SumOne

It definitely seems ironic for Global Radio (Capital, Heart, Gold) to be complaining about repetitive poor quality music.

Yeah, the gain wasn't a really a problem on mine, and not a volume drop other than certain settings: "I think for the Band Pass has some decent sounds if Range is set 'low', but for me the gain needs to be low to get a decent sound with the drive set 'up' - meaning the output is quiet. Drive 'down' can sound good if peak is set low and gain high, then it has a decent volume and nice squish, clean blend with it would be useful though."

Perhaps one of these ACGs as a 4? I'm quite keen to get this 5 myself: https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/acg-047s-j-type-5-34-greenburst-pre-owned/ They are about £1,700 new, but in your price range second hand. For the 5, I like the string spacing, preamp, tuners, weight, and the look of it, (and I always like a front facing jack but active preamp - quite a rare to find though), I would like to give it a play to check the pickups and ergonomics though and how the neck feels. I'm not too fussed that it's UK made, but I suppose it is a bit of a selling point, and nice to have something a bit more rare than a production line fender/ibanez etc.

Cheers all. As I've been through dozens of distortion pedals and always come to the same sort of conclusion I think before buying anything new I'm going to try some of the suggestions like using clean for the rowdier bits, perhaps moving about where I have compression, and possibly it is something to do with my Amp/Cab (or at least the EQ I have on the Amp) as they have remained constant while I keep swopping distortion pedals - they sound good clean, but perhaps need something different going on when it's distortion time (e.g. distortion in the fx loop). There is probably an element of the fact I'm stood right in front of the cab when playing live with the band - so what I'm hearing in those rowdy parts is a mix of that and the stage monitors, the audience might actually hear something quite different (I only have crappy phone recordings of that so can't really tell). I do think it is something other than 'use pedal XYZ' or 'use a clean blend'.

I came to the conclusion of distortion not really adding the extra oomph that I want on a gig this Saturday and ended up not using it. Playing at loud volume through an Amp/Cab and along with drums, 2x distorted guitars and the rest the main thing the bass needs in this band at those rowdy points is a clear pulse/thump/definition of notes within that I guess <400Hz sort of range. The rowdy parts of songs have the guitars going distorted, if I also click on distortion it just makes the fundamental thump of the bass get more mushy and distorted and actually loses impact, it adds mid/high distorted noise - but they are lost in with the guitars. Can turn up the bass but that doesn't bring back the 'tump'. In isolation it sounds big and heavy, but I think almost by definition it looses that when distorted. So yeah, I think it might well be more of an issue of where the compression is, what is going on with my Amp/Cab and the mix with the rest of the band rather than needing new distortion pedals.

I think compression and where it is in the chain might be a good call. I currently have an idiotbox blower box and there is no problem with the amount of bass it can produce - it's more that the defined 'thump' is lost and that seems to happen with almost all distortion I've tried. So yeah, perhaps it is something that the right compression after distortion can sort out, or a blend and changing the clean compression. I've tried so many distortions and it seems the same thing always once playing through Amp/cab and with a band, so I'm starting to think it isn't actually the distortion pedal as such - it's down to something else.

I can't get one a third time! ......or can I?! 🤨

Yeah, I recently got one and it is really good for that. My only issue is I use it as 'always on' for the lower-gain EQ mode and I need to stomp somethign on for a few more distorted parts. Another DCX would do nicely...don't think I can justify that extravagance though!

I'm looking for a medium-gain sort of distortion that still keeps the punchy 'thump' of a clean Bass when played through an Amp/Cab. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer is 'pedal with clean blend' and 'use an LS-2'. Problem with that is I find it sounds like two things playing at the same time. Any suggestions? I'm almost at the point of giving up on it. The band has 2x guitarists guitarist and it feels that when we go to more heavy/distorted parts of songs it'd be good for the Bass to switch up to to a distorted sound as the guitarists do. Problem is, I've tried dozens of distortion pedals and they sound fine at home/headphones etc but with a band I think just the nature of distortion means the punchy sort of thump gets mushy and distorted (I guess the clue is in the name!) - in isolation that sounds all good and heavy, but with a band all going for it it actually loses some impact. Perhaps just stick to the punchy thump of bass and leave it to guit@ri$ts to the distortion stuff?

Have you considered the catchily named Ibanez BTB605MS? 35-37" multiscale, neck-through, £1,059. https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/btb605ms_1p_02.html

I think it does solve the 'issue' of a 5 string B sounding best when it is longer and a G being better shorter, and giving more of an even tone and tension across all strings, and possibly helps ergonomics.....But I'm not sure they really are much of an issue that can't be solved with good strings and a decent well set up Bass. And it isn't just a win-win, there are some downsides to multiscale. People always mention a Piano as multiscale example, but they are a whole different sound and playing style and more than 7 octaves, just about every stringed instrument from Violins through to Cellos does fine without multiscale. I have owned three multiscale basses so am sort of in favour of them, but then again - I've sold them all so haven't been completely convinced. Things like pickups, preamp, ergonomics, weight, strings etc. are much higher up my priorities as issues to make improvements to.

I've been hearing that for years. They've dropped the ball on that one. Dingwall were the most famous multiscale brand and to me it seems obvious that if your market is people looking for innovation then lots of them would also be keen on headless, particularly as what I'd consider the biggest issue with Dingwalls is their size and weight (my combustion was 4.6kg), both things headless would really help with. Not only would it move the weight of the headstock and tuners away from that far end of the long neck, it also means the body can be lighter and still maintain a good balance. But no. Biggest new announcement over the last couple of years = A go faster stripe! Strandberg were already doing headless multiscale - but are quite a small brand. Ibanez spotted that gap in the mass production market and now have lightweight, compact EHB MS range with high end ones edging towards Dingwall sort of prices. Now also Sire are getting onto it, Hils are doing it, and Cort realised the headless market and I wouldn't be surprised if they add multiscale. Spector are doing multiscale. What is the unique selling point of a mass production Dingwall nowadays?

I am much more sold on the benefits of headless than multiscale. The only negatives I can think of are that standard drop tuners don't work (although not really needed with a 5 string), some don't fit on wall hangers (although the Ibanez EHB and Cort Space I've owned do fit), and some people don't like the look (but I quite like the look). I expect my next Bass will be headless (especially if 5 string), not too fussed either way if it's multiscale or not.

😃 caring enough to read and comment on a thread to say you don't care sounds like you must care a bit!

The argument goes that not every string sounds better longer, 37" is good for the B but a 37" G would be too tight and twangy. The tension/tone is more even with the multiscale. Personally, I can see it is an issue for the 7 octaves on a piano, not necessary on the 3 octaves of a 4 string Bass, and perhaps just about worthwhile on a 5 string Bass for those lowest B string notes that can be a bit indistinct on a 34".

It does seem odd as no-one else seems to have had that issue, then you have it two in a row.... The odds seem very slim. Perhaps the shop has a bad batch? Or could there be anything with your setup? I'd guess a power supply related thing.

That is something I was wondering. I guess, for example - my NY XL strings sound even across all strings on a normal non-multiscale Bass which is what they were designed for, but put them on a multiscale and it isn't going to be what they were designed for. So is it really going to be an improvement? There are a couple of sets of multiscale specific strings available now, but even then the scale lengths can vary quite a lot between Basses. In the 3 years after I started this thread I've owned and sold an EHB 1005MS (and previously owned a Combustion) but I'm still undecided about multiscale and if it is great new technology or just a way of selling new basses (probably somewhere in-between). And the votes are about 50/50 so I guess the jury is out.

I'm liking this lot: Korg Tuner - People tend to like mini tuners to save a couple of cm, but personally I like the big screen on this full sized pitchblack and like a bit of stomping space around the footswitch (it is the pedal I stomp on/off the most). Octamizer - My favourite analogue filter, has tones you just don't get with digital ones. Blower box - a decent Rat. As the imagery and the name 'rat' suggest it isn't very 'nice' sounding in isolation for home on headphones, works well for nasty rowdy parts of songs live along with a band though. DCX - this is is new to me, it's good as an EQ and preamp, or as an overdrive, very responsive and sounds good. Just a shame you can't footswitch from one to the other, I want two! Cali 76 - doesn't really need an introduction. I'm liking it at the end of the signal chain with this lot as the others are all quite sensitive to playing dynamics so I prefer them before compression. UA volt - just used at home for aux in, headphone out, and Laptop interface. It gets swopped with a Subzero DI live. Next up will be a FI v4 - it should cover synth, filter and some modulation things. I just need to decide if it's worth the extra £ for going small or not. As far as the ditching pedals question: At home 'gig performer' software with the UA interface works well and can cover almost everything pedals do. Playing live is different though - if I want to stomp on a pedal for distortion for one part of a song, quickly mute myself, regularly check I'm in tune in a venue with a lot of background noise, have a decent amount of hands-on compression control, have a certain preamp sound, occasionally add a bit of octave down, and all done with a reliable and simple 'stomp here' and 'what you see is what you get dials'...well, none of that is happening without pedals.....You can probably get by without pedals live but you could also only ever drink water, it's good to have some other flavours and do more than just 'get by'.

Dancehall Friday? G'wan then:

Nice. I just got one and had a quick go on it and is as good as I was hoping. The only slight downside is that I want two! I'd like to use it as an 'always on' with EQ/Preamp mode, and also the OD is good (and goes from edge of breakup right up to almost fuzz territory) - but I need to turn OD on/off for a few specific parts of songs.....perhaps a bit of string around the EQ/OD switch attached to my foot?! 😀

I think the 'drone note open string' thing is quite niche, perhaps it is more common in genres I don't play but wouldn't an alternative be using somethign like an EHX Freeze pedal? Tune down for the (what I assume is niche and very occasional) song that Eb drone is really needed. Or normal tuning and play an Eb an octave up (or 3rd, or 5th) and 'freeze' it. I dunno, but the thought of potentially needing a separate bass just to play an Eb drone note seems inefficient and potentially confusing.

Unless the low Eb is essential, just play that note up a 3rd, 5th, or octave.

I've found lately that playing live the Amp EQ is easier to adjust than a pedal - you don't want to have to crouch down mid song while wearing a Bass to fiddle about with a pedal EQ on the floor when the Amp is right there on top of my cab at easily reachable height. Then again, an EQ pedal to stomp on for a EQ sound change in a particular part of a song is ideal. So the PTEQ is still on my shopping list for that.