By the way if anyone knows what head that guys using in that clip that'd be awesome, looks reassuringly cheap for how nice it hopefully sounds in person.
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Giving up "modern" rig for old fliptop.
- Thread starter braydensharrar
- Start date
Hey man, I would really appreciate that!
I will definitely do that if possible.
I do think I'll hold onto my current rig until I get to Boston. My upright needs work, so I have that to worry about for now. It's just so hard to not fall in love with THE Motown bass sound. My favorite electric sound.
I'll chime in! I have owned two over the past two years: a 68 and a 75. Yes they sound great, but they are just not gigging amps IMO. They are heavy and bulky. They get buried with a drummer. I pesonally feel that you should look for a v4b. A lot louder and better tone IMO. You can gig with a v4 and use it in the dorm room! Trust me, you will be happy with a v4b tonewise. The tone is there!
I've had a jones for a B-15 lately. And I had an opportunity to use one when I was jamming with some friends. And frankly, the B-15 couldn't hold it's own in a power trio setting. It was me, a drummer and a guitar player who was playing through a Fender Twin. I had to fight for every dB of volume in that setting.
That being said, it's a classic amp. It's on countless classic recordings. But can it hold it's own on gigs from a volume standpoint? Maybe on low volume gigs, but that's about it.
If you're after the Motown sound? Start with the instrument. A Fender with flats goes a long way to getting that sound.
My take on the amp situation? If you want a B-15, get one. But keep your modern rig, too. And use the one that works for a given setting.
That being said, it's a classic amp. It's on countless classic recordings. But can it hold it's own on gigs from a volume standpoint? Maybe on low volume gigs, but that's about it.
If you're after the Motown sound? Start with the instrument. A Fender with flats goes a long way to getting that sound.
My take on the amp situation? If you want a B-15, get one. But keep your modern rig, too. And use the one that works for a given setting.
With an extension cab, it stands a much better chance. I used my 68 with a 4x10 extension cab while my V4 was in the shop, and it certainly got volume. I was audible against a Rivera M100/Mesa 4x12, but certainly not felt as much as my V4 through just the 4x10. But, in a situation where you'd need that much volume you're more likely to have PA support as well.
I am playing a Fender MIA jazz with La Bella flats, bridge pickup completely cut, and sky high action. It's as close as I can get, with the exception of getting a P bass.
I am playing a Fender MIA jazz with La Bella flats, bridge pickup completely cut, and sky high action. It's as close as I can get, with the exception of getting a P bass.
Well, Motown or not, I bet you're getting a heckuva nice Family Man tone then
- Feb 16, 2008
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I am playing a Fender MIA jazz with La Bella flats, bridge pickup completely cut, and sky high action. It's as close as I can get, with the exception of getting a P bass.
+1
i've always thought that a j bass can get a pretty good p bass vibe by just using the front pickup and use that sound often.
I am playing a Fender MIA jazz with La Bella flats, bridge pickup completely cut, and sky high action. It's as close as I can get, with the exception of getting a P bass.
Try some foam under the strings at the bridge. You might be pleasantly surprised with the results.
Bob Babbitt does that too, btw.
Would pickup foam be high enough for this purpose?
If not, what kind of foam and where should I look for it?
Thanks for the suggestion. I have thought of doing this, but haven't yet..
~B
Ahhh, foam. Soon you will be eyeing misc. hunks of foam, weather stripping, etc. every time you walk into a hardware store.
You'll find different foam works better for different things, and on different basses--seriously. When I go to a session, I always have a few hunks of foam of different thickness and stiffness in my gear box. Of course, you have to retune when you slide that foam in there, but if you're going for that one sound then stick it in there and leave it. If it's just a single hunk of foam, you have to kind of "shape" it with an x-acto or scissors to get equal pressure on all the strings.
Sounds like I have to get over to the Home Depot.
I wonder if they would mind me walking in with my J in it's case?
I love the eccentricities that come along with being a musician
The foam I've been using is normally used for sound proofing. You could probably get some in the pro audio department of any fairly large MI dealer.
Usually you only need foam to be about 1 inch thick. It needs to be wide enough to get under all the strings with room to spare. And a strip about 1 - 2 inches long should fit in between the rear pickup and your bridge. A utility knife will cut that stuff right up.
Usually you only need foam to be about 1 inch thick. It needs to be wide enough to get under all the strings with room to spare. And a strip about 1 - 2 inches long should fit in between the rear pickup and your bridge. A utility knife will cut that stuff right up.
I put a double strip of black weatherstripping under the bridge cover on my P where the originals had it, slightly slanted forward towards the g string. Works great as it's a bass I use for that one sound.
On my Jazz I use regular yellow synthetic sponge material I cut to fit, wedged under the strings cozied up to the bridge. Works great, and is absolutely necessary to get that Jamerson style thump with less sustain. You won't believe the difference!
I also find rolling up the bridge PUP halfway works better, giving some more definition while still favouring the deep neck PUP tones. Same for Family Man tone- neck only fingerstyle lacks a bit of punch IMO, but sounds awesome with flats picked à la Joe Osborn.
On my Jazz I use regular yellow synthetic sponge material I cut to fit, wedged under the strings cozied up to the bridge. Works great, and is absolutely necessary to get that Jamerson style thump with less sustain. You won't believe the difference!
I also find rolling up the bridge PUP halfway works better, giving some more definition while still favouring the deep neck PUP tones. Same for Family Man tone- neck only fingerstyle lacks a bit of punch IMO, but sounds awesome with flats picked à la Joe Osborn.
well, if guitar players are getting down to 12-22 watt amps in MANY cases, and everyone is mic'ed, and most places have decent PA's and even stars send the house a signal through as DI, then why not use a 70's B-15 and a mic, maybe split first with a good (avalon) DI?
Saves the ears, saves the mix.
Saves the ears, saves the mix.
I remember once seeing a photo of Phil Chen holding a Jazz I think, and it appeared he had devised a mute (that looked to be on stiffer side of the foam spectrum), that had slight notches/indentations cut out for the 4 strings, that he could slide under the strings on it's side, and then flip up into position. Been meaning to try and make something like that forever . . . getting equal pressure on all four strings is always the trick . . .
Agreed. Only problem is that even a 15w gtr amp will blow away a B-15, and if you do gigs without a PA, you'll struggle. A PA is 90% of the reason I can get away with using a B-15, the other 10% being because everyone else has reasonable stage volume.
I think the bass gods intervened.
I got a call from a local music store informing me that they have a 1967-1969 Ampeg B-15 coming in on a trade within the next couple of days. The music store owner said it's in great condition and would sell it to me for just under 1k.
Barring things falling through on their end, I am going to do it.
Look for my Epifani stuff in the classifieds, I am taking the jump!
Thanks to all for your input..
~B
I got a call from a local music store informing me that they have a 1967-1969 Ampeg B-15 coming in on a trade within the next couple of days. The music store owner said it's in great condition and would sell it to me for just under 1k.
Barring things falling through on their end, I am going to do it.
Look for my Epifani stuff in the classifieds, I am taking the jump!
Thanks to all for your input..
~B
Well, you'll certainly get the attention of all the other bassists at Berklee, so it's a good networking tool. Maybe you can rent it out for sessions.
Sounds like a great deal--congrats! A little jealous, I literally just today had to put in a call to rent one for a session (I have a B100r but I wanted to make sure I was really bringing the B15 tone for this, and that's even with my REDDI in tow). Enjoy!
