Opticaleye

20 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

It would be nice if someone could explain how Quilter calibrate the Watts on the BB800. The power output would depend on so many things including

• (actual) speaker impedance (some speakers are lower impedance that quoted, 6R* instead of 8R" or 3R* instead of 4R*)
• the output voltage of the bass (pickup and/or onboard preamp)
• the EQ settings anywhere in the chain (from bass to effects to amp)
• distortion used (if any)

that marking a control in Watts does not seem sensible.

Yeah, dunno.

Edit. If it's the same criteria as on the BB800 I'd be happy.

I look upon it as a tubey sounding preamp with cab sim that can also act as a backup amp if required. I've done loads of gigs with my BB800 set on 40w and using one 8 ohm speaker.

Or a small practice head.

Being a Quilter it probably won't lack "Heft"

The 24v PSU supplied uses a kettle lead connection so I'd be happy to run another kettle lead to the board maybe and mount the PSU under the board. It's not like it's a dodgy wall wart.

Knowing the quality of the BB800, both the pre and power sections, the option with this and presumably the BB802 to go fairly dirty interests me a lot (or it would if I was currently in a band).

I think that this is very cool. It can be used as an amp/backup, bass pre with speaker sim or with the addition of a balanced jack to XLR converter a tubey sounding DI.

It appears that this is based on the pre section of an upcoming BassBlock 802.

edit - I've seen a price in the US quoted at $250

43 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Let's see if we can get @Opticaleye back on the case! He's posted some decent clips already and is using tape saturation as part of his sound!

 

Not sure when I'd be able to get round to it atm. Just moved home to the York area and haven't touched a bass for weeks. I will be sorting out my "home studio" eventually but at the moment I'm desperately unpacking boxes.

8 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

That's great to hear. Well you've had a LOT of experience with comps, what's special about this one that makes it so indispensable?

It has a lot of powerful options that all sound good, including the limiting, compression, parallel compression, tape saturation and tilt eq, and none of these take away quality from the original signal.

All too often at a gig I eventually resort to unplugging a pedal in favour of going straight in to the amp. I've never had to do this with the Stella.

10 hours ago, Al Krow said:

@Opticaleye you still enamoured with yours? 

Very much so. I can't imagine gigging without it.

My Markbass amp wasn't tasteless enough so I changed the black knobs out. 

Seriously though, I can see them better on a dark stage

On 05/07/2019 at 10:27, DanOwens said:

My NS gets a great DB sound but I keep the action suitably high; I have an early CR4M.

I have an early CR4M too and the DB sound is very good. I use DB strings (Spirocores) and a hair scrunchy around the bridge to curb sustain.

1 minute ago, fretmeister said:

I've been playing my SL TT4 a lot with my big band.

 

Currently strung with nickel D'addario. I like them a lot, but I have to say in a Big Band environment they are a bit twangy.

I'm wondering whether to just let them get old, or put flats back on it.

My Sandbergs really like GHS Pressurewounds especially when worn in.

10 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Well my Spectracomp has unexpectedly been usurped by a single effect patch on the capable (and amazing value) Zoom B1X-4 mulitfx and is currently sitting in the departure lounge...

A month in, how are you getting on with the Stella? Is it still stellar  and how does it stack up against the other comps you've had over the years?

Yeah it's great. The tilt EQ I'm finding really useful. I like it better than my Lehle Basswitch Dual comp and Markbass Compressore.

It sounds especially great with the Dual comp and Basswitch Classic boost before it. A definite improvement to the tone and I wouldn't consider not having it always on.

6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 I don't want to pay custom shop prices to get the feature set on a Berg I'd like! Simples.

I've only custom ordered one Sandberg but I didn't pay a "Custom shop price" at all  The configurator said a particular price and it was discounted by Bass Direct to a price equivalent to the regular stock. I personally think Sandbergs are incredible value for the quality.

Not all dealers discount the regular stock either (mentioning no names).

I think that the configurator is there to display aesthetics  more than to include every option (there's no Umbo for instance!).

When the range of custom options is so varied then choices have to be made and one pickup looks much like another of the same shape.

My first Sandberg was a TM4 with Delanos followed by a VM4 also with Delanos. These were great until I fancied something a little more vintage sounding but preferred the Sandberg feel to my Fenders. I then bought a TT4 with the intention of swapping the pickups (Delanos). I didn't bother for quite a while as it sounded great but eventually succumbed and put a set of Nordstrand in. It sounded good but eventually I moved on all 3 and bought passive only Sandbergs.

My Umbos have that vintage jazz vibe with extra tonal variations due to the pickups (Haussel Alnico2) and passive electronics. My passive California II TT4 has Sandberg Alnico5 pickups which are great too.

If you like a modern sound with a kind of Stingray-ish character the Delanos are the ones to get. The newer VM's have big pole Sandbergs in them and are not quite as modern sounding as the Delanos to my ears. It wouldn't surprise me if these are custom wound by Delano to Sandberg's specs for the VMs.

With Sandberg there are a lot of options and it's just a matter of choosing what is right for you. Waiting for a custom order can be agonising though so swapping pickups out is a choice too..

18 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/right-handed-bass-guitar/sandberg-california-tt4-masterpiece-aged

 

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/right-handed-bass-guitar/sandberg-california-umbo-4-string-virgin-white-highgloss

 

2 cracking deals on Bax right now

I'd beware that those instruments actually exist and won't just be ordered from Sandberg with those  specs with long lead times.

I actually ordered the Masterpiece 8 months or more back but BAX could give me no guarantees that that was the actual instrument I'd get, or was in stock at their suppliers even, so I chickened out and cancelled.

It was a slightly higher price then though.

+1 for the Geezer. It's a great vintage sounding passive pickup.

The neck size and shape is perfect for me and enables me to go from VS4 to TT4 etc. without having to adapt too much. The California 1 series tend to be heavier and have a tighter bottom end (possibly due to the 6 bolt neck) in comparison to a Fender. This can affect string choice, especially flatwounds IME. The California II series seem to be lighter with a more open sound (and are less fussy regarding flats).

I personally think that the California IIs are a step up in quality. Individual basses vary though and this is just my experience with the Sandbergs I own and have owned.

I really like the Sandberg Alnico5's in my TT4, possibly even more than the Alnico2 pickups in my Umbos.

I own 5 Sandbergs and have sold a further 3. The 3 that I sold all had big pole Delanos. They were great basses and there was nothing wrong with the sound but I prefer vintage tone so I have gravitated towards Sandbergs with small pole alnico pickups.

Big pole pickups have a particular tone and you either think it's for you or you don't.

22 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Hmmm...wonder what's driving this 'bargain basement' approach on pricing? I guess the simple answer is in the statement: "LOADS of stock too...."

Must be annoying for anyone who has paid a 'full fat' price for their Berg and maybe also explains the relatively 'good value' pricing for used ones?

If you want to charge a premium price for your product, you can't have half your potential customer base thinking "oh, if only the pups weren't so polite / hi-fi / tame / lifeless**, I'd definitely be up for spending > £1k on one of those".

Maybe time for Berg to up their game? Appreciate this is just one former owner's opinion of course, and should be treated accordingly! 

**delete as applicable

The prices look normal to me. The premium prices tend to come with the dot markers, matched headstock, ageing etc. The £ to euro rates are also a factor if buying from a European shop.

My bog standard VS4 (except for dot inlays) came in at just over £940 a few years back and  that was from a UK shop.

6 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Maybe you'll be ready to sell me yours used by then? 😄 

Mine's going nowhere 😁. Choosing which great sounding setting to use might take some time though.

On 11/04/2019 at 10:50, fretmeister said:

I contacted Sandberg on facebook and they have confirmed the VS can be ordered as a Super Light version now.

 

Now I need to raise more money!  

Damn! My VS4 weighs a whopping 7.5lbs ☺️

1 hour ago, 51m0n said:

So the make up gain could have been a little higher

This is why I didn't do any more examples. Everyone's a critic 🙄😁

7 minutes ago, Opticaleye said:

Not exactly. A HPF will remove the very low frequencies whereas the Dual Comp compresses them at a higher ratio than it does the higher frequencies. The changeover frequency for this can be set on the Dual Comp.

The Becos on the other hand can be set to ignore the low frequencies using the Side Chain Filter, preventing the lows from triggering the compression, ultimately leaving the lows uncompressed.

The end result of combining these is a very full punchy, articulate tone that has a fantastic feel under the fingers.

I will also add that putting my Broughton HPF before the Becos doesn't have the same effect!

46 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Interesting. Sounds like a Thumpinator or other HPF would similarly work to take out the low end crud in place of the RMI. 

HPF --> comp is how I have things set up on my board, so good to hear that combination working well elsewhere. 

Not exactly. A HPF will remove the very low frequencies whereas the Dual Comp compresses them at a higher ratio than it does the higher frequencies. The changeover frequency for this can be set on the Dual Comp.

The Becos on the other hand can be set to ignore the low frequencies using the Side Chain Filter, preventing the lows from triggering the compression, ultimately leaving the lows uncompressed.

The end result of combining these is a very full punchy, articulate tone that has a fantastic feel under the fingers.