Club FBass (Part 5)

[KJung]

+1 on Donovan.

I downloaded your Coppolo mp3s and have listened to them dozens of times BTW, so I mean it when I say I'm looking forward to hearing your comparison.

Of course there is more than sonics to compare. George (as Dave pointed out) continues to refine his craft and definitely made playability improvements over the classic jazz bass with his VF5 line.

I'm sure it's because my main bass for years was that 76 Jazz bass and I grew to really love it, but I love both the classic Jazz and the neo-Jazz George has designed.

+1 I'll put up some clips for the heck of it, with the LM as comparison.

Yeah, there is a fine line between doing an 'Updated J' type feel (like Sadowsky) and changing things so much that you lose the whole thing (like the Nordy basses... at least the original models IMO and IME).

This seems to be close to the Sadowsky thing in 'design logic'... modified but still somewhat J like body, more modern higher radius board, etc., etc..... so I'm hoping it stradles the 'vintage versus update' nicely. Of course, the A-C line of basses really try to cop the 'feel' of an old J bass, and they really do that well with the old school non-compound low radius board, the very traditional, full size J body, etc., etc.

Tone wise, from my discussion with Narud, I hope this is the most 'Fendery' of the bunch!

I'm glad to be getting back in the FBass family. While the BN model was not my thing for a number of reasons, I sure appreciated the fit and finish, and also very much dig George's business ethics, etc. Nice guy from my limited dealings with him back in the day.

I'll dip in in a few days with the scoop!

 

[narud]

+1 I'll put up some clips for the heck of it, with the LM as comparison.

Yeah, there is a fine line between doing an 'Updated J' type feel (like Sadowsky) and changing things so much that you lose the whole thing (like the Nordy basses... at least the original models IMO and IME).

This seems to be close to the Sadowsky thing in 'design logic'... modified but still somewhat J like body, more modern higher radius board, etc., etc..... so I'm hoping it stradles the 'vintage versus update' nicely. Of course, the A-C line of basses really try to cop the 'feel' of an old J bass, and they really do that well with the old school non-compound low radius board, the very traditional, full size J body, etc., etc.

Tone wise, from my discussion with Narud, I hope this is the most 'Fendery' of the bunch!

I'm glad to be getting back in the FBass family. While the BN model was not my thing for a number of reasons, I sure appreciated the fit and finish, and also very much dig George's business ethics, etc. Nice guy from my limited dealings with him back in the day.

I'll dip in in a few days with the scoop!

if you think it sucks, i take no responsibility.................

heres a zip file of some clips i sent to gruuv after putting on some new loriders on the vf5 and 78 jazz. no bass finger wiggling this time, just a bassline and different pickup and preamp settings as well as the vf5 running through an outboard coppolo.
http://www.4shared.com/file/186940531/fbc5cc6a/for_erich.html

 

[basses55]

That heel is a part of a small series of basses that has more of a traditional Fender construction...a little more mass under the neck cavity and also a shorter or no extended lip into the body. That particular bass is sort of a transition piece.

We have been testing out these along with a few true one- piece necks the last few months. I dont believe George has made any concrete decisions...

 

[Tom7]

if you think it sucks, i take no responsibility.................

heres a zip file of some clips i sent to gruuv after putting on some new loriders on the vf5 and 78 jazz. no bass finger wiggling this time, just a bassline and different pickup and preamp settings as well as the vf5 running through an outboard coppolo.
http://www.4shared.com/file/186940531/fbc5cc6a/for_erich.html

I'm checking out the clips now. Great job.

I can't explain why I love clips like this so much, it doesn't make sense.

 

[thndrstk6]

Interesting clips. I seems like the Fbass has a more wide open sound and the jazz bass is
a little more closed and focused. I've always felt that my BN6 has a very wide sound and
my Fender and MM have a more focused sound. I've found that if you turn back the tone
knob a bit and up the volume it helps the Fbass focus a bit more if you need that sound. I
personally love the wide open growl of an Fbass. I think that's the signature sound.

Great playing by the way!

 

[KJung]

I'm checking out the clips now. Great job.

I can't explain why I love clips like this so much, it doesn't make sense.

+1 Great clips! I dig it!

 

[KJung]

That heel is a part of a small series of basses that has more of a traditional Fender construction...a little more mass under the neck cavity and also a shorter or no extended lip into the body. That particular bass is sort of a transition piece.

We have been testing out these along with a few true one- piece necks the last few months. I dont believe George has made any concrete decisions...

Thanks for the info. That's what I guessed... a bit more 'traditional' design, with a bit more mass at cavity area. Cool!

 

[Tom7]

I was looking for something else and came across this Michael Manring parody. Here is the performance that was being lampooned.

I've come across this before but thought I'd share it this time 'round.

Manring's original is amazing, of course, but it is amazing to me that trouble someone went through to redo the audio.

I think you'd have to be a bass player to really appreciate both Manring's version, and the parody.

 

[puff father]

Tom, that video is hilarious! Maybe the same guy that parodied Clapton, VanHalen and Santana. "Clapton shreds".. etc.

 

[VinceLovesF]

Hey Boys!
i'm back in the place!!!
Hope you F Freaks are all doing well, after 3-4 years without playing too much basses for studies...;I'm going to pull the trigger once again ^^

Still have my 2 Fs (Haven't sold them!!!) I have to practice a lot!!!!!

See you
Vince

 

[Tom7]

Hey Boys!
i'm back in the place!!!
Hope you F Freaks are all doing well, after 3-4 years without playing too much basses for studies...;I'm going to pull the trigger once again ^^

Still have my 2 Fs (Haven't sold them!!!) I have to practice a lot!!!!!

See you
Vince

Great to see you. Welcome back. Quel plaisir de vous revoir ici.

 

[KJung]

Out for delivery!

 

[KJung]

A couple of quick questions for you FBass experts, in anticipation of mine arriving:

1) I assume the finish on this bass is the 'improved' Nitro that is used on all the other basses?... or does George use Poly on these. Really doesn't matter to me, just curious.

2) On the website, it says the ash/maple VF's ship with Fat Beams (which I think are 'Marcus Miller custom DR's based on Hi Beams). Is this correct? It's just kind of nice to know what I'm hearing when I plug it in!

Thanks. Narud feels that Lo Rider steels will sing on this bass (versus the 'prettier' sounding Hi Beams I use on my A-C LM). I look forward to trying a set of those (I have a set laying around in my string drawer).

Thanks in advance!

 

[peterpalmieri]

Out for delivery!

That's a nice looking bass, the non-inline head stock doesn't work on many J bass designs but it does seem to work well on this bass.

How are all those knobs laid out?

 

[vision]

Out for delivery!

 

[KJung]

That's a nice looking bass, the non-inline head stock doesn't work on many J bass designs but it does seem to work well on this bass.

How are all those knobs laid out?

+1 on the headstock. The whole thing is far enough away from a J Bass look to be 'OK' to me.

The knobs, I assume, are the standard FBass layout... VVT on top, boost only bass mid treble on the bottom. GREAT preamp by the way. Just one more knob than the A-C, but it looks like a LOT more doesn't it. I don't totally dig that 'cluster look', but it wasn't a 'deal killer' for me. I do love the pre, and the mid control is literally the only one I've ever found useful (compared to other three band EQ's)... very fat, wide Q, smooth and useful.

The regular F's have a push/pull single/HC which this wouldn't have. I assume it has a push/pull active passive like the other F models.

 

[DonovanBankhead]

How are all those knobs laid out?

"F" BASS PRE-AMP: This wide spectrum infinitely variable EQ System was developed by Garry Poplawski of PE-EQ Research, Hamilton. It is simple to use; clockwise rotation of the pots approaches bass tones, and counter-clockwise the treble tones.

One exceptional feature of this system is that as the frequencies are varied, the overall level remains constant. So go ahead and explore the range of possibilities at your fingertips.

Obviously the image below is for the BN5,as the VF5 doesn't have humbucking pickups...

 

[KJung]

We need to hang!

 

[tombowlus]

"F" BASS PRE-AMP: This wide spectrum infinitely variable EQ System was developed by Garry Poplawski of PE-EQ Research, Hamilton. It is simple to use; clockwise rotation of the pots approaches bass tones, and counter-clockwise the treble tones. The "EQ-Blend" pot mixes the "Low" and "High" EQ pots. When the "EQ Switch" is disengaged, only the "Master Volume" and "Pickup Blend" are functioning.

One exceptional feature of this system is that as the frequencies are varied, the overall level remains constant. So go ahead and explore the range of possibilities at your fingertips.

Obviously the image below is for the BN5,as the VF5 doesn't have humbucking pickups...

That textual description of the "F Bass pre-amp" does not match the graphic (which seems right, to me).

There is no EQ blend, for instance.

 

[KJung]

That textual description of the "F Bass pre-amp" does not match the graphic (which seems right, to me).

There is no EQ blend, for instance.

+1... that's not what I had in my BN5 back in the day. I wonder if that is an older design...almost seems similar to the Alembic filter thing.

+1 also that the diagram is accurate... the text is not. The F pre is a simple VVT, boost only bass, mid, treble.