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EBMM reflex & 25th Anniversary Club

#141
I tried out a Reflex HH last week & was most impressed! I preferred it over the Bongo I also tried, and I would say I like it more than the 'Ray SLO I used to own. I wasn't sure of all of the settings, so I came home & printed up the schematic from the EBMM website. I just haven't had the opportunity to go back.

My favorite setting (though I forget which :o) made me think I was playing my P bass. The neck felt great, as did the balance of the instrument.

I had been considering something in the "beater" budget for my 3rd bass, but now I'm trying to figure out how I can swing this instead.
 
#143
Hi guys I just bought a music man 25th anniversary 5 HH bass, and I wanted to ask if any body know why this bass when the bass is in series mode and I press the bridge pick up sounds very low, almost no sound, also the nut is missing a pice by the b string, where can I order a replacement nut, Thank you! I hope you don't mind I am asking you this here!!!!!
 
#145
Daniel Piper said:
Hi ilustre - sounds like your bass needs a service! I would email customer service at EBMM and inquire about where you could get the bass checked over. Series H should be all loud and growly like a sterling.
Click to expand...

Agree with Daniel,

...check Music Man official web site and find Customer Service contact on it!
If You're located in the US, phone call is the best option, ...if You're outside US try with an e-mail!
 
#149
Can the Reflex HH really get that many more tones than the Sterling HH?

They are both Ceramic pickups after all... anybody compare the 2? Am I insane for thinking the difference is big? I'm happy with my Sterling HH but I need a 5er. My Bongo HH5 is alright but not as easy to change tone on the fly vs my Sterling HH. Maybe the Reflex would actually be harder than a Sterling HH to change on the fly... buttons vs selector & 2 bands of mids vs 1

Wish I could A\B them
 
#150
Yes, ...reflex HH got more tone options than Sterling HH, ...Sterling HH got 5 pickup switching options (only in series) + 3 band EQ, ...reflex got overall 16 switching options, 8 active and 8 passive, 4 series, 4 parallel + 4 band EQ!

Reflex got also 3 different wood pieces on the body (ash, mahogany, maple), ...Sterling is ash body only!

I hope this helps? ;)
 
#151
Thanks Keko
The Sterling HH has all pickups in parallel (Center position), rest is in series

The biggest advantage of the Reflex HH is
1) Bridge pickup in parallel
2) All pickups in series
3) Inner coils in parallel

Now... my question is to you guys... how different are those 3 positions from the others? Is it a drastic change from

1) All pickups in series vs the inner coils in series?
2) Inner coils in parallel vs all pickups in parallel?

I made an offer for a Reflex today & lets just say we were off on price. The VERY VERY few Reflex HH5s that exist in the wild are priced VERY close to the PDN releases... so if I'm going to play top dollar it might as well be for a limited edition

I'm still so freaking mad they only made one Reflex HH5, its absurd. I'm really hoping they can match the next release, its a VERY high bar & likely with all of these just sold if its not a good run, sales will be very light.
 
#152
Tunaman said:
Thanks Keko
The Sterling HH has all pickups in parallel (Center position), rest is in series

The biggest advantage of the Reflex HH is
1) Bridge pickup in parallel
2) All pickups in series
3) Inner coils in parallel

Now... my question is to you guys... how different are those 3 positions from the others? Is it a drastic change from

1) All pickups in series vs the inner coils in series?
2) Inner coils in parallel vs all pickups in parallel?
Click to expand...

Hi tuna,

just one correction, ...center position on Sterling HH is both Humbackers in parallel, but each Humbacker is still in series, ...so that means coils 1+2 & 3+4 ..I believe that's as shown at official EBMM wiring diagram? (+ = series, & = parallel)

Answers to Your last 2 questions:

1) All pickups in series vs the inner coils in series?

All coils in series delivers brutal fat wide range deep tone, ...inner coils in series produces more precise, very close to old P bass tone, but still powerful and fat enough!


2) Inner coils in parallel vs all pickups in parallel?

Inner coils in parallel mode delivers very similar tone like Fender Jazz bass when both J singles are full open, but still wider and more clear, because of ceramic magnets I believe.
All coils in parallel covers whole strings flickering usable area between bridge and neck and when all ceramic pickup coils are on, You can get an ultimate slap tone, ...the best I ever heard!!!
All coils in parallel mode is also very usable mode for smooth scoop non-aggressive finger style cruisin' bass lines, if You know what I mean! ;)

Good luck with Your search for a new reflex bass! :)
 
#153
Thanks Keko- I've tried my A$$ off to get one. Dealers literally have NONE of these in stock man, I checked every PDNs website.

They would have to be pretty much a custom order for near full retail... to which I say I'd rather wait until another limited edition run with much better neck woods & color options

So... Bongo HH5 will suffice for a while. I have a feeling the next limited edition run will be disappointing vs this last one
 
#156
The bass is in ! and... yes... its in the classifieds!

Heres why: I was expecting a Sterling HH with a 4 band EQ really. Considering the pickup location & ceramic magnets, I thought it would be near exact. This thing definitely has a tone of its own... and its a good deal warmer, with more punch. It could be that I'm unfamiliar with the Fodera Wooten strings... I love EBMM Slinkies myself, love em!! I gotta put a pair on this bass just to be sure.

I'm going to really toy around with it tonight but my impressions are that I'm looking for something aggressive for alternative covers etc. I'm going to let myself get used to the new tone and let it grow on me... not that its bad but its different from what I have built up in my mind. I have the Bongo & Reflex plugged into my mixer & headphones & I can go quickly between the two... this Reflex HH5 is certainly warmer than the Bongo especially on the D & G strings.

The passive mode is pretty awesome, actually my favorite when I thought it would be a nice to have... it sounds really vintage, more than I thought... a tone the others can't quite get.

Switching from series to parallel is awesome. I've found parallel to be more aggressive which really surprised me.

I'm going to roll with this bass as is for a few days & then drop a new pair of strings on it when I get the chance & reassess if the bass thats really warm or the bass. I would never have put it up for sale so quickly if I was wasn't worried about missing out on the honey roasted Sterling HH5 still hanging around.

So... enough jabbering & heres to a few hours of rocking out to music!
 
#157
Pretty good review for the first sight tuna!

You'll see in live conditions how flat the reflex HH really is, ...usage of EQ is almost minimal or zero needed!
All you need is to set up Your favorite coils switching mode and tweak a little bit with an EQ and You're there, ..right in the mix! ;)
 
#158
I agree Keko-

Its a really nice bass and it can get really warm & round which my Sterling CANNOT do... but my plan was to have flats on the Bongo as my smooth bass & the Reflex as my aggressive bass, right now I have 2 smooth as butter basses but I need some extreme edge for punk rock so the Reflex is up for sale despite really liking the tone!
 

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