The Bear Jew Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 So... it has occurred to me that my wondrous none-more-black P-bass of swirling doom may need a set up sometime soon--I'm noticing some intonation problems, and my strings are getting farther and farther away from the neck. So... I put in the shop for some love this weekend. In the meantime, however, I needed to play SOMETHING at rehearsals, and I don't actually own a spare. So, I figured I'd borrow something... just to use while my No. 1 was in the shop. What I borrowed was a black, 4-string OLP bass. Black hardware, black headstock. Looks pretty much exactly like a Musicman. Feels like one, too. They retail for about $200 or so. I took it to rehearsal and plugged it into my rig (ampeg 4x10 and 1x15 with SWR SM-500 head), and I have to say... that cheapo bass sounds pretty f-ing good! Now, I am sure that it's made of crap wood, and I have no idea how well it would hold up over time, but it seems pretty sturdy to me, and there don't seem to be any weird dead spots or other issues. The action is even all over the neck, and the tone... is not precisely like a Musicman, but I think that's because the p-up is not active (duh) and the bass overall is not a $1,200 instrument. However, it's a damn perky sounding bass, and the tone is definitely punchy. For a $200 bass, I was really impressed. I played it hard with the band for about three hours, and I never felt like I was changing my playing to accomodate a lesser or poorly built instrument. I could see buying one (or six) of these for sure. In fact, I was thinking I might buy a white on white one... just to be contrary. HA. \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...
butcherNburn Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 It sounds like you found your spare. Keep it black my friend. If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Brown Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Yep. Buy that white one and your bandmates'll keep askin' you to "turn it up." I'm glad you posted this. I been jones-ing for something faintly Musicman-like that wouldn't bust a budget (my gear budget approximates $0 right now...it's all about priorities and the fact that I got all the gear I really need, and about the fact that we just dropped 2 grand on fixin' 2 of my kids' cars.) Does it come in a 5? Yep. I'm the other voice in the head of davebrownbass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Yes it does, Dave. Here\'s the Musician Friend link. It's only $229, plus free shipping. We like the transparent red one, don't we? We do have a tiny bit of money stashed away. Plus there's always a credit card to think of. It's precious to us. We needs it. Precious. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottle12am Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I've bragged on them before here... nearly saved my cousin's sanity last year when his mom was shopping for a 'beginner bass' for him, and I talked her into buying him an OLP rather than her first choice-- a Wal-Mart First Act. Toss in a $200 Seymour Duncan pickup and you have a pretty powerful weapon for the price of a slingshot. "Women and rhythm section first" -- JFP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groover Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I've had my OLP MM3 (5 string) for 1.5 years now. I had some minor fret problems and a problem with shoddy factory solder joints, I was able to easily and cheaply fix both problems. Other than those two issues it has been a great solid bass that was very much worth the money. Even if I someday obtain a real MM SR5, the OLP will stay in my arsenal as a worthy back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Anyone have any playing time on the Tony Levin sig model OLP? I'd be interested to hear opinions. "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fonz Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 the olp i've been banging around for the past two years is in fine shape. and i tend to abuse instruments onstage. my only complaint is the lock nut that holds the output jack won't stay tight so i'm constantly fiddling with it. other than that, i replaced the bridge and it made a monsterous world of difference. not that the thing wasn't playable before but now it plays better. eventually i'll get around to putting in that aggie preamp. Eeeeeehhhhhhhhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hmmm... or I might just get the black one... and then cover the logo on the headstock with black gaffer's tape. 'Cause nobody has to know my dirty little secret. Hell, I could get one in every color of the rainbow. \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...
g. Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Not to rain on this (unless there's a drought) but why is anybody surprised that cheap basses in general are pretty damn good for the most part? Everybody is using CNC and common methods that have been around a long time now. The OLP mainly leverages the mystique of an identifiable bass profile with some legendary players. It just ain't what it used to be when so many cheaper basses were crap ; } . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMan99 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by Ace Cracker: ...cut... other than that, i replaced the bridge and it made a monsterous world of difference. not that the thing wasn't playable before but now it plays better. eventually i'll get around to putting in that aggie preamp. This is the first post in quite a while I've read suggesting that changing-out the bridge made much of a difference. In fact, most previous posts I've read suggested that the bridge made little difference (compared with strings, pups, electronics). I've never swapped a bridge, but with the plastic/alloy stuff in mine, it sure is tempting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottle12am Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Originally posted by CMDN: Hmmm... or I might just get the black one... and then cover the logo on the headstock with black gaffer's tape. 'Cause nobody has to know my dirty little secret. A few months ago, someone was actually selling EBMM headstock logo stickers on eBay for $5.00. Like putting a Ferrari badge on a Tiberon Originally posted by greenboy: It just ain't what it used to be when so many cheaper basses were crap ; } Ah, the good old days... I started on a $500 Series 10 oak tree with strings attached... (best Dana Carvey old-man impersination) "It was all they had for under $500-- There was no NAFTA or Made In Mexico lefty Fenders or eBay. In fact, there were no lefty basses at all. If you were a left-hander and wanted to play, you had to have your arms sawed off and reattached on the opposite side your body. And we didn't have your fancy 'insurance' or 'anesthesia' or 'modern medicine'. You went to the back alley and they gave you an aspiring and sewed you up with yarn bought at Sears and Roebuck. A back-alley southpaw bassendectomy, it was called. All to play bass. And we were grateful for it. We liked it! We loved it!" "Women and rhythm section first" -- JFP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 It just ain't what it used to be when so many cheaper basses were crap ; } I guess it ain't. But I really haven't messed with cheaper basses in a while, so this was a bit of a suprise for me. A pleasant one. I borrowed a bass just to "get by" for a few rehearsals, and I wound up finding a truly excellent instrument... good stuff. So... I wrote about it here... because I thought there might be a few other bassists who would appreciate knowing something like this. \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...
g. Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Someone said the bridge doesn't make a diff? It does. But it's subjective whether you want one of those changes. As for materials, the Graphtech bridge barrels seem to sustain more overtones longer than the aluminum, steel, or brass ones they replace. It's also subjective whether a players wants to change that, if they have a sound that's already working for them. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 So... I wrote about it here... because I thought there might be a few other bassists who would appreciate knowing something like this. Appreciated. Just sayin'... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fonz Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 cheap basses can be good. this is just the first bass this cheap that's actually this close to the top-shelf bass it apes. look at lakland. the skyline costs more than the olp, and even starts creeping up toward top-shelf prices when you get the active electronics package. not that it's not a good piece of equipment, but it's nowhere near the relative level of quality vis-a-vis a proper lakland that the olp is vis-a-vis the stingray. Eeeeeehhhhhhhhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Yeah. People might be getting suckered by the name game, and those are different price tiers which makes it all the more questionable. But plenty of companies have ways to get way cheap seats filled (and often from the very same factories and wood stocks), including Fender, Peavey, Yamaha, as well as the ones people really sneer down at without often even having tried them... many of these are pretty happenin' basses, considering. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fonz Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 yeah. as long as it's not a damn, dirty samick. Eeeeeehhhhhhhhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 wink wink. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espowari Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 If you want to get a 'new' OLP bass, Media Play is the place to do it! They're closing ALL their stores this month, and everything, including the OLP basses, line6 effects, etc. I swear I don't work there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espowari Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Holy crap - I just called one near me (they close on the 15th). They sold the last MM for $143. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Walked into a Media Play on Christmas Eve Eve and thought I saw a MusicMan bass laying in the floor. It was an OLP. I picked it up and it felt good. Except for the decal on the headstock, this bass was identical to most other MM basses I had seen. The one I fondled looked just like BenLoy's. Alas, there was nothing to plug in to, but that night they were running around $200 and I almost made the purchase anyway. I need a spare and if my darn kids weren't so big on getting presents at Christmas I would have had one. Phooey!! My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I have played the aforementined Ace Cracker OLP. It is, as reported, quite nice. It was even nice before the bridge swap. For the price, it's just silly. I have played many of these basses, at many stores. They all have seemed like a good deal. More than I can say for the usual Gibson/Fender stuff. Enjoy the loaner, Erik. I say pony up, buy yourself one. You're probably worth it. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g. Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Bottomgottem: Except for the decal on the headstock, this bass was identical to most other MM basses I had seen.Amazing. So Ernie Ball is no longer providing good value by putting those trademark preamps into their version? ; } And so on? . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Like I said, I could not plug it in. But it looked and felt good. Nice action, neck rad., and so forth. I didn't have time to study the thing. My spousal unit was pulling me off in another direction with her "we're not here for you" look in her eyes. Cannot even tell you if it had any preamp at all. My comments were intended to speak for the senses of touch and sight only. My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoffman Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 OLP's rock, man. One old band I was in had one. It was a 5 string so I wasn't used to the feel but it still felt pretty good. It sure sounded great through a SABDDI and Ampeg rig. Funny thing is, I had never heard of OLP until I played one. Seems as though that's how we all find out about them, like a secret OLP cult. I haven't bought one yet, but I will. My current back-up, a Squire P bass, is all but trashed since I defretted the neck(Real bad decision). "The world will still be turning when you've gone." - Black Sabbath Band site: www.finespunmusic.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fonz Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Originally posted by wraub: I have played the aforementined Ace Cracker OLP.that has a nice ring to it... Ace Cracker OLP. who wants to petition OLP to help me get a signature model? i promise i won't have scalloped frets on it. Eeeeeehhhhhhhhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Originally posted by Ace Cracker: that has a nice ring to it... Ace Cracker OLP. who wants to petition OLP to help me get a signature model? i promise i won't have scalloped frets on it. Bet it will sound great with your signature Ampeg preamp. (booyah) My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred TBP Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I had my eye on a black OLP MM-5 string with a maple neck and was slowly contemplating the use of my credit card once again, but managed to walk out of there somehow. But the thought haunts me still... it IS a nice instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moot Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Damn you Erik! I have been suffereing from GAS pains since the rains started! Idle hands . . . I found a beautiful blue 5 on ebay and am currently negotiating with my savings account. Damn you! "He is to music what Stevie Wonder is to photography." getz76 I have nothing nice to say so . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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