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Is a Kiloton more P, or more MM?
- Thread starter LowendG
- Start date
Multi Bass Blind Shootout
These are all recorded through the exact same signal chain with zero post production on them. The mix is very bass forward to make it easier on the listener to hear the differences. We should all be able to hear the differences quite easily. However, tell me which one the P is and which one the Stingray is.
The rear pickup of an L2000 is not in the same place as the Kiloton pickup
A Kiloton is not a proper Stingray competitor. However, one of the old L-1500s would be. They have a pre-amp (which you can use or bypass), a two band onboard e.q., and also a series/parallel switch. They are firebreathers at full dime with the pre-amp on. They can go from ear-splittingly bright to nice and warm, just using the wide variety of onboard tonal controls.
A Kiloton is more like a hot rodded Precision (SB-1, actually, as that's the body it uses). It doesn't have a pre-amp, it has a single-band onboard e.q., and it has a coil orientation switch. It's like slapping a hot rodded humbucker into a P, and adding a few "leaner" tonal options with a coil switch.
If you want the utmost in tonal control from a G&L with the pickup in that position, then get an old L-1505, not a Kiloton 5. You'll also spend less, and get a better quality instrument (as the 1505s are from farther ago, when G&L generally made better quality instruments). The only thing you give up vs. the K5 is single coil mode. IMO, the added bass cut control and the passive/active switch more than make up for the lack of single coil mode (which I have always found fairly useless on an L series bass, as the bass cut control can get you there, while remaining hum canceling). But if you really want SCM on the switch, you can replace switch with a 3-way, and wire the switch to include it.
A Kiloton is more like a hot rodded Precision (SB-1, actually, as that's the body it uses). It doesn't have a pre-amp, it has a single-band onboard e.q., and it has a coil orientation switch. It's like slapping a hot rodded humbucker into a P, and adding a few "leaner" tonal options with a coil switch.
If you want the utmost in tonal control from a G&L with the pickup in that position, then get an old L-1505, not a Kiloton 5. You'll also spend less, and get a better quality instrument (as the 1505s are from farther ago, when G&L generally made better quality instruments). The only thing you give up vs. the K5 is single coil mode. IMO, the added bass cut control and the passive/active switch more than make up for the lack of single coil mode (which I have always found fairly useless on an L series bass, as the bass cut control can get you there, while remaining hum canceling). But if you really want SCM on the switch, you can replace switch with a 3-way, and wire the switch to include it.
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Pickup placement matters. It is not much shift, but the L2000 cannot pull Kiloton tones. Might be close enough for some, but side by side they sound different.
Also on the L1500 versus Kilo comments. G&L preamps are cut only. Active mode is basically a buffer or buffer with treble boost. Kiloton makes more sense than L1500/L1505 IMO because the bass cut knob is not particularly useful on a bridge pickup only bass. If the system had bass boost, then the preamp would be more useful on the single pickup towards the bridge models.
Photo to help show pickup placement differences.
If we are going for P Bass tones from my G&Ls then in order of closeness the Kilo is last. Closest first… L5000, L2500 (neck pickup soloed), JB5 (neck pickup soloed), Kiloton. Yes the JB5 neck pickup does a better P bass impression than the Kiloton. Kilo is a great bass, but it does its own thing.
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All I can add is that I had a tribute fretless Kilo, bought it thinking it might sound like a Ray. Not really. It was a cool sounding bass but when I found an actual fretless Ray I let it go. I found that the MFD was extremely hot, every note banged out of the amp, and didn't have the natural compression and smoothness that a Stingray does.
Never mistook it for a P bass.
Never mistook it for a P bass.
I have modded my L2.5k with many different single coil modes, the one that sounded the most menacing in the dense mix is two inner coils in parallel. Great focused tone with meaty punch but still clear as a bell, made that 5th string finally sound right. Its almost like one pickup in kiloton/stingray sweetspot but as two coils are a bit further apart there is more depth and less twang/mids.
No, I'm saying most players couldn't tell the difference between a single coil or humbucker in the p position.
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Neither is a Stingray. They can approach Stingray tones, but they don't cover all of it.
While we are on the topic, Talkbass likes to pretend Stingrays have one voice. Stingrays cover quite a bit of ground. Granted I am a 5 string player. Stingray 5 coil switch and 3 band EQ is flexible for a single pickup setup. Certainly more flexible than the Kiloton. Also less flexible than the L2500 (two pickups adds quite a bit to versatility).
Wonder if we ever get a can a Stingray do L2000 thread?
I don't own a kiloton but a sterling and a Musicman. All I know is p basses can be muddy, especially the 5th string unless it's an active eq.
Gigged both of those today and I don't think either one does the other. But, they're definitely cousins (noticeably so).
A stingray has more of a signature tone...so thats why people are trying replicate it. And until recently, there werent many import versions out there, so you had to get a US model which is alot more money. The L2000 doesnt have that strong signature tone (not saying that is bad...its more versatile)
