ped

OK, back today with fresh ears. I've been having a lot of fun finding 'my' sounds. There's a lot to learn with this bass, it's not like normally when I get a bass and click with it right away, or realise it's not for me. This one has so much flexibility I feel it'll reveal it's secrets in time. My fave 'go to' sound is like a 'dirty Ken Smith' - I sold my Smith basses as I felt they were a little too 'polite' for my style, and not very flexible. With both pickups selected in parallel, you get that Smith upper midrange, plinky G string and gnarly bottom end, paired with some lovely clank from the now beautifully setup neck (even if I do say so myself!). It has a growl and even output which I think will be fantastic in the mix. The G string popped in particular I spent some time getting right - it seemed too loud and too much Lowe mids - adjusting the pickup poles and heights has finely balanced this now to be a really clear 'plink' with a lot of girth at the same time. I think it sounds best in Active mode in this setting - it seems to shift the treble centre northwards, allowing me to roll off some using the passive control, leaving plenty on tap if required. Next up is a P bass sound. Sometimes when selecting an individual pickup I feel like a bass loses something. Certainly I've never been able to coax a great P sound from any jazz I've had (including my Celinder). This felt like the case when I solo'd the front on the L2000 too, using the same settings as above. However after some playing around I have found the key. Passive mode, series, less treble rolloff, more bass rolloff. It gives some forth, tamed with the rolloff, and the crunchy full range of the pickup comes through with authority. I'd say a 'P on steroids which is what people generally say, however I think it sounds very P like, and in fact going parallel gives a more clanky aggressive steroids vice. In series, it's bang on. Whilst I don't think the back pickup sound is really me, I do love my Stingray. The L2000 does an OK impression when played finger style, active, in series. I back off the tone control and turn up the bass a touch. It doesn't do the Stingray slap sound (at least I haven't worked it out yet) and suspect the pickup is too far back for that (K-mod middle coils is allegedly similar). It's a really punchy sound with plenty of definition - I will have to spend longer with this one. ..So that's how far I've got - I look forward to learning the instrument and allowing the tones to arrive in good time. What a beast! I've backed off the vol about 1/3 on each setting, because I like having some boost on tap - unlike the MFD in my SB1, it doesn't seem to adjust the character of the output when you adjust the first half of the travel. If it did, I think that would throw another spanner in the works and give me a whole other variable to get my head around!

@Killed_by_Deathshall we stay away from dredging up an old argument, if you hadn’t noticed this thread is a year old and doesn’t need any fresh action. Hellzero has already agreed that the one true bass oracle is yours truly so really there’s nothing to say.

Well if they still argue about it then they’re just like us!

It's a good way to balance the sound, and think I have found that turning each down about half way gives a naturally balanced tone. The sound is very smooth, using mostly both pickups in parallel currently. There's a nice bark midrange but it can get buried if you max the bass and treble. The sound is a little bit like the Smith sound in some ways, but with a more 'cocked wah' sound to it which I'm quite liking, although the pops on the G string aren't quite to my taste in this mode. I found EQing out some 2khz helped tame that but ideally I like everything to sound perfect flat. The front pickup in parallel is another great sound; very grindy and open sounding. The current options pre-K mod are series/parallel (middle switch) affecting each pickup. I still have a lot of experimenting to do; today I have spent so long adjusting and trying things out I have some ear fatigue and need to walk away and come back to it tomorrow or more likely tonight. The neck feels exactly the same as my SB1 which is nice - I'm not particularly sensitive to different neck profiles but I was concerned it would be a bit wider. It's not the lightest bass in the world but I mostly play sitting in my pants as you all know so that's fine. I think the body is mahogany, as all the chips show a very dark wood beneath. The next and fretwork is perfect, action is bang on - so I'll see how I get on with finding 'my sound' over the coming days!!! Cheers ped

Thats' a bit of tape to stop me touching the pole!

Low! Well lower than I’d estimated anyway. Overall I’ve done ok price wise compared to a UK equivalent

It’s here!!! Spent a little while getting her strung up and adjusted, pleased to report the neck is dead flat and I’m able to get my preferred super low action. I’ve been playing it in passive series mode whilst I get it set up. It’s so smooth sounding - and it does a great P sound, so I’ve got rounds on it to add to the P I have with flats. More later once I’ve had time to properly play it!!

It’s my favourite phaser too.

Still loving it with my P. It sounds brilliant with the trim pots right down and the sensitivity low (the SB1 output is mental though so that’s partly why I set it like that) playing so that it just starts to burble and growl and gives the occasional ‘phaser’ sounding accent when you dig in. It just sounds great live and the slight volume boost is welcome too. When I first got one years ago just after I started Bass I sold it quickly because I didn’t get it, but I guess you need to be comfortable with your regular signal chain before you can appreciate the nuances of various effects. Oh look at that, one of the letters fell off!!

Now released from customs and due at my local depot tomorrow... I might go and pick it up/pay. I tried to pay over the phone but she said better to wait until it's arrived at the York depot 'in case something happens to it' on the way 😄 I know what she means but it kind of sounded scary/threatening! The fee sounds far too little so I'm trying to prepare for the worst but I'll be glad to pay the figure she quoted over the phone...

Change in venue: The wake will be held here (Horse and Jockey in Chorlton) https://www.joseph-holt.com/pubs/horse-and-jockey

Ah I thought we’d fixed that..

Hi (and thanks for the sub!) - it's a head scratcher for sure; the basic issue though is that the subscriptions are quite buried in the shop area which itself isn't very obvious, hence the fact we built it into the selling facility where you get directed to pay. The general hope is that now if someone sees 'supporting member' on a user's details, they'll click it and see what it's all about. I think creating a second product is logical, but it'll probably create more confusion than it helps the finances.

Great little thing, got any sounds to share?

Not yet, I’ll have that pleasure in a few days I guess

Heathrow - now we wait!!

I suspect the hardware varies a little, but Roland will be along to give more info in due course. I suppose the bass market is a much smaller niche than guitar, so the investment needed was going to end up making the bass model more expensive (that said I haven’t looked at the price of the guitar one) - I think the same was true of the VB99 vs VG99. I still think it’s a fair price if they’re as good as I expect (and that’s before I even think about the 3D settings and other features)

I think they look awesome - I love playing with headphones and have a pretty fearsome setup for use at home. A mobile version of that would be heaven. I’ve tried all the other solutions and they are all a compromise to a degree. I had a long chat with Roland about these (full disclosure, they are taking out some advertising and we’re helping them promote them) and I’ll be first on the list to buy a pair (yes, buy!). We talked about the fact that Roland make super quality kit which is sometimes very niche, rather than items with wider appeal with compromises. Bass players are already quite niche let alone those on board with a headphone setup. But most knock it before they’ve tried it - paired with a feedback device like a backbeat or a floorboard, it’s absolutely Hifi and tactile.

Black and maple

It’s on its way!

Missed that! Fair price I think given what they do and how well they’ll do it (I hope!)

My dream has come true - I can’t wait to get my hands on a pair. Released today and hopefully available by Xmas. https://www.boss.info/global/products/waza-air_bass/

Thanks very much

I like the look of the One Control Dimension pedal. I have a fetish for tiny pedals that take a battery 😆