Jigster Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Three Big Als on the forum for sale - is it a case of buses? Or something to discuss...? Quote
warwickhunt Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 [quote name='Jigster' post='1254637' date='Jun 2 2011, 09:29 PM']Three Big Als on the forum for sale - is it a case of buses? Or something to discuss...? [/quote] Oddly enough I was just thinking the same thing! Quote
Jigster Posted June 2, 2011 Author Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) well i don't know because I haven't played one, but I wonder if it sometimes is the plug and play syndrome. A P or a J bass (and other similars) you know pretty much what it is, but is there too much tonal choice on a Al that it bewilders? Felt that a little with the G&L L2000s I've had - something like 18 options - I forget how many with the Big Al - Edited June 2, 2011 by Jigster Quote
JTUK Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Could be very confusing to have too many options.... I have East pre's which can accomodate pickups switching and active or passive...plus mid sweep and TnB cut and boost..that is enough and pretty confusing in the early days until you get a default return set-up. Although some basses with all these options sound a good idea in demo, in practice, they are too much, IMO....and becomes an unconvincing jack of all trades but a master of none. Quote
davebass66 Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 +1 on the too many options comment.... I tried a G&L L2000 when I was looking for a 5er last year, whilst it sounded nice there was just too much on it. I knew I'd spend the entire gig fiddling with the damn thing... For me the Big Al is not a good looking bass, whilst I know this is a case of each to their own, I just can't see why you'd need it when you think of the array of sounds you can get from the good ol' Stingray! just one mans opinion though... Quote
munkonthehill Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Yeah the bongo was like that for me and it only had a 4 band eq to play with. Passive or an active with treble and bass is just enough for a man of my needs. Quote
tonyf Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1254717' date='Jun 2 2011, 10:22 PM']Could be very confusing to have too many options.... I have East pre's which can accomodate pickups switching and active or passive...plus mid sweep and TnB cut and boost..that is enough and pretty confusing in the early days until you get a default return set-up. Although some basses with all these options sound a good idea in demo, in practice, they are too much, IMO....and becomes an unconvincing jack of all trades but a master of none.[/quote] Funny what you say about the East preamp. I've taken the J-Retro off my Lakland JO and it's now sporting a pair of EMG's with vol/vol/tone at 18v. Sounds great. The J-Retro did too. Don't get me wrong. A great preamp. But for me, there was too much choice. On a couple of gigs, found myself thinking "aggggghhhhh, where's what and how and erm.....". I know it's "me" rather than the "pre"! T Quote
BigRedX Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 I don't get this "it's too complicated". You just turn the knobs until you get a sound you like and then leave them alone. Easy. Quote
davebass66 Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1254781' date='Jun 2 2011, 11:06 PM']I don't get this "it's too complicated". You just turn the knobs until you get a sound you like and then leave them alone. Easy.[/quote] I think it's more a case of, a lot of people, when they have that many options will try and find different sounds for every song, when it is really not necessary. As well as this, IMHO it can make for a lazy bassist, the majority of the different sounds you need for almost any style can be done with a basic on board eq (bass, treble and [i][/i]maybe[i][/i] mid) and changing your right hand style and position.. I'm certainly not saying I don't like 'hi-fi' sounding basses, I have a Sei 5er which I love.. Never sits quite as well sonically though.... Again maybe it's just me!.. Quote
risingson Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 I like passive basses for the same reasons a few other people have described, i.e. you just plug in and play, you know where you stand and there isn't any hassle. Haven't played a Big Al myself (although they look great), but I found the Bongo's 4-Band EQ section excessive, there's no way I need that amount of control in a preamp. I also prefer Stingray 2-band EQ's to 3's. Quote
TPJ Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Well, I have one and they are a great bass. Passive or active, loads of versatility and very playable. I had a Stingray for a while but the neck was too chunky. The BA is great to play. It may be more a thing of taste. A few musos came up to me at a gig thins weekend saying they loved the tone and usually love EB but they didn't care for the look. At the end of the day it's a bass that does more than most but looks odd. You really need to try them in a band situation to appreciate them. They're not really that complicated. Quote
Jigster Posted June 2, 2011 Author Posted June 2, 2011 i would definitely be interested to try one, it's not really having a pop at the bass, just curious as to the sudden movement of them on the forum i also like the look of them! Quote
Musicman20 Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 Only cool people think they look good, fact. Actually I'm quite conservative with colours and bodyshape but I tested one of these for a full weekend and ordered on e straight away. People expect it to be like a Ray, but it's more like a quirky P/J active/passive monster. It sounds wonderful in a mix, believe me. Yes, simple is great, and I have my simple passive p's n j's for those days. Before judging it, try it, that's what I did Quote
wateroftyne Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' post='1254926' date='Jun 3 2011, 01:11 AM']It sounds wonderful in a mix, believe me. Before judging it, try it, that's what I did [/quote] Did you get to try one at a gig? Quote
Chris2112 Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='Jigster' post='1254648' date='Jun 2 2011, 09:37 PM']well i don't know because I haven't played one, but I wonder if it sometimes is the plug and play syndrome. A P or a J bass (and other similars) you know pretty much what it is, but is there too much tonal choice on a Al that it bewilders? Felt that a little with the G&L L2000s I've had - something like 18 options - I forget how many with the Big Al -[/quote] More tonal choice is a good thing IMO. Like when I got my ACG, it took a couple of weeks to really get it figured out, but I am in no doubt now that it has the best tonal palette of any bass around. Choice is a good thing! Quote
neepheid Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 It's simply because no-one ever buys anything on this forum, right Tim? Quote
BigRedX Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='LawrenceH' post='1254797' date='Jun 2 2011, 11:18 PM']Because they are fugly beyond all imagining.[/quote] But no more so than any other MM design. Quote
Len_derby Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='LawrenceH' post='1254797' date='Jun 2 2011, 11:18 PM']Because they are fugly beyond all imagining.[/quote] Yep, looks like the kind of bass William Shatner would play. Quote
Musicman20 Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1255033' date='Jun 3 2011, 08:37 AM']Did you get to try one at a gig?[/quote] I had a rehearsal (low volume) with my drummer/guitarist/vocalist about 10 months back...bear in mind we did this where I lived so it wasn't that loud! The single middle pup nailed the P tone...and the front pup sounded woody warm and weirdly articulate considering it's location. I had a good few hours through the headphones along to as many different styles as I could try out, fiddled with the pup settings and it worked really well Quote
Clarky Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' post='1254926' date='Jun 3 2011, 01:11 AM']Only cool people think they look good, fact.[/quote] Which confirms what my kids say - which is that I am deeply uncool Quote
wateroftyne Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' post='1255328' date='Jun 3 2011, 12:25 PM']I had a rehearsal (low volume) with my drummer/guitarist/vocalist about 10 months back...bear in mind we did this where I lived so it wasn't that loud! The single middle pup nailed the P tone...and the front pup sounded woody warm and weirdly articulate considering it's location. I had a good few hours through the headphones along to as many different styles as I could try out, fiddled with the pup settings and it worked really well [/quote] Ah, cool. It sounded like you'd had loads of live and studio experience with it, and I was wondering how you found it. Quote
Musicman20 Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1255358' date='Jun 3 2011, 12:42 PM']Ah, cool. It sounded like you'd had loads of live and studio experience with it, and I was wondering how you found it.[/quote] I'm still waiting for mine to arrive believe it or not. Been a long wait. I only had a demo of one for a weekend but it's much more in Fender-land when it comes to blending and providing support to a band rather than the full on snarl of the modern Stingray/Sterling/Bongo tone. Quote
BB3000S Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 Given the speed (or lack thereof) that basses seem to be selling at the moment it's not so strange to me that there are three Big Als out at the same time. In addition, the model has been out for a while now and as expected it's starting to show up more and more frequently 2nd hand. IMO the Big Al 4SSS is a wonderful bass. I bought one (the Olive Gold one Bootzy is now selling on) when I had a bad case of EBMM-GAS, and really liked it a lot. Great bass, increadibly versatile but at the same time really simple to control (in passive you only have the buttons + vol + tone, that has to be manageable right?). One of the fastest necks ever, perfectly balanced and beautiful to behold. So why is it no longer with me? Because I'm a gearwhore probably - and Bootzy made me a great deal with a Lakie of his. Would definitely like to have a Big Al 4SSS (or 5) again some day. Quote
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