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Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 2!

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#165
Jheake said:
...So after playing both basses quite a bit i went with the SB5000 the neck on the 5 TO ME was a bit more comfortable, even tho they are supposed to have the same profile. The neck on the 5 was incredible. For a guy with smaller hands it was well shaped and at the nut was very narrow but got big enough at the neck pickup for slapping. It wasnt cumbersome at all....
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I keep reading this over and over - and this was MY precise reaction: The 5 feels GREAT - The 4? It's not my cup of tea.

If I can justify it, I'll order one. Right now, I can't justify it.
 
#167
splitcoilsenior said:
How do they compare in feel?
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Thanks for the compliments. More tracks from this show will be posted soon which will demonstrate some other sounds the SB4000 can make.

To answer your question, the Joe Osborn has a very comfortable thin neck. Laklands are famous for their necks especially on the Joe Osborn. Probably more comfortable than the Carvin for a guy with small hands like me if I'm totally honest. However, the body shape and balance on the SB4000 is probably more comfortable...so go figure. I only used the Joe for 1 song out of 75 minutes that night. While the SB4000 did get a bit fatiguing on the hands, it wasn't enough to make me stop. Plus, it's beautiful.

The Joe also doesn't have a contoured neck joint. It's a true "super-Jazz bass" with better pickups and neck than a Fender, but it's different from an active SB4000. The Joe is passive and the US version (which I have, but found used) is over $3000 new!

I also own Music Man Sterlings (USA), a Stingray SLO Special (Stingray with Sterling neck), and US Fender Jazz. I thought the Carvin played and sounded great for this gig (despite my mistakes!). I can drive myself crazy comparing all my basses...so I just play! Also, when the light hits the SB4000 - it looks killer. I have some great photos. Anyway, thanks for listening.

More tracks coming...:bassist:
 
#168
BigOldHarry said:
I keep reading this over and over - and this was MY precise reaction: The 5 feels GREAT - The 4? It's not my cup of tea.

If I can justify it, I'll order one. Right now, I can't justify it.
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I drove to the san deigo store to play them both because i just couldnt make that call with out playing them. In my personal opinion the neck on the 4000 is not as comfortable as the 5000 but i will say that it is indeed comfortable. The 5 is just that much better to where i didnt currently own a 5 string anymore and went with the 5. I would have been fine with the 4 but why not get the 5 when its just that much more comfortable and the price dif was 40bux.

after playing and seeing one in person i justified it. IF your close enough to a store to go play one you will justify it too.

I see now that you are in diego. cruise down there and talk to flock. he will get you a great deal on one.
 
#172
pjchappy said:
Just came today. Here it is (forgive the relatively poor quality pics):



P1010109-1.gif


Haven't had a chance to play it yet. . .


Paul
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Stunning! You may have caused me to order one.... well, soon not quite yet, but I did price this one out. =)
 
#175
Two months in on my SB5000 and still digging it like the day I got it. I'm not sure how many gigs I've had it on now, but quite a few in that time period and it works great for the various types of music I play.

I picked up my old bass ($4000 Warwick Streamer Stage I 5-string) yesterday to play it for a bit. It's literally sat untouched for the last couple of months. It's still a nice bass, I still like it, but I have to really EQ it hard to get it sounding good in comparison. Lots of tweaks with the onboard EQ and on the amp as well. On the contrary, with the SB5000, I set both the onboard EQ and amp EQ flat and it just sounds great. Better to my ears than my Warwick that costs four times as much.

My only complaint is my choice of cosmetics on the SB5000. I didn't chose well :) I really like the red and blue basses that have been popping up and wish I would have gone that route along with an Icon (3+2) headstock. I think about ordering another bass and selling this one, but cosmetics aren't quite a big enough deal to spend the money for me.

Anyway, still digging the SB :)
 
#177
I figured I would post this here as well. On a Genz Benz thread someone asked for some overdriven clips of the amp. This is my Carvin SB5000 into the Shuttle 9.0. The gain and volume are dimed one the amp. All EQs flat on bass and amp. Tone on SB dimed as well

Active preamp engaged:
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Passive:
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Bonus points if you know what songs I ripped the licks from :)
 
#179
I couldn't take the GAS any more and ordered my SB5000. Here's the specs:

Lefty Alder body, maple neck, tung oiled, Ebony fretboard w/white Mother of Pearl Signature Inlays, white pearloid pickguard, Deep Orangeburst Quilt top, clear gloss, chrome hardware, metal knobs w/white pearl inlays, reverse Icon matching headstock, white logo, stainless med-jumbo frets, black J9A pickups, standard electronics (2 vol), HipShot Bass Extender, Ivory TUSQ nut, Dunlop straplocks, and a free case!

Keith was very easy to deal with, although he said there is a $100 charge for "hand-picked" woods so I'll take what they choose for me. I also asked for darker edges on the burst. Current wait time is 5 to 7 weeks. He phoned in the credit application and 3 minutes later the 6 months interest free credit was approved and the order was placed.

Now the hard part: 5 to 7 weeks..... Sleep? What's sleep? Oh well, plenty of time to sell more stuff on TB and eBay!

Mark
 
#180
Jarrett said:
I figured I would post this here as well. On a Genz Benz thread someone asked for some overdriven clips of the amp. This is my Carvin SB5000 into the Shuttle 9.0. The gain and volume are dimed one the amp. All EQs flat on bass and amp. Tone on SB dimed as well

Active preamp engaged:
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed

Passive:
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed

Bonus points if you know what songs I ripped the licks from :)
Click to expand...

That bass sounds pretty darn good even in passive mode!!!

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste! :cool:
 
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