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Club Fbass (thread 12)

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#481
BTW, guys, here is a great clip of Snarky Puppy featuring Wes Matthews on an Fbass BN5.

There are a lot of reasons to like this clip, including the fact that there are two extremely solid bass players playing at once. The other is playing an Alleva Coppolo and the two are not only out of each others way, but complementing each other.

Maybe Victor Wooten and Anthony Wellington are on to something playing with two basses in the band.

Invalid Link Removed

Part 2 (has a bass solo by the BN5)
 
#484
Weight is an important point, IMO.

I use to have a Ken Smith black 6 tiger. Cool bass but too heavy.
After one gig I had my back blocked, had to go to a chiropractor (osteophat exactly).
2 weeks after I made one another gig, and guess what, my back was block again.

Since I sold this bass...
And this is also why I decided to stay with 5 strings basses.

Tom7 said:
Wow, sounds great.

I'm just now getting to a point where I am starting to appreciate why guys are concerning themselves with light basses. I've always thought, "Who cares? I'll be exhausted at the end of the night regardless."

But these days I find myself going for my fretless AC6s (chambered) and my BN6 LE replica, and I think their light weight plays into that.

Of course, I could always go for a 5er, but I stress out a bit sometimes worrying about if I'll "need" that "missing" string.
Click to expand...
 
#486
Hey guys, I just re-entered the 'F'old with Toms old gorgeous and amazing playing VF5. It's a killer bass with an unthinkably comfortable neck. I'm still working on getting it set up to my taste, and am curious (I know it's been mentioned before) what strings people are using on their alder/rw VF's? It came with fatbeams that I didn't quite love (never have), and the XL's, my old go to's when I had a BN6, sound a bit too polite on this bass. I'm not a big fan of the F strings, except on my old AC's. I suppose I'm looking for something a bit more raw and open sounding, I guess maybe SS. It may be a pickup height issue as well, needing to raise them up a hair. Just curious if there's a consensus as to a magic string combo with an Alder/rw VF5. Thx
 
#487
J.Wolf said:
Hey guys, I just re-entered the 'F'old with Toms old gorgeous and amazing playing VF5. It's a killer bass with an unthinkably comfortable neck. I'm still working on getting it set up to my taste, and am curious (I know it's been mentioned before) what strings people are using on their alder/rw VF's? It came with fatbeams that I didn't quite love (never have), and the XL's, my old go to's when I had a BN6, sound a bit too polite on this bass. I'm not a big fan of the F strings, except on my old AC's. I suppose I'm looking for something a bit more raw and open sounding, I guess maybe SS. It may be a pickup height issue as well, needing to raise them up a hair. Just curious if there's a consensus as to a magic string combo with an Alder/rw VF5. Thx
Click to expand...

No consensus. I use R. Cocco steels and absolutely love them. Great feel, very responsive, long lasting.
 
#488
J.Wolf said:
Hey guys, I just re-entered the 'F'old with Toms old gorgeous and amazing playing VF5. It's a killer bass with an unthinkably comfortable neck. I'm still working on getting it set up to my taste, and am curious (I know it's been mentioned before) what strings people are using on their alder/rw VF's? It came with fatbeams that I didn't quite love (never have), and the XL's, my old go to's when I had a BN6, sound a bit too polite on this bass. I'm not a big fan of the F strings, except on my old AC's. I suppose I'm looking for something a bit more raw and open sounding, I guess maybe SS. It may be a pickup height issue as well, needing to raise them up a hair. Just curious if there's a consensus as to a magic string combo with an Alder/rw VF5. Thx
Click to expand...
I am surprised you didn't quite love the fatbeams.

To get that raw, open stainless steel strong sound on my BN5, I go to [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. For me it takes a bass that gets described as "Marcus Miller on champagne" and gives it a gnarly, biting character.
 
#491
I've been using a balanced set of Circle K strings on my BN5, so far I'm really liking them. I mostly use Cobalts on all my four strings, but I wanted to try something new as the BN5 was my first fiver and a friend recommended a balanced set to make the transition easier.
 
#493
might try the nickel lo riders... And the slap masters. I don't know why I couldn't get into the fatbeams, but on every bass I've tried them on, they don't sound quite right to me, too scooped I guess.
 
#494
I've been using Circle K's exclusively on my 6, and just love them. I think they're probably too smooth for the VF5 though. It needs a bit more edge to my ears. But then, as far as jazz basses go, I'm an ash maple guy trying to get used to alder/rw.
 
#495
Mostly a bright wood guy myself; ash, maple, ebony. The Circle K's are not as bright as Cobalts, but seem to fit the BN5 well for me for the most part. Thinking about switching to a set with a lighter B string though. I believe I'm using the .136 .102 .076 .057 .041 Circle K set at the moment. Coming from four strings, the low B just seems huge physically.
 
#496
for a while there I was using all Circle K strings that did not require strung through Body!...but as I sold all my basses and only have my AC6 now.(STB)...I have switched back to D'Addarrio strings.
I was using the 0.118" set for them.
 
#497
J.Wolf said:
I've been using Circle K's exclusively on my 6, and just love them. I think they're probably too smooth for the VF5 though. It needs a bit more edge to my ears. But then, as far as jazz basses go, I'm an ash maple guy trying to get used to alder/rw.
Click to expand...
Of course strings will probably never make a 60s bass sound like a 70s bass, but I know what you mean about finding the "right" strings for a bass to bring out the character of what that bass is.

For instance, I got an ash-maple-70s Fodera. In addition to its finish which I love, I wanted it because it weighs about 600 pounds, and has a p-bass shaped neck.

That chunky neck and heavy body are not a joy to play at all. In fact, I'd often go between that VF5 and the Fodera and wonder why I'm hanging on to the Fodera. Even the guys in the band would say the VF5 sounds better...

But I kept searching for that string that would take all that mass and take that bass from good to WOW!

It took a year or more, and I changed the strings WAY before they were "done," but I finally found my wow for that bass.

I thought I found it too for the VF5 frankly, so your search has me pretty curious. I'm glad you are bringing us along on the journey.

Is it slap tone or fingerstyle tone you are mostly searching for?
 
#498
Guys,

I want to report an excelent service quality from both Fretspot (Donovan) and Fbass (Marcel).
I bought a Bnf5 (second hand) from Donovan who sent the bass for a service.
Fbass did it just so fastly... They changed the jack and the nut with no charge.

You can feel from them that the customer's satisfaction is on first place.

Bravo !

Now, I am waiting a tracking number....
 
#499
asbs said:
Guys,

I want to report an excelent service quality from both Fretspot (Donovan) and Fbass (Marcel).
I bought a Bnf5 (second hand) from Donovan who sent the bass for a service.
Fbass did it just so fastly... They changed the jack and the nut with no charge.

You can feel from them that the customer's satisfaction is on first place.

Bravo !

Now, I am waiting a tracking number....
Click to expand...

Yup!! That is what George,Marcel and crew are all about! Just great people to deal with. Oh how I wish I had the funds to get a VF5 to pair with my 99 BN5. Jim
 
#500
Hey guys, does anyone have Fbasses VF5 pickup height reccomendations handy? I thought I remember it being posted somewhere in the past. thanks

EDIT: just for everyones sake, here was Georges reply on that:

From top of the pickup to top of the string (unfretted), roughly

Neck Pickup: B string: 7mm, G string: 4mm
Bridge Pickup: B string: 6mm, G string: 4mm
 
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