Current & Past "Hot Gear"

[Eric***]

Hey Eric, yes that's an M2500.

The PJ is standard scale SB-2 model. The SB-2 has the skinnier neck like a jazz bass. The MFD pickups in it are slamming hot. It's louder than most active basses. It has a very strong mid-range presence to it that stands out in a crowded mix. Not as much low-end as the jazz. I spend most of my gig time on the JB because it has such incredibly low action that I don't even think much about my playing. It just seems to happen without any effort on my part.

I think a Model-T would be the bees knees. I like Schecters and really dig the P/J configuration.

Interesting. That's kind of crazy that there's so much output from those pickups, though I've found that I kind of get used to whatever I play with the most. After using a P with an EMG in it, the Ibanez I sold seemed super-weak even with the active Barts. I'd like to try a really low-action bass. I went to bass gathering out here and couldn't really tell the difference from one bass to the next, though I guess I did play mostly P-basses.

[NWBasser]

Interesting. That's kind of crazy that there's so much output from those pickups, though I've found that I kind of get used to whatever I play with the most. After using a P with an EMG in it, the Ibanez I sold seemed super-weak even with the active Barts. I'd like to try a really low-action bass. I went to bass gathering out here and couldn't really tell the difference from one bass to the next, though I guess I did play mostly P-basses.

When I play the SB-2, I either engage the limiter pad or turn the gain way back on the amph. With the neck pickup volume rolled back about 50% and the bridge pickup off, it sounds quite like an old P-bass.

The really low action helps a lot if you're playing very busy bass parts as I do with Portrait. For most support-role playing though, it's really not so much of a big deal.

Also, I play with a fairly light touch which helps. A more aggressive playing style would likely require higher action.

G&L also started a new model, the LB-100, which is their P-bass and has a normal alnico pickup. Probably a very nice bass as it's a US model and you can get either a skinnier jazz-style neck or a chunkier P-style neck.

[Eric***]

When I play the SB-2, I either engage the limiter pad or turn the gain way back on the amph. With the neck pickup volume rolled back about 50% and the bridge pickup off, it sounds quite like an old P-bass.

The really low action helps a lot if you're playing very busy bass parts as I do with Portrait. For most support-role playing though, it's really not so much of a big deal.

Also, I play with a fairly light touch which helps. A more aggressive playing style would likely require higher action.

G&L also started a new model, the LB-100, which is their P-bass and has a normal alnico pickup. Probably a very nice bass as it's a US model and you can get either a skinnier jazz-style neck or a chunkier P-style neck.

That's cool. It's good to have options. In a way, it's fun to be back in a world I know nothing about with a very unrefined palette while I explore new options. Possibly best of all, I don't yet know what doesn't sound good, so I can happily jam along on any crap that tends to be sitting around at the time.

It's interesting what you say about action. Even on somewhat challenging parts that I might play these days, I rarely find that bass action is an issue. Mind you it's not exactly jazz fusion, but that sort of thing seems to be less of an issue than it was on guitar.