Great idea on the tort. I'm headed to the Carvin store later this week and will grab one!
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Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 6!
- Thread starter smperry
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Great idea on the tort. I'm headed to the Carvin store later this week and will grab one!
Woohoo! good choice. And be sure to post some pics. I have an SB4000 on order with cream pups, chrome hardware, and a tortoise shell PG. I'd like to see how it looks for you.
If you send it over, I'll do a nice comparison.
Haha, I wish I had one! I have a Combustion and I love all of the Dingwalls. I've never played a Super J but I can imagine they sound and play pretty sweet. I was just thinking today, I wonder how the SB compares to it at half the price.
I have not, but my drummer (who is a composer/producer/everything) ordered an SB, and didn't care for the floppy B string (he's never played a 5-string before). He then found a good deal on a Super J, and is much happier. But that's just him, and they are very different instruments.
No, but by comparison to a Dingwall... possibly. Sheldon's B's are particularly phenomenal... even on the Super J which I think is only 35" (his more typical custom stuff is 37" on the B).
Yes, no disrespect to the SB5000, but nothing feels like the B on a Dingwall, even the Super J. It's just not physically possible for the B to feel the same as other strings on any instrument has the same scale length on all strings. As I said, he had never played a 5-string, and was shocked at how different the B felt compared to the E. We as bass players are more used to it, but he wanted to play the B as if it was the same as the other strings.
Hey guys, I've been lurking here for quite a while, seriously thinking of getting a SB5000 or a B50. I've looked through all the threads and soaked up all the opinions, they've helped me make a few decisions on what options to get. Pretty sure I will go active/passive with two volumes and J99A single coils, even though I am partial to dual-coil 'buckers, coming from G&L and Music Man.
I would like to know more about what it is that makes these basses sound so good (in the opinion of many). I suspect it is the J99A pickups that do it, am I right? Or is there something else?
How would you describe the J99A's tone? Are they scooped? Bassy/boomy? Super bright? Or are they balanced? I'm a fingerstyle player and most of the sound samples are from slappers. That bright whackety-whack-pop sound just isn't me. I'm trying to decide what wood combo to order and I don't want to pick bright woods if that is going to make the sound over-the-top bright. I like midrange punch with some growl on top and enough bottom to fill it out but still be clear. Will the J99As give me that sound? What wood choices would be best to bring that out? Thanks!
I would like to know more about what it is that makes these basses sound so good (in the opinion of many). I suspect it is the J99A pickups that do it, am I right? Or is there something else?
How would you describe the J99A's tone? Are they scooped? Bassy/boomy? Super bright? Or are they balanced? I'm a fingerstyle player and most of the sound samples are from slappers. That bright whackety-whack-pop sound just isn't me. I'm trying to decide what wood combo to order and I don't want to pick bright woods if that is going to make the sound over-the-top bright. I like midrange punch with some growl on top and enough bottom to fill it out but still be clear. Will the J99As give me that sound? What wood choices would be best to bring that out? Thanks!
I have heard nothing but great comments about Dingwall B strings, though I've never been fortunate enough to try one! I had just never heard anyone complain about the B on an SB5000 being floppy.
Like I said, it's not. Sheldon's stuff is just really nice, but you gotta' pay a LOT more for it too!
I have NO issues with the B string on my SB5000. Very respectable!
This has been discussed ad infinitum here on TB, but having a great B string is not as simple as having a shorter or longer string. It's about string material, design, and gauge, it's about neck stiffness, density, and resonance. In short, materials and construction. I've played a 35" B that just laid there. I've played a 32" B that's been completely focused and totally musical.
- Aug 21, 2003
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Hi PluckyThump
Since I cannot sleep for some reason this morning I will digress.
I recently asked the same similar (what makes the SB different to You as compared...) just for kicks.
To me I think they nailed it with the J99A (which has a fantastic single sound) and with the preamp. They are both of exceptional quality (and I do not use that phrase loosely).
On a personal level I love that pickup positioning...Its not what you normally find and I really dig that 70's position. I think they are the only production bass (other then Fender 70's MIA reissue) offering that position (I could be incorrect on that but there are not many).
The Carvin is significantly cheaper then the Fender and to me its night and day quality difference.
The build quality on these instruments are of that of basses I would find in the $2K plus range. I cannot believe the fretwork and the finish on my neck.
Another personal aspect that I like is that you can order the fretwire of choice and love the heavier mass stock bridge. Not to mention the amount of options you can order is just insanely great.
Its really like ordering a custom instrument somewhere in-between 1/2 to 1/3 of the price (no exaggeration).
I have working relationships with 2 great companies (Modulus & SBMM) and I have modified every single one that I have had, to the specs that I want (not for kicks, I know what I want basically what I want to hear). The Carvin SB5000s that I have are the only basses that I have kept stock.
PluckyThump- To answer your questions. I find they have a balanced very- very J like tone to them, so take that in mind. I dig the ray thing as well and this type of bass is on the other-side of the spectrum from that.
In your case you should with the stock Alder body (which would give you more mids then Ash). The preamp is pretty flexible and could give dub reggae player more then enough bottom.
Hope this helps.
I was going to respond, but basswave said pretty much exactly what I was going to say. Alder over Ash for midrange, agreed. Low end is a non issue with the active models. Maybe Rosewood if you want a woodier tone as well, but I generally like maple on the board. I am guilty of posting slap clips, but here are a few non slap clips of different types to give you some ideas:
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Different Pickup and Preamp Settings from my Alder body/Maple board SB5000:
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I now wish I had done those last clips more with fingers and less overdrive, but it still captures the essence of the tones.
As you can see there is a consistent sound that holds across different woods and different preamp pick up settings. The SB's just sound good no matter what options you get. I find playing them in person you tend to hear more differences in woods than these direct to tape recordings. Some configs sit better in a live mix than others. After going through a bunch of SBs, I prefer solid Alder body (without or without a Maple cap) and Maple board for my basses.
To this untrained ear, what is the expected tonal quality of my Swamp Ash Flame Koa topped 5er, with a maple(?) neck and ebony fretboard? I ask this in total seriousness. To me the tone is just crazy good, amazingly piano like which is exactly what I wanted, though I'm curious what the wood influenced differences are. Thank you to all.
I am seriously considering ordering either a SB5000 or a B50 next week. Can any of you compare them for me? I am favoring the B50 because it looks a bit more conservative and would be about $160 cheaper, but the SB5000 is pretty sweet too.
I don't know. I've heard the tops don't really impart much. The Swamp Ash is a little more scooped. I'm sure it will be a cool sounding bass. I kinda want a fretless like that. Some really figured wood with a big slab of unlined different figured would on the board. Either like Walnut and Birdseye Maple or Koa or Burled Maple and Ebony. One of these days...
I've never played a B series, but I hear they are essentially the same apart from shape. Think the B's are lighter, but they don't get pickguards. There is a NICE B50 on the in stock page:
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Scratch that, there was. Someone snagged it and rightfully so, it was sweet. Here it was:
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I have both. They feel very, very similar and the neck and electronics are identical. The SB runs 1-2 pounds or so heavier as the body appears to be a little bigger.
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