| pocketmonster | 03-29-2011 12:07 AM |
MJ5 review
I was hesitant to post this review, seeing how it is for a one-of-a-kind F Bass, but in the end I figure everyone is probably interested to know how the design worked out. I ended up trading Donovan another F Bass for the black bass he asked George to build with the MM pickup and J neck pickup (both Nordstrand).
On receiving the bass, I put it through its paces in my studio. The sounds all seemed good but not particularly special. The playability was very good, and the neck is definitely thicker and chunkier than my VF5. I noticed before even plugging it in that the sustain and punch of the notes are stronger. The lower notes actually shook my rib cage through direct vibration. I will attribute some of that to the ash/maple design vs. the alder/rosewood of my VF5, but I think the thicker neck has a lot to do with it as well. (It came with DR Marcus Millers, btw.)
I have now played the bass out twice. It was in the mix of a live performance that I began to appreciate it. The J pickup is warm and pure, not muddy (or at least inarticulate), as I normally think of neck pups. I have used the J soloed in several songs that needed either a nice pedal-like sound or a smooth, melodic lead bass sort of vibe. The J is actually a humbucker with silent coil, so it does solo without noise. On the flip side, the MM pickup just goes places a J bridge pup wouldn't dare. It really captures the snarl and rudeness of a proper vintage stingray, and it just chews up a mix and spits it out. Soloing the MM guarantees you will be heard, not in a room shaking way - unless you dial up the active bass EQ - but in a "punch a hole right through the mix with grinding, biting mids and treble" way. The passive tone knob is good for taming the beast a bit, and rolling both pups together also produces a really nice all around sound... call it a pillow with rough edges...
I have found that soloing the J and then rolling on the MM to the right amount of edge is nice. Soloing the MM and then rounding/fattening it with the J is also useful. I haven't even explored the MM split or passive mode to this point. And, honestly, the need to add any EQ boost just hasn't been there. I think I've dialed the lows up on the MM pup a couple times, but otherwise just running flat.
My band is used to seeing me with lots of different gear, but they commented on how incredibly good this bass sounds. I explained the design to the sound guy, who has lots of experience running pro gigs, and he gave really good feedback after yesterday's performances. He said all the sounds were good and useful, and he emphasized that the MM sound was just a snarly, mean mofo of a bass... in a good way, of course. :D
In summary, this bass isn't going anywhere. It's the only thing I've owned that could be called a Swiss Army Bass where all the blades on it are actually useful. Evidently George isn't planning on building more of these, but perhaps he should consider it based on these results... I mean, having a stingray vibe with F Bass ergonomics and fit and finish is a pretty special thing. Add some J flexibility in the tones, and it is an obvious winner. | 
