Lunatique

6 hours ago, Tom Jung said:

Hello, I really like The NS. How does it sound in a mix? I saw some videos with it and the sound was so perfect and polished... Sometimes this hi-tech instruments have tendency to be a little lost in the mix. This one Is gorgeous.

The WAV Radius's EMG pickup has VERY clear and clean tone, and doesn't sound like conventional basses. The piezo has an acoustic-like tone and very bright, but with lots of bottom end too. I wouldn't use it for conventional/traditional stuff. To me it's a more experimental instrument I'd use for unique applications.

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

Well, the big single also suffers from single coil hum, being a single coil.

What doesnt though is the big split, which looks identical (and sounds pretty similar).

 

I was under the impression that Big Single is technically a stacked dual coil, with the other coil under the first one. But I guess I was mixing up the Big Split with the Big Single. 

I have the Big Split on my EHB1505 and I like its tone too. 

8 hours ago, fiatcoupe432 said:

I've been eyeing the SR656, which also has the CND pickups. I have a SR650, which has those pickups too, and they do sound nice. But the single-coil hum is kind of annoying, and I've been thinking about swapping it out with a Big Single. But I'm going to sell off the SR650 once my EHB1000 gets here. 

My SR876 turned out to have a stripped truss rod, and I've been working with Reverb to get them to allow me to return it. Initially they said no because while setting it up, I had raised the nut slots (the previous owner had filed them so low that the strings almost touched the fretboard at zero fret), and that counts as "having made adjustment to the instrument and no longer in the condition it was shipped in," and I've been trying to make the case that the nut is inconsequential and I could just buy a new one for a few bucks. It's the truss rod that's the dealbreaker. 

3 hours ago, visog said:

That should keep you occupied... Lifetime of music on that rascal...

I feel a little guilty, because I can count on one hand how many songs I'd likely end up playing on the 6-string (a couple of Primus songs, a couple of prog metal songs, and maybe a couple of jazz/fusion songs). But vast majority of the songs I'd ever play are going to be on 4-string and the occasional 5-string (when I need the really low notes and don't want to detune the 4-string). 
 

13 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Well, that is a bit judgemental about the decor of his house

 

I took it out to the front porch to take the photos.

But I have left packed basses out before, to be picked up by the postman in the morning to be shipped off. I have a security camera mounted on my door with a big warning sign, so I don't think anyone will try to steal it. But of course, someone could just wear a mask. I live in a decent neighborhood, so not too worried. And I always insure the bass when I buy shipping labels. 

4 hours ago, Paulhauser said:

Not really, my SR5006 is one of their most expensive bass models and still has the same logo...albeit in gold 😄

Cracking bass you got  btw, I own 2 Ibby SR sixers, the aforementioned SR5006 and a 3006 and used to own a 506 in two versions and I have to say that for me they are some of the best designed 6 string basses, you have the range but the bass still feels sleek and compact. I also happen to like the Barts though the electronics in the 5006 is subpar, but anyways I use it in passive so no big deal. 

Oh, that's right, I forgot the SR line does have the Prestige and Premium lines. I always think of the BTB line when I think of higher-end Ibanez.

I'm an Ibby fan mainly because of their tendency to design basses that are sleek, fast, and light weight, as well as have nice preamp/EQ flexibility. They're also usually easy on the eyes. I started out with various brands like Music Man, Fender, NS Design, Samick, Dingwall, etc., but now five of my six basses are Ibanez, and just one NS Design. 

12 hours ago, robertg43 said:

Looks nice but couldnt read text why did you put the text in black block writing? 

Sorry, I use a plugin that makes all web pages into dark theme, and that mucked up the colors. I just fixed it.

8 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

That looks like a cracker, but I really wish Ibanez would drop the SDGR headstock logo. It makes every bass they put it on look cheap and tacky. 

The SDGR line is sort of their low to middle-range line, so I guess it's fine that it doesn't look too high-end with that logo. 

Just received my first 6-stringer today--the Ibanez SR876 (got it used off of Reverb).

I've been debating with myself whether I should add a 6-string to my herd. At first, it was a no, because none of the stuff I played really required a 6-string or even benefited from it. I always felt like if I wanted to do a lot of melodic soloing and fuller chord voicings, I might as well just play my guitar. But then I came across a song I wanted to learn how to play and it was written for 6-strings bass, and that changed my mind.

The bass arrived with a few minor issues. First, it wasn't making any sound, and I had to open up the back to see what was wrong. Turned out the back cover was pressing against the innards and causing a short, and after moving the guts around a little, it was fine. The fret ends were also protruding out and quite sharp, so I filed them down. Then I raised the action on the B and C strings a bit because they rattled badly. I swapped out the lock pins with Dunlop straploks, and I'm using a wide neoprene strap (the most comfortable and ergonomic IMO). After doing all that, the bass was in tip-top shape. Played great, sounded great. No neck-dive. The Bartolini pups sounded fine, and the mid-frequency switch gives a good range tonal options. The strings that came with the bass are still fresh with that zing.

Originally, I was going to get a SR506E, but I keep seeing used with with badly scuffed up finish, and read a warning from an owner about how easy it was to scuff up the paint job. And that brown paint job looked kinda cheap too. But it does have active/passive switch, and it's also about a pound lighter (based on the weight listed by one seller) than my SR876, which is 9.7 lbs. My preference is for 8 lbs. or less, but it's perhaps a bit unrealistic for 6-stringers. Maybe in the future I might replace this with a lighter headless 6-string (chambered Kiesel, perhaps), if I end up playing a lot of 6-string stuff. For now, I'm quite happy with it.

10 minutes ago, TJ Spicer said:

(Hate to say this but...) The lack of solid playing/technique and tuning probably aren't helping either! 😥 

Good thing I didn't post my crappy playing in the bass cover video I made with my EHB1505. 🤣

40 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

the strings on my 2605 are 6 months old, they don't sound anything like that. That sounds very much the difference between the Nords and the in house barts. That recording of the 1005 pickups sounds almost exactly like the barts on the 805ms I had, and the reason I don't have any more, as getting Nords that fitted that were just over £300. 

So yes, for me, especially as I want the burl anyway, the 1005 isn't enough of a saving to make it worth it.

I do agree though that the neck is nice on the 1005, although I like wenge woods like panga panga anyway

My EHB1000 will arrive in early June, and if I'm not happy with the Barts at all and adding a bit of treble and high-mids with the onboard EQ won't make it satisfactory, I'll either replace the pickups, or exchange it for an EHB1500. But I already have an EHB1505 in the Dragon Eye Burst finish, and the EHB1500 only comes with that same finish, and I don't want the two of them to be the same finish. Luckily Guitar Center has extended their return/exchange period to 180 days, so by then my EHB1505 is still eligible for an exchange, which means I could exchange it for the Pacific Blue Burst version. (My EHB1505 is a bit on the heavier side compared to everyone else's anyway and I'd want to exchange it for a lighter one. All the posts I've seen from others said theirs are exactly or just a little over 7 lbs., while mine is almost 8 lbs.)

8 hours ago, visog said:

Skip the messing at the start but Mr Lobster does a good A/B comparison of the 1005MS and the 1505MS... comes down to whether you think woods and pick-ups make it...

 

He's going to do another video where he puts fresh strings on both and do a more fair comparison. The strings on his 1005MS is about 2 months old at this point, while his 1505MS is brand new, so it wasn't a totally fair comparison.

6 hours ago, itu said:

Quite many people have given their recommendations, but not very objective ones.

Basics: the ear canal grows through life. It changes somewhat during a 5 year timeline. (This also means that molded ear plugs should be updated every now and then.)

Ear in total is different with every person. You might say, that everybody hears things in a slightly different way. This is the reason why all hearing parameters are statistically analyzed and are a bunch of averaged numbers.

OK, so the size of the ear may differ a lot. How well certain model fits an individual should be tested. How well certain model sounds to an individual should be tested, too.

There is no single, or universal solution for you. This is why I suggest to test at least few units side by side. Volume has to be compensated.

Testing only one pair without a reference is simply silly. Ear tends to accommodate to the media, and after a pretty short time the new pair of headphones is "the best I ever had". This simply sounds like BS.

I used to work in a broadcasting company where soundengineers did yearly tests on equipment. The results were surprising every now and then, as the "standards" were challenged. The good thing was, that the test group was pretty big, and they published the results to those interested. A single guy in a single studio is not able to do comparisons like those. In reality the budget is the first limitation with any small studio.

Test and compare, and you will be satisfied with a suitable product to your specific needs. Yes, I understand that a place with tens of pairs of headphones (studio monitors, microphone, you name it) is not always possible. Still I have to emphasize the importance of comparison. Believe what you hear.

This is why communities like head-fi.org are so valuable. Many of its members own large collections of notable headphones and do meticulous tests with them, measuring frequency response with expensive dedicated gear, do comparison tests, perform double-blind tests, EQ'ing headphones, buying/selling different models, etc. 

To compensate for individual physiological differences, EQ'ing headphones to achieve a neutral frequency response (using sine wave test tones, log sweeps, pink noise, familiar musical material etc.) is the best/only way. But of course, the corrected response will be tailored to the person's physiology, but that person will hear the most accurate frequency response and thus will be able to make critical mixing/mastering decisions from the position of neutrality. Once the finished mastering goes out to the general public, each person will have their own audio gear (which will generally be colored) and their own idiosyncratic physiology, and there's nothing you can do about it as the person who created the recording, so it's up to each of those people to strive for neutral accuracy in their own playback system.

For those interested, I have written an in-depth tutorial on how to surgically EQ your headphones (or audio gear in general) to achieve a neutral and accurate frequency response for your own physiology: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-most-reliable-easiest-way-to-eq-headphones-properly-to-achieve-the-most-ideal-sound-for-non-professionals.796791/

For those using speakers, you can just get room/speaker correction products. I use IK Multimedia's ARC System 2 in my studio and it's one of the best products of its type on the market. 

For bass amps, since I only practice and record sitting in the same spot, I just use a graphic EQ (RANE ME30B) to correct the room mode at the position to get the most accurate frequency response. I can't stress how important this is if you care about hearing your bass's natural tone accurately without the coloration of the room mode (or if your amp has its own inherent coloration that you prefer not to hear). But again, this is only catering to you, in that exact spot. I only play for myself and do recordings at home, so I don't have to worry about gigging and whether the audience is getting the most neutral frequency response or if the live mix guy is doing a good job.

3 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

It is difficult to establish. The best sounding two low strings I have are on an NS CR5 EUB (42" scale and who knows what gauge- it's big) And the low C on my Chapman Stick (36" scale but smaller gauge than you'd think. It's a mix of design, materials/construction, string gauge and scale length. I'd hope that electronics and string choice (in terms of manufacturer, material and type) would make less of a difference.

Fan-fret is definitely not the only way to get an articulate B-string. Listen to the Le Fay in this comparison video--it does just as well as the Dingwall, but it's "only" a 34-inch normal scale bass:

I'm one of those people who owns a Dingwall (NG-2 5-string) but won't be keeping it (it's up for sale), because I just can't get as comfortable with fan-frets as I could on normal frets, and the lack of string choices really suck. None of the strings I'd want to use are available for the Dingwall. Yes, it sounds awesome and the craftsmanship is impesccable, and it's a beauty to look at (mine's the Ducati White Matte Peal), but ultimately ergonomics and logistics win out in the end. In comparison, I can play much more smoothly and comfortably on my EHB1505, and I can put any kind of strings on it. The B-string isn't as good but I can live with that. 

I straightened the neck a little (there was a very slight bow), and that actually helped a lot. I think perhaps EQ and compression might do the rest. 

12 hours ago, itu said:

Sounds like a fretless with a talented player in studio. A compressor could help. I would not be able to get that consistent sound without it.

I have now tried various tips I've gotten, including using compressor, using roundwound, lowering the action, but still no mwah. Could the fact the SRH500F being a semi-hollow body with piezo pickup be the reason? I don't know if I've ever heard of any examples in YT of this series of basses having any mwah. 

I'm learning to play this song right now, but I'm not quite sure what kind of bass or strings was used.



To me, it sounds like a fretless with a lot of mwah, and not an upright or EUB. None of my basses have that much mwah, so I can't quite replicate the tone. I tried using my Ibanez SRH500F with La Bella black nylon tapewound strings, but the tone was too focused with too much attack, and didn't have that mwah. I also tried using my NS Design Omnibass CR5 (both the magnetic and piezo pickups), and it didn't quite sound right either. The bass used in that song just has a ton of mwah that I can't replicate. I even tried lowering the action to see if it'll increase the mwah, but it didn't really help much.

So what kind of bass and strings does it sound like to you? If you can replicate that tone, what kind of bass and strings are you using to get it?

Thanks for the help!

I currently have two headless basses (NS Design Radius WAV and Ibanez EHB1505), with one more back-ordered and will arrive in June (it's an Ibanez EHB1000).

What a gorgeous bass.

Rob Allen is one of those dream basses on my G.A.S list, and one day I'll finally own one. For now, my Ibanez SRH500F (which is sort of a poor man's Rob Allen) with La Bella black nylon tapewounds is holding the fort down for my fretless semi-hollow body needs. 

4 hours ago, Mykesbass said:

Just thought I'd start pushing myself while there's all this time to spare. Giving this a go - great part, great feel. A long way to go but got the basics sorted.

 

That's a fun song to cover on bass. Starting from about halfway, the bassline just kind of repeats. Will you be adding more variation to it, or try to do a solo during the repeating parts?

6 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

When you spend that sort of money n a bass you have a right to expect it to be right. You need to complain to Ibanez. Also your retailer should have checked too.

Guitar Center said they stopped doing pre-shipping inspections/setups, because too many people were taking advantage of it. They'd complain that the instrument they received had the box opened and not 100% new, and then return it--it became this petty strategy to "try out" instruments for free. There was no way to do inspection/setup without opening up the box, so they had to stop. I wonder if Sweetwater has to deal with this problem too.

I did complain to them, and they said they do reflect customer feedback to the manufacturers. So if they get enough of these complaints, I'm sure they'll talk to Ibanez and tell them to shape up. 

Okay, the new strings arrived, and yep, it was indeed a dud B-string that Ibanez's Indonesian factory put on my bass, and as soon as I swapped it out with the fresh B-string, I got that metallic zing that was missing.

I should also mention that the B-string is completely dead and sounds nothing like the other four strings. No metallic zing that new roundwounds are supposed to have (which the other four strings has plenty of).

I checked on the Ibanez's site and it states that the strings used as D'Addario® EXL165 + .130.

This means they probably have a bunch of of the EXL165 per their contract with D'Addario, and they for whatever reason didn't include any 5-string packs in that deal, and simply adds the extra B-string to the 4-string pack, and we have no idea what company that B-string is from or if it's even a matching set to the other four strings. Even if it's from D'Addario and a good match, there's still the chance it could be a dead B-string that the employee at the factory installed without realizing it, since it didn't come with the same pack and could have aged differently. 

So I called up Guitar Center and played my bass over the phone, and the customer service guy said, "Yeah, even over the phone that B-string sounds totally dead." He got permission to send me a new set so I can put a fresh B-string on, to make sure it's just the string and not the bass. If it turns out to be the bass, then I'll have to return it for exchange, because who wants a bass that sounds dead in the lowest notes, no matter if the string is fresh or not? I suspect it's just the string and once I put a fresh one on, it'll be fine.

In terms of finish, I've always found this one from Ibanez quite beautiful. 

59 minutes ago, spectoremg said:

Art for art's sake?

I'm pretty sure they are every bit as functional as any other bass, and there are videos of them on YouTube, and they sound pretty damn good to me. Personally, I find these designs far more interesting and aesthetically compelling than the typical bass designs that's just a minor variation on what Leo Fender designed more than half a century ago. 

39 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

This is the correct link to Paul Lairat basses : https://lairat.com/en/basses/basses-categorie/

😉

Thanks! I've fixed the links.