I put together this bass from a G5 body and neck from Warmoth Guitars in Oregon, as a gift to my son, who works as a composer/arranger/producer at a busy TV production studio in LA. It has a Fishman Fluence Soapbar set and a Mike Inez Precision in the middle. My design goal was to create the most versatile bass possible for his work (he also has many other basses from classic Fenders to exotic boutiques). He’s had it for about a month and he has used it almost exclusively since receiving it. This is what he reported to me today:
“On the Fluences, they definitely give a different sound per variation of pickup selection. BUT they also have a specific sound inherent to them, which is naturally very hi-fi.
“Today I needed to record a distorted rock/punk track, so I put it on the Mike Inez pickup on "vintage" setting with the treble slightly cut and it did exactly what was needed.
“Later in the day, I needed to fill the bottom end but play an articulate bouncy African track, so I used the outer pickups on flat response and boosted the bass.
“Another recording was for a funk track, and so I put the neck pickup single coil with a mid-boost, and bridge pickup in humbucker mode on flat response.
“Lastly, a country rock track with both pickups humbucker and flat with a flat EQ.
“All in one day! How's that?
”
“On the Fluences, they definitely give a different sound per variation of pickup selection. BUT they also have a specific sound inherent to them, which is naturally very hi-fi.
“Today I needed to record a distorted rock/punk track, so I put it on the Mike Inez pickup on "vintage" setting with the treble slightly cut and it did exactly what was needed.
“Later in the day, I needed to fill the bottom end but play an articulate bouncy African track, so I used the outer pickups on flat response and boosted the bass.
“Another recording was for a funk track, and so I put the neck pickup single coil with a mid-boost, and bridge pickup in humbucker mode on flat response.
“Lastly, a country rock track with both pickups humbucker and flat with a flat EQ.
“All in one day! How's that?
”
