Boodang
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Everything posted by Boodang
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Good point. How light, or hard, you play must be a factor, and as you say there are plenty of players out there with bent wrist technique. However, as far as what could be called 'good technique', if I'm teaching a beginner, I certainly would be showing them to play with a straight wrist.
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Also to consider; the more windings on a pickup the narrower it's frequency response. Hence the idea behind active pickups is to have fewer windings but this makes for a very low voltage output. To make up for this a preamp is built in to add gain (hence the need for batteries). This has three effects, the output will be buffered (so you can't for instance put 2 active p/u's in series), it will have a low impedance output (normally 600 ohms) courtesy of the opamp used and because they need magnets that are not as strong as passive p/u's they have less pull on the strings. Passive pickups normally have an impedence of 10k ohms, will have a narrower frequency response (but this will normally be a tailored response so not necessarily a bad thing) and because it's basically just wire wrapped around magnets is not buffered. A lot of people do not like the bright, clinical response of active p/u's but in my experience they just need a lot of eq'ing, whereas passive p/u's have a more 'organic' tone mostly because of their tailored response.
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So, how to make a headless bass take normal strings? I had a Sei bass made back in the 90s and it seemed a good idea at the time for it to be headless... all the rage then. But, as quick as string changes can be, it really only takes double ball end strings which rather limits choice... to such an extent that I can't put on my now favourite nylon strings. Aha you say, just use the clamping system at the nut to use any string you like. Except most strings, especially nylon, unravel if you try to put tuning tension on them before the silk windings (I have an extensive list of strings that can't be clamped and cut before the wrap). Apparently the bass can't be made headed (I've asked Sei and various luthiers), and yes I could and have bought another bass that's not headless, but I love this bass, it plays like nothing else, and I want a way to put on normal strings without clamping/cutting them, but so far haven't figured out how. What's needed is some hardware to replace the tuners at the body end that can take the entirety of a normal string... but so far can't see anything out there. Anybody have any suggestions?! PS the hardware is from the German company ABM and 5 string.
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Some of the sharp angles you see! And yes, asking for RSI. To a certain extent you can understand it when you haven't been taught otherwise as resting your forearm on the body of the bass is comfortable but ultimately leads to this issue. Worse, is when someone is teaching bass (think particularly YouTube) and plays with a bent wrist. As you say, it'll be further down the line that problems occur which can be quite severe.
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Pick something up with your wrist bent, now do the same with your wrist straight.... my first lesson with Joe Hubbard many years ago. Starting with the basics of posture, Hubbard, quite rightly, had a thing about keeping the wrist of your right hand (plucking/picking/slapping hand) straight. This means not resting your arm on the body of your bass, so does look a bit strange but ultimately gives you more strength, less fatigue on those long gigs and stops repetitive strain injury. My latest discovery, Gwizdala, is very much into correct postures, as is Scott Devine (great lessons!), Jeff Berlin and of course Hubbard but else where, particularly out in YouTube land, it seems to vary a lot. When people talk about the right hand they focus on finger technique (important) but not so much wrist posture (also just as important). The result of being taught this way is that when I play sitting down I put my bass on my left leg, more classical guitar style, which feels more natural to keeping the wrist straight. Short(ish) story about the bass player from The Hamsters, a band famous for the prodigious amount of gigs they did each year, as a result developed RSI, and went from fingers to pick to eventually having to stop playing for a while, then relearnt with a special thumb pick. Although brought on by the relentless gig schedule I'm sure, not helped by the right hand technique (I'm sure he mentions this in an interview but happy to hear more if he's out there!)
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Squier basses really are great! My fav bass at the moment is a vintage modified I picked up recently. And I'm a big fan of replacing hardware and getting a luthier to do a setup... has turned a great bass into an awesome one and for way less cost than a US model. -
Source Audio's spectrum is great, will do just about anything envelope filter wise (check out the 'bass the world' YouTube video). However if you want a pedal with more manual control there's always their older pedals, the Manta or Soundblox Pro, where the filter options are selected with knobs. And all these pedal are bass orientated.
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If your using the octave or are expecting to hear the sub octave tones from the overdrive, it could be that, as good as barefaced cabs are, the sound from your rig at volume doesn't sound as deep as they do through headphones. In this respect, eq'ing and control over the gain structures in the overdrives are an important part of the live sound. Also, and this is a personal opinion, overdrive has a certain amount of compression, as does the sansamp preamp, but the biggest difference I've had on the control of my tone is a compressor with full control over ratio, attack & release.
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Your bass sound at low volume or through headphones will be diiferent from that at higher volume levels especially once you add other musicians. Many factors at play here and as mentioned, you'll need to spend time working through it at rehearsals, specifically; as 'krispn' mentioned, mids are very important in a band setting to cut through the mix. 400 & 800hz areas are particularly worth tweaking. speaker cabinet bass response; unlike headphones, speakers do not have a flat response especially at volume. Unless you're playing through massive PA speakers the -3db points on a typical bass rig are usually reached around 80hz and at 41hz (your low E) it will be nearer -12db. Due to the laws of physics, no amount of eq will bring it back up. Boosting 80 / 100hz is more effective but can sound boomy (short of hiring roadies and having massive bass bins there's still no miracle solution to this one unfortunately). speaker cabinet treble response; a lot of cabinets have piezo tweeters (they're cheap) and as a consequence can sound harsh, so tweeter choice is important. Boost at 3.6khz can add presence, using a shelving type treble boost can add 'air' to your sound higher up but also add to noise levels, and again the quality of the boost will depend on the quality of the tweeter. Compressor; I find a good quality compressor helps with dynamics in a live situation and helps the speakers in my bass rig cope much better and give a punchier sound. and finally.... active or passive pickups, and by that I mean pickups not onboard preamp. Active pickups have less windings and therfore a greater frequency range, passive pickups have greater windings and a much reduced range. No point in boosting above 4 or 5 khz with passive basses as you'll just be boosting noise. Good luck!
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Sei Flamboyant in wenge and ebony... who needs a paint job when wood looks this good!
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It's Jaydee Supernatural model with Kent Armstrong pickups... amazing basses. Was looking on their site the other day as as I fancy one of the Roadie basses as they're v good value but they are not accepting new orders until April 2022.
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The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!
Boodang replied to Baloney Balderdash's topic in Bass Guitars
JEDSON TELE.... the worlds worse bass, short scale or otherwise, and I love it! Barely a bass at a 24" scale! Jedson took it's tele guitar and just slapped on some bass hardware. The body is plywood and the neck looks like oak but I'm sure it can't be. Swapped a cheap Ibanez I wasn't getting on with for this just for a laugh as it was so different. It's such a bonkers thing to play that I find myself inventing new lines on it everytime I pick it up, it's quite the inspiration machine. However, looking at it critically for it's craftsmanship, it is truly appalling! I'm not sure what strings were supposed to be on this but the only way to make it work is to use either short scale nylon or baritone bass six strings, then run the strings through the body or there's too much to go on the tuning peg (the original string anchor was a hideous piece of bent tin). And because of the scale length it has a solo tuning of F# or there's not enough tension. The pickups were knackered but I had a EMG MM pickup lying around. The resultant tone actually massive! And having said all this it's great fun to play! -
Now £200 including UK delivery. This is a version 1 Thunder (hence the 'script' logo) made at the Matsumoku factory Japan in 1982. As a consequence it is proudly displaying some battle scars! Not entirely original as it now has a Bartolini 8S pickup. This Thunder has an ash, maple & walnut laminate body (the solid colour models were solid maple), with a dark ash finish. There's a bit of the finish missing on the side of the body where you can see the laminate construction (see pic below). Other than the general wear to the body, there is a nick out of the edge of the fretboard at the 1st fret but it doesn't interfere with the string and in that respect is cosmetic only. The original pickups and electronics are truly hideous, so although the bass was in original condition when I got it, they got shown the inside of a bin and a Bartolini 8S was loaded. I use external pre-amps, so like all my passive basses the pickup is wired straight to the output jack. The pots and switches are original but they're not connected to anything. Other minor alterations; the knobs are from a jazz set (the originals were large brass) and I put in a neutrix locking jack. So, as the separate basschat thread asks, are Westone basses any good? Well, back in the day Matsumoku used to make the Aria pro ii series, so yes I think the craftsmanship is good but it does feel like a bass from the 80s. The neck is chunky (not necessarily a bad thing) and the thing is HEAVY! My first bass was a thunder so I like the neck shape, it's a sort of flat U shape near the nut and a rounded U shape the higher you go. Different to most modern basses. The electronics I thought always let it down but that's easily solved and I think the Bartolini has an organic sound that suits the Thunder. It does come with a hard case but to be honest it's knackered (the handle is missing and the finish is peeling). It'll do the job for postage but not much else. Collection or £20 postage in the UK. -
Came across this bass by accident, it was the only one available at the time, but it's actually really nice. If I wasn't overloaded with basses already I'd keep it. Also, I'm moving over to 5 string fretted and only keeping my 4 string fretless basses. It plays really well, so much so that an upgrade in pickups would take it from good to great. Given the price Tobias are doing these for I think they're quite the bargain. -
This is a modern Tobias Toby made by Epiphone. I acquired this bass in 2019 when working away from home and just needed something for practice and the odd gig. Considering the price was most surprised by how well it performed. It has a decent neck with good upper fret access (certainly better than a standard Fender) and due to the use of radiata wood for the body (a type of pine!), is very light, so good for long gigs. Despite the light wood it has a very solid sound and performed well live. Currently strung with D'addario nylon strings. Comes with a standard TGI abs hard case. The bass is in very good condition with no discernable scratches or dings. Free collection or £15 postage in UK.
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It's a ring modulator which basically is a feedback of your signal, which is then detuned by the shift control (the shift control has a 4 octave range!).. It sounds mad!! Janek Gwizdala does a good demo of this on his pedal show youtube channel. As he says, he likes to use these pedals as it stops him playing the same old sh*t! -
In mint condition with original box. Have been experimenting with fuzz/od so gave this a go but ultimately I don't think the sound is for me. There's a good review of it on the Andertons youtube channel if you want to hear what it sounds like. Internal trim pots are a nice touch to fine tune your sound and get something slightly different from everyone else. Free shipping in the UK. -
SOLD Source Audio Soundblox Pro Bass Envelope Filter SOLD
Boodang posted a topic in Effects For Sale
SA143 bass envelope filter in 'as new' condition. I bought it from a shop on ebay a few weeks ago and it looks like it's just sat on a shelf all its life. Think I prefer a good old fashioned analogue filter so moving it on. Has a built in 7 band eq which SA sell as a stand alone unit for more than this. No box but will obviously pack well and no power supply but it is a 9v unit. Free shipping in the UK. -
Now £90 including UK postage. After watching Gwizdala using one of these, I'd thought I would give it a go but it's not for me (probably due to a lack of talent!). The Hot Rox shop had one sitting on a shelf, so bought this brand new just a few weeks ago. Consequently it's in as new condition, never gigged and comes with original box. Apparently the units supplied to the shop came with a Euro plug power supply so they included a UK adapter which is included (if you're not familiar with the frequency analyzer they need a 40v pus rather than the normal 9v) Free shipping in the UK.
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I play fretless and have been making changes to my pedal board recently. I've been particularly impressed with the Aguilar pedals; the Octamizer has a very pleasing tone (maybe because it's analogue?) and the Grape Phaser has been quite the surprise hit. I know some have said the tracking on the octamizer is not the best but I haven't found it to be a problem especially as I'm using it to produce a thicker organic tone rather than a synthy oc2 type sound and the filter control can take you from a smooth octave addition to something with a bit more grit. The grape phaser is very funky, especially with the use of the color control. To top it off, I got a TC Electronic Spectracomp to see if one of toneprints would do as a 'set it and leave it' arrangement.... loaded up the Nathan East settings and now it's on permanently. Not a one pedal solution I know, and not the cheapest, but I think it works particularly well with fretless if you're going for an organic sound.
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I can definitely recommend a set of pickups from the Creamery (hand wound in Manchester). I talked to the guy there as I wanted a set for my Squier jazz which were not in his stock list and he was very accommodating. Alnico2 for the bridge and Alnico5 for the neck, scatter wound, and they've turned out a treat. So close to the sound I want I've not bothered with an active preamp. I've also got a '70s style P bass p/u from him for another project and that just needs no eq-ing. If you have p/u response in mind, the guy at the Creamer seems happy to discuss options and he's not expensive.
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I want to use 2 amps with one bass....HELP...please...
Boodang replied to bob_atherton's topic in Amps and Cabs
For flexibility I've always used a small mixing desk, currently an old Mackie with 4 high impedance inputs. I plug my basses into the channels, my pedal board is connected to the send and return, and I've got enough outputs from the desk to run to several rigs if necessary plus a DI for the main PA if needed. That also means my signals are buffered, impedances are sorted and whichever bass I use, the pedal board and the outputs get a consistent level. -
Well, not quite regret but came across a cheap bass in my local store that rivals my custom Sei for feel and sound. Initially I was looking at the Fender Pastorious reissue (I'm a fretless player) but apart from the price it didn't have a resin fingerboard which for me would be part of the Pastorious feel on a bass. However... did come across a s/h Squier vintage modified fretless jazz at a fraction of the price and this has a phenolic fingerboard (aka bakelite) which has that hard resin feel. Long story short, feels so good I've replaced all the hardware (it now has Creamery pickups; alnico2 bridge and alnico5 neck pu, and Starr guitars stacked knobs) and it sounds awesome. All in under £600 and couldn't be happier. Goes to show! PS check out how many fretless basses have a resin board, there's not many.
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.... the Grape Phaser has a 'color' knob which controls the amount of signal fed back through the phaser. Simple, but the more you crank it the more it adds a sort of 'wah' into the sound and it's seriously funky. There's a good demo of it on the Andertons youtube channel where they play through all the Aguilar pedals.
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When I bought a C4 I thought, this could be special, but there's something about the interface that doesn't gel with me, so disappointingly not to be. Then, out the blue, I came across the Aguilar Grape Phaser. Now I've not really been a user of phaser pedals so I wasn't holding out much hope but.... now I'm finding it hard to switch it off, it's so funky! It could be a combination of 'new acquisition syndrome' and finding a new sound but I'm really enjoying it and it's my new fav pedal. Also, I'm playing it with a pick, rhythm guitar style which I think the phaser responds to very well and unlike a filter I don't sound like a demented duck!
