Pedulla Basses - MVP

[obi 2 kenobi]

Hi, does anyone have any experience of Pedulla MVP basses ?

I have never tried one. Manson's has a second hand 5 string on sale for £1400.

Anyone know if price is reasonable ?

[Kiwi]

I used to own one in amber sunburst

Plus:
Fantastic neck
Easy to play
Versatile
Growly
Superb craftsmanship

Minus:
Bartolini pickups make it sound woolly and sap the midrange a little
All maple construction makes the B string a little weak unless you have good pickups fitted
The eq really needs a mid-sweep control.

The price is a little on the high side, but the used values have gone up considerably in the last 4 years. They used to be around the £800-1000 some years ago but now I've seen 1300 quid being asked for them.

[iamthewalrus]

Good bass - tried one out in the Bass Centre when they were in Wapping & I almost filled my pants it was so good!

If the Euro millions comes up this Friday I'm buying one!

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

[4000]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='475198' date='Apr 29 2009, 04:03 PM']I used to own one in amber sunburst

Plus:
Fantastic neck
Easy to play
Versatile
Growly
Superb craftsmanship

Minus:
Bartolini pickups make it sound woolly and sap the midrange a little
All maple construction makes the B string a little weak unless you have good pickups fitted
The eq really needs a mid-sweep control.

The price is a little on the high side, but the used values have gone up considerably in the last 4 years. They used to be around the £800-1000 some years ago but now I've seen 1300 quid being asked for them.[/quote]

I owned an MVP4 for a few years and I think of all the basses I've let go I miss it the most (barring my 2 Alembics, but unfortunately back problems meant that they were no longer viable for me whereas the Pedulla still would be as it wasn't at all heavy).

With regards to the above I'd agree with all the positives, but with regards to the minuses my 4 was anything but woolly; along with my Alembic Stanley Clarke it's probably the clearest-sounding bass I've ever owned. I got nothing but compliments re the sound. Kiwi must eq very, very differently to me. I would however possibly agree with the mid-eq thing and the slightly sapped midrange (just how I usually like it to be honest), but can't comment on the B as mine didn't have one, although I expect that might be the case.

To my ears they're not particularly aggressive or big-sounding (at least when I play them) but they have a quality, clear, balanced tone with great character and they feel great. I px'd mine for a Wal Custom and regretted it ever after; unfortunately I soon found I much preferred it to the Wal (which isn't to say anyone else would of course). I wonder if anyone out there has it? Amber-coloured, about an '88 (?), s/n something like 2236.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='4000' post='475552' date='Apr 29 2009, 10:29 PM']I got nothing but compliments re the sound. Kiwi must eq very, very differently to me.[/quote]

Try fitting a set of Alembic Activators, a set of EMG's or another set of hi-fidelity pickups perhaps one day? It will make the bass even more clear and alive sounding (which is all thanks to the maple construction). The Barts really take the edge off the bass IMO.

[attachment=24556:pedulla_MVP_035.JPG]
This was my MVP5

[attachment=24557:DSCF0288.JPG]
This is the Pentabuzz I still have.

[ped]

I had one for a while, it was my first proper bass. I thought it sounded superb, the barts (P+J) really suited the bass and I agree with 4000 on the sound. I have a song I recorded with mine here:

[url="http://www.freewebs.com/mrped/facethemusic.htm"]http://www.freewebs.com/mrped/facethemusic.htm[/url] (the track is Coasting Down Vesuvius (lol))

The only reason I sold it in the end was because I thought the neck was a bit unstable, I seemed to be forever adjusting it, but on reflection I think it was just me working out the fact that I like stupidly low action with no relief, but without the knowledge of that exact fact at the time.

All round a great bass, unusual, beautifully made and Mike Pedulla is a nice bloke (and Christine IIRC at Customer Services). I remember paying much less than £1000 for mine but then I did get very lucky and sold/traded it well above the value.

P.s apologies for the utterly tasteless and immature track, at the time it was kind of the point!

[ped]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='475558' date='Apr 29 2009, 10:34 PM']Try fitting a set of Alembic Activators, a set of EMG's or another set of hi-fidelity pickups perhaps one day? It will make the bass even more clear and alive sounding (which is all thanks to the maple construction). The Barts really take the edge off the bass IMO.[/quote]

Mine was a 4 string so can't comment on the affect on the B string but of all the Bart equipped basses I have had, this was the best. I really like Bart pickups when in the right bass. To my ears it sounded warm, punchy and superbly clean. Isn't the 5er J+J?

[4000]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='475558' date='Apr 29 2009, 10:34 PM']Try fitting a set of Alembic Activators, a set of EMG's or another set of hi-fidelity pickups perhaps one day? It will make the bass even more clear and alive sounding (which is all thanks to the maple construction). The Barts really take the edge off the bass IMO.[/quote]

I tried one with EMGs, but didn't like it as much. I think it all depends what you're playing through, how you eq and what sound you're after (oh, and of course how you play; I recently played my mate's bass through my gear immediately after him it and sounded like I was playing a banjo. He sounded like Jack Bruce. ). My Pedulla honestly did not need to be any brighter or clearer, and I absolutely loved the quality of the tone. However I suspect we either play very differently or are after very different things; bear in mind our black Sei Original 4 experience!

BTW, I invariably love maple basses. Oh, and mine was £599 new old stock from A1 Music in '93!

Edited April 29, 2009 by 4000

[Kiwi]

[quote name='ped' post='475562' date='Apr 29 2009, 10:38 PM']Mine was a 4 string so can't comment on the affect on the B string but of all the Bart equipped basses I have had, this was the best. I really like Bart pickups when in the right bass. To my ears it sounded warm, punchy and superbly clean. Isn't the 5er J+J?[/quote]
The only bass where Barts have sounded good to my ears was in my Modulus Quantum fretless. They really suited that particular instrument well by taming the highs and fattening the lower mids.

[quote name='4000' post='475568' date='Apr 29 2009, 10:42 PM']I tried one with EMGs, but didn't like it as much. I think it all depends what you're playing through, how you eq and what sound you're after[/quote]

Well I'll let the results speak for themselves in any case. This is the Pentabuzz with Alembics fitted - click on the sound samples if you like. Loads more upper mid growl with the Alembics fitted. The barts just muffled all that purr.

[url="http://www.freewebs.com/crazykiwi_bass/pedullapentabuzz.htm"]http://www.freewebs.com/crazykiwi_bass/pedullapentabuzz.htm[/url]

FWIW, I haven't had a bad reaction to it from anyone who's played it and I've owned the instrument for about 4-5 years.

[4000]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='475573' date='Apr 29 2009, 10:52 PM']The only bass where Barts have sounded good to my ears was in my Modulus Quantum fretless. They really suited that particular instrument well by taming the highs and fattening the lower mids.



Well I'll let the results speak for themselves in any case. This is the Pentabuzz with Alembics fitted - click on the sound samples if you like. Loads more upper mid growl with the Alembics fitted. The barts just muffled all that purr.

[url="http://www.freewebs.com/crazykiwi_bass/pedullapentabuzz.htm"]http://www.freewebs.com/crazykiwi_bass/pedullapentabuzz.htm[/url]

FWIW, I haven't had a bad reaction to it from anyone who's played it and I've owned the instrument for about 4-5 years.[/quote]

As the missus is asleep I haven't listened to the clip yet (tomorrow!), but I have to add I've never played a Buzz and all my comments relate to my fretted 4. Having said that, every Buzz I've ever heard sounded great. With regards to Barts, my current Sei 5 sounds great and has them. My previous 6 and 4 sounded pretty good, but I liked the Pedulla better; clearer, less honky, less middy, more pure. Barts seem to sound good in all the maple basses I've tried. As I said before though, it's quite possible you and I playing the same bass sound very, very different. I struggle to get a fat, woolly tone out of anything! I also tend to find graphite-necked basses don't really suit me sound-wise, much as I love the idea.

Just listened to the clip; difficult to tell from a soundclip but it seems like you like a thinner, more upper-middy sound than me. Lovely bass though!

Edited April 30, 2009 by 4000