I can relate...
Used to own 2 NYC's (a 4 and a 5 string) with Lane Poor JJ's and 2 band Pope preamps. Both were very noisy...
The 5 string one would pickup radio stations like crazy and wasn't usable if the bar had neon lights...
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Dissapointing High-End Basses
- Thread starter jnammy
- Start date
I can relate...
Used to own 2 NYC's (a 4 and a 5 string) with Lane Poor JJ's and 2 band Pope preamps. Both were very noisy...
The 5 string one would pickup radio stations like crazy and wasn't usable if the bar had neon lights...
Allex, I just happened to come across a YouTube clip where you're playing a gorgeous Fodera Emperor, was that the one you mentioned earlier in the thread?
- Apr 24, 2004
- 1,359
- 53
- Disclosures
- Designer Fodera Guitars/Michael Pope Design, Inc., Trickfish Amplification
Not really any point in mentioning the preamp in that sentence. It didn't inherently contribute to the noise problem at all. It was the pickups.
I'm sorry Mike... I don't necessarily understand everything that goes behind a noisy bass and describing the whole electronic packages on those NYC's seemed appropriate on that particular sentence.
It's like saying I had a dull bass with alder body, maple neck, morado board, brass bridge and steel truss rod... Don't know why the bass is dull, just trying to fully describe it...
No, it's not... Still got the one that's on youtube. The 13 pound one was sold long ago...
- Apr 24, 2004
- 1,359
- 53
- Disclosures
- Designer Fodera Guitars/Michael Pope Design, Inc., Trickfish Amplification
I didn't own it but was "given" (as a loan) a CS J-bass that cost a bloody bundle. When comparing that bass in most every respect to a MIJ Fender of the same specs: it superficially appeared ridiculous to spend that amount of money! The method of neck construction didn't differ, the woods used appeared to be consistent, the electronics sounded close enough so that telling them apart was almost impossible. The difference I BELIEVE was in the pots where the cut was sharper with the Japanese unit. Sustain & range appeared equal.
Frankly I am much more interested in the reverse of this discussion in terms of money: those basses that cost LESS (or much less) than $1000 that sound fantastic.....However to address this issue, the CS Fender J-bass was simply not sounding, feeling, or constructed in a manner that would put it at (frankly) 3 times the monetary value of the MIJ instrument. I went over this neck with a rule and micro-meter to determine what was substantially different, I made sure to use the same amp for both in flat, consistent setup. Obviously I could not be sure of the body cut of wood used (as they were painted) but the weights were close enough so that from a density perspective - they must have been damn close.
My point being that I couldn't discern what would make the CS Fender literally more than THREE times the value of the MIJ instrument. What's more the painful issue is that they were both so similar in color (a fluke but noteworthy) that it honestly WAS tough to tell them apart if one were to lower the lighting: the sound (& sound variances) and feel (in different styles of playing) was THAT close. {MIJ Fender was $650 / CS Fender was $2100 TTBOMK}
In a similar concept I have had 5 Music Man basses in the past 25 years and was VERY interested in the import OLP Sterling Praxis Music* product (RAY34) as it was supposedly set-up extremely close to an EBMM. (I've had both EB and older MM's) And while I have yet to put actual time into one (I would really need to buy it or have it for a few months) I have been told that there IS a difference in electronics that is discernible but the feel of the instrument is fairly close.
This analogy (of Music Man's) is the difference between a $1500 and a $700 one. This is a very important price point as it's a common spending area for a musical instrument (IMO).
I don't think that anyone would doubt that a dedicated musician could get a fantastic sound from a moderate priced instrument. Therefore to justify the spending of 3x that price; there would need to be a distinct advantage to, and quality level of - the purchase. In a totally custom unit, I can clearly see some advantage in "ground up" construction if the buyer has an issue that simply can't be easily met with existing units (I believe that's possible because of a "trade-off" in one or more areas, etc). However I see this in more unique platforms such as 5/6 string, electronics, total weight/size issues - producing a combination not standardized. In something like a Fender CS purchase.....I have a hard time in justifying a purchase that could buy transportation or several house payments.
* Note that Praxis Music get's it's necks, body work, etc from Korea, yet the electronics are supposedly OEM.
Frankly I am much more interested in the reverse of this discussion in terms of money: those basses that cost LESS (or much less) than $1000 that sound fantastic.....However to address this issue, the CS Fender J-bass was simply not sounding, feeling, or constructed in a manner that would put it at (frankly) 3 times the monetary value of the MIJ instrument. I went over this neck with a rule and micro-meter to determine what was substantially different, I made sure to use the same amp for both in flat, consistent setup. Obviously I could not be sure of the body cut of wood used (as they were painted) but the weights were close enough so that from a density perspective - they must have been damn close.
My point being that I couldn't discern what would make the CS Fender literally more than THREE times the value of the MIJ instrument. What's more the painful issue is that they were both so similar in color (a fluke but noteworthy) that it honestly WAS tough to tell them apart if one were to lower the lighting: the sound (& sound variances) and feel (in different styles of playing) was THAT close. {MIJ Fender was $650 / CS Fender was $2100 TTBOMK}
In a similar concept I have had 5 Music Man basses in the past 25 years and was VERY interested in the import OLP Sterling Praxis Music* product (RAY34) as it was supposedly set-up extremely close to an EBMM. (I've had both EB and older MM's) And while I have yet to put actual time into one (I would really need to buy it or have it for a few months) I have been told that there IS a difference in electronics that is discernible but the feel of the instrument is fairly close.
This analogy (of Music Man's) is the difference between a $1500 and a $700 one. This is a very important price point as it's a common spending area for a musical instrument (IMO).
I don't think that anyone would doubt that a dedicated musician could get a fantastic sound from a moderate priced instrument. Therefore to justify the spending of 3x that price; there would need to be a distinct advantage to, and quality level of - the purchase. In a totally custom unit, I can clearly see some advantage in "ground up" construction if the buyer has an issue that simply can't be easily met with existing units (I believe that's possible because of a "trade-off" in one or more areas, etc). However I see this in more unique platforms such as 5/6 string, electronics, total weight/size issues - producing a combination not standardized. In something like a Fender CS purchase.....I have a hard time in justifying a purchase that could buy transportation or several house payments.
* Note that Praxis Music get's it's necks, body work, etc from Korea, yet the electronics are supposedly OEM.
Well, for the record, I've been so happy with my Pedulla Rapture (the same one-pickup model that the guy earlier in the thread couldn't get a good tone from) for the last ten years that I'm trying to save up to buy another one, but slightly different.
But I played an Alembic one time that didn't appeal to me very much. It looked great, sounded great, but the strings and neck were evenly spaced, exactly the same, from the nut to the bridge. The neck didn't get wider at all. Felt kinda "euch" if you can figure out how to pronounce that.
But I played an Alembic one time that didn't appeal to me very much. It looked great, sounded great, but the strings and neck were evenly spaced, exactly the same, from the nut to the bridge. The neck didn't get wider at all. Felt kinda "euch" if you can figure out how to pronounce that.
I played several Roscoe's (LG's, SKB, Century) at a shop in Austin and was shocked that I didn't like them at all. Through the various wood and electronics combinations none of them did it for me in the tone department. The one constant on these basses was a swamp ash body which I have found through experience that I simply do not like as a body wood. Maybe that was the issue? Anyways, unless I play one in person that tells me differently I would never order a Roscoe.
I'm not saying that they sound like crap. a friend of mine kept telling me that gibson makes terrible basses and he thinks that they sound like crap except for the thunderbird.
Yeah, but that's like anyone saying Ric's suck besides 4001's, or that Fenders are crap besides P Basses.
Personal taste is all.
I played a lovely Modulus Quantum 6 today and disliked it after about 3 seconds. Not a single thing wrong with it, but the action was higher than I prefer, and higher still than my usual comfort zone. It was a shame to me because it was a 45 minute drive to play it, but it was nothing on the bass - it was totally on her setup. Then I tried a (Korean?) Kingston MTD fretless 6, and it was beyond gorgeous, it was sublime.
My point is that had I been playing only a year or so, or had littler experience with basses and the effects a good (to you) setup can have, I would likely have left thinking MTD Kingston series instruments are waaaay better than Modulus Quantums, and that's unfortunate I suppose. But you have to know what you don't like to define what you do, and experience can help you level set your expectations.
My point is that had I been playing only a year or so, or had littler experience with basses and the effects a good (to you) setup can have, I would likely have left thinking MTD Kingston series instruments are waaaay better than Modulus Quantums, and that's unfortunate I suppose. But you have to know what you don't like to define what you do, and experience can help you level set your expectations.
one of my friends tells me aliens abducted him and forced him to have sex with alien women to produce hybrid babies. i don't believe him either
pablomigraine
Commercial User
My tone comes from my ability to play, not from any particular bass.
I own way more basses than I need, my favorite is a 169.00 Dan Electro Long Horn.
My 91 Gibson Thunderbird (900.00) is nice, I use it a lot.
A couple of 90s Telecaster Basses, Fenders made in Japan, nice.
I am not going name all my basses, my point is I shop a high end vintage shop and have played all these expensive high end basses. I could never tell the difference between them and 300.00 Fender Squire.
I own way more basses than I need, my favorite is a 169.00 Dan Electro Long Horn.
My 91 Gibson Thunderbird (900.00) is nice, I use it a lot.
A couple of 90s Telecaster Basses, Fenders made in Japan, nice.
I am not going name all my basses, my point is I shop a high end vintage shop and have played all these expensive high end basses. I could never tell the difference between them and 300.00 Fender Squire.
I have to disagree, hum can also occur due to poor shielding, wiring, and mismatching pickups with preamps that just don't jive well together.
Absolutely. My point is that sometimes the only way to know that is by gaining the experience that comes with time and playing a number of basses. Disappointment is based on expectations, but expectations can be based on absolutely anything, realistic or not.
did you say "realistic"?
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high end basses can be great, but you haven't lived until you've taken one of these babies and turned it up till it catches feedback. feels like it's going to explode in your hands! i feel bad that many of you will never know that feeling.
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
Yes, we had a big problem with certain batches of Lane Poors (it was before by time, but Joey has told me about it). We stopped using those pickups well over ten years ago (maybe more) and any original owner that had issues with them got a free replacement if the sent the bass in to us to deal with it...
This was WAY before your time...
Those were made in mid 1990's. I haven't encountered a similar problem with the Lane Poor soapbars, just the J's.
You more than us know that a single bass with a minor problem out of 3500 or so can do bad things for a brand. The NYC 5'er was my first contact with Fodera basses and not a great one, to be honest. Now I own a few Emperors and they are some of the best basses I've laid my hands on...
Just want to say this again: It's just amazing that Fodera has someone here on TB daily to patiently go over these threads...
