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Trying to Sound Like Zender...

bigjames

bigjames

Player of Smooth Lines
Jan 25, 2005
1,235
1,681
50
Metro Vancouver, Canada
www.imdb.com
#1
I was listening to some Jamiroquai today (Travelling Without Moving) and I wondered which more affordable Warwick Corvette would sound more like the killer tone he has on that album (all three he played on really...):

The Corvette Standard 5 (BO, Bubinga, MEC J-Style Pick Ups) or the Corvette Doublebuck (BO, Swamp Ash, Dual Humbuckers)

He is playing a Streamer Stage 1 5 string as far as I know on most recordings; NT with a maple body.

What do you guys think? Which of the two Corvette models above would emulate that sound better?

I realize that ideally a Streamer Stage 1 would do the trick, but please don't suggest it because it is not in my price range.
 
#3
The Streamer. He actually owned and played a lot of streamers. Now he uses a Pbass without Jamiroquai, but his tone is different now too. He also used light strings and action so he could dig into the strings for accents and stuff. Also there is compression in there for sure.


I really think low action, jazz pickups, and some compression are a GREAT start. I really like the keeley compressor myself.
 
#8
That's actually not true, he never played a Stingray with Jamiroquai.

For the first album (Emergency on planeth earth) he used just a Streamer Stage I 4 strings (PJ setup).

For the second album (The return of the Space Cowboy), he used also a 70's fender jazz bass and an alembic bass.

For the third album (Travelling without moving), he just used his infamous Streamer Stage II 5 strings trough a valve type head (Trace Elliot).

For more info on Stu's sound and playing, go to www.stuartzender.co.uk
 
#9
alfredpunkjazz said:
That's actually not true, he never played a Stingray with Jamiroquai.

For the first album (Emergency on planeth earth) he used just a Streamer Stage I 4 strings (PJ setup).

For the second album (The return of the Space Cowboy), he used also a 70's fender jazz bass and an alembic bass.

For the third album (Travelling without moving), he just used his infamous Streamer Stage II 5 strings trough a valve type head (Trace Elliot).

For more info on Stu's sound and playing, go to www.stuartzender.co.uk
Click to expand...


IMO Travelling Without Moving is freaking awesome. Every riff and lick is absolutely incredible. I cannot stand still and listen to it.
 
#11
Disco_Gee said:
If you can't get a Streamer, out of the two original basses mentioned I'd say go with the Corvette Standard 5.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the input...that is the way I am leaning right now. The look of the Corvette $$ NT makes me drool, but I actually found the poles from humbuckers got in my way when I played on old Music Man SR4...so I am considering that in my decision making process...
 
#12
Live he played Warwicks but on the studio he used everything (fender p & j basses, musicman, warwick, etc.) he actually said that himself

(From his forum)
5) What kind of bass(es) do you use now since both of your custom Warwick (the Iroquai and Chrome Ender) basses are now owned by fans? Do you still have/use your 8-string Warwick? What's your relation with Warwick now and did you use Warwick basses because you really loved the basses or because you had an endorsement deal with Warwick? (by Muzzander)

SZ - I usually play whatever the track needs. I find the older basses have more dirt and less of a clinical sound than the new ones, though there is some monstrous bottom end to be found on some of the newer models. I lean towards my trusty 64P-bass a lot these days. Its unfortunate what happened to my custom basses but this is through no fault of my own. I do hope that one day they may find themselves at an auction raising lots of money for a charity that would benefit some more deserved people rather than me or the current owners.
I bought my first Warwick before I joined the band and it was only after the success of the first album that I was approached by them.
I did use a variety of basses on all the albums. Alembic, Fender, Musicman, and Warwick were the basses used. I currently hold no sponsorship deals from any Bass Guitar or String companies.
 
#14
I think he also had some kind of preamp/compression thing that did aalot for his tone. Something like a Pressure Cooker? i think that is wrong but kind of the right thing, There was a thread about it ages ago, i think that kJung knew a lot about it.

But this is all from my distant memory so it could of course be completely bunk :)
 
#16
I did a bit of searching and came up with this
Sorry guys it was svtb15 not kjung apologies to both involved.

So the thing is the Ridge Farm Industries Gas Cooker DI [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

And it turned out to be from march

So overall my memory skills are not the best but my search skills are A+

If I say so myself ;)
 
#17
-Sam- said:
I did a bit of searching and came up with this
Sorry guys it was svtb15 not kjung apologies to both involved.

So the thing is the Ridge Farm Industries Gas Cooker DI [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

And it turned out to be from march

So overall my memory skills are not the best but my search skills are A+

If I say so myself ;)
Click to expand...

that's Paul Turner who uses that Pre, this thread's about Stuart Zender.
 
#18
I've been a Zender fan since 1995 and I still don't know how the hell he got half those tones with Jamiroquai (somehow I doubt he remembers either lol). Each track seems to always have something different happening be it eq, effects, compression...especially on the Return of the Space Cowboy and TWM albums. If you want to cop his tone, you're probably better off listening to what he sounded like live.

I love his tone with Mark Ronson right now. Pure old school p-bass bliss!
 
#19
Never seen the attraction woth Zender. Sure, the first few Jamiroquai albums were funky - great tunes. But Zender's sound was muted - especially live.

Also, the guy is a dick - real whiner. Wonder how come Warwick dumped him? Could it be because he let them down and did nothing but complain and expect the world to owe him something?
 
#20
Festifriend said:
Never seen the attraction woth Zender. Sure, the first few Jamiroquai albums were funky - great tunes. But Zender's sound was muted - especially live.

Also, the guy is a dick - real whiner. Wonder how come Warwick dumped him? Could it be because he let them down and did nothing but complain and expect the world to owe him something?
Click to expand...

do you know him personally? who are you to judge him?

also I believe part of his sound comes from a keyboard... lot's of little licks are also played by the keyboard... but still I like his playing style and sound.
 

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