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Grand Wazoo

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Oct 20, 2008
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Planet Remulak :)
As promised here is a small review of this bass, but gee, where to begin?

After 2 days of playing it solid with little stops in between for food and... the other, I now feel like I am pleasingly laying next to her in bed with one arm around the neck and the other holding a cigar, smiling with satisfaction. :)

Let's just say this bass can be best described as a "chamaleon", a true master of disguise, and definately not one you can easily pidgeon hole as a Stingray, P-Bass or J-Bass wannabe, but low and behold with very little tweaking you can definately dial some sounds that will be closely reminescent of those I have mentioned, as Ed Freidland said in his video one particular combination (the middle on his own in passive mode) makes it a P bass killer.

However one thing I have noticed about this bass, that I think sets it apart from the other current EBMM basses, is that you can set any given pickup combination which you think might suit a particular style or song like a driving rock groove and then you play another song, in a completely different style, say a motown type of riff and you don't need to panick and switch pickups selection, you can get away with a quick turn on the passive tone control or if you are in active mode you can dial some low mids and lows and turn down the treble and you are there in seconds.

To truly appreciate the tonal differences between the many passive pickup combinations and the same combinations when in active mode, one way to perfectly place it is to think like this...

Passive = Vintage Vibes, Blues, Classic sounds, Classic Rock etc.

flick it in active and imagine being teleported into modern times:

Active = Funkeeee! Modern Rock, Heavy, Cool, slap happy, pick-o-tronic powerhouse, muscle and definately balls de lux!

There isn't a single pickup combination that I don't like or that doesn't sound musically inspiring, but if I was to give an early prediction of favourite selection I would say that I am very very partial to bridge and middle together and midlle and neck together they are just honey dripping sweet. This bass is also good for reggae, you can get a very deep yet hollow doop doop sound by maxing the bass and turning down both the mids, using the bridge and neck pickups together in active.

Finally as mentioned before in the other thread, this bass despite it's transatlantic voyage from America arrived here at Wazoo towers maintaining the skillful setup it was despatched with, the action is surgically accurate, the neck smooth and you can actually smell the Birchwood Casey wax on it. The back of the neck has a beautiful velvety satin feel and the frets are all smooth and perfectly fitted.
 
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DTG

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Jan 13, 2007
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Ireland
congrats Fran now dig in deep and play it like it owes you money
 

projectapollo

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Aug 13, 2009
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678
Location
Knoxville, TN
The B and M pickup in series, all buttons up, gives this bass a signature sound, IMO. Nice growl when plucked with intention. See what you think.
 

Grand Wazoo

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Oct 20, 2008
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Planet Remulak :)
Congrats again Wazoo!

Tell us something about the differences to the 25th. Is it totally different?

They are different of course, I've already said it's mostly down to the woods used in them. The thing is, I can't exactly compare them one has a rosewood fingerboard (25th 5HSS) the other maple (BA5SSS) and that alone in two similar basses makes for quite a difference, however there are some slight similarities in a couple of pickup combinations, for instance the midldle and neck together and the middle on it's own, those are as close as they could possibly sound. The necks are almost identical in profile, the action is smooth on both. Sustain wise the African Mahogany accounts for that little extra resonance, and also makes for an overall ligther bass, as you can see in the chart below:

factfile.jpg


Other than that I can say they are definately two different basses and it's very difficult to tell which is better, specially when you throw my Bongo 5HHp in the equation. It's like different doctrines, different woods, different pickup layouts, the only thing they have in common is the 4 bands eq to be honest. The rest is still always down to your approach and what comes out of your fingers.

The Big Al is still new to me, so while I have all the sounds of the 25th perfectly sussed, it only takes me two seconds to dial the sound I want, the Big Al is still unchartered territory, I have only had it 4 days so I am learning more and more every day.

Tonight, (in fact I have only been back 20 minutes) I went to band rehersal, I took the Big Al and the 25th and put both of them through the paces, I've asked my friends if they could tell any difference and they were like... huh? no? hmmm we don't know but they both sound great Fran, and to me that is what matters, when a drummer who is usually a miserable moody type of man, so much so we all avoid conversation with him cause when is not playing he is complaing about the nights getting shorter and the price of fuel going up, yawwn... but if he can smile while we play that makes me happy too.
Result! ;)
 

keko

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Joined
Jun 10, 2009
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2,702
Location
Zagreb, Croatia, EU
Very interesting, I would really like to try this bass! :)

So far, what I've heard about this triple S Big Al, I think that bridge & middle active should be my favorite choice, also bridge & neck for some slapping too!
 
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