• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Thunderbird Club

#116,281
I have tapes on the '91, or did until it went off for paint. I thought they sounded great on that bass guitar. The highs were tamed enough to be reddish maroon if you want, but you could get a blue-green with electric blue edges sound if you wanted it. Either way, there's lots of black in the sound and not a lot of white.

Some of you will know what that means. You are also nuts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mike.C., RedVee, fasterpussycat and 5 others
#116,283
Gaolee said:
As a fool, I am happy with strength in numbers. Without slower fools, we all would have been lion food.

[edit] That may not be fellowship so much as useful diversion. I'll take it and be happy.
Click to expand...

With more fools, there is an exponential increase in foolery. There are network effects. If memory serves, the network effect of foolery is described by 1 + 2^F (but I could be wrong; I may not remember correctly or I may be a fool)
 
  • Like
Reactions: fasterpussycat, Miles_ONeal, Engle and 5 others
#116,284
PillO said:
With more fools, there is an exponential increase in foolery. There are network effects. If memory serves, the network effect of foolery is described by 1 + 2^F (but I could be wrong; I may not remember correctly or I may be a fool)
Click to expand...
On the hill?;) Addendum:should 'fool' be spelled with a final "e"?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Miles_ONeal, Gaolee, Count Bassie and 4 others
#116,291
Count Bassie said:
Ok, strings. I need a set of half rounds or flats that aren't high tension or thuddy, for 5 string bass with a lot of upper mid in its voice. I want to try and even that tendency out some, so I can use it for reggae... that predominant upper mid needs to sit back enough so I can get into the D string without my bass' presence leaving that lower, dubby-tone emphasis.

Some of you guys are string mavens, any thoughts? Should I just go for tapes? I kind of need something that will still give up some highs when needed, that bass does service in the 80s band too.

Edit... there are so many choices: hex core, round core, all the variations of windings... flat, half round, yadda-yadda. Steel or nickel. Tapes... which I had on a 7ender once and actually got some highs out of. But it's too much and why I tend to stick with a few. But this bass has me second- guessing myself with that upper mid thing, seems to be baked in and eq-ing it out ain't quite happening... probably the after market preamp that someone installed. Anyway..

Thanks for your time here.
Click to expand...
Count - I have a number of 5 string basses and that's exactly the sound I go for on mine as well when in the reggae, dub and club trance dance type mood.

To be honest, I stick to the A, E and B strings as much as possible just requires more work and slides. I assume you've already backed the tone knob way down, turned the bridge pup off, and are playing with your right hand somewhere between the neck pup and the last couple of frets on the neck.

Not sure what type of bass you'll be playing or what type of preamp it has but here's what I'm successfully using on my 5 strings...
Fender Jazz - La Bella Black tapes (East active preamp)
North PM - Optima Golds (East active preamp)
Alembic Essence - R. Cocco Nickel rounds (Alembic active preamp)
Warwick Vampyre - Black Beauties (Warwick active preamp)
Warwick Thumb BO - Not Sure - Baby Blue Silks at tuner, black ball ends (active preamp)
Spector Rex Pro - Not Sure - no silk, brass ball end nickel rounds - (Spector active preamp)
Gibson EB2013 - Not Sure - same strings as the Spector (passive controls)
Jason (slapnfunk) can probably tell you the string types on the ones above that I can't recall.

If you had asked me this question before I did my Goth mods I would have said La Bella Black tapes. However, my Goth had a baked in exceptionally high mid focus fresh off the rack. I put a two band Aggie preamp in it, Bart pups and black tape wounds and it is still high mid focused if I set the preamp in a neutral position. Obviously I can dial the bass way up and cut the highs way back to compensate but I was surprised the strings alone didn't solve the problem.

Keep us posted on what you end up using and how it works out. I'm always up for a string change if you find something better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedVee, Count Bassie, PillO and 4 others
#116,299
Engle said:
A real job where people don’t reply, the start time, end, and break times change at random, drunks abound and it doesn’t pay very well.
Click to expand...
If band music is the career you choose, you just need to understand that with very few exceptions there's rarely a median income or retirement plan involved, not to mention fringe benefits like paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid maternity leave, education reimbursements and medical/dental coverage. But many still choose the musicians life because it carries its own rewards - accomplishment, recognition, non conformity and a degree of freedom to express who you are not who the corporation wants you to be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mike.C., RedVee, fasterpussycat and 8 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back