Yeah Tom, I've been looking over your collection of F's and just like funkydanbass, I'm maybe not envious, but rather want to be in your will... for at least one of your AC 6's.. hahaha.. have a good weekend!!!! Are you in Alaska now or down south??
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Yeah Tom, I've been looking over your collection of F's and just like funkydanbass, I'm maybe not envious, but rather want to be in your will... for at least one of your AC 6's.. hahaha.. have a good weekend!!!! Are you in Alaska now or down south??
I'm in the lesser 48 -- I mean LOWER 48! [wink]. We have a son who just returned from Guatemala with some medical needs we are taking care of here.Yeah Tom, I've been looking over your collection of F's and just like funkydanbass, I'm maybe not envious, but rather want to be in your will... for at least one of your AC 6's.. hahaha.. have a good weekend!!!! Are you in Alaska now or down south??
Thanks for the kind words about the basses, guys. George Furlanetto is just amazing, isn't he? I was playing my AC-Classic last night. I've got the PA EQ figured out just right, and the upright sound just defies the visual of playing a bass guitar. It is so fun.
Ah, sorry to hear about your son, and I hope that everything's going to be OK.... As for the AC Classic, does it really replace an upright, because for the next bass I'd like to get, I'm torn between the AC and and the AC Classic. I used to have a couple of upright gigs before my accident, and always hated having to lug around my DB. Of course the visual isn't the same as to see a guy sitting down with an electric bass or the guy standing beside his DB... And the sound difference between my BNF and a AC Signature is different also, but I'd have to think that I'd prefer going with the Classic to fulfil my needs... Them basses aren't cheap for sure, and I'd have to play many more gigs that what I'm doing now... So glad you worked out your EQ things... Once you find that sweet spot, the F's really come through like no other basses... Have a great day!!!
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Sorry to hear about your accident. And I hear you about lugging around a double bass.
No, a guitar style bass definitely does not have the same visual, and to me at least, that visual is pretty important in some instances. That's why I bought a Barker electric upright pictured above. It looks pretty cool and transports better than an acoustic upright... but it sounds more like a fretless Jazz bass than an upright.
If you are looking for an upright sound in a bass guitar, my AC6 classic can definitely sound like an upright, but the EQ and amplification are important components to making that happen. I use the bass's preamp to boost the bass a touch, and then the preamp on my rig to dial in more mid and lower mid, and a crispness with highs.
I have a friend, a jazz pianist, who dislikes EVERY digital piano. She says none of them sound like an acoustic to her. I remind her that she is comparing an acoustic piano's acoustics in a room to a digital piano's sound through an amp. If you mic an acoustic and send it through an amp, it will sound just like the higher quality digital pianos.
I think the same holds true for the AC6 Classic. Playing an AC6 classic through an amp sound pretty close to an upright in a room, but it sounds exactly like a mic'd upright playing through an amp or PA.
My AC6 classic does not have a magnetic pickup so it can be as dedicated to sounding as upright as I can make it. George prefers the nylon coated strings, and I definitely like them too, but I prefer Thomastik Infeld Jazz flats. These nickle strings sound more like most uprights to me, they are extremely soft though, which I guess some players dislike but I sure don't.
So I dedicated my AC6 classic to approximating an upright, and my AC6 Signature with a magnetic pickup is dedicated to having an excellent electric bass tone. I have DR Drop Down Tuning round wound strings on her. I adore its milky, fretless tone -- Jaco like but a bit thicker. I also like blending in the piezo to give it its own voice. With TIJFs, however, it approximates an upright fairly well, particularly in a mix.
You might want to do the same: keep your BNF focused on excellent electric bass tone, and then get an AC with a focus on upright if that's what you are wanting.
I played the Natural five string BN5 F Bass at Bass San Diego this weekend. Damn, these are amaaaazing instruments. World class. I remember whyi love BN5's so much. Want another. But the alder/RW VF5 was quite compelling as well.
Curiously I strongly preferred the alder /RW VF5 to the ash/maple VF5. Not even close. But the Ash/maple BN5 however still takes my breath away. Hmmmm. What to do.
Curiously I strongly preferred the alder /RW VF5 to the ash/maple VF5. Not even close. But the Ash/maple BN5 however still takes my breath away. Hmmmm. What to do.
The Alder/Rosewood VF5 I played was this one. Didn't pay attention to the bridge. Looks like a bent plate type?
The Ash/Maple VF5 I played was this one:
The BN5 that I played (which was exceptional!) was this one:
The Alder/Rosewood VF5 I played was this one. Didn't pay attention to the bridge. Looks like a bent plate type?
The Ash/Maple VF5 I played was this one:
The BN5 that I played (which was exceptional!) was this one:
Your experience mirrors mine. I played both combos of the VF5 and the alder/rosewood was just sensationally good, probably one of the best sounding vintage-style basses I've played full stop.
I thought about trading up my BN for one more than a few times, but the BNs are in another class, not better, just different.
Have to agree, the BN5 has a presentation, tone, feel, style that is unmatched. Since I have a Norstrand Alder/RW jazz style bass, it would make more sense for me to get a BN5 than the VF5. But the VF5 has a degree of classic, vintage sound and performance that is quite compelling. That said, If I pulled the trigger on a VF5, it would be Alder/RW without question. Sonically, the Ash/Maple was one dimensional in that ash/maple way. Harder sounding, less touch sensitivity, less soulful.
The Ash/Maple BN5 however? Yikes ....What a great bass! Ultimately an F Bass lover would ideally have both an Ash/Maple BN5 and an Alder/RW VF5.
As usual Tom, great advice and suggestions... Yeah, I was involved in a head-on collision the 23rd of October 2010, and am still in recuperation. Right wrist was totally broken, left shoulder, left knee-cap totally shattered, and put back together, but the worst was my left hip. I've been operated on 3 times, and my latest operation just happened the 6th of June 2012... I'm at home and can't put any weight on my left leg whatsoever, so it's hard to get around. I have a walker, wheelchair, and crutches. I got my new bass, but have only taken it out a couple of times, as it takes a lot out of me to get it all set up, and I have a brace on my left leg which prevents me from getting into a comfortable position, so I've decided that for now, the bass stays in the case until I can try and play it again.. As for my upright, I don't know what I'm going to do with that.. It's in the basement now, and I can't get to all of my other basses either that are right down stairs also... So in the meantime, I'm here noodling around and asking questions and getting advice from you.... Talk to you soon...
Do any F Bass players take issue with how a BN5 hangs on a strap, in the sense that you feel the headstock hangs further away from your body than a Traditional style bass?
Same question for VF5? I haven't played one on a Strap and wonder what the distance is from your body to the first fret? I remember someone commenting to this afffect and thought I'd poll F Bass players.
Same question for VF5? I haven't played one on a Strap and wonder what the distance is from your body to the first fret? I remember someone commenting to this afffect and thought I'd poll F Bass players.
I own an Alder - Rosewood VF5 and love it to death. I was going to use that purchase to get a Sadowsky and heard a video clip of this bass and it totally derailed my original purchase.
But my experience with ash and maple (70s) VF5s is pretty much via youtube.
Here is an ash / maple / 70s slap clip by Edmond. It sounds wonderful to me, but it also sounds studio processed.
http://youtu.be/uImu10PRvYQ
I had an experience recently with a musical director who exercised a lot of say over which bass I played, and after hearing a few really top drawer basses, the BN5 was the bass he asked me to play. I wasn't surprised it rose to the top; it is such a great bass.
Holy cow! So sorry to read all that!
Has your wrist injury affected your technique? Are you able to mute strings on your 6er very well? Or does it force you to basses with fewer strings?
I'm sticking with the 6er's... I have 4 6er's and my old P Bass which I used for a gig shortly after I got out of the hospital... The wrist was something I had to deal with, but it was and is still my left shoulder that has been causing the problems. My left arm doesn't life more than 90o, and doesn't open more than 90o.. So that's what's limiting me more than the wrist.... But have been trying to practice with my new BNF 6... It's difficult because of the sitting position and the chair that I'm in. So for now, I'm looking at the gig bag lying on the couch and drooling over it... So want to get my baby out and play, but will slowly get my health back and then concentrate on getting my chops back after that.. But nothing stops me from asking a whole bunch of questions and getting advice... I was a bassist with the Canadian Armed Forces, and have been out since 92... Quit playing for awhile, and started again in 2005... Needed some time away from music, although I always had my P Bass close to me which I dug out of the case, but needed to re-focus on my life... and now another chance at learning something in life was thrown at me when that 22 yr old drunk driver hit me head on... So since then, I've been re-focusing on my life once again.... At 53, I guess I still have things to listen to and learn from... hahaha... But life's lessons are thrown at us for a reason, and it's up to us to figure out what they are...
I switch between my BN5 and four string Fenders all the time, and any different "hanging position" is not even noticeable for me. I'm sure there are some bass critics who will beg to differ.
You used to own a couple Fbasses though, do you remember it being an issue?
DH
Nope. I don't remember ever taking issue with the hanging placement of my F Bass BN5's. Been a while however so thought I'd ask. After playing Nordstrands for the past few years, this revisit to F Bass BN5's renewed my love and respect. God they are great basses! Nothing like them on the market. And I personally Love the body sculpting and the sleek lines of the BN5.
The Alder/RW VF5 however was equally exceptional, just not nearly as sexy.
My BN5 is such a versatile tone beast! I had a VF-4, and sold it because it just didn't have "it" like the BN.
I also love the sexy lines, and appreciate the original design and the fact that it's all hand made. I've tried about every other brand of "super J bass", and nothing can top it. I stopped looking.
I also love the sexy lines, and appreciate the original design and the fact that it's all hand made. I've tried about every other brand of "super J bass", and nothing can top it. I stopped looking.
Hi Gary, good to see you talking about F Basses again. I remember that lovely flame maple cherry burst BN5 you used to post in the Delphi Forums years ago!
To your question, I find that F's are the best balancing basses on a strap that I've tried. I don't have a BN5, but my AC5 and VF5 balance perfectly. They make the stretch to the first fret less of a well... stretch than my other basses.
To your question, I find that F's are the best balancing basses on a strap that I've tried. I don't have a BN5, but my AC5 and VF5 balance perfectly. They make the stretch to the first fret less of a well... stretch than my other basses.
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