SumOne

1 hour ago, krispn said:

I’ve found that my comp pedal added the thump. I’m using a Basswitch comp but the cheapie GLx Boss clone for £40 on amazon or the Boss LMB has a knack of doing something with the lows or low mids (don’t like the enhance knob) which takes a drive and can add in some really nice oomph/thump.
 

Rodney McGee (I think) on YouTube had a video about adding comp to drive to get more out of it and while not my inspiration it’s certainly something I’ve found to be useful and doesn’t have to be an expensive addition to a board. 

I think compression and where it is in the chain might be a good call.

I currently have an idiotbox blower box and there is no problem with the amount of bass it can produce - it's more that the defined 'thump' is lost and that seems to happen with almost all distortion I've tried.

So yeah, perhaps it is something that the right compression after distortion can sort out, or a blend and changing the clean compression.  I've tried so many distortions and it seems the same thing always once playing through Amp/cab and with a band, so I'm starting to think it isn't actually the distortion pedal as such - it's down to something else.

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

GT1000 Core

Parallel path

Job done (again 😅)

I can't get one a third time!

......or can I?! 🤨

18 minutes ago, Stofferson said:

 

 

I'm currently using an origin DCX bass, no clean blend but eq is huge, and keep a huge low end and can get a really nice saturation to help those loud moments.

 

Yeah, I recently got one and it is really good for that. My only issue is I use it as 'always on' for the lower-gain EQ mode and I need to stomp somethign on for a few more distorted parts. Another DCX would do nicely...don't think I can justify that extravagance though! 

I'm looking for a medium-gain sort of distortion that still keeps the punchy 'thump' of a clean Bass when played through an Amp/Cab.

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer is 'pedal with clean blend' and 'use an LS-2'.  Problem with that is I find it sounds like two things playing at the same time.

Any suggestions? 

I'm almost at the point of giving up on it. The band has 2x guitarists guitarist and it feels that when we go to more heavy/distorted parts of songs it'd be good for the Bass to switch up to to a distorted sound as the guitarists do. Problem is, I've tried dozens of distortion pedals and they sound fine at home/headphones etc but with a band I think just the nature of distortion means the punchy sort of thump gets mushy and distorted (I guess the clue is in the name!)  - in isolation that sounds all good and heavy, but with a band all going for it it actually loses some impact. Perhaps just stick to the punchy thump of bass and leave it to guit@ri$ts to the distortion stuff?

1 hour ago, bnt said:

There's obvious variation between basses, and we're not going to tell pros like John Myung, Will Lee or Tony Levin that they're wrong for sticking to 34" scales on their basses.  In my case, I have been thinking about multiscale in some form for literally decades, mentally chasing a "piano string" low B that has eluded me. I've owned only one 5-string, and was never happy with its low B. The fundamental B just didn't "speak" and I knew I was hearing more overtones than fundamental. I even went High C, eventually, before getting rid of it and using 4-strings for over a decade now.

 

I'm not a professional musician, however, and can't justify the expense of a Dingwall even if I liked they way they look, which I don't. Spector's recent NS Dimension MS 5 is more my style, and I may end up geting one. (Neck-through is another selling point for me.) I do want that 36" or 37" low B, but on a budget, and none of the current lower cost mutiscales offer that. I'm not in a rush to buy anything, but that's where my head is at. There are Steinway concert grand pianos where I work, and when I go to one and hit a low B ... that's what I want!

Have you considered the catchily named Ibanez BTB605MS? 35-37" multiscale, neck-through, £1,059. https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/btb605ms_1p_02.html

2 hours ago, chris_b said:

IMO multiscale isn't a solution to anything, but, like jazz basses, roundwound strings, active, 5 and 6 strings, humbuckers etc it's a good evolution.

I think it does solve the 'issue' of a 5 string B sounding best when it is longer and a G being better shorter, and giving more of an even tone and tension across all strings, and possibly helps ergonomics.....But I'm not sure they really are much of an issue that can't be solved with good strings and a decent well set up Bass. And it isn't just a win-win, there are some downsides to multiscale.

People always mention a Piano as multiscale example, but they are a whole different sound and playing style and more than 7 octaves, just about every stringed instrument from Violins through to Cellos does fine without multiscale.

I have owned three multiscale basses so am sort of in favour of them, but then again - I've sold them all so haven't been completely convinced. Things like pickups, preamp, ergonomics, weight, strings etc. are much higher up my priorities as issues to make improvements to.

15 hours ago, MichaelDean said:

Sheldon has been on record saying that they're working on a headless, but it's taking time to get a design that they're happy with. Also sounded like they were designing their own hardware. 

I've been hearing that for years. They've dropped the ball on that one.

Dingwall were the most famous multiscale brand and to me it seems obvious that if your market is people looking for innovation then lots of them would also be keen on headless, particularly as what I'd consider the biggest issue with Dingwalls is their size and weight (my combustion was 4.6kg), both things headless would really help with. Not only would it move the weight of the headstock and tuners away from that far end of the long neck, it also means the body can be lighter and still maintain a good balance. But no. Biggest new announcement over the last couple of years = A go faster stripe!

Strandberg were already doing headless multiscale - but are quite a small brand. Ibanez spotted that gap in the mass production market and now have lightweight, compact EHB MS range with high end ones edging towards Dingwall sort of prices. Now also Sire are getting onto it, Hils are doing it, and Cort realised the headless market and I wouldn't be surprised if they add multiscale. Spector are doing multiscale.

What is the unique selling point of a mass production Dingwall nowadays?

19 minutes ago, tauzero said:

But you don't need multiscales in order to have headless, which balance better, are lighter, more transportable, have string tension as even as headed parallel-fret instruments, and have the same range as a multiscale with the same number of frets and strings. Plus fretless is a lot easier on a parallel-unfret bass. And possibly the most famous proponent of fan-fret, Dingwall, still hasn't produced a headless, so all of those advantages are lost. 

I am much more sold on the benefits of headless than multiscale. The only negatives I can think of are that standard drop tuners don't work (although not really needed with a 5 string), some don't fit on wall hangers (although the Ibanez EHB and Cort Space I've owned do fit), and some people don't like the look (but I quite like the look).

I expect my next Bass will be headless (especially if 5 string), not too fussed either way if it's multiscale or not.

12 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I don’t know and don’t care — I just know that I’m not likely to ever buy one.

😃  caring enough to read and comment on a thread to say you don't care sounds like you must care a bit! 

38 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Which somehow begs the question... if having a longer B string sounds better, why not make all the other strings equally long?

The argument goes that not every string sounds better longer, 37" is good for the B but a 37" G would be too tight and twangy. The tension/tone is more even with the multiscale.

Personally, I can see it is an issue for the 7 octaves on a piano, not necessary on the 3 octaves of a 4 string Bass, and perhaps just about worthwhile on a 5 string Bass for those lowest B string notes that can be a bit indistinct on a 34".

12 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Well, my replacement arrived and it was exactly the same as the first pedal. So either I was tremendously unlucky to get two broken ones or it's just a very dodgy pedal. 

It does seem odd as no-one else seems to have had that issue, then you have it two in a row.... The odds seem very slim.

Perhaps the shop has a bad batch?

Or could there be anything with your setup? I'd guess a power supply related thing.

18 hours ago, itu said:

@Leon C 2 did a triple exposure. I have managed double so far.

 

After reading this thread through, I am making my own conclusion (this is about nearly any bass there is). There are quite a lot of people trying to find a bass to their string set. So many complain about "weak B" or any other not so well sounding bass string or the bass itself.

 

I suggest that if a nice looking bass was found, it should be treated with several string sets. Yes, it costs quite some (but the sets can be saved for future use). But if the sound will become alive with some set, the investment has paid itself. Most of my basses are strung with light D'Addario or GHS strings. They work really well for me. That B is a common nightmare, but other strings may present issues, too.

 

Multiscale may be ergonomic, and may sound different. But if the strings do not support the whole bass, those extra inches do not mean a thing.

That is something I was wondering. I guess, for example - my NY XL strings sound even across all strings on a normal non-multiscale Bass which is what they were designed for, but put them on a multiscale and it isn't going to be what they were designed for. So is it really going to be an improvement? There are a couple of sets of multiscale specific strings available now, but even then the scale lengths can vary quite a lot between Basses.

 In the 3 years after I started this thread I've owned and sold an EHB 1005MS (and previously owned a Combustion) but I'm still undecided about multiscale and if it is great new technology or just a way of selling new basses (probably somewhere in-between). And the votes are about 50/50 so I guess the jury is out.

 I'm liking this lot:

Korg Tuner - People tend to like mini tuners to save a couple of cm, but personally I like the big screen on this full sized pitchblack and like a bit of stomping space around the footswitch (it is the pedal I stomp on/off the most).

Octamizer - My favourite analogue filter, has tones you just don't get with digital ones.

Blower box - a decent Rat. As the imagery and the name 'rat' suggest it isn't very 'nice' sounding in isolation for home on headphones, works well for nasty rowdy parts of songs live along with a band though.

DCX - this is is new to me, it's good as an EQ and preamp, or as an overdrive, very responsive and sounds good. Just a shame you can't footswitch from one to the other, I want two!

Cali 76 - doesn't really need an introduction. I'm liking it at the end of the signal chain with this lot as the others are all quite sensitive to playing dynamics so I prefer them before compression.

 UA volt -  just used at home for aux in, headphone out, and Laptop interface. It gets swopped with a Subzero DI live.

Next up will be a FI v4 - it should cover synth, filter and some modulation things. I just need to decide if it's worth the extra £ for going small or not.

As far as the ditching pedals question: At home 'gig performer' software with the UA interface works well and can cover almost everything pedals do. Playing live is different though - if I want to stomp on a pedal for distortion for one part of a song, quickly mute myself, regularly check I'm in tune in a venue with a lot of background noise, have a decent amount of hands-on compression control, have a certain preamp sound, occasionally add a bit of octave down, and all done with a reliable and simple 'stomp here' and 'what you see is what you get dials'...well, none of that is happening without pedals.....You can probably get by without pedals live but you could also only ever drink water, it's good to have some other flavours and do more than just 'get by'.

Dancehall Friday? G'wan then: 

On 19/03/2025 at 18:31, jimbobothy said:

… and it has landed 👍🏻

 

 

… lovely quality and at first look over all seems as it should be thank the Lord 😎

Nice. I just got one and had a quick go on it and is as good as I was hoping.

The only slight downside is that I want two! I'd like to use it as an 'always on' with EQ/Preamp mode, and also the OD is good (and goes from edge of breakup right up to almost fuzz territory) - but I need to turn OD on/off for a few specific parts of songs.....perhaps a bit of string around the EQ/OD switch attached to my foot?! 😀 

I think the 'drone note open string' thing is quite niche,  perhaps it is more common in genres I don't play but wouldn't an alternative be using somethign like an EHX Freeze pedal? Tune down for the (what I assume is niche and very occasional) song that Eb drone is really needed. Or normal tuning and play an Eb an octave up (or 3rd, or 5th)  and 'freeze' it.  I dunno, but the thought of potentially needing a separate bass just to play an Eb drone note seems inefficient and potentially confusing. 

Unless the low Eb is essential, just play that note up a 3rd, 5th, or octave.

I've found lately that playing live the Amp EQ is easier to adjust than a pedal - you don't want to have to crouch down mid song while wearing a Bass to fiddle about with a pedal EQ on the floor when the Amp is right there on top of my cab at easily reachable height.

Then again, an EQ pedal to stomp on for a EQ sound change in a particular part of a song is ideal. So the PTEQ is still on my shopping list for that.

Perhaps something else to consider:

I like having a separate DI,  I have this £10 SubZero one that works fine, but you can spend more on things like the Radial ones. 

It is passive (no need for power), small, cheap, tough, has ground lift, pad (with 0, -20 and -40db), and line through, they are things that a lot of expensive 'all-in-one' preamp and DI boxes don't have.  It also means that you don't have to have your preamp and DI combined in a fixed position in your effects chain (although some preamp/DI pedals to have pre/post and effects loops, but a lot don't) and it opens up the possibility for using all sorts of other good preamp pedals that don't have DI e.g. Solid Gold Beta, Xotic BB, Origin DCX, One Control 360/Crimson red etc. 

Did a pedal trade with Tom and all went perfectly. Thanks!

On 17/03/2025 at 23:33, jimbobothy said:

… actually just ordered one of the DCX Bass in original finish, it‘d match the comps I already have of theirs better!
 

An early B’day present as it’s next month! I might as well make use of the 20% discount when it’s around (until 6.4.25) 👍🏻

 

… but also need to think, now what to sell 🤣

Ah yeah, I mis-read  them all as out of stock. Not good for my bank balance!

I'm loving the look of this SRMS 720 (and the 5 string version SRMS 725) in 'Blue Chameleon'  https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/srms720_1p_01.html

Tacky, but funky, and at least it isn't a 'vintage' throwback like most basses. This would be the car equivalent:

A shame it doesn't get the shiny blue Fishman pickups those on https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/detail/ehb5msbsp_1p_01.htmll)   Ibanez are skirting around what I really want: that EHB MS but with this paint job. 

Edit - moved to the SR thread.