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Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call!

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#821
If you already own an SB, then I guess I can see giving the DiMarzios Ultra Jazz a shot. Heck, I'm sure they're great pickups. But when I pull the trigger on either the SB5000 or the B50, I'm going to order it equipped with the H50A stacked humbuckers. I saw Kaycee's great video comparing the H50s and the J99s in the same Carvin B50 bass. He really did a great job. I have to say, I found very little difference between the two pickups barring the slap tone. Yes, the J99s did seem to have more...I don't know...OOMMFF, I suppose. However, the difference was so subtle. More so, I think a slight tweak of the preamp could easily remedy this tonal disparity. As I've mentioned on another thread, if the J99s are a 10, then the H50s are a 9.5. Considering I'm getting that 9.5 with zero noise, then I say the H50s are the way to go. Besides, in a live setting, can the audience really tell the difference anyway?
 
#822
First of all, I'm no fretless expert. I bought a Carvin fretless with a piezo bridge just to have one to fart around on. It just has the side markers. I cannot understand why someone who actually plays one would need lines. I mean do you look down at the fretboard when you play it?? :confused: It just seems odd to me. I got used to playing mine in just a few sessions and never missed having frets or lines to go by. At first the side markers were very helpful but now I just glance at them once in a while to make sure I'm on target :D
 
#823
FL Knifemaker said:
First of all, I'm no fretless expert. I bought a Carvin fretless with a piezo bridge just to have one to fart around on. It just has the side markers. I cannot understand why someone who actually plays one would need lines. I mean do you look down at the fretboard when you play it?? :confused: It just seems odd to me. I got used to playing mine in just a few sessions and never missed having frets or lines to go by. At first the side markers were very helpful but now I just glance at them once in a while to make sure I'm on target :D
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While I completely agree with you, I'm wondering if you meant to post this in the other thread?;)
 
#824
FL Knifemaker said:
First of all, I'm no fretless expert. I bought a Carvin fretless with a piezo bridge just to have one to fart around on. It just has the side markers. I cannot understand why someone who actually plays one would need lines. I mean do you look down at the fretboard when you play it?? :confused: It just seems odd to me. I got used to playing mine in just a few sessions and never missed having frets or lines to go by. At first the side markers were very helpful but now I just glance at them once in a while to make sure I'm on target :D
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have you ever heard of jaco, gary willis, alain caron, tony grey, matt garrison? All virtuosos who absolutely love having lined fingerboards and *YES* they look at the fingerboard when they are playing. HOW HORRIBLE. :eyebrow:
 
#825
dgce said:
If you already own an SB, then I guess I can see giving the DiMarzios Ultra Jazz a shot. Heck, I'm sure they're great pickups. But when I pull the trigger on either the SB5000 or the B50, I'm going to order it equipped with the H50A stacked humbuckers. I saw Kaycee's great video comparing the H50s and the J99s in the same Carvin B50 bass. He really did a great job. I have to say, I found very little difference between the two pickups barring the slap tone. Yes, the J99s did seem to have more...I don't know...OOMMFF, I suppose. However, the difference was so subtle. More so, I think a slight tweak of the preamp could easily remedy this tonal disparity. As I've mentioned on another thread, if the J99s are a 10, then the H50s are a 9.5. Considering I'm getting that 9.5 with zero noise, then I say the H50s are the way to go. Besides, in a live setting, can the audience really tell the difference anyway?
Click to expand...

i don't see it as a 9.5 vs. a 10. They are different pickups with different resonances and freq response. You can't make one sound like the other with a preamp tweak. For me, with the maple board i end up reducing the treble anyway with the vtc on the SB5000 so I welcome a bit more warm voicing in the pickup. Again, I prefer side by side to stacks and most boutique pickup makers are moving to that design and away from stacks.
 
#827
jzucker said:
i don't see it as a 9.5 vs. a 10. They are different pickups with different resonances and freq response. You can't make one sound like the other with a preamp tweak. For me, with the maple board i end up reducing the treble anyway with the vtc on the SB5000 so I welcome a bit more warm voicing in the pickup. Again, I prefer side by side to stacks and most boutique pickup makers are moving to that design and away from stacks.
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Perhaps, but I was going by Kaycee's video, which is the best a/b comparison (and perhaps the only one so far) I've seen on these two Carvin pickups. Yes, neck and body wood will always play a role in your overall tone. And sure, one could easily upgrade to their choice of pickup, DM Ultra Jazz or whatever. Where I was going with my last post is that if one is ordering an SB/B4-5 today desiring the best single coil/ Jazzy tone from what Carvin currently offers, then I think the H50s are a reasonable compromise (close to single coil tone without the racket). And again, it’s really only in a studio setting where your tone is put under an audio microscope. I a live setting, however, the audience wouldn’t be able to tell the difference at all.
 
#828
I don't own a Carvin (although the SB5000 is very tempting), so this is more of a general comment. I much prefer single-coils to hum-canceling pickups, and yes, they all really do hum loudly in some environments. In KayCee's video the H50's sounded too modern for me - scooped, with less low treble and more high treble. I'm very sensitive to this sound even in a band mix, but others may not care. My Sadowsky came with hum-canceling pickups, I swapped them for single coils and then eventually Nordstrands which I'm much happier with. I still play the Sadowsky mostly in passive mode.
 
#829
smeet said:
I don't own a Carvin (although the SB5000 is very tempting), so this is more of a general comment. I much prefer single-coils to hum-canceling pickups, and yes, they all really do hum loudly in some environments. In KayCee's video the H50's sounded too modern for me - scooped, with less low treble and more high treble. I'm very sensitive to this sound even in a band mix, but others may not care. My Sadowsky came with hum-canceling pickups, I swapped them for single coils and then eventually Nordstrands which I'm much happier with. I still play the Sadowsky mostly in passive mode.
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Agreed except I prefer the sound of the side by side hbs on bass
 
#830
Another gig under my belt with the SB5000 today. Still loving the tone in the mix. It was the same way this week. While I'm warming up listening solo to the monitor mix, I don't like it. As soon as the band comes in, its perfect. Can't get enough of it. Very strange.

I think I need to tweak my pickups a bit as the higher strings were louder this week. Also my bottom strap screw is loose. What's the best way to sure that up?
 
#832
Jarrett said:
Another gig under my belt with the SB5000 today. Still loving the tone in the mix. It was the same way this week. While I'm warming up listening solo to the monitor mix, I don't like it. As soon as the band comes in, its perfect. Can't get enough of it. Very strange.

I think I need to tweak my pickups a bit as the higher strings were louder this week. Also my bottom strap screw is loose. What's the best way to sure that up?
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Take out screw, throw in tooth pick, put screw back. Old trick that's always worked for me.
 
#838
dgce said:
Take out screw, throw in tooth pick, put screw back. Old trick that's always worked for me.
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My bottom strap button was also loose. What I did, and have done in the past, is put a single little drop of wood glue in the screw hole before putting the screw back in. Not sure if I would recommend that though because after you do it the screw is NEVER coming back out...even if you want it to (without some damage anyway). I myself am pretty confident about sticking with the Dunlop straplocks so it doesn't really worry me. I just hope they hold up for the life of the bass LOL. Most may just want to stick with the toothpick method. :D
 
#839
Dirty Dave said:
My bottom strap button was also loose. What I did, and have done in the past, is put a single little drop of wood glue in the screw hole before putting the screw back in. Not sure if I would recommend that though because after you do it the screw is NEVER coming back out...even if you want it to (without some damage anyway). I myself am pretty confident about sticking with the Dunlop straplocks so it doesn't really worry me. I just hope they hold up for the life of the bass LOL. Most may just want to stick with the toothpick method. :D
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I did this as well. I didn't have any toothpicks :)

I put a little in the hole and then dipped the screw into the glue and put it back in. I've let it sit overnight with no stress on it. Hoping that solves my issue. Thanks for all the input.
 
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