I'm drinking the wrong kool-aid!

[ashtray]

Alright - this has been bugging me for a while, but I'm not sure where to post it, so "humor" sounds about right.

Confession: I'm having a tough time being a follower of current TB trends!

For instance, neo speakers. I don't like them! I've *tried* to like them. I've A/B tested them to the n'th degree. I love how light they make the cabs, but can't stand their tone.
"Well, the original ones were a little bright, but the current ones have fixed those issues..." nope! Old ones, new ones, they all sound bad to my ears.

And while I'm on the topic of neo speakers, I'll address the Genz Benz lineup, which I *really* wanted to like! After reading so much great stuff about their neo-x cabs on this forum, I thought when I played one in person I would be blown away. I wasn't. I was very disappointed. Then their "Uber" series came out, and I rushed to my local shop to check them out, again expecting to be blown away. Instead I was uber-disappointed.

I went to the Carvin store recently and tried their latest BX500 amp - an amp I was about to order online before even trying it out based on the hype it got here. Let's just say it didn't go well. Could barely get a decent tone out of that box. Again - I thought it would sound decent, but even with all those controls, it just lacked any warmth. (I tried it all flat, eq off, etc, and then I tried tweaking before I just gave up.)

I spent a day shopping at a variety of bass shops in the area, trying out stuff that was outside my normal price range ($2-3k) for a new amp & cab. After playing some really "high end" and well respected stuff, I would have thought I would have a tough time deciding between a bunch of great rigs. Well again, it was slim pickin's trying to find a rig that sounded decent at all! I came away buying nothing, and only moderately interested in one rig that in comparison, didn't sound bad. (but didn't sound any better than what I already had at home)

Now, interestingly enough (and this is where everyone can keep their flame suits at bay), when I listen to *other* bassists, I often find their tone to be quite good - even if they're using gear that I tried myself and disliked. It really makes little sense. I guess "the tone is in the fingers" thing is the only explaination - and my fingers' tone doesn't match well with a lot of the popular TB amps/cabs!

Like I said, I've been drinking the wrong kool-aid!

[billhilly66]

Kool-aid is your problem. Switch to tequila then all those amps and cabs will sound great?

[dmusic148]

Well, what do you use that you do like? I hear ya, some of the light stuff doesn't do it for me either. I did finally settle on a head that I like, MB TA501. Big fat tone, similar to my SM900(but not quite as loud). Still searching for a light cab to go with it though. Waiting for my Golight 4x10 to arrive, we'll see.

[Greyvagabond]

I'd be curious to hear what you do like.

I say find a B-15. If that isn't the exactly opposite of a Class D amp and neo speakers, I don't know what is! Hell, the speaker magnet is SQUARE!!

[TrevorOfDoom]

things to note... what sounds good in the store doesn't always sound good on stage, and what sounds good on stage rarely sounds good in the store.
same with getting your tone in the musical mix: what sounds good by itself rarely sounds good in the mix, and vice versa.
that said, if you don't dig the latest trends, then that's alright.
i'm still playing a 37lbs hybrid head and 60lbs 1x15. warm, woolly, heavy.
buy, and play, what you like. screw the trends.

[superfunk47]

Originally Posted by TrevorOfDoom

things to note... what sounds good in the store doesn't always sound good on stage, and what sounds good on stage rarely sounds good in the store.
same with getting your tone in the musical mix: what sounds good by itself rarely sounds good in the mix, and vice versa.
that said, if you don't dig the latest trends, then that's alright.
i'm still playing a 37lbs hybrid head and 60lbs 1x15. warm, woolly, heavy.
buy, and play, what you like. screw the trends.

+1 to all of that. My rig isn't spectacular by itself, but in a mix it sounds right sweet.

[xgator4u]

Originally Posted by billhilly66

Kool-aid is your problem. Switch to tequila then all those amps and cabs will sound great?

Got Milk?

[Bassmanbob]

Originally Posted by TrevorOfDoom

things to note... what sounds good in the store doesn't always sound good on stage, and what sounds good on stage rarely sounds good in the store.
same with getting your tone in the musical mix: what sounds good by itself rarely sounds good in the mix, and vice versa.
that said, if you don't dig the latest trends, then that's alright.
i'm still playing a 37lbs hybrid head and 60lbs 1x15. warm, woolly, heavy.
buy, and play, what you like. screw the trends.

+2, and I do like the boutique stuff. I play Roscoes into Eden stuff. The sound guys like my stuff, the band likes my stuff and most importantly I like my stuff.

Find what YOU like and play it... Most importantly... have fun.

And switch to water. Kool aid is no good for you.

[Chad Michael]

Originally Posted by ashtray

....Confession: I'm having a tough time being a follower of current TB trends!....

Following trends here is an expensive exercise in futility .

Originally Posted by billhilly66

Kool-aid is your problem. Switch to tequila then all those amps and cabs will sound great?

The opposite is true for me personally, alcohol affects my hearing in a negative way.

[Joe.shaffer]

I agree with you totally.

[basschrs]

You know, I have to wonder how many people on here purchase and play what they do just because others did, and raved about it. And then I have to wonder how many of the people who raved about it were in the "honeymoon" phase of the instrument/amp they got, but don't really play it any longer because it's just not the awesomesauce it once seemed (and it's not the current rave on the boards here since it's not the newest piece of equipment money can buy).

But yea, +1 to play what sounds good to you. If you like stuff that others have dismissed as being 'no good' or whatever, so what? You're the one who has to listen to it day in and out, who cares what some random poster on the interweb who you will probably never meet says?

[warnergt]

Originally Posted by Greyvagabond

I'd be curious to hear what you do like.

Same here.

I haven't compared enough neo speakers to conventional ferrite speakers
to tell if I detect any difference but I alway get a nagging feeling that
I have somehow compromised the system by going with the lighter
neo speakers. Most advantages have a trade-off. Perhaps there is
no disadvantage with neo speakers; I don't know.

[ZonGuy]

I need the special kool-ade to appreciate why Tal Wilkenfield and Mellissa Auf Der Mauer are bass gods. Melissa looks great holding a bass, and I would like her to have my children. Tal reminds of Chelsea Clinton for some reason (separated at birth?).

If they were born male, both would be called talented but neither would be of particular note.

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by ashtray

Now, interestingly enough (and this is where everyone can keep their flame suits at bay), when I listen to *other* bassists, I often find their tone to be quite good - even if they're using gear that I tried myself and disliked. It really makes little sense. I guess "the tone is in the fingers" thing is the only explaination - and my fingers' tone doesn't match well with a lot of the popular TB amps/cabs!

Like I said, I've been drinking the wrong kool-aid!

Could also be that they've got a package (instrument/effects/strings/pu/etc) that compliments the rig better.

They also could have adapted to the tones by having more time to play than just the brief test drive you took. For all you know, they might be watching you and thinking "I've got all this hyped stuff and this guy with old school equipment's getting a great tone without jumping on the bandwagon."

[Sartori]

I myself am more a fan of old school, low tech rigs.

Different strokes for different folks, I say.

[peterpalmieri]

Originally Posted by ZonGuy

I need the special kool-ade to appreciate why Tal Wilkenfield and Mellissa Auf Der Mauer are bass gods. Melissa looks great holding a bass, and I would like her to have my children. Tal reminds of Chelsea Clinton for some reason (separated at birth?).

If they were born male, both would be called talented but neither would be of particular note.

Not interested. If you feel that way go ahead and start your own thread about it.

[Pilgrim]

I don't follow TB trends or most other trends. Why? I have a much higher regard for my judgment and opinion than I do for the average post I read on forums. There are people on this forum whose opinions I greatly respect, but I make up my own mind about the value of all comments and information. I've found my Behringer BX4500 to be a good amp regardless of what others think...and my MIM Jazz sounds just as good to me as my 1963 Precision - just different.

Me? I have a fondness for 60's and 70's sound, flatwounds, inexpensive (under $200) passive basses, and surf music. Not whatcha call trendy.

[ashtray]

The best cab I tried recently was a non-export German made Glockenklang cab. Unfortunately, they're not really available in the states (the US version which is tough to find uses different speakers). It was kinda pricey (over $1k for a 2x12), but it put everything else I tried to shame.

I like an articulate, well balanced sound. Warm, and not too bright, but not muddy at all, and with well defined presence. And of course, it has to have those low frequencies that wrap you up like a warm blanket, but without shaking your stomach to the point of tossing cookies. And, I like to get that tone at bedroom levels, and show levels. That's the real trick! What, me picky?

edit: After posting I realized I might have been misleading - the Glock cab I played *was* the best cab I tried in a long time, but the tone I described as what I like ideally was not exactly how the Glock sounded. It sounded like a cross between that ideal tone, and a chainsaw. The Glock had this definite color (or possibly complete lack of coloring?) that sounded very distinctive - kinda like seeing a metallic green Ferrari and you're not sure if you love it or hate it at first! My first impression was "wow, that's different" and then a minute later "I *like* it!". D

[OtterOnBass]

The good kool-aid is in all the non-gear posts that talk about the science and methodology, technique and bandliness. If you're shopping, take all these reviews with a grain of salt, that salt being personal taste and specific set-up.

[skidrawk]

Its all in the fingers. No matter what I plug into I still sound like me. Try working on your technic.