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Is a Kiloton more P, or more MM?
- Thread starter LowendG
- Start date
My curiosity about the Kiloton fiver is "what if" it's a little different than a PV, L1000 or a MM? I'm a Pbass guy, I have several, they're my main players. I've owned a PV--bought one of the American Fenders the first year they came out -- and also had several L2500s. I was wondering if the Kiloton pickup is in some kinda special spot that could be like a "slightly tighter sounding, more bridge pickup-y P fiver", but not not as "pointed" as a MM.
You might ask why not just get another L2500? I might... but I don't need all that and I love simplicity.
Any pickup that senses the strings at 2 points will take away upper mids; A pickup that senses only one point per string doesn't have that characteristic. The dips in the response are at different frequencies for each string - the difference cannot be eq'd out.
As a Kiloton has a dual coil hunbucker, it is much more MM than it is P.
As a Kiloton has a dual coil hunbucker, it is much more MM than it is P.
Proud Kiloton 5 (LaBella 760FLs E-G and a single LTF B string) player here, also have a five string L-1000. Had an SB-1 and still have a couple of Precisions (Warmoth and Reverend.)
To me, split coil with tone at minimum and volume between 80%-85% can sound plenty Precision-y to my ears. I'm not saying it's the exact Precision tone since the pickup locations are so different, but the sound is awfully close. Especially with flats. To me the key is not maxing the volume ever. The way the volume and tone interact can really create different tonal palettes than maxing the volume. In my experience at least. I really dig the Kiloton for what it does and not what it isn't.
I love the L-1000 and Kiloton and wish G&L had a Wunkton (as long as the pickups don't overlap) with individual volume knobs, Bass&Treble cuts, and current coil tap options for each pickup. I know it sounds like the L-2500 but the controls and pickup locations are different. (Or do I need to suck it up and get an L-2500??)
To me, split coil with tone at minimum and volume between 80%-85% can sound plenty Precision-y to my ears. I'm not saying it's the exact Precision tone since the pickup locations are so different, but the sound is awfully close. Especially with flats. To me the key is not maxing the volume ever. The way the volume and tone interact can really create different tonal palettes than maxing the volume. In my experience at least. I really dig the Kiloton for what it does and not what it isn't.
I love the L-1000 and Kiloton and wish G&L had a Wunkton (as long as the pickups don't overlap) with individual volume knobs, Bass&Treble cuts, and current coil tap options for each pickup. I know it sounds like the L-2500 but the controls and pickup locations are different. (Or do I need to suck it up and get an L-2500??)
Thanks for all the replies folks. To clarify, I am not asking if the Kiloton can sound "like a Pbass". I have plenty of Pbasses! Just trying to get some Kiloton players' takes and what sonic territory it inhabits. Doesn't sound up my alley enough, but that's why we have TB!
I never like Kiloton sound alone , but tone becomes nice after through Tech 21 VT pedal.
I used one like that in a 3-piece rock/pop band, playing through a 130 watt Fender Bassman with a Bassman 4-12 cab. Loved the way it fit in the mix, even more than my L-1000 which was a bit more anonymous sounding.
Having the Kiloton pickup right where I pluck the strings really seems to make the bass sound pop.
In that case, go try out a double humbucker StingRay 5 HH.
The neck pickup sounds more like a P, than a StingRay.
The bridge pickup is standard StingRay.
The more you move the 5 position selector switch towards the neck pickup, the less of the StingRay bite (that you're trying to avoid) will be present.
It's also worth noting, that if you haven't yet tried the newer StingRay 5 Special, the new preamp & pickup have done a lot to tame that excessive bite (sting) of the older 3band EQ StingRays.
I would have suggested a Sabre, as it has better (in my opinion) pickup modes, to achieve what you're looking for. But they're both hard to come by, and they never made a 5 string version.
I guess a 5 string Big Al SSS might hit the mark, but again, they're quite hard to come by, and the aesthetic isn't for everyone.
The 1500 in series with the bass all the way up is a full sounding bass on the low end (as well as having a very present high end). I play a pair of 1500s (and a P bass that is set up just like a 1500 electronically), and I make great use of the bass and treble knobs. I pull the knobs down quite a bit. With an amp set flat, I usually use my 1500s passive, in series, with the bass dialed down to about 6–8, and treble dialed down to about 4–5. This is very similar to how I set a Stingray, though with my Rays, I usually go much lower with the treble on the amp (sometimes even to 0).
I also use the bass cut knob on my L-2Ks with the bridge pickup soloed...and that pickup is located even closer to the bridge. And I'm saying all this as someone who usually doesn't use trebly bass tones, but rather classic R&B-based ones. In other words, if I was like most people, who love leaner, more twangy, modern bass tones, I would run the bass knob even lower than 6.
The Kiloton is basically just a lower trim level of the 1500, placed into an SB-1 body. It can do only one minor thing that the 1500 can't do (single coil mode). Anything else the Kiloton can do, the L-1500 can do...and the 1500 has even more control options available (though you don't have to use them).
When I play a Kiloton, vs. a 1500, I must use different amp settings in order to get my baseline tone where I get the 1500's with only onboard controls.
The bottom line is that a Kiloton, 1500, or Ray can do most things tonally, if you are good at controlling your tone. It's really just a matter of what your starting point tone is. I use all these models, and L-2000s, L-1000s, P Basses, and J Basses pretty indiscriminately, because I know they can all be dialed in how I like, one way or another.
I also use the bass cut knob on my L-2Ks with the bridge pickup soloed...and that pickup is located even closer to the bridge. And I'm saying all this as someone who usually doesn't use trebly bass tones, but rather classic R&B-based ones. In other words, if I was like most people, who love leaner, more twangy, modern bass tones, I would run the bass knob even lower than 6.
The Kiloton is basically just a lower trim level of the 1500, placed into an SB-1 body. It can do only one minor thing that the 1500 can't do (single coil mode). Anything else the Kiloton can do, the L-1500 can do...and the 1500 has even more control options available (though you don't have to use them).
When I play a Kiloton, vs. a 1500, I must use different amp settings in order to get my baseline tone where I get the 1500's with only onboard controls.
The bottom line is that a Kiloton, 1500, or Ray can do most things tonally, if you are good at controlling your tone. It's really just a matter of what your starting point tone is. I use all these models, and L-2000s, L-1000s, P Basses, and J Basses pretty indiscriminately, because I know they can all be dialed in how I like, one way or another.
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Hey, while we're on this topic, can someone explain (for the 1000th time in kiloton related threads) what happens to the pickup signal when in series?
I'm talking about the treble roll-off (I think). Is that an external cap, or limiter, or something? Or is that just what happens when a humbucker goes in series?
I'm talking about the treble roll-off (I think). Is that an external cap, or limiter, or something? Or is that just what happens when a humbucker goes in series?
So on a kiloton the sound change in series is just because it's in series - the selector switch doesn't activate anything else?
Correct. Some G&L's have OMG mode. Which is Series mode with a capacitor on one of the two coils to bleed off some additional treble. Kilo does not have a cap on the series/parallel/single switch (though one could be added).
It sounds like you're asking if the Kiloton has Bass Boost mode, like the L-1000. It does not. It's series, like the L series since '98 or '99. But it adds single coil mode to the usual series/parallel switch (an L-1000 also has a three way switch with single coil mode).
The only G&Ls that use the new version of Bass Boost are the CLF Research L-1000, and the Fallout Bass. While the original L-2000s till '98 or '99 had it, the company hasn't installed it in the CLF Research L-2000.
I very much miss the onboard bass cut knob when playing a Kiloton. I have to do the bass cut on the amp instead.
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Interesting, I always thought a bass cut control would be superfluous on a Kiloton given the pickup position.
The lack of boominess compared to my L1k is one of the things I like the most about it.
I do use the bass cut on the L1k, but still prefer the sound of the bridge position pickup on the K.
The lack of boominess compared to my L1k is one of the things I like the most about it.
I do use the bass cut on the L1k, but still prefer the sound of the bridge position pickup on the K.
I really dig thr Kiloton in series mode with volume at about 85%. Sounds huge but still cuts through without muddiness.
+1. Volume knobs are great with G&L MFDs in series. Seems like most bass players run volume full on all the time. MFDs are often better at less than full.
Agreed! I've got an L-1000 too and I never go above 90% volume, regardless of coil tap position. MFDs are no joke!
