Storky

Last week it was boomy, lacked definition and clarity. As I mentioned earlier, it was better once I removed the Helix LT which surprised me. Even then the speaker was a bit “farty” like it couldn’t handle the power from the valve amp (120 watts vs 600 watts that the speaker should be able to cope with).

Reassuringly it sounds like quite a few go straight to amp. I take the point about getting a good clean sound before adding anything though. I think part of my issue is too many options; I’ve got about a dozen different basses, from Fenders to Rob Allans and Stingrays to Harley Bentons. I also play a bit of upright. My amp set up is a compromise. I use a Euphonics Audio head and 12” cab. It sounds good for double bass but I wanted a bit of colour for electric, so I got one of those Handbox 120 watt valve heads. I’ve also been playing around with a Helix LT, which I’m struggling with. I used it with the Handbox last week at a gig and it was very boomy, took out the Helix and it was better, but not great, the sound was a bit “farty”. I was in GAK a while back, a guy was trying out a sans amp pedal and it sounded great, although a modern sound and I play mainly 60s and older stuff, so I don’t know, but it got me thinking.

The shortscale stingrays, both the US and S by MM both have reduced body size as well as shorter scale length, so they should be lighter?

When playing live I’ve always gone straight from my bass to my amp (except for a tuner). I often find I’m not happy with my sound and I wonder how many of you folk use pedals or if there are many Neanderthals like me who don’t understand them?

Pop music derived from rock n roll was always music for teens done by teens (ideally). That type of music is not aimed at older folk and it is light and fun, simple and easy to play (generalising). So if you’re looking at the original question through the prism of “pop” music, yes many of these bands etc will have had their best (most successful) years before they turned 30. As others have said, other art forms and even music styles, do not have that age constraint and often the better stuff is produced post 30 as artists develop.

Gold Tone M-Bass25FL Fretless Acoustic-Electric MicroBass

Oops! 😉 Nice one!

He probably plays bass about as well as he sings. Not the world’s greatest singer, not the the world’s greatest bass player, but can he play bass? I reckon he can play it a bit.

Yes, I am! I have looked out for one of these, but no luck. Saying that the Rascal is more “surf” style than I’d ideally like, I prefer the more “Indy” style of the Bass VI, but yes, it’s pretty close to what I’m after.

Yes, agreed. I’d keep the same strings (minus the B and high E) and keep similar pickups- maybe something custom made or a strat bar type pick up

Thanks; I’ll check them out. 👍

I’ve recently got my 2nd ever Bass VI and I’m enjoying it very much; I like the vibe/style, 30” scale and most importantly the tone, which is vintage but cuts through. Only thing is I don’t want the extra 2 strings. I want a bass 4! How hard would it be to convert it to four strings? Or is there someone out there who could build me a Bass IV? 🤔

Looks great! Nice one!

Love it, it looks great! Love the shape even though never used to like Alan’s shapes, but they’ve grown on me and I’d choose something similar (but with 5 strings). Would Alan do a multi-scale do you think?

I got a slightly disappointing 103. I had hoped to do a bit better than that. 😏

Yes, def the first two, same band. The other reason was it looked like a toy on my 6”6’ frame.

Talking of knobs. Does anyone have an ehb with knobs that turn smoothly? Mine are a bit stiff and so were the ones on the first ehb I had which was returned due to the cracked “head stock”. I have just followed suit and got a set of the East knobs and they are nicer, but still stiff on the two stacked knobs. On further investigation I find that the shafts are not vertical, so the knobs are rubbing against the body. Are they all like this?

My Japanese mustang was possibly the best sounding bass out of the fifty or so I have had over the years and I wish I still had it! I had a white stingray which I played in the first half of a gig and struggled to get it to cut through. I swapped to my mustang for the second half and it was brilliant, cut through and sounded great. I decided there and then that the stingray had to go. (I have brought another Special since though 😉)

Yes, I had one as my main bass for about three or four years before I sold it a year or so ago. Its a good bass. Good weight, balanced well. Neck is quite wide which is good if you like wider string spacing. It’s a 35” scale so good B string. It does feel a tad bigger length wise than a 34” scale, but not hugely so. Also it flattens out the further up the neck you go, so it’s a C shape at the nut and more of a U shape towards the body. There were some rehearsals and gigs where I played it and it sounded fantastic. I’m not sure what I did on those occasions but it always sounded at least like a good Jazz bass. (Mine was passive VVT). It’s well built and slightly smaller body shape than a traditional Fender.

You might need extra long strings if you string through the body. I’d guess you could get away with it despite 35” scale through the bridge.