Great Bass to cover everything in studio

stickyfiddle · May 2021

MattBanshee said:

stickyfiddle said:

stratman3142 said:

MattBanshee said:

...don't put flats on it unless all your clients are pensioners and/or shit...

...or Pino Palladino

Or James Jamerson, or Donald Duck Dunn, or Carole Kaye, or Paul McCartney, of John Deacon, or Steve Harris and basically every other session player through the 60s and 70s...

So, all pensioners?

Honestly if your criteria for good music is based on age you must listen to some right shit...

Freebird · May 2021

stickyfiddle said:

stratman3142 said:

MattBanshee said:

...don't put flats on it unless all your clients are pensioners and/or shit...

...or Pino Palladino

Or James Jamerson, or Donald Duck Dunn, or Carole Kaye, or Paul McCartney, of John Deacon, or Steve Harris and basically every other session player through the 60s and 70s...

Loads of later bands used a P-bass, and new ones still do.

Funkfingers · May 2021

ICBM said:
'79 P-Basses are actually among the least bad examples of late-70s Fenders in my experience - they're usually heavy, but that actually suits them quite well and they sound powerful and punchy. There's really nothing else to get wrong .

You just described my 1978/79 factory fretless. For over ten years, it was the only bass guitar I owned.

The stock grey bobbin Fender pickup was never to my liking. I replaced it with, variously, an EMG-P, a Seymour Duncan Active EQ "switches" type, a Lightnin' Rods, a DiMarzio Will Power and, finally, back to the Duncan switches. I occasionally think about adding a J pickup in the "Seventies" position but another Duncan "switch" type is the only one I would consider.

MattBanshee · May 2021

stickyfiddle said:

MattBanshee said:

stickyfiddle said:

stratman3142 said:

MattBanshee said:

...don't put flats on it unless all your clients are pensioners and/or shit...

...or Pino Palladino

Or James Jamerson, or Donald Duck Dunn, or Carole Kaye, or Paul McCartney, of John Deacon, or Steve Harris and basically every other session player through the 60s and 70s...

So, all pensioners?

Honestly if your criteria for good music is based on age you must listen to some right shit...

I'm being belligerent about the regular insistence on this forum that the only possible option for recording is a P-Bass with flats. Now, I'm absolutely pro-P, I own two myself, and I even suggested buying a P-bass. What I was highlighting was the fact that for the OP's recording studio, a P-Bass with flats is great for people wanting to record classics or motown stuff, but for the vast majority of younger, modern rock bands the flatwounds just won't do.

stickyfiddle · May 2021

I think that's why most of us suggested something with flats AND something with rounds, and a P and "something not a P".

Though I'll admit I'm firmly in the "if you can't play it on a P bass it's probably crap" camp

Freebird · May 2021

stickyfiddle said:

I think that's why most of us suggested something with flats AND something with rounds, and a P and "something not a P".

Though I'll admit I'm firmly in the "if you can't play it on a P bass it's probably crap" camp

I like the way a P-bass sits low in the mix, and leaves space for multiple guitars and synths. I am a fan of players like Hooky who uses his bass as a lead instrument, but that is a specific use case. While I used to be well into the Jam, I find that style of bass playing not to my taste these days, so on balance it's flats for me.

ICBM · May 2021

Funkfingers said:

I occasionally think about adding a J pickup in the "Seventies" position but another Duncan "switch" type is the only one I would consider.

A J pickup is the quickest way to ruin a perfectly good P-Bass

.

Although an active/noiseless/high-output type is the least of the evils...

Reggaebass · May 2021

Just a suggestion, with a 2k budget you could get the best of both worlds and get a nice precision and a jazz , which would give you lots of tonal options, with your own choice of strings to suit what type of music you are playing

fretmeister · May 2021

Reggaebass said:

Just a suggestion, with a 2k budget you could get the best of both worlds and get a nice precision and a jazz , which would give you lots of tonal options, with your own choice of strings to suit what type of music you are playing

This is certainly true. Could get a pair of used USA Fenders for that. Although really they are some of the most simple basses ever designed and Mexican ones are really good too.
However if this for a pro business then sometimes having the USA name will impress the clients more. Especially those who have no idea about basses.

I'd still tear the pickups out of the jazz and put in original model EMG J set. That will get rid of the hum and those pickups genuinely sound like 60s J pickups - that is what they were designed for. There is a reason why even among EMG haters that set is very popular. Just to name a few, Guy Pratt and Bobby Vega have recorded excellent traditional sounds with that set. No actual EQ added - just the Vol / Vol / Tone set that comes with it.

The big 3 recorded basses are the P, the J and the Stingray, although the first 2 outnumber the 3rd by a long way.

That being said, when recorded a Jazz on the neck pickup can sound remarkably like a P pickup with a bit of EQ-ing. Reduce the bass quite a bit, lower the treble a little and boost the mids a little and only bass anoraks will be able to tell the difference.

fretmeister · May 2021

ICBM said:

Funkfingers said:

I occasionally think about adding a J pickup in the "Seventies" position but another Duncan "switch" type is the only one I would consider.

A J pickup is the quickest way to ruin a perfectly good P-Bass .

Although an active/noiseless/high-output type is the least of the evils...

A PJ with a 3 way switch to properly remove the J from the circuit seems to work better than 2 volumes or a balance control.
I don't have the tech knowledge to know why and there's a good change my ears are lying, but I think I'm right!

The only time I haven't noticed the failings of a balance is when using EMG's specific ABC balance with is active and designed to solve any insertion loss.

ICBM · May 2021

fretmeister said:

J with a 3 way switch to properly remove the J from the circuit seems to work better than 2 volumes or a balance control.
I don't have the tech knowledge to know why and there's a good change my ears are lying, but I think I'm right!

Your ears aren't lying

.

It means that the 'off' volume control or the balance control isn't loading the 'on' pickup, so it sounds clearer.

fretmeister said:

The only time I haven't noticed the failings of a balance is when using EMG's specific ABC balance with is active and designed to solve any insertion loss.

Passive mixing is actually always a compromise, but it's just the way it's always been done. It just doesn't work well because the added series resistance as you turn down one volume control quickly cuts off that pickup and makes the range of useful tone variation very small. Active mixing solves that problem.

I dislike all 2-volume systems, in fact. I just about tolerate them on Rickenbackers because it's necessary for the stereo outputs, which I do very occasionally use - but I actually never use the volume controls when playing live, other than to mute the bass when necessary.

equalsql · May 2021

I can recommend the Sandberg California. I picked up a beautiful used one off Basschat for £800. It's a perfect P/J bass crossover with a superb active eq. Bass is my first instrument and I have owned quite a few elite models over the years like Vigour, Warwick etc and these Sandberg basses really compete on quality.

fretmeister · May 2021

ICBM said:

fretmeister said:

J with a 3 way switch to properly remove the J from the circuit seems to work better than 2 volumes or a balance control.
I don't have the tech knowledge to know why and there's a good change my ears are lying, but I think I'm right!

Your ears aren't lying .

It means that the 'off' volume control or the balance control isn't loading the 'on' pickup, so it sounds clearer.

fretmeister said:

The only time I haven't noticed the failings of a balance is when using EMG's specific ABC balance with is active and designed to solve any insertion loss.

Passive mixing is actually always a compromise, but it's just the way it's always been done. It just doesn't work well because the added series resistance as you turn down one volume control quickly cuts off that pickup and makes the range of useful tone variation very small. Active mixing solves that problem.

I dislike all 2-volume systems, in fact. I just about tolerate them on Rickenbackers because it's necessary for the stereo outputs, which I do very occasionally use - but I actually never use the volume controls when playing live, other than to mute the bass when necessary.

I don't like twin vols either - originally for the faff of muting the bass needing 2 controls. It was later that I started noticing the sound issues.

My 4 string Ibby Mezzo is currently getting modded with the EMG-X PJ set and I did think about a 3 way switch as the ABC active balance was a nightmare to find anywhere in Europe. But I found one so it will have a sensible Bass / Treble stack and the ABC balance.

I'm planning it to be my main recording bass so hopefully it will be nice and quiet and easy to play with 32 inch scale.

Funkfingers · May 2021

ICBM said:
Rickenbacker.

The budget might stretch to 77% of a brand new 4003. :-p

ICBM · May 2021

Funkfingers said:

The budget might stretch to 77% of a brand new 4003. :-p

Or enough for a second hand one plus a second hand fretless Mexican Jazz...

That would cover a lot of bas(s)es

.

dazzajl · May 2021

fretmeister said:

I'd still tear the pickups out of the jazz and put in original model EMG J set. That will get rid of the hum and those pickups genuinely sound like 60s J pickups - that is what they were designed for. There is a reason why even among EMG haters that set is very popular. Just to name a few, Guy Pratt and Bobby Vega have recorded excellent traditional sounds with that set. No actual EQ added - just the Vol / Vol / Tone set that comes with it.

They really are fabulous. I have a Guy Pratt signature Betsy here at the moment and it sounds nothing short of magnificent.

Creed_Clicks · May 2021

The Nordstrand Cat bass looks like it could cover everything you need! Sorely tempted....

Stratavarious · May 2021

A precision or a jazz with a series option or an PJ hybrid are all good options.

Yamaha BB and Sadowsky hybrids are good too.

My number 1 is an old 80’s Aria SB1000 active. Lovely thru neck.

Basher · May 2021

equalsql said:

I can recommend the Sandberg California. I picked up a beautiful used one off Basschat for £800. It's a perfect P/J bass crossover with a superb active eq. Bass is my first instrument and I have owned quite a few elite models over the years like Vigour, Warwick etc and these Sandberg basses really compete on quality.

Another very happy used Sandberg owner here, also via Basschat.

Mine's a VM4, so a 'reverse' P pickup with a MM-esque humbucker. The MM pickup doesn't really do Stingray sounds as it's in the wrong position (too near the bridge) but I just think of it as a beefed-up Jazz bass bridge pickup that sounds great blended with the P pickup. Actually prefer mine in passive mode but the active is nice to have and it switches in and out on a push-pull pot (also good to know that you can safely use passive mode if the battery dies!).

Amazing playability, which is something just about every Sandberg owner seems to experience. The newer "California II" shape isn't everyone's cup of tea but I like it and they are generally a bit lighter than the older ones and have a lovely compact feel that makes them feel even easier to play.

Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49774419356_dd0852059b_c.jpg

SteveF · May 2021

That bass is bloody gorgeous @Basher - giving me BassGAS!

i_b_tulloch · May 2021

@Basher that is actually my favourite colour combination of any guitar/bass! Beautiful.

I love the bass in the link below in terms of the look, but it is just too much. Seems they are charging a premium over similar aged and specced guitars.

https://reverb.com/uk/p/fender-precision-bass-1970-1983?hfid=38562491&utm_campaign=INTL-GB-Shop_unpaid&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google

Funkfingers · May 2021

Stone me. I paid £300 for my 1978/79 P Bass. Admittedly, that was thirty years ago.

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Great Bass to cover everything in studio

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