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Chef
In Memoriam
The Sadowsky MV5PJ is the brightest bass I have. It has Sadowsky blue SS on it. Running that wide open would be way too much for me. I typically have VTC on the shut by half, and treble boosted just a hair. LI leave the bass alone unless I'm favoring the bridge pickup, but I really prefer a JJ for the J bridge tone.
Again, my basic formula for all my active stuff seems to be VTC shut about 30%, treble boosted a little, bass flat, unless I'm favoring the bridge pup; I might roll a tad of bass in for that. Maybe not though, depending on song, rig, room...
I almost always use my GK MBFusion these days, and it's set "flat" as determined by the BGM testing. I don't run it that way because of the test results, but, rather, that's where I was running it anyway.
Trebble shut some, mids/low mids pushed a bit, bass rolled back a bit.
Again, my basic formula for all my active stuff seems to be VTC shut about 30%, treble boosted a little, bass flat, unless I'm favoring the bridge pup; I might roll a tad of bass in for that. Maybe not though, depending on song, rig, room...
I almost always use my GK MBFusion these days, and it's set "flat" as determined by the BGM testing. I don't run it that way because of the test results, but, rather, that's where I was running it anyway.
Trebble shut some, mids/low mids pushed a bit, bass rolled back a bit.
Chef
In Memoriam
I'd probably still say the same thing 
....Orange Bomber>WW>Berg...yep; that's gonna be snappy 
I know my bass/strings/amp/settings probably makes it seem like I'm a "sizzler," I'm totally not.
I have really fat sounding fingers for some reason, as you alluded to in your post, and if I ran "dark" gear, it'd be too much dark on dark, for me.
Vic ends up about the same way as be: you'd "read" his tone as pretty bright by his gear/etc choices, but, his band demo tones aren't super snappy like that either.
Yeah: you need a Sadowsky P. Toooootally.
Lastly:
this whole discussion is maybe a great example of "you can read and read and read, and you're still not really gonna know what "Gear Bit X" is gonna do til you get it in your personal hands; cause a lot of it really does come from your hands.
....Orange Bomber>WW>Berg...yep; that's gonna be snappy I know my bass/strings/amp/settings probably makes it seem like I'm a "sizzler," I'm totally not.
I have really fat sounding fingers for some reason, as you alluded to in your post, and if I ran "dark" gear, it'd be too much dark on dark, for me.
Vic ends up about the same way as be: you'd "read" his tone as pretty bright by his gear/etc choices, but, his band demo tones aren't super snappy like that either.
Yeah: you need a Sadowsky P. Toooootally.
Lastly:
this whole discussion is maybe a great example of "you can read and read and read, and you're still not really gonna know what "Gear Bit X" is gonna do til you get it in your personal hands; cause a lot of it really does come from your hands.
Another interesting thing (and I guess this is why they put the knobs on basses and amps) is when we hung a while back, and I remember I had my Walter Woods and Berg HS210 cab, and my Sadowsky RV5 with, I believe Hi Beams at the time, and you were like 'that sounds good, but I surely don't need that much top end'.
"Your tone was meatier" (paraphrased)
I will most likely be in BIG trouble if I ever see an Ash/maple P5 on the Sadowsky update page!
I'd probably still say the same thing
I know my bass/strings/amp/settings probably makes it seem like I'm a "sizzler," I'm totally not.
I have really fat sounding fingers for some reason, as you alluded to in your post, and if I ran "dark" gear, it'd be too much dark on dark, for me.
Vic ends up about the same way as be: you'd "read" his tone as pretty bright by his gear/etc choices, but, his band demo tones aren't super snappy like that either.
Yeah: you need a Sadowsky P. Toooootally.
Lastly:
this whole discussion is maybe a great example of "you can read and read and read, and you're still not really gonna know what "Gear Bit X" is gonna do til you get it in your personal hands; cause a lot of it really does come from your hands.
+1 And again, the cab would make a HUGE difference... sealed multi 10 with no tweeter versus a more 'modern' deal.
Interesting stuff, and of course, per your Sadowsky PJ example, many different P pickup voicings and even different pot tapers on the passive tone control.
One thing for sure... that Nordy P pickup (that Roger uses I believe) SNAPS up top! I dig it!
I run all three of my basses through the same Ashdown EVO II and 210 cab. The amp and cab play well with all basses I've ever plugged in, but the character definitely changes in ways that I'd not necessarily have expected just from readin' stuff.
Yuppers. Makes sense. Alone practice is much different then live with a band. Bright gear isn't so much in a mix.
The mix (espeically cymbals / hi hat / etc... ) literally swallows up a lot of that high end sizzle. Tone remains clear but not harsh.
I'll start out wide open, and dial back to where I stop hearing the "click" and unwanted finger noise. For mellower songs, I'll dial back more - and usually wind up 50% back for JJ, 80% back for P.
Chef
In Memoriam
Now, I don't want to come off as "I wanna be like Mike (KEN!)" here, but,
ummmmmmm.......
I've done my last few gigs on a passive P5.
(don't freak, it's still single coil)
ummmmmmm.......
I've done my last few gigs on a passive P5.
(don't freak, it's still single coil)
- Nov 4, 2003
- 11,943
- 3,137
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
Slow down Chef...im an active jazz kinda guy......
Dont get me confused with Ken. I know we look so much alike and all!
Thanks! Red and Whitey came in at the same time (10/2010), and I believe Red was overshadowed by Whitey -- or should I say, lost in the glare.
I love all three.P.S. Closer look at the beautiful Brazilian board:
Thanks! Red and Whitey came in at the same time (10/2010), and I believe Red was overshadowed by Whitey -- or should I say, lost in the glare.
P.S. Closer look at the beautiful Brazilian board:
I was wondering if that was Brazilian. Man, NICE!
There's SO many out there... one of mine is Steely Dan's Peg with Chuck Rainy. Sweetness.
Ken, I figure that picture's better than this one, but maybe this will suffice in its absence.
There's even an actual Fender in there.
Funny you should say that, because that was a case where I had brand new steels on 4098 and backed off the VTC to smooth it out a little bit (and of course the audio behind the video was done with no rig). See Ken, I do use that control!
Amazing that when you shook them out of that big bag they landed in that nice pile. Always loved that particular Skjold!
Wait a minute. Why on earth would you just dump a bag full of basses out like that? Don't you know some could get damaged (dings/dents/etc...)! Are you crazy! And did they REALLY fall in placed like that, or did you dump the bag, then arrange them? I think you arranged them.
Still can't believe you would dump a Bag-a-Basses like that.
Just a few examples of some of the P and P/J tones I like:
Bob Glaub with John Fogerty:
Bob is playing a PJ (IIRC, he's not using the J pickup)
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Willie Weeks (here with Eric Clapton):
http://youtu.be/iEltQ_KtDhs?t=6m30s
Not a fan of BJ, but Hugh's Sadowsky PJ sounds killer on this intro (we'll forgive Jon's screwing the rythm on the first few bars
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Thanks Fran. I know how you liked the tone on the "Things I Miss--" overdub. While we're in the P zone, here's a couple more done in that session.
3 with P pup soloed & 1 with P pup favoured from the same album.
B.
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Steely Dan overdubs
Well, to answer both questions in one fell swoop, this is how I choose... I have this huge burlap bag, and a trained gorilla who knows how to load, shake, and dump. Whatever lands on top, is what I play that night. Dents schments... just play the bastids and enjoy.
