I just acquired a white, '83 Musician 3 days ago and LOVE THIS BASS! Your video is one of the reasons is one of the reasons I bought it. I wanted one back in the 80s as well but had to settle for a RoadStar instead; just wasn't the same. I got this one for only 630.00 from a guy in Japan; huge bargain compared to all the others I see around 1400.00. Now I need the fretless version!
@SlimTheWolf2 күн бұрын
Bummer. I have an NS Ethos which I absolutely love...EXCEPT for the fact that it has a terrible grounding issue. Thing hisses like a snake, which isn't that big a deal when playing a show, but gee whiz does it suck when recording. I'm going to bring it to a local shop to fix that issue, and considering that I got a really good deal on the bass, I'm not too bent out of shape about it. But if I'd have paid the full $1800 price and then had to pay additional for repairs, I would be pretty pissed. The Korean factory needs better quality control.
@timjones99814 күн бұрын
I bought one of these in natural mahogany two weeks ago - I have never played a bass with such a nice neck!! It really is an awesome bass with a lovely growl to it.
@DavePorterBand3 күн бұрын
Totally agree, thanks for watching!
@greenetolstoy10 күн бұрын
Great video, yep KC were some band!
@DavePorterBand7 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@moxxxle11 күн бұрын
great playing! loved the chord section especially. i've been really interested in getting into bass; have a charvel dk24, love it and was wondering if their basses are as good as their 6-strings, and i think your fantastic review really makes this model shine!
@DavePorterBand10 күн бұрын
Awesome, thank you and thanks for watching!
@darranjsamuel306312 күн бұрын
Hi Dave 👋 just subscribed to your channel after watching your cali76 review, best review on the pedal I’ve watched 🙌🙌👍 and just ordered one . Would you recommend I put it at the front of my signal chain just after my tuner ? Some say immediately after the tuner others say at the end of the effects??? I use all boss analogue effects ( tuner, lmb bass enhancer/limiter , chorus and octave ) thanks again Darran
@DavePorterBand12 күн бұрын
Hey Darran, thanks for the kind words and for watching! As far as compressor placement in your signal chain, the most common would be after your tuner. That way your other effects are not overly squashing your signal when they cut on and off. However, some might use it at the very end of the chain to level everything out (kind of like a buss compressor when recording) but it's pretty uncommon. Enjoy! 🤘🏼🤘🏼
@darranjsamuel306312 күн бұрын
@@DavePorterBand thanks for the reply and advice Dave 😁👍 appreciated! I’ll be catching up on some of your videos when I get my days off this week 👍
@totomoyap864813 күн бұрын
Open the back cavity cover, then use the Philips screw driver fully turn down the preamp gain trim pot . YOu will get equal output within passive/active mode.
@DavePorterBand13 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching and good to know there's a trim on the preamp. I should have covered that in the video. 🙏
@ronaldfreilich322414 күн бұрын
Silly question but i gotta know. Are there any qualities of the bass that would impede a beginner from learning on and growing into it?
@DavePorterBand13 күн бұрын
Good question! In my opinion, no. I think it's important to start learning on a bass that is set up well (neck relief, action, etc) than learning on one that is set up poorly to avoid learning bad techniques. Thanks for watching!
@simonextremefull15 күн бұрын
Warwick thumb, the best Warwick forever ....
@ottocastillo889115 күн бұрын
You forgot to mention Jamie Muir
@hq72hotmale19 күн бұрын
I just bought the same model just 10 mins ago from a retiring bass player with his laney p150 amp and his kustom 2 x15 bass cab heavy as hell but who can go wrong at total spend off $562.50 aud for the lot bargain also bought a fender pt 100 rack tuner for $40 bucks and an old ibanez analog 18volt delay for $50 im happy gotta love the blazer bass im 57 and still remember back in 1981 as a kid looking at these new at music chains off the day
@DavePorterBand16 күн бұрын
You got a great deal on a bass, head and cabinet! I played through a Kustom head with 2 x 15 cab years ago with the Naugahyde "tuck and roll" covering. Total beast!🤘🏼🤘🏼
@kevinpelepako738120 күн бұрын
I've had a lot of Korean Spectors over the years, as well as Euros and a couple of Woodstock basses and I currently own 10 of them. First, aside from some of the lower end Spectors, the non-recessed cavity cover is just a Spector thing. In fact, when they released the updated USA NS-2s a year or so ago, one of the big deals was that the cavity cover is now recessed - weird, I know. That said, yours also looked scratched up and the plastic looked cheap. Not acceptable. Back to the Korean basses - I think the quality control issues have more to do with the fanned fret neck than anything else. Their regular necks are usually fantastic. On the higher end models, the brass nuts are usually pretty good if not 100% brass like the Euros and USAs. The weak point of the Korean basses has traditionally been their pickups and preamp, and to a lesser extent their tuners. (The plastic bushings usually crack around the 20 year mark). But the necks have always been on the slimmer side, well built so that you don't need to perform many truss rod adjustments, and they have always been well set up. Late last year, I bought a Skyler Acord 5, which is built on a Dimension 5 body but with regular frets. It comes from the factory with Gotoh tuners and a USA bridge. As I said before, the electronics were the weak point, so I went in knowing I was going to swap the Barts out to EMGs (40P5/40DC) and an LHZ Haz clone preamp. That completely changed the character of the bass. The QC on this thing was better than some Euros I've played, and the neck is one of the most comfortable I've ever played regardless of which factory it came from. It has become my #1, beating out my USA's not necessarily in build quality or fancy woods used or attention to small details - the Woodstock basses are true boutique quality - but the total package of playability, tone, and good looks at the $2k price point is very hard to beat ($2300 including upgrades, but it rivals and surpasses many $3-$4k basses). I think the QC issues are for the most part unique to the Dimension line because in my experience, their Korean basses, the neck thrus in particular, have been some of the most consistently well constructed imports that I've played.
@Kolavskaya20 күн бұрын
Superb comparison video. Thanks for all the work - including truss rod adjustments - you put into this shootout!!! You got yourself a new sub (should have done this a while back, TBH). I currently use tape-wound strings, but the core is too light for my bass' ancient passive PUs. Commenting further below on round-core GHS Boomers, which I'm gonna try next, so I might be able to get the gauge back up, plus the fatter core that GHS' tend to have. BTW, round-wound string don't just wear frets down faster, but frets also wear strings down faster. On a fretless, I use round-wounds for absolute ages. I don't even like the sound of brand new strings. And I'm lucky that I have very dry hands, even on stage, even in hot weather, so the strings don't build up grime fast; and a well-aged, fine-grained rosewood fingerboard lets you use round-wounds for many-many months of daily working (when I still did that). Rotosound and GHS do 'half round' strings; they just call them pressure-wound; but same difference. The No.1 player who got me to finally go exclusively fretless for a couple of decades was Mick Karn! Saw him live in 1984 and, whilst I never got a Wal Mk1, I did manage to find the amp he was using. Innovative playing-wise, for me, he was the Jaco of pop, rock and avantgarde (and he'd played with many great artists, and his solo work was mind-blowing). R.I.P. to both of them. Both stunning in their very different and yet similar ways, taking bass playing to an 'out-there' level.
@DavePorterBand16 күн бұрын
Thanks so much for watching and for your reply. I agree, Mick Karn was an incredible bassist and innovator. I should have included him in this video. Thank again!
@michaelb.4211221 күн бұрын
I've had the good luck of owning nearly every 4 string model, and like the foolish, no temperament 25 year old I was I didn't keep them long enough to make an opinion. Well, the silver lining is that I don't have a bunch of Alembics sitting around collecting dust. I own 3 Alembic that between them do anything I want, some are more "Alembic" sounding than others.
@DavePorterBand20 күн бұрын
Awesome, thanks for watching! 🙏
@user-ny8dh2mk7m22 күн бұрын
yes it's $pokane. i have family, friends, former bandmates hockey/curling/lacRosse teamates 'n' cousins who live Rosslyn and Trail. Cheers
@michaelblaney446124 күн бұрын
I had NO problem with my NS Pulse II. ( Korean made) plays great I haven't had to re-set it up like most of the basses I have ever bought
@TheBassManimal26 күн бұрын
I'm a pick player, I love the tone, I use the Tortex .88 Triangle. I think the triangle picks are the absolute best for Bass
@DavePorterBand26 күн бұрын
Triangle is a bold choice, thanks for watching!
@michaelblaney446127 күн бұрын
I think I like the Rounds better , ive used GHS pressure wound a lot on fretless .
@sirsouping29 күн бұрын
not me as a bassist using a 2mm pick and 0.73 mm for faster parts
@SportingDrivesinColoradoАй бұрын
Thanks for putting this together!
@DavePorterBand29 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@fynii9478Ай бұрын
I've been using the .88 ones eversince I started playing with a pick seriously. Bigger, they sound too boomy, and thinner, wouldn't you know it, they don't sound boomy enough.
@dlanodreldaАй бұрын
Wetton was in Family pre KC
@TrikesterHalАй бұрын
I have the fretted version, love it. I play with a ukulele group. However, I stood up one day and the front strap pin went zing (popped right out) and I almost dropped the instrument! (@#$%). The screw was really, really wimpy. I had a luthier replace both screws with longer, more substantial ones. I suggest you check yours! 😮 I'm currently trying to figure how to replace the 9 volt battery with a rechargeable and a jack to charge it. I don't relish being caught with a low battery and taking out those four tiny screws is a pain. Any ideas? What device are you using to alter that tone to sound like a regular bass, is it a stomp box of some kind? I hadn't played a bass since HS. Remember those darn Beatles? Yep, I'm 75 and back in senior music scene. 😊 Thanks for the review. Got to my PC and see the 3Sigma link! I've also got the hollow body GT which is nice and light (built in tuner). It uses two CR2032 batteries in a tiny plugin holder.... I keep several in my case ready! Both are so nice to play with my old, soft fingers. Didn't learn the two finger method and now I use my thumb. I just love playing bass!
@NelsonMontana1234Ай бұрын
Roundwound grind up the fretboard. Flats produce a dull sound. Half Rounds are the worst of both world -- they have drag and no tone. The best string for fretless are the nickel compression series. They're oval shaped roundwounds that have clarity but aren't as abrasive.
@aluisiod1910Ай бұрын
🎉 Very good job man...! Best wishes from Brazil.
@DavePorterBand29 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@garyslavinsky4201Ай бұрын
Thanks for this video. Ive been playing bass since 1963 but I just bought my first fretless (not counting double bass). While waiting for its arrival in 2 days, I've been wondering about the best strings for it. This is a huge help.
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Awesome, I'm glad it was helpful! Enjoy your electric fretless journey and thanks for watching.
@jamesmacleod671Ай бұрын
Ibanez should bring those basses back , it's a classic design, i always wanted a fretless version. I just can't get into their modern thinner basses for sale today.
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
I agree! The newer basses sound great but the older Musician and Roadster series are built like tanks and sound incredible. Thanks for watching!
@obahrey5197Ай бұрын
Great video! Not to be a critic but at 3:18 you pointed to Mel Collins and referred to him as Ian Wallace. Wallace is actually the man below him with the smile. He’s sitting next to Peter Sinfield.
@HalfpastsevenАй бұрын
Sounds awesome!
@robdelabassistАй бұрын
Its gotta be daddario for me :) plus ya get points from player's circle to put towards free stuff ;)
@robdelabassistАй бұрын
Im loving .60 nylon on bass!
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
I just ordered some nylon picks to test out, thanks!
@robdelabassist18 күн бұрын
@@DavePorterBandlooking forward to hearing em :)
@wordsisnukesАй бұрын
wetton was a game-changer. i still enjoy listening to Red in particular for that cranked up bass. what a power trio that was.
@Michael-kx2bnАй бұрын
I am a first-time owner of a 1989 Alembic Elan 4 string bass and am just discovering the range of sounds I can produce with it. It is truly fantastic, and well-built bass and a dream to play! Thank you for the background on these truly iconic basses. This is the most informative background I have come across.
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Hey Michael, welcome to the very distinguished Alembic club!🙏 ... and thanks for watching!
@stevebarnes7353Ай бұрын
I've been using Dunlop Max Grip nylon .73 picks for the last couple of years and I really dig em.
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
I've heard good things about the nylons, I need to try them out. Thanks for watching!
@bassinbob1965Ай бұрын
Wow!! What a great tune!
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Awesome, thanks Bob!🙏🙏🙏
@bassinbob1965Ай бұрын
Great video. Gives specs you can’t find anywhere else. Thanks bud. I appreciate your help
@ever_grey4468Ай бұрын
Please review and maybe compare Schecter Charles Berthoud signature bass with this one!
@butacos1388Ай бұрын
I own StreamerLX4 but I always interest Thumb bass because it’s tone😢
@sonorboy68Ай бұрын
Very cool review! Just found out about the Schecter basses, love the Omen and Hellraiser, such clear guitars. Those Fishman P/U are the bomb. Great value for the money. You rock Dave!👍
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@fabrikk60Ай бұрын
Very good video, I like the emphasis on the bass players. But a few points need to be made. There are certainly more than 4 versions of King Crimson: Version 1, 1969, with Greg Lake [no version], 1970: the next two albums were essentially Fripp & Sinfield albums, with the King Crimson brand questionably printed on them. There was no set Crimson band, nor Crimson live shows. Bass players were visitors to the studio. Version 2, Spring 1971-Spring 1972. With Boz Burrell. Definitely a set Crimson band, with lots of touring. Version 3, Fall 1972-1974. With John Wetton, an entirely new band and all-new music Version 4, 1981-2008., with Tony Levin. You could break this version down into sub-versions, but the music and personnel were all similar. (No albums 2004-2008, but there were a few shows) Version 5, 2014-2021. Tony Levin is back, but this time he had to play the bass lines of 4 earlier Crimson bassists because this version played mostly vintage Crim album music of the past. This version is entirely unique, cannot be grouped-in with earlier versions.
@fabrikk60Ай бұрын
Crimson’s studio albums serve as rough career guideposts, but they do not really define the band at all. This is because Crimson was mainly an *improvisational* band, much more than a composing band. Much of “Larks Tongues” was created onstage well before that album was made. “Starless and Bible Black” is largely a live album, with the audience cropped out. If you took all the pre-2014 live albums and erased everything except the Improvisations, you’d still have enough left over to make a whole lot of releases. And those all-improv releases would be the essential, true Crimson.
@PM-oq6kuАй бұрын
TONE WOOD DOESN'T MATTER WITH ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS. YOU CAN BUILD A GUITAR OUT OF CONCRETE AND IT WOULDN'T SOUND ANY DIFFERENT. Tone wood only matters with accoustic guitars. God damn. Use your brain!
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Plenty of players have proven they DO matter. Honestly, if tone wood didn’t matter, manufacturers would use cheap plastic to produce guitars wouldn’t they? Why waste the money? You know why they don’t? Because tone wood makes a difference.
@MichaelUhlerАй бұрын
Great video! Finally someone with information on this much neglected subject. I just ordered a custom J bass style 30" scale tuned E-E with 14mm string spacing and 2" nut. I think these dimensions will be much more ideal for this instrument than the original bass vi spacing. Such a great tuning, I'm surprised that out of all the instruments you mentioned only the Hooky Bass vi pro has the same spacing I was looking for. I also have a Vader 6 and it is great but there was no leeway with Kiesel to do anything but the 16.5mm spacing at the bridge. Do those Stringjoy strings you got have small bass vi ball ends or regular sized bass ball ends? The Kiesel only seems to be able to fit regular bass sized ball ends.
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Thanks, Michael! I agree the Kiesel isn't ideal and I wish the string spacing was a bit tighter. Here's the worse part, the bridge they use clamps down on the ball end for tuning and they all accept bass size ball ends except the high e string, which is a guitar size ball end. I have to order custom strings from Stringjoy to make it work. They didn't explain this to me during the order so I was pretty disappointed. I hope the J bass you ordered works out, it sounds perfect!
@MichaelUhlerАй бұрын
@@DavePorterBand Thanks! I'll let you know how it goes.
@lignorof8475Ай бұрын
therapist: "moustache-less Tony Levin is not real and he cannot hurt you." moustache-less tony levin: 6:50
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
🤣🤣🤣
@matthewharris2092Ай бұрын
Let's not forget the late great Louis Johnson.
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Thanks!🙏
@1useroneАй бұрын
same here, a squier is sold with a better setup from factory.... I kept mine because I really enjoy it, but definitely it had to spent some times at my luthier's shop.
@Crispy_Music_2024Ай бұрын
Perhaps Spector expects their dealers to do a full setup, including the nut, before selling the instruments? I'm just thinking out loud here. As to the rear cover, that's unacceptable since it is all done on CNC machines and looks to be a standard pattern.
@hotwirebass5078Ай бұрын
I worked on an Ibanez Musician bass from that era, it was neglected but turned out very nice: kzbin.info/www/bejne/haC0k2V8oM5sb6ssi=FVnys9hAGF-gtZWE
@samblazichАй бұрын
This is the best explanation of this pedal I’ve seen on KZbin! Thank you!
@DavePorterBandАй бұрын
Thanks Sam! 🙏
@mariosangermano2 ай бұрын
Round wound on fretless for me. I use Dunlop extra light 30, 40, 60, 80, 100.