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Valenti -vs- Fender - mp3

#41
This morning I decided to record both instruments using just the front P pickup. I'm playing along with a midi track that I created (minus bass) of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". This is old school stuff, and a Precision bass would be a good call here.

Both instruments are set totally flat, and straight to the computer. I've recorded them as separate tracks so that they could be longer samples, and both clips cover the same portion of the song.

I deliberately have the basses "too hot" in the mix in order to hear their character a little better.

In the room I'm recording, the Valenti sounds pretty darned bassy..maybe too much. Still, I think that both basses sound good.

What do your speakers say?
 
#42
Andy -

Great playing bro. Love it. I definitely prefer the Valenti. Just has a richer tone to it.

I have said it before but here it is again. I am a tried and true Sadowsky lover. Too me, nothing beats a Sadowsky and I love my Sadowsky PJ5's more than any other bass I have played.

That being said. The only other bass I would buy right now is a Valenti. Anyone thinking of ordering one from Nino shouldn't hesitate. From what I have seen, heard (audio and reviews) and from many personal conversations with Nino about building one (which I might this summer) I am confident that I wouldn't be disappointed at all.

Andy, that PJ sounds great and looks sexy as hell man. Love the color combination and the blocks. I loved it so much that when I was talking to Nino about my possible Valenti bass I was pissed that I didn't think of it first. :D
 
#50
First off, great playing man! Very tasty. On the first track I prefer the Valenti, but on Let's stay together, I prefered the Fender. When you cut the bass on the Valenti though, I couldn't really tell the difference between the 2. I guess I'd go for the Valenti cuz it seems more versatile.
 
#52
Here's another mp3. The track is "Signed, Sealed, Delivered", which was played on a P Bass originally, but I'm back to more familiar pan settings.

Your comments have been very helpful, and I'm finding this process of "shooting out" these basses extremely useful. I HIGHLY recommend that everyone do this with your own basses. You will learn a ton, and it will help you to get closer to the sound you're shooting for. Heck, I'm 46 and I'm still doing it!

Even after playing the Valenti for a month, mostly on live gigs, I didn't have a clear picture of the instrument's voice. I do believe that each instrument has a voice, which you can make more bassy or trebly, but the voice is still there. I think of it like a singing voice....I can add low end to my mic, but I won't become Barry White as a result.

This time, the Valenti gets panned back towards the bridge pickup, but with no bass eq boost. I've learned my lesson on this one. For the sound I'm looking for, this axe will never need bass boost on fingerstyle. The Fender is dialed back just to the bridge side of center, and it again gets bass boosted a little.
 
#53
KayCee said:
I think of it like a singing voice....I can add low end to my mic, but I won't become Barry White as a result.
Click to expand...

Great way to see it..

For the sound, i don't find a big difference on the medium range, the 2 basses show their personnality more on the low registrer. I would go with the Valenti for more versatility...but in the other hand...sometimes when you have to many option.. you don't get the right sound :confused:

Great thread really interesting and i repeat it ...great playing!
 
#54
Piedro said:
Great way to see it..

For the sound, i don't find a big difference on the medium range, the 2 basses show their personnality more on the low registrer. I would go with the Valenti for more versatility...but in the other hand...sometimes when you have to many option.. you don't get the right sound :confused:

Great thread really interesting and i repeat it ...great playing!
Click to expand...

What in the Valenti do you find to be more versatile?
 
#55
pickles said:
I'd be real interested to hear a low-B shootout on these two.
Pretty please? :D
Click to expand...

Okay, well since you asked so nicely, here it is! This was actually a lot of fun to do.

Instead of just a boring demo, I've put our trusty B strings to the test in our "Signed, Sealed" track. The Valenti is on the left, and the Fender is on the right. Every note in this B string shootout is played on the B string. I tried to play with the same touch that I would normally play, and the tone controls are in normal positions. I had to bring the Fender up a bit to balance the two, and you'll hear that I clipped a little at one point.

The second track, in case anyone's still interested, is the Valenti with the settings that I've landed on as my "home base" for fingerstyle. It is the same as before, but I've added a just a little 800hz boost for articulation. I'm very happy with the sound.

BTW, the "Valenti -vs- Fender" title wasn't meant to try to determine a "better" bass here. The whole idea was just to hear the similarites and differences in the two. As I said before, the Fender's a keeper, and it was the basic model for the Valenti.

Here's something interesting that I figured out, and may be of interest. The Nordstrand NP5 pickup is quite a bit hotter than the Fat Stack. Maybe someone can step up and tell us why. Are you out there, Nino?
 
#58
The FatStack has less output because it's a stack design and they have a sort of null zone where the coils are fighting each other in the center of the pickup. It's just kind of the nature of the beast.

If you had a split switch that would allow you to short out the bottom coil then you could get a more comparable output. Unfortunately, then you'd get some 60 cycle noise too. In my opinion, the noise is worth the benefit of the increased output and tone.

In your case, you may want to try raising the FatStack as high as you cen the get the most output out of it. Also, lowering the P will help to balance it with the Stack. Just be aware that pickup height can affect the tone a great deal and there is definitely a sweet spot. Lowering the P too much may make it too weak and thin.

Hope that helps.
 
#59
KayCee, Nice job, cool licks and interesting comparison.

Here's what I hear, Fender has a more present midrange. Interesting there's some neck pickup in that mix because I would have guess primary you used the bridge. It's got a nice bark or edge to notes that is in your face yet in the mix. Isn't that what Fenders do so well? The Valenti with OP3 and Nordies sounds a bit more compressed, richer in the low mids and a little more polite. I'm sure this is a result of combination of factors.

All in all, both very nice sounding basses (in your hands)!! Thanks for your hard work in putting this together. I think I can speak for everyone when I say this was enjoyable and worthwhile. Thanks again.
 
#60
KayCee said:
The second track, in case anyone's still interested, is the Valenti with the settings that I've landed on as my "home base" for fingerstyle. It is the same as before, but I've added a just a little 800hz boost for articulation. I'm very happy with the sound.
Click to expand...

I can see why! Sounds great!
 

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