Soledad

23 hours ago, Cato said:

 

In terms of aesthetics, which is all that maters to me because for my there's no noticeble difference between different fretboard woods, I prefer Indian Laurel over the pau ferro that Fender have been using for the dark boards on their Player range.

Interesting and prob agree. Had a friend's brand new Squier Affinity round for a set-up a few weeks ago. I liked the look of the Indian Laurel board - it's fairly dark (dark enough for a new board) but has a hint of greyness to it so I think it will play in well and age quite nicely. I mean it will benefit from a good few hot sweaty gigs. Some of the last of the rosewood I've seen was rather pale, quite open grain and generally low grade.

Agree re the LaBella white nylons. Re tension I have found that equivalent nylon tapes are lower tension than the same gauge flats - obviously there are a lot of variables but it's generally true in all my experience. I think there's some physics behind this - the nylon tape wrap is lower mass than the metal wrap of flats, hence for the given tuned pitch the tension will be lower. Again, variables like the core gauge which is where the tension comes from.

Anyways, LaBella white nylons seem to have been made for a fretless!

MXR Chorus from Lewis to Kent in 24 hours! Beginning to think if you need a pedal just ask Ed 😃

Top service, excellent product and packing. All super-smooth.👍 

(Surely already in a list above but worth singling out I think) Julia on @ThomannsGuitarsBasses is well worth a look - she's a great player, has a rapidly growing following and I'm sure she could have her own channel easily. Also has access to loads of fine basses, is quite a Sandberg advocate (may well be an endorsee). Her main thing is picking a player / band and getting deep inside the basslines (Abba, Police, Verdine White / EWF; etc).

I'd call her a player's player - doesn't talk gear and basses much, gets down to playing... and she's pretty good!

4 hours ago, Hellzero said:

That's strange, because I use White Nylon's on some of my basses and they are ... white.

 

I guess you had the Copper White Nylon's or the Gold White Nylon's with, in fact, transparent nylon, no white, hence the colour.

 

There are 3 types of White Nylon's.

 

The White Nylon's, the only Nylon strings with round wound string inside: https://www.labella.com/product/750t/

 

The Copper White Nylon's, with flat wound low copper alloy string inside: https://www.labella.com/product/750c/

 

The Gold White Nylon's, with a golden alloy (80% of brass, a bit like acoustic bronze strings) flat wound string inside: https://www.labella.com/product/750g/

 

Got my set a couple of years ago (they last well and tbh weren't played loads). I'm certain they were rounds under a semi-clear tape wrap. Fairly lowish tension, great mid-voicing and a nice crisp top. Sold that bass on recently but these ones with red silks:

@pn_day - thing I like about seperate pedals is you acquire them one by one and can swap along the way. Also a strong used market, quite library-like, I mean buy one, try it and sell on for almost the same if it isn't quite right. I've got an MXR chorus on the way so that's a start. Next up is maybe comp - I think the Darkglass SS I sold was about the best compact pedal comp I'd owned.

And if I collect say 10 pedals I could sell the lot and be halfway to another Sandberg - pedals are like loyalty stamps 

all very 'minimalist'.

13 hours ago, admiralchew said:

Yeah, the MXR’s great. I think there’s one in the classifieds too?

Yes, there was one - sold now I think...😂
I'll report back. 

On 03/09/2023 at 09:50, Linus27 said:

Strings are a difficult one for me as it depends on the bass.

 

For my fretless Jazz I use LaBella Black Nylon which are fabulous and I've had a lot of compliments when I use this bass. For my main gigging bass which is a fretless Precision I use LaBella Low Tension flats. They sound awesome, really warm and balanced and again, I've had a fair amount of compliments. My other fretless Precision which I predominantly use for recording, writing and rehearsal's is strung with Rotosound 77 Jazz flats. These are probably my favourite sounding flats but do have the highest tension so tend to not gig with this bass. When I had my fretless Stringray, I struggled to find a string that I liked but when I switched to LaBella Black Nylon strings on it, the bass came alive and I never looked back.

 

There are a few strings I'd like to to try at some point, a set of T.I's just because everyone raves about them so I wanna see what all the fuss is about and a set of Dunlop flats as per the other thread. They seem to be regarded quite highly. I did quite like Ernie Ball Cobolts but it was so hit and miss on getting a dud string that I went looking elsewhere and settled on LaBella's.

Good rundown of some options there. On my previous (Mayones BE4) I settled on LaBella 'white nylon' (that's what they call them and they aren't white).
I'm currently using D'Add chrome flats on the Sandberg - they are working very well on that bass so happy. Have EB Cobalt flats on my fretted P/J - can be v good but I agree quality issues. The D'Addario chromes are very consistent and have nice blue silks (mauve on the EBs) - yep, that stuff bothers me!!

What gauge LaBellas are you using?

Seems like a vote for the MXR @admiralchew - checked the Providence listing but it just got me more interested in hearing the MXR with flanger. GLWS but I think I'm on the hunt for an MXR, used so I don't lose much if/when I sell it on.

5 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

This is the one:

 

 

Definitely shortlisting the MXR, seems to be highly regarded. Have to say what SL is doing here is some way off my patch with bright rounds on a fretted 6!! There are a few reviews on yt, always positive even allowing for its higher price. The flange gets some positive comments too... said the 'minimalist'.😂

5 hours ago, tauzero said:

and his demo of the MXR bass chorus deluxe was very impressive.

I'll look for that - bit of an investment but I think a good chorus is a key fretless voice so worth considering. Want to hear the EH Bass Clone too and maybe I need to revisit the BEC3.

Yes, totally forgot about comp - sold my Darkglass to fund something a while ago... mistake.

I'm going to investigate the TC stuff @hubrad, and most of the pedals recommended. Not sure about KMA as it appears to be a down only?

Think I can find some of these used and treat it like the library... buy then sell on at minimal loss if not a keeper.
And I definitely need to add in comp.

Very good to get a fretless gang together for this, thanks to all.
Next topics: strings, or even where the side dots belong on a fretless?!🤩

2 hours ago, Linus27 said:

I only play fretless these days and this is my board. I'm not totally finished with it yet but in terms of the pedals, I have the following.

 

1. Mooer Ambient A7 Reverb. Absolutely adore this pedal and it blows the TC Hall of Fame 2 that I previously had out the water.

2. Electro Harmonic Bass Clone Chorus. Really lovely chorus pedal which has the added benefit of having bass and treble controls. Previously had the TC Corona which I thought was awful and a Behringer Super Chorus which was good but noisy.

3. Boss OC-5 Octave. Simply the best.

4. Zoom MS60-B Multi-Effects. Not really using it much and still playing around with it but it does have some great patches. I'm more using it to play around with sounds to see if they work for me like flanger, compressor's, overdrive, amp sims etc.

5. TC Electronics Tuner. It's a tuner, it works and has never failed me.

 

As for future pedals, for me, they have to enhance the sound of the fretless or create a nice subtle effect that's not too distracting so I'm considering a flanger, EBS Triple Envelope Filter and maybe a compressor and something like a Sansamp Bass Driver.

 

A tidy board, nice. I'll definitely look at the EH Bass Clone. Been happy with the Hall of Fame but there's always a 'better'!
I do have a Zoom B1 that I use to try things out - lot of toy for no money but not what I'd call user-friendly.
So I'll check the OC5, EH clone and the Mooer. Got a Polytune at least, so it's a start

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

Pedal board for a minimalist feels a little bit contradictory? 

I do agree! Most of the time I play dry, straight into the PJB set flat everything. But there are times when I want to add a bit of colour, expression whatever.
Minimalist is relative to some of the boards I see on the boards thread, and I also tend to use small amounts of effect.

Been round the block a bit on this. Scrapped an earlier board some time ago and sold some of the pedals so a fresh start.

Wishlist is delay/reverb; chorus; octave **; subtle drive/dirt. I think that's it, suggestions welcome.

Questions:

- chorus - had a BEC3 (OK not blown away, sold), loved the TC toneprint but sold the amp, interested in the MXR. Is it better then the Boss at almost twice the price?

- octave** - want octave UP - what is around, recommended

- delay / reverb - have a TC Hall of Fame that works very well with my basses so could nick that from my other board

- drive - suggestions please.

Anyone got the FKT fretless box? - pricey and no flexibility but just wondering.

Also maybe a phaser - any recommendations?

Appreciate input 👍

On 18/06/2023 at 19:34, spyder said:

Acoustic Image or Phil Jones amps are super clean.

I was surprised we got that far without a mention of PJB. IMO about the cleanest head anywhere - provided clean means totally uncoloured so the sound of your bass (it's native sound the way you play it) - nothing added or taken away. That's my own take on 'clean'. 

Worth a look on the secondhand market too as they are not to everyone's taste so good deals to be got.

On 27/01/2023 at 20:02, Frank Blank said:

Sam Lee / Elizabeth Fraser - YouTube - Folk

 

 

Is that Liz Frazer formerly of Cocteau Twins / Mortal Coil ?

On 15/08/2023 at 23:16, steantval said:

What a beautiful live version of an 80’s classic by Nik Kershaw.

It really stirred some emotions listening to it.

 

 

What a very good songwriter. Wouldn't recognise him if he fell on my head from a high roof.

Still got it... but playing one of those guitars that dentists and doctors buy to hang on walls.

On 15/08/2023 at 19:53, Bassman68 said:

It’s taken ages, but after years of muti-effects, I find myself using individual pedals more as I don’t require much in the way of effects.

Over the years I’ve collected a multitude of different pedals, having given away a few (regrettably now?).

So, I decided to make up a pedalboard for what’s left over, much better than collecting dust on shelves…My collection goes from cheap & cheerful to more collectable items, I’m looking forward to using the board soon with my occasional rock band, I used to love the dirt with the EHX bassmuff…

@Bassman68 - what do you think of that Behringer Ultra Chorus? I've been through a few chorus pedals including the widely used Boss (CEB3 I believe). Never settled on one, liked the TC Toneprint chorus but sold the toneprint amp. Just wondering as I have found that some cheaper pedals can be good. Maybe I should try a TC Corona, but interested in the Behringer.

Keir just bought my Mayones fretless. Absolutely excellent to deal with - and a couple of good bass-chats on the phone, along the way.

Sure knows his basses, great to talk fretless with a fellow-fan of them.

Deal with 100% confidence - one of the very top BC members.

IMO it's absolutely crazy this is still here. The 90s/millenium Fenders were among the very best builds, and this variant is a seriously versatile.

I have one and it's a keeper.

On 27/07/2023 at 11:24, ChrisSP said:

Vaguely remember building that, very few had the Mid-Range mod added...

I recall using a Burman 4 x 12 as part of my bass rig when I was very little 😃 - back in the stack days - 2 4 x 12s and a Hiwatt 100 head, and that was a proper 100 loud bar-steward watts.

Hadn't realised the name still lives - excellent. I see Laney, Hiwatt etc around but I think they're just the name passed forward.

I'm still totally convinced there's no clever substitute for size and mass in bass systems.

Very nice rig, way beyond my budget.

OK- I'll try that, thanks. Downloaded the Tonelib Zoom UI but my Mac won't let me load it as it doesn't trust the source...😂

If I can do what I want on the actual pedal that'll be good, I'm not after anything complicated.

21 minutes ago, dub_junkie said:

Hi 

 

Where are the side dots? On the fret positions or in between?

 

Thanks

 

Keir

Good question, on the fret positions where they should be !

46 minutes ago, Waddycall said:

What’s the weight and nut width please?

4.2Kg / 9.2lb. Should be accurate within +/- 0.1kg.

Width at nut: 42mm

width at 12: 56mm