Ignorance is inescapable...

[mynan]

I decided to take a break from a certain other forum for a while. The gross misinformation, rampant spread of inaccurate cliches and stereotypes, and the mass propagation of misguided opinions and "feelings" was really starting to get to me. The amount of BS that you have to sift through to get any kind of accurate information was beginning to tax my general happiness.

Everything was peachy until last night. A local band was rehearsing for an upcoming gig and I was mixing sound for them. After the rehearsal, I was talking to the bass player and told him that I played an SR5. In the same breath, he said that he had never played one and used the words "one trick pony" and "weak G-string". I said "Yeah, that's the rumor" and pulled out my SR5, which was in it's case behind the console. He plugged it into his rig and started to play. It didn't sound very good and I started to think "Oh $#!+", but when I went to adjust the EQ on the bass I noticed that he had dimed everything. Once that was fixed he was pretty impressed...said it was a lot more versatile than he had heard and didn't notice any weak G, but I already had a headache and was ready to be done with the whole thing.

 

[bdgotoh]

when I went to adjust the EQ on the bass I noticed that he had dimed everything.

Why do they always do that?? It's like it's instinctive or something!

 

[bovinehost]

It's the American way.

"If some is good....then more is more gooder."

Jack

 

[sloshep]

That would make great signature "Don't dime the bass".
Just remember there is a limit to genius, but a bottomless pit for stupidity.

 

[Baird]

My SR5 had a weak G until I made a HUGE, MESSY, COSTLY and TIME CONSUMING modification......

I took a little screwdriver and made 2 little turns on the little screws on the treble side of the pickup. The pickup raised a tiny bit under the G string and believe it or not.... VOILA!!!!! More G.

People are mental.

P.S. Not to bash another unnamed manufacturer such as Fender, but if anyone thinks a SR or SR5 has a problem with articulation on higher notes, pick up a P bass. I own 4 of them and love them for certain types of music, but these basses are the worst for a weak G string IMO.

 

[Ken Baker]

"Turn the darn thing down!"

Oh, wait....

Ken...

 

[shastaband]

I believe "diming" all the bass controls is a holdover from the old days when everybody played a p-bass. The tone control was really only a treble cut knob, and with those old flat-would strings and the lower-wattage bass rigs of the day, you HAD to run the tone and volume pots wide open to get any kind of decent tone and volume. I even remember playing gigs in the early '60s where we had two guitars, a bass, and a microphone all plugged into a single Bassman head into a double-twelve cabinet. Diming the bass was a necessity to cut through!

 

[Duarte]

I lent my fretted ray to a guy to use in the studio...it came back with everything dimed. I want to hear that recording!

 

[pjc812]

hehe he said G string...

Seriously though. Every kid that ever came in the store, it was like I had to reprogram them on how to properly EQ their ACTIVE bass and amplifier. "It just doesn't sound right, I need a distortion pedal to get more grind". Um, no. All in the hands baby.

 

[oli@bass]

It's the American way.

"If some is good....then more is more gooder."

And with the spread of American culture, it seems that this is true now worldwide!

Seriously, I also used to dime the controls on the 2 Band EQs of old StingRays... just because I did not know that 100% doesn't mean "no cut", i.e. flat, like on passive instruments, but rather "full boost".

I learned to use EQ properly on my Sterlings, with the 3 band EQ which sports the center detents, and it is still beyond me, why anyone would not start with a flat sound when there is a center detent. However, I did always dime the volume until last fall, when Big Poppa was posting an interesting proposal to not dime the volume, because it actually has an adverse effect on tone to run the preamp with full amplification all the time.

I think the main problem is that most players learn with passive instruments and bad amps. There you generally have to dime everything to get it sound half way decent. Once you've learned that this is needed, it's just natural, to dime everything on an instrument you get your hands on, because it means "flat sound" on all the instruments you had before.


BTW, the old mini manual that came with the StingRay (a copy of it can be found on Home - Musicmanbass.org, Music Man, Musicman, Music Man Bass, Musicman Bass, Music Man Guitar) did explain the proper use of the preamp controls pretty good... although it is interesting that the bass control is described as "cut/boost", while general knowledge around this place is that the 2 band EQ is boost only for the bass control.

 

[Baird]

I think the main problem is that most players learn with passive instruments and bad amps.

+1.

Another problem is that many of us also (or used to) play guitar. I have a couple of Les Paul guitars and ALL tone controls are always dimed. The controls on a passive guitar make MUCH less difference than a bass (especially an active bass).

 

[the unrepentant]

I learned to use EQ properly on my Sterlings, with the 3 band EQ which sports the center detents, and it is still beyond me, why anyone would not start with a flat sound when there is a center detent. However, I did always dime the volume until last fall, when Big Poppa was posting an interesting proposal to not dime the volume, because it actually has an adverse effect on tone to run the preamp with full amplification all the time.

If you can find this could you dig it up for me please? i usually dime the volume, but i mess about with the EQ a bit, i never dime the treble though. I also usually have a lot of the EQ on my amp close to full too, depends what i'm playing though, i don't like my bass on flat. Can anyone link me to a guide on EQing? i know it sounds n00by but i've been playing 3 years or so and i've never really learnt to EQ properly. I just know that i like my bass fairly boosted and my treble well boosted too if i'm playing anything funky.

 

[Jazzbassman23]

I decided to take a break from a certain other forum for a while. The gross misinformation, rampant spread of inaccurate cliches and stereotypes, and the mass propagation of misguided opinions and "feelings" was really starting to get to me. The amount of BS that you have to sift through to get any kind of accurate information was beginning to tax my general happiness.

Wait. You mean you don't believe that an SX MM copy is every bit as good as a real EBMM, and that you're just being financially gouged if you pay for the real thing?

 

[oli@bass]

If you can find this could you dig it up for me please?

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/26415-hot-bongo.html

 

[fogman]

It's the American way.

"If some is good....then more is more gooder."

Jack

 

[mynan]

Wait. You mean you don't believe that an SX MM copy is every bit as good as a real EBMM, and that you're just being financially gouged if you pay for the real thing?

Yeah, and Tony Levin puts aftermarket pickups in his SR5s.

 

[jaylegroove]

It's the American way.

"If some is good....then more is more gooder."

Jack

Well Jack, you have no idea how many French bass players I know who also dime all up on their active basses.

And yes, they do sound muddy. But they always have a proud smile on their faces though they sound like cr*p, and, uh... I couldn't figure out why they look so happy.