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Besides Sadowsky...

This is a great plan.

I had an M5-24, for a day, and it was ---completely---not my thing.

I have both an RV5-JJ and an MV5-JJ, both with single coil J's; and those are very much my thing :D

I have an MV5PJ as well, which is yet another distinct and cool flavor. I bet ABG have one of those too.

Probably in the next week I'm gonna go into Atlanta Bass Gallery and play a single coil sadowksy along with mine to compare. That will give me a better picture of what I'm looking for.
 
I would seriously check out one of chopper Anderson's
Alien audio basses....
I have had several great Sadowsky's along with most
of the major boutique Js and The alien is my favorite bass
for studio and live meat and potatoes playing.
It sits in the mix perfectly...
 
Lakland USA Joe Osborn or Bob Glaub. Zing basses. If you want active, consider the Lakland USA AJ (active Jazz). The Skylines are nice, but the USA versions are luxurious--especially the necks. For the USA builds, you can request lightweight and they'll make sure it is. Perfect fit and finish.
 
Lotsa options,,, I was surprised to head a Sadowsky didnt cut it both ways for you. Never heard that before... If you read my column from about 3 years ago in Premier Guitar - "5 Fender Emulations", I'm sure this can shed some info for you..
 
Lotsa options,,, I was surprised to head a Sadowsky didnt cut it both ways for you. Never heard that before... If you read my column from about 3 years ago in Premier Guitar - "5 Fender Emulations", I'm sure this can shed some info for you..

HEY KEBO!

I have a bass or two I might need you to help me move. ;)

I agree your article will help a lot.

My two cents additional is that most of the high end basses that are made in the Fender style are made to be "upgraded" or "updated" Fender clones. So its really not surprising that they don't make the huge difference most people think.

Boosting mids in a live situation is nice, and a good preamp/pedal will normally do the trick. Hartke VXL Attack or Sansamp DI normally are all I need, to even make my vintage Danelectros sound like modern basses.

I would recommend you stay with the Sadowsky, play with your EQ and add a preamp. You'll get the tone you need quick enough. Also, try playing with only the bridge pickup. Will take a bit of the low out and give you probably the sound you are looking for.

I also agree with the other poster, a lot of times live its your amp. I have been playing Hartke for years, but when I switched to the new LH500 I did not know it was based on a Fender tone stack. So I used to keep all the knobs at about noon, thinking that was flat. When Larry informed me that "flat" was bass=2, Mid=9/10 and treb=1 or two, well, it changed my approach to the amp completely. So now live I keep the rig at "flat" and use my pedal or bass to play with EQ. I was amazed how much of a difference it makes.

Sometimes live the problem is not that you don't have enough mid, its that you have toooooo much bass and also one or more of your guitar players has a setting that completely eliminates your mid, at least to your ears.

tom
 
I use about a 10% boost on the bass control, leave the balance between the pickups centered, NEVER touch the highs and use the VTC a lot! I like that I can always fit in the mix quickly by using the VTC and the bass always sounds different without other instruments playing.

Dan K.
 
HEY KEBO!

I have a bass or two I might need you to help me move. ;)

I agree your article will help a lot.

My two cents additional is that most of the high end basses that are made in the Fender style are made to be "upgraded" or "updated" Fender clones. So its really not surprising that they don't make the huge difference most people think.

Boosting mids in a live situation is nice, and a good preamp/pedal will normally do the trick. Hartke VXL Attack or Sansamp DI normally are all I need, to even make my vintage Danelectros sound like modern basses.

I would recommend you stay with the Sadowsky, play with your EQ and add a preamp. You'll get the tone you need quick enough. Also, try playing with only the bridge pickup. Will take a bit of the low out and give you probably the sound you are looking for.

I also agree with the other poster, a lot of times live its your amp. I have been playing Hartke for years, but when I switched to the new LH500 I did not know it was based on a Fender tone stack. So I used to keep all the knobs at about noon, thinking that was flat. When Larry informed me that "flat" was bass=2, Mid=9/10 and treb=1 or two, well, it changed my approach to the amp completely. So now live I keep the rig at "flat" and use my pedal or bass to play with EQ. I was amazed how much of a difference it makes.

Sometimes live the problem is not that you don't have enough mid, its that you have toooooo much bass and also one or more of your guitar players has a setting that completely eliminates your mid, at least to your ears.

tom

I once read a post by a bassist who said turn down your "bass" knob on your amp and either add from your bass or be determined to add from your amp without touching your bass tone control. I could not believe it UNTIL it made a huge difference everywhere I played. I normally, especially on back-line amps, come in and turn the bass down and set the other tone controls to flat. I prefer to control my EQ from my bass and not fiddle with an amp. Hey TRichardsbass, Great piece of advice which is readily overlooked!

:bassist: