Nolan G I'd wondered the same thing. Definitely preferred the sound of the Moolon though, it's got some bite to it. I bought a 1980 aria pbass 18 mths ago. $700 AUD. It's got some serious growl.
It's funny that you say that because my understanding is that a P-Bass is the preferred Bass for metal (if you were choosing from Jazz or P). I think most metal players nowadays use active basses. Play what makes you happy though, no reason you can't rock out on a J-Bass.
Idk, i just thought the Jazz one was more suitable for metal than Precision just because none of my favourite bassists are using Precision but you're right, the P-Bass sound sounds a bit heavier indeed, i still prefer the Jazz though, it just sounds better in general in my opinion
Congratulations on the new studio, Scott! There are few things more exciting in life that creating a new space custom to the needs of your creative expressions. I'm buzzing on your excitement and looking forward to following your adventures here!
But in all honesty Scott, thanks for your lessons. ive become that much more of a bassist thanks to a lot of the information you share with us fellow bassists. so, thanks, a lot
I bought a Moollon bass because I had played one from my teacher here in LA and I liked the feel and vibe. My complaint is that for that price point it was lacking a bit. After a while I took it to my "guy" Mo here in LA who works with high end basses because the humidity finally did a number which was to be expected. The problem that the tech pointed out was for that price the frets needed to "be dressed" (smoothed and rounded), which he expected to be done during production so that it was smooth and easy to play. He also pointed out a number of flaws in the finish and said that it had not been treated long enough and it resulted in flaws. So of course it made me think that paying that much you would expect not to have those kinds of issue. It sounds great and has some great qualities but I wanted to put in my two cents worth. In fact, I'm selling it for a great price.
I think this is a perfect review of the difference between a cheaper bass and a more expensive bass. I have two Warwicks (a p/j combo pro series and a custom neck thru $$) and an active j-style Rockbass by Warwick. The difference in sound is in the variety of sound. The expensive ones have active/passive switches and better tone controls. The biggest reason to have a more expensive instrument is for the musician, not the audience. The finishes are just nicer and it makes the instrument a little more playable. Like smoother fret ends, a faster neck, more comfortable body, or glow in the dark side dots. You can definitely gig a cheaper instrument, you will just enjoy the ride more with a more finished instrument.
I have inexpensive basses under $400, Squire PBass, SX Fretless Jazz, Fender Blacktop Jazz. All serve me well. I back many different artists from Country, Rock, Reggie, Folk, Standard Jazz, Smooth Jazz, and Contemporary Worship music. I love playing all kinds of music. I also play guitar, which is really my main instrument, I got more gigs playing bass (go figure). I have joined a few FB groups to follow the responses on the Sire Bass. Most notably what modifications are necessary if any and if people are disappointed in their purchase. I can honestly say I don't hear much bad and very rarely do I see used ones for sale. If I do they are almost at full price. I played the M3 $299 model not plugged in and fit and finish was nice and it sounded pretty good with good sustain. Just as Scott demonstrates in the video. Unfortunately I wasn't able to plug into amp at the time. I'm thinking about buying three Sires. Just can't make up my mind on colors. Hahahahaha!
I have a Marcus Miller V7 jazz bass (5 strings) and a Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn Signature, also played a lot of american Fenders (Deluxe, Custom Shop, etc). The Lakland is lighter and more confortable, it's easier to adjust and stuff, but the Marcus Miller has an ASTONISHING sound and the finish is very nice. Ridiculous quality for that money, really. Buy a dozen.
I've got a Sire V7 and looove it. If you don't want to spend over $1000 on a nice jazz the Sire has got it all and more. The passive tones on it are even enough for me but the preamp is ridiculous and provides so much versatility.
I've got a Nash 63 P Bass and I love it. I ordered a Moollon bass but ran across the Nash bass and bought it before the Moollon arrived. Now I play the Nash all the time and the Moolon is almost untouched ( I like the Moollon, don't get me wrong). The Nash immediately feels worn in and comfortable AND you don't have to worry about banging up or dinging the finish. I got two nicks on the Moollon because the Nitro finish is so sensitive. The Nash is definitely worth checking out and comes in under the Moollon price.
that s great! You should do this a lot! Since most the followers are amateur musicians and do not have high budget, this kind of videos helps us a lot! Thanks again Scott!
I have owned and built many basses and never found body wood to affect badly the sound, it always seemed to reside in the neck wood, yet in most cases issues were in the hardware or bolt-on area. Basses have different vibes like a woman, which is why I ain't married! LOL! But my fav over-all go-to bass is a F Jazz I pieced together for about $300 with parts from eBay - go figure.
"when you cant afford either of these " tonnes of music shops offer layaway and or financing .. also getting a better job never hurt anyones pocket book either
Player makes the instrument and not the other way around... I used to be a real snob when it came to guitars now I just follow my gut. I'm learning to appreciate imperfections in instruments these days; they force you to play differently in order to adapt to a instruments short comings and it can really add to your individual style. Anyway... enjoy your new bass scott, sounds awesome!
nice guitars! If you want to brighten up your SD-equiped guitar, put a 0.047uF cap in series with the pickup hot lead. You can also measure the volume pot kohms with a meter and find one in the same target but measures higher kohms (pots have a 20% range), or go up to the next common size 250k->500k->1Meg. I find you can always use the tone knob on a 'bright' guitar but it won't fix muddy. Great studio space.
When I saw the 900 vs 2400 title, I thought of a few basses Scott might be comparing, but I immediately thought, "When is he going to check out a Moollon?" Lo and behold!
the nate mendell sounds so big and deep, love the red as well. The moollon sounds super punchy and and all around solid though, they are both great in my op.
Hi The problem I have with sound comparisons is that the strings on each guitar tends to be different, also one set tends to be older strings than the other. I wish that people who do comparisons would use fresh new strings of the same brand on both guitars, then a true sound comparison can be made. Anyway, beautiful guitars, beautiful playing, you're a top bloke! Thanks for the video. Bless.
Awesome new studio. We should all make a bet about how many times your going to crack your head on those beams!! haha! I would have loved to hear your Fender Custom Relic thrown into the mix. How do you find that bass compares to the other two?
Awesome! I love Nate Mendel's sound, but your final argument was the same as mine: NM with some compressor can sound pretty similar to Moollon, but you'll never get the Moollon sound with NM. But both are awesome and beautiful!
When did you last change the strings on the Nate Mandel? The Moolon, does seem to have newer strings on her, which will make it brighter. Of course you know that, but it may have "coloured" (for lack of a better term) the comparison a bit.
Hey Scott... you should give the Yamaha BB line a shot if you get the chance... the tone's somewhat similar to a P-bass with a bridge pickup but with a bunch of extra resonance.
Same here. I have short, stumpy fingers so the thinner neck basses are easier for me to play.. I Really like the fatter tone of a precision, and the punchiness of a Jazz. (I do own a mid 80's MIM Fender Jazz) so I am wanting to build a P/J bass... would you show us in a later video the sound difference between the P, J and the P/J and explain the differences... From reading thus far I believe a P/J has a Precision body, with a Jazz neck and an added Jazz bass bridge pickup.. Could you maybe show us the physical and the tonal differences before I dump money into one.... I am planning to build one of my own... Thanks..
I’m currently looking at a Nate bass on eBay, not sure whether or not to buy it as I already have a Fender Flea bass and don’t want to be all “signature” series.
Great Blog , but you could have said more about the neck. The width of the neck was mentioned, there was also a passing mention on how slim one of the bass necks was, but... Here's the thing, I learned to play on the Hohner The Jack, and ever since i have sought a thicker profiled neck. The trouble is most modern bass are the thin C profiled necks which i find a strain. This could be about muscle memory, or the fact i have big hands and so 'pinching' a thin neck doesn't help me. What i find hard to convey is the size of the neck profile i had on The Jack. Can you help with this area of information. Also is there a 'hack' for increasing the neck profile. I've tried adding layers of gaffer tape, but i can't help wondering if this problem doen't already have a solution which i don't yet know about. Is there something you can add to the backside of the neck to increase its thickness? And yes i am being serious. Also if you could do a blog on the ideal setup of a bass it would help everyone get the most out of their bass.
I also prefer the sound of the more expensive bass but I wonder how much of a difference there would be if you swapped the quarter pounders for a proper vintage style pickup like the spb-1
Ive noticed on my Fender Mexican Jazz bass the 5th fret on the G string goes dead very quickly and when distortion is on pretty full on its turns into a harmonic.
The Nate Mendel has a distinct mid-focus to its sound. I'd wonder how it would do in a band context. It may be a situation where bright rounds on the Mendel and flats on the Moolon would get them closer to each other or even just sound good, irrespective of comparisons.
How about a 4 string vs 5 string shoot out? American Fender basses (Jazz and Precision) come in both 4 and 5 strings. I was wondering if you could do a shoot out between am American Elite vs itself and American Pro vs itself?
*** A good tip for Opening a package box: Press the box to you chest with the tape going forward in front of you. Put both hands around the box with hands on either side of where the tape ends. Then take you hands and press the box in and you'll see the tape separate from the box. Just pull the tape off and the box should still be in good condition. NOW I should mention this is better with lighter, a little more hollower boxes like amazing packages and boxes of food/snacks. I haven't tried it on large packages like guitars & cases. But still, you should try it.
Thanks Scott. I think both basses have their place, but I agree with your comment about darkening a twangy tone. I love to do that myself. I'm curios though, how the basses would sound, if they both had a new set of the same strings. The red bass sounds like it has an old set on it, to my ears.
Hi Scott! Happy new bass day! Did the choice of a Moollon have anything to do with the recent visit from Rufus Philpot and his Moollon jazz? I like the new P and the color...maybe a pearl black pickguard? Cheers from Indy, USA '):
I have been arguing about tone wood with many amateur lately. Obviously on a bass it has a whole lot of influence, on guitar too but high pitch notes vibrations seems to sound anyways. Low tones however relies on the neck to propagate the vibration to the body. Poplar has that nice warm fat tone, very responsive. I would like to make a cherry wood bass in a near future. It's said to have a nice ton, like an acoustic bass. I will carve a bass and a guitar in a near future.
My solid electric guitar has two G notes that are weaker, and when I play those notes, they are actually very loud acoustically and die earlier. So technically they resonate more. Just sharing my experience, being curious about how to solve this thingy.
I'm a regular 6-stringer, only really "messed around" with the bass... but recently I've really started taking it seriously and really enjoying it (mostly because I bought a brand new Epiphone Tobias IV, absolute beauty). And you've become my go-to guy for anything bass, from beginner stuff to the stuff I'm hearing you say now (about the resonance in the wood, and I agree). It's an honour and a privilege to have a bass pro as my tutor, available 24/7 (it's 1:44am right now. lol). Thank you for what you do. I'm certain I'm not the only one who appreciates your videos. Please keep it up. And P.S. I recently watched the movie Split with James McAvoy, and you guys are like twins. lol
Scott, I saw that Moolon has different options for colors, is your precision bass Inca Silver, plus Red Sparkle pickguard? I love the combination you chose!
Hello Scott. Did you try to compare both instruments in the recording? In the same arrangement? I often came across the fact that cheap instruments solo sound nice, but in the recording are lost ... sorry for my English))
I really dig the way those basses sound that don't have the tuners on the headstock. damn what are those called again? they aren't even made of wood I think theyre composite or graphite or something. they were big in the 80s. they have a thick ass sound.oh yeah Steinburgh basstite
Just a thought on this one-if Fender have produced a signatory model, it means that they´ve tailored the bass to that individuals tastes. This might explain why the Fender has these darker tones and cant "match" the width of the Moullon (?), whereas if you chose a standard Precision, you might have a like for like comparison which you could more fairly compare. Anyway, I always wonder why these other manufacturers just copy the Fender flagship models, why cant they come up with something else themselves? Just my thoughts...didnt cost a penny
Can you speak to the spacing difference between your overwater jazz that is 16.5mm and those P'a are 19 i think? I too have a 16.5mm 4 string Alembic..I think i like that spacing doesn't get so wide when playing near the heal of the neck...What about you? Also does it feel a little or a lot difference on the right hand jumping from string to string? Oh and lastly, do you wish you had a 16.5mm P bass?
I got me 5...2 Mexis and 3 Squires...they all sound different and I like them all...the Squire CV 50's Precision sounds especially good thru a B-Dec 30...why would that be?
I like the sound in both, but I kind of prefer the red one. I don't play bass myself but I'm bass curious 😛. Wold love to try and learn. I play a little guitar and piano but always loved the sound of the bass.Any recommendations for a good bass to start out on for learning?
Hey, Scott, how about compare you new Moollon with your new RocknRoll Relics? Same price range and so beautiful basses should be competitive! Anyway thanks for so great review!
Hey Scott, great comparison! I'm new into this bass guitar thing, I've been playing guitar since the day I born basicly, but recently I got into bass and I'm loving it. I have a question regarding 12'' speakers... Can a 12'' speaker on a nice cabinet, have a great volume output for a small gig... a small venue with 100 to 150 people.
I bought a GK Neo 2-12 cab (with a MB Fusion 800) and it gets pretty loud. I think it's rated at about 400 watts, so it matches the 8ohm output of the head. Not my first choice, but I wanted a cab that was light weight for my back (it's only about 50lbs) and one that was loud enough for small gigs. I would have preferred something Ampeg, but ended up with what suits me. One KEY thing is - your drummer MUST know how to control his/her volume! Just pounding hard on drums does not make you a good drummer - that only puts all of the band members at odds with each other. My first band (eons ago) was too loud - I was getting drowned out with my little 150 watt, 1-15" Peavey Combo amp. I hope you find what suits you well and stay in the shed. P.S. The Talkbass.com forum taught me a lot.
Michael Scheitlin thanks a lot for the feedback... I tryed a tc electronic 250w head on a 2x10 and did very well, actually it sounded huge, really enjoyed that kit, but I was wondering if a single 12 speaker could handle the job... The cab should be way lighter I guess..
As I have read on the TalkBass forum over an over, the output of a single speaker will work, BUT - it all depends on so many things - What music is being played, how loud the drummer & other musicians are and the room itself. If it's a closed bar sound bounces and echos. If it's outside, sound keeps going. I have looked into the Aguilar 1x12's and found that there are different versions. The more expensive ones have better specs - to get louder. But, it's still a single 1x12 and it depends on your band. In the end, it's all about Moving Air. The more speaker area, the more air moved. If you get a good 12" speaker, you can always add another one later; just make sure you know how the wattage of your amp head will match up to it/them.
I have 4 basses. a used US P-bass that cost me 800 euros. A Yamaha RBX 300 that cost me $300 (I've had it for 20 years), an 5 string Infinity (60 euros + 1 euro for used Ibanez pickups, the stock ones were terrible) and a 5 euros fretless something _and_ other (literally! An Aria Pro II neck stuck onto a nondescript body I had to carve for fit) They all play great.
Man I love this show …🙂 I would love to see a head to head comparison between a Fender P. and a Stingray in the same price range. Highlight where they excel & how they compare ???
Interesting point about the body resonance, my father bought a fretless bass a while back and claims that there's a span of 2-3 frets on one of the strings that feels 'dead.' Makes you appreciate the craftsmanship of instruments just that little bit more to know what goes into making them sound full with any frequency! Congrats for the killer new bass and thanks for the video!
hey Scott how's it going I hope all is well. whichever base you decide that you don't want let me know I'll be more than happy to come by and pick it up from you...lol my favorite sounding bass is my 1982 mij Fender precision all original it just has that sound you know what I mean.... thank you so much for all that you do
are they both 1.65" (or is it 1.625"?) nut width? I love the sound of p-bass but vastly prefer the 1.5" Jazz neck nut width. Before I had to sell the MJT body, I was trying to save up to buy a nice Jazz bass style neck. I had already gone through 2 used necks only to find both had either the dreaded S-curve or ski jumps that could not be dialed out with the truss rod. Very frustrating. and as I typed that I see to my right a video about "The Jazz bass vs. Precision bass thing...?" Going to watch that after lunch. Love you videos, discovered them last week. Thanks for the great vibes.
Could the lack of resonance you get in some basses that exists on a particular string possibly be due to that string actually being dead? Not enough bass players crimp the end of the string after they cut it to prevent this. It seems like the E string would be the most prone to that sort of failure as well. Are the symptoms similar enough to blow your theory? Great videos! Thanks for all you do.
Why waste $2,400 on a new P bass when you already have 3 or more p basses, and could just have changed the pickups on your Nate Mendel bass? (Honest Question) I love p basses, but to me, most of them sound almost exactly the same, even cheap chinese copies. The location of the pickup defines almost 80% of the p bass sound, the rest is strings and technique.
José Ortega Beede I can relay agree with you! P basses is mostly pickup placement and the split split coil in contrary to the single coil that give it its signature sound. Of course all pickups sound different but the P bass sweetspot gives it the sound that makes you say "that's a p bass for sure" when you hear it
Aside from the horrible headstock shape (criticising it caused a lot of discomfort at the TalkBass forum although it certainly isn’t a piece of art), is what you hear on the videos really worth a 1500$ price difference? I fully agree with Jose Ortega ... also, where is the Custom Shop Scott ordered from the Fender CS? I believe he didn’t like the chunky 50’s neck ... why he ordered a ‘50s model then? He could have installed a jazz neck on it ... bah ... anyway the F-bass PJ he recently pulled out is probably the best ... in that case I can understand the price difference
I really enjoyed your a/b test. Is the signal chain directly from the Vanderkley to the cam Mic? what would you advise to record a Pbass with ampeg tone ? I read good things about the reddi DI.
I personally think the red bass was funkier sounding... Like heavier... I can see darker, but for funk purpose, i like heavy. I think the silver one had great tones for both jazz and funk both even though ive seen more funk on a p bass. Scott you put up some great works, i been watching for bout a year but I'm not subscribed because i am a conga player, its just a dream to play bass. Anyone care to discuss that?
I owned a '68 P bass I bought when I was 20, back in the early '80's. Unfortunately it was stolen out of a club when we were on break, and yet NO ONE saw who stole it.
why would you want the body to resonate? That would mean that the string loses a lot of energy very quickly. With electric guitars/basses you dont want them to resonate at all.
I'd buy the Nate (cheaper one) because the differences in the expensive P aren't worth all that extra money in my opinion. Okay it may sound a bit better but hey, EQ on the amp exists for a reason. Just my thoughts, great video as usual!
The Moollon resonates much more fully and "piano-like" indeed compared to the Fender Nate, which is not to say that Moollon is superior to Fender. The Nate is one of Fender's lower end import models made in Mexico. Excellent bass for that price point but no comparison to the specs of the Moollon. I have a Fender '63 P-bass vintage reissue with custom vintage split single-coil pickup wound in the same spec from that era and it resonates much the same as you describe the Moollon. Congratulations on your new Moollon - it is a beautiful instrument! SBL has grown remarkably over the past several years and it is indeed an excellent source for all things bass - the courses are awesome. Continued success - well deserved.
Scott, I like the sound of the new bass b/c of the pre CBS wound pickups. Both sound really good and I suppose I would use them for different gigs. On another note any future plans to do lessons on fretless bass? I play a fretless Tony Franklin.
Can you do a Jazz Bass comparisson as well? I own an SX J-Bass myself and I deffinitely LOVE it. I'd like to know more about different brands, sounds and tips about this kind of bass. Greetings from Argentina!!
I'm playing a Squier P in a big band for swing. (Heavy-gauge flats, tone off). I was wondering, what is your take on basses for big bands? What does the job for you?
Nice review Scott :) I personally have an Nate Mendel and Swap pickups for a more vintage sound with Seymour Duncan SB1. Still hard to compare instruments with different hardware, strings brand age etc...But in the end is the feel and the vibes that counts...
Yep, the Resonance youre on about is the woods "Natural Frequency" by nature some notes cause a large oscillation in the body, they have the same frequency as the natural frequency of the wood and therefore cause the wood's particles to oscillate at a maximum amplitude (felt as the body 'resonance'). I'm not really sure why that worries you, maybe if the bass resonates well its because all of the peices are well joined so not a lot of vibrational (well kinetic) energy is lost through each join, and so a not sturdy base won't transfer those vibration well, but as far as certain notes causing a noticeable vibration in the body it's to do with the sound waves being of the same Freq as the natura Freq of the wood, which in reality is neither good nor bad. maybe I wildly misinterpreted what you were on about but hopefully not lol
Video advertised in description actually begins at 7:45
Oqsy God bless you
Oh hell, somebody call the police! We have to arrest Scott for that!
Don't you love that moment when you get that long box with the nice new bass inside?
Does the fender have older strings? Usually that makes your bass sound darker.
The strings on both basses are brand new Nolan - although they are different brands (I almost got it right, lol!)
hi Scott. thanks for the vid and all your lessons. on a neck to neck comp, shouldn't there be two same brand/type strings?
Nolan G I'd wondered the same thing. Definitely preferred the sound of the Moolon though, it's got some bite to it. I bought a 1980 aria pbass 18 mths ago. $700 AUD. It's got some serious growl.
Nolan G I have flatwound strings or whatever u call it
Nolan G I've had experience with that one muted string compared to the rest and I've found it wasa problem the string Everytime
Today Im gonna compare a bass you can't afford and another bass you really really can't afford.
Keep in mind that the Moollon has a Macassar Ebony fretboard, not rosewood, like the Fender.
and that none of their basses cost 900$....
I think the Moollon has a Macassar ebony fingerboard, but tailored to sound like a pre-CBS Fender
The Moollon is beautiful. Love that 'dolphin' gray with the brown pickguard.
What you like more, youtuber?? Jazz Bass or Precission Bass?? The Fender sound or the Moollon sound?? Personal opinion right down her!!
I prefer the Jazz Bass because i'm more of a metalhead, i really don't like precision basses but in this video i prefer the Moollon over the Fender
It's funny that you say that because my understanding is that a P-Bass is the preferred Bass for metal (if you were choosing from Jazz or P). I think most metal players nowadays use active basses. Play what makes you happy though, no reason you can't rock out on a J-Bass.
Oh, i didn't know that. I just looked up my favourite metal bassists and none of them were using P-Basses :DD
Idk, i just thought the Jazz one was more suitable for metal than Precision just because none of my favourite bassists are using Precision but you're right, the P-Bass sound sounds a bit heavier indeed, i still prefer the Jazz though, it just sounds better in general in my opinion
Either one is fine with me. The two basses that everyone copies sooner or later.
Congratulations on the new studio, Scott! There are few things more exciting in life that creating a new space custom to the needs of your creative expressions. I'm buzzing on your excitement and looking forward to following your adventures here!
Nigga balls
a proper comparison would be to make sure they both had the exact same set of new strings on them...
But in all honesty Scott, thanks for your lessons. ive become that much more of a bassist thanks to a lot of the information you share with us fellow bassists. so, thanks, a lot
My pleasure Andrew! Keep groovin man :)
I like the "darker" vibe on red one. :D
It's more "wooden", I guess...
I bought a Moollon bass because I had played one from my teacher here in LA and I liked the feel and vibe. My complaint is that for that price point it was lacking a bit. After a while I took it to my "guy" Mo here in LA who works with high end basses because the humidity finally did a number which was to be expected. The problem that the tech pointed out was for that price the frets needed to "be dressed" (smoothed and rounded), which he expected to be done during production so that it was smooth and easy to play. He also pointed out a number of flaws in the finish and said that it had not been treated long enough and it resulted in flaws. So of course it made me think that paying that much you would expect not to have those kinds of issue. It sounds great and has some great qualities but I wanted to put in my two cents worth. In fact, I'm selling it for a great price.
I think this is a perfect review of the difference between a cheaper bass and a more expensive bass. I have two Warwicks (a p/j combo pro series and a custom neck thru $$) and an active j-style Rockbass by Warwick. The difference in sound is in the variety of sound. The expensive ones have active/passive switches and better tone controls. The biggest reason to have a more expensive instrument is for the musician, not the audience. The finishes are just nicer and it makes the instrument a little more playable. Like smoother fret ends, a faster neck, more comfortable body, or glow in the dark side dots. You can definitely gig a cheaper instrument, you will just enjoy the ride more with a more finished instrument.
Scott, have you ever played the Marcus Miller Sire Bass?
I've the same question... there's a bit of a hype around Sire
I have inexpensive basses under $400, Squire PBass, SX Fretless Jazz, Fender Blacktop Jazz. All serve me well. I back many different artists from Country, Rock, Reggie, Folk, Standard Jazz, Smooth Jazz, and Contemporary Worship music. I love playing all kinds of music. I also play guitar, which is really my main instrument, I got more gigs playing bass (go figure). I have joined a few FB groups to follow the responses on the Sire Bass. Most notably what modifications are necessary if any and if people are disappointed in their purchase. I can honestly say I don't hear much bad and very rarely do I see used ones for sale. If I do they are almost at full price. I played the M3 $299 model not plugged in and fit and finish was nice and it sounded pretty good with good sustain. Just as Scott demonstrates in the video. Unfortunately I wasn't able to plug into amp at the time. I'm thinking about buying three Sires. Just can't make up my mind on colors. Hahahahaha!
I have a Marcus Miller V7 jazz bass (5 strings) and a Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn Signature, also played a lot of american Fenders (Deluxe, Custom Shop, etc). The Lakland is lighter and more confortable, it's easier to adjust and stuff, but the Marcus Miller has an ASTONISHING sound and the finish is very nice. Ridiculous quality for that money, really. Buy a dozen.
Time to buy one in every color to go with wardrobe. Thanks Borja!
I've got a Sire V7 and looove it. If you don't want to spend over $1000 on a nice jazz the Sire has got it all and more. The passive tones on it are even enough for me but the preamp is ridiculous and provides so much versatility.
How about any of the Bill Nash relic basses? I've heard great stuff about em
I've got a Nash 63 P Bass and I love it. I ordered a Moollon bass but ran across the Nash bass and bought it before the Moollon arrived. Now I play the Nash all the time and the Moolon is almost untouched ( I like the Moollon, don't get me wrong). The Nash immediately feels worn in and comfortable AND you don't have to worry about banging up or dinging the finish. I got two nicks on the Moollon because the Nitro finish is so sensitive. The Nash is definitely worth checking out and comes in under the Moollon price.
www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47291
nuff said.
Just go to All Parts and assemble it yourself and put a Lollar PU in it. That's what Nash does. EXACT same thing for far less.
that s great!
You should do this a lot!
Since most the followers are amateur musicians and do not have high budget, this kind of videos helps us a lot!
Thanks again Scott!
Ahhhh thanks - great to know you enjoyed it, I enjoyed making it too!
A very big difference in the sound and I agree with your choice since you can always adjust the tone to match the Nate.
Does anybody know where the Nate Mendel P Bass is manufactured? Made in USA or somewhere else? I'm trying to gauge the relative quality of the build.
I have owned and built many basses and never found body wood to affect badly the sound, it always seemed to reside in the neck wood, yet in most cases issues were in the hardware or bolt-on area. Basses have different vibes like a woman, which is why I ain't married! LOL! But my fav over-all go-to bass is a F Jazz I pieced together for about $300 with parts from eBay - go figure.
When you cant afford either of these...
thats okay because the 900$ bass isnt actually 900$ its 2400-2700$
FatGreySquirrel oh good. i guess i better stick to my air guitar. thanks for the offer tho...
squier p vintage modified and MAYBE new p.u....
@@EricNeuls the nate mendel is 924 dollars on sweet water right now..not sure where you're getting 2400 dollars. The moolon is that price.
"when you cant afford either of these " tonnes of music shops offer layaway and or financing .. also getting a better job never hurt anyones pocket book either
Player makes the instrument and not the other way around... I used to be a real snob when it came to guitars now I just follow my gut. I'm learning to appreciate imperfections in instruments these days; they force you to play differently in order to adapt to a instruments short comings and it can really add to your individual style. Anyway... enjoy your new bass scott, sounds awesome!
That Moolon was made to wear a set of Labella medium gauge flats!
nice guitars! If you want to brighten up your SD-equiped guitar, put a 0.047uF cap in series with the pickup hot lead. You can also measure the volume pot kohms with a meter and find one in the same target but measures higher kohms (pots have a 20% range), or go up to the next common size 250k->500k->1Meg. I find you can always use the tone knob on a 'bright' guitar but it won't fix muddy. Great studio space.
When I saw the 900 vs 2400 title, I thought of a few basses Scott might be comparing, but I immediately thought, "When is he going to check out a Moollon?" Lo and behold!
I agree that thing sounds amazing. Sadly I'm more of a $200 MIM pawn shop bass.
the nate mendell sounds so big and deep, love the red as well. The moollon sounds super punchy and and all around solid though, they are both great in my op.
Hi
The problem I have with sound comparisons is that the strings on each guitar tends to be different, also one set tends to be older strings than the other. I wish that people who do comparisons would use fresh new strings of the same brand on both guitars, then a true sound comparison can be made.
Anyway, beautiful guitars, beautiful playing, you're a top bloke! Thanks for the video. Bless.
Awesome new studio. We should all make a bet about how many times your going to crack your head on those beams!! haha! I would have loved to hear your Fender Custom Relic thrown into the mix. How do you find that bass compares to the other two?
Great idea... I've actually just been getting it set up and I'm picking it up in the next few days - I'll make a vid on it when I get it back :)
In reference to the two different basses. could it possibly be the size and age of the strings that effects the dynamics of the tones?
Awesome! I love Nate Mendel's sound, but your final argument was the same as mine: NM with some compressor can sound pretty similar to Moollon, but you'll never get the Moollon sound with NM. But both are awesome and beautiful!
The Moollon kills it. I wasn't a P-bass fan until I heard it.
Same
Did the same in my local music store last tuesday. I tried out a squier pj and fender 50s preci
am I the only one that feels like Scott is my friend since a long long time ago ?
When did you last change the strings on the Nate Mandel? The Moolon, does seem to have newer strings on her, which will make it brighter. Of course you know that, but it may have "coloured" (for lack of a better term) the comparison a bit.
That BMW estate is the best bass player/family man car I have ever seen. #loveit
Boom! ;)
Hey Scott... you should give the Yamaha BB line a shot if you get the chance... the tone's somewhat similar to a P-bass with a bridge pickup but with a bunch of extra resonance.
Same here. I have short, stumpy fingers so the thinner neck basses are easier for me to play.. I Really like the fatter tone of a precision, and the punchiness of a Jazz. (I do own a mid 80's MIM Fender Jazz) so I am wanting to build a P/J bass... would you show us in a later video the sound difference between the P, J and the P/J and explain the differences... From reading thus far I believe a P/J has a Precision body, with a Jazz neck and an added Jazz bass bridge pickup.. Could you maybe show us the physical and the tonal differences before I dump money into one.... I am planning to build one of my own... Thanks..
I’m currently looking at a Nate bass on eBay, not sure whether or not to buy it as I already have a Fender Flea bass and don’t want to be all “signature” series.
Great Blog , but you could have said more about the neck.
The width of the neck was mentioned, there was also a passing mention on how slim one of the bass necks was, but... Here's the thing, I learned to play on the Hohner The Jack, and ever since i have sought a thicker profiled neck. The trouble is most modern bass are the thin C profiled necks which i find a strain. This could be about muscle memory, or the fact i have big hands and so 'pinching' a thin neck doesn't help me. What i find hard to convey is the size of the neck profile i had on The Jack.
Can you help with this area of information. Also is there a 'hack' for increasing the neck profile. I've tried adding layers of gaffer tape, but i can't help wondering if this problem doen't already have a solution which i don't yet know about. Is there something you can add to the backside of the neck to increase its thickness? And yes i am being serious.
Also if you could do a blog on the ideal setup of a bass it would help everyone get the most out of their bass.
I also prefer the sound of the more expensive bass but I wonder how much of a difference there would be if you swapped the quarter pounders for a proper vintage style pickup like the spb-1
Ive noticed on my Fender Mexican Jazz bass the 5th fret on the G string goes dead very quickly and when distortion is on pretty full on its turns into a harmonic.
The Nate Mendel has a distinct mid-focus to its sound. I'd wonder how it would do in a band context. It may be a situation where bright rounds on the Mendel and flats on the Moolon would get them closer to each other or even just sound good, irrespective of comparisons.
so where was the comparison of the $900 vs $2400?
How about a 4 string vs 5 string shoot out?
American Fender basses (Jazz and Precision) come in both 4 and 5 strings.
I was wondering if you could do a shoot out between am American Elite vs itself and American Pro vs itself?
from the cam mic ,I hear brighter, maybe newer strings though.WOnder what maple fret board would sound like
*** A good tip for Opening a package box:
Press the box to you chest with the tape going forward in front of you. Put both hands around the box with hands on either side of where the tape ends.
Then take you hands and press the box in and you'll see the tape separate from the box. Just pull the tape off and the box should still be in good condition.
NOW I should mention this is better with lighter, a little more hollower boxes like amazing packages and boxes of food/snacks. I haven't tried it on large packages like guitars & cases. But still, you should try it.
I'd say the Fender sounds better even with the older set of strings on it.
Thanks Scott. I think both basses have their place, but I agree with your comment about darkening a twangy tone. I love to do that myself. I'm curios though, how the basses would sound, if they both had a new set of the same strings. The red bass sounds like it has an old set on it, to my ears.
Are the strings new on both basses? I figured the Moolan P-bass sounded brighter because the strings were newer than the ones on the red P-bass.
Actually, the Moollon's fingerboard isn't rosewood but Macassar ebony. Moollon only uses ebony for their fingerboards.
$300 on a good squier and the remaining $2100 on lessons would be, for 99.9% of us, the best way to achieve something.
Heck no. Train yourself on you tube.
@@jmongmon1100 Lesson have one great advantage: they give you a deadline.
@@Francois15031967 we can put deadlines on ourselves too if we have enough resolve.
New bass starts 2:31
Hi Scott! Happy new bass day! Did the choice of a Moollon have anything to do with the recent visit from Rufus Philpot and his Moollon jazz? I like the new P and the color...maybe a pearl black pickguard? Cheers from Indy, USA '):
I have been arguing about tone wood with many amateur lately. Obviously on a bass it has a whole lot of influence, on guitar too but high pitch notes vibrations seems to sound anyways. Low tones however relies on the neck to propagate the vibration to the body. Poplar has that nice warm fat tone, very responsive. I would like to make a cherry wood bass in a near future. It's said to have a nice ton, like an acoustic bass. I will carve a bass and a guitar in a near future.
Scott, have you ever tried a fretless bass guitar? I just got a Fender Jazz fretless. It is a different trip.
Also are you using standard gauges on those P's? 105 -45.... they sound thinner. But that Moolan is so even it's amazing. wow.
My solid electric guitar has two G notes that are weaker, and when I play those notes, they are actually very loud acoustically and die earlier. So technically they resonate more. Just sharing my experience, being curious about how to solve this thingy.
I'm a regular 6-stringer, only really "messed around" with the bass... but recently I've really started taking it seriously and really enjoying it (mostly because I bought a brand new Epiphone Tobias IV, absolute beauty).
And you've become my go-to guy for anything bass, from beginner stuff to the stuff I'm hearing you say now (about the resonance in the wood, and I agree). It's an honour and a privilege to have a bass pro as my tutor, available 24/7 (it's 1:44am right now. lol). Thank you for what you do. I'm certain I'm not the only one who appreciates your videos. Please keep it up.
And P.S.
I recently watched the movie Split with James McAvoy, and you guys are like twins. lol
Oh, and the Moollon sounds seriously tasty. It sounds more "alive".
The Fender sounds a bit (dare I say) generic.
Scott, I saw that Moolon has different options for colors, is your precision bass Inca Silver, plus Red Sparkle pickguard? I love the combination you chose!
Hello Scott. Did you try to compare both instruments in the recording? In the same arrangement? I often came across the fact that cheap instruments solo sound nice, but in the recording are lost ... sorry for my English))
That dead spot has happend to me before. The neck pocket was note finished correctly.
Thanks Scott for that. It is nice to really hear the diffrences between those two one.
I really dig the way those basses sound that don't have the tuners on the headstock. damn what are those called again? they aren't even made of wood I think theyre composite or graphite or something. they were big in the 80s. they have a thick ass sound.oh yeah Steinburgh basstite
Just a thought on this one-if Fender have produced a signatory model, it means that they´ve tailored the bass to that individuals tastes. This might explain why the Fender has these darker tones and cant "match" the width of the Moullon (?), whereas if you chose a standard Precision, you might have a like for like comparison which you could more fairly compare.
Anyway, I always wonder why these other manufacturers just copy the Fender flagship models, why cant they come up with something else themselves?
Just my thoughts...didnt cost a penny
Can you speak to the spacing difference between your overwater jazz that is 16.5mm and those P'a are 19 i think? I too have a 16.5mm 4 string Alembic..I think i like that spacing doesn't get so wide when playing near the heal of the neck...What about you? Also does it feel a little or a lot difference on the right hand jumping from string to string? Oh and lastly, do you wish you had a 16.5mm P bass?
I got me 5...2 Mexis and 3 Squires...they all sound different and I like them all...the Squire CV 50's Precision sounds especially good thru a B-Dec 30...why would that be?
I like the sound in both, but I kind of prefer the red one. I don't play bass myself but I'm bass curious 😛. Wold love to try and learn. I play a little guitar and piano but always loved the sound of the bass.Any recommendations for a good bass to start out on for learning?
Hi Scott, was wondering what kind of camera do you use to record this video. they looked great and sounds are good too!
Hey, Scott, how about compare you new Moollon with your new RocknRoll Relics? Same price range and so beautiful basses should be competitive! Anyway thanks for so great review!
Hi Scott,
Great comparison, many thanks.
I noticed that all your basses have rosewood fretboards. Is it because of tone or esthetic?
Hey Scott, great comparison!
I'm new into this bass guitar thing, I've been playing guitar since the day I born basicly, but recently I got into bass and I'm loving it.
I have a question regarding 12'' speakers... Can a 12'' speaker on a nice cabinet, have a great volume output for a small gig... a small venue with 100 to 150 people.
I bought a GK Neo 2-12 cab (with a MB Fusion 800) and it gets pretty loud. I think it's rated at about 400 watts, so it matches the 8ohm output of the head. Not my first choice, but I wanted a cab that was light weight for my back (it's only about 50lbs) and one that was loud enough for small gigs. I would have preferred something Ampeg, but ended up with what suits me. One KEY thing is - your drummer MUST know how to control his/her volume! Just pounding hard on drums does not make you a good drummer - that only puts all of the band members at odds with each other. My first band (eons ago) was too loud - I was getting drowned out with my little 150 watt, 1-15" Peavey Combo amp. I hope you find what suits you well and stay in the shed. P.S. The Talkbass.com forum taught me a lot.
Michael Scheitlin thanks a lot for the feedback...
I tryed a tc electronic 250w head on a 2x10 and did very well, actually it sounded huge, really enjoyed that kit, but I was wondering if a single 12 speaker could handle the job... The cab should be way lighter I guess..
As I have read on the TalkBass forum over an over, the output of a single speaker will work, BUT - it all depends on so many things - What music is being played, how loud the drummer & other musicians are and the room itself. If it's a closed bar sound bounces and echos. If it's outside, sound keeps going. I have looked into the Aguilar 1x12's and found that there are different versions. The more expensive ones have better specs - to get louder. But, it's still a single 1x12 and it depends on your band. In the end, it's all about Moving Air. The more speaker area, the more air moved. If you get a good 12" speaker, you can always add another one later; just make sure you know how the wattage of your amp head will match up to it/them.
I have 4 basses. a used US P-bass that cost me 800 euros. A Yamaha RBX 300 that cost me $300 (I've had it for 20 years), an 5 string Infinity (60 euros + 1 euro for used Ibanez pickups, the stock ones were terrible) and a 5 euros fretless something _and_ other (literally! An Aria Pro II neck stuck onto a nondescript body I had to carve for fit) They all play great.
Man I love this show …🙂
I would love to see a head to head comparison between a Fender P. and a Stingray in the same price range.
Highlight where they excel & how they compare ???
Interesting point about the body resonance, my father bought a fretless bass a while back and claims that there's a span of 2-3 frets on one of the strings that feels 'dead.' Makes you appreciate the craftsmanship of instruments just that little bit more to know what goes into making them sound full with any frequency! Congrats for the killer new bass and thanks for the video!
hey Scott how's it going I hope all is well. whichever base you decide that you don't want let me know I'll be more than happy to come by and pick it up from you...lol my favorite sounding bass is my 1982 mij Fender precision all original it just has that sound you know what I mean.... thank you so much for all that you do
I have a 1980 Electra and it has the best sound of all my basses. The electronics help give it a wide variety of sounds for any genera.
Loving the new vlog style Scott!
are they both 1.65" (or is it 1.625"?) nut width? I love the sound of p-bass but vastly prefer the 1.5" Jazz neck nut width. Before I had to sell the MJT body, I was trying to save up to buy a nice Jazz bass style neck. I had already gone through 2 used necks only to find both had either the dreaded S-curve or ski jumps that could not be dialed out with the truss rod. Very frustrating. and as I typed that I see to my right a video about "The Jazz bass vs. Precision bass thing...?" Going to watch that after lunch. Love you videos, discovered them last week. Thanks for the great vibes.
Fender Precisions are now 1.625" at the nut.
Could the lack of resonance you get in some basses that exists on a particular string possibly be due to that string actually being dead? Not enough bass players crimp the end of the string after they cut it to prevent this. It seems like the E string would be the most prone to that sort of failure as well. Are the symptoms similar enough to blow your theory?
Great videos! Thanks for all you do.
Why waste $2,400 on a new P bass when you already have 3 or more p basses, and could just have changed the pickups on your Nate Mendel bass? (Honest Question)
I love p basses, but to me, most of them sound almost exactly the same, even cheap chinese copies. The location of the pickup defines almost 80% of the p bass sound, the rest is strings and technique.
José Ortega Beede I can relay agree with you! P basses is mostly pickup placement and the split split coil in contrary to the single coil that give it its signature sound. Of course all pickups sound different but the P bass sweetspot gives it the sound that makes you say "that's a p bass for sure" when you hear it
Aside from the horrible headstock shape (criticising it caused a lot of discomfort at the TalkBass forum although it certainly isn’t a piece of art), is what you hear on the videos really worth a 1500$ price difference? I fully agree with Jose Ortega ... also, where is the Custom Shop Scott ordered from the Fender CS? I believe he didn’t like the chunky 50’s neck ... why he ordered a ‘50s model then? He could have installed a jazz neck on it ... bah ... anyway the F-bass PJ he recently pulled out is probably the best ... in that case I can understand the price difference
*grabs squire bass.... resonates perfectly ;)*
Great video Scott. Especially cuz I'm looking for a new P-bass myself. Also got here by your instagram vlogs. Keep on going! Cheers.
i have a 62 precision and that bass sounds pretty darn similar totally different but i like both of them
this is so late, but Moollons all come with ebony fretboards, not rosewood as stated
I really enjoyed your a/b test. Is the signal chain directly from the Vanderkley to the cam Mic? what would you advise to record a Pbass with ampeg tone ? I read good things about the reddi DI.
I personally think the red bass was funkier sounding... Like heavier... I can see darker, but for funk purpose, i like heavy. I think the silver one had great tones for both jazz and funk both even though ive seen more funk on a p bass. Scott you put up some great works, i been watching for bout a year but I'm not subscribed because i am a conga player, its just a dream to play bass. Anyone care to discuss that?
I owned a '68 P bass I bought when I was 20, back in the early '80's. Unfortunately it was stolen out of a club when we were on break, and yet NO ONE saw who stole it.
why would you want the body to resonate? That would mean that the string loses a lot of energy very quickly. With electric guitars/basses you dont want them to resonate at all.
I'd buy the Nate (cheaper one) because the differences in the expensive P aren't worth all that extra money in my opinion. Okay it may sound a bit better but hey, EQ on the amp exists for a reason. Just my thoughts, great video as usual!
YES finally got a current vid...love u bro...since I've found ur vids I've really started fixing my foundation. ..too bad I can't afford the school
Keep groovin' J, thanks for the support! :)
The Moollon resonates much more fully and "piano-like" indeed compared to the Fender Nate, which is not to say that Moollon is superior to Fender. The Nate is one of Fender's lower end import models made in Mexico. Excellent bass for that price point but no comparison to the specs of the Moollon. I have a Fender '63 P-bass vintage reissue with custom vintage split single-coil pickup wound in the same spec from that era and it resonates much the same as you describe the Moollon. Congratulations on your new Moollon - it is a beautiful instrument! SBL has grown remarkably over the past several years and it is indeed an excellent source for all things bass - the courses are awesome. Continued success - well deserved.
Scott, I like the sound of the new bass b/c of the pre CBS wound pickups. Both sound really good and I suppose I would use them for different gigs. On another note any future plans to do lessons on fretless bass? I play a fretless Tony Franklin.
Seems a pup swap out on the Mendel would create a sound more like the Moolon.
Can you do a Jazz Bass comparisson as well? I own an SX J-Bass myself and I deffinitely LOVE it. I'd like to know more about different brands, sounds and tips about this kind of bass.
Greetings from Argentina!!
I'm playing a Squier P in a big band for swing. (Heavy-gauge flats, tone off). I was wondering, what is your take on basses for big bands? What does the job for you?
The new Bass came tuned up? I didn't see you tune it...
different wood combos and different pickup winds. NM has overwound Seymor Duncan Quarter Pounders. Huge difference.
Nice review Scott :) I personally have an Nate Mendel and Swap pickups for a more vintage sound with Seymour Duncan SB1. Still hard to compare instruments with different hardware, strings brand age etc...But in the end is the feel and the vibes that counts...
Absolutely - feel and vibe is EVERYTHING! :)
Yep, the Resonance youre on about is the woods "Natural Frequency" by nature some notes cause a large oscillation in the body, they have the same frequency as the natural frequency of the wood and therefore cause the wood's particles to oscillate at a maximum amplitude (felt as the body 'resonance'). I'm not really sure why that worries you, maybe if the bass resonates well its because all of the peices are well joined so not a lot of vibrational (well kinetic) energy is lost through each join, and so a not sturdy base won't transfer those vibration well, but as far as certain notes causing a noticeable vibration in the body it's to do with the sound waves being of the same Freq as the natura Freq of the wood, which in reality is neither good nor bad. maybe I wildly misinterpreted what you were on about but hopefully not lol