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Club Fbass (thread 13)

#5,061
I have 3 BN5’s ATM— 2 regular and 1 deluxe. I had Dunlop flats on the 1 BN and the other 2 basses have the strings they came with— Exposed core on the BN and LaBella RX stainless on the deluxe.

I wasn’t playing music that needed the flats any longer and I’m really digging the tone of the “stock” strings on the other 2. As a “different tone” notion, I replaced the flats with GHS Pressurewound, but I ain’t digging them either. Sounds muddy to me. Even after a check of pickup height and some adjustments to the EQ. I got close last night when I switched to active and bumped the treble to about 50% and the mids to about 25%. Still, not as good as the others in passive mode.

Has the tone of the stock strings ruined me for all others? Should I keep trying some other brand/style or just put a set of FBass exposed cores on it and rock on?? What say you?
 
#5,063
BassJuju said:
………..Has the tone of the stock strings ruined me for all others? Should I keep trying some other brand/style or just put a set of FBass exposed cores on it and rock on?? What say you?
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After experimenting with other strings on my previous BN5, I went back to the Fbass exposed core’s. So when my BN6 arrived (with exposed cores)…I never even considered other strings. They just sound ‘right’… I’ve since restrung with a fresh set, using the thru body option.
IMG_3584.jpeg
 
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#5,066
BassJuju said:
I have 3 great BN5’s and an AC classic on the way. I will be selling a few other basses in the near future and could add a VF5. Is it just GAS or do I get something from the VF? I do not like Aguilar pickups, so that may be non-starter. VF users, tell me why or why not.
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I’ve looked into this. I don’t have a VF. I think the things you get are more conventional pickup options for modifying (perhaps down the road if you don’t like the Aguilar). I believe the string spacing at the nut is different, and gives you a slightly wider feel.

Curious what actual VF owners will say.
 
#5,067
Skip the aguilars on VF order with the Alleva Coppolo pickups. They are a much better marriage if you find clips online.

BassJuju said:
I have 3 great BN5’s and an AC classic on the way. I will be selling a few other basses in the near future and could add a VF5. Is it just GAS or do I get something from the VF? I do not like Aguilar pickups, so that may be non-starter. VF users, tell me why or why not.
Click to expand...
 
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#5,073
Dave Hill said:
BN - the real Fbasses
VF - compromises made to cater to a more traditional preference.
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Agree. I have now FOUR F Basses. Got bitten by the FBass bug around 8 months ago. Have a BN5, Deluxe BN5, VF5 and recently added a used AC5 which is currently being serviced by the fine folks at F Bass.

If I had to choose just one? It would be the BN5. Without question. An absolute beast of a bass. The Deluxe adds some nice options which are fun to play around with, the VF5 is great for a more traditional Jazz vibe...but for a gig when I want to bring my best bass that'll give me tone for days and sound great no matter what, the BN5 is the one.
 
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#5,074
vinylphile said:
Agree. I have now FOUR F Basses. Got bitten by the FBass bug around 8 months ago. Have a BN5, Deluxe BN5, VF5 and recently added a used AC5 which is currently being serviced by the fine folks at F Bass.

If I had to choose just one? It would be the BN5. Without question. An absolute beast of a bass. The Deluxe adds some nice options which are fun to play around with, the VF5 is great for a more traditional Jazz vibe...but for a gig when I want to bring my best bass that'll give me tone for days and sound great no matter what, the BN5 is the one.
Click to expand...

This has me pumped! I recently sold my VF5 so I could order a BN5. This makes me even more excited about my order.
 
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#5,075
I did a little custom building of both models. The prices are similar for similar specs, so no reason to pick one over the other for that reason. The VF’s are great and still F basses, but I think I’ll keep rockin the BN’s. I’ve got a couple (not FBasses) to sell, so maybe I’ll custom order something once those are sold.
 
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#5,077
Full disclosure… I’m an FBass fanboy. I’ve found the quality, the ergonomics, and all the tones. If money were no object, and it is, I’d have one of every color they make. That isn’t to say that I don’t appreciate other basses, because I do. However, unless I’m looking for something specific, in George’s words, I get the F out.

I told you that to tell you this… recently, I watched most of a couple reviews on YouTube. One from LowEnd Lobster and one from Norm’s rare guitars.

The Lobster was the closest to a fair review in my opinion. I didn’t agree with everything he said, but he gets to have his opinions. He reviewed a very nice and tricked out VF. One that I might have bought on his demo alone.

Norm, however, brought in a dude that I guess is a known bass player. Sorry, I don’t recall the name. It was an older FBass and was a flat carve like top. It was cool-ish. He explained it like no one plays FBasses and furthermore, no one ever saw a bass before. I just felt it was misrepresentative. I really wasn’t sure they were trying to sell the bass. The guitar player was cool.

Anyway, rant over. Thanks for letting me vent. :D
 
#5,078
This stuff is all subjective of course. What works for one bassist doesn't work for all. And as a relatively recently converted guitarist who took up bass more seriously only 3-4 years ago, I can't claim to have tried all of the competitors. However, I have had a large quantity of basses come through my hands over the past few years, everything from standard and custom shop Fenders to Stingrays to Foderas to Sadowskys (US and German) and more - and for me the F Basses just WORK. I find the preamps in particular more intuitive, transparent and versatile than any of the other active basses I've tried. They really do just ADD to the sound exactly as you think they would / should - and just bring out the character of the bass in ways that are predictable and complementary. Whereas with every other active bass I tried I kinda felt the preamp was FIGHTING the instrument a bit, like the two were almost competing rather than cooperating. Hard to explain. And of course once I switched from 4's to 5's...well it was no contest. I still haven't played another 5-er with a low B that I can FEEL with all of my soul the way the low B on the F basses hits me - especially on the BN5. The ergonomics, particularly with the BN5, the perfect balance, the way the instrument hangs just right on a strap and sits just right in my lap...it all works...for ME. THAT is the reason I picked up a VF5 JJ, even thought the Aguilar pickups weren't PERFECT, I greatly preferred it to my 5-string Sadowsky JJ and I was able to dial in some great tones with the combination of passive tone control and active preamp. One of these days perhaps I'll switch the pickups to the Allevas...
 
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