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The Soundgear Club

#3,924
honeyiscool said:
I'd like some input. I've been trying out a bunch of string sets on my two new SR 5ers and I'm not quite there yet. My goal is to have one bass with flats (my maple fretboard SR305), and one bass with pressurewounds (rosewood fretboard SR375). I don't really do roundwounds because I hate their rattle and string noise. I also prefer a stiffer string. If I want a loose feel, I play 30" scale. So I like very tight and very stiff feeling string feel on my 5s.

After some problems with the Ken Smith Compressors (.125 tapered B string), I went to my old stand-by, the GHS Pressurewounds (.128 non-tapered B string). The problem with the Ken Smith Compressors was that the B string was a bit floppy, but more importantly, beyond about the 10th fret, there's a weird overtone that becomes very audible, and at around the 12th fret, it basically dominates the fundamental note, making the string mostly useless at that point. I don't really play the B that high that often (mostly the first 9 frets, where the Ken Smith is fine), but I just don't like to have to deal with stuff like that. GHS Pressurewounds takes care of all that, plus it's a sound I've enjoyed for many years, so I'm familiar with it. Looks like they're all I need on that front, so I'm set on the pressurewound front.

Now, flatwounds. My old stand-by on my other basses has always been the La Bella 760FL set (43-104 w/ tapered .128) but B string also has those overtones. It feels amazing and the overtones are nowhere near as bad as what I had with the Ken Smiths. The overtones become audible at about the 12th fret, and it only dominates around the 15th fret or so. The only other flatwound set I've tried is the D'Addario Chromes, whose non-tapered .132" B string doesn't that have that problem. Makes me wonder if Ibanez just doesn't play nicely with tapered B strings, since these overtones are happening with both basses, on two different sets. Not only that, I have some Accucast B300 bridges (they're the ones used in SR405 and up) and changing the bridge made no real difference, so no matter what, the overtones are happening.

Anyway, the only thing with the Chromes is that I think they're merely good, not great. I prefer the La Bellas in every way possible in terms of tone and feel. So the thing I could do is just use the La Bellas for EADG and use the Chrome B string, but that starts to get me feeling a little OCD.

So I guess the question is, what's a good flatwound set that will be nice and tight and good across all five strings on an SR bass? Rotosound RS77 seems to be at the top of my list since that's a string I really love the sound of (though a little sticky in feel), but as you all know, these strings get very expensive so I'd like as much input as possible. Thanks.
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I'm happy with Chromes on my SR505. But I use rounds on all my other basses, even my fretless GW35.
 
#3,927
exidor said:
I'm gonna post this here Part 4 and 6 get a lot of attention.
Can I get a number,brought this home today and have been playing & tweaking it for hours.I am just so pleased with this bass, effortless playability top notch build quality, very light & looks killer has a lot of great tones.no dead spots! this is the first bass I've bought and not changed the strings instantly! I'm gonna leave them on. this is a very bright sounding bass I'm always cranking the treble up but this one I dialed it way back, here are the mandatory pics

summer2014013_zpsf29f843f.jpg


down the road I will put in a Aguilar obp-3k pre amp, then later some different pickups. the true test will be this weekend.
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That's a real beauty! It looks great with the black hardware. Does it have a protective layer of varnish or is it pretty much bare wood? So you don't like the Bartolini pickups? I have a SR700 and I LOVE the Barts! I feel that the onboard EQ gives me a very wide range of sound adjustment.
 
#3,930
TheBluePhoenix said:
Holy cow! That red one is just gorgeous! However, I think it would look even better with all black hardware.
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TheBluePhoenix said:
That's a real beauty! It looks great with the black hardware. Does it have a protective layer of varnish or is it pretty much bare wood? So you don't like the Bartolini pickups? I have a SR700 and I LOVE the Barts! I feel that the onboard EQ gives me a very wide range of sound adjustment.
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yes it dose,it has a clear flat finish on it,it's not super thick but it is really on & soaked in it has a really good feel.I'm so happy it dose cuz when I ordered it I didn't know if it did,each day I'm liking this bass more and more!
 
#3,932
Guess who ordered a new bass today. From Sweetwater, of course. They measured this SR405QM at 7 lb 8 oz! I didn't really bond with my SR375 as much as I bonded with my SR305M and I think it's clear that I like very lightweight bass guitars, so the fact that they have this super light bass in a finish I rather like is a plus.

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#3,933
The only thing can't understand for the life of me is how Ibanez will put a separate battery compartment on the cheaper SR models but not on the Premium and Prestige models. That makes no sense to me and just irks me overall. The only complaint I have on the 2 Premium SR basses I had.
 
#3,934
Haha. Honestly, after looking at so many basses, my short list of surefire requirements for a bass became a list of one:

1. If active, has a tool-free battery box.

I don't understand any basses that don't have one. If it doesn't fit the aesthetic and looks offensive, make it passive, or at least have a bypass. Basses like the Yamaha TRBX505 even have both a battery box and a bypass. I also don't understand brands like Schecter that will build a battery box compartment, but then make it a screw-in box. Not only do I not want to unscrew and screw into wood every time I need to change a battery, that's just impractical to do.

I know everyone talks about tone, feel, wood, all that, but for me, an instrument's gotta be free of snags when playing live. And since I don't have a roadie, that basically boils down to "If active, has a tool-free battery box."
 
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#3,936
honeyiscool said:
Haha. Honestly, after looking at so many basses, my short list of surefire requirements for a bass became a list of one:

1. If active, has a tool-free battery box.

I don't understand any basses that don't have one. If it doesn't fit the aesthetic and looks offensive, make it passive, or at least have a bypass. Basses like the Yamaha TRBX505 even have both a battery box and a bypass. I also don't understand brands like Schecter that will build a battery box compartment, but then make it a screw-in box. Not only do I not want to unscrew and screw into wood every time I need to change a battery, that's just impractical to do.

I know everyone talks about tone, feel, wood, all that, but for me, an instrument's gotta be free of snags when playing live. And since I don't have a roadie, that basically boils down to "If active, has a tool-free battery box."
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Preach.

It's such a simple concept, so it's amazing it's not utilized more often. I find it especially silly that Ibanez will put it on "lower end" models (like your SR405QM and my SR600), but doesn't put it on higher end models like the SR1200...ridiculous. It's not like it ruins the form/aesthetic of the bass at all (IT'S ON THE BACK OF THE BASS FOR GOD'S SAKE :mad:), and it only adds to the function. I don't gig with a screwdriver in my case (nor do I ever plan to), so I guess I'll never buy a higher level Soundgear until they address this.

Why aren't people like a us designing basses? :D

Oh, and congrats on the new order by the way. Great looking bass, and light too! :thumbsup:
 
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#3,937
Thanks! I actually do usually gig with a screwdriver, and I always have another one in my car. I also play guitar and sing in another band, so I've put together a box and a bag that have everything I will ever need in an emergency, for both myself and anyone I'm playing with that night:

2im1f1k.jpg

elcvgj.jpg


So the box contains:
1. Extra tubes for my guitar amps: 2x6V6s, 2x12AX7, and 1xEL84.
2. Three vocal microphones and two Sennheiser e906 guitar cab microphones, with mic clips.
3. Small screwdriver (interchangeable Phillips and flat head). What's the point of carrying tubes if I can't swap them in?
4. Electro Harmonix Magnum 44 Watt Power Amp w/ power supply. The idea is that since I usually gig with head and two cabs, if the head fails, I have a backup just to get through the night.

The bag (a large padded mixer bag, actually) contains:
1. Something like 7 or 8 instrument cables. All 20', I think.
2. About 4 of those Boss power supplies.
3. SansAmp Para Driver. But of course.
4. Two surge protectors w/ extra long cables. I can't tell you how many times these things have saved my behind.
5. Around 4 or 5 of those standard power cables. They're all 12' long.
6. Short (3 feet) speaker cables. About 5 of them.

So this is how prepared I am when I show up to a gig. I show up with hundreds of dollars worth of extra equipment that I hope to never need. You think I'm going to take a bass guitar that might cut out in the middle of a song and take me five minutes to get back into shape? Even though I always show up with a backup, no battery compartment means it just doesn't fit my "prepare for the worst" mentality when it's show time.
 
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#3,938
I like the flip-top battery compartment on my SR, but hate that the battery lead is so short. The connector is so snug and there's so little give on the lead that it feels like I'm going to rip it out whenever I change the battery. Good thing it doesn't happen often!
 
#3,939
Papazita said:
I like the flip-top battery compartment on my SR, but hate that the battery lead is so short. The connector is so snug and there's so little give on the lead that it feels like I'm going to rip it out whenever I change the battery. Good thing it doesn't happen often!
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I also find the connectors loose. They don't fit the battery terminals snugly. So, I replaced them in my SR basses.
 
#3,940
Papazita said:
I like the flip-top battery compartment on my SR, but hate that the battery lead is so short. The connector is so snug and there's so little give on the lead that it feels like I'm going to rip it out whenever I change the battery. Good thing it doesn't happen often!
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Agree.
Unfortunately battery life on Portamento is greatly reduced - presumably by the combination of piezo and active preamp for the Barts. Mine only lasted 3 months on this cycle. Usually get at least twice that.
 

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