dave_bass5

Im also surprised MM decided to tout the fact that Sire have managed to come up with a plastic lined metal knob. Now why didn't anyone think of that before 🙄

I use (or used) the bridge pup only on my 425 to play All right now. Cant do that with any of my other two pup basses.

Has anyone here used a Keeley Tone Workstation? Im borrowing one soon but was wondering if anyone has any opinions on it. Appreciate its a guitar pedal but i think we use a lot of guitar designed dirt pedals anyway so cant see that being an issue.

Thats how i feel about my 425. The bridge pup is more than powerful enough to work on its own. Not so much the bridge pup in the P34 though.

Im more than happy with the switch on my 425. Maybe its the different pups but i prefer the both pups on tone that i get with the 425 better than the P34. Obviously less variation but a good solid tone.

Since getting my P34 this has been a revelation for me. Instead of boosting the top end (for example) i love that i can add in a bit of the bridge pup and sound a bit clearer. I have had PJ's in the past but never really had much luck with blending pups. The tone got very weak. Not so with the P34 though and im surprised at how often i use a bit of the bridge pup dialled in. In fact with both on full even my pick playing can sound a bit funky (in a good way lol).

I can definitely get lost in the mix with a P bass . Maybe not so much 'lost' more loss of prencence. Low end always heard but i like to hear the notes clearly a lot of the time, and mud can prevent this. Obviously as AK says, its a personal thing a lot of the time, but if you are uncomfortable with your sound its harder to enjoy playing IME.

I keep a set of Chromes handy, and did have a set of TI's until recently. I agree, its nice to get a different tone and feel sometimes, but i always seem to go back to rounds. I too am using a bit more dirt/grit these days and rounds seem to suit this better.

Put the EB flats on my P34 last night..... took them off 30mins later. They weren't bad as such, in fact i think they are my fav flats after TI's, but one string had rust spots so they are going back. I put the old strings back on and really, this cant get any better. Ive used nickels for years, but since getting the two Yamaha's last month both have SS (pro steels) on and they seem to be a perfect match. No point changing what works. Ive never liked dull or dead strings, i tend to change my nickels about every 8 weeks if im gigging a lot, and the pro steels aren't dead by any means, but the P34 just seems to work in synergy with these strings.

Ive heard back from EB but I’m taking the easy option and just sending the set back to Amazon tomorrow..

Ive just received a set of these from Amazon, and because of this thread i checked all the strings. Low and behold the D string has 3 rusty areas on it straight out off the packet. Ive emailed EB support to see ho wi go about getting the one string replaced, but if i dont hear from them quickly ill send the whole set back to Amazon. Other than that i like them. They are brighter than the strings i already had on the bass. I hope they stay like that. I didnt feel that they were sticky at all, although they do of course feel a bit different to rounds.

Cheers, i may turn the E round then. I keep trying flats but dont keep them on long. I do find my rounds die quite fast and i end up with dull stings quite quickly. Ill report back in a few days.

Just got back from a weeks holiday on Friday night and cant put my P34 down. Spent 5 hours over this weekend just playing it. Ive got a set of EB Cobalt flats arriving tomorrow. Ive never used these before. Ive used other flats but always go back to rounds. Hoping the EB’s will be less ‘flat’ and more ‘round’. I seem to kill rounds quite quickly. Now while I’m changing strings i was thinking of rotating the E string saddle so I’m using the sharper side. I’m wondering if anyone else is using the sharper side of the string saddle for the E string. I get its a good idea for the B strings but is there really much difference? as i find the E is the least defined string (not that its a problem) on my 4 sting basses.

Agreed, and I’m surprised MM went along with this. Nice basses though.

Had this been in America you would be a much wealthier man by now.

Yeah, Paul wont hit a woman 😂

Just been watching the Andertons/Marcus Miller video, and MM states Sire use plastic knobs on their previous basses as using the wrong metal affects the tone. Now they have devised a way to add plastic inserts in to the metal knobs. Next week the Emperor gets his new clothes....

Just remembered this. I got my youngest daughter some VIP tickets to go and see Prof Green a few years ago. We do work for his agency and they owed me a favour. Anyway, she had a great night, and she said she told a few people she knew the Dave Pearce (DJ) very well to make her sound cool. Apparently it worked. First time and last time my daughter has used my name to get a drink lol.

Nothing as exciting as most of you but a few years ago we were playing a wedding, usual stuff, and during I predict a Riot we noticed these two old ladies jumping up and down and really getting in to it. Afterwards one of them came over and thanked us for playing such a good version. When we thanked her and said glad she liked it she replied that she had to, her nephew rote it. We don’t know who she was but had no reason not doubt her.

Pretty much the reaction I got first time out with the P34. Only I replied ‘ cheers, it’s lovely isn’t it. I’ve borrowed it off a mate for a while’. To clarify, my girlfriend is our singer 😏

I agree about the passive option. I wouldn’t buy an active bass that couldn’t run without a battery in it in passive mode. It’s a safety feature for me. Ive never had a bass that didn’t sound the same in passive as it does in active with all controls flat. Maybe in isolation with headphones there is a slight difference of going back and forth, but not in a live situation. I think we can get a bit too obsessed with very small changes and listen out for them under ideal conditions like at home but if we are aiming for a tone to use with a band then IMO that’s where testing should be done. We use the same rehearsal studio most of the time, with the same gear. I always record the sessions in the same way. Listing back to the many sessions and various basses I would be hard pressed to tell what bass I was using most of the time, yet at home the differences are very noticeable.

Totally agree, and I wasn’t saying anyone shouldn’t spend more, it’s a pleasure we like to indulge in every once in a while, but I’d genuinely like to know what makes a MIJ jazz a must over cheaper ones that would make someone automatically buy one. Really am interested in this and not knocking anyone.

Yeah, my 425 is more than a playable match for my P34. I would never make a claim that I would instantly spend P34 money if I needed a PJ. I think my P34 is over priced, but I rushed in to getting it and I’m happy with it, but under no illusion i could have spent much less and been just as happy. In fact MIJ never even factored in to my buying decision, I’ve played too many non MIA and MIJ basses to even consider the country of origin a necessity. I sometimes think having a MIJ bass is a status symbol. They have a good rep and are not too common, so it’s a bragging right as well I mean no offence to anyone, I’m just saying how I feel about spending more money without considering cheaper options

My tastes have possibly changed and I may feel different about the DJ5 now, but I do know my P34 is a much, much better PJ. I've alway loved Lakeland necks, I even have a maple JO4 neck at home. Never played an American one though. I’ve heard they are amazing. I was really pleased with how the P34 felt on first play. Almost as wide as my fender P (which itself has a narrower neck), but slightly wider than jazz necks that I prefer. Just perfect, other than a non glossy fishing on the back. I am coming round to the satin feel though. As for the TBRX505 I had, the pups sounded quite flat to me. Not usable, but not really inspiring. A bit like the Lakland 55-01 I had.

I brought a Lakland DJ5 a few years ago. Nice bass but I felt the tone was too deep. It just didn’t sound as ‘jazz like’ as my Squier. I got a custom made PG for it and got it converted to a PJ using Nordstrand pups. Kept it for a while but never really got on with it, the deep tone was still present.