Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

The Big Al 5 SSS has arrived!!!


Grand Wazoo
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote name='Musicman20' post='889621' date='Jul 8 2010, 03:56 PM']Nice! As you may know ive cancelled mine for various reasons, but I still want one. Great looking bass and really individual.

Im going to try and test a 4 vs a 5 next year when Ive had chance to enjoy my other incoming EBs.[/quote]

Well Gareth maybe you were too quick triggered once again :) you should have known what the new pegs which you like, that EBMM have just designed, are still only a drawing on their blakcboard and will not see the light of day for at least another year or more. I really can't understand how you've cancelled the order just becaue the new pegs won't be fitted to the Big Al, specially when EB intends to fit them on the Reflex as they missed it for the 25th.

Now about the sound: this bass is a lot punchier than a Stingray on blue pills, it covers a variety of styles, it's great for rock, if you like that sort of thing, and has a very captivating passive sound so blues and jazz lovers will be right at home there. I was also lucky: I've put it on the scale and was surprised to find that it is quite light for a fiver, at only 9.12lbs!!

So far I am loving it a lot!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='889644' date='Jul 8 2010, 04:17 PM']Well Gareth maybe you were too quick triggered once again :lol: you should have known what the new pegs which you like, that EBMM have just designed, are still only a drawing on their blakcboard and will not see the light of day for at least another year or more. I really can't understand how you've cancelled the order just becaue the new pegs won't be fitted to the Big Al, specially when EB intends to fit them on the Reflex as they missed it for the 25th.

Now about the sound: this bass is a lot punchier than a Stingray on blue pills, it covers a variety of styles, it's great for rock, if you like that sort of thing, and has a very captivating passive sound so blues and jazz lovers will be right at home there. I was also lucky: I've put it on the scale and was surprised to find that it is quite light for a fiver, at only 9.12lbs!!

So far I am loving it a lot![/quote]

I think I got swept away with the whole GAS of the Big Al over on the EB forum.

The thing is, as Im still awaiting to find my feet with my legal career, the Big Al cost is a LOT of cash to spend on one bass for me, so I sat down and worked it out. Its not just all about the tuners, its the fact I dont want to order a bass that Ive never even seen or heard in the flesh without my own approval, if you get me. But, I am one of those people who like the most recent version of things, so if they do put the new tuners on it, then ill wait for them to start shipping.

One player might love a bass, the other might hate it. I dont like the sound of Sadowsky basses that much, but I got caught up in the 'wow these are great' and it was only until I tested that I could make an informed decision.

I personally would choose a Stingray Alnico over a Bongo and Sterling everytime, but thats me, some people think thats crazy! Stingray tone (3EQ) and feel is part of the bass sound I grew up with, and I cant get any better with active basses at the moment.

I have zero problems testing an EB then ordering my own spec as I know they have (normally) great QC, but if for some mad reason I just didnt like the Big Al, then im stuck :)

The Big Al is the one bass I really want to try out and hear...the youtube demos and pictures make it seem like a dream bass to me :rolleyes:

As I said, I need to be more patient. Maybe next year :lol:

I might even get a 4 string version if Im honest, despite the fact I think it looks better with a low B.

Hope you enjoy it anyway, youve had a long wait. I still have 2 EBs incoming so I cannot grumble.

Edited by Musicman20
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Doctor J' post='889652' date='Jul 8 2010, 04:26 PM']Excellent stuff :)

The single coils themselves, do they have a Fendery tone to them or does it carry over the MM character?[/quote]

80% MusicMan sound, it has to do with them big pickup pole pieces, however it can emulate a wicked P Bass with the middle and neck together and a very definite jaco sound with the bridge pickup on his own in passive with the tone off 50%.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Rich' post='889889' date='Jul 8 2010, 09:30 PM']Not my cuppa tea at all, but the colour is fabulous. Hope you have lots of fun with it :rolleyes:[/quote]
+1

Yuck in the looks dept, but if it brings you joy, all the best :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I told the rest of my band that i wanted one and they pretty much all said Yuck!

Its definately a "marmite" bass......i bloody love Marmite!



Thinking of getting a black one with a matching scratchplate,or maybe blue,then again a white one might look pretty cool....


Gotta save some cash first,plenty of thinking time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People need to lose their blinkers, as good as Fender are, not everything must always be a Fender clone or a Gibson clone, listen with your ears and realize that there's a lot more out there to please a variety of people with many different styles of instruments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As promised here is a small review of this bass, but gee, where to begin?

After 2 days of playing it solid with little stops in between for food and... the other, I now feel like I am pleasingly laying next to her in bed with one arm around the neck and the other holding a cigar, smiling with satisfaction.

Let's just say this bass can be best described as a "chamaleon", a true master of disguise, and definately not one you can easily pidgeon hole as a Stingray, P-Bass or J-Bass wannabe, but low and behold with very little tweaking you can definately dial some sounds that will be closely reminescent of those I have mentioned, as Ed Freidland said in his video one particular combination (the middle on his own in passive mode) makes it a P bass killer.

However one thing I have noticed about this bass, that I think sets it apart from the other current EBMM basses, is that you can set any given pickup combination which you think might suit a particular style or song like a driving rock groove and then you play another song, in a completely different style, say a motown type of riff and you don't need to panick and switch pickups selection, you can get away with a quick turn on the passive tone control or if you are in active mode you can dial some low mids and lows and turn down the treble and you are there in seconds.

To truly appreciate the tonal differences between the many passive pickup combinations and the same combinations when in active mode, one way to perfectly place it is to think like this...

Passive = Vintage Vibes, Blues, Classic sounds, Classic Rock etc.

flick it in active and imagine being teleported into modern times:

Active = Funkeeee! Modern Rock, Heavy, Cool, slap happy, pick-o-tronic powerhouse, muscle and definately balls de lux!

There isn't a single pickup combination that I don't like or that doesn't sound musically inspiring, but if I was to give an early prediction of favourite selection I would say that I am very very partial to bridge and middle together and midlle and neck together they are just honey dripping sweet. This bass is also good for reggae, you can get a very deep yet hollow doop doop sound by maxing the bass and turning down both the mids, using the bridge and neck pickups together in active.

Finally, this bass despite it's transatlantic voyage from America arrived here at Wazoo towers maintaining the skillful setup it was despatched with, the action is surgically accurate, the neck smooth and you can actually smell the Birchwood Casey wax on it. The back of the neck has a beautiful velvety satin feel and the frets are all smooth and perfectly fitted.

Pukka!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...