Michele C. Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I have a J style passive bass, the one on the right if you are curious. Full mahogany jacket. http://www.proxybar.net/images/confrontobassi1.png The pickups are made by the artisan that built it (he says he was inspired by Lindy Fralin). The circuit is basic: volume, volume, tone. I always have set one of the volumes at 10 and blended the other to taste. Tonight I fortuitously had the bridge at 9 and the neck at 8 and it sounded fantastic and growly. Moving the prevalent pickup at full volume made the sound honky, while rolling it back just a little made my sound slightly scooped and very solid. I never noticed this thing in years. Is it an illusion, or it happens with all J basses? Going to try it out tomorrow evening. -- Michele Costabile (http://proxybar.net) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groove Mama Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I suggest you crank it up to 11. :-) That, by the way, is a gorgeous instrument. Queen of the Quarter Note "Think like a drummer, not like a singer, and play much less." -- Michele C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 There is a secret spot at 9. I keep both pots on 10 all the time. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Daddy from Motown Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Depending on the input impedance of the amp the bass volume at less than 10 can lead to pickup loading which rolls off top end. Common with all passive basses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butcherNburn Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 All fish are different. (co-worker restrains me from breaking out into the Diff'rent Strokes theme song) Sweet machine you got there. If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 string Mike Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I've done something similar with my P bass- back off the volume to 8-9 range and was surprised by the sound. I originally did it to give myself a little headroom from the sound man to sneakily bump things up if the sound guy dials me back too much. in doing so, I was surprised that the volume didn't really change but the tone fattened out a little bit and had a nice smooth sound to it. It was a different sound than rolling the tone off, definitely useable. I have to remember to try that again... "Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 On my P/J FrankenFender I like neck at 80% and bridge at 20% when practicing at home. That is the sound I really like BUT, when playing with my band, I have to go to off on the neck and 100% on the brige and tone very much full on. If not, The amp is very muddy and I can barely hear myself. (Damn guitarists!) Rocky. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Thorne Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I keep both pots on 10 all the time. When you do that, J., how do you control volume? At the amp? Volume pedal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I keep both pots on 10 all the time. When you do that, J., how do you control volume? At the amp? Volume pedal? Volume control? He don't need no stinkin volume control...... "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I keep both pots on 10 all the time. When you do that, J., how do you control volume? At the amp? Volume pedal? Fingers. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Get a P Bass(a REAL P bass, not one of those bastardized suckers with a J p/up in the bridge) and leave it all the way up all the time. With round wound strings , pretty much the easiest bass sound in the world to manage with the fingers. Keep It Stupidly Simple Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottom End Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 That's why I want a P-Bass, fits to any style, and the tone are all in the fingers, what you play is what you hear. I love my J, but sometimes I think it is smarter than I am. "Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.'-Hamlet Guitar solos last 30 seconds, the bass line lasts for the whole song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele C. Posted February 18, 2010 Author Share Posted February 18, 2010 Thank you Bid Daddy, I think you nailed it. My Yamaha has something wrong in its input. It hums noticeably when I raise my highs and I cure that putting any buffer between bass and amp, including a not true bypass pedal. Obviously no problems with an active bass. Yes, Rocky I am in the same boat: cured the problem going along the lines of what Bryan Beller presents this month. My guitarist is 90% of the time fully distorted (a nasty red Crunch Box). This includes pickups at 100%. -- Michele Costabile (http://proxybar.net) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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