tunaman4u2
Well-known member
If my Al sounds like this I'll be very happy. I prefer the tone of this one with rosewood than Eds review with Maple... although Ed has a review with a rosewood 5 too. Also better to my ears than the maple review
- Thread starter tunaman4u2
- Start date
If my Al sounds like this I'll be very happy. I prefer the tone of this one with rosewood than Eds review with Maple... although Ed has a review with a rosewood 5 too. Also better to my ears than the maple review
Ben Bond
New member
I say, stay single, have a girlfriend at most, and stay free of the chains...and children. Basses, as opposed to a woman, can run my life any day.
That's just me, though, so no offense.
Btw, that color is awesome...LOVE green!
That's just me, though, so no offense.
Btw, that color is awesome...LOVE green!
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Incoming on Friday... great time to write a review over weekend
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stu42
Well-known member
Haha....reminds me of the lyrics in Queen's "I'm in Love With My Car"
Told my girl I just had to forget her,
Rather buy me a new cartburettor,
So she made tracks sayin' ths is the end now,
Cars don't talk back they're just four wheeled friends now
Same idea...different hobby.
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Eagle has landed
Quick poor lighting pics. It sparkles much better in person... not green metal flake shocking like from the 3rd Leo company but still is really cool. Its on par with the free metallic colors from those other guys.
Cool. The action is SUPER low. I think it needs a string change & the rosewood def needs some wonder wipes! Better pics & tone report when I get home
Quick poor lighting pics. It sparkles much better in person... not green metal flake shocking like from the 3rd Leo company but still is really cool. Its on par with the free metallic colors from those other guys.
Cool. The action is SUPER low. I think it needs a string change & the rosewood def needs some wonder wipes! Better pics & tone report when I get home
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tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Actually the back shows it the best due to the white balancing of the pickguard
jlepre
Well-known member
WOW! I am GREEN with envy
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Yeah its awesome! Lucky me it was the same one sold by Bass Central which makes is 8.5 lbs not the 9.4 lbs the seller advertised! Its SUPER light! Doing all the tru oil, lemon oil, restringing & new batteries now. Should have some sound reviews soon
xjbebop
Well-known member
awesomeness...!!!! Congrats!
Would love to try one of those someday.
Would love to try one of those someday.
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Good pics!
And a review!
This thing is FANTASTIC & I'm no fan boy... I hated the first Big Al I had with a weak G, sticky buttons, useless tone knob (It was a beat up GC special)
I LOVE this one to pieces & I really didn't expect to.
Pickup options: I actually like all of them & they are surprisingly more unique than I remembered especially each one individually. The secret series setting with all of them up is clearly the beast of FULL MIDS while the multiple pickup combos are all parallel. The parallel tone is clearly scooped with that added treble twang. As a result of the parallel scoop the personality of each pickup is less evident. Theres not a HUGE difference between all 3 pickups, or a combo of any 2. The series setting is definitely louder.
Passive: The tone knob on this guy is awesome! I'm really stoked! It gets semi aggressive to overall very vintage. With the rosewood & hog body its not going to get VERY aggressive unless you're using the series or the singled bridge. You could EASILY roll just passive & get all the tones you need
Active: I love going active because I cut a little lows & add a little low mids to get some pop on the upper strings. I'm a 4 band junkie that way. As opposed to the Sterling the Big Al could use some more hi mids to get it more aggressive & grindy. Cranking low mids while in parallel always helps my G string ring very strongly
As the bass is fairly vintage tone wise as its core, I use the active to be my changeup for the more aggressive tones. Fit n Finish: Excellent, top notch, love the unfinished neck although I did the Tru Oil & Gunstock wax for some added protection. Super fast. No fret sprout (I have a bit of that with my Sterling 5HH but I'm not picky) Love the compensated nut & the new tuners are awesome. Action was super low with the old strings. I got REALLY lucky & it weighs only 8.5 lbs despite the owner quoting 9.4lbs. I checked the serial number & its actually the one from Basscentral confirming the weight I got on my scale too. LOVE the color.
Its just a beast!
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Yes which unfortunately means it wont be played out that much!
On the good side... its going to stay MINT
One day I'll be back to rock n roll with a four!
Meypelnek
Well-known member
It's looking awesome in that finish. Never saw one before in Green Sparkle.
Actually I was going to ask you the same: Will you play it frequently. I have read your answer a minute ago.
I am thinking of pulling the trigger on a (new) Classic Sabre - which is only available as a four string. Why not? I am playing only five strings (Big Al, Stingray 5) but hey, why does it have to be that accurate - only 4 or only 5 strings. It might be a good task for my brain to be as flexible and change from 5 to 4 from time to time.
Once again, great bass and have fun!
Actually I was going to ask you the same: Will you play it frequently. I have read your answer a minute ago.
I am thinking of pulling the trigger on a (new) Classic Sabre - which is only available as a four string. Why not? I am playing only five strings (Big Al, Stingray 5) but hey, why does it have to be that accurate - only 4 or only 5 strings. It might be a good task for my brain to be as flexible and change from 5 to 4 from time to time.
Once again, great bass and have fun!
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Some quick setting favorites...
Cut lows 25%, Boost low mids 20%, Boost high mids 10% Treble flat
Since the parallel settings scoop the mids... it lets my series setting really stand out with aggressive cut & then parallel can still get that warm tone without touching the EQ much. I guess thats the EQ I use to make the bass more "balanced" between warm\vintage & aggressive\cut
Cut lows 25%, Boost low mids 20%, Boost high mids 10% Treble flat
Since the parallel settings scoop the mids... it lets my series setting really stand out with aggressive cut & then parallel can still get that warm tone without touching the EQ much. I guess thats the EQ I use to make the bass more "balanced" between warm\vintage & aggressive\cut
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
This Big Al is totally kicking booty tonight while watching MNF.
LOVING it with a pick its crazy good. Series setting
LOVING it with a pick its crazy good. Series setting
MattOfSweden
Well-known member
Lovely green, sparkle makes it glitter like a Christmas tree! Really very nice, and indeed the Big Al SSS is a fantastic instrument, totally love the tones and flexibility of it. Congratulations and enjoy!
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
The more I play this the more I love it.
Once you know the tone in your head you want & you really learn which pickup combo will get that best... then EQ from there, its just money. Whos Crying Now tonight? Ridiculous. Was REALLY fine tuning which I liked best for that tone, rear solo or series all. it was close but the bridge solo just has more grind\sparkle\cut\aggressive in the upper notes while the series is a bit warmer with punch. Series is aggressive but the bridge solo gets the edge for aggressive clear while series wins in aggressive punch
Once you know the tone in your head you want & you really learn which pickup combo will get that best... then EQ from there, its just money. Whos Crying Now tonight? Ridiculous. Was REALLY fine tuning which I liked best for that tone, rear solo or series all. it was close but the bridge solo just has more grind\sparkle\cut\aggressive in the upper notes while the series is a bit warmer with punch. Series is aggressive but the bridge solo gets the edge for aggressive clear while series wins in aggressive punch
Movielife
Well-known member
I've had my Big Al for 3 years now, roughly, and I still love it. I still get excited to mess around with the settings.
I may end up putting some flats on it to really make it a vintage tone machine.
I may end up putting some flats on it to really make it a vintage tone machine.
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
It can certainly do vintage really well. I prefer parallel with no bridge pickup or soloed middle pickup
tunaman4u2
Well-known member
Passive report... all night, all the covers, all genres.
Loving the all passive mode, its just got that vintage vibe. Its just "woody", not scooped & has natural high end, not that active sparkle. I can get a ridiculous amount of tones with each pickup combo to fit every song. The passive knob really is wide... I had a big al SSS in the past I returned in 2 days but that one must have been abused because this one is perfect.
The series, single & parallel modes are so different. Parallel definitely brings more high end sparkle, warmer lows, a bit of a scoop, more thin tone. Series has less highs, still some big lows, more meaty tone. SC at the bridge has almost as much highs as parallel but has its thin tone but WITH the mids & grindy lows. The mid SC has that complete vintage tone, punchy, full tone, with less highs, even mids & even lows. The neck SC is like the mid SC but with more lows that make the E over power the mids, less grind to the lows... not really vintage but not really modern. Definitely my least favorite choice of the entire setup.
Know what tone you want, EQ from there & boom
Man did I get SUPER lucky grabbing this. If I had to choose between the Bongo HH Sterling HH & Big Al SSS it would be VERY hard to pick right now.
And with that report I'm spent! Hopefully pics with gigs in the future for this bad boy... its moving to the Keepers for Life Club. Its THAT good
Loving the all passive mode, its just got that vintage vibe. Its just "woody", not scooped & has natural high end, not that active sparkle. I can get a ridiculous amount of tones with each pickup combo to fit every song. The passive knob really is wide... I had a big al SSS in the past I returned in 2 days but that one must have been abused because this one is perfect.
The series, single & parallel modes are so different. Parallel definitely brings more high end sparkle, warmer lows, a bit of a scoop, more thin tone. Series has less highs, still some big lows, more meaty tone. SC at the bridge has almost as much highs as parallel but has its thin tone but WITH the mids & grindy lows. The mid SC has that complete vintage tone, punchy, full tone, with less highs, even mids & even lows. The neck SC is like the mid SC but with more lows that make the E over power the mids, less grind to the lows... not really vintage but not really modern. Definitely my least favorite choice of the entire setup.
Know what tone you want, EQ from there & boom
Man did I get SUPER lucky grabbing this. If I had to choose between the Bongo HH Sterling HH & Big Al SSS it would be VERY hard to pick right now.
And with that report I'm spent! Hopefully pics with gigs in the future for this bad boy... its moving to the Keepers for Life Club. Its THAT good
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