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Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 5!

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#861
35jzg44.jpg


Nothing very uber pretty, just functional machines :):hiding::)

Both are Ash bodies with low wide frets.

Gloss neck on the black one and it also has the a Ebony board.

So for all intensive purposes they are the same bass with exception of the fingerboard (however there is a weight difference) the natural one is a good .5 lb heavier and appears to be a little heaver on the lower mids (as compared) to the Ebony board (black bass).

I really need to change strings at the same time but I have not done that yet to get a more of a A/B comparison.
 
#862
basswave said:
Nothing very uber pretty, just functional machines :):hiding::)

Both are Ash bodies with low wide frets.

Gloss neck on the black one and it also has the a Ebony board.

So for all intensive purposes they are the same bass with exception of the fingerboard (however there is a weight difference) the natural one is a good .5 lb heavier and appears to be a little heaver on the lower mids (as compared) to the Ebony board (black bass).

I really need to change strings at the same time but I have not done that yet to get a more of a A/B comparison.
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I like the negative image thing. Mirror opposites kind of thing. Very cool.
 
#863
temmrich said:
I like the negative image thing. Mirror opposites kind of thing. Very cool.
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Huh...I never thought of that.:)
I just so happen to pick up the natural one on a trade and really liked it, so much that I ordered another one.
 
#868
bassalo said:
6780149596_766bffacf6_b.jpg
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Man, those are two great looking basses. What electronics and woods did you get on your Icon? Also, what's the sound and feel difference between those two? Do you have the ability to record clips? I'd love to hear a comparison between those two basses. If I could get an Icon that looked like that but felt and sounded just like my SB5000, I might do it.
 
#870
I blame Freddels:hiding:...It was his that I tried that was the 'coup de grace' for me on these models.

I love J basses (all kinds and styles) and to me I could never figured out why the SBs had "my version of that classic J bass tone" and I really think it came down to the 70's pickup placement (of course in conjunction with singles).
 
#871
basswave said:
I blame Freddels:hiding:...It was his that I tried that was the 'coup de grace' for me on these models.

I love J basses (all kinds and styles) and to me I could never figured out why the SBs had "my version of that classic J bass tone" and I really think it came down to the 70's pickup placement (of course in conjunction with singles).
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It's the J99's and the preamp/tone knob. The tone knob just seems to compress the tone just right to get THAT tone.
 
#873
Freddels, that's a pretty sweet looking bass there. Dig the classic vibe with the black hardware. Very nice.

Speaking of the J99's... at the beginnng of the B40/B50 thread, KayCee had this to say about them:

KayCee said:
Sekou says this bass picks up everything, and he's 100% correct. The pickups are punchy, wet, and sweet sounding. They also pick up a lot of noise. In order to play this bass out live, I'll need to add a noise gate pedal or rack unit in the future, as the amount of buzz between songs is unacceptable for my gigs.
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I have basses with single coils and understand that a little noise is simply inherent to the way their designed, but this makes it sound like there's more than usual with the J99's. In all the vids I've seen of the SB's, the J99's sound pretty phenomenal and I've never noticed the kind of noise he's mentioned. Anyone else care to weigh in on this? I usually leave both of the pickups in my Jazz on full and don't have noise issues, maybe he's soloing pickups?

Thanks for any input!

5sg.
 
#874
fivestringgecko said:
Freddels, that's a pretty sweet looking bass there. Dig the classic vibe with the black hardware. Very nice.

Speaking of the J99's... at the beginnng of the B40/B50 thread, KayCee had this to say about them:



I have basses with single coils and understand that a little noise is simply inherent to the way their designed, but this makes it sound like there's more than usual with the J99's. In all the vids I've seen of the SB's, the J99's sound pretty phenomenal and I've never noticed the kind of noise he's mentioned. Anyone else care to weigh in on this? I usually leave both of the pickups in my Jazz on full and don't have noise issues, maybe he's soloing pickups?

Thanks for any input!

5sg.
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This thread is super long, so it makes sense that one wouldn't want to trudge through it just to get the scoop on the J99s. So, I'll give a little recap of what I can remember from it.
There are several guys who have had noisy pickups, both the J99s and the H50s. But for the most part you will find guys talking about how quiet they are and giving the J99s a stellar review.

There has been at least one incident where a non-reversed pickup was used where a reverse wound pickup should have been (causing a noise issue), there have been at least 2 incidents that people chalked up to environmentally unfriendly surroundings (high rf signal living next to a radio tower, etc), and there have been a few incidents where people just trashed them as being noisy (probably as a result of a shielding or wiring issue that went undiagnosed) after every complaint someone will jump in and back up the J99s.

I ordered the J99s after reading this thread all the way through (twice). I have a feeling I won't regret it. The reality is single coils hum...period. some are shielded better than others and sometimes a bad wiring job or a bad pickup gets out of the shop.

If you can't stand the hum get outta the kitchen.

In the end, there are gonna be some places that aren't single coil friendly and one is forced to either live with it, invest in some humbuckers, or run both pickups full on despite tonal preference.

If you look at the J99 video on the carvin site you'll see how these pickups are made and shielded. I have complete faith in their ability to be as quiet as any other single coil on the market.
 
#876
temmrich said:
...The reality is single coils hum...period. some are shielded better than others...

If you can't stand the hum get outta the kitchen.

In the end, there are gonna be some places that aren't single coil friendly and one is forced to either live with it, invest in some humbuckers, or run both pickups full on despite tonal preference.
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Truer words never spoken, BUT, also keep in mind you don't have to completely solo a pickup to get a strong influence of its tone. So even though there are venues that are bad enough even that "trick" doesn't work, I find that most venues are good enough that it does. In other words, for example, just favor the bridge to get a significant enough bark/burp, but don't solo it. You do still introduce some hum, but it's usually not bad enough to affect a live performance significantly enough to worry about.

I have complete faith in their ability to be as quiet as any other single coil on the market.
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This has been my experience, and I have some very well shielded SC's on other basses... one even done by myself (with great results over what they were before).

We all just need to remember noise levels in an instrument can come from three different areas... hum cancelling (or not) pickups, shielding (both pickups and electronics cavity!), and (im)proper grounding.
 
#877
fivestringgecko said:
Freddels, that's a pretty sweet looking bass there. Dig the classic vibe with the black hardware. Very nice.

Speaking of the J99's... at the beginnng of the B40/B50 thread, KayCee had this to say about them:



I have basses with single coils and understand that a little noise is simply inherent to the way their designed, but this makes it sound like there's more than usual with the J99's. In all the vids I've seen of the SB's, the J99's sound pretty phenomenal and I've never noticed the kind of noise he's mentioned. Anyone else care to weigh in on this? I usually leave both of the pickups in my Jazz on full and don't have noise issues, maybe he's soloing pickups?

Thanks for any input!

5sg.
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I was having this crazy noise issue on my recordings. And then I changed the cord, started running everything through a Monster 2500 (clean power), changed to a RME Babyface, and now things are super quiet. Happy does not describe adequately how happy I'am with my SB5000.
 
#878
Vic said:
Truer words never spoken, BUT, also keep in mind you don't have to completely solo a pickup to get a strong influence of its tone. So even though there are venues that are bad enough even that "trick" doesn't work, I find that most venues are good enough that it does. In other words, for example, just favor the bridge to get a significant enough bark/burp, but don't solo it. You do still introduce some hum, but it's usually not bad enough to affect a live performance significantly enough to worry about.

This has been my experience, and I have some very well shielded SC's on other basses... one even done by myself (with great results over what they were before).

We all just need to remember noise levels in an instrument can come from three different areas... hum cancelling (or not) pickups, shielding (both pickups and electronics cavity!), and (im)proper grounding.
Click to expand...

Great addition Vic. You hit the nail on the head. And when you consider an instrument shipping across the country directly to the purchaser, one cold solder joint shaking loose could cause a very unhappy customer.

When an instrument ships to a reseller, they are typically given a light run through before hitting the floor. I wonder how many Fenders (or G&L's, or Ibanez, or Gibsons, or Sadowskys , or...) show up with a minor flaw that the dealer must work out before it can be sold. And even then a few lemons get out to the public.

I have used Carvin gear for 10 years and have never felt that their stuff was anything but quality.
 
#879
I like all my J bass as singles.
My Modulus are all Nordstrand singles that are shielded very well and I never heard anything that would cause "an issue". I play a lot of theater gigs where hum would not be put up with.

Its funny the only stock basses I play are the Carvins.
 
#880
Thanks for the info guys! I kind of figured your replies would be what I'd get. I've been lurking the SB threads since the second one and now that they've been mentioned, I do remember some of the reports on the J99's. Like I said, I do understand the nature of single coils and don't have an issue with them. My Jazz V is my main bass and I put Quarter Pounders in it... I keep trying to play my other basses, but just can't seem to get away from the Jazz. :D

I've mentioned a couple times in these threads about plans on ordering an SB5000, and it's still the case... when I get a job (still currently unemployed.... :hmm: I had my mind made up to order on the weekend when I got laid off on the Friday before. Lol) Plans have changed though and I want to order an unlined fretless! I'd been intimidated by them for the longest time, but decided to tempt fate and played one at a recent bass clinic... and loved it! I figure I really love my Jazz, so an unlined SB would be a way to challenge myself and grow as a player. :bassist:

5sg.
 
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