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The Valenti Megathread Part III

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#341
grayta said:
I eyed that one on Nino's site several times. Very cool, and 35" rocks! Congrats.
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I am not one that believes you need a 35" scale to have a great B string and in fact I prefer the feel of a 34" scale. This bass seems to have a bit of an extended upper horn so it doesn't feel like you need to reach way back to get to the first few frets.

I have never owned a 35" scale bass for to long as it never felt right to me, this bass feels right to me and I think anyone would have a hard time feeling the difference in scale length from my 34" Allevas.
 
#342
I don't think you HAVE to have it (and I have a friend with a 34" Sadowsky with a great B that demonstrates you don't), but more often than not I seem to prefer a 35" B. And the B on my Valenti P5 is so obviously superior to the B that was on my since departed Fender P5 it's not even funny. Like not even in the same ball park better.

Heck, I think I just like the scale, period. All my basses are now 35". :D
 
#343
Boy....I ran nothing but 35's for 5'ers for some year. Not because "it was something I believed I had to have, " but rather, just coincidentally what length the individual basses I liked were.

Now, Alleva, Sadowsky, Valenti. All 34.

I think it has much more to do with craftsmanship and materials all being uber high quality
 
#344
Chef said:
Boy....I ran nothing but 35's for 5'ers for some year. Not because "it was something I believed I had to have, " but rather, just coincidentally what length the individual basses I liked were.

Now, Alleva, Sadowsky, Valenti. All 34.

I think it has much more to do with craftsmanship and materials all being uber high quality
Click to expand...

+1

Agree 100% I would add that I think also what builders have become hip to is: If you leave the upper horn/strap button in the same position and increase the scale length of the neck the lowest part of the fingerboard feels very far away. That has always been an issue for me going back years. Playing F to Ab on the E string felt artificially further apart because your arm is extended further from your body while doing so.

Some builders still haven't become hip to that idea, the Lakland JO5 fell into that category for me.
 
#345
Well count me in, here i am with #101 i bought at the GTG, i should have it forever with me in about 2 or 3 weeks when Nino changes a few things i wanted changed. Needless to say i am stoked about this one. Photo courtesy of Michael Jewels.
IMG_0290.jpg
 
#347
peterpalmieri said:
+1

Agree 100% I would add that I think also what builders have become hip to is: If you leave the upper horn/strap button in the same position and increase the scale length of the neck the lowest part of the fingerboard feels very far away. That has always been an issue for me going back years. Playing F to Ab on the E string felt artificially further apart because your arm is extended further from your body while doing so.

Some builders still haven't become hip to that idea, the Lakland JO5 fell into that category for me.
Click to expand...

Agreed on a good builder being able to make any scale work. That being said, I am the opposite it seems: the neck on a 35" seems to just fall where my arm extends naturally. My other fav bass is a JO5. ;)

S'why builders make different scales, strap placement, etc. I guess-whatever works for ya is what works for ya! LOL :)
 
#348
Just a quick update, spent some more time last night and early this morning putting my new Valenti through its paces. This is a really great instrument!

I am looking forward to dragging it out to a rehearsal tonight, the gloves will be off as with this group I just bring my bass and a countryman DI to run straight into the PA. The guys really dig my Allevas both the LG5 (60s style) and LM5 (70s style) J basses. I can't wait to hear it in the band context, nothing like running a bass straight through the countryman to see what it's really made of!
 
#349
Ivan M said:
Well count me in, here i am with #101 i bought at the GTG, i should have it forever with me in about 2 or 3 weeks when Nino changes a few things i wanted changed. Needless to say i am stoked about this one. Photo courtesy of Michael Jewels.
Click to expand...
The changes have been completed. The chrome hardware has been changed to black:

DSC00161.jpg

DSC00162.jpg

DSC00164.jpg
 
#354
A little update: Got to use the Valenti at a rehearsal last night. Very nice!

I usually play through a very good PA using my countryman, but the drummer owns a production company and the PA was all packed up for a busy weekend. the drummer also had a different kit, his usual was also packed up.

I wound up bringing my EA doubler and NL210 cabinet.

Since everything was different it would not be fair to attempt to directly compare this bass to my others in this particular situation. I do plan on bringing the same amp next week with my LM5 to just see how different it is. and to be fair the LM is a monster and really kills with this particular group. I already favored it over my LG which is a similar 60s style like the Valenti.

That all being said the Valenti sounded very nice in the mix. The bass sounded suprisingly passive J...In some occassions I preferred to slightly favor the bridge pickup, that really gave that burp I wanted and I may infact slightly raise the rear pickup tonight to bring out a little more of that and still be balanced on the low end (or lower the neck pickup).

The bass boost on the OBP-2 which by itself seems to get a little to wide and low if not used sparingly sounded much better while playing with the group, I was comfortable going a few notches more then I had been comfortable with solo. I didn't find the treble boost to provide anything really musical, the bass is already pretty aggressive up top and the blue steels help that along. On the other hand a slight treble cut worked in some situations where I wanted to mellow it out.

Played by itself I really don't dig the slap tone on this bass and generally that is my feeling with similarly spec'd basses unless I do some fooling with EQ. there are a few tunes that I thumb my way though with this group and in the context of the band the slap tone worked really well and may be the most suprising thing to me. And in those lines where I move from fingerstyle to thumb and back I really had to make no adjustments with my right hand to keep my levels the same.

I would say the first few tunes I was not all that pleased with the bass but as the night moved on and I adjusted my technique I was VERY happy with what this bass allows me to do. Some tweaking over the weekend and I should have the bass right where I want it.

Bass Doubler may be popping by over the weekend and may be able to add a little more. It's also nice to be able to step back from the rig and hear someone else.
 
#358
My above post I really only got into tone..

I should add this bass plays wonderfully, the slightly undersized body, light weight and aged neck all are perfect.

Throwing this bass over your shoulder is like putting on your favorite old pair of shoes. I feel like I've owned this bass forever and have been playing it for years. Regardless of anybody's preference of the looks of a aged vintage (relic'd) bass, the form factor, comfort and playability are beyond words.
 
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