Using a hollow body live...

[3tsb]

Hey Justin. I have two basses I bring to shows. My Lakland Joe (jazz) and my Lakland hollow body (strung w/chromes). Invariable, whenever I switch to the HB, I loose it in the mix as it doesn't cut through like the jazz bass does. I'm not sure if this is something you've experienced, but if it is, what do you do to compensate? EQ? Volume?

Thanks.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Sometimes for certain basses, I have a separate EQ pedal (the Dunlop 11 band one) and/or an MXR Micro Amp that I use just for that purpose. Sometimes it's EQ AND volume. Right now, with Beck, when I switch to my Starfire vs. my P Bass, I kick on a Sans Amp.

 

[brad houser]

@3tsb- my fav lakland HB subject. might I be so bold as to say- don't try to make it "cut through". I feel that the Lak HB is best at surrounding a mix. every time I've tried to make it cut thru in a jazz bass sort of way it ends up sounding honk-y and weird. if I want "cut" I'd put on another bass for those songs. when I let the HB do what it does best, though, it will surround the band with a giant pillow of lush fatness. there can be a degree of "tightness" that can be obtained by rolling off some lows on the amp, cutting some mids a little, then turn the amp up and don't dig in too hard.
I'm out touring with the dead kenny gs right now and have been reworking my right hand scene. turn up, play lighter. my precision and stamina have tremendously benefitted. I'm also going to put a Willis ramp between my pickups, color matched to my gold finish. I'm crazy.

 

[SonicBlueJoe]

.. if I want "cut" I'd put on another bass for those songs. when I let the HB do what it does best, though, it will surround the band with a giant pillow of lush fatness. there can be a degree of "tightness" that can be obtained by rolling off some lows on the amp, cutting some mids a little, then turn the amp up and don't dig in too hard.

I regularly gig a Lakland JoBo5 and a Lakland HB, and Mr. Houser is spot-on. What the HB lacks in vintage hollowbody appeal, it more than makes up for with that "giant pillow of lush fatness" part. Totally the reason why my mates would kick my ass if I got rid of it.

 

[brad houser]

another thing I've noticed is that where a J bass is punchy in the low mids, a Lakland HB is punchy in the low low end. the Lak HB absolutely EXCELS at tight, focused low end, that's where her true strength lies. palm muting is Devastatingly Wicked, thru a big system with a friendly sound engr the HB can sound like a hiphop kick drum. be sure not to have the action too low. lately I put two 1/4" wide strips that i cut from a .88 guitar pick and installed as shims at the bridge end of the neck pocket. this enables greater string tension w lower action. you have to raise the saddles to compensate after shimming, and this increases effective string tension, enabling more punch and tightness w lower action. I used DR flats on mine for a while, they're pretty good, but I went back to Lakland flats,my favorite. Lak flats are also amazing on my relic P bass. my band mates LOVE the HB, the dead kenny gs don't sound as good with other basses. Skerik, our saxophonist, is especially lavish in his praise of the HB. I admit, these basses are a strange hybrid, sort of a cross between a really expensive furniture bass and a harmony H22, which I used to have. shouldn't have gotten rid of that one, but I wouldn't trade my Lakland for it. I see what JMJ is saying about vintage, funkier HBs, the Lakland is a smoother, strange hybrid. I LOVE mine. if I only had one bass and were forced to get rid of everything else, I'd rock my gold HB. SonicBlueJoe- Skerik would fry me with the hairy eyeball, and rightfully so, if I got rid of my HB. LMFAO.