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what's a good cheap bass?


mbengs1

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If I remember right I believe he uses a Boss BR800 which has instrument level inputs. It may get some tweak ability for tone but he may be limited to a two band EQ and limited in mixing options. He may do better getting a Sans Amp type DI to target bass tones better.

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Back around 1980, I had a Yamaha mixing board. At a show on the road, by bass amp went out, so I plugged straight into the board. In those days, many boards had high impedance ¼" inputs. I liked it so much that I continued to do it for quite a while. Would have been better if I'd had subs, too.

 

On the other hand, I tried plugging into a Sunn Concert Controller. Sounded bad. I think the preamps were band limited so that they'd sound good with mics but not waste power amplifying stray bass notes picked up by the mics.

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I assumed that much... :lol: What I was asking was by what method you were planning on doing so - with a direct box? Does your mixer or audio interface have a high impedance input?

 

 

i don't know if the inputs are high impedance. but lets say your interface is one of those low price lexicon alpha, lambda, or omega, interfaces with just 2 inputs. will a cheap bass sound fine?

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i don't know if the inputs are high impedance. but lets say your interface is one of those low price lexicon alpha, lambda, or omega, interfaces with just 2 inputs. will a cheap bass sound fine?

 

All three of those interfaces have a front panel 1/4" jack labeled "Instrument" - if you stick to using that and don't use the rear panel 1/4" inputs labeled "Line In', you'll be fine. The Instrument In is designed for high impedance sources like a passive guitar or bass. Regular Line Inputs are designed for low impedance sources. The signal level of each is also a bit different, but it's the impedance issue that will tend to give you the biggest problems - using the Line In without matching the impedance will usually give rolled-off high frequencies and a choked sound.

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I see one is for sale here in Florida.What do you like about them?

 

​Everything! They are incredibly versatile, built like tanks, and the neck profile is very appealing (Think Pbass but a little thinner front to back) Once you get used to the controls (which are a bit weird), they can do a whole lot of different sounds. I have 2 of them and they will never leave the herd! :D

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There not like 75 bucks any more, but the Danelectros are back

 

[video=youtube;HlBkf06xBnk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlBkf06xBnk

 

Long horns

[video=youtube;0cfpDUO3m5w]

 

The have a DC short horn too

[video=youtube;1u8UmdH_CM4]

 

On that note I used go see NRBQ play at a small bar in the area, Al Anderson was a monster on the guitar. Big man too, in his later years with the band he'd play a song and then by the second or third tune, they'd bring him out a chair to sit on.

 

Saw Terry Adams a while back or what's left of NRBQ . I kinda felt bad for him. No long is it here come Terry, here comes Tom, here comes Joey, here comes Al. It just here comes Terry, and a bunch of new guy. It was a hot day and Terry looked beat, before he took the stage. He's not young. I think it was the heat, cause it was beating my butt down too.

 

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​Everything! They are incredibly versatile, built like tanks, and the neck profile is very appealing (Think Pbass but a little thinner front to back) Once you get used to the controls (which are a bit weird), they can do a whole lot of different sounds. I have 2 of them and they will never leave the herd! :D

 

The ad for the one for sale around here says excellent condition. What do you think they are worth?

 

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The ad for the one for sale around here says excellent condition. What do you think they are worth?

 

 

 

Peavey T40's are selling for about 450-500 bucks on the net. I locked em up the other day.

 

I have never played one, but I know the Peavey T60 guitars weighed a ton, but have a thin nice playing neck.

 

 

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Peavey T40's are selling for about 450-500 bucks on the net. I locked em up the other day.

 

I have never played one, but I know the Peavey T60 guitars weighed a ton, but have a thin nice playing neck.

 

 

Thanks.The one around here is selling for $450. I'll have to check it out.

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As I mentioned in my review' date=' the stock P-Bass pickup was solid, but the output of the J-Bass pup was pretty weak - how does the replacement SD Jazz work on yours? Is it as loud as the P-Bass pickup?[/quote']

 

While I can't say how the stock pickups sound, I just did a test with mine and can say the SD Jazz is the same volume as the American Standard Ps when both are wide open. Around 1/4 volume the Jazz adds some nice single-coil air and bite to the Ps. Beyond that the single-coil hum is audible - not a big deal when playing with a noisy band, but it's there.

 

If you found the stock Jazz can't be heard over the stock P's, this configuration solves that problem nicely.

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While I can't say how the stock pickups sound, I just did a test with mine and can say the SD Jazz is the same volume as the American Standard Ps when both are wide open. Around 1/4 volume the Jazz adds some nice single-coil air and bite to the Ps. Beyond that the single-coil hum is audible - not a big deal when playing with a noisy band, but it's there.

 

If you found the stock Jazz can't be heard over the stock P's, this configuration solves that problem nicely.

 

 

 

Thank you Verne! I wasn't sure if the weakness of the stock J-Bass pup was due to the location where it's mounted, or just a weak pickup, although I suspected the later since it measured pretty low IIRC. It's nice to know that a decent replacement pickup will rectify that issue. As far as a bit of hum from the J-Bass pickup, I would expect that... it comes with the territory with single coils.

 

 

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Over the years I had 3 fender bass guitars here. All were American made.One was a P bass made in the ealry 80's, the other a Jazz made in the 90's. and then a newer Jazz Deluxe.

 

The P bass really had a nce deep end, but the neck was wide. Mostly I liked the deep tone, but the Jazz was just nicer to play.

Some where along the way I picked up an American Jazz Deluxe, which has active pick ups in it. Amazing.

 

Being mostly a guitar player I love the thinner neck even more than the regular Jazz. It has all the deep bottom on a P bass, and you can get the classic jazz tone too, plus way more.

 

This guitar has been reviewed here by Phil. The Jazz deluxe both made in American and they also have a Mexican import. The new Mexican import is like 800 bucks, actually 850 with a gig bag.

 

However look around I just saw this for $554, but it's 5 string version

 

 

http://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN136860?siid=54110&-Oy_BRDg4Iqok57a4kcSJADsuDK1eu-qAN25Bdy2VjIMn04zLYhOBC2jKNElkyXNkUq1gxoCDBnw_wcB=

 

I'd call this shop and see what they can do. It's been on reverb for 11 months.

 

https://reverb.com/item/1377734-fender-deluxe-active-jazz-bass-car-4-ply-brown-shell-pickguard-used

 

this one was listed a year ago

https://reverb.com/item/1096278-fender-deluxe-active-jazz-bass-2014-black

 

Used they go for 350 and up.

 

Might be worth a look on ebay or craigslist.

 

My America made one sounds incredible, if Fender even came close to get the tones out of the Mexican made one, it will really be the most versatile bass you can buy for the money. Yet not super inexpensive.

 

 

 

 

 

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I repair my Buddies Peavey basses for him so I'm very familiar with the quality. He has a 5 string with active electronics. Not sure what model. It has the neck through and he's been playing it for many years. I've had to replace the pots in it for him twice and I've had to redo the preamp wiring several times just because the number of times the pots have been cleaned and replaced. He does play full time so it sees allot of wear and tear.

 

The bass sounds really good but its a long scale 5 string that needs large hands which he does have. The 4 string I installed a preamp in had a large scale wide neck too. Larger then my Precision which is about my limit. I do better on a medium scaled bass for speed and my hands don't cramp up so quickly on a slim neck.

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While I can't say how the stock pickups sound' date=' I just did a test with mine and can say the SD Jazz is the same volume as the American Standard Ps when both are wide open. Around 1/4 volume the Jazz adds some nice single-coil air and bite to the Ps. Beyond that the single-coil hum is audible - not a big deal when playing with a noisy band, but it's there. . . .[/quote']

That's interesting. My bass is a P/J style and I don't have hum from the Jazz pickup. After I read your post, I tried it with my amp turned all the way up, the Precision pickup turned all the way down and the Jazz pickup cranked, with both pickups cranked, with the P pickup cranked and the J pickup turned all the way down, with both pickups about halfway, and there was no hum. I guess it varies according to the pickups and the individual bass.

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That's interesting. My bass is a P/J style and I don't have hum from the Jazz pickup. After I read your post' date=' I tried it with my amp turned all the way up, the Precision pickup turned all the way down and the Jazz pickup cranked, with both pickups cranked, with the P pickup cranked and the J pickup turned all the way down, with both pickups about halfway, and there was no hum. I guess it varies according to the pickups and the individual bass.[/quote']

Also the level of electrical noise in the environment. My stock Rics with single coil pickups are fine in most environments, but there was one venue where I couldn't use them. Just too noisy.

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Also the level of electrical noise in the environment. My stock Rics with single coil pickups are fine in most environments' date=' but there was one venue where I couldn't use them. Just too noisy.[/quote']

Yeah, I wondered if it might not be an environmental thing in terms of wiring, EM interference, etc.

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Just about any traditional single coil pickup is going to be noisy if the environment is heavy with RFI or EMI. It's one of the reasons why I was happy when they phased out CRT computer monitors and we were able to go to flat screen LED monitors in the studio. Now I don't have to make players with single coils stand in the far corners of the room anymore... :lol:

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^ Sure but given the age of our house I'm surprised I don't have an issue with hum' date=' at least sometimes.[/quote']

 

How is your home wiring? Are all your outlets properly grounded?

 

A couple of bucks and you can get one of these and check...

 

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-50542-3-Wire-Receptacle/dp/B002LZTKIA

 

Not only is that important from a noise standpoint, but also a safety standpoint.

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