My profile pic has a my current collection less the '75 Fender Jazz reissue. I have a beater Fender MIM deluxe pbass special also not in the photo. But, I'm not sure what I want/need yet. A 5er definitely though.
I'm more the class rock player.
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My profile pic has a my current collection less the '75 Fender Jazz reissue. I have a beater Fender MIM deluxe pbass special also not in the photo. But, I'm not sure what I want/need yet. A 5er definitely though.
I'm more the class rock player.
Yohann,
I'm flattered by your comments. Can you be my publicist?
I'm thrilled to get the LM5. I'm glad you guys were happy with the way it sounded, but I'm sure you weren't nearly as happy as I was to be playing it. It's what I've been searching for for years - it has the most solid, focused J-tone of any bass I've ever owned. It plays incredibly well, the B string kicks ass, and it looks great too! I was a little concerned about the weight, as was Jimmy, but it was manageable for 2 sets.
About my rig: it's a Kern pre and Crest CA-9. That room was tough to EQ (huge midrange void), but I got it dialed ok after a couple of sets.
Hey Allen (or Alan???)... I had no idea it was you.
Ya Bro, you played great... Your feel, tone and pocket was right on. I didn't put your name down on the original post for privacy and I didn't know you were on TB.
Jimmy said you wanted my orange RA5 at NAMM... But I think you got yourself something real special there. Keep me posted on future gigs please!
On the whole body update and weight issue, the latest on that is yes, the body is slightly larger (just slightly), but it is also thinner, so in theory, the weight "delta" is expected to be nil (tho time will tell).
On the weight thing in general, Jimmy is really anti-lightweight ash... for a couple reasons. One, it's not truly faithful to the 70's ash J bass thing, and Two, simply because Jimmy doesn't really like the sound of the lightweight ash as much. LM's that are closer to 9 pounds like Ken's will be rare. I know. I've specifically asked him just very recently. I would expect most LM's to be 10-11 pounds.
I figure you MIGHT be able to squeeze a 9-9.5 lb LM out of him, but it might take a while to find a piece of wood he'd be happy with that will yield a bass that weight. I had the same challenge with another luthier and it took months to find the "right" piece to satisfy both goals.
My supposition is he's concerned about making lightweight LM's 'cause they won't "sound like an LM should" to him, which would blur product lines or at least dilute the LM tone genre in a way he'd not be happy with. That said, I still may push him to do this if I get serious about an LM at some point, which is still a possibility.
On the weight thing in general, Jimmy is really anti-lightweight ash... for a couple reasons. One, it's not truly faithful to the 70's ash J bass thing, and Two, simply because Jimmy doesn't really like the sound of the lightweight ash as much. LM's that are closer to 9 pounds like Ken's will be rare. I know. I've specifically asked him just very recently. I would expect most LM's to be 10-11 pounds.
I figure you MIGHT be able to squeeze a 9-9.5 lb LM out of him, but it might take a while to find a piece of wood he'd be happy with that will yield a bass that weight. I had the same challenge with another luthier and it took months to find the "right" piece to satisfy both goals.
My supposition is he's concerned about making lightweight LM's 'cause they won't "sound like an LM should" to him, which would blur product lines or at least dilute the LM tone genre in a way he'd not be happy with. That said, I still may push him to do this if I get serious about an LM at some point, which is still a possibility.
On the whole body update and weight issue, the latest on that is yes, the body is slightly larger (just slightly), but it is also thinner, so in theory, the weight "delta" is expected to be nil (tho time will tell).
On the weight thing in general, Jimmy is really anti-lightweight ash... for a couple reasons. One, it's not truly faithful to the 70's ash J bass thing, and Two, simply because Jimmy doesn't really like the sound of the lightweight ash as much. LM's that are closer to 9 pounds like Ken's will be rare. I know. I've specifically asked him just very recently. I would expect most LM's to be 10-11 pounds.
I figure you MIGHT be able to squeeze a 9-9.5 lb LM out of him, but it might take a while to find a piece of wood he'd be happy with that will yield a bass that weight. I had the same challenge with another luthier and it took months to find the "right" piece to satisfy both goals.
My supposition is he's concerned about making lightweight LM's 'cause they won't "sound like an LM should" to him, which would blur product lines or at least dilute the LM tone genre in a way he'd not be happy with. That said, I still may push him to do this if I get serious about an LM at some point, which is still a possibility.
This is kind of funny, given his stance on heavy basses over the past 5 years (specifically heavy weight ash for the LM's).
It's a shame IMO he changed that spec, since the lighter weight LM's were killing and... well... lighter weight.Big mistake IMO. Not that they will sound bad at all, of course, but rather that most will find an 11 or 12 pound bass to be a real drag, assuming you actually gig out. If he keeps it at 10 pounds, that's not much different than the original NYC spec models and probably not worth even talking about. I also understand that high quality and good sounding light ash is probably harder to find now than even a few years ago... I believe that is why Sadowsky started to route even his ash bodies... harder to find good, light wood. This is plaguing the cab builders also.... plenty of good heavy wood, not much of the light stuff left.
I feel even more lucky that I got mine when I did a few years ago
Hey guys ..I have a question..I might move my LM5 to a good friend locally and I'm thinking of getting an LG4. Yohann..Chef..Kirk..KJung ...Anyone else hip to this question..
Do u think getting an LG4 standard (poly not nitro) is a bad idea...in the sense it will not be period correct. If I got something it would be the standard as the BELLS AND WHISTLES are out of my budget....between my LG5 and LM5. I prefer my LG5 hands down..Reason for the LG4 is to have the same tone I love but in a 4. For some stuff...4 just feels and sounds better IMO.
Of course..My LG5 is DB board with nitro finish. What I'm scared bout Is getting an LG4 standard and it not sound up to par.
More than anything ..to you who have played nitro vs poly ACs..and DB vs indian rosewood. Is it worth the upgrades?
Ive only played my LG5 so I don't know the comparison.
Thanks for the insight.
Mike X
Do u think getting an LG4 standard (poly not nitro) is a bad idea...in the sense it will not be period correct. If I got something it would be the standard as the BELLS AND WHISTLES are out of my budget....between my LG5 and LM5. I prefer my LG5 hands down..Reason for the LG4 is to have the same tone I love but in a 4. For some stuff...4 just feels and sounds better IMO.
Of course..My LG5 is DB board with nitro finish. What I'm scared bout Is getting an LG4 standard and it not sound up to par.
More than anything ..to you who have played nitro vs poly ACs..and DB vs indian rosewood. Is it worth the upgrades?
Ive only played my LG5 so I don't know the comparison.
Thanks for the insight.
Mike X
I would buy anyone a very expensive cocktail who could hear the difference, reliably, between 5 otherwise identically spec'd basses with poly finish and 5 with nitro. Zero issue IMO and IME. The Indian Rosewood is also fantastic (and is period correct from around 1966 on, if I remember what the Fender experts posted a while back). That might result in just a smidge more treble response than the old Brazilian, but IMO that is actually a good thing in most playing contexts.
Zero issue IMO.... absolutely not worth the upgrades for gigging and good tone (not that they wouldn't be cool 'just to have'!). IMO and IME!
Edit: Also, if you ever want to sell it, you will have a much better chance with the poly/Indian, since the used price of the Nitro/Brazilian would be significantly higher than a new poly/Indian.
I can see an Aguilar TLC compressor; did you guys try it out?
By the way Ryan, great playing and tone on that TV recording.
- Apr 3, 2003
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- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
We tried all of the new Aguilar pedals at NAMM, and they were each very impressive. The compressor allows you to do either the "transparent leveling" thing or the "audibly squished" thing. Hella cool.
vision
It's all about the groove!
- Feb 25, 2005
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- Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, La Bella Strings, and 64 Audio IEMs
We tried all of the new Aguilar pedals at NAMM, and they were each very impressive. The compressor allows you to do either the "transparent leveling" thing or the "audibly squished" thing. Hella cool.
Thanks, Tom.
I've been thinking about adding one to my rig. I just finished recording the bass tracks for an album and the engineer told me that I had a very "compressed, uniform playing" nonetheless when I play live sometimes I feel like I might need one for those moments when you just let loose.
Someday, Ken will actually play a Delbergia bass and fall in love with it and assert that he notices a big difference...alas until that day..
Aj
Aj
I'm sure it is awesome, and I've played and owned basses with true Brazilian boards. Very nice... but hard to justify almost the cost of a high end bass to have it, for me anyway. The Indian boards I've seen are better than 90% of the RW boards (Brazilian or otherwise) that I've seen... and they are 'free'
Yohann,Hey Allen (or Alan???)... I had no idea it was you.
Keep me posted on future gigs please!
Thanks again for the kind words, dude. I will let you know when I'm at the Hip Kitty again.
Alan
+1 on the compressor, and I thought the Dual Filter was really good too!We tried all of the new Aguilar pedals at NAMM, and they were each very impressive. The compressor allows you to do either the "transparent leveling" thing or the "audibly squished" thing. Hella cool.
While I'll be the first to assert that individual instruments are unique and you need a large test group to really assess things.
I do feel I'm in good place to judge because I have two nearly identically specked basses one DN one Indian. Both basses Jimmy totes as among the best four strings to leave his shop.Weight wise the Indian is lighter.
The Indian has more highs and lows and a more naturally scooped tone.The DN has a thicker tighter tone that has a "sweet" quality to it that makes very musical to the ear. It also speaks faster accentuated by the pleasant qualities above combined with the bridge pick up makes that classic tone.
Both are awesome but the DN bass raises more eyebrows amongst the crew of collectors that I hang with. Who BTW still choose to give me crap about not playing vintage.
That said I agree with your views on potential resale value.
Aj
I do feel I'm in good place to judge because I have two nearly identically specked basses one DN one Indian. Both basses Jimmy totes as among the best four strings to leave his shop.Weight wise the Indian is lighter.
The Indian has more highs and lows and a more naturally scooped tone.The DN has a thicker tighter tone that has a "sweet" quality to it that makes very musical to the ear. It also speaks faster accentuated by the pleasant qualities above combined with the bridge pick up makes that classic tone.
Both are awesome but the DN bass raises more eyebrows amongst the crew of collectors that I hang with. Who BTW still choose to give me crap about not playing vintage.
That said I agree with your views on potential resale value.
Aj
Back to the weight....and the dumb question of the day...would a top-notch strap make any difference in carrying that weight vs. a medium of the road strap?
I'm using a Franklin Strap, suede, 2-1/2" width. I like them a lot - I have 2. I had to cut a new hole to fit me though. The ones that are pre-cut are in the wrong place for my size.
One, I have not cut off the excess that is un-useable.
I'm using a Franklin Strap, suede, 2-1/2" width. I like them a lot - I have 2. I had to cut a new hole to fit me though. The ones that are pre-cut are in the wrong place for my size.
One, I have not cut off the excess that is un-useable.
I think if you asked Jimmy to build you a light one,,,,He will.Just ask Kirk!
To answer your question though,Yes straps help.Although I don't know your strap and cant comment on differences.
Aj
To answer your question though,Yes straps help.Although I don't know your strap and cant comment on differences.
Aj
Absolutely it would. Look into the Comfort Strap or one of the several folks who build high quality 4" leather straps.
Yeah, a nice, high quality strap goes a long way in helping with a heavier bass. I have a Levy's 4" strap that is quite comfy.
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