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Basses with that "Hi-Fi" sound

#24
saxman_singcan said:
Oh yeah, forgot about MTD - I have tried one in a store and it really reminded me of an FBass (not to go on about FBasses, haha.) Don't forget, you might want to try a cab with a horn - that will help you get there too. (anybody agree?)
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I actually played an F bass in chicago about 3 months ago when I bought my stingray. The B on the F bass wasnt quite what I needed but man that had to be the fastest neck Ive laid my small girlish hands on.
 
#26
I have found that basses with graphite necks have a rounder, crisper and more acoustically present tone than most of their wood counterparts. For example, I have quite a few Jazz Bass bodies and necks, the bodies have a mix of different pickups (EMG, Barts, Hi-A and Seymours) and I am always swapping the necks and bodies to get different tone combinations. I have wood necks on all but one with maple, ebony and rosewood fretboards, from plain rock maple to ridiculous tigerstripe (which is my least favorite due to not being very stable).

A few years back I received a Modulus neck in trade; I finally put in on my favorite Jazz Body and holy cow- it opened up a tonality and sustain that was a quantum leap over what it had before (which was good to begin with). All vowels, no consonants when it came to tone.

The electronics and body wood also play a large part. I think the headroom you gain from an 18V preamp gives you more "hi-fi" tone than 9V. I also think that harder tonewoods (Ash and Alder specifically) give you better "hi-fi" tone than softer woods.

I love my Bongo and it is my main bass for rock and most fingerstyle but the basswood body (IMO) precludes it from being a true "hi-fi" bass. Sterling voiced that preamp with so much balls it is ridiculous; I got to hear one of the early prototypes and if you gave any boost at all the signal started to squarewave.

I also had a Rick Turner fretless (Electroline?) that was insane, it's one of the few I have sold over the years that I regret. It only had piezos in the bridge, no tone control but it was so fat, full and clear that all you needed was an amp. Any amp.
 
#27
I really love the smooth, hi-fi sound of my Modulus basses. Need a jazzer? Find a used Mod. Genesis, like soapbars (can sound more hi-hi IMO), get a Q5 or Q6. Modulus is a can't miss for the hi-fi sound. I love the Bartolini pickups, the EMGs are also a favorite of some, but some think they sound too harsh and brittle (TOO hi-fi maybe?).
 
#28
I think the tone most people call "hi-fi" has a lot more to do with midrange than it has to do with scoop - which I admit is counterintuitive. A bump in the upper midrange, along with a slightly compressed high end and a bottom end that is not too bloomy makes the bass sound pop in a mix very differently than the normal P or J sound, and the tone is pretty obvious so people call it hi-fi.

Stingrays are in the tonal ballpark in my view, but a lot of them have a pretty big bottom and although they do happen in the mids, I think they happen a little lower.

Mark King worked with Rob Green of Status to get a very defined upper midrange bump on the Status Kingbass; at this time it may be the best example of the hi-fi bass tone I am thinking of.
 
#29
pjmuck said:
I would. Not sure what your definition of Hi Fi is, but Musicman basses are THE definition of Hi Fi tone, IMO, at least that's exactly how they've been described for the past 30+ years. So I don't see why the original poster is inquiring about obtaining Hi Fi tone when he should have it already in a Stingray.

If someone's equating Hi Fi with modern or sterile, then I suppose you could consider any of the graphite/composite basses such as aforementioned Zon, Modulus, or Steinberger.
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"Hi Fi" is very subjective, as the term "wet" when describing envelope filters. HH 'Rays..not Hi Fi? From the begining, I think the 'Rays set the standard of what Hi Fi is. My opinion of course...
 
#30
Bryan R. Tyler said:
A used Zon is a great hi-fi option. I picked up a Sonus 6 with a nice top for $1400 years back- they can still be found in the +/- $2k range when they pop up.
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I 2nd Zon - My fretled gets a very crisp sound (but has great lows). I paid $1250 used for it a few years back, though I think the price is going up as Joe has raised his prices for new Zons through the roof...

I guess I don't need to point out the "Gold Standard" for the hi-fi sound, Ken Smith... right?
 
#32
Yeah, when I think "hi-fi" Stingray doesn't pop into my head. Rather i'd go with something with soapbars, punchy mid and some sizzle on top. Smith, MTD, Fodera, Roscoe, Zon, Modulus come to mind. Stingray is more in the "nasty vintage kinda modern" bucket. Ymmv.
 
#36
Debased said:
My definition of a hifi bass tone is one that has piano-like midrange articulation, relatively "flat" tonal characteristics (no EQ exaggerations) and very good extension at both frequency extremes.

MTD USA, Jerzy Drozd and Alembic are some good examples.
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what you just described sir is precisely what i heard from a modulus Q5 that i played.
The B, E, A strings were like a grand piano.
 
#40
Funny. I have a Fodera and although it's hot, I find the sound more on the mellow side. Lots of low mids with a distinctive tone.

Hi Fi, to me, it an Eq'd "active Sound. A little cold but with lots of highs.

So unless everyone agrees what they're describing, it's a moot point. One persons' Hi Fi is not another's -- even if they agree on what a bass sounds like!
 

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