Nino, thank you for making my vision a reality.
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The Valenti Megathread Part IV
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
Nino, thank you for making my vision a reality.
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
I’m looking for my old Valenti bass. Had it made in 2018. I’m trying to track it down to try to buy it back.
I bought a Valenti from Nino a few years back. I'm getting back into playing and I'm considering a new one.
This thread hasn't had an update in a while. Is Nino still building? I've sent an email.
This thread hasn't had an update in a while. Is Nino still building? I've sent an email.
Yes, he’s still building great instruments.
I realize now I wasn't on the last page of this thread. It's been more active than I thought.
Nino got back with me and told me about his new Verrazzano series. Anyone else purchased one of these?
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
I have one in this series (a V21-J5) currently being built. I expect it to be of comparable quality to the other three basses he’s built for me. Here’s a progress pic he sent.
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If I had the need for a more traditional bass it'd be from that series for sure. Unvelievable deal for a custom bass!!
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
Here's another pic he sent of a mock-up / neck set when we were discussing pg color. So excited!! 
What a good looking Fingerboard.Here's another pic he sent of a mock-up / neck set when we were discussing pg color. So excited!!
View attachment 3491194
Hey there, Valenti Squad!
I took delivery of my new Valenti P-Bass a few weeks ago and I've been having so much fun getting acquainted with it, I'm not writing my NBD post until tonight. Nino drove the ball into the upper deck with this one. It simply exceeds my expectations on every level. Bravo, Nino!
My plan for this build was to first and foremost go with a rock-solid 4-string P. Confident that would easily be accomplished, I focused on other possibilities for the pickups and electronics as I wanted a few more tones. I also wanted a Jazz width for the neck.
I opted for a solid swamp ash body to give a tinge more zing vs. my gold 5-string Valenti Jazz which has a solid alder body. I knew what I was in for when I chose the body woods on these basses but I'm a bit surprised there is this much of a difference in tone between the two... but hey, even among the same species, each individual piece of wood will sound a little different. I've since strung the gold bass with La Bella flats, so it's got a fat, mellow tone... while the new P has a quicker, juiced-up response with more punch and is strung with D'Addario NYXL rounds. Even when I had rounds on the gold bass, it was waaaaaay more mellow than the new P. Alder vs. swamp ash on sonic display!
Note -- I lucked out with the weight of the swamp ash as it made the bass a real featherweight.
Many specs are similar between the new P and the gold bass, including the neck woods, an asymmetrical neck shape, stainless frets, the same Hipshot hardware, a bone nut and the same core controls.
One special feature on the controls I've really grown to love on the gold bass which I wanted on this build is the mini-toggle which activates the mid-boost on the Nordy 3B preamp. I LLLLLOVE THIS! It's simply an ultra-quick, easy way to beef up/fatten up the tone. The amount of midrange that is activated can be adjusted inside the swimming pool... but Nino dialed it in is just perfect; I haven't needed to make midrange adjustment on either bass.
Here are some of the deets on the new P:
T21-P4 #282
34-inch scale
solid swamp ash body in aged Lake Placid Blue with a brown tortoise pickguard
asymmetrical maple neck with carbon stabilizer bars
rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl face dots and side dots
stainless steel frets in 6230 fretwire
unbleached bone nut (1.5" width)
Nordstrand NP4 pickup with Alnico III magnets (positioned just a smidge toward the neck from its traditional placement)
Nordstrand BigSplitMan with Alnico V magnets (located in the classic Stingray sweetspot)
Nordstrand 3B preamp
Hipshot Ultralite tuners
Hipshot B bridge in brass (19mm spacing)
Dunlop straplocks
total weight: 7.85 pounds
control layout:
1) master volume
2) blend
3) VTC (pull for passive, push for active)
4) treble/bass (boost and cut)
5) mini-toggle for midrange boost
6) mini-toggle for parallel / single-coil / series for the BigSplitMan (ala my old Stingray 5)
The Alnico III magnets on the NP4 are SMOOTH. This pickup is not clangy or overly powerful whatsoever (think: 60s R&B). But if I want a more aggressive/punchier tone, I roll in the BigSplitMan.
I rrrreally dig the BigSplitMan... it's not as "boingy" as a Music Man Stingray humbucker... and as a result, it's waaaaayyyy more musical. Parallel mode on the BigSplitMan = a great sweetspot tone... series mode = a thick, heavy rocker... and single-coil mode on that pickup (bridge coil only) is the equivalent of turning on a Nordy Big Split, which I like TONS more than a traditional Jazz pickup in the bridge... it's full enough to be soloed, doesn't sound thin and wimpy and it matches up real sweet-like when running with the NP4.
Again, beyond excellent work, Nino! Thank you for your suggestions and terrific execution. This is just one heckuva bass. It sounds killer... it's a joy to play... and it's super versatile with lots of truly useable tones. It's so cool to see so many of my wants in one classic bass. I love it.
And btw, it didn't hit me until a month or so before taking delivery that having a gold 5-string and a blue 4-string was gonna make for a classic pairing.
I took delivery of my new Valenti P-Bass a few weeks ago and I've been having so much fun getting acquainted with it, I'm not writing my NBD post until tonight. Nino drove the ball into the upper deck with this one. It simply exceeds my expectations on every level. Bravo, Nino!
My plan for this build was to first and foremost go with a rock-solid 4-string P. Confident that would easily be accomplished, I focused on other possibilities for the pickups and electronics as I wanted a few more tones. I also wanted a Jazz width for the neck.
I opted for a solid swamp ash body to give a tinge more zing vs. my gold 5-string Valenti Jazz which has a solid alder body. I knew what I was in for when I chose the body woods on these basses but I'm a bit surprised there is this much of a difference in tone between the two... but hey, even among the same species, each individual piece of wood will sound a little different. I've since strung the gold bass with La Bella flats, so it's got a fat, mellow tone... while the new P has a quicker, juiced-up response with more punch and is strung with D'Addario NYXL rounds. Even when I had rounds on the gold bass, it was waaaaaay more mellow than the new P. Alder vs. swamp ash on sonic display!
Note -- I lucked out with the weight of the swamp ash as it made the bass a real featherweight.
Many specs are similar between the new P and the gold bass, including the neck woods, an asymmetrical neck shape, stainless frets, the same Hipshot hardware, a bone nut and the same core controls.
One special feature on the controls I've really grown to love on the gold bass which I wanted on this build is the mini-toggle which activates the mid-boost on the Nordy 3B preamp. I LLLLLOVE THIS! It's simply an ultra-quick, easy way to beef up/fatten up the tone. The amount of midrange that is activated can be adjusted inside the swimming pool... but Nino dialed it in is just perfect; I haven't needed to make midrange adjustment on either bass.
Here are some of the deets on the new P:
T21-P4 #282
34-inch scale
solid swamp ash body in aged Lake Placid Blue with a brown tortoise pickguard
asymmetrical maple neck with carbon stabilizer bars
rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl face dots and side dots
stainless steel frets in 6230 fretwire
unbleached bone nut (1.5" width)
Nordstrand NP4 pickup with Alnico III magnets (positioned just a smidge toward the neck from its traditional placement)
Nordstrand BigSplitMan with Alnico V magnets (located in the classic Stingray sweetspot)
Nordstrand 3B preamp
Hipshot Ultralite tuners
Hipshot B bridge in brass (19mm spacing)
Dunlop straplocks
total weight: 7.85 pounds
control layout:
1) master volume
2) blend
3) VTC (pull for passive, push for active)
4) treble/bass (boost and cut)
5) mini-toggle for midrange boost
6) mini-toggle for parallel / single-coil / series for the BigSplitMan (ala my old Stingray 5)
The Alnico III magnets on the NP4 are SMOOTH. This pickup is not clangy or overly powerful whatsoever (think: 60s R&B). But if I want a more aggressive/punchier tone, I roll in the BigSplitMan.
I rrrreally dig the BigSplitMan... it's not as "boingy" as a Music Man Stingray humbucker... and as a result, it's waaaaayyyy more musical. Parallel mode on the BigSplitMan = a great sweetspot tone... series mode = a thick, heavy rocker... and single-coil mode on that pickup (bridge coil only) is the equivalent of turning on a Nordy Big Split, which I like TONS more than a traditional Jazz pickup in the bridge... it's full enough to be soloed, doesn't sound thin and wimpy and it matches up real sweet-like when running with the NP4.
Again, beyond excellent work, Nino! Thank you for your suggestions and terrific execution. This is just one heckuva bass. It sounds killer... it's a joy to play... and it's super versatile with lots of truly useable tones. It's so cool to see so many of my wants in one classic bass. I love it.
And btw, it didn't hit me until a month or so before taking delivery that having a gold 5-string and a blue 4-string was gonna make for a classic pairing.
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I am looking to get another Valenti, I have a Roscoe LG Custom or possibly a Mike Lull V4 add trade bait (+/- $$$ depending on the Valenti) if anyone is interested, PM me pics and details.
I can’t express how great of an instrument and what a work horse this 33” Valenti is. Nino, take a raise out of petty cash.... you outdid yourself!
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
Sweet bass!! Can't wait for my new one to arrive! Have a gig tomorrow night with the Country band at a private event at a country club (yes we will be playing that song!
) and will be taking both T21-J5s with me. Just restrung the Shoreline Gold one last night and gave her a full set up. Gonna replace the strings on the Sonic Blue one Sunday and treat the fretboard.
Both bases are now gone and I have 2 Valenti's headed my way
- Feb 2, 2001
- 12,719
- 1,291
- Disclosures
- Builder: Valenti Basses
I wanted a 5 string so I bought this.
Then i had the chance to pick this up locally. #129 and couldn't pass it up.
But what started it all was a chance to get #136 back a few weeks ago.
