Upgrading

Trus1te · #1 06-06-2011, 10:19 PM

As I sit here with my ears ringing from a lovely evening of practice, thinking about the irrepribably damage I just did to my ears and freaking out about not wearing ear plugs the last few practices because, as a bass playing singer, its annoying as **** when you can't hear yourself sing, nor the detail of your bass while you play, I need to address some issues.

I need an upgrade, Beyonce.

I'm currently playing a Squire P-Bass with Seymour Duncan, and the more I play it the more I realize the limitations and its over-all lack of detail.

I'm not looking to upgrade to something stupid, but I really would like to get on the Fender Standard/Ampeg SVT rig or something of that like. Essentially, its time to get a professional rig with a bass that suits my playing style and sound. We are going to be recording in the studio in July and will be playing our first gig in August and I'm not laying down a Squire P-Bass to the same GD tape machine that once graced the halls of Ghetto Recording in Detroit.

In anycase, I need your help. I've been surfing these forums forever, and after all my research/stupid ****** purchases, I just feel like a really educated layman.

To hear my play: featuring Richard Koozie | Nashville, TN | Rock / Punk / Garage | Music, Lyrics, Songs, and Videos | ReverbNation

My rig: Squire P-Bass>Big Muff w/ Tone Whicker>Morley Bass Wah>The Rat>AcousticsB200h/B410

I went into the store today and played on some jazz and fretless. I really love the upper detail of the Jazz, but really hated how much bottom end that you lose. I was enamored with the P-J set ups for a while and almost ended up with a Schecter P-J, but really feel that the P kills what the J gives it in that upper register.

After watching my technique, a veteran Nashville bass player suggested that I ought to go fretless. So then I started playing fretless...and while I don't hate it, I'm just not sure its where the sound needs to be.

Any help, insight, and love would be awesome. As you can see, I'm all over the place right now.

Pilgrim · #2 06-06-2011, 10:23 PM

You need an upgrade to professionally made earplugs that fit better and reduce sound a bit less than the one-size-fits-all numbers you have been using.

Leave the bass for later, and get better with what you have. As you point out, you're all over the place. Get that Squier set up perfectly and play the hell out of it, but wear hearing protection, and reduce your volume at practice.

Trus1te · #3 06-06-2011, 10:44 PM

We are currently practicing in the world's smallest room, which is annoying as heck and does not distribute sound well. I just got done reading the earplug forum, and decided I do need to invest more time, perhaps money, into that.

Set-up: I get the P-Bass set up ever 3-4 months. Right now I'm trying a heaver gauge on her.

I'm also not expecting you to listen to me and think I'm Mister Holland's Opus. I'm a song writer who really enjoys playing bass and fully intends to hone his skill. I play that sucker more often than I should.

I'm also not looking to upgrade my gear with the intention that it will make me become a better player. I work my ass off and recognize I'm in music city, not bfe, and the prestige has to be there.

Right now, I'm not thinking a b200h plugged into a b400 is going to fill a club without a good FOH and that my Squire P-Bass is just not giving me the sound I'm looking for. While I like my Acoustics gear, I'm getting frustrated finding a good overdriven tone, with and w/o my outboard distortion.

I played my Guitarist's Fretless J today and loved it. While I'm not there 100% with its tone, I'm enjoying it and will practice with it a bit to get used to these coated strings. I.E. sliding is a pain in the arse....too much friction!

KingRazor · #4 06-08-2011, 10:38 AM

Try a J with pickups wound in series?

Ubersheist · #5 06-10-2011, 12:00 AM

During practice, IEMs really, really cut down the volume for us, and let us hear things perfectly. However, you will have to sacrifice tone, and it requires a board with enough channels for all the instruments, and several channels and mics for the drums and vocals, too. We ended up investing in a monitor mixing board. A side benefit was that we could get a really nice mix going and send it out via a 1/8" plug to a digital recorder, and get some pretty darn good recordings of our practices that we could then critique.

Trus1te · #6 06-14-2011, 12:39 PM

King Razor - I will have to stop by a bass shop and check that out.

Uber - I popped the earplugs back in last practice and some how I got a great feel. While the tone was dead, I left without a headache and I gave a pretty good performance as well...both singing and playing... So I was pretty stoked and am glad I read the thread about earplugs. Really was great reinforcement.

Oddly enough, on my way home from the gym Thursday I passed by a music shop that was going out of business. So out of business, I left with a Jaguar Dean (pickup close to neck), a Jaguar-shaped Spector w/ EMG pickups (close to the bridge), a hardcase bag and a bunch of drum sticks for my drummer all for $250 (all gear used).

The Spector is REALLY close to the tone I want...So I'm pretty stoked...

As for that Dean... I'm refinishing it. It has what appears to be a really beautiful red mahogany body, but needs a new neck cause its bent to **** (anyone know where to get a good paddle neck for under 175 bucks?).... I'm also having local artist Skip Pollock do some original graphics for the body. Should be a stellar guitar for resale.

Any ideas as to what pickups I should drop in there? I fell in love with the EMG's in my Spector... I'm wondering if I should go with those or go up to a Delano. I'd like to do resale @ about $1500.

Cheers,

Ryan

R. Laevinus · #7 06-14-2011, 01:10 PM

Get some Hearos musician's earplugs if you haven't already, they're way better than the normal foam ones in terms of comfort, clarity, and dB reduction. When you can, definitely spring for the custom molded ones.

As for the bass, you seem to have that covered - good find!

If you're still looking for an amp, check out GK's stuff, I think it might work for you, and the new MB stuff is amazing. I'd personally avoid Acoustic, as I find the tone to be limiting, but if it works for you, it works for you, and I've never heard anybody have anything bad to say about them (apart from personal dislike for tone/aesthetics/etc).

Trus1te · #8 06-14-2011, 02:05 PM

Thanks Laevinus. It appears that the Bass is an NS2000B... which is probably comparable in build quality to a Fender American Standard (looks like its retail back in 90-98 was a little over $500... inflation adjusted...I got a pretty good bass!)

As for the Acoustics Amp... I got it because I love the aesthetics, the aggressive tone and the price... However, the amp just doesn't sound like it did @ the store... so I'm wondering if Guitar Center just has awesome acoustics to make everything sound t!ts.

As for that Dean, the stripping process has taken me for freaking ever (over 7 hours and counting). However, the body of this thing is freaking gorgeous. I'm pretty sure its mahogany, but its red... so I'm confused, but really appreciate its beauty.

You guys think an EMZ TBhZ would go good in that dean?