Why mod the SX? They're perfect as is! Well, except they need fretwork. And a new string retainer that doesn't eat strings when you stretch them. And straplocks. And the polepieces stick too far out of the pickups.
Other than that, they're perfect!
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Big changes in the past year
- Thread starter JimmyM
- Start date
Other than that, they're perfect!
After almost 30 years of hauling around more than I needed because I talked myself into needing it, I did some major down sizing.
- Sold my Trace Elliot head and the 2x10 and 1x15's I hauled around
- Bought a GK 2x10 tilt-back combo
- Sold my Fulltone Bass Drive Mosfet
- Bought a Tech 21 VT Bass
- Sold my 4 String P-Bass
- Bought nothing, sticking with my 5 String J-Bass and my 8 String Schector
Almost forgot to mention, got a new keyboard player who actually learns his parts and has chops to spare. Huge difference there...
Hauling less, gigging more, loving life...
- Sold my Trace Elliot head and the 2x10 and 1x15's I hauled around
- Bought a GK 2x10 tilt-back combo
- Sold my Fulltone Bass Drive Mosfet
- Bought a Tech 21 VT Bass
- Sold my 4 String P-Bass
- Bought nothing, sticking with my 5 String J-Bass and my 8 String Schector
Almost forgot to mention, got a new keyboard player who actually learns his parts and has chops to spare. Huge difference there...
Hauling less, gigging more, loving life...
All these gear changes are cool, but I'd like to know if these gear changes resulted in any changes in tonal philosophy, or changes in your playing, or any other epiphanies.
For example, I didn't go into it deeply before, but I bought a 1977 B-15N that changed my whole outlook on tone. I've been used to more full-range systems (at least up to 5k) with a strong upper mid. But this B-15 is all 125-200 hz with an upper mid cut and pretty much nothing past 2k. Sounds like a big cloud of warmth with just enough attack around it to give it some definition and no more. All of a sudden, I'm recognizing that tone on a ton of songs that I loved, so I went with it. Now I'm using dead flats on my main bass, and instead of cutting through a mix, I'm looking to kick the mix in the sack. Love it!
For example, I didn't go into it deeply before, but I bought a 1977 B-15N that changed my whole outlook on tone. I've been used to more full-range systems (at least up to 5k) with a strong upper mid. But this B-15 is all 125-200 hz with an upper mid cut and pretty much nothing past 2k. Sounds like a big cloud of warmth with just enough attack around it to give it some definition and no more. All of a sudden, I'm recognizing that tone on a ton of songs that I loved, so I went with it. Now I'm using dead flats on my main bass, and instead of cutting through a mix, I'm looking to kick the mix in the sack. Love it!
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,233
- 45,134
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Last December I picked up the bass again after about 15 years away from it.
in that time I have:
Bought and sold a GK Backline 115;
Bought and kept a Genz Benz Neo Pak
Bought/built and kept a BFM Omni10
Sold a Yamaha BG 5 string
Bought and kept a pre-Gibson Tobias Classic 5
Bought and kept an Ibanez Gary Willis (GWB1) fretless, and outfitted it with an ACG preamp
Bought and kept a Zon Sonus Special 5 string fretless
Started gigging regularly, first with an Americana band, then with an original Blues/Folk band.
Started playing fretless for 90% of my gigs.
Started getting called for recording sessions on fretless.
Tried DR strings and liked them.
Went back to Ken Smith Compressor strings and love them still.
Am developing a tone that I love. I love the expressiveness of fretless - it works for me, and I can cover a wide range of styles with it. My gear right now is just a tonal sweet spot - clear and articulate, with enough grr coming in from the NeoPak and the fretless. I can also get a tone that I love just from the bass, going DI into the board.
Jim, you talk about kicking the mix in the sack. Very cool.
I'm wanting to drive the mix, and sing through it as well. And it be workin' for me.
Started looping.
Bought a DL4.
Played at the Y2K8 looping festival in Santa Cruz.
Started using pedals for the first time as part of my looping gear.
discovered envelope filters
Bought and am keeping a a Mutron III+.
Bought and am keeping an old Boss CE2 chorus.
Discovered TB and have learned a lot here.
in that time I have:
Bought and sold a GK Backline 115;
Bought and kept a Genz Benz Neo Pak
Bought/built and kept a BFM Omni10
Sold a Yamaha BG 5 string
Bought and kept a pre-Gibson Tobias Classic 5
Bought and kept an Ibanez Gary Willis (GWB1) fretless, and outfitted it with an ACG preamp
Bought and kept a Zon Sonus Special 5 string fretless
Started gigging regularly, first with an Americana band, then with an original Blues/Folk band.
Started playing fretless for 90% of my gigs.
Started getting called for recording sessions on fretless.
Tried DR strings and liked them.
Went back to Ken Smith Compressor strings and love them still.
Am developing a tone that I love. I love the expressiveness of fretless - it works for me, and I can cover a wide range of styles with it. My gear right now is just a tonal sweet spot - clear and articulate, with enough grr coming in from the NeoPak and the fretless. I can also get a tone that I love just from the bass, going DI into the board.
Jim, you talk about kicking the mix in the sack. Very cool.
I'm wanting to drive the mix, and sing through it as well. And it be workin' for me.
Started looping.
Bought a DL4.
Played at the Y2K8 looping festival in Santa Cruz.
Started using pedals for the first time as part of my looping gear.
discovered envelope filters
Bought and am keeping a a Mutron III+.
Bought and am keeping an old Boss CE2 chorus.
Discovered TB and have learned a lot here.
- Jun 25, 2006
- 3,226
- 341
- Disclosures
- Owner, Pike Amplification & 3Leaf Audio
Until a few months ago I swore by dead roundwounds. Recently I ripped the preamp out of my bass and started changing my strings regularly.
I'm not sure if it's a complete change in tonal philosophy, but I'm really happy with my tone right now.
- Jan 7, 2008
- 2,196
- 224
- 39
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Olinto, La Bella, JuleAmps, Epifani
Only minor changes for me this year, bass gear wise. I started using a Pandora as a one-small-box solution to my need for a tuner, mute switch, octaver (for the occasional number) and the bit of extra tonal variation from the other effects and the amp modelling is nice to have on hand, although I hardly use that really. The Pandora's velcroed to the top of my rig and now my pedalboard tends to stay at home. More detail here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=452674
Other than that, I've used DR Hi Beams this year for a while, but whether this will be a permanent switch from Rotosounds I'm not yet sure.
Most of my music acquisitions this year have been in the form of software and recording facilities at home. Until Christmas anyway, when I just treated myself to a new acoustic guitar and also an ABG which is good fun. I also got given my Dad's old Slingerland kit a few months back, which is now permanently set up in my spare room and gives me a good motivation to get some exercise! Did you know how good drumming is as a form of exercise, btw?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7518888.stm
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=452674
Other than that, I've used DR Hi Beams this year for a while, but whether this will be a permanent switch from Rotosounds I'm not yet sure.
Most of my music acquisitions this year have been in the form of software and recording facilities at home. Until Christmas anyway, when I just treated myself to a new acoustic guitar and also an ABG which is good fun. I also got given my Dad's old Slingerland kit a few months back, which is now permanently set up in my spare room and gives me a good motivation to get some exercise! Did you know how good drumming is as a form of exercise, btw?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7518888.stm
I became a bass player in my band this year, after it became apparent that I could play better than the local bassists who auditioned for our band - even though I've never played bass in my life. Now, I've played about 10 times and have our whole song list down.
Picked up another WT-405 head, so I have two stacks:
One WT405
NSP210
NSP210
NS28
WT-405
D210XST
D210XST
PodXT Live to run both of them.
Picked up another WT-405 head, so I have two stacks:
One WT405
NSP210
NSP210
NS28
WT-405
D210XST
D210XST
PodXT Live to run both of them.
I finally got an all-tube amp ... and a 1x15" to go with it 
I've been gassing for this amp for a looong time now, but never actually got it because tube amps are:
- heavy
- expensive
- not maintenance-free (replacing tubes), etc...
Anyway, I'm happy that I bought it anyway because the sound is just incredible
Ciao,
KN
I've been gassing for this amp for a looong time now, but never actually got it because tube amps are:- heavy
- expensive
- not maintenance-free (replacing tubes), etc...
Anyway, I'm happy that I bought it anyway because the sound is just incredible
Ciao,
KN
Chef
In Memoriam
Welllll, yeah, kinda.
Though this has been in stages.
The move to take up DB four years ago has simplifed my playing all the way 'round, over time. I play way fewer notes than I used to; and think about them all, more. At first this was just cause I couldn't play all that many
Now, it's because I really feel the simpler lines are more impactful, and carefully chosen "bonus notes" speaker more than a whole slew of...stuff...
My electric tone has-like yours-moved more to a deeper, fuller sound, to emulate my DB tone.
My gear choices have been to that end.
Though this has been in stages.
The move to take up DB four years ago has simplifed my playing all the way 'round, over time. I play way fewer notes than I used to; and think about them all, more. At first this was just cause I couldn't play all that many
Now, it's because I really feel the simpler lines are more impactful, and carefully chosen "bonus notes" speaker more than a whole slew of...stuff...My electric tone has-like yours-moved more to a deeper, fuller sound, to emulate my DB tone.
My gear choices have been to that end.
I was lucky and had two equipment changes that helped me become a better player. I settled on 215's for country / acoustic rock. The sonic heft of those things forced me to simplify and be rock solid timing wise.
The other breakthrough was picking up an Ashly preamp, which I use in my modern sounding rig. It is so open and clear sounding that it was the driving force for me to radically clean up my playing. I ended up moving from anchored thumb to floating as well as went back to the woodshed on left hand muting.
The other breakthrough was picking up an Ashly preamp, which I use in my modern sounding rig. It is so open and clear sounding that it was the driving force for me to radically clean up my playing. I ended up moving from anchored thumb to floating as well as went back to the woodshed on left hand muting.
Yeah I get what you mean, had a bit of that in there like, I think one of the main thing I worked out is that despite been a rock player for the most part, I'm not too bothered about kick in the guts punch anymore, more into rumbling trouser flapping kinda punch. One of our guitarists has a pretty deep guitar tone that's quite punchy given that it's a guitar, and our drummer has a really thuddy bass drum, so I'm pretty happy letting them get on with that. On the other hand neither of our guitarists have particularly present tones, So I've kinda filled that too, the nice thing though is (before everything blew up) is that my rig, mostly due to the NV215, sounded so huge that little bump in the upper mids and presence didn't subtract anything fro the overall huge chunky feel of the thing. So yeah, I'm a bit of a full range convert, pity it takes so much power up in a rock setting.
One of the other interesting things is, very un-rock like aswell, that I've started to find wearing my bass fairly high is alot easier to play, probably cos I practise sitting down most the time. Look like a bit of a dick cos ATKs are pretty big bodied things, but I can play better, and since I haven't got several hundred pounds of ash infront of the top of my legs I can rock out and make myself look like even more of a dick
Only other major thing is I reeeeally want a double bass now, there's alot of songs in our acoustic side - which has now almost become a separate band which is really cool - where it'd really fit, if only I had a few hundred spare pounds...
I found TalkBass.
I finally found my bass -- a modified shortscale SX lined fretless Jazz. I feel at home with fretless, maybe 'cause violin was my main axe.
Switched my cabs' drivers to Neo's.
I finally found my bass -- a modified shortscale SX lined fretless Jazz. I feel at home with fretless, maybe 'cause violin was my main axe.
Switched my cabs' drivers to Neo's.
Get one!!! It's the most fun you'll have with your clothes on. Just ask me and Chef..apparently we started on DB at the same time.
Chef
In Memoriam
'bout 4 years ago for me.
having never taken a lesson-but, having read a lot of method books-I ordered one.
arrived by amtrak one afternoon.
picked it up, tuned it up, spent a few minutes trying to make it sound decent thru my amp (swr super rehead, really nice for DB)...i then took it, and only it to work that night.
it was a blues/jazz gig.
i played really simple stuff.
it was terrifying, and fun, and been a learning experience ever since.
spent a lot more time with simandl, brown and reid books since, and a few proper lessons even
really old pic
( the b-max suuuuuucked for DB, the navigator was really nice):
having never taken a lesson-but, having read a lot of method books-I ordered one.
arrived by amtrak one afternoon.
picked it up, tuned it up, spent a few minutes trying to make it sound decent thru my amp (swr super rehead, really nice for DB)...i then took it, and only it to work that night.
it was a blues/jazz gig.
i played really simple stuff.
it was terrifying, and fun, and been a learning experience ever since.
spent a lot more time with simandl, brown and reid books since, and a few proper lessons even
really old pic
( the b-max suuuuuucked for DB, the navigator was really nice):
I got one in April 2005. Bought an Upton Hawkes. Still can't play it very well but I have fun with it.
* Went back to flats after playing only rounds for 25+ years.
* Started using effects pedals and a pedal board for the first time.
* Have been using a combo amp as my main rig for the first time (and for the first time my gear fits in the trunk of my car).
* Had a bass stolen for the first time ever.
* Have had more fun in a classic rock cover band that I ever thought I would.
* Started using effects pedals and a pedal board for the first time.
* Have been using a combo amp as my main rig for the first time (and for the first time my gear fits in the trunk of my car
). * Had a bass stolen for the first time ever.
* Have had more fun in a classic rock cover band that I ever thought I would.
I need to get a pickup for mine.
Any suggestions? I like a real deep and thuddy bass. Not to worried about the arco sound.
Any suggestions? I like a real deep and thuddy bass. Not to worried about the arco sound.
