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Why didn't stereo wiring catch on?

#21
I'd be interested in setting up my 8-string with separate outputs for each pickup just to see how it sounded.

I currently run through an ABY pedal going from A to my bass amp (set for normal 4 string use) and then from B to a small guitar combo with the bottom end rolled right off and then a bit of dirt and reverb added. This gives some great shimmer and grind without muddying the bottom end.

Being able to send the neck pickup to the bass amp and the bridge to the guitar amp might sound very cool........ or might not sound much different at all and so be a waste of time. :eyebrow: There's only one way to find out, and i've got enough on my plate that it'll probably never happen. :laugh:
 
#22
Who here has ever tried a stereo output bass?

I agree with most of what's been posted thus far; stereo basses are really difficult to get the full benefit from in a live-fire situation for most of us weekend warriors, but I'm amused by how many here dismiss it out-of-hand without ever having played, or even heard a stereo output bass. How do you really know what you're missing?

FWIW, I sum the stereo output of my Alembic Series basses just to simplify things, but the first time you ever hear one in true stereo through a nice rig is an experience not soon, or easily forgotten.
 
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#23
EdwardofHuncote said:
Who here has ever tried a stereo output bass?

I agree with most of what's been posted thus far; stereo basses are really difficult to get the full benefit from in a live-fire situation for most of us weekend warriors, but I'm amused by how many here dismiss it out-of-hand without ever having played, or even heard a stereo output bass. How do you really know what you're missing?

FWIW, I sum the stereo output of my Alembic Series basses just to simplify things, but the first time you ever hear one in true stereo through a nice rig is an experience not soon, or easily forgotten.
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Not sure why you think so many of us never tried them.
 
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#24
EdwardofHuncote said:
Who here has ever tried a stereo output bass?

I agree with most of what's been posted thus far; stereo basses are really difficult to get the full benefit from in a live-fire situation for most of us weekend warriors, but I'm amused by how many here dismiss it out-of-hand without ever having played, or even heard a stereo output bass. How do you really know what you're missing?

FWIW, I sum the stereo output of my Alembic Series basses just to simplify things, but the first time you ever hear one in true stereo through a nice rig is an experience not soon, or easily forgotten.
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Anything i can hear out from the bass stereo output is a maybe a cheap chorus fx.
 
#25
I used to really like using the Rick-O-Sound jack. My amp has two channels that can be used at the same time. I'd send the neck pickup to one channel for clean lows and send the bridge pickup to the other through a dirt pedal for mids and highs. Ultimately both channels were run though the same cabinet so the end result wasn't stereo, but it did sound really good in a three piece rock band. Running direct could be problematic so I gave up on it eventually for simplicity's sake.

Then I discovered P-basses :laugh:
 
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#29
40Hz said:
In a live setting you don’t usually get much separation with the bass frequencies. They tend to mush together and sound monophonic anyway.
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When I ran Ric-O-Sound I stacked the amps vertically. The neck pickup went to the bottom amp and the bridge pickup went to the top amp. My perception is the tone was more clear and focused than combining the pickups and running them to both amps or one of the amps.

I also did experiments running Ric-O-Sound into the two channels of my SVT. Again I thought Ric-O-Sound with two amps was better. I was running a 4001 so it had the HPF on the bridge pickup, which could have been an important factor.

Eventually I started biamping my SVT with a Fender Twin loaded with JBL E120s to get more of FRFR sound. I felt this was an improvement over running Ric-O-Sound with the same amps and speakers. The scale of running Ric-O-Sound through two biamped rigs was beyond me.
 
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#30
JimmyM said:
Not sure why you think so many of us never tried them.
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I'm not sure Jimmy, I wouldn't be surprised if you had, but I won't hold my breath waiting for a stampede of experience. That was the point of the thread after all, that stereo wiring never caught on. Though it does looks like RIC players favor it.
 
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#31
Wasnex said:
When I ran Ric-O-Sound I stacked the amps vertically. The neck pickup went to the bottom amp and the bridge pickup went to the top amp. My perception is the tone was more clear and focused than combining the pickups and running them to both amps or one of the amps.

I also did experiments running Ric-O-Sound into the two channels of my SVT. Again I thought Ric-O-Sound with two amps was better. I was running a 4001 so it had the HPF on the bridge pickup, which could have been an important factor.

Eventually I started biamping my SVT with a Fender Twin loaded with JBL E120s to get more of FRFR sound. I felt this was an improvement over running Ric-O-Sound with the same amps and speakers. The scale of running Ric-O-Sound through two biamped rigs was beyond me.
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I only had use of a Ric for a year and some change back before advent of mammals when dinosaurs still ruled the earth. When I played it I ran the neck pickup through my Acoustic 360 with a single 361 cab and the bridge pickup through a Fender Twin 2x12 combo. The sound was amazing.

Someday I’ll get another Ric. Someday…
 
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#36
PAs run mono (or should be run mono) unless there's a very good sound system and a talented engineer running it. Phase cancelation is a big concern with low frequencies and could be problematic.
 
#37
The previous owner of my Rickenbacker 4001 didn't like the stereo option:

49500023746_9b1f97c99f_o.jpg


I like having it as an option, not so much for live but for recording. It's fun to experiment. I did try and use it with my limited amp collection: GK MB112 II for the neck pickup of my Alembic Stanley Clarke 5-string (I've obviously spent much more on basses than amps) and PJB Suitcase for the bridge pickup. It sounded great but the PJB is heavy and the whole thing isn't really necessary. I was really trying to combat the low frequency loss of my Fulltone Bass Drive but a SolidGoldFX Beta or equivalent pedal is much lighter and more convenient.

Here's a recording of my Alembic Series I fretless in stereo - here too I'm running the neck pup clean and bridge pup with distortion - you can hear the clean neck pup at the very end - sounds totally different:



Also don't confuse stereo as in 2-channel with stereo as in the stereo field, like with chorus, ping-pong delay, etc. Conceptually they are two different things.
 
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#38
Axtman said:
Why didn't two pickup basses with stereo wiring catch on? Of course Rickenbacker with their infamous Ric-O-Sound and I think Gibson had a few stereo guitars.
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Having done the Rick-O-Sound thing back in the 70s, in my experience without a right stage left stage cab setup, when you get 10-20 feet away from the stage, it all sort of blends together. Maybe I wasn’t creative enough. But trust me, it sounds great on stage.

Also let me add it also takes a while to get it dialed from gig to gig due to room acoustics.
 
#39
fig said:
Besides the extra gear schlepping, extra tweaking mentioned, extra expense, the advent of improved performance and lighter weight gear, the larger footprint on stage, etc, the audience will never care if a bassist is running stereo. They just care how well the musician plays.

I'm not, nor will ever be, in the rarified air of the above mentioned celebrity bassists. Between their incomes and multiple endorsements, they can do what they do on a whim. That, I think, is part of the niche area that Jazz Ad mentioned.

Just not worth it for those reasons, in my opinion, that it never caught on.
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So I was schlepping around an SVT, a V4B 2-15 reflex cab, and a 100 watt Hiwatt 1/2 stack.. we were also schlepping around a B-3, Leslie 900, and an upright piano.... 6 man band with two roadies. And yes, we all made money. Arguably we were stupid, but we sure sounded great.

Speaking about roadies, do they even exist these days?
 
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