Call me crazy... Villex on SX (essex)?

billoetjen · #1 05-09-2008, 10:04 AM

Well, I already know I'm

crazy. But here's my diagnosis: assembled a fretted 4 string with neck and body by Warmoth, pups by Villex. Am TOTALLY happy with everything about this axe.

Now, I want to take up fretless. I may suck at it, so SX makes sense to start with. But I'm hopelessly addicted to the sound offered by Villex pups. If I don't suck so much on the SX, then move up as before, moving the pups to the new axe.

But does it seem, well, like, upgrading the interior of a Chevette to leather and burled walnut?

Maybe the winters in Vermont are tooooo looonnnnnnnggg after all.

Bill

dakpluto · #2 05-09-2008, 12:16 PM

What good is the leather and burled walnut if you are paying 2k just for the hood ornament?

Screw price. Screw "name brand." If you can make a $150 SX sound like a $5000 boutique bass, then you have a great instrument and saved over $4000 to make 15 more instruments just like it.

If you like it, do it.

Dragonlord · #3 05-09-2008, 12:46 PM

Do it. I am also doing the same, putting villex pups on a $200 washburn (my first bass) which I have defretted and re-finishing. I am taking my time though on it, as I doubt I'll play it much - it's a 4-string and not fanned-fretted. And anyway, if you find that the SX doesn't do justice to the pickups, you can use it as a learning tool and, when you think it's worth it, do the same as with your fretted bass - get parts from warmoth, use the villex and put the old pickups back to the SX. Which I doubt you'll ever need to do, but even then you do have an option so that the villex don't go wasted.

69nites · #4 05-09-2008, 12:51 PM

I don't see a reason not to...

Mushroo · #5 05-09-2008, 12:56 PM

If anything, it will help you learn fretless quicker! Since the pickups and electronics will be the same as your fretted bass, that's one less variable you'll have to deal with as you adjust to the new bass. ps I love playing fretless, hope you do too! Good luck.

bassrique · #6 05-09-2008, 02:18 PM

billoetjen,

Which Villex pups do you have on the Warmoth?

Can you put into words why you like the Villex sound?

billoetjen · #7 05-09-2008, 03:17 PM

The set I have in my beloved and much-used Warmoth bass (one to two hours of play a day average) is the VPJLH. That's the linear humbucker p and j set. I went with the p and j to allow me maximum variety of choices in case the Villex didn't work out. I like having as wide a variety of tones as possible, controlled by bridge or neck pickup, etc.
I felt and still do that a p and j gives me the widest possible control over tone. Having said that, I've been told that the Villex pups have pretty much the same tone, regardless of which one you choose. Tone is more dependent on pickup placement and player's style. But still, I wasn't absolutely sure that I'd be staying with the Villex.
And I went with humbucker because I HATE extraneous noise. Which is why I re-shield and re-ground anything I get my hands on.

The Villex sound. Hhmmm. This is going to cause fights. So be it.
Crazy detailed - well defined. But, to my ears, more musical, less harsh and fatiguing than active pups. Incredibly balanced - every fret position, every note has about the same volume as any other. The frequency response is as smooth as a really good studio monitor. Very, almost unnaturally, large dynamic range. Kind of like piezos but without all the finger noise, etc.
With the heaviest set of flat-wound Chromes you get this authoritative emphasis on deep tones, especially the fundamental if I roll back the Villex mid control (it's the only control I have and all I need). Ease back up the mid control and a totally different balance emerges - much more modern and cut-through, but without losing the sense of the fundamental.
I suspect that it would be devilishly in-your-face with the right rounds. Again, similar to actives but less compressed, having more dynamic range.
How much all of this is due to the very responsive Warmoth neck, is anyone's guess. But again, you need the pickup to pick that up.
It's just so cool to have so much control over the tone by adjusting the mid control. I smile every time I hear it. And because it's all passive, I know that the first device in line to "hear" my bass is the tube pre in either my Ampeg combo or my GT Ditto box.

I have yet to hear anything as satisfying - to my subjective taste, that is.
Hope this helps.
Bill

grace & groove · #8 05-09-2008, 03:18 PM

So who wants to take bets on how long until FullRangeBass is in here?

billoetjen · #9 05-09-2008, 03:19 PM

Who do you think turned me on to Villex?

grace & groove · #10 05-09-2008, 06:54 PM

Of course.

fullrangebass · #11 05-10-2008, 03:36 AM

Hey guys, did someone call my name?

IMO the Villex tone serves the fretless approach very well. It has the huge big fundamental as well as the analysis in the mids (no harsh highs or any other unusable sounds found here). My next fretless is aimed for Villex pickups with an added PRTB for added flavours (the current fretless I own is a very unique piece to even think of modifying it)

I would have probably joined the thread earlier but I'm away till tomorrow evening. (internet cafe for now)