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Jack Casady bass advice
- Thread starter thelimey
- Start date
My Chromes took 2 years of constant playing to lose their overtones, sustain, and develop that great "ping-thud" sound. Try some GHS Precision flats, DR flats, or Labella Jamersons if you want thump right out of the box.
Adrian02
Bass Player and vocalist
- Mar 29, 2012
- 18
- 1
- Disclosures
- I am a manufacturers rep for musical instruments.
2 years? Wow! I've never had so many time to break up my chromes. Usually in two or three weeks they start to lose brightness.
Anyway
One of the (many) surprises of the pre-owned Jack Casady I bought a few years ago is the tone pot.
On my own bass, a few degrees of rotation will just produce the roll-off that comes with older strings, while a tad more turning will take you back in time to the Jamerson Park; fully closed, final
stop, it's Gibson's EB-Oomph.
I chose to keep the D'Addario
Chromes because, well, sometimes I can fake a roundwound-like tone in the mix without having to swap the bass for another one, although (in line with what you say here) the tone pot is rolled-off most of its (playjng) time.
I bought it for its look, I admit, it's an old Korean-made with a stunning build quality, but I love it for its tone and playability more than I could ever imagine, and more than its humble price could ever hint. Oh, I installed a Hipshot bridge that made it cent-true across the whole fingerboard, each and every fret. Now, if it only had five strings to set E-C, I'd be off to desert island with it.
On my own bass, a few degrees of rotation will just produce the roll-off that comes with older strings, while a tad more turning will take you back in time to the Jamerson Park; fully closed, final
stop, it's Gibson's EB-Oomph.
I chose to keep the D'Addario
Chromes because, well, sometimes I can fake a roundwound-like tone in the mix without having to swap the bass for another one, although (in line with what you say here) the tone pot is rolled-off most of its (playjng) time.
I bought it for its look, I admit, it's an old Korean-made with a stunning build quality, but I love it for its tone and playability more than I could ever imagine, and more than its humble price could ever hint. Oh, I installed a Hipshot bridge that made it cent-true across the whole fingerboard, each and every fret. Now, if it only had five strings to set E-C, I'd be off to desert island with it.
I've actually got a set of tapewounds on my Jack Casady, and I think they sound fantastic on that bass! It's got a nice thump to it, but it still sounds well articulated. I think I might have LaBella tapewounds on mine, but it's been so long since I changed those strings that it's difficult to recall. I do know that the silks on the set I have are purple.
No one's yet suggested Pyramid Gold flats.
Both Jack and Phil Lesh of the Dead used them on their late 60s/early 70s Guild Starfires (including the period after Alembic modified the Starfires) and McCartney's Hofners came strung with them. I use the same short scale set on my DeArmond Starfire and love em. They lose their twang within a week or two of fairly regular playing. Never tried the long-scale set tho, and at US$70 they ain't cheap. AND they're not everybody's cup of tea, so an expensive experiment! But if you like them you'll not have to buy another set for a very long time. They last forever.
Another true believer writes: Invalid Link Removed
There are a few threads on TB about Pyramid flats. One regular complaint is that the E string is dead...like completely dead. Pyramid explain they use a thicker core for the E than for other strings. But IME, once plugged in and turned up, the E sounds just fine...if dark/woody is what you're going for. And the whole set is very well balanced. My guess is that some folks have a hard time adjusting from the sound of modern bass zing to a true flatwound sound...or maybe some folks were just very unlucky?
This from a Pyramid Gold thread on basschat.co.uk:
"i put a set of pyramid golds on my jack casady bass last night, after being won over by them on my fretless. it's the 1st time i've put flatties on a fretted bass - fantastic sound
" Invalid Link Removed
So that's at least one happy Casady/Pyramid customer!
Both Jack and Phil Lesh of the Dead used them on their late 60s/early 70s Guild Starfires (including the period after Alembic modified the Starfires) and McCartney's Hofners came strung with them. I use the same short scale set on my DeArmond Starfire and love em. They lose their twang within a week or two of fairly regular playing. Never tried the long-scale set tho, and at US$70 they ain't cheap. AND they're not everybody's cup of tea, so an expensive experiment! But if you like them you'll not have to buy another set for a very long time. They last forever.
Another true believer writes: Invalid Link Removed
There are a few threads on TB about Pyramid flats. One regular complaint is that the E string is dead...like completely dead. Pyramid explain they use a thicker core for the E than for other strings. But IME, once plugged in and turned up, the E sounds just fine...if dark/woody is what you're going for. And the whole set is very well balanced. My guess is that some folks have a hard time adjusting from the sound of modern bass zing to a true flatwound sound...or maybe some folks were just very unlucky?
This from a Pyramid Gold thread on basschat.co.uk:
"i put a set of pyramid golds on my jack casady bass last night, after being won over by them on my fretless. it's the 1st time i've put flatties on a fretted bass - fantastic sound
" Invalid Link RemovedSo that's at least one happy Casady/Pyramid customer!
I have long scale Pyramids on my JC. They are a fantastic match - not too bright, but great woody mids. The long scale version is more like the flat you always wanted than the kind of unique tone of the short scale Pyramids. I've used long scale Pyramids on other basses with great results, too. Not cheap - true. But if you've tried all the other flats, it's a chance worth taking.
There is a recent thread rating flatwounds from dark to bright and Chromes rated high on the bright side. The GHS Precisions rated on the dark side; LaBella slightly higher.
Check it out:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/flats-darkest-brightest-list-987068/
I have found LaBalla's to be high tension and I would think twice before putting them on a set neck bass. YMMV
Check it out:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/flats-darkest-brightest-list-987068/
I have found LaBalla's to be high tension and I would think twice before putting them on a set neck bass. YMMV
Though as it's a vague term, it could mean the opposite of what you think when someone else uses it. I just changed out a GHS for a La Bella "Jamerson" (i.e., 1954 Original Fender Style) set, and they're both brighter and darker. Or maybe they're neither brighter nor darker. For someone who likes that kind of thing, anyway, I imagine they're just the kind of thing he'd like. In retrospect ... the more middle-of-the-road gauge La Bella 0760FS would be a more obvious place to start with La Bella, I think, unless your playing style really begs for the "Jamerson" 0760M gauge.
On the Pyramid E string thing -- dig up the posts on it here. I vaguely recall something about this and the way I remember it, replacements were acquired and after one or two tries, an E arrived that worked. This implies that it isn't any kind of an issue about how they're designed to sound, but it does offer some hope that the problem may have been solved, or at least can be resolved with some patience if you're so unlucky as to get a bad one.
Are you setting the transformer to 500? The 50 setting will be the brightest.
I just put a Hipshot Supertone on mine and strung it with Black Diamond flat wounds. It's the opposite of bright now...big bottom thump, yet clear top end with the tone control wide open.
I just put a Hipshot Supertone on mine and strung it with Black Diamond flat wounds. It's the opposite of bright now...big bottom thump, yet clear top end with the tone control wide open.
I've had a J C bass since 1998. It's very responsive to the type of strings that you put on it. I've had Pyramid Gold Flats, for a very full, old school sound, and Dean Markley Blue Steel, medium lights for a brighter more articulate tone. The comment about rolling off the tone knob is an excellent one. I usually play with it wide open, but it has a dramatic effect by turning it down.
For woody, your certainly could use the Pyramid flats. They work very well, or, you could leave a set of Dean Markley strings on for a very long time - like years. Though they are quite bright AND deep when you get them. It's one of the unique features of this instrument that you can hear bright AND deep at the same time. That's why I love it.
I think you'd probably also like the results of tape wounds.
Don't forget that you have the 3 position Varitone switch to further broaden your sound.
Personally, I like it on the 50 setting for a deep warm tone.
For woody, your certainly could use the Pyramid flats. They work very well, or, you could leave a set of Dean Markley strings on for a very long time - like years. Though they are quite bright AND deep when you get them. It's one of the unique features of this instrument that you can hear bright AND deep at the same time. That's why I love it.
I think you'd probably also like the results of tape wounds.
Don't forget that you have the 3 position Varitone switch to further broaden your sound.
Personally, I like it on the 50 setting for a deep warm tone.
The previous owner had mentioned that tapewound work well on it.
Ironically it had a Hiptshot Supertone on it when I got it but I thought it was too spanky so put it back to stock (actually selling on Seattle Craiglist)
I'll probably run the D'Addario for a while and see what like they sound like once they deaden up a little.
I have LaBella's flat on my Rogue VB100 and they sound great but obviously different kind of bass.
Ironically it had a Hiptshot Supertone on it when I got it but I thought it was too spanky so put it back to stock (actually selling on Seattle Craiglist)
I'll probably run the D'Addario for a while and see what like they sound like once they deaden up a little.
I have LaBella's flat on my Rogue VB100 and they sound great but obviously different kind of bass.
edmidlifecrisis
Registered mediocre bass player
I want to try flats or tapewounds on mine (have some sitting around) but the Blue Steels sound so great I never get around to it. I played it at our weekly house jam on Saturday for the first time in a while and the tone was just awesome.
As a follow up to some of the things people raised on this I tried setting the Varitone to 50 (I think it's 50, the dial face is missing) and rolled the tone back a little.
Totally different bass, extremely senstive/massive changes in sound.
I only paid $200 for it including case+ $50 for a small neck repair so very happy with the outcome.
Totally different bass, extremely senstive/massive changes in sound.
I only paid $200 for it including case+ $50 for a small neck repair so very happy with the outcome.
