Help me with this - why can I not get on with this active bass?

[Mudpup]

17 minutes ago, Minininjarob said:

One of my top 3 fav ever tunes. I’ve spent 2 years learning that tune (since I started playing the bass) and I think I’ve got it down now, not all the frilly bits but most of them. Going to be playing it live at my first ever gig. 
 

A brave man!!!! Good luck with it. When's the gig?

[Minininjarob]

23 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

A brave man!!!! Good luck with it. When's the gig?

In May. Outdoor mini festival. First ever gig for me - so excited! 
I’d post a vid of me playing it but whenever I try it I am embarrassed by it. 😂

Edited March 16 by Minininjarob

[Mudpup]

1 minute ago, Minininjarob said:

In May. Outdoor mini festival. First ever gig for me - so excited! 

2 months away. You'll have time to learn half a verse of one of their other songs then 🤣 

[Terry M.]

1 hour ago, Minininjarob said:

I am here you know……

I bought it as I tried a stingray and wasn’t massively keen, and I wanted a bass with a thinner neck too to try out (I have quite small hands compared to most, I don’t struggle too much with a P except complex stuff). I found out by chance about the Sterling and thought it might just be the ticket then later that Roger used them. It seemed to be the exact combination of everything I wanted so found one not to far away to go and try. 
I love it apart from the odd tone for some stuff which is why the advice given might help me keep it. 

Yes mate I'm more than aware you're here and didn't write anything I wouldn't want you to read.I thought on a public forum it's only natural that the OP will be referenced whether directly or indirectly? I'm just saying it's a journey of self discovery and I hope you either eventually bond with it or find something that works for you. My 5 string Sterling was awesome but unlike you my hands are big so it didn't work out in the end. Good luck in your quest. 

Edited March 16 by Terry M.

[kwmlondon]

On 15/03/2025 at 10:04, Minininjarob said:

That’s the one. 

That's a fricken' tasty bass! 

[kwmlondon]

3 hours ago, Minininjarob said:

I am here you know……

I bought it as I tried a stingray and wasn’t massively keen, and I wanted a bass with a thinner neck too to try out (I have quite small hands compared to most, I don’t struggle too much with a P except complex stuff). I found out by chance about the Sterling and thought it might just be the ticket then later that Roger used them. It seemed to be the exact combination of everything I wanted so found one not to far away to go and try. 
I love it apart from the odd tone for some stuff which is why the advice given might help me keep it. 

This is super-helpful. Okay. So, recapping, despite messing around with EQ you've found that the bass can sound "artificial" at time, wheras the Precision sounded more plucked. Right. Well, I'm not going to suggest different strings as a solution because it'd be fine if you're just recording (flats or groundwounds will completely alter the character of the bass), but not something you can do at a gig between songs! I mean, it'd be good to do to find out how your bass sounds with different string and you can find all sort of used sets on basschat so it's not a big risk.

 

What I think would be a really good experiment for you would be to find a way of trying out different types of preamp and/or cab sim. If you have a Mac you can do this for free with Garage Band - it's got a whole bank of them from Boogie 400+ or Ampeg SVT. If you know someone with a recording setup ask if you can try playing through it as you may find that speaker simulations can alter the attack of the sound that gives you what you want then you could potentially find a pedal that has this feature, maybe a Sansamp or something - people here will be able to give you great advice on this. If you're close to a good guitar store take your bass down and ask if you can try out some of the preamp pedals and ask their advice. Even if this doesn't sort your issue out it'll be interesting and you'll find out a lot about amps, cabs, preamps etc. 

[Minininjarob]

3 hours ago, Mudpup said:

2 months away. You'll have time to learn half a verse of one of their other songs then 🤣 

Been trying to learn All My Best Friends are Metalheads but to be honest I think I’ll be drawing a pension before I manage to learn one verse. 😂😂

[Jack]

It's the end of the first verse phrase that always got me. I have to confess to just playing the second half of the verse twice on a few occasions. The "A . . . B . . ." is a lot easier on the fingers than that run up the d string.

[HeadlessBassist]

Onboard active preamps can be very variable, as they're all set at different frequencies, so some will sound very clean and others over boosted and artificial. I tend to use a small amount of treble and bass boost (just a little more than the centre detent) on the instrument and then do the main boost on the amplifier. This ensures a very clean and honest sound.

[SimonK]

Was absolutely resecued by the active EQ on my stingray this morning - I'd knocked the settings on my preamp and compressor and didn't notice until starting to play when everything sounded crap - managed to compensate with the onboard EQ prior to crouching down and resetting everything!