Valenti VTP5 #110
Well let me first say that this is not my first Valenti and nor will it be my last.
First and foremost as expected, this neck has a shallow but soild neck profile that is just really easy to play.
I'm really excited that He made a stock bass with 18mm string spacing (I know its all personal preference, but 18mm is just baby bear for me).
I have some good relationships with some other builders that make great instruments that I treat their more like specific tools. On that note I can get Jazz type for a lot of things, but not all. The beauty of "VTP5 #110" besides its playability is its versatility. Its goes beyond a J style instrument, its not a P bass (but it is in body style)and no MM clone either. I will elaborate...
Tonewise: The key to this bass is the pickup placment, at fist glance the pickup spacing looks like a Sadowsky modern. Well its far from that actually. What Nino did instead was pulled back the neck pickup back for a conventional 2 pickup soapbar placement and left the bridge pickup in its stock position.
The pickups are Nordstrand 'Big Singles' the set up is pretty intresting...Its like He took a Stingray pickup and split up in 2 parts and moved each side out and over a little more then .5" in either direction. This is coupled with a Nordstrand 3 band EQ with a push-pull passive volume pot.
Its Amazing sounding! With the tone set flat its like a J bass and a Stingray produced an offspring. Its the most growl I have ever heard in a bass. Almost too much for some applications, but its very controllable buy dialing back the highs. This worked perfect for a folk gig I did where I'm playing a conservative role most of the time.
Side note: The Nordy preamp sounds like a much more open Audere. I like the Audere in its own right and those whole like the suitableness of the Audere would like the Nordy Pre. The mid control is the most useful sounding mid ever. Dialing in the mids on this bass instanly gave you that ability to cut through the mix for a solo. This bass can cop a ever so slightly brigher P bass tone as well just by rolling to the neck pickup all the way. Its slightly brighter but has all that mid-range authority that goes with a P.
I have always been a big fan of Nordstrand Pickups anyways and Carey's 18volt preamp is a winner as well.
This is the most versatile instrument that I have in my stable.
This bass is a big win, Thanks Nino and thanks to Carey for the electronics.
I'm getting ready to order this model again with an Ebony board.
10 out of 10 for me.
Cheers
