G&L Tribute Fallout Bass (short scale) Sound demo and review. This bass sounds HUGE!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2024
- In this unsponsored video, I will demonstrate the sounds from a G&L Tribute series Fallout Bass. This is a 30" short scale bass with a poplar body, maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard. It has a single G&L MFD humbucker pickup with a selector that allows the player to choose between parallel wiring, split/single coil mode or OMG mode. The controls are volume and master tone.
Sounds from the bass will be demonstrated both solo and in the context of a drum track.
The bass was recorded direct through a Line6 Pod Go with my usual GK800RB settings. No EQ or compression was added in post.
*In the drum track example, the basses were level matched as there was a significant volume difference between the pickup settings.
The stock D'Addario nickel roundwounds were used.
00:00 Intro
00:12 Specs
01:51 Sounds
07:33 Track
10:48 Assessment
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I’m 5’ 8” and missing a finger, so shorties are essential to my playing. But nobody in my area carries nicer short scale basses, and there are certainly no G&L dealers anywhere near me. This video have me a really accurate view of the Fallout and for my needs it’s been perfect. Thank you!
Thanks so much for watching!
PS. I have an autoimmune arthritis, so shorties have also been a game changer for me!
Your videos are always really thoughtful and informative. Thanks for the excellent review!
You're so kind! Thank you for watching and for the encouragement! Much appreciated!
Great video. Thank you!
Thanks so much for watching and for the encouragement!
This is a really lovely bass for the money. Thanks for another great review Jonathan.
Solid bass, for sure! Thanks for watching!
Great review Johnathan - thanks!
Thanks so much for the encouragement and for watching!
I have that exact bass, and I love it. It's my usual band practice bass and it does everything I need it to do with that band. Thanks Jonathan
Such a big sounding bass! Thanks for watching! Glad you are enjoying yours!
I have the Kiloton, but am intrigued with this short scale gem. Now I really want one! Love your channel
Thanks so much for watching! The Tribute series, across the range, has been consistently good value for money. Whether the tone is right for you is another story, but quality control of the examples I've tried has always been good.
Thank you! 🙌
Right on! Thanks for watching!
Another fully informative video! I love the sound of this bass but its weight and overall length would put me off! Thanks again for all your efforts.
Thanks for watching and for the encouragement!
Yeah, it’s not that much smaller/scaled down than my precision bass, which for my body, takes away some of the appeal of a short scale bass. But it sounds good though!
Thanks, Jonathan. It sounded great! Now if my local Guitar Center would stock it as it's on my radar
Thanks for watching! Sweetwater likely stocks most of the colours. No affiliate links! At time of typing, Basscentral had a few tributes too. But I totally get wanting to put your hands on one before handing over the credit card! Much of what I am interested in is never available locally where I am, unfortunately.
@jonathanwong458music If not for a family situation, I'd love to do another pilgrimage to Sweetwater, 3 hours away, and try a bunch of basses. For now I have to be satisfied with my Guitar Center 10 minutes away, which is best for used gear. At least I have that. Thanks Jonathan
Hope things level out soon and that your family’s ok.
I am pretty sure the Tribute Line uses the same Fullerton MFD Pickups and Bridge, it's just everything else they cheap out on but regardless this is terrific value as Import basses usually come with cheaper hardware than their American counterparts from the same company. Thanks Jonathan 🍺
All the tribute models (Asian made) I’ve tried have been consistently well built. Whether one likes the tone or the appearance is another story, but the quality control has always been good.
Thanks for watching!
Finally more info about this bass, I wonder what’s the difference between this and the deluxe USA bass
Thanks for watching! The US made necks feel a tad less thick in profile, and the finish feels more upscale. The wood also has a bit more of a tint to it. The tribute necks are more pale coloured. So it looks less expensive, if you will. Having said that, the tribute necks feel just fine and will likely perform just fine in the long run. But side by side, you’ll see the difference.
You might also get slightly less variation in weights in the US made. The tributes are on the heavier side.
Of the tributes I’ve hand my hands on, quality control had been very good.
Thanks for watching!
Not bad for Poplar, love the scale . . . tone to my ears is ialmost 'active' . . . always wondered about the MFD pickups
It does kinda sound active with the bass boosted, doesn't it? Minus the EMG preamp style zing and ping. I'm not sure how they wind the MFD pickups but it has that overwound, smooth and compressed sort of sound. Would probably sound great with distortion/fuzz. Definitely overpowers the body wood. I'd like to try the MFDs on a 2x4, just to see what happens!
Thanks for watching!
Good catch on the bridge placement! Something I never thought to look out for before. So now I have a question, with the bridge placed slightly towards the left how does it feel when fretting E1 compared to something more conventional like your Mustang? Do you feel more stretched out? Does it make you feel like you're playing a 32" instead?
Oh yes, please do a demo with drop tuning for those of us playing the heavier genre. Great job as always Jonathan, silky smooth playing.
ps: The headstock though, now that's the real OMG (not in a good way).
Thanks so much for watching! Yeah, the whole bass on my lap feels more stretched out, in comparison to my 30" mustang. I just measured....arm position fretting the 1st fret on the G&L fallout is like fretting the 2nd fret on my 34" Precision bass (sitting). The way the Fenders are proportioned, it's a 2 fret difference (34 vs 30"), so your idea of it stretching similar to a 32" scale is right on - in terms of arm stretch. The finger stretch is otherwise the same as a 30" scale mustang. The G&L feels like a big bass. It weighs more than my green P bass!
Re headstock, haha....guess George and Leo had to add the extra point to avoid lawsuits!
I'll try to get a drop and down tuning video in a few weeks! Stay tuned!
Your videos are great, especially for short scale. Thank you and Help! I am a beginner, practicing short helps me to concentrate on rhythm, then I go to reg scale (something I havent heard others do). My favorite and one I own is Sterling by MM. I have owned an American Performer Mustang & Schecter Banshee,. Fender was too loose, Banshee had fret buzz all the time, neither could do drop tuning. My only issue with MM is to my ear it sounds muddy - no mids and highs. Sounds like G&L can do drop tuning, but you said there is not much tone difference. Since you have both, can you compare tone range? I play 90s rock, so not too much soft music. Thank you.
Thanks for watching and for the encouragement!
I recently made a G&L fallout down-tune video you may be interested in. Here's a link:
th-cam.com/video/r7Dmbs7Qq3Y/w-d-xo.html
I had a similar 'muddy' experience when I shot the Sterling short scale. It lacked zing compared to my Atelier Z. Maybe it was dead strings, but it didn't sound 'alive' enough for me.
If you are looking for definition with either drop tuning or down-tuning, I think the presence of a bridge p/u really helps, otherwise, it can sound muddy and not articulate enough.
Unfortunately, most basses on this channel get sold off in order to fund the next video so I don't have the sterling or the G&L anymore to do a head to head for you. Overall, however, I think the G&L on single coil mode sounds more 'alive' between these two and would be the setting I would use. The OMG mode is just a ball of mud for me. Might be ok if you used a pick.
One thing you could try: Get a full scale 34" bass, and tune it down to D standard (D-G-C-F). When you need open E or A, put a capo on the 2nd fret and you'll have a short scale bass. I do that with my 5 string and have a video on that too!
parallel 2:50 - 9:09
single 4:32 - 9:39
OMG 6:09 - 10:10
Thanks for watching!
Have you reviewed a Guild Starfire 1 bass? That's another short scale I would love to hear your thoughts on.
I have not yet seen one in the flesh…..hopefully soon, it looks great!
Thanks for watching!
It is heavy, but sounds great. The Gibson Les Paul jr is much lighter with a larger price tag.
Thanks for watching! The one example of the Gibson I tried had a funny balance. I think the G&L is probably more versatile too.
Hi Jonathan. I believe I was one of your viewers who asked if you could do a review of the G&L Fallout bass, so thanks. I really like mine (mine is the black model). I am wondering what this bass would sound like with flatwound strings. But also how that would compare with either the Fender and/or Squier Mustang with flatwounds. That would be an interesting review. I am thinking about buying another one of these but replacing the stock D'Addario roundwounds with flatwounds. Wondering if perhaps this might be the best of both worlds, if that makes any sense.
That’s a good idea! I’ll see what I can do for you! I’ve been wanting to shoot something with the GHS flats for short scale, but was hesitant to pull any of my existing flats off. (I leave them on until they break). May be a few weeks, as they’ll need some time to settle.
Flats will sound good on the G&L but I hypothesize that it won’t sound as ‘vintage’ and ‘papery’ as say a precision would due to the MDF pickup. It’s a broader frequency spectrum, so I think it will be a more modern flats sound/more sustainy and less initial attack with a less rapid drop off. Standby!
I run Labella 760FL-S Deep Talkin flats on my Fallout, i absolutely love them.
Hi Jonathan. You and I have been talking about the G&L Fallout bass for a while. I'm looking forward to your upcoming video on it with flatwound strings. Speaking of which, have you any experience with La Bella Low Tension Flats? Gauges are .042 / .056 / .075 / .100. Also, what are the pros and cons of putting flatwounds on an acoustic bass?
I liked the Labella low tension flats. They feel more similar to the Thomastik flats compared to other flat brands. A little rougher in texture but similar in tension and feel. They, however, seem to have less midrange presence compared to the TIs. A little more 'boring', for lack of a better descriptor. I personally prefer the TIs but they are at least 50% more expensive than those Labellas.
The flats for the Fallout are in transit! Stay tuned.
Re acoustic bass. I'm not that well versed with guitar-looking acoustic basses. I did play electric upright for a while, though. My understanding is that the phosphor bronze type acoustic strings sound a little louder and brighter acoustically (not amped) which is helpful when playing by yourself. Practically speaking, nobody will hear you in a group setting unless you're plugged in. Provided the neck and top can handle the tension of flatwounds (and if they fit in the nut and bridge pin slots, I don't see why you couldn't try flats, but I also have no experience with doing that. They'll likely be quieter in acoustic volume (my guess).
Great review. You've also mentioned the BIG sound of the G2220. How does it stack up to this GL?
Thanks for watching! I found the G&L tribute to be more articulate and brighter in a ‘long scale’ sort of way. More ‘ping’ to the note. It actually sounds remarkably similar to a long scale.
The Gretsch’s pickups on the other hand had more of a high frequency ‘clank’ and less of a ‘ping’ if that makes sense. It sounded more consistent with a shorter scale in that way.
I had D’addario XLs on both in their respective videos, so strings were consistent. Really depends on what tones you’re after. I didn’t like how the Gretsch balanced and sat on my thigh, though. Thanks for asking!
Your opinion of the G2220 seems to match mine. I have one. After long practice sessions I found it got uncomfortable. A disappointment. I bought an inexpensive Mitchell MB100. After fret dressing and setup it is more comfortable. I'm really enjoying it. I may get a similar design in a better quality instrument. The Gretsch is a beauty though.
Definitely looks great. Has that classic les Paul type single cut vibe.
@@jmat45sr6I had both the current junior jet and the earlier single pickup version...ultimately, I sold both because they just weren't good enough to keep even after upgrades...bought the shortscale hollowbody instead and though it's a certified neckdiver it sounds and plays like a professional instrument and looks gorgeous with the bigger fretboard inlays and all that binding
Jason, I'm beginning to understand why so many bassist have multiple basses ; )
Great review. I find the series option way over the top. I am more a single (split) coil fan anyway, and on the few humbucker basses I have I've put a 3way switch for a coil 1,coil 2 and parallel option. Even then the parallel sound setting tends to be a bit muffled and undefined to my ears. Single coil all the way for me. When I want 'in your face' I crank up the amp, but my band mates don't really appreciate that 🙄
I agree with you! OMG mode is a bit much, and when you level match it (like I did in the track) and take away the initial dopamine rush of added volume, the tone lacks clarity, for me. On this bass, I liked the single coil mode the best! It had the most clarity and wasn't too wooly in the lows and low mids. This experience has sparked new ideas for the Bronco!
Thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458musicOf the basses I have with s/p or s/p/sc switching, I end up preferring parallel in the long run...more clarity and still hum cancelling...sometimes series sounds best at the start, but the novelty of higher output wears off when I get to a busy musical passage that sounds way too muddy
@@jasondorsey7110 Agree - I had made a similar comment earlier, that once you level match the OMG mode with the others, where you take away the rush you get with a volume boost, it just becomes a muddier sound.
@@jonathanwong458music It's a weird thing, to associate more volume with a better sound, but I fell for it too...till I started to go back and listen more critically, and found myself confronted with the hard truth that sometimes more is less
@@jasondorsey7110 I hear you. It’s like how the active preamp bass boost ‘always’ makes players giddy with joy! One of the reasons I like passive basses. And I dislike batteries that die mid song!
great video mate, im wondering.. compared to a mustang, what is the string tension like on this bass?
Thanks for watching! The scale lengths between the Fallout and the mustang are the same, so for the same set/gauge of strings, the actual or measured string tension should be the same, if tuned to the same pitch. *However, I think you are talking about the 'perceived' string tension. Some people would say that the string through Mustangs would have a higher string tension for the same string gauge. The string tree on the G&L is a little further away compared to my PJ mustang, so there's a little less downward pressure on the D and G strings. So many variables!
*My answer: although I cannot say why, or the science behind it, in my hands, I find the 'perceived' string tension to be a bit higher on this G&L than on my other mustangs, string-through or not. I don't know why! But the Fallout feels more taught and has more 'resistance' to the same plucking pressure.
Thanks for the reply man, appreciated. Very informative man. I had a jmj mustang and I sold it because the string tension just felt too loose. Regardless of if I used flatwounds or roundwounds. I’m gonna test one of these fallout basses out soon.
Right on! The JMJ came stock with fender flats. Could try Labella deep talkin flats if you want high tension flats.
yeah man i tried them, sounded amazing but still felt a little loose. i think its my play style with short scales to be honest, ive just purchased a 34 inch scale 1983 westone thunder 1a bass. japanese made at the matsumoku factory and i instantly love it. very interesting bass, sounds like a p bass but with active/passive, and a coil tap switch. and built like a tank haha@@jonathanwong458music
@@MsRich118 sounds like a cool axe!
Rather heavy and large for a short scale.
I agree with your comment. Takes away some of the physical advantages of a shorter/smaller instrument. But it does sound huge!
Thanks for watching!
#62_HopeYouAreWell_LoveYourWork_except_DI_wouldHelpMeHearBetter_🇺🇸🇬🇧🇮🇱✝️
Thanks for watching and commenting. In all my videos, the bass is always recorded direct. My Line6 setting is very close to 'straight to the board', albeit slightly warmer in the lows.
#63_QuestionToAll_WhereIsCuttingToneAndOutput_Usefull❓🇺🇸🇬🇧🇮🇱✝️
Cutting the output is useful in between songs or when you are trying to tune silently (eg. with a headstock tuner). It is also useful in quieter sections of a song. Thirdly, slightly rolling down the volume also rolls a little high end off, so you can get a bit of tonal variation.
The tone pot/control, for me, is one of the most important controls. Different songs require varying degrees of high end content from the bass. Between the tone pot setting and hand/plucking position, one can get a variety of different sounds from the same bass.