Baloney Balderdash

Edit!!!: Misread the headline and OP New, on topic, edit: Neither my B1Xon or G1Xon are noisy, not at all Original post text: Both my B1 Four and G1 Four are noisy, seriously suck tone, clips easily, the horrible digital kind of clipping that is, and generally sounds pretty crappy, very unlike my previous generation, now discontinued, G1Xon and B1Xon, which I love and both sounds amazing, playing a quite central role in my setup (that is the B1Xon, the G1Xon is just kept as a backup should my B1Xon at some point stop working, both loaded with my own custom selection of that generation Zoom effect models (same as the current production Zoom multi stomp boxes), via the 3rd party unofficial Zoom Effect Manager hack program). In my opinion the new generation of Zoom digital multi effects is a huge leap backwards, more reminiscent of the horrible digital multi effects they put out in the 90's.

From Mudhoney's 1991 masterpiece of an album "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge" :

Does it come with a small zipbag of ketamine as well?

But you can! If the pedal is otherwise connected and you play your bass/guitar. What I did. You could also just have a looper pedal hooked up to it while adjusting.

Meanwhile stinky poo get's censored.

It's a really nice overdrive/distortion pedal for bass, with a pretty wide range of tones and levels of overdrive/dsitortion. But I don't think that demo really does it justice, however it is the only really bass specific one on YouTube properly featuring it. And I would personally not call is raspy either, that is an entirely different much grainier and raunchier quality to me, I would call it grindy though, which is a much clearer/colder, somewhat biting, type of aggressiveness (or that is it has a tendency to get grindy on higher gain settings, and can even get extremely grindy, depending on the specific settings, if one should wish so, which is a type of distortion character that I personally really like for bass, but it is also capable, and even great at it too, of just providing a subtle tube like grit, which I also use it for).

To mimic the detune effect that happens naturally on a real 8 string bass, as a result of the octave strings usually not being absolutely 100% perfectly in tune with the corresponding bass strings, you would want to use the modulation available in the Toneprint editor, which will only be applied to the 1 octave up signal and not to the unaffected dry bass signal, as said a chorus (and not the "TriChorus", just the regular one), or maybe a vibrato effect, but dialed in to only deliver a very subtle effect, and not a chorus or vibrato placed after the Sub'N'Up pedal that would then be applied to the summed "dry unaffected bass signal + 1 octave up signal". As said though I don't have the modulation in the custom Toneprint I made and use activated, as I personally prefer how it sounds it without modulation, as that as far as I am concerned sounds more natural/less artificial.

Except for me actually starting out with buying a really nice used bass, that I by the way still own, an Aria Pro II Laser Electric Classic, one of the last models made on the legendary Matsumoku factory in Japan, before Aria moved their production to Korea, I had no clue what a setup was either, and so played it with the exact setup as when I bought it for years going forward.

Edit/Update!!!: This is a more recent and much improved custom Toneprint that I made for this purpose: I am extremely satisfied with the effect I get from the custom Toneprint I made, based on the "Poly Default" Toneprint template, on my Sub'N'Up Mini, for a somewhat 8 string bass like effect I have my Sub'N'Up Mini placed second in my signal chain after the bass, right after a compressor, mind also that I have a bit of light overdrive added after to the Sub'N'Up, that is added to the summed "dry unaffected bass signal + 1 octave up signal", and that I haven't the 1 octave up effect turned up to quite the same level as would probably be normal for a real 8 string bass, so a bit more subtle, which I assume helps the 1 octave up signal to blend in better with the dry unaffected/compressed bass tone and sound more natural/less artificial, the compression right before the Sub'N'Up , but otherwise having the pedal placed as the very first thing in my signal chain after the bass, helping with feeding a more consistent signal to the Sub'N'Up, which helps it to track better tracking, and the light overdrive after I assume helping with the dry unaffected bass signal and the 1 octave up signal blending better together, that way also helping it to sound more natural and less artificial. This way though it sounds surprisingly realistic and not artificial at all. Here are the settings I use, after much experimentation. The cutting of high frequencies using a high shelve EQ filter on both the input signal that is fed to the octave engine and the output octave up signal helps with getting rid of digital artifacts as well and resulting in a more natural sounding 1 octave up effect, as did the ever so slight drive added in the Toneprint editor to the 1 octave up effect. I have all modulation in the Toneprint editor turned off, as I personally found it tends to make the octave up signal sound more artificial, but you might like to eventually add a very subtle chorus or vibrato (regular chorus/vibrato, low depth, slow rate, low mix) for the detune effect you normally would get from an 8 string bass between the regular bass strings and the octave strings. The numbers in the first tab is the actual settings I use, that is how I have the knobs set, but you might want the Wet Level Up (1 octave up level) to be slightly higher, as I, as said, have the 1 octave up signal to probably be a bit lower in the mix compared to the dry unaffected bass signal than the octave strings would likely be on a real 8 string bass (though these settings does seem to get me the most natural, least artificial, sounding, result). As said based on the Poly Default Toneprint template. (EQ link obviously not engaged) : (you might want to set the "UP" knob rage of the, that is the level of the 1 octave up signal, to go all the way up to 0dB, as said I have it dialed in to -10dB in relation to the dry unaffected bass signal, but that is probably a bit lower than the octave strings are likely to sound on a real 8 string bass (though you should probably still expect the 1 octave up signal to be at least a couple of dB lower than the dry unaffected bass signal for a realistic 8 string bass effect)).

How do you personally like it compared to the American Sound, which I know you like a lot (if you have used the Oxford Sound enough to be able to make such an opinion)? As I mentioned in a previous post in this thread personally I much prefer the Oxford Sound to the American Sound (but guess it will mostly be a matter of personal taste and preferences).

Though I don't think this demo really do the pedal justice, it's the only really bass specific one of the Joyo Orange Juice available on YouTube:

Really. Probably, but the most common is tilt style. Normally a tone control will make it brighter and less bassy above the noon position, which a LPF wouldn't.

Point being it's not realistic to expect a bass to be set up optimally, which is all that more important as a beginner, as you state yourself, it might had been nice if it was so, but fact is it is not, and as I said this would be the same for more or less any bass that you buy, regardless of price point, reality is not going to adapt to what is convenient I am afraid, and one is doing them self a disfavor expecting so. Also I don't think it's specifically designed to be a first bass, don't even know how you would go about doing so, there is no such thing as beginner instruments, only beginner players. If anything beginners ideally should keep away from too cheap instruments, where additional work, beside the mandatory setup (as said a setup and new strings really should be expected with any bass, regardless of price point, which honestly might also be a much better way to put it in the first place than making it look like it's a specific thing with a specific instrument, if one feel obligated to do a "beginner" review), might be required to make it a decent player.

Yes, that happened years ago, like several years, and TC has been going on as usual business, you are way behind, look at the above post for the real issue.

I doubt it get any smaller than the Joyo Orange Juice I suggested, it's like same width as standard mini pedals, but almost just half as long (though the HoTone pedals are actually even ever so slightly smaller than that again).

Regarding factory setup I never quite understood why some people include it in the reviews, this has nothing to do with the actually quality of the bass, it's made adjustable for a reason, and one should expect to have to do a proper setup on as good as any new bass or guitar, regardless of price tag, certainly for goes for all mass produced basses, but even then you should expect to have to do one to get it to your desired measurements. That a bass has a poor factory setup is a bit like complaining about the adjustable direction blades in the vents of the air condition in a car not haven been set up to fit your height and preferences when you got your new car, as said, it's a adjustable, it is literally made with the purpose of being fully adjustable, you having to adjust it to get it to fit your personal preferences is exactly what it is meant form, it's not a fault of the instrument.' Same thing with stock strings, though I guess one could argue for the actually being somewhat relevant. Personally I'd expect to change strings on every new instrument regardless of price class, along with a full proper setup, to make it fit my personal preferences, regardless of what the instrument might have costed, weather that is 100 or 2000, so what it might or might not be from factory doesn't interest me and is totally irrelevant as far as I am concerned, you might as well complain about the color of the cardboard box (if mail ordered) it comes in not being to your personal preferences, absolutely nothing to do with the actual quality of the actual instrument. Also that the pole pieces of the pickups doesn't always line perfectly up with the strings on a bass is perfectly normal, even for higher end basses. Sorry about the rant, I do appreciate your review otherwise and contribution to this thread, I just don't get the fixation on the setup in reviews, and it isn't just you, I see some people consequently including it every time they review a bass, it just doesn't make any sense to me as it, as said, has absolute nothing whatsoever to with the quality of the actual bass, nor affect it in any possible way, and is in fact made with purpose of adjusting it in mind.

It's digital though, for what it is worth, but really high resolution/modeling quality, and it does give it the advantage of being far more flexible than any analog pedal could possibly ever get, in fact extremely flexible, first of all allowing you to chose for a quite big library of popular distortion models, as well as a couple of unique ones, and for instance allowing you to blend two different distortion models in parallel with each other (say a Proco Rat and an EHX Metal Muff), each respectively with their own separate parallel clean blend, with it's own fully adjustable LPF, as well as each of the two distortion models respectively will have their own separate really flexible (for instance optional Pre/Post dirt and a fully adjustable HPF) EQ section, or you could have one of the distortion models be a light tube like overdrive, or even completely clean signal, instead, that you then would be able to shape with the dedicated EQ section, exactly to your liking, and then additionally you also get a flexible master EQ as well for the summed signal.

The standard Tone control on most pedals is actually a tilt style EQ, so sounds strange to me if you just discovered it last year. Also to OP, I believe there are a few clones around of the Diamond compressor, the Mooer Yellow Comp at least is one for certain, and in a mini pedal enclosure format too, so that would be an option to consider.

Sounds really weird about those fixed, non adjustable pickups. What on earth could possibly be the reasoning for that? Just doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me. Only thing I can possibly think is achieved by that is scaring potential buyers away as soon as it is revealed in one of the reviews of the bass on Thomann's own website, or people learn otherwise, or to troll beginners who don't know any better, not that those reasons makes any more sense. Just seems like a bad business decision, and strangely enough also quite unlike Harley Benton otherwise. Like almost as if someone in charge of the economy with no knowledge whatsoever about instruments from the top down decided that production expenses of these basses needed to be cut, by what, 5 cent?, for who knows what absolutely retarded reason, which incidentally happened to add up perfectly with the cost of the two small pieces of foam that was otherwise supposed to be attached underneath the pickups to make adjustment possible, and then just ordered them to be left out by the assumption that two crappy foam pieces couldn't possibly have any practical function anyway, and then when told: - "But those hold the pickups in place, are you sure about this?", replied: - "Well, then, just glue them in, much better solution anyway, and who are ever going to look under those..., was it peckhoofs you called them..., ...pigooze, ...right..., anyway?". I was told the pickups in their cheapest, progressive series I seem to recall, 6 string bass offering was like that too, when I revealed I was pondering on weather to buy one, I think actually here on this forum, which made me decide for a definite no purchase.

I agree on all points. As said I am fully aware it is far from an optimal mix. But it was made at a point where I only had a pretty crappy condenser microphone to record, even if I think the actual recordings sound surprisingly decent despite that, and also I just got a new PC after my only 1 year old Macbook Pro with Logic installed died on me after spilled beer into it while making music with a friend of mine, so I didn't have a proper reverb plugin at the time either. I am usually a big fan of reverb, and if I had had a proper reverb plugin at the time mixing this song the vocals would definitely had been processed thoroughly through that, really annoyed me even at the time I mixed it that I couldn't add more reverb to the vocal track and make it sound a bit more ethereal, definitely was never the intention that it should sound so dry. But yeah, will pull myself together to make a proper remix at some point, and I am glad you liked the actual song. Probably one of the most catchy songs I ever wrote, but without for that reason sucking up to anything, or deliberately going for being easily accessible. Here's another one of my personal favorites I recorded for that project, a couple of years earlier, this one is a bit more traditionally folky:

A shame about the guy in the last video having such a an ultra scooped muddy wet fart of a clean tone with no definition or articulation whatsoever, which just makes the demonstration overall sound muddy and farty, no matter how he sets the controls or blend the 3 parallel dirt effects this pedal features. I am really left non the wiser of how that pedal actually sounds, cause I am quite sure it doesn't sound like all muddy wet fart no matter how you use it, like this guy makes it sound like. I do though get a feeling that it would probably work better with guitar anyhow.

Well all those short scale basses I listed with narrower string spacing than the standard 4 string 19mm were originally designed back then, including the Nordstrand which is a modernized take of on an old design from back then as well, so I guess that makes a lot of sense. But yeah, as said, by far most short scale basses that was designed more recently pretty much share the same measurements as regular 34" scale basses, except obviously for the actual scale length and then the body size, which by far most often will be down scaled too, to match the relatively shorter length from the end of the neck to the bridge that the shorter scale length results in. Also short scale basses in recent years have now eventually nearly entirely got rid of that stigma of automatically being considered second grade "beginner/amateur" instruments, and several brands now offer higher end options for short scale basses that are as much serious "real"/"professional" basses as any full 34" scale bass. Needless to say way behind high profiled acclaimed professional bass players such as Stanley Clarke, Paul McCartney and Jack Bruce who switched to mainly playing short scale basses decades ago.

That's perfectly normal though, with a few exceptions (Feder/Squier Bronco and Mustang Bass (17mm string spacing), Nordstrand Acinonyx (17mm string spacing), Danelectro Longhorn Bass (16mm string spacing), Höfner Violin/Beatles Bass (15 mm string spacing), are the only ones I can think of are exceptions to this really), for short scale basses, having regular measurements, as a 34" scale bass, except for the actual scale length of course (and well, most often a sized down body as well). Also the measurements are actually listed on the page for this instrument on Thomann's website (or at least that it's a regular P Bass 42mm nut width, and as said the rest of the measurements follow a regular 34" scale bass, except for the scale length, as for most other short scale basses on the market). With a bit of work though with that nut width you could turn it into a narrow string spacing short scale 5 string bass (installing an extra tuner, a new nut and swapping the stock bridge for 5 mono rail bridge pieces), which I kind of have pondered on maybe doing myself, once I get one of these basses in the nearest future. I was surprised with how beefy the neck was on my Harley Benton GuitarBass (Fender Bass VI concept) too, but it is actually still surprisingly comfortable, and it does actually say C shape in the spec list on Thomann's website, not modern or slim C shape.

Thought it would be interesting to get an idea of how common different picking techniques are, hence this poll. As for myself I prefer using a pick to pluck the strings, and will do so 90% of the time. And after much experimentation with different picks I more specifically found that I like the feel/response and tone of the Dunlop USA Nylon .073 with a slightly rounded tip (use fine sand paper to round the tip slightly before use) the best. I do know how to use my fingers though, and in those rare cases where I don't use a pick I use a combination of different fingering technique, that is: regular 2 and 3 finger plucking technique, classical acoustic guitar style finger picking, double thumb, faux "index finger + thumb pressed together" pick, as well as flamenco style index and middle finger flicking. But I just happen to much prefer that unique snappy emphasis on the attack you get from using a pick, that can't really be replicated using any finger picking techniques. Funny enough I much prefer using my fingers on both acoustic and electric guitar.

Looks great, but can't quite wrap my head around how it is supposed to function in actual practice. Like how would you adjust string action, and wouldn't adjusting intonation cause the ball ends of the strings to get in the way of the intonation screws, unless they all are adjusted at absolute max length, which kind of would defeat the whole purpose in the first place?