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Musicman Big Al Club

#563
Nice!
One of my favorite combos on a Big Al.
:bassist:

scuzzy said:
of51rp.jpg


incredibly versatile. I love it.
Click to expand...
 
#565
Hey, has anybody here ever attached a Roland GK-3B to their Big Al? I am at a crossroads, I am going to use some gear that needs the Roland 13 pin output and their pickup. I have been advised that there isn't much room in the Big Al body for a piezo pickup in the bridge set-up with the additional electronics controls installed in the body. That is unfortunate because that would be so much cleaner looking.
So that leaves the GK-3B as an option and the pickguard looks to be in the way for using the double-stick tape method. So, it is looking like a have to use the screw and spring install msthod. I don't really want to do that, but I will if I have to. I kept the Big Al as my bass to play the crap out of while I am still in school, I also had a HSS flame top 25th anniversary and I played the Big AL more. My Big Al is Black and maple, so it isn't arare color or anything. I have a replacement pickguard (clear, so I can "customize" the look of it), so I figure that I can take off the factory PG drill the hole through the new PG and the other hole will be exposed in the body. If I remove the Roland Hexepickup then I really just have to patch the one hole in front of the bridge, it won't be hard to match the black with touch-up paint.
So do you guys have any suggestions besides don't do it? I kept this bass because it is a tonal tool and a work horse, I got it for CHEAP, so resale value isn't my main concern.
 
#566
DeltaPhoenix said:
So do you guys have any suggestions besides don't do it? I kept this bass because it is a tonal tool and a work horse, I got it for CHEAP, so resale value isn't my main concern.
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Well... how familiar are you with the Roland? I've got myself a bass hooked up with one because I got a GR-20 for free, and figured I might as well drop the extra $$ on a pickup. Not sure how much better the newer synth modules are, but to be blunt and honest, the whole roland synth thing sucks. I fiddled with it for a few days, got the tracking as good as I possilby could, and while I imagine one day I could find a use for it - there were very few sounds that tracked accurately and that I felt I'd ever be able to really use.

I was a little confused with your post, and don't remember the specifics of installing the pickup on my bass, but I remember it was pretty much impossible to do without drilling holes. I think you might ultimately be happier throwing the synth pickup on an SX and using 2 basses. If on the other hand you've already experienced the Roland, and your experience is different than mine and you KNOW you'll use it, then I say go for it. You might as well have a bass that makes you completely happy and does everything you desire it to.

I however wouldn't put that thing anywhere near my Big Al. :)
 
#567
I have used a couple of Roland products and had good results, V-Bass had no latency and perfect tracking as well as a GR-55-it's tracking lags a bit on lower notes (play an octave up and apply a global octave down to the synth patches). I have never tried a GR-20, I hear the GR-55 tracks better though.
There is a few ways to get a signal to the Roland unit, one way is via piezo set-up (GraphTek, or RMC) and the other way is the ROland GK-3B (or 2B). When I was refering to no room I was meaning to do the piezo system, stuff has to be routed out in the body to make room for additional electronics.
There is a way to install the GK-3B without putting holes in the Bass, it involves foam pads that an adhesive on them, of different thicknesses to get the pickup to the right height. I just wonder how much of a PITA it would be to go that route with the pickguard right in the middle of the way on one side? I don't want the pickup falling off in the middle of a gig.
I know as a last resort, 2 holes in the bass.

Edit: definately going to try the double sided tape method first. I will buy some good 3M stuff for the job.
 
#568
I just picked up my first MM Big Al 4 SSS locally off Craigslist for a "bargain" price! Plus it came with a 3 year extended warranty at Guitar Center. I never thought I could like the body shape too much but now I love it! Played it at church yesterday and it sat well in the mix. The body shape felt great for my short stature(5'6"). And at 9.5 pounds it's easy to handle. I found it easy to get the sound I wanted too. I believe this will be a keeper for a while.
 
#571
I don't know if you felt that the G string is very near the edge of the neck, so when you play this string sometimes it slides out the fretborad. That's anoying for me at least:bawl:...
Please give some opinions or suggestions about this.

Thanks
 
#572
netmics said:
I don't know if you felt that the G string is very near the edge of the neck, so when you play this string sometimes it slides out the fretborad. That's anoying for me at least:bawl:...
Please give some opinions or suggestions about this.

Thanks
Click to expand...

+1. I've been eyeballing the bridge on my 5 string for easy solutions... I'd really like to pull in both my E and C strings, but don't see a solution without machining...

I solutions our there?
 
#573
netmics said:
I don't know if you felt that the G string is very near the edge of the neck, so when you play this string sometimes it slides out the fretborad. That's anoying for me at least:bawl:...
Please give some opinions or suggestions about this.

Thanks
Click to expand...

not to be a smarta$$, but technique is the cheapest solution. My SR5 has the same poximity to the edge of the fingerboard.
 
#576
lo-freq said:
How about a custom nut (if you can't move one end ~easily~ maybe you can the other end)?
Click to expand...

Yeah. Thought about that. But seems to me with like a third of the string length past the finger board a little adjustment at the bridge would yield more improvement than the nut end.

Damn Musicaman for their super-nicely-rounded fret ends. Combine that with my superior vibrato technique [see what I did there ;-) ] and you get first world problems.

Grrr
 

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