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Thinking of getting a Carvin.

#61
unclejane said:
To me, it definitely busts the myth that Carvins are ho-hum sounding basses... wish I had a recording!

LS
Click to expand...

I dedicated the last couple of years to improving the recording quality I get on acoustic drums in our little studio. I'm pretty happy with where that's at, so next on my list is bass. I do fine to most people's ears, even excellent to some, but I want to get that part that I've been missing, the part that has the authority and body. It's missing in so many commercial recordings. I want to get it nailed so I can be like Hendrix and record every rehearsal and every jam. Except in massively impressive quality. With my new BB70... :hyper:

Your six string is a beautiful beast, by the way!
 
#62
Syncamorea said:
I dedicated the last couple of years to improving the recording quality I get on acoustic drums in our little studio. I'm pretty happy with where that's at, so next on my list is bass. I do fine to most people's ears, even excellent to some, but I want to get that part that I've been missing, the part that has the authority and body. It's missing in so many commercial recordings. I want to get it nailed so I can be like Hendrix and record every rehearsal and every jam. Except in massively impressive quality. With my new BB70... :hyper:

Your six string is a beautiful beast, by the way!
Click to expand...

Yeah unfortunately my 6 was a strategic mistake, I didn't realize the wide neck was going to tear up my hand. I should have just gotten the 5 instead. I can still play it somewhat when I need extended range, but only seated so I can wrap my arm around it the way I need to. On the strap, tho, the 4 is the only way to go.

I've done a small amount of recording with my Bunnies and the quiet electronics are the real advantage there. I only run in passive mode (neither of my Bunnies has batteries in them) but they record really well from what I've been able to gather. Both my 6 and 4 have nearly identical tones through the MM humbucker at the bridge. The 6 has the H50S in the neck position but the 4 has the J99, so they sound slightly different when running both PU's or neck only....

Through an amp is where they really shine tho. The voicing is perfect for a clear, no-mud tone. I just barely have to touch them and the notes just flow out of them. It's perfectly audible in a room with a tenor sax and a trumpet even with my roland micro cube (only 5 watts!).

These things are utterly tailor-made for the actual gigging bassist....

LS
 
#63
What amp(s) do you use? My first bass amp was a 400 watt SWR head with a 2x10 cab. That didn't hack it so I added a 1x15 cab and another 400 watt head. Then I just decided I didn't like the SWRs. I test drove a for-sale Ampeg SVT-8 a while, and liked it but couldn't afford it at the time, then heard a band whose bass player had a Mesa Carbine. When the tax return arrived a year ago, I got one and love it. Lots of negative reviews here and there, glowing elsewhere. I like the range of tone it has and that it can flat out kick it in the butt.

"I didn't realize the wide neck was going to tear up my hand."

That blows. I've had my share of problems with tendonitis and it can completely shut me down a few days a year, mostly it just comes out of nowhere and I'm a hand cripple.
 
#64
unclejane said:
Ah, yes the Bunny - that's the right answer. Here's a pic of mine. The 6 I unfortunately can't play regularly anymore for anatomical reasons, but the 4 has become my main bass. Even my L2000 has gone back into its case after I got this one.

BTW, with daddario rounds and going through my new Roland Micro Cube, it's a Tony Franklin-esque rock monster. I got to play with some friends with it the other night and you can get a surprisingly aggressive sound. To me, it definitely busts the myth that Carvins are ho-hum sounding basses... wish I had a recording!

LS
Click to expand...
Mine:
nlzeayoisz.jpg


home recording on laptop..
http://www.box.net/shared/static/n1tt98nt6v.mp3

If that sound is "boring", I'll eat my hat. (apologies to Tony Levin for the butchering of his bass line) It hasn't run off my L2000, but it is my go-to 5 string.
 
#65
Syncamorea said:
What amp(s) do you use? My first bass amp was a 400 watt SWR head with a 2x10 cab. That didn't hack it so I added a 1x15 cab and another 400 watt head. Then I just decided I didn't like the SWRs. I test drove a for-sale Ampeg SVT-8 a while, and liked it but couldn't afford it at the time, then heard a band whose bass player had a Mesa Carbine. When the tax return arrived a year ago, I got one and love it. Lots of negative reviews here and there, glowing elsewhere. I like the range of tone it has and that it can flat out kick it in the butt.

"I didn't realize the wide neck was going to tear up my hand."

That blows. I've had my share of problems with tendonitis and it can completely shut me down a few days a year, mostly it just comes out of nowhere and I'm a hand cripple.
Click to expand...

My "gig rig" is a GK 1001RBII with GK SBX plus 4x10. I just recently bought a roland micro cube for more portable use and that's usually what I use now. I just can't lug the GK 4x10 around anymore until I get a smaller cab for it.

The GK is a great amp, tho it's voicing is a little pinched in the high mids and pretty trebly too. So it's more geared for an aggressive rock/slap sound. I think if I drive it with the Roland, tho, it should work as a good power amp slave system (haven't experimented with that yet tho).

LS
 

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