNCM. My flatmate played me some of Gustavsen's music and we went down to catch his gig this evening. An hour and a half of incredibly spacious jazz later and i'm really feeling reinvigorated as a player and writer every single note, chord, bass note and hit on the drums was given due care and attention and immaculately placed. Stunning evening of music. This link doesnt do justice to the live experience but it gives an idea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3A6ziUPbdk

My P bass into my combo rig works really well for the soul/motown/funk work I'm doing atm, but for prog and the more avant-garde jazz I play, warwick 6 and pedals every time

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1331642941' post='1576355']
We can only control what we can control. We compromise on a massive amount of what we do: how many of us have all of the players we would like, a great sounding room, an attentive audience etc. But there are some pretty basic 'can do's'. A tenor saxophone instead of an alto, a flute on this tune, a flugelhorn on that one. If you want a hollow-body guitar and there is a legitimate musical reason for it, then that's what you should have. An alto flute instead of a concert one. An electric guitar with single coil pick ups not humbuckers? Its all legitimate. Pat Metheny insists his drummers use Zildjan cymbals. Its his call.

And, if I want to swing, a double bass.....

I can do it on electric (just as a head for flute would probably be OK on sax, or a trumpet part on flugelhorn) but, like everything else, why would I do that if I can do it better on the double bass? And why book an electric if you want a double bass, anymore than you would book a trumpeter instead of a sax player? Compromise is inevitable but why would you if you didn't have to? The 'swing' achieved on electric is ok, its 'good enough' for most things and for certain audiences but, for me, that's all it is; ok, good enough, adequate. It's rarely perfect. Bit of a shallow victory, isn't it?

I think there is a tendency amoung electric players who don't play double bass to think that the instruments are all but interchangeable simply because they want them to be. I know because that was my justification for two decades. But the two instruments are different. Electric is better for some genres and DB for others. If you want arco bass, you don't book an electric. If you want slap bass, you don't book a double bass. When you want swing, take my advice, book a double bass and save yourself a lot of the time and frustration I experienced in the past.
[/quote]

This +1

John Patitucci. IMO the best jazz bassist, electric and upright currently playing and good enough to give any of the older greats (chambers/mingus etc) a run for their money

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFVyia5x2uk[/media]

nuff said

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RUHCt3jzyo

hes on upright on this vid but i think its every bit as valuable listening to the feel that upright players get, he's really swinging here

Buy a new one and play it to death, you can then be part of the ageing process

I play 6ers 90% of the time, and i really miss the other strings when im playing on 4, the B and the C. I would always take my 6 on a reading gig, especially theatre shows where there can be alot below the E

Im more and more impressed with Henrik every time i hear him play. Not so much for his technique (which is razor sharp) but for his time feel, note placement, phrasing and note choice

I recently acquired a MIM classic 50s precision. It's the best fender I've played, including some American standards. Try before you buy but some of the Mexican basses are great