One Bass to do it all?

[Chad Michael]

as well for me as any Jazz Bass I have ever owned.

Even the bucket of bolts you sold me ….
<c:
I will be playing the Lakland DJ5 for a crowd tomorrow, loving every minute.

[edit] sarcasm - love the bass that I bought from Anthony, with all my heart [/edit]

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Even the bucket of bolts you sold me ….
<c:
I will be playing the Lakland DJ5 for a crowd tomorrow, loving every minute.

DJ5’s are great basses for sure. I could easily go back to a DJ5 and be as happy as can be.

 

[bordinco90]

A P Bass does it for me!

 

[nostatic]

Interesting... What did that sound like??

It sounded good - a bit more aggressive than the EMG PJ setup that it shipped with. I love EMG PJ in a 4-string, have yet to like them in a 5-string so go figure. That bass also had a wood combination that was a bit crunchy - the red oak neck with ebony fingerboard that I loved in a fretless didn't really work as well for me in a fretted. So far the BigRigs with the 3-way switching and my preferred wood combo (chambered walnut body, maple neck, ebony fingerboard) gives me a bunch of tones that work.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

For all of those who keep saying it, I do have a P-bass with Flats; Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats to be exact. This is from Men’s practice this morning.

 

[JohnArnson]

One bass to rule them all, one bass to grind them, one bass to rock them all and in the pocket bind them.

Oh, damn, didn't see this before I posted, even if your's is missing a couple of verses it is even better though.

Apparently I weren't the only one getting that association.

Three basses for the Elvis-king under the sky of Memphis,
Seven for the Heavy-lords in their halls of metal,
Nine for the Country Men doomed to drive their cattle,
One for the Funk Lord on his funky throne
In the Land of Music where the harmony rules.
One bass to rule them all, one bass to find them,
One bass to bring them all and in groove bind them
In the Land of Music where the harmony rules.

 

[frankie5string]

Based on that video you posted, I feel that working on your fretting accuracy and the evenness between your two plucking fingers would get you far further to the tone you want rather than acquiring another bass. You have some left and right had habits that seem to get in your way both in terms of your tone and your timing. Some electronics will magnify those issues more than others.

Are you sight-reading this?

For all of those who keep saying it, I do have a P-bass with Flats; Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats to be exact. This is from Men’s practice this morning.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Based on that video you posted, I feel that working on your fretting accuracy and the evenness between your two plucking fingers would get you far further to the tone you want rather than acquiring another bass. You have some left and right had habits that seem to get in your way both in terms of your tone and your timing. Some electronics will magnify those issues more than others.

Are you sight-reading this?

No charts, that was the first time hearing the song and playing along with the choir leader. Yes, I know I have technique issues. That is one good thing about recording myself is that I see my bad habits.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Based on that video you posted, I feel that working on your fretting accuracy and the evenness between your two plucking fingers would get you far further to the tone you want rather than acquiring another bass. You have some left and right had habits that seem to get in your way both in terms of your tone and your timing. Some electronics will magnify those issues more than others.

Are you sight-reading this?

One other point is that no where in this thread did I say I wanted to buy another bass. I said I was unhappy with how my fretless was sounding and that I wanted to get comfortable using it in more setting. I want my Pedulla to be my do it all bass within reason.

Once again, thanks for pointing out where I can improve. I just think my reputation proceeds me, and I want to make that you understand what I am talking about.

 

[frankie5string]

Then I think with a little bit of a change in your technique, you can make that Pedulla become your one bass. I certainly know guys who have used Pentabuzz's for 20+ years as their only basses and they manage to make them work in many different styles.

You have so much to play with. Plucking hand position, tone controls, pickup blend, pickup height.

Some combination of all of that should get you there.

One other point is that no where in this thread did I say I wanted to buy another bass. I said I was unhappy with how my fretless was sounding and that I wanted to get comfortable using it in more setting. I want my Pedulla to be my do it all bass within reason.

Once again, thanks for pointing out where I can improve. I just think my reputation proceeds me, and I want to make that you understand what I am talking about.

 

[LBS-bass]

One bass to rule them all, one bass to grind them, one bass to rock them all and in the pocket bind them.

I want this on a T-shirt.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Then I think with a little bit of a change in your technique, you can make that Pedulla become your one bass. I certainly know guys who have used Pentabuzz's for 20+ years as their only basses and they manage to make them work in many different styles.

You have so much to play with. Plucking hand position, tone controls, pickup blend, pickup height.

Some combination of all of that should get you there.

I think I will raise the action a bit. I am heavy handed. Raising the action cleaned things up for me on my Sire.

 

[frankie5string]

If you do that, make sure you raise your pickups so they are about 3-4mm from the bottom of the string when you "fret" the note at the end of he fingerboard after you change the action.

I think I will raise the action a bit. I am heavy handed. Raising the action cleaned things up for me on my Sire.

 

[Jim C]

I'm finding the combination of a J pup at the neck and a MM/humbucker at the bridge gives me the most tonal flexibility. Especially if the bridge pup has a switch for front coil, back coil, or both.

At one point I decided that it did lots of things really well but nothing great.
I was looking for more of a P tone out of just the neck pup.
We record all rehearsals live to CD with 2 PZM's.
It doesn't sound as good as my 72' P does solo.
It sounds better in the mix though!

I'm using a Lakland 44-02 although Sandberg and others have been running this platform too.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

If you do that, make sure you raise your pickups so they are about 3-4mm from the bottom of the string when you "fret" the note at the end of he fingerboard after you change the action.

Thanks, you have been a real help. I hope to post results in a few days.

 

[AudioTaper]

I'm finding the combination of a J pup at the neck and a MM/humbucker at the bridge gives me the most tonal flexibility. Especially if the bridge pup has a switch for front coil, back coil, or both.

At one point I decided that it did lots of things really well but nothing great.
I was looking for more of a P tone out of just the neck pup.
We record all rehearsals live to CD with 2 PZM's.
It doesn't sound as good as my 72' P does solo.
It sounds better in the mix though!

I'm using a Lakland 44-02 although Sandberg and others have been running this platform too.

Have you played a Sandberg? No one around here has one, but I recently read that it's not quite the MM sound - described as a more polite version (which is why I stupidly sold off my Pedulla RB4 when I bought a Stingray H, which I later sold because I'M AN IDIOT)
Based on the photos, the pickup looks like it's farther back towards the bridge. Other than that, the TM checks all my 'want's boxes while looking awesome.

35" scale 24 feet, ebony fretboard.

I like the 44-02, theres a used one on Reverb I'm GAS-ing for really badly, and they are half the price. I really wish I could play them side by side.

 

[Jim C]

Have you played a Sandberg? No one around here has one, but I recently read that it's not quite the MM sound - described as a more polite version (which is why I stupidly sold off my Pedulla RB4 when I bought a Stingray H, which I later sold because I'M AN IDIOT)
Based on the photos, the pickup looks like it's farther back towards the bridge. Other than that, the TM checks all my 'want's boxes while looking awesome.

View attachment 3532418
35" scale 24 feet, ebony fretboard.

I like the 44-02, theres a used one on Reverb I'm GAS-ing for really badly, and they are half the price. I really wish I could play them side by side.

I have the Koren Sandberg that is an active P so no direct comparison.
The 44-02 neck fits my hand better than Fender & Sandberg though.

And, about 2 minutes ago I just bought a 44-01 from a board member - 2 soap bars but the same neck!!!

 

[Brad Johnson]

Recently, I found that I had a hard time getting my Pedulla to sound the way I wanted it to when rehearsing for a church concert at the end of the month. My Sire really sounds great for the music, but it is bothering me that my main bass is not working out. Now that I know the songs better, I am going to practice them at home on the Pedulla and use my Pentabuzz at the next rehearsal. I think of how many great players have had careers on one bass, and I feel that I should be able to carry out my humble take on one bass too. In fact, I really want to let some basses go. Probably just keeping my Sire, Peavey Fury, and Pedulla. I do have another bass on an extended layaway and selling off my Carvin may take care of that. Four basses is still a lot of basses, but I want to use the Pedulla at least 75% of the time. If my Peavey had not only cost me $65, I would probably sell it too.

Just for grins, what great players have had careers with one bass? I think that's more of a romanticized idea than reality.

Hint: Not Jaco.

 

[Dave Hill]

I had an excellent fretless bass. IMO, if you’re not playing inspired, swooping lines, but instead are trying to play it like a fretted bass... the mix is way better off with the latter.
Sold the fretless.

 

[Brad Johnson]

One other point is that no where in this thread did I say I wanted to buy another bass. I said I was unhappy with how my fretless was sounding and that I wanted to get comfortable using it in more setting. I want my Pedulla to be my do it all bass within reason.

Once again, thanks for pointing out where I can improve. I just think my reputation proceeds me, and I want to make that you understand what I am talking about.

This will probably seem obvious but the way to make a bass your main bass is not to play others. Particularly when it gets difficult and you're not getting the desired results. Familiarity is your friend. A fretless as a main can be a bit more more difficult because your intonation comes into play... if you're sliding into notes that can ruin the auditory illusion of not playing a fretless. I gigged my Zon Legacy fretless 5 for several years as my main bass for any and all gigs I did. It becomes second nature after a while.

Bottom line... practice. That's all. But that's alot.