Musicman20

The guy from Cave-In used a Grabber or Ripper and it sounded awesome!

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1150982' date='Mar 5 2011, 09:52 PM']Had my first rehearsal for 5 months last night... was with a keys playing friend of mine.. was a little apprehensive.. Starting jamming on the SR5 and it was like coming home... plugged it into the Aggy and the flat tone was great.. then switch in bridge position, rolled on the bass a little, mid highs.. roll on the Aggy mids a tad... what a jazz funk tone it was ... the other guys commented on the punch and growl, and the look of it... ive said it so many times but this bass is certainly the most all round instrument ive ever played... you cant get away from an MM tone but what it does it does sooo well.. its so easy to play aswell.. i am really a jazz bass man tone wise and looks, but the SR5 is so close to what i think a 5 string bass should really be.. and what i mean by all round is.... easy to play, not overly expensive, slim neck, good looking, very well made.. its easily as well made as any Sadowsky, Sei, STR, and other boutique basses that i have tried over the years... i would love to try the HS or HH model.. but im very happy with the H tone... sits very nicely within a funk soul outfit.. im pretty sure this bass will stay with me for a long time... i just need a Fender Jazz 4 now..[/quote] This is why I ended up with a Ray 5 and not a Lakland JO/DJ5. Quality. I assume they are still one of the best selling 5 string basses around. Anyone worried about the Sterling / Ceramic tone who hasnt heard it should have a quick listen to this (although if ceramic isnt your thing, thats obviously totally fine!): [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akwJz_KRlW8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akwJz_KRlW8[/url] Basically, the series wiring and ceramic pups are more 'middy' and aggressive. Great for cutting through.

Cheers!

Ive heard nice versions of both. My current Ray 5 HS is an alnico, but ive heard a few Sterling 4s/5s and I actually quite like the bite of ceramic. Ill do a video A/B when my Sterling 5 arrives, which is apparently very soon! Re: Multi-pups...I definitely think the HS is the best of both worlds. Enough room to play, nice big fat single coil for more traditional tones, and with the latest 2008- Ray 5s, you cannot get a single coil at the bridge position anymore, but you can with the HS, plus keep the main tone and have more to play with. I was all about single Hs til I tried a few multi-pup ones.

Which year/magnets is your Ray?

Update - Have you tried the TC RH450/Classic??! That gets close, very much an Ampeg tone in a small box, PLENTY of power. It close.... I think the best cabinet would be something sealed, with 10s. Or, you could try a few ported 4x10s and see where it gets you!

I hate to say this, but even the amp purists admit if you want an Ampeg sound, and I mean the PROPER Ampeg sealed fridge tone, you need the real thing. The Berg NV610 is apparently incredible, but I can bet there is still a difference, whether you find it better or worse is down to your ears. Ive heard their sealed 4x10s and they are pretty punchy, but not the same. If I had the roadies and space, and I could buy a Heritage version, I would. My alternative is Orange, which is a different sound, but the growl for the tube distortion is very unique It sounds less 'scooped' than the Ampeg to my ears.

Maybe not the best example, but this kind of thing: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntg8o1JIBKI&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntg8o1JIBKI...feature=related[/url] Before you ask, no im not a huge Incubus fan but I LOVE his bass tone.

Nice, very 80s Cure-like.

First off, ive been fighting Jazz basses for years. I love the tone, but im used to a P style neck and the P low mid kick. So, my next plan is to fatten up an American Standard. I would love the J Retro but Ive already got a Tonehammer which beefs up passive basses anyway. Im looking for a big warm low end, something to fill the mix properly. Ive seen a lot of Jazz players EQ their bass so its no mids, twangy highs and no ommphh. What do you suggest EQ wise? I like the Fender tone, so no pickup replacements. I need to learn to EQ a Jazz so it has a larger low end (maybe more concentration on the front pup volume and roll off the tone a little?) Im going to experiment once I get a Jazz, especially with the Tonehammer.

City Mariner! Love the Town flag!!

Ah heck. Can they put them on backorder?

I got mine from the Bass Merchant.

On the topic of Jazz tones...I don't listen to Incubus much, but their Jazz (I think) bass tone on later albums is glorious! Very very deep, not too much twang, smooth and 'full'. How does he do it?

Wise words! Just paid extra for house insurance with the AA to include out if the house insurance.

Sounds like you hit tonal nirvana?!

Super jealous of the London Bass Show. I was 100% going, then I realised I just don't have the spare money and time at the moment. Meh! Enjoy!

[quote name='MythSte' post='1149506' date='Mar 4 2011, 02:45 PM']I e-mailed Darren at the bass merchant a few days and he said they where now in stock and could be had in a few days. the bad part? £745...[/quote] £745...hmm, compared to a normal EBMM Classic thats almost £1000 cheaper...so not toooo bad.

Nice Bongo!

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1148183' date='Mar 3 2011, 11:16 AM']You could get a DI box and tell them the sound man is sorting them out tonight.[/quote] Plus one. Just tell them to DI. When I, for some reason, cannot get a full rig to a gig, or their is no time/space, then I just take the Tonehammer or Sansamp. Yes, you wont have that 'rig sound' behind you, and your guitarist(s) might be wary of it, (I know mine are) but it works and does 80% of the job, the other 20% is relying on the monitors to hear yourself so that depends on the soundman. If you dont DI though, and you tell them they have to, then its not your problem. DI-ing bass with a decent pedal/DI box has come on leaps and bounds, so its not like they are going to sound really poor.