G&L M2000 owners - how do you tame the beast?

[TimBosby]

So I recently acquired this sweet baby. It's changed hands on Talkbass a couple times. Bel-Air green USA G&L M2000. Vintage tint gloss quartersawn maple neck in my favorite dimensions: 1.625" at the nut and 7.25" fingerboard radius.

She killed last night with one of my bands - The Sub-Vectors (instrumental surf rock trio) at our regular twice-a-month gig at Laka Lono Rum Club in beautiful downtown Omaha.

The M2000 is a bit more polite than the L2000 (I've owned a few of both) but it's still pretty ballsy and hot. It kills for rock but I have another gig tomorrow night with my other band, Bathtub Maria - quieter overall, still rock at times, a little bluesy with some jazz overtones and some more acoustic numbers as well.

I'm wondering if I can hear from some M2000 owners as to how to get a smoother, jazzier sound out of this snarly rock monster. Yes, I have other basses but this one is currently the most show ready!

I usually play through a TC 1x15 combo or use a Mesa Subway head with a Barefaced 2x12 cab.

Please move to another forum if this doesn't belong here!

Appreciate the help!

 

[80jazz]

Will you bring it to the gig next Friday?

 

[TimBosby]

Will you bring it to the gig next Friday?

I may. Is this Travis? Hey Travis!!

 

[mikezimmerman]

Gorgeous bass--love the color! What do you have it strung with? Aside from pickup balance/EQ changes (which I assume you're already playing with), swapping out the strings seems to be the easiest way to get a change to the overall tone...

 

[TimBosby]

Thanks Mike!! Good point on the strings... The answer is: I don't know! I want to say they feel like Chromes but I'm not sure. I would swap the strings but the action and playability was perfect right out of the gate when I got the bass so I'm hesitant to do so! I mean how often does a used bass arrive perfectly set up to your liking and playable? Lol!

Gorgeous bass--love the color! What do you have it strung with? Aside from pickup balance/EQ changes (which I assume you're already playing with), swapping out the strings seems to be the easiest way to get a change to the overall tone...

 

[TimBosby]

Actually I should check the pickup height maybe. I could probably drop them down just a hair...

 

[TerenceE]

You should just sell that sexy beast to me....problem solved!

 

[buldog5151bass]

Roll back the tone knob. Try a little foam in the bridge - that will cool it down. That's what I do when I need a quick change from my rock band to my jazz band.

 

[TimBosby]

Roll back the tone knob. Try a little foam in the bridge - that will cool it down. That's what I do when I need a quick change from my rock band to my jazz band.

Good point but actually there's no dedicated tone. Just a 3 band EQ. I think I may need to tame the mids a bit though. The foam is also an interesting idea.

 

[FunkHead]

TI flats. Then roll the mids and treble back. That's a beautiful M2000 btw. I love mine but the gas for a P-bass is very real for me. I think the Rosewood on mine tames it a bit.

 

[BigAlBass69]

Don't want to derail this thread but what are the differences between the L2000 (which I have) and the M2000 (which I have actually never seen much less played)?

 

[TimBosby]

Ah yes the emerald one I almost snagged! Good point on the TI flats. The only flats I've ever liked. Very expensive though. I'll mull that over though.

TI flats. Then roll the mids and treble back. That's a beautiful M2000 btw. I love mine but the gas for a P-bass is very real for me. I think the Rosewood on mine tames it a bit.

 

[TimBosby]

Don't want to derail this thread but what are the differences between the L2000 (which I have) and the M2000 (which I have actually never seen much less played)?

There's a good discussion about that here actually! They're similar but have a number of key differences. I love both but can only afford to have one right now.

G&L L-2000 vs. G&L M-2000

 

[buldog5151bass]

Good point but actually there's no dedicated tone. Just a 3 band EQ. I think I may need to tame the mids a bit though. The foam is also an interesting idea.

What I did was get one of the rolls of the black foam to use around window ACs. This way I could cut pieces of different width and thickness, to experiment with the amount of muting (and can swap pieces easily and quickly during the experiment phase).

 

[two fingers]

I would think that slightly favoring the neck pickup would help. Then dial back the treble a bit and the mids a tiny bit. No need to boost anything on those pickups.

 

[BigAlBass69]

There's a good discussion about that here actually! They're similar but have a number of key differences. I love both but can only afford to have one right now.

G&L L-2000 vs. G&L M-2000

Thanks Tim Bo, now I can see clearly

 

[80jazz]

I may. Is this Travis? Hey Travis!!

Yes, it is.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Tim

snarly rock monster

Front pup only! No boost with your onboard eq!

Right hand position over the front pup or even closer to the neck. Play finger style.

TI flats. The only flats I've ever liked. Very expensive though. I'll mull that over though.

TI flats are not expensive The guys that I kwow, who play flats use them for years!

I wish I could use my rounds as long as that!


may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[bassliner50]

Sold my L2000 and bought another Precision. Easier to live with for my purposes.

 

[Morse_77]

I regularly play with both an L and M 2500. Both are strung with Nickel round wound.

If I want a "smoother, less ballsy" sound I would take the M and dialed back the mids and highs on the bass, lower the gain on the amp too.
Experiment with favoring the front or back pickup to change the tone. Depending on how/where you pluck the strings it will affect your tone differently.

The biggest difference for me is how I pluck the strings. For something like I think you want to achieve I turn the wrist of my picking hand slightly toward the strings. This way I get more skin under the strings (how you would pluck strings on upright bass).

BTW it`s a beautiful bass.