Valenti -vs- Fender - mp3

[KayCee]

I've been messing around with recording these two basses for a couple of days for comparison, and thought that some here might be interested in hearing this clip.

Thanks to the magic of recording, I've got the silver Valenti PJ five string on the left side alernating licks with my Fender USA Deluxe P V on the right side. I've recorded them over a drum loop to give a better perspective of how they might sit in a mix.

Basically, there are four, four bar riffs. Low register, middle register, and high register fingerstyle. Then, there's a slap riff.

You've got to be careful with Fenders these days, but that doesn't mean that they don't make good ones. This one has an alder body and maple/maple neck. It is, IMO, their most underrated model.
The Valenti uses the same woods and also uses D'Addario medium light strings.

The Valenti is panned somewhat to the rear pickup with no added eq. the Fender is also panned a little to the bridge pickup, but has the bass eq boosted a little. I didn't use an amplifier.

After all the talking we do about woods, finishes, pickups, and whatever, I always find it interesting to really hear these instruments.

 

[Moo]

These clips of yours are great

If you told me both sides were the same bass just played a bit differently I'd believe you.

 

[semborg]

I really dig your playing style.
It kind of reminds me of myself, except its me when I have played for 10 years more...

The Valenti sounds more Clear

 

[tplyons]

Very nice. You're not helping me out financially you know.

 

[Fretless5verfan]

Thanks for doing this Kay! Makes me feel much more secure in my purchase of a Valenti

I MUCH prefer the sound of the Valenti to the Fender for the fingerstyle, but i do prefer the Fender slap sound a bit because it seems more open and "Pop"s a little better. The fender seems to lack the very presesnt lo-mids and lows that the Valenti has.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

The fender seems to lack the very presesnt lo-mids and lows that the Valenti has.

...ESPECIALLY considering the Fender had a bit o' bass boost!

 

[Fretless5verfan]

...ESPECIALLY considering the Fender had a bit o' bass boost!

I neglected to even read that part lol With THAT in mind, i'm REALLY glad i bought the Valenti instead. Then again, i've always thought that modern fenders (never played a vintage) sounded a bit thin.

 

[phxlbrmpf]

Does the Fender sound fuller with the neck pickup soloed? It seems to be seriously lacking in bottom.

 

[dunamis]

I prefer the Fender on the upper register and slap riffs, but the Valenti definitely has better lower register and mids.

BTW, your playing sounds really good!

 

[WoodyG3]

Thanks! Great clip. Both basses sound great. I like the Fender slightly more, I can't exactly explain why. It just sounds a little "smoother."

Which pickups do you have on the Valenti?

 

[Akito]

Cool! Well done.

 

[KayCee]

Does the Fender sound fuller with the neck pickup soloed? It seems to be seriously lacking in bottom.

Interesting responses so far. Thanks for the kind words!

Sure, both of the basses sound fuller towards the neck pickup, but for this kind of articulation I always lean to the bridge. Then, I'll add some low end where needed.

I'm sort of a snob about eq...I don't like to use it any more than I have to. Of course much of the tone is in the fingers, but after that I consider my pan control to be next in line for tone shaping.
That said, I could have boosted more lows in the Fender, but I wanted to hear the instruments in their natural voice as much as possible.

The Valenti pickups are Norstrands. The front is the NP5, the bridge is a FS. The preamp is an Aguilar OBP-3.

My computer setup is in a boomy room, so it was hard for me to compare the low ends of the basses. The basses sounded much better through headphones than through my speakers.

I've done many commercial recording projects with the Fender with great results. Right now I'm trying to figure out whether the Valenti is better in some ways that I might use in the future.

I appreciate the input.

Andy
(KayCee)

 

[g00eY]

i really like the sound of the Valenti. it sounds so much fuller than the Fender. i can't really decide which slap tone i like better, though...

 

[tplyons]

Listening more, I really like them both, a LOT. I love the definition and the clarity of the Valenti but the Fender seems a bit smoother. I can see myself owning both.

 

[phxlbrmpf]

If you have the time, can you compare the B strings of both basses? That'd be interesting as well.

 

[Figjam]

Nice playing, I like the Valentis fingerstyle tone better, for sure. Slap wise, neither really gets a tone I like. Slapwise, its hard to pick a favorite.

 

[Lorenzini]

Hey man great playing. Your time is excellent!

And both basses are great. The Valenti is preferred in the groove sections.

The Fender is nice in the higher registers.

Favorite? Valenti... with the P close behind.

 

[tplyons]

Very nice. Umm, do you have anymore clips that I can listen to? This one's on about it's 30th loop and I love it!

 

[syciprider]

Wow, they sound almost the same.

 

[Minger]

I can't tell the difference between the two - I mean, like timeingwise. Helluva good job keeping on time...

both sound awesome...