making a chinese bass sound like an american one...

[ogri]

i absolutely love my highway one jazz bass, and swear it sounds better than a standard yank, or at least has the exact tone that i want.
recently, i bought a squier classic vibe in white/tortoiseshell, which is a great little bass, but back to back the highway has it beaten(much as you would expect) hands down in terms of tone.
highway ones are berluddy expensive now, at least 250 sovs more than mine was a few years back, so was wondering if there was a simple, straightforward way to make me classic vibe replicate thetone?
visually, the highway one has its badass two bridge instead of the standard one but thats it. both got the smaller machine heads....both got alnico pick-ups but im guessing the yank ones may be better..or is it just the sum of everything( woods used, wiring etc) that makes for the sound?
cheers dudes
paul

[Mr. Foxen]

If you are really curious, get yourself some hardware swapping in to find where the tone is. I reckon the Badass is a major. Then the pickups.

[ogri]

good advice mate...is the badass bridge that much better? have tried altering the relief in the neck so the action is higher and the strings twang bassier acoustically but still cant get the deep bass tone the highway has
[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='689951' date='Dec 20 2009, 06:09 PM']If you are really curious, get yourself some hardware swapping in to find where the tone is. I reckon the Badass is a major. Then the pickups.[/quote]

[Mr. Foxen]

Is the cheapy bridge one with grooves for the saddles? If the saddle can move when you wiggle the string near it, then you'll be losing some energy to that. Also, check relative pickup heights.

[Cat Burrito]

I agree with Mr. Foxen in that I usually tackle the bridge first when upgrading instruments. Pickups next. Bear in mind that if you are trying to replicate a much loved bass this is near impossible. If you simply wish to raise the game of the weaker instrument this is much more realistic. I wasn't that impressed with the handful of HWY1 instruments I tried but I know there is a lot of love for them. It could be that you've got a particuarly good one

[ogri]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='690079' date='Dec 20 2009, 07:42 PM']I agree with Mr. Foxen in that I usually tackle the bridge first when upgrading instruments. Pickups next. Bear in mind that if you are trying to replicate a much loved bass this is near impossible. If you simply wish to raise the game of the weaker instrument this is much more realistic. I wasn't that impressed with the handful of HWY1 instruments I tried but I know there is a lot of love for them. It could be that you've got a particuarly good one[/quote]
...or dodgy fifty year old ears...

[hillbilly deluxe]

What are the body woods on the basses ? are they the same ?
The Chinese bass will likely have a slightly inferior pickup.
The finish of the bass will also have an affect on the tone,being that the HWY1 has a thin nitro coating,and the Chinese one will be thicker poly coated.

[EssentialTension]

I don't think you'll manage to get the CV to sound exactly like the Highway but you might make it sound even better than it does.

I have a CV Jazz and it is a great instrument but I'm also considering some upgrades.

1) I'm not changing the bridge, which is already a high mass bridge with brass saddles.
2) I'm planning to change the electrics for CTS pots, a Sprague capacitor, and a Switchcraft socket.
3) I'm going to change the pickups for (probably) a pair of Lindy Fralin Vintage Jazz (but maybe Wizard 64s or Fender Custom Shops - or lots of other possibilities depending on what you like).

[ogri]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='694163' date='Dec 27 2009, 11:16 AM']I don't think you'll manage to get the CV to sound exactly like the Highway but you might make it sound even better than it does.

I have a CV Jazz and it is a great instrument but I'm also considering some upgrades.

1) I'm not changing the bridge, which is already a high mass bridge with brass saddles.
2) I'm planning to change the electrics for CTS pots, a Sprague capacitor, and a Switchcraft socket.
3) I'm going to change the pickups for (probably) a pair of Lindy Fralin Vintage Jazz (but maybe Wizard 64s or Fender Custom Shops - or lots of other possibilities depending on what you like).[/quote]
all good stuff, thanks again blokes :-)
the CV jazz is indeed a beautifull bass, well worthy of the upgrades

[GreeneKing]

Personally I wouldn't go for the bridge 1st. I've fitted BaddAss bridges to several basses and to be honest the results have always been underwhelming in the extreme.

The best sounding 7ender I've ever played has bent tin for a bridge.

I'd give Andy at Wizard a rig and chat about what you're looking for.

Peter

[BB2000]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='698341' date='Jan 1 2010, 08:35 PM']Personally I wouldn't go for the bridge 1st. I've fitted BaddAss bridges to several basses and to be honest the results have always been underwhelming in the extreme.

The best sounding 7ender I've ever played has bent tin for a bridge.
Peter[/quote]

+1

[quote]Is the cheapy bridge one with grooves for the saddles?[/quote]

Best bridge there is for a Fender!

[Marcus]

Chuck some EMG's in the Vibe....

The pickups are weak and can feedback in a band situation, you'll upgrade the wiring in the process and the EMG's have a particular voice that seems to come through no matter what bass you put them in (IMHO)

My EMG loaded classic vibe sounded brilliant in a band, easily a match for a run of the mill USA Jazz

ATB

Mark