The more I listen to this...

[Alvabass]

...the more I'm convinced this is the best fingerstyle tone I've got. For my taste, of course.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwtYoFRQj2U&fmt=18]YouTube - Bassline for Rush's "Force Ten" on my EBMM Bongo[/ame]

Please notice that this is not a self-praising thread, guys and gals (My playing is not that great). I just wanted to share my satisfaction on getting what I feel is the "best" fingerstyle bass tone to my ears and get to know how many of you share my conception of a great bass tone and how much it differs from your own approach if different. Mine, basically, is:

- "Bassy" but not "Boomy".
- "Trebly" but not "Clanky".
- "Middy" but not "Honky".

And I feel that the Bongo tone on that video meets those requirements. As you can read on the notes,

for this recording, I didn't use my Kustom KBA30 practice amp between my bass and the sound card. Instead, I plugged the Bongo directly into the sound card's line in jack. I decided to do that because using the amp normally gives the bass a very bright tone, which I didn't like for this song. Of course, rolling off some highs from the Bongo or the amp would be a solution, but I tried this way and noticed that it gives the bass a mellower tone with no need of cutting highs from the instrument.

And I really loved the result. This is just another way to declare myself a "rabid Bongoloid" in spite of playing other brands as well. Of course, different songs/styles/genres demand different tones, but if someone asks me for my all-around, multi-purpose tone, here it is. That glorious EBMM Bongo tone with the right amount of EQ and pickup blend. Recently, one of my students bought a brand-new single H Sterling 4-string and, while I could feel that awesome trademark MM tone, it didn't entice me as much as the Bongo (On another note, I LOVED the Sterling neck). Still have to play a StingRay to build an educated opinion on all MusicMan models. Anyway, MM detractors say that these basses are very hi-fi (meaning "sterile") sounding, and I couldn't disagree more. The best thing about the MM tone is that, while hi-fi, the wood can also be felt through the speakers. Few brands can achieve that IMO. BTW, I publicly voiced my feelings toward EBMM products in the text comments for [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bwC6FfUxXU&fmt=18"]this other video[/ame].

Thanks for reading! Again, I'd like to know about your agreements/disagreements on my conception of a great fingerstyle tone based on the video.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Dear Alvabass, I disagree with your statement

(My playing is not that great)

I actually really rate you as a fantastic bass player, infact last month I stumbled upon another of your youtube videos the one in which you are playing Donna Lee as Jaco performed it, not the Charlie Parker version of course and I must say, without knowing you were a member of this forum, I was moved listening to you playing it so accurately well. So don't kick yourself in the "balls" *(no pun intended ) you are an excellent player and a great ambassador of the EBMM basses, the Bongo's in particular

Here you are in all your splendor, I am sure others (who heard Jaco's version) will join me in applauding you on this performance.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-3IpGPFV60]YouTube - Donna Lee theme on my fretless Bongo[/ame]

 

[RobW]

wow, great playing and sweet sounds from the Bongos

 

[fidooda]

Hi Alva, i agree with the others, i like your playing and gotta love that bongo tone (even with the youtube sound downgrade).

 

[Russel]

That tone is fantastic, man. And you're a great player.

I think I learned ToP's What is Hip from one of your videos...

Thanks!

 

[oli@bass]

here you are in all your splendor, i am sure others (who heard jaco's version) will join me in applauding you on this performance.

+1!

 

[Duarte]

Fantastic stuff.

 

[strummer]

I am soo happy I have decent computer speakers!
Great sound, great playing, great Bongo!

 

[Freddels]

That is a great tone. What strings are you using in this video? What were the settings on the bass?

 

[Alvabass]

That is a great tone. What strings are you using in this video? What were the settings on the bass?

Those are one-year old (maybe more) DR Hi-Beams (fortunately my body chemistry is very string-friendly). The bass has two humbuckers plus piezo bridge, and the settings are:

- Both piezos and magnets fully open. Same for neck/bridge pickups (None favored => Blend knob at center).

- Low mids flat.

- The other three frequencies (bass, hi-mid and treble) slightly past the flat position by the same amount (If flat = 12 O'clock, then they are around 1:00).

Thank you for your comments, guys!

 

[Jimmy b]

Even with my cheap computer speakers you sound great.And your sound on the fretless is killer.

 

[Freddels]

On a few of your videos you're tapping. How much does the piezo play in the tapping?

 

[Alvabass]

On a few of your videos you're tapping. How much does the piezo play in the tapping?

Well, I think there's a lot of personal perception on this. You'll find lots of players who think that piezos are almost useless on a fretted bass, but really shine on fretlesses. I can tell that I'm a big fan of the piezo bridge on my fretted Bongo, specially for slapping and tapping. It adds a nice, subtle growl and a "special something" to the tone that I really love. For a comparison, you can download this file, which has several audio clips I recorded just after I got my fretted Bongo around three and a half years ago (Time flies! ).

 

[Freddels]

Thanks. Those clips definitely show the differences.

 

[Black Lake]

Major tone and wicked chops. Thanks for posting those videos.