The Thrill is Gone

[fronobulax]

I haven't played bass in a while since I've been singing bass in a quartet (which is a hoot since my voice range is tenor) but later this month is "Bring your guitar to church Sunday". The organist gets the Sunday off and Mrs. Fro. will be one of hopefully a few guitarists leading. So I play and I've already been told to bring an amp. I pulled out the NS Starfire to practice and there was no joy. I just didn't like the tones I could get. Next day I grabbed the '67 and I was much happier. I have always rated the NS Starfire as #3 of my 3 "Bisonic" equipped basses so this may be be a self fulfilling prophecy but maybe it's time to consider putting the NF up for adoption

The motivated questioner can search for my previous comments comparing my Bisonic basses but simply, the '67 is the baseline. The Betts bass with the Novak BS/DS lacks a little something mostly because it is solid and not hollow and the NS is just "thin" compared to the others.

 

[twocorgis]

I haven't played bass in a while since I've been singing bass in a quartet (which is a hoot since my voice range is tenor) but later this month is "Bring your guitar to church Sunday". The organist gets the Sunday off and Mrs. Fro. will be one of hopefully a few guitarists leading. So I play and I've already been told to bring an amp. I pulled out the NS Starfire to practice and there was no joy. I just didn't like the tones I could get. Next day I grabbed the '67 and I was much happier. I have always rated the NS Starfire as #3 of my 3 "Bisonic" equipped basses so this may be be a self fulfilling prophecy but maybe it's time to consider putting the NF up for adoption

The motivated questioner can search for my previous comments comparing my Bisonic basses but simply, the '67 is the baseline. The Betts bass with the Novak BS/DS lacks a little something mostly because it is solid and not hollow and the NS is just "thin" compared to the others.

This is why you have to buy a lot of basses and weed them out. It's a PITA, but necessary. My best Bisonic equipped bass is my DA Starfire. It's perfect and sunburst, and was literally NOS when I received it. The Dark Stars are hot and wonderful, and I can see this being my main retirement rig in the future. Major props to @mellowgerman for that creation, even though the bridge pickup's poles don't quite line up.

 

[lungimsam]

That’s why I put the neck pup on my FMIC SF1. The bridge pup was always too dead/thin alone.
Oddly, the bridge pup of my green cordoba Starfire II is great.
I would’ve thought the JSII would get the heave-ho first. Hopefully your SFI will sell fast.

 

[mellowgerman]

I haven't played bass in a while since I've been singing bass in a quartet (which is a hoot since my voice range is tenor) but later this month is "Bring your guitar to church Sunday". The organist gets the Sunday off and Mrs. Fro. will be one of hopefully a few guitarists leading. So I play and I've already been told to bring an amp. I pulled out the NS Starfire to practice and there was no joy. I just didn't like the tones I could get. Next day I grabbed the '67 and I was much happier. I have always rated the NS Starfire as #3 of my 3 "Bisonic" equipped basses so this may be be a self fulfilling prophecy but maybe it's time to consider putting the NF up for adoption

The motivated questioner can search for my previous comments comparing my Bisonic basses but simply, the '67 is the baseline. The Betts bass with the Novak BS/DS lacks a little something mostly because it is solid and not hollow and the NS is just "thin" compared to the others.

It sounds to me like that NS Starfire might just need a JTEX Distiller filter preamp installed to throw a little bit o' kerosene onto the fire?

 

[davismanLV]

At least you have enough posts to use the For Sale thread. MORE than enough I'd say.....

 

[RVBASS]

I think the NS Starfires are well made, solid instruments, but agree the NS version of the Bisonic sounds a touch thinner than my ‘67. A Novak Bisonic in a NS Starfire would likely get closer to the ’67, but I think the aged wood, glue, etc. over time changes the tone as well.

 

[fronobulax]

I have played a '66 "sweet spot" Starfire I and I managed to convince myself that it was not the pickup location but vintage vs. new that was the important factor. The '66 and '67 sounded a lot more alike than the '66 and the NS to my ears.

I am not by nature a tinkerer but if the problem was to make the NS more loveable I would swap the pickup. In fairness to the NS I noticed that the pure acoustic sound of the '67 was different from the NS and it may be that I should figure out which strings are on which bass before I do anything more drastic.

"thinning the herd" is an emotional process for me with a smattering of practicality thrown in. This post is really just preparation for the day when I will actually do something

 

[mavuser]

those first genny Korean NS SF-1 sweet spot basses are quality builds. They are discountined and actually not so easy to find anymore (same as the NS-M-85-1 Korean sweet spot). Novak's pickup would bring one of those to glory. And even the stock pickup can be dialed in, to be made to sound "pretty good." Only one pickup makes the potential pickup swap eaiser and less expensive. But just the way bass sits today should be an easy sell. Try advertising it at your church. or a simple Craigslist and/or FB post should yeild a quick local sale for at least what you paid for it, I would think. Or very very close.

The hotter Dark Star tap on the Betts bass should sound pretty good. It will never be the Starfire though. More like solid body Lesh/Alembic vibes. If you have an amp with a wide frequency spectrum, max out that spectrum. if that makes sense

 

[mellowgerman]

Maybe throw a set of these on there and see if it gives you something you like?

D'Addario ETB92M Medium Tapewound Bass Guitar Strings Medium Scale | Music & Arts

Get the guaranteed best price on 4 String Sets for Electric Bass like the D'Addario ETB92M Medium Tapewound Bass Guitar Strings Medium Scale at Music & Arts. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items.

www.musicarts.com

 

[Default]

Maybe throw a set of these on there and see if it gives you something you like?

D'Addario ETB92M Medium Tapewound Bass Guitar Strings Medium Scale | Music & Arts

Get the guaranteed best price on 4 String Sets for Electric Bass like the D'Addario ETB92M Medium Tapewound Bass Guitar Strings Medium Scale at Music & Arts. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items.

www.musicarts.com

I played a tapewound Starfire bass early in my musical journey and carry that sound in my memory to this day. So much upright bass in that combo.

 

[lungimsam]

Tapewounds have a nice acousticy woody sounding “click” where metal strings have “klank”.
I think this adds to the more upright sound, though I have never heard an electric bass that sounds like an upright. Uprights don’t have the fundamental strength and punch of an electric bass.

 

[Default]

I'm not a bass player, so that was the feel to me. I'm sure a Kay doghouse bass is a vastly different beast.

 

[lungimsam]

Makes sense. I know what you mean. Tapes, I think, help the best to get more towards an upright sound. And on a fretless would be even closer!