THIS ALLEVA TONE IS KILLIN' ME!

[XavidmanX]

...but is there something else for less price that can cop that tone? I also like the tones coming from the soundclips on the Alleva site. I would love a vintage J tone with that nice punchy, pre-CBS J mojo but don't want that huge price tag (I know...don't we all, right?). So is there anything else that comes close to that or will I just have to bite the bullet?

Let me know what you think.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

That A/C P-bass is pretty sweet too!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Here is sweet sounding old school P-bass slap tone:

 

[Andrew Jones]

Jin!

 

[YCBass]

Oh man, here we go... I had to take a minute to think whether or not I should reply because I don't want an argument here.

So, IMHO; and I repeat IMHO; my Lull (or a Lull) can get that type of tone for considerably less $. This is based on the videos alone since I've never played an AC before.

 

[svtb15]

Thats my P5... the prototype kbp5.. it records real nice too.

That A/C P-bass is pretty sweet too!

 

[The_Owl]

The first clip sounds like j-bass to me. Nothing particularly special about the tone IMO.

Now the P-bass OTOH, that sounds freaking awesome!

 

[KJung]

One of the unique things to me about the Alleva J's is that they sound very, very passive and vintage in active mode. I've never heard another active J bass (Fender or boutique) accomplish this, and it is one of the things that IMO sets the Alleva apart (the ability to have the advantages of an onboard preamp while keeping a very passive, vintage tone). Also, Jimmy's single coil pickups are just something.

That being said, a good passive J bass like some of the newer Fenders should get you pretty close to the tone, which again is very 'passive Fender' in nature. You won't get the Alleva fit and finish, nor the unique 'passive sounding active' vibe, but it will sound like a J bass!

If you want an active 5 string, I have not heard nor played anything that really cops that more vintage tone myself.

IMO.

 

[needmoney]

Sounds like a good Jazz to me! Could cop that tone on a lot of J's.

 

[PilbaraBass]

Sounds like a good Jazz to me! Could cop that tone on a lot of J's.

not downing A/C basses...they appear to be pretty sweet...

but you're right...

a nice bacchus would get you there

 

[needmoney]

not downing A/C basses...they appear to be pretty sweet...

but you're right...

a nice bacchus would get you there

My two certainly do

 

[Wilbyman]

what is it about the first clip that kills you?

 

[Vincent P]

Sounds like a good Jazz to me! Could cop that tone on a lot of J's.

Sounds dam close, and I mean close to my MIA Deluxe slightly modded with Bad Ass III bridge and Marcus Miller DR strings. Pretty dam close.

 

[KJung]

Sounds dam close, and I mean close to my MIA Deluxe slightly modded with Bad Ass III bridge and Marcus Miller DR strings. Pretty dam close.

+1... I'll say it again...... the Alleva basses IMO and IME are for those looking for a very authentic Fender J or P tone, but with the perfect fit and finish and attention to detail/playability of a boutique instrument that seems to have all the advantages of a passive instrument (vintage passive tone, growl, etc.), combined with the advantages of an active instrument (control of pickup loading, on the bass tone adjustments)

You can get very close to that tone with any passive Fender, single coil loaded J instrument IMO and IME, especially if you are interested in a 4 string (i.e., the Alleva's B string is FAR superior to any I've played on any Fender 5 at this point). Both Sadowsky and Alleva make very nice external versions of their preamps in stomp box format that can 'beef up' the tone a touch if you want.

 

[XavidmanX]

what is it about the first clip that kills you?

I guess that's just the tone I'm looking for right now that I lack in my more modern sounding MTD's. Some of you have found your vintage J fix in an Alleva or something else much cheaper so that sound doesn't do much for you.

I don't mind owning a Fender but the consistency across basses is what I'm worried about. I think the Lull might be the way to go, but I haven't seen a used one in Alder/RW come up in a while.

 

[jsingles]

...sounds like my fender american deluxe jazz V

exactly the same actually... not kidding (and i am usually the first to say hand made "super jazzes" are amazing and superior to fenders)

im sure it plays better though.

 

[PilbaraBass]

...sounds like my fender american deluxe jazz V

exactly the same actually... not kidding (and i am usually the first to say hand made "super jazzes" are amazing and superior to fenders)

im sure it plays better though.

+1...on both counts

one can get a sound VERY close to that on even a Squier Jazz V...I know

 

[BillytheBassist]

...sounds like my fender american deluxe jazz V

exactly the same actually... not kidding (and i am usually the first to say hand made "super jazzes" are amazing and superior to fenders)

im sure it plays better though.

+1.... just from listening to the youtube quality recording, sounds exactly like my MIA deluxe jazz V. But i know you can't really tell much from those videos, anyhow...... nice tone.

 

[BobXboB]

...but is there something else for less price that can cop that tone?

My MIM jazz can

 

[emjazz]

...sounds like my fender american deluxe jazz V

exactly the same actually... not kidding (and i am usually the first to say hand made "super jazzes" are amazing and superior to fenders)

im sure it plays better though.

With the right setup it could play the same...not counting the neck shape, body contours and placement of the bridge.