NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I agree on learning how to coax different tones out of the bass stock.

Varying pluck intensity (delicate to really digging in) location (bridge to where the neck joins the body) and tone control, then add a pick to the mix can get an amazing tonal variety.

Also, regarding strings, I though I simply couldn't slap... Then I replaced dead nickels with light steels, and all of a sudden it sounds like it's supposed to sound!
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Personally, I would highly recommend a Babicz bridge... I have one on a Squier P-bass with the SD QP pickup, and it sound phenomenal.
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

What is the fastening screw hole pattern on the Babicz?

I suggested the Gotoh 201B, partly because it is well-made from high quality materials, partly because its price is in reasonable proportion to the overall value of the instrument and partly because it is a direct replacement. No filling or drilling involved.
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Funkfingers said:
What is the fastening screw hole pattern on the Babicz?

I suggested the Gotoh 201B, partly because it is well-made from high quality materials, partly because its price is in reasonable proportion to the overall value of the instrument and partly because it is a direct replacement. No filling or drilling involved.
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Always good things to consider. It's screw compatible with Fender bridges, IIRC.

ETA:

http://www.fullcontacthardware.com/fch-4-string-bass-bridge.htm
or
http://www.fullcontacthardware.com/fch-z-series-4-string-bass-bridge.htm
 
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Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Which is a good point in the Gotoh's favor. The Babicz ain't cheap, but it *works*.
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Of late, I have been trying the Gotoh 201B on some basses and deciding that the stock, stamped steel affair is more appropriate.

IMO, the small-bodied Yamaha RBX is an instance when the Gotoh will be an improvement.
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I have a Fender vintage stamped bridge on my MIM Fender jazz and the stock bridge on my '76 P and would not change those.

But I do think the Gotoh helped a few of my others...
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

jtougas said:
Personally, I would highly recommend a Babicz bridge... I have one on a Squier P-bass with the SD QP pickup, and it sound phenomenal.
Click to expand...

The Babicz looks pretty sweet but it costs more than I paid for the bass. Maybe for bass #2.

...

Thanks for all the advice folks. I'm sold on the bridge upgrade but I'm going to do some more thinking about the electronics. Will report back with the results.
 
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Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Update: So I got the Gotoh 201B-4 bridge in the mail today and installed it. Did a bit of cleaning and oiling of the fretboard while the strings were off. Put the same strings back on and intonated the bridge. Here are my impressions:

New Bridge Day.jpg

This bridge is a serious hunk of gear compared to stock. From plate to saddles everything is much more substantial in build as well as aesthetics. Yeah, it's way more pretty.

Direct drop in. Unscrew the old one, screw the new one in. Screw size and length were identical.

While the sustain is more or less the same, there is less resonance felt in the body with this bridge. The sound at first glance (uh, listen) is less harmonically rich. But what's really going on is there is less sympathetic vibration of the other strings. At first I thought the Gotoh bridge was killing sustain but really it was that the other strings were ringing less.

While all that sympathetic vibration sounds kinda lovely when playing unplugged, it's a pain when plugged in. I plugged in and played along with some tracks for a few hours this morning and it was really frustrating having to mute so much. The E string was the worst in this regard with the old bridge. With the Gotoh it's drastically more controlled.

Overall the sound is much tighter.

As far as the electronics go I'm going to order some CTS pots with black Speed Knobs and a .022uF Orange Drop cap. With the stock cap I don't use the tone control below 5 or 6 so hopefully that'll give me a more usable range. And if I hate it I'm ordering a .047uF cap just in case.
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Looks great.

I have three of them and on those basses they're great.

What does the .022uF Orange Drop cap do exactly?
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

dg27 said:
Looks great.

I have three of them and on those basses they're great.

What does the .022uF Orange Drop cap do exactly?
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The treble won't roll off as quickly, and a bit more midrange is retained, as you roll the tone knob down.

That's what I've read anyway. The soldering iron will reveal all.
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

A nice solid bridge makes a world of difference as far as single note punch goes.
 
Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

KoreanGuitarMan said:
The treble won't roll off as quickly, and a bit more midrange is retained, as you roll the tone knob down.

That's what I've read anyway. The soldering iron will reveal all.
Click to expand...
To be more specific, the frequency cutoff point of the filter it creates will be higher, so as you mention more midrange comes through even at lower settings of the tone control.
 
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