mattpbass

Cheers dude, my pleasure. I’ve played and owned a lot of nice basses and never been happier than with the Sandbergs so if you can afford another go for it, or if it’s too much of a push don’t sweat it, you’ve already got a great bass with the VM.

Having said all that I just looked up a video of me playing the VT and it does sound pretty good, and man it was nice looking. 😂 https://www.instagram.com/p/CRrLGJrCewa/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Agreed, the VM5 I have is definitely not traditional P, though I do love the sound of it in the mix, and same with the TM5. I’m similar to you doing function stuff from all eras, I’m not someone who tapdances on pedals and changes bass every song (I know the audience don’t care 😂) so I just want a really great solid bass sound for the whole set and they both work great. The most classic sounding are the passive VS4 and TT4. The TT4 had the black labels in and I didn’t like them in it (despite liking them in the Ida) so swapped them out (and changed pots etc) for Lindy Fralins and now it sounds classic J to my ears. The VS4 has Sandberg’s own big pole P pickup in it which I thought I would change but actually love, with flats it’s just great. I was really surprised with how little I enjoyed the VT4 but again it was the black labels so maybe it’s just those in a passive set up don’t work for me.

I’ve currently got an Ida Nielsen 5 (basically a TM), a VM5, and passive TT4 and passive VS4, and have owned a TM4 and a VT4. So I’m not surprised you liked another Sandberg more than the other options. 😀 But I don’t know if it’s good or bad news that I liked the sound of the VT4 least by far. The VT4 was a masterpiece (as in the relic level) and absolutely beautiful, played amazing, but the sound just never worked for me, it never felt P or J enough to be satisfying. It was passive, maybe the active version might have a bit more about it. So that probably doesn’t help at all, sorry. 😂

Nice! There will be about £90 to pay when it hits the UK, they use UPS so you’ll get an email from them and can pay it online so it doesn’t get delayed.

Bass>Cali 76>HX Stomp>Jad Freer Capo>Desk>Fischer Amps In-Ear Stick>JH Audio JH11s.

It looks like they are on 3 week order time again so a short wait for the next batch to made. I got very confused when I ordered, ordered it through their site (which was just under £500) then realised they were like £80 cheaper on Reverb so sent them an email and they refunded the Italian VAT which then made it slightly cheaper than Reverb! And then of course had to pay the UK import shizzle, worked out about £500 in total in the end.

Excellent, I hope these photos help you both. 😂

Just order a Capo instead of a Noble - instant gratification! Might do everything you want and save you £800 extra, or if not can flog it and join the Noble queue.

Thanks dude, messaged!

I think you’re probably right, hopefully one of them can help.

Been having a look and haven’t been able to find anywhere that lets me change my user name - is this possible? My current name of Rattle&Drum is from the days when I was working for the music shop of the same name, and while I do still teach bass in their studios, they are now solely a drum and percussion specialist and I am not representing them on here. It would be better for them and me if I were called something different if allowed? Thanks!

I only received mine just before Christmas so still early days with it, I had to wait on a new batch being produced and it arrived just after weeks of Christmas dates with the band so not used it live yet. I’m usually gigging with no backline these days, pedalboard straight into the desk and IEMs, and while it’s worked great with a basic DI box on there it’s felt a bit bland so spent many hours perusing the many pre-amp/DIs available. I guess if money were no object and I didn’t have to wait a year I’d have bought a Noble to at least try it being as they are the DI du jour! But too expensive, too long a wait, too big, not interested in its power supply stuff, not sure I want potential for tube issues etc. Origin Bass Rig was on the shortlist but I don’t really want amp sim, just a great pre/DI. Capo ticked all the boxes for me - small, versatile, still got the boutique hand made thing if you dig that, reasonably sensible price and not too long a wait, and being raved about by some great players. I can say from home use only it’s fantastic. The build quality is excellent, super sturdy and feels very top end. Sound wise it has so much to offer, every tweak from the saturation circuits, to EQ, to the Deep/Bite buttons does something juicy to the sound that is going to be usable. Assuming this carries through to live sound I can see using it for years to come.

The Capo and the Noble are completely comparable, they are both preamp/DI pedalboard sized solutions? I literally compared them (and every other similar solution) and bought the Capo. 😅 @EmmettC if you like Ian Allison he also massively rates the Capo.

Have you considered the Jad Freer Capo? I was all aboard the Noble hype train and going to order one but at getting on for £1300 and the best part of a year to wait I couldn’t bring myself to it. The Capo is starting to pop up with some good players, got mine just before Christmas and it’s blown me away.

I agree with the view that in a perfect world 2 feeds probably is the ideal but I gigged all of last year sending 1 x DI to FOH carrying both my Sub25 and bass signal (plugged into the two inputs of a HX Stomp and then either through an Orchid DI or if using backline the amp’s DI out), so long as instrument levels are balanced at the start it’s unlikely to be a major issue and makes for a quick simple setup which on the bigger shows we play is usually what matters!

I have a TT4, a VT4 and a VS4, neck profile is the same on all of them (and very nice necks they are too, much more jazz than P).

Nice idea dude, I’ve dropped you a PM. 😎

Seeing that video again I am reminded that I’m definitely a Beyoncé fan! 😅 My band have done this a few times but I’ve played it on bass, it’s a tough one for the singers with its many key changes! Will have a play round and see if I can come up with a sound.

Yeah, I ran both my bass and keys into my HX Stomp on Saturday, then straight into my Aguilar stack and it sounded great, although patches definitely sound different than do in headphones so something to think about when dialling in sounds. Here's where I am with 24k Magic so far - not great but not bad being as I had never played keys a month ago. Slips here and there and doesn't sit in the pocket like I want it to but hopefully will get better as the playing becomes more natural. 24kmagic.mp3

Nice! Another guy worth checking out is Darrell Freeman - definitely overplays for my taste but no knocking the dude’s considerable ability.

Haha yeah that’s exactly it, if you miss a fret on the bass can always slide it in or pretend it’s a run to the right note as if intended, whereas it’s very clearly a duff note on keys, or at least I don’t have the ability to not make it seem like one. 😆 I’ve played all sorts over the years but just 2 Sandbergs now, main gig bass is an Ida Nielsen 5 and my other is a cream HCR TM4. Love them, Fender kind of vibe but a bit more special. Right, next on the synth list for me is 24K Magic, see if I can get it as close as this chap -

Sounds great! And a Sandberg for the stringy bits, me too! Is that a TM4? I found my biggest issue Saturday night was it was so hot and sweaty I kept slipping off the black keys! 😅 It definitely feels like a bum note sticks out more on the synth than bass but that might just be psychological.

First gig with the Moog in the bag! Thoroughly enjoyed it, its weird but on the tracks I used it for I still feel like I’m a bass player playing bass even though the instrument is different. Having tried every bass synth pedal out there and never been 100% happy with them it should perhaps come as no surprise that the answer to the perfect synth bass sound is errm.... a synth! 😁

Got to say I’m a little nervous for tonight’s gig, first time I’ve ever played anything other than bass in front of an audience - what could possibly go wrong?! 😅