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The Valenti Megathread Part IV
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
Thanks. Nino actually replied to my email at the same time, so thanks everyone for the input.
GAS is a tough thing guys. Being impatient is a curse too. I should financially be in a position to order a bass in 4 months roughly. I'm torn between the Valenti I mentionned before, and a 4 string Maruszczyk Elwood, also customised to my specs (although they'd be two different animals - I already have one in 5 string and I love it, but I wouldn't mind something different).
My utmost preference goes for the Valenti.... price wise it's a bit more expensive than the Maru ($2150 for the Valenti, $1850 for the Maru), especially with european VAT + shipping, but not by a crazy amount. Not too much to the point of making me want to go for the Maru to save money and cut corners.
No... here my main issue is wait time. I'm a very impatient person, and waiting for my previous Maru felt like forever.
At the moment, Maruszczyk quote 3.5/4 months for a custom bass. Nino told me he's at 7-9 months at the moment... it's going to be tough waiting for that long!
Anyway, I have a few more months to decide, but I've had great service and communication from Nino already, better than Adrian Maruszczyk... and reading all your rave comments about Valenti basses make me think I need to seize that opportunity.
GAS is a tough thing guys. Being impatient is a curse too. I should financially be in a position to order a bass in 4 months roughly. I'm torn between the Valenti I mentionned before, and a 4 string Maruszczyk Elwood, also customised to my specs (although they'd be two different animals - I already have one in 5 string and I love it, but I wouldn't mind something different).
My utmost preference goes for the Valenti.... price wise it's a bit more expensive than the Maru ($2150 for the Valenti, $1850 for the Maru), especially with european VAT + shipping, but not by a crazy amount. Not too much to the point of making me want to go for the Maru to save money and cut corners.
No... here my main issue is wait time. I'm a very impatient person, and waiting for my previous Maru felt like forever.
At the moment, Maruszczyk quote 3.5/4 months for a custom bass. Nino told me he's at 7-9 months at the moment... it's going to be tough waiting for that long!
Anyway, I have a few more months to decide, but I've had great service and communication from Nino already, better than Adrian Maruszczyk... and reading all your rave comments about Valenti basses make me think I need to seize that opportunity.
The wait for a Valenti Bass is worth it. It killed me but I've never loved a bass more than my #151
I’m not sure about the deposit.
What I can tell you is that I have a Sadowsky pre with VTC and nordy pups and the active treble doesn’t feel redundant at all. I use it to add a touch of sparkle on top when using the VTC.
Well I guess you're right... It'll feel like ages, but I think you just need to "forget" about it. If you think about it every day, it'll be horrible!
Also, Nino told me the deposit is 25%.
Chef
In Memoriam
treble vs vtc:
I think these two work together really well in a symbiotic kind of way.
my basses have either the sadowsky preamp or the nord two band.
I almost always run about 20% treble boost, and 40% passive tone cut.
Try it: bet you like it.
Also: valenti basses are total yeswards.
I think these two work together really well in a symbiotic kind of way.
my basses have either the sadowsky preamp or the nord two band.
I almost always run about 20% treble boost, and 40% passive tone cut.
Try it: bet you like it.
Also: valenti basses are total yeswards.
Chef
In Memoriam
Valenti basses are among the very best in my opinion. I've had two built, and I have a couple I bought used.
Yes, that's a good combination, tho of that range of Nordstrand pickups, I prefer the Fat Stacks.
Yes, that's a good combination, tho of that range of Nordstrand pickups, I prefer the Fat Stacks.
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Please elaborate on the Fat Stacks?
I'm thinking Big Splits because I have hum-cancelling pickups in all my basses and I can't stand the hum from single coils when playing on the neck pickup. So no Big Singles. Big Splits are described as a hybrid between P and J and that works for me, if they get the bite of a J pickup but some of the low-mids of a P pickup, it would sit well with me. I've got DiMarzio Model J's in my Jazz Bass, they are also split coils with a sound akin to one of a P, and they sound fantastic in a band setting (a tad on the dark side when played at home, but all that matters is how the bass sounds in a band, to me).
So yeah, Big Splits with a Nordy preamp with the option for passive would be the ticket.
What kills me is the wait time (not Nino's fault though)... plus my personal wait time too, I can't order the bass till the summer at least... Arghhhh
I'm thinking Big Splits because I have hum-cancelling pickups in all my basses and I can't stand the hum from single coils when playing on the neck pickup. So no Big Singles. Big Splits are described as a hybrid between P and J and that works for me, if they get the bite of a J pickup but some of the low-mids of a P pickup, it would sit well with me. I've got DiMarzio Model J's in my Jazz Bass, they are also split coils with a sound akin to one of a P, and they sound fantastic in a band setting (a tad on the dark side when played at home, but all that matters is how the bass sounds in a band, to me).
So yeah, Big Splits with a Nordy preamp with the option for passive would be the ticket.
What kills me is the wait time (not Nino's fault though)... plus my personal wait time too, I can't order the bass till the summer at least... Arghhhh
Chef
In Memoriam
OK gang I’m about to order a new bass from Nino and would like to get your thoughts on a few things.
Here is my Current Valenti’s specs
T21-P5
Alder Body
KickAss bridge
Nordstrand NP5/Big Split 5 Pickups
Sadowsky Preamp w/VTC
and I want the new bass to have a different voice
So here’s what I’m thinking
VJ21-5 or TJ21-5. Anyone have any comparison thoughts on the 2 bodies?
Light Swamp Ash
Vintage bridge
35”’scale
19MM Spacing
Nordstrand 3band preamp.
Here’s where I really need some input...PICKUPS
I’m thinking I want to try a Nordstrand blade pickup. Anyone having experience with these...Thoughts? Which model pickup?
Any specific experience with the Zen Blade?
As always your help is appreciated.
Here is my Current Valenti’s specs
T21-P5
Alder Body
KickAss bridge
Nordstrand NP5/Big Split 5 Pickups
Sadowsky Preamp w/VTC
and I want the new bass to have a different voice
So here’s what I’m thinking
VJ21-5 or TJ21-5. Anyone have any comparison thoughts on the 2 bodies?
Light Swamp Ash
Vintage bridge
35”’scale
19MM Spacing
Nordstrand 3band preamp.
Here’s where I really need some input...PICKUPS
I’m thinking I want to try a Nordstrand blade pickup. Anyone having experience with these...Thoughts? Which model pickup?
Any specific experience with the Zen Blade?
As always your help is appreciated.
Clean, dynamic, more modern sounding.
The Big Blades are more aggressive. They'll bark when you dig in. These are single coils.
The Zen Blades are warmer and more polite. These are humcanceling.
With Nino's high quality work I would choose the option that you think you'll prefer the sound of and not be overly concerned with hum from single coils. It'll be there in certain difficult situations, but will be minimal.
+1
I'm a huge fan of having the VTC alone with the treble and bass controls. That combo gives you lots of variety that's easy to dial up.
Roger Sadowsky put that combo on a lot of his basses as well.
I'm a huge fan of having the VTC alone with the treble and bass controls. That combo gives you lots of variety that's easy to dial up.
Roger Sadowsky put that combo on a lot of his basses as well.
On my last Valenti build, I went with a Nordy NP4 positioned right next to a Nordy BigSplitMan (in essence, two Big Splits in one housing) in the usual Music Man Stingray position. The pan control lets me choose either pickup or a number of combinations of the two.
I also added a 3-way switch on the BigSplitMan which allows me to select parallel humbucking, single-coil (opting for the bridge coil... pretty much the same position for a J in most P/J setups) or series humbucking. I borrowed the 3-way switch idea from the Stingray 5 which I've always loved.
I highly recommend going this route as it simply gives you more options over the usual P/J = lots of usable tones.
I also added a 3-way switch on the BigSplitMan which allows me to select parallel humbucking, single-coil (opting for the bridge coil... pretty much the same position for a J in most P/J setups) or series humbucking. I borrowed the 3-way switch idea from the Stingray 5 which I've always loved.
I highly recommend going this route as it simply gives you more options over the usual P/J = lots of usable tones.
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I haven’t placed my order yet. Good thing coz I’m having second thoughts about the color!
It’ll be a Verrazzano M21-J4, with no pickguard. Fretboard will be maple. Now, I’ve been thinking about Ice Blue Metallic satin as a finish, just like the bass @LowEndLobster has reviewed.... but I’m worried I might get tired of it, and that it might not be super versatile...
So... what about Inca Silver Metallic Satin? That looks ace too and, while a bit more classic, it’s still classy....
thoughts?
It’ll be a Verrazzano M21-J4, with no pickguard. Fretboard will be maple. Now, I’ve been thinking about Ice Blue Metallic satin as a finish, just like the bass @LowEndLobster has reviewed.... but I’m worried I might get tired of it, and that it might not be super versatile...
So... what about Inca Silver Metallic Satin? That looks ace too and, while a bit more classic, it’s still classy....
thoughts?
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Getting one step closer from ordering but not there yet. Spoke to the missus about the project, and as always when I mention a new bass, she was a bit annoyed 
but acknowledge that it'll be fine as long as it won't impact our joint finances. And it won't, because I'll be using my own money obviously, not our joint one. It's a fair concern though, as she worries it might impact our ability to go on holidays (when that becomes possible again of course), or other activities. But again it won't, because I'm confident I'll have the money when time comes to pay Nino.
Anyways... I guess she'll never understand what it's like to be a musician with GAS . I'm probably not the only one in that situation
but acknowledge that it'll be fine as long as it won't impact our joint finances. And it won't, because I'll be using my own money obviously, not our joint one. It's a fair concern though, as she worries it might impact our ability to go on holidays (when that becomes possible again of course), or other activities. But again it won't, because I'm confident I'll have the money when time comes to pay Nino.Anyways... I guess she'll never understand what it's like to be a musician with GAS
. I'm probably not the only one in that situation 
