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Who doesn't like Darkstars?

  • Thread starter Thread starter X Wolf
  • Start date Start date
#21
HI

I think every player has their idea of the ideal instrument and sound they want to achieve. I tried a very nice Lakland in Sept when I met with Dan Lakin. Cool bass with the pickup you talked about. It was the last type of tone I would pick, for me, as the ideal bass tone. That being said, doesnt mean I hate it. Only means its not for me. Might be perfect for the guy standing next to me and the music he's trying to create. Play and listen to everything you can. Form an opinion of your needs as you do. You might find "darkstar" pickps to be the ultimate setup for you. Matters not much what other players think

Rob
 
#22
I've had two basses with Darkstars. Both Laklands, one active and one passive. The active bass was a beautiful Lakland 4-76 with what was then the standard Lakland Bartolini pre-amp. The DS was in the bridge position. I didn't like the sound of this bass, passive or active. I sold it. The new owner apparently loves it. Personal preference counts alot.
Since then, I got a DPLE II that I love. DS in the P position and all passive. It's a keeper.
I don't know if this helps, but it's another perspective.
RD
:bassist:
 
#23
Kenny Allyn said:
"Far as needing more watts ? It's more like you needed a 15 db pad. I never knew the clip light on my old GK head was yellow - until I plugged in the Dark Star. Then I discoverd why it has the pad ... of course we always need more watts... and more surface area ... and more people to carry our gear."

No I needed more WATTS... The clip light has never come on (GK 400RB III), it's just that a Dark Star doesn't compress like other pickups ... it seems to just cycle more energy which of course means more watts to keep it clean so I went to a GK 1001RB.

:eek: ... It's pushing a little Euphonic Audio VL-208 17" wide by 18" tall ... that's a pretty small cab.
Click to expand...

In other words, you're saying that because of the greater dynamic range of the darkstar (ie less compression), you require more headroom. Hence, more watts to give you the headroom.
That's fair enough.

To illustrate:

Back in the 80's I used to play in a band that regularly gigged in some pretty small bars. We used to truck in our 1500W sound system with two big speaker stacks and the bar owners would cringe...

We would explain that it was for headroom (and of course, explain what we meant). The main faders on the main mixing board never went above 3, but the power was there to handle the dynamics. The overall sound was always clean and not muddy, unlike some groups that would rock up with 200 - 400W systems and crank them (ooohhhh...my ears hurt just thinking about it).

It's all about maximising air motion and at the same time minimising sound pressure. The result is big full sound that is pleasing to the ear.
 
#24
Yeah pretty much ... that's it

The VL-208 in an 8 ohm cab with 2x4" speakers and 2x8" drivers and a tweeter in a small 17" by 18" cab rated at 400 watts ... it uses what Euphonic Audio calls a line transmission port. They are highly sought after by upright players as they are ultra clean and revealing of every nuance of ones playing ... add to that the very detailed Dark Star and it can be a very humbleing rig to use.

I find that it really only sounds GREAT with a passive bass, frankly with an active you can hear the electronics of the pre-amp (and not in a good way) ... although a Jazz Bass and a Precision pickup sound wonderful ... the Dark Star is what I term the Trinity ... It is for me the 3rd of the legendary pickups ... and I have got to give Fred Hammon the credit for having the vision to bring it back.

:scowl: ... As for the VL-208 cab it is sadly discontinued ... and they bring stupid HIGH prices on the used market.
 
#26
Y'all say they're $200 a pop!?
Click to expand...
Prices went up. But they are lovingly hand wound by their inventor, Fred Hammon. I've got two basses with them - each with a pair, one preamped, the other straight passive. Best investments I've made in my instruments in years. Not everyone may find the sound most to their liking - if you want "modern", don't. But they definitely delivered tone I couldn't locate before, Listen to the new clips on the Lakland site of the Decade with DS's for a pretty fair representation of their sound.
 
#27
I had a DS equipped US Bob Glaub for a while last year. I liked how it complimented my regular Glaub ( w/Fralin P), and my Jazz. The others guys comments are right on. It is a great trinity with a P, and a Jazz. I used it a lot to cop some old school flatwound tones for old '60's tunes that didn't work with a P bass ( old Yardbirds, some Beatles stuff, Kinks etc.). It really excelled at covering a lot of territory.

But it was too much work in the long run. It was a bitch to adjust, both physically and as in adjusting my technique. And it sounded better with flats, and I don't enjoy flats. So it left home. Now I'm going to order a new Lakand with the new Neo single coil pickup. It's pretty damn close to a DS, without the headaches.
 
#28
Boy, adjusting techinique huh!? I mean, I play with a light touch. My basses are ususally way too low for another player. ( The t40 is set at around .050" ). I use a floating anchor, so my thumb is on a string or air. But to drop near $400 ( for a bass that's worth 1/2)....

I thought I liked the Peavy when I started back into playing a few years back. Sure , its good. But my Nordie pupped Valenti walks all over it. As did my 55-01. Active or passive. And I'd prefer to keep the T40 passive. Yet, I'd like to modernize it so I have a functional 4 string. Its a damn good workout to gig with that mutha strapped on! Like carrying the M60 on road marches in the Army! Just like! :cool: :bassist:

Peace. Out.
 

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