SteveC Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 I am technically inept. I did this quick recording in GarageBand and exported it to iTunes. I don't know how to put the link in this post, but if you go to my website, you can listen. This is the tone I get running passive, using the neck "J" pickup with foam under the strings and fingering over the fingerboard. My Avalon U5 is the preamp/DI. This is what I plan to use for jazz combo/big band gigs when I don't want to bring the upright. Heres the page on my site: http://gra.midco.net/sjcarriere/pics.html Thanks for taking the time to navigate around and listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 That sounds very nice Steve! Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Force Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Sounds good! What kind of foam did you use? Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMan99 Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 I remember hearing about this on Carol Kaye's web-site. As I recall for pluckers (fingers), you put foam under the strings. For pickers (pick), you put felt on top of the strings. Of course, the Jazz basses used to come with a foam muffler on top of the strings, so who knows... I personally don't mute for fingers, but will mute with the edge/palm of my hand when I pick sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassric Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 This is really great. Great tone and very good "touch". You sound really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Force Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 As Philman99 mentioned, my first bass, a 1962 Fender Jazz, had foam in the tailpiece. My 1975 Musicman Stingray 4 fretless has (or, I should say "had" foam) in the bridge which can be adjusted up or down for muting. I say "had" because the foam has deteriorated over time. Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 Is it a suitable substitution for an upright? I know nothing sounds like my upright, but for when I'm lazy, or the situation calls for it, do you think this will be acceptabl eto most? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLroomtempJ Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 sounds good steve. What does foam look like? It's its purpose purely one of providing a muted tone? jason 2cor5:21 Soli Deo Gloria "it's the beauty of a community. it takes a village to raise a[n] [LLroomtempJ]." -robb My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 It's basically that stuff you get at craft or fabric stores. I just cut it down to size and slide it in. I think it woks pretty well. Good to use for some fretted applications, too, like R&B. I'll try to post a pic of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
way2fat Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 That is as uprightish as I've ever heard an electric sound. Funny thing about URBs. I started on one playing bluegrass; after a while I used it playing with a cajun band because I didn't own an electric. After about a year and a half of that I bought an electric rig because it was much easier to transport and eliminated problems I'd had amplifying the UR, not to mention intonation. After I switched I received a lot of feedback from folks mentioning how the missed seeing the URB on stage. Got zero feedback on the sound. www.ethertonswitch.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbroni Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Its a bit Quiet I had to crank my speaker full blast to hear the bass. But Nice Touch Steve. Got zero feedback on the sound.Ahh. The old listening with the eyes trick. Together all sing their different songs in union - the Uni-verse. My Current Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 Listening with the eyes... Part of the reason I got the gig with the big band is becasue they liked the look (and sound) of the old fashioned upright. It is very cool, but a pain as well. They guy before me was excellent and played a fretted electric. I'm hoping I can sneak the electric fretless in here and there at lesser gigs and rehearsals and they will like the SOUND and maybe wein them from the LOOK of the upright. We'll see. Thanks to all who have taken the time to listen and respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73 P Bass Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 I tried to listen to it, but somethings wrong with my media player; it sounds distorted. I'm pretty sure that's the problem because I'm listening to Teena Marie on LAUNCHcast and it sounds great. "Start listening to music!". -Jeremy C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATM Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Sounds good! I'll have to play with my muting bridge. For ease, I tried to put the link in this post, but it didn't like the ( Oh well. Oh hell. ATM http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/atmofmn/Bass/DeepThoughtsBS.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
way2fat Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Nothing looks cooler than an upright. I have a MIJ '62 Jazz re-issue. Is the foam you're talking about like the stuff they stick plastic flowers into, Steve? www.ethertonswitch.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 It's the stuff you get at craft or fabric stores. The flower stuff is too firm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Sounds good... but it doesn't quite sound like an upright...Nothing really sounds like an upright but an upright, ya know? Not for nuthin... but... If they hired you to be an upright player (because they like the look and sounnd), don't you think you should BE an upright player? They hired you for a specific look and sound... Subbing in a regular fretless when you really want an upright is like changing the channel right into the beginning strains of a Three Stooges short and getting a Shemp instead of a Curlyyeah, it's still pretty cool, but it's not, ya know... SUPER cool. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLroomtempJ Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 You could set your fretless orthogonal to the ground for that "upright" look. jason 2cor5:21 Soli Deo Gloria "it's the beauty of a community. it takes a village to raise a[n] [LLroomtempJ]." -robb My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 Playing upright wasn't the only consideration, but it didn't hurt. "Hired" is a loose term with this band. It's different every gig depending on who is available. We have a rehearsal/farewell gathering for a guys who's leaving town tonight so since it's not a "gig" I'm gonna bring the fretless just to give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred TBP Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 Steve, it sounds 90% there. Good enough for government work. IMHO if they still want the doghouse they should pay you accordingly (union scale) for the extra cartage and effort. Personal preference would've been to mix in more low-mid without losing that "hollow" tone, but you did well with what you got. Did you consider using the SansAmp as an alternative to the U5? Profanity, I know, but sometimes those "cheap" pedals will surprise you. I'm getting close with a P-J combination fretless, even closer with my fretted acoustic-electric, but I'm hoping eventually to score a fretless acoustic-electric. Yeah, it's not a doghouse either, and the piezos squeal annoyingly if you don't EQ it right, but underneath the "wood" adds that extra tone. But I'm not, repeat, NOT encouraging you to go out and buy one now. Takamine came out with one recently that sounds better unplugged than most of the others, and amplified it works as well, but I ain't got the $700-800 to spare. About the foam, they're right: different materials/densities produce different results. Last time I used a piece I cut out of the packing material for a PC hard-disk drive. Meanwhile, work with what you got, that 90% is schweet! Good work, Steve... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 26, 2005 Author Share Posted February 26, 2005 Unfortunately, no strong union around here. Take what you can get. I have tried my SansAmp. Actually, I A/B'ed 'em and had th SansAmp pretty close to the Avalon. In some ways I like the sound better. I tried the fretless at rehearsal last night and the guys liked the sound. So did I, but the "feel" was all wrong. The 6 string just got in the way, and I missed the "feel" I get when I play upright in big bands. I guess I won't be saving myself any cartage hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 Sounds good, Steve. What, no implied subsitution chords? The extra strings make great thumb and hand rests, don't they? Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 26, 2005 Author Share Posted February 26, 2005 Kept it simple - no implied chords. Actually, the extra strings got in the way for me. I MUCH prefer playing upright for the big band gig. I'll haul it around next time for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike H. Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 I heard it live the other night. A good sound. The only missing was that upright hollow "thunk". The tone and everything else was there! http://www.identity5.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred TBP Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Steve, I've had similar problems playing fretless 6. I do fine if I'm sitting down, but once I'm standing and going by feel, I get lost that easily. It just takes time to adapt to it. To be honest, if I'm playing out and expect to stand most of the night, I go back to the fretless 5s, but I'm doing my best to not let that extra C throw me. And I didn't take time to think about strings. Shame on me. I have a similar Carvin 6 that I've strung with D'Addario Chromes (B to G) and a separate D'Addario Half-Round II ©. That should give you that extra-hollow "thunk". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Force Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 I once owned a lovely Yamaha TRB-6p (like the one depicted below) that I sold a couple of years ago due to lack of use. Great bass, just a "bit" more than what I needed.. http://www.komehyo.jp/garakuza/uri/syouhin_imgs/184s.jpg Sold it and picked up my MusicMan Stingray 5 which suits me much better.. Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 28, 2005 Author Share Posted February 28, 2005 I like my 6er, and I can play it - but I feel more comfortable on it playing Yellowjackets type stuff, smooth jazz, etc. For that it's fine and I'm comfortable. I guess for me it's the upright for big band and combo gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLroomtempJ Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 i played my 6 for the first time this past sunday and i was unsure about EVERYTHING that i played. The attributes of the "jason" sound were consistently left out b/c i didn't want to mess up. But i did use the c in a solo of sorts... I played around with the 6 beforehand, but i obviously wasn't ready to do a full gig with it yet. I've learned my lesson. 5 until i'm proficient. jason 2cor5:21 Soli Deo Gloria "it's the beauty of a community. it takes a village to raise a[n] [LLroomtempJ]." -robb My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Still a bit too much sustain if you ask me. You need a thicker block of foam or need to move it further from the bridge a bit. Less mwah, more thump, if you know what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted March 1, 2005 Author Share Posted March 1, 2005 Yeah, I agree. It needs a bigger chunk of foam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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