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The Reverend Club (part 7)

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#781
I wanted a 70's jazz bass but different.

Played the Fender Jaguar, great sound & feel but too many switches.

Found this today for a steal and I couldn't be happier.

The vol-tone-blend layout was a little "huh" but man what a great sounding passive bass!

I may pimp it out a little after I get a few scratches on it.

besides, Reverend is a great name for my church gigs.
 
#783
Sharin' a little Rev-luv today regarding my 5L. In addition to an indie singer-songwriter band, I also play in two different worship teams at a couple of large suburban churches north of T.O.

A while ago I brought my Reverend 5L for the Thurs nite rehearsal and weekend services.

1. Our worship leader (who plays a lovely Breedlove acoustic with the biggest pedalboard I've ever seen) heaped praises and admiration on the look of the Reverend. He thought it looked mighty cool.

2. One of the songs allowed liberal use of the low "C" during the chorus. The lead guitarist and drummer looked over with smiles on their faces, exclaiming to one another about the big booty of the "B" string through the subs. You could "feel" it big time.

I've played and owned a few 5-strings and my current stable has two other fivers, a Lakland 55-01D and a Sadowsky Metro RV5PJ.

The B-strings on both those basses are taut, solid, and balanced. As I think of it the output is pretty much in line with the other strings.

However, with Chrome flats on it, the Reverend 5L just takes B-string response to another level. It's not louder than the other strings, or out of balance in its response. It's just more solid in a really effortless kind of way. You don't have to use a heavy hand and pluck strongly to get a good response out of the 5L B-string. It just rings out really solid and tuneful in a natural, but commanding kind of way. I think it may actually be a little unique in that respect. In addition to the other things it does well, the low end is especially powerful.

So, that's why my 5L is a keeper. It's not just the quirky aesthetics and cool cosmetics. It's not the collectible and exclusive factor of having a bass where there are less than 290 like it in the world. This bass is a gigger and a great player too.

I loved the 2006 Fender Precision USA that I traded for it, but I can get one of those any time. They're as ubiquitous as belly buttons in the bass world. The 5L, now that's a unique flavor you can't find just anywhere.

IMG_1287.jpg
 
#784
Kerry, enjoy that bass!! I am looking forward to trying out the new Rev's, gotta get my butt out there to do it.

I see you're in the area, where did you get yours?

Hawkeye, nice review. I don't play 5's much anymore, but I can't get rid of my 5L
 
#785
matrok said:
Kerry, enjoy that bass!! I am looking forward to trying out the new Rev's, gotta get my butt out there to do it.

I see you're in the area, where did you get yours?

Hawkeye, nice review. I don't play 5's much anymore, but I can't get rid of my 5L
Click to expand...

Are you on our Detroit Bass Players facebook page?
I'd like to check out your your 5L.
Holla 248 459 9411
 
#786
Hello fellow Rev Peeps, question fer y'all..................

I have a Reverend-issue, tuxedo case for my BH5, which I dig. It's great for gigging and provides great protection, but I really don't want to drag it out to rehearsals every week. It's a bit heavy and cumbersome.

Hence, the question... I've seen the Reverend gig bags attached to basses for sale here and in other places, but have yet to see one for sale on it's own anywhere. So I guess I have three questions...

1) Does anyone know if you can buy a Reverend gig bag?

2) If I can actually find one, are they any good?

3) If not, or if they are no good; what do you guys use for a gig bag for your 5-string, 35" scale Reverend basses?

Thanks for your help, it is much appreciated. Gus
 
#788
Daktari said:
Reverend Gigbags, in my humble opinion, are equivalent to a $20-$30 generic Musician's Friend kind of bag....

If you really want to be sure to protect your guitar, I'd go for a lighter hard shell case, or one of the soft/hard hybrids.... Protec or something similar.

Just my $0.02
Click to expand...

Gotcha.

Yea, the photos I've seen didn't give much hope, but I figured I'd ask.

Protec makes some great stuff. A lighter case, would put me in a same place as w/the Rev tux case, I am looking into gig bags b/c I can throw it over my shoulder and put cables and such in the pouches. It's only for rehearsals (@ my singer's house), so it would be enough protection for the purpose.

Thanks on the Rev bags, it sucks that they don't make a better gig bag for their own basses.

So... what gig bags do you guys use?
 
#789
I -would not- use a gig bag with a hollowbody Rev.
I've seen too many of them get damaged.

The stock teardop case is small, and light, for what it is.
The ProTec Contego is a step down in protection; and isn't much lighter.
 
#793
gus1894 said:
3) If not, or if they are no good; what do you guys use for a gig bag for your 5-string, 35" scale Reverend basses?

Thanks for your help, it is much appreciated. Gus
Click to expand...

I have a Protec Contego that I use. My Mercalli is 34", but I used to cary my 35" Laklands in it with no problems. Link Removedmakes a great, not-too-expensive bag (G315) as well as some higher end ones.
 
#794
Changed my strings on Reggie this weekend for the first time since buying the bass. I was amazed at the amount of fret wear that I have accumulated over the past 8 months. It had none when I bought it. If I had the tools available, I would have replaced 6 or more frets. Is it me, or are the frets "soft"? I'm a relative newbie to bass...maybe I'm playing with too much pressure?

I play Elixir lights (100 - 45). I set up the bass to play with fairly low string heights.

Curious about your experience with the frets.
thanks! Cam
 
#795
The only bass I've ever done anything to the frets on is my 1980 G&L L1000.
It got a complete re-fret after 31 years; not a bad service life.

I don't think I've noticed any on any of my Rev's, ever.
I'm not a terribly aggressive player, but, I have always used rounds.
 
#796
Thanks, Chef. The Elixirs are coated nickel rounds. I strongly susupect that my fretting technique is to blame. I think I am bending strings unconsciously which is grinding the strings along the frets. The grooves in the frets appear wider than the string diameter. My fingers are always angled with respect to the fret board rather than perpendicular. I am a beginner...never had a lesson...might be time for some instruction, and a fret job after the next set of gigs.
 
#797
Hi Guys,

I just wanted to share with you guys the mod I made to my rumblefish which was originally a JJ many moons ago. I was never happy with just the JJ set up (I am not a jazz bass guy), but wanted a reverend really bad ever since I saw them, so I bought it thinking I would change the pickups and I did I went through these:

Dimarzio J DP123 pickups

Fender Hot Rod cobalt sumarium J set
(I think that's what they are called) didn't like the sound

Texas tone MUY Grande Jazz bass set - up hummed too much and still didn't like the sound.

Then I realized I was just not a Jazz bass pickup kind of guy so I had a PJ guard made and tried the following P pickups:

Charlie Christian P from Novak - too tame for the bass, didn't like the sound.
Bartolini 8s - Good tone but a bit too dark with flats for me.
Dimarzio DP122 - waaay too hot for the bass and not clear enough for me with flats on. Way rockin' with rounds though!
Wilde P-46 - these were a good match but I was still looking
Nordstrand - Nice and fat but still wanted more output
SGD P pickup - wired it with 500k pots and 3 way switch - not enough clarity and I liked the singlecoil tone the best, but it hummed even though it wasn't supposed to according to the literature and David.

So in the end I wired up a Reverend P that I bought a while back for 25 dollars (I think it was the med. output they had on offer it was between a 6. something one and 10k one) and there was the sound I had been looking for so I wired it up with 250 pots and a.47 OIP cap.

As for the bridge I routed the cavity to accomodate a BC sized pickup in there at first I tried a bartolini 4c which was fat and had good mids but not enough treble or clarity in the highs. Next was a Nordstrand Big Split - it was in this bass the longest but still wasn't the sound I wanted.

So I got the 2 original pickups and thought I would wire them like an XL version series/parallel/single. Though they were originally wired with 500k pots I used the 250k. I am now really happy with the bass sound and playability and looks even got a matching strap for it!

So after about 2 years and almost a thousand dollars spent in pickups. I came full circle and used reverend pickups on the bass, which I think sound best on it.

so the moral of the story is that sometimes builders know best when selecting pickups for their instruments.

Do any of you guys have similar stories with basses that you wanted to keep because of how they played but weren't 100% happy with the sound?

Keep on rockin!

Ed
 

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#798
Rev blew out three versions of the P pickup at one point.
I think they were 7-something, 8-something, and 10-ish k-ohms.
I bought and tried all three. I think I liked the middle one, which I think was "what was stock."

That's all been a long time ago now.

You've ended up with a fine, fine bass there! Love the stripes!
 
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