about optical pickup basses?

[bassafro]

Hey guys!

I live very far from where some one can check a bass before buying.
Any body tryed these lightwave basses or any other with optical pickups?

Pleas any info. would help.

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Thanks!

 

[Rick Auricchio]

I have one of the earlier ones and I love it. It's an unlined fretless model, which I've got strung with TI flats. Smooth, clear and clean, plenty of sustain.

It weighs under eight pounds, because there's a large electronics cavity.

The third from the left:

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[Spiritfield]

I had a Zon Sonus 4 w/ the Lightwave pickup back around 2000 or so and it was great. Worked as advertised.

 

[bassman10096]

I had one of the early Lightwave prototypes and had a mixed reaction. The optical pickups gave it the smoothest, clearest low end I have heard anywhere - truly something you'd want access to in virtually any sound. The mids and highs lacked punch. As a result, the bass didn't cut very well through the mix. I talked to the Lightwave folks about this at the time and they told me they were playing with blending a magnetic pickup along with an optical pickup system to capitalize on the best of both. Looking at the site, it appears they now have a hybrid model. Providing the pickup magnet doesn't pull the strings enough to distort the vibrations the optical system picks up, that would be a very interesting bass.

 

[bassafro]

Thank's guys

You see I am more in to punchy bass tones and I always find my self adjusting the pickup balance.But when I look at these basses (the optical ones) I think it wouldn't make any diferent where you put your right hand(if u are a right handed)
closer to the neck or to the bridg.

I am considering of buying it if they add the midi options like thy say they do.

Thank's any way.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I own two 5 string LW's the first one I got in 04(5 string fretless) and I recently got a fretted 5 string
Saber VL and I really dig them. To me the fretted one has a sound that reminds me of a very clear acoustic bass guitar and the fretless one has a very strong lyrical presence. I have TI's on the fretless and SIT Rock Brites on the fretted one.















And yes I am a LW endorser.

 

[Fretlessboy]

What do you think of the slap sound?

I own two 5 string LW's the first one I got in 04(5 string fretless) and I recently got a fretted 5 string
Saber VL and I really dig them. To me the fretted one has a sound that reminds me of a very clear acoustic bass guitar and the fretless one has a very strong lyrical presence. I have TI's on the fretless and SIT Rock Brites on the fretted one.















And yes I am a LW endorser.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

What do you think of the slap sound?

I like it and it seems to have a very mild acoustic bass guitar overtone to it.

Kind of like the tone you get when you slap on an acoustic bass guitar. But you can eq the tonal options to be very bright or with surprisingly clear lows.


One would be surprised at how much low end you can get out of a LW bass.

 

[Fretlessboy]

I am currently in discussion with Martin about some stuff. Can you put n a good word for me. I played around with a SaberVL5 fretted and thought it was a really really cool bass. Very organic but focussed as well. Tonaly it was very smooth and would be a very expressive solo tone in the mix. I didn't get to run iot through my rig but I really thought it has a lot to offer.

I like it and it seems to have a very mild acoustic bass guitar overtone to it.

Kind of like the tone you get when you slap on an acoustic bass guitar. But you can eq the tonal options to be very bright or with surprisingly clear lows.


One would be surprised at how much low end you can get out of a LW bass.