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Musicman Big Al Club

#842
Some quick setting favorites...

Cut lows 25%, Boost low mids 20%, Boost high mids 10% Treble flat

Since the parallel settings scoop the mids... it lets my series setting really stand out with aggressive cut & then parallel can still get that warm tone without touching the EQ much. I guess thats the EQ I use to make the bass more "balanced" between warm\vintage & aggressive\cut

That said... this REALLY makes the series setting louder. I still prefer the Sterling HH by a large margin as it has a ton of tones but volume is consistent. Its just easier to dial in. The Big Al has a steeper learning curve for sure. It will be a blast to gig! May be a long time before I'm back to rock n roll, classic covers with a 4 string! I miss it!
 
#843
I've been going passive to get that more vintage vibe, warm lo fi tone & really liking it. Its a LOT more quiet. I'm really digging the different vibe it brings. Sometimes passive is just a quieter version of the active but with this Al its bringing a whole new animal as well. Tone knob still bringing a pretty good amount of tonal change
 
#846
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1417800906.965033.jpg

Here is mine.... With old Ernie's
 
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#850
I really like mine & it is tonally versatile but I'd take a Sterling HH over a Big Al SSS everyday of the week as I can get the tones I want easier with the EQ & faster with the pickup switch. Luckily I'm not stuck to 1 bass! haha
 
#852
Hey guys, I got a Sterling USA in a trade a few weeks ago, and so far it's becoming a favorite of mine to play, potentially even surpassing my custom Carvin P bass. Now that I've owned a MusicMan instrument I've become more interested in one of these Big Al basses. I just want to make sure I won't be stepping on my other basses' toes, tone wise. The Sterling is a single H and I'm going to put some DR Fat Beams on it, and the Carvin is a P bass with TI flats. I was thinking that if I got the Big Al and put some flats on it (like GHS or La Bella, or even Chromes) I could get a true vintage tone that could come close to a P bass, a Jazz bass, and maybe even a Gibson Mudbucker with the neck position. What do you guys think? Could I pull off some Otis Redding and James Jamerson tunes and then do a little Zepplin afterwards?
 
#853
While these aren't my all time favorite recordings (not what I'm used to playing, was a gig for hire), this is from the first time I recorded with my Big Al, and I loved the tone. I thought I'd pass them along since I don't think I ever have before:





Noticed after posting that only my name comes up on the files. Songs were written and sung by Greg Wolf. Not me.
 
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#855
Persona87 said:
Hey guys, I got a Sterling USA in a trade a few weeks ago, and so far it's becoming a favorite of mine to play, potentially even surpassing my custom Carvin P bass. Now that I've owned a MusicMan instrument I've become more interested in one of these Big Al basses. I just want to make sure I won't be stepping on my other basses' toes, tone wise. The Sterling is a single H and I'm going to put some DR Fat Beams on it, and the Carvin is a P bass with TI flats. I was thinking that if I got the Big Al and put some flats on it (like GHS or La Bella, or even Chromes) I could get a true vintage tone that could come close to a P bass, a Jazz bass, and maybe even a Gibson Mudbucker with the neck position. What do you guys think? Could I pull off some Otis Redding and James Jamerson tunes and then do a little Zepplin afterwards?
Click to expand...

The Carvin P SHOULD come closer to a P but I had one of those & it really doesn't... but I feel the same way for a Big Al. It wont sound that close to a P. The G&L LB-100 with a rosewood neck would be closer to a P than any of those.

I actually think you're probably pretty good with the 2 you have. Those should be very different sounding. The Big Al will sound more like the Carvin P than the Sterling H.
 
#856
I'm actually really looking for a Jazz to round out the triumvirate of classic bass tones (P, J, and MM)*, but man, I really like the look of the Big Al and the sound/feel of the Sterling. I don't really want to be duplicating tones but I want to be able to cover as much tonal ground as possible.

*I'd also like to get a Ric and a Thunderbird one of these days but those are both much further down on my list.
 
#859
image.jpg image.jpg
A bit late, but here's Al. Neptune Blue and black pearl. Pulled all the saddles down. The G saddle is on the plate, may sand the bottom down, and the B buzzes higher than the others. Ss frets take a little getting used to.
 
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