hey HHers, dont be afraid of position 5!!!

[rizzo9247]

Yup that's right, position 5, closest to the neck. I played fill in classic rock/blues wankery gig last night and decided to mix it up a bit on my SR5HH. I slid that switch all the way up and was getting a smooth thumpy tone with articulate definition of each note ( yeah, really cheesy corporate speak, but thats the best way I can describe it).

Not to mentioned the compliments on the ddII good looks..

I was having a blast last night...give #5 a whirl, you'll love it.

 

[RobertB]

Yeah, I've always loved that position ... don't go there.

 

[RaginRog]

Riz...I have your bass's 4 string brethren.

I love position 5!! (all from center)- I turn the highs about 10%, Mids about 60%, and the lows about 25%....I get a nice P bass tone which works for some of those classic rock sounds. My favorites are 1-3-5.

 

[Sting]

I did a church Christmas concert last December, we covered a song that originally was played with an electric upright bass. I don't happen to have a EUB handy so I put my SR5 HH into position 5, cut the treble and plucked near the neck. Didn't quite sound like an EUB but it did give a deep thumpy sound which was the essence needed to make the groove in that song work. Of all the songs we played, I did get a lot of positive feedback from the band leader, soundman and people in the audience on that particular tune. I was afraid that it might sound too muddy but people noticed the fills and runs I added and complimented me on them.

Since I got my SR5, no matter what position I have it in, the feedback I hear most is how clear and thick my tone is. I fear no position on my SR5 HH!

 

[timbledum]

Wow I think it was just this week that I discovered the potential of p5! Originally I was only into 1 and 4 with 3 for certain specific situations, then discovered the beauty of 2 maybe a month ago, and then finally got 5 to work with me. Amen on cutting treb and boosting the bass, but what really got it to work for me was plucking above that pickup rather than the neck pickup (my usual). Really made it come alive!

 

[oli@bass]

When I got my first HH 'Ray, I did like position 5 a lot but was initially afraid to use it in a band setting because I thought that I'd not have enough definition and would not be able to hear myself. Then during a gig I became adventurous and used position 5 for a song I normally played with pos 3. And I was blown away! "smooth thumpy tone with articulate definition of each note" was exactly how it came across to me!

That sound was the reason for me to finally prefer the HH over the HS! It's a phantastic sound, that also works very well on the fretless. I seem to more and more settle to use positions 1, 3, 5 and occasionally 4 to get a Jazz like vibe.

 

[shakinbacon]

its a cool setting

When I had an SR5HH this was my least used position to be honest. Mainly because the volume drop when using this setting compared to the others and it didn't punch through the mix when drums and guitars are blaring. However, when used in the right setting like you mentioned, it works quite well.

 

[ivbenaplayin]

Wow I think it was just this week that I discovered the potential of p5! Originally I was only into 1 and 4 with 3 for certain specific situations, then discovered the beauty of 2 maybe a month ago, and then finally got 5 to work with me. Amen on cutting treb and boosting the bass, but what really got it to work for me was plucking above that pickup rather than the neck pickup (my usual). Really made it come alive!

+1 for position 2... punchy & phat at the same time

 

[Powman]

I did a church Christmas concert last December, we covered a song that originally was played with an electric upright bass. I don't happen to have a EUB handy so I put my SR5 HH into position 5, cut the treble and plucked near the neck. Didn't quite sound like an EUB but it did give a deep thumpy sound which was the essence needed to make the groove in that song work.

I was thinking of getting some sort of acoustic bass to try to get a sound like you described. I actually put a deposit down on one...but then I played with a Bongo 4HH and used the neck pick-up only, finger plucking near the neck, rolled off some highs. Sounded so good, I cancelled my order for the acoustic.

Still waiting for my Bongo! (*Big sigh*).

 

[PluckyThump]

Yep I was playing my Sterling 5 HH last night and tried position 5 on a couple songs. It definitely has that acoustic, fretless-like kind of sound. I'm spending most of my time in positions 1 and 2 but 5 is very handy to have.

 

[Bloodfist]

I aint scared

 

[jlepre]

Who you callin' chicken...LOL

 

[Bean]

Who you callin' chicken...LOL

Who said chicken?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNJ1g18fmwg"]YouTube- Sweet Soul Cookin' With Shonna Tucker[/ame]

Heheh, I just had to repost it...


Edit... you knuckleheads are lucky I couldnt get the video to embed... argh!

 

[Powman]

Heheh, I just had to repost it...

Blah! No you didn't! Blasphemous video!

 

[TSanders]

I loved the tone of position 5 on the Sterling HH I had strung with flats. It was big and round. But man I found a bunch of uses for it.

 

[mmbassplayer]

I guess my HH doesn't have a position 5... JOSH

 

[RobertB]

I guess my HH doesn't have a position 5... JOSH

Nope, your position 5 is position 2 (in binary).

 

[drTStingray]

Position 5 rocks..........and reggaes pretty well also. With added mids, it gets a nice Stanley Clarke pop/slap sound also.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

What am I missing here?

The five-way switch is standard. Position 5 isn't some hidden position. Doesn't one try all the positions? Are there people who haven't explored the possibilities?

Maybe I should start a thread: "Wow! Have you tried the Mid knob at 75%?"

 

[rizzo9247]

Just spreadin' the luv my brutha..about a less-discussed position.