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GisserD

By GisserD,
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ead Grand Master

ead

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 01/12/2021 at 18:43, Pirellithecat said:

What was it about the VM's you found out of kilter and how do the TT's especially passive differ (for you)?    I have a really nice VM4,  and its (almost) great.  I'm trying to decide whether a different Sandberg "flavour" might be worth a try, or whether I should put GAS to one side and learn to love the one I have! 

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The one I owned was one of a pair that were made with the P pickup the 'normal' way round.  If I remember the thing I was less keen on was that I perceived that there was amount of phase cancellation going on and I just couldn't quite get the balance of sound that I was looking for.

 

Bear in mind also that this was the first P/HH pass I have owned which may account for this.  The TTs are of course essentially Jazz basses with which I am considerably more familiar and 'know' where to go for a particular sound.  I had the VM for about a year so it wasn't the case of running away screaming, but more a case of trying for quite a while to get what I was after.

 

Token pic...

 

1183164216_VM401.thumb.jpg.264a828c20749ddfe82af92b5a35190f.jpg

Edited by ead
dmccombe7 Grand Master

dmccombe7

Posted
Posted
  On 01/12/2021 at 19:40, ead said:

 

The one I owned was one of a pair that were made with the P pickup the 'normal' way round.  If I remember the thing I was less keen on was that I perceived that there was amount of phase cancellation going on and I just couldn't quite get the balance of sound that I was looking for.

 

Bear in mind also that this was the first P/HH pass I have owned which may account for this.  The TTs are of course essentially Jazz basses with which I am considerably more familiar and 'know' where to go for a particular sound.  I had the VM for about a year so it wasn't the case of running away screaming, but more a case of trying for quite a while to get what I was after.

 

Token pic...

 

1183164216_VM401.thumb.jpg.264a828c20749ddfe82af92b5a35190f.jpg

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I've always found the reverse P has a more balanced tone across the strings. I've also got a Fender P bass and a P/J. i've tried Yamaha's with the reverse P and there is a definite "more even" tone IMO of course.

Could well be that's what your problem was with it.

Like i said i find the VM4 doesn't have a huge range of tones but it just works well in most situations i use it. 

I like the clarity of a Jazz bass tho hence the Marlowe.

The Marlowe Jazz picks ups really are so nice......enough so i might consider changing my Geddy to them next year after i used the Marlowe on a few gigs and got a better feel for its capabilities. First test will be Sat night with the punk band. My Geddy worked really well on the first gig with the band 4-5 weeks ago. With the Marlowe having a bit more depth i can see a success on Sat night. Will take my P bass as a back up.

Dave

  • Like 1
Cuzzie Veteran

Cuzzie

Posted
Posted
  On 01/12/2021 at 21:13, dmccombe7 said:

I've always found the reverse P has a more balanced tone across the strings. I've also got a Fender P bass and a P/J. i've tried Yamaha's with the reverse P and there is a definite "more even" tone IMO of course.

Could well be that's what your problem was with it.

Like i said i find the VM4 doesn't have a huge range of tones but it just works well in most situations i use it. 

I like the clarity of a Jazz bass tho hence the Marlowe.

The Marlowe Jazz picks ups really are so nice......enough so i might consider changing my Geddy to them next year after i used the Marlowe on a few gigs and got a better feel for its capabilities. First test will be Sat night with the punk band. My Geddy worked really well on the first gig with the band 4-5 weeks ago. With the Marlowe having a bit more depth i can see a success on Sat night. Will take my P bass as a back up.

Dave

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Glad you are loving it thus far, it really is a wonderful beast and as you say with the pick ups - enough, depth, clarity, beef to be used across many scenarios and not too high output you struggle with them and pedals/preamps etc.

 

Only caution about swapping out the Geddy pick ups would be would you not want a slightly different flavour?

I am all for mods and changing, but each bass having a little nod of its own.

 

Plus - have we seen pics yet?!

  • Haha 1
dmccombe7 Grand Master

dmccombe7

Posted
Posted
  On 02/12/2021 at 07:26, Cuzzie said:

Glad you are loving it thus far, it really is a wonderful beast and as you say with the pick ups - enough, depth, clarity, beef to be used across many scenarios and not too high output you struggle with them and pedals/preamps etc.

 

Only caution about swapping out the Geddy pick ups would be would you not want a slightly different flavour?

I am all for mods and changing, but each bass having a little nod of its own.

 

Plus - have we seen pics yet?!

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Fair point about having slightly different flavours. 

It just feels like a far better built Jazz. Everything about it feels beetr quality. Neck is so nice with edges nice and smooth with no ragged fret edges like some Fenders i've tried. Tone at house volumes is very well balanced and warmer than my Geddy Jazz so i'm really liking that. Having a Rosewood board means the maple zing isnt there and its just a nice tone. The balance pot rather than 2 volumes i really like too. That could be a change on my Geddy. 

With regards pcs i'm going to put new strings on today and give the bass a decent set up. Action is way to high for me and i like to give a 2nd hand bass a thorough clean when i first get it. Also the pole pieces being rusted annoys me more than i expected so they will be cleaned up today.

I might take a before and after pic but probably wont see much difference. The bass was clean when it arrived ie no dust, no smells etc but from a hygenic point of view i'll be happier cleaning myself.

Pics will be provided today. I might have to tidy the bass cave. Got builders in at moment and bass cave has become a bit of a storage area.

Dave

  • Like 1
Cuzzie Veteran

Cuzzie

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 02/12/2021 at 07:48, dmccombe7 said:

Fair point about having slightly different flavours. 

It just feels like a far better built Jazz. Everything about it feels beetr quality. Neck is so nice with edges nice and smooth with no ragged fret edges like some Fenders i've tried. Tone at house volumes is very well balanced and warmer than my Geddy Jazz so i'm really liking that. Having a Rosewood board means the maple zing isnt there and its just a nice tone. The balance pot rather than 2 volumes i really like too. That could be a change on my Geddy. 

With regards pcs i'm going to put new strings on today and give the bass a decent set up. Action is way to high for me and i like to give a 2nd hand bass a thorough clean when i first get it. Also the pole pieces being rusted annoys me more than i expected so they will be cleaned up today.

I might take a before and after pic but probably wont see much difference. The bass was clean when it arrived ie no dust, no smells etc but from a hygenic point of view i'll be happier cleaning myself.

Pics will be provided today. I might have to tidy the bass cave. Got builders in at moment and bass cave has become a bit of a storage area.

Dave

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Glad you are loving it - it can be a funk machine, an R&B and dub machine or an all out rock machine - it’s a proper bass and a real gem.


Old shape for comparison and under lights it pinks a little bit.2813A48F-899B-4740-89CA-90284E196C41.thumb.jpeg.793fdf0e72387d0b3fb17e0ed5d6478e.jpegB3A459E5-8781-4AD0-8DBD-7BAC6511DBDA.thumb.jpeg.018f3f7ddcf210eb73aaf237cf6a986a.jpeg

Edited by Cuzzie
  • Like 4
Cuzzie Veteran

Cuzzie

Posted
Posted
  On 02/12/2021 at 09:48, dmccombe7 said:

I note the scratchplates are different too.

Is that a tech21 twin channel amp. Curious what you think of it.

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It’s the dUg1000 Ultrabass - they do have a twin channel which is basically the RPM and RBI on 2 channels with a power amp - and is great.

 

This is what the DP3X pedal was packaged down from with the high distorted cross over so it’s a biamp rig.

 

It Will do clean to nasty and is about the best amp out there, sadly out of production.

 

Douglas Castro of Darkglass has one himself and loves it, I am sure reading between the lines he would love to replicate its sound but hasn’t/cant quite.

 

Honestly - it’s an absolute gem, beast, monster and refined - you won’t get much better IMHO

martthebass Grand Master

martthebass

Posted
Posted
  On 02/12/2021 at 10:18, dmccombe7 said:

Oddly enough it's not where I place my thumb.. I tend to rest on a string or pick up. I have tried it and I think it would work for me if I wore my bass higher up

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Now that's just heresy Dave....you'll look like an 80s throwback 😝

  • Haha 1

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