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King Koa - Now With Nordy's!

#68
Gah! Someone needs to talk me off the ledge! I'm in a pretty serious panic right now, I can't get my tone... In my search for a bit more oomph down low and a bit more sparkle up top, I've changed pickups, I've changed cabs (tweeters are back), and today I dropped in a Bart NTMB preamp... so many things have changed in a short period of time that I don't know what to blame....

I think I'm going back to the Bardens tomorrow. I'll try those with the NTMB and the new cabs... I'm pretty sure the electronics on the bass are the root of the problem, it's just not coming together for me no matter what rig I play through...

Arghhh!!! :mad: :D:D:D
 
#70
RocketMusic said:
Gah! Someone needs to talk me off the ledge! I'm in a pretty serious panic right now, I can't get my tone... In my search for a bit more oomph down low and a bit more sparkle up top, I've changed pickups, I've changed cabs (tweeters are back), and today I dropped in a Bart NTMB preamp... so many things have changed in a short period of time that I don't know what to blame....

I think I'm going back to the Bardens tomorrow. I'll try those with the NTMB and the new cabs... I'm pretty sure the electronics on the bass are the root of the problem, it's just not coming together for me no matter what rig I play through...

Arghhh!!! :mad: :D:D:D
Click to expand...

Greg,

Follow me,

Insert Qtip partially into each ear canal, rotate speedily and repeat.;)

:D

God Bless, Ray
 
#71
Greg,
Ouch. Aside from a range of spurious suggestions, like trying some Acme cabinets (happy to bring mine by for you to fiddle around with), I can share something that happened to me the other day.

After playing using the headphone output of my bass amp (Carvin, yes, I know), and constantly feeling like more than a little was missing, I ran my Roscoe through a Mackie mixer channel. Clarity, presence, and depth were suddenly there! Tone controls set flat on the board, and nearly so on the bass (slight cut in mid, OBP3, knob pulled out). Wow.

Got so jazzed I couldn't get to sleep for quite a while.

So, how simple and clean can you get the signal? Might be a place to visit, if you haven't ten times already.

Besides, you can't grow an additional Roscoe beard, having a perfectly acceptable one already. Perhaps if you began to braid it...
 
#73
RocketMusic said:
Gah! Someone needs to talk me off the ledge! I'm in a pretty serious panic right now, I can't get my tone... In my search for a bit more oomph down low and a bit more sparkle up top, I've changed pickups, I've changed cabs (tweeters are back), and today I dropped in a Bart NTMB preamp... so many things have changed in a short period of time that I don't know what to blame....

I think I'm going back to the Bardens tomorrow. I'll try those with the NTMB and the new cabs... I'm pretty sure the electronics on the bass are the root of the problem, it's just not coming together for me no matter what rig I play through...

Arghhh!!! :mad: :D:D:D
Click to expand...

Remember when you asked us what you should do?

RocketMusic said:
Oh, man, tha Barts don't fit!! The pickup cavities that were cut for my Bardens are just a tad too short for the Barts.

Gard and Tony THINK it may be possible to cleanly route just a smidge more out to make room for the Barts, but I'd obviously have to get my bass back to the shop... I REALLY want to do it, but the thought does make me a little nervous...

Who would do it, and who wouldn't?!?
Click to expand...

jome77 said:
No way 'Jose!

I'm sure that Roscoe would do a great job but there's just to many unknowns. For one you're comparing the sound of the 2 basses with totally different preamps (Audere verses Bart). Plus the there are differences in the woods used in the 2 basses.
Again, just too many unknowns.
Click to expand...

Yeah, put the Bardens back in. At least you still have the bass! ;)

Been there, done that & got the T-shirt! :)
 
#74
Greg,

I know we haven't heard from Gard yet, but the primary reason I asked my question about which model pickups was for a very similar reason. I recently swapped out the Bart X45K (the lovely Jazz shaped humbuckers in a bright flavor that isn't available any more) for the Bart CBJD's. I've got an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp and what I found was I gained top end and a fuller tone, but I lost something in the low mid grunt. I've tried a couple of different preamps, I'm swapping strings and re-adjusting EQ points. I'm narrowing in on it, but there is still something missing.

I've been listening to the 6-String shootout clips (more times than I care to admit) and there seems to be something about the top end on the NTMB that is present and smooth where my OBP-3 is very aggressive, borderline harsh. I'm coming to the conclusion that I may just need to try the NTMB since most of my favorite tones are coming from basses equipped with Barts (original or classics) with the NTMB.

So if you don't mind, I'm going to grab some popcorn and see what your next move is. :D

Matt
 
#75
Hey, Matt - yep, sounds like we're having very similar experiences. If I had to describe what I'm hearing in one or two words, it would be "hollow" or "anemic". A lack of low mids sounds about right, and I've just been struggling to add it back in without losing clarity. When I get close to the fatness I want, I end up with mush.

After sleeping on it, I had talked myself out of putting the Bardens back in... but now I'm back to thinking that's exactly what I'll do...

The NTMB certainly has more girth when it is set flat compared to the Audere set flat. That said, I think the Audere offers a wider range of usable tone. I think the gains provided by the Bart pre are just so much hotter that a little twist on the Bart knob equates to a big twist on the Audere knob. Generally speaking, I think I prefer having useable settings everywhere. I hate to think that in the dark in the heat of the moment on stage I'll dial in too much of whatever on the Bart pre. I mean there's genuine potential to blow out PA subs using this Bart pre... but of course, at the same time I didn't feel like I had enough oomph to give with the Audere... what can I say, I'm a picky bastard!!
 
#77
RocketMusic said:
Invalid Link Removed

Bassed on that link and the measurements I just took on my Bart PUPs, I think I have the "vintage" versions (57J)... but I'm not 100% certain...
Click to expand...

Sorry about the late arrival...yes, you have the 57J's, we specified the "most vintage sounding, without hum" version from Bartolini when we started doing these...the upside is that all of the Bart J's are "standard Fender size" and you can experiment pretty easily with other pickups until you find YOUR pickup.

I kinda dig the 57J's so far, they sound "J-ish" with a bit of extra midrange and no hum to my ears...but it's not necessarily the right choice for everyone.

:)
 
#80
Gard said:
Sorry about the late arrival...yes, you have the 57J's, we specified the "most vintage sounding, without hum" version from Bartolini when we started doing these...the upside is that all of the Bart J's are "standard Fender size" and you can experiment pretty easily with other pickups until you find YOUR pickup.

I kinda dig the 57J's so far, they sound "J-ish" with a bit of extra midrange and no hum to my ears...but it's not necessarily the right choice for everyone.

:)
Click to expand...

What kills me is they sound FANTASTIC in the other three Roscoe "J" basses I've played (two of which are still here and have been much played in the past 24 hours)...
 

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