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Simple basses

#161
Although my StingRay has a lot of options, I mostly only use the piezo pickups, with the volume wide open and the eq flat. Sometimes, I will use the pan pot to switch to the mag, or blend both 50/50, but mostly, I prefer the piezo.

I don't need 1000 sounds, I just need *my* sound.

7C794EF3-172D-4E10-A517-B4A890AA6E1C.jpeg
 
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#162
Great thought provoking post. I'm surprised how few bassists championed onboard electronics. Good for those players who make use of the technology. Me? In the late 90s I wanted a 5 string to complement my Ric 4001 and P bass, so I bought a Tobias when they were all the rage. A week later I took it back and traded it for a American Standard Jazz V. Trying to figure out the active electronics gave me anxiety. Color me simple. I do now often play an Ibanez active 5 string I bought awhile ago and I do like the adjustments I can make on the fly but usually it's pretty set without many changes during gigs. Live your life the way you want !
 
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#167
I generally prefer simplicity, and a P-bass can be liberating for this reason. Rather than fuss with controls, you use hand positioning and technique, and can get a wide range of tones. And for playing in rock bands, I've relied primarily on P and J basses for years. I don't do much tone tweaking on stage at all, and frankly, my minimal tweaking isn't even necessary.

But sometimes the flexibility of a B string, multiple pickups, and active electronics really counts. I bought my G&L M-2500 for a musical theater project, and the tonal range was very useful. For example, the original Broadway cast recording included a heavy club synth bass part in one track that, inexplicably, wasn't in the keyboardists' scores or the bass book. The part went down to low C, so with the B string and bass EQ boosted, I was all over it. Can't do that with a regular P-bass.
 
#168
mmmmmmmmm said:
Having more than one pickup and knob (well, maybe two if you include tone but that isn't like necessary) seems superfluous and too busy now.
Click to expand...

I've said for *years* now that I could exist quite well with nothing but an On/Off switch on my old 72 P-Bass! As a matter of fact, I rarely (if ever) adjust *any* controls on *any* of my basses -- just turn them all the way up/clockwise and away we go! Likewise, I seldom ever make any adjustments to my amp rig either, other than slightly adjusting the EQ for the stage or room. I simply don't need a variety of different sounds or tones... I just want 1 really good one! (and I *have* that with my P-Bass / GK 800RB / SWR210 / MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe rig)
 
#169
rholler said:
I've said for *years* now that I could exist quite well with nothing but an On/Off switch on my old 72 P-Bass! As a matter of fact, I rarely (if ever) adjust *any* controls on *any* of my basses -- just turn them all the way up/clockwise and away we go! Likewise, I seldom ever make any adjustments to my amp rig either, other than slightly adjusting the EQ for the stage or room. I simply don't need a variety of different sounds or tones... I just want 1 really good one! (and I *have* that with my P-Bass / GK 800RB / SWR210 / MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe rig)
Click to expand...

No knobs is the ultimate 'simple' but it's also subjective to the player as far as not needed. When playing live my amp controls are set to the room, pedal board set for specific songs and although my bass volume knob usually stays full, I do use the tone knob depending on the song, at either end of the spectrum. I use a pick/palm-muting along with finger-style and with the tone knob - consider each of these variances my 'tone control'. My band plays a very diverse set of songs so having that control is what keeps each song true to it's own character/vibe. So for me, simple includes V/T knobs. :)
 
#171
I was dazzled by gee-gaws-n-gadgets; multi pups, switches, sliders (remember the Ovation Magnum Bass line?) & knobs! The BC Rich Bich 8 string made me see God!!!:woot:
Rich Bich.jpg

But, as I found, I really only needed/used a couple of settings & all the other stuff only complicated the picture for me; so I use a Jaguar Deluxe (see my avatar/pic)! :laugh: Got everything I want/need tonally & easy to get to; plus I got little switches & knobs I can understand & use!
 
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