Using the wrong knobs effects the tone!!!

[dave_bass5]

Just been watching the Andertons/Marcus Miller video, and MM states Sire use plastic knobs on their previous basses as using the wrong metal affects the tone. 

Now they have devised a way to add plastic inserts in to the metal knobs.

Next week the Emperor gets his new clothes....

 

[ahpook]

I'm surprised they didn't opt for wooden knobs...known for their more organic tone.

 

 

[Al Krow]

2 minutes ago, ahpook said:

I'm surprised they didn't opt for wooden knobs...known for their more organic tone.

Any particular wood best for nobs? 

[Bobthedog]

49 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Any particular wood best for nobs? 

Planks!

[Delberthot]

So even the great man himself acknowledges that these basses are no good for metal. 

Edited July 28, 2019 by Delberthot

[ahpook]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Any particular wood best for nobs? 

If you like a light, airy tone maybe balsa would be worth a try.

I'm not sure I'm the expert - many people have said that seeing my knob design lowers the tone somewhat.

Edited July 28, 2019 by ahpook

[Paul S]

I can see a 'get wood for your knob with Marcus' ™®© range being launched soon.

[Machines]

There was enough snake oil in that video to put me off buying one. 

[dave_bass5]

47 minutes ago, Machines said:

There was enough snake oil in that video to put me off buying one. 

Agreed, and I’m surprised MM went along with this. Nice basses though. 

[Cato]

21 hours ago, Machines said:

There was enough snake oil in that video to put me off buying one. 

I was a bit surprised by that as well

Marcus generally seems more down to earth than that.

I saw a clip of him talking about why he uses the ashtray pickup cover on his basses a few years ago.

He started off talking about how it improves his tone by altering the magnetic field from the pickups.....before revealing that he's only joking and the only reason he uses the covers is because it never occurred to him to take them off when he got his first Jazz and he's so used to them now that basses without them feel weird to him.

[Marvin]

They're good basses, I can't see me selling mine, but my word what utter tosh. If only for the fact that the basses have a considerable range of tones available, due to the onboard preamp, I should imagine that thing could be made from ply, with knobs made from baked bean tins, and it'd make no difference.

[Lfalex v1.1]

Maybe using an insulator rather than a conductor for controls to an electronic circuit makes some sense. Stops them acting like antennae for Radio Frequency Interference. It may also mitigate against interference caused by a potential difference between the player and the instrument and/or play a part in earthing issues they may have had.

It's not exactly a major R&D project. Perhaps they discovered that plastic knobs were "better"(if you can qualify what that constitutes) by accident.

Or maybe they're cheaper.

In the absence of a definitive statement from Sire or the opportunity to try out the two approaches, we'll never know for sure.

[geoffbyrne]

So,

 

Which knob is best for metal?

 

Aw c'mon!!!! Somebody had to say it......!!!!!!

Edited July 31, 2019 by geoffbyrne

[fleabag]

This reminds me  of famous Guitarist , Eric Johnson, who claims he can tell the difference between gold jacks on guitar cables, and nickel jacks.

Apparently he uses gold jacks for lead work, and nickel for rhythm.

Make of that what you will.

[dave_bass5]

Im also surprised MM decided to tout the fact that Sire have managed to come up with a plastic lined metal knob. Now why didn't anyone think of that before 🙄

[Henrythe8]

23 hours ago, fleabag said:

This reminds me  of famous Guitarist , Eric Johnson, who claims he can tell the difference between gold jacks on guitar cables, and nickel jacks.

Apparently he uses gold jacks for lead work, and nickel for rhythm.

Make of that what you will.

There is a legend he said he was also able to hear the difference between brands of batteries in his Pedals. 
I wouldn't be surprised if Duracell made a Eric Johnson Signature Battery.

You know, just slightly relic'd. 

I'm personnaly so good I can tell which way the fuse is inserted in my amp.  🙂 

As for the metal vs plastic, I'll follow @Lfalex v1.1. Insulation, earthing, maybe, mainly cost 🙂 

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by Henrythe8

[fretmeister]

I hope MM isn't going down the snake oil path as badly as Wooten did with his "special" kettle lead that he advertised a few years ago.

[dave_bass5]

8 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I hope MM isn't going down the snake oil path as badly as Wooten did with his "special" kettle lead that he advertised a few years ago.

Or George Foreman with his Grill........

[Jonse]

10 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I hope MM isn't going down the snake oil path as badly as Wooten did with his "special" kettle lead that he advertised a few years ago.

Immediately had to Google this as I thought it had to be a joke! 

[WHUFC BASS]

Does my knob bring the heft ?

Edited August 2, 2019 by WHUFC BASS

[NJE]

I watched the video and there were no major signs of ‘snake oil’ for me, perhaps I wasn’t listening very well.

I thought the knob thing made sense, perhaps the plastic knobs insulating the circuit etc. It’s an 18v circuit perhaps they had some issues getting it really quiet?

I have played some seriously expensive basses with some well know preamps that made a ton of noise, so maybe there is something to it. 

Its still nowhere near the level of some of the complete b*llocks I have read on here.

[Rollin Thunder]

On 31/07/2019 at 15:40, geoffbyrne said:

So,

 

Which knob is best for metal?

 

Aw c'mon!!!! Somebody had to say it......!!!!!!

Bib throbbing purple ones that go to 11, obviously!

[tauzero]

Which video is it, and where's the reference?

I just whipped out the multimeter and checked continuity on a pot in a bass preamp that I happen to have lying around. The pot is metal-shafted, as you almost always get on instruments, and there's zero resistance between shaft and pot body. As is usual practice, one end of the track is connected to the pot body, so the preamp earth is connected to the pot shaft.

[durhamboy]

There might be something in this plastic versus metal knob thing? Leo Fender put metal knobs on Telecasters and Precisions, but plastic ones on Strats and Jazz basses... Is that why they have different distinct tones? But wait, then there are plastic knobs with brass inserts, this is seriously complicated when you get right into it isn't it? Maybe hearing the difference in sound is a bit like hearing the sound of one hand clapping?

I still have some solid brass knobs left over from the 1970's in a parts drawer, maybe they'd add sustain to my bass? A comparison between brass, steel and aluminium knobs might prove interesting... 

Maybe the ultimate test of all this plastic versus metal knob stuff is to get Eric Johnson to have a listen to a bass fitted with different knobs? 

Really, this whole knob issue puts the nitro v poly, or the can we hear different tonewoods, debates into perspective and I think my mind is going to explode wondering what will happen if I put an Eveready battery in my active bass, but a Duracell in my Compressor pedal! 😉 

[Stub Mandrel]

Horrors!

My 'new' Jazz Bass came with metal knobs and I can only get a 'Flea' tone out of it. You'll be relieved to hear I already have ordered a set of proper plastic knobs.

 

Quote

When asked why does he use MusicCord-PRO, Victor replied "It's a way to improve my sound that I never would have thought of, but I'm glad I tried one. Live or in the studio, it just works. If I pull the cord out of my amp, my tone is completely flat and utterly lacking in top end, or bottom end. Or any sound at all to be honest."