Pilot and other tones.

[Zelja]

GUILD PILOT BASS 15 min to go (no bids)

Anyone like to compare the tones you get from a Pilot to a B-301/302 or a JS-II?

Do the EMGs give you the Jazz Bass & Precision tones? Can you switch the pickups on them - is one of the knobs actually a pickup selector?

 

[fronobulax]

Discussion started over here.

 

[fronobulax]

Re: GUILD PILOT BASS 15 min to go (no bids)

Anyone like to compare the tones you get from a Pilot to a B-301/302 or a JS-II?

Do the EMGs give you the Jazz Bass & Precision tones? Can you switch the pickups on them - is one of the knobs actually a pickup selector?

A couple of general comments. I am a firm believer that once a certain skill level is reached the hands are more important to the sound than the pickups or amp. I figure there has to be some truth to that because Jack has said it in an interview, mgod has said it and every once in a while I surprise myself when I do something and realize what I just did sounds like "the other" bass. I also find that switching between rounds and flats makes more difference than switching to a different bass (and hence different PUs). I can't compare to a B-30x but I play a JS II through the same amp and settings when I'm too lazy to change something.

But first... The controls on my Pilot are a Volume for the P PU, a Volume for the J PU and a overall tone control.

I have not played a Fender P or J bass in decades but I can definitely get what I remember as the P sound from my Pilot. Stay tuned for twocorgis with an A/B compare with his vintage P bass. So I expect more experienced and knowledgeable folks will confirm that a Pilot is a good sonic substitute for a P or J bass.

As for the JS, it has a warm fat sound that seems to lack definition and focus. With flats on the JS I can't think of too many words that I would use to describe the JS sound that would be in common with words I'd use to describe the Pilot. With rounds on both I can tweak the Pilot so the basses have a similar sound in the treble and mid-ranges. But doing so seems is not my favorite Pilot tone.

So for me, the standard tones from the Pilot, Starfire (with Bisonic) and JS are significantly different and I would choose one, or not, based upon the core tone I wanted. That said, the JS is relatively limited. For me it is pretty much small variations on that one fat tone. The Starfire is a different tone and a much wider range of variations. I know some of that is because varying my right hand position makes a much bigger difference on the Starfire than the JS. The Pilot probably has the widest variety of sound and very little overlap with the sounds of the other basses.

Since sound is subjective and hard to describe let me also say that I have played in public with as much bass boost and treble cut as the signal chain could muster because doing so meant that no one really knew which note I was playing and thus might give me credit for mistakes ;-) So tone is not something I obsess about. I have more basic skills to master.

 

[twocorgis]

Right now it's hard for me to characterize the similarities/differences in the sound between my old PBass and my Pilot, as the P-Bass has an EMG pickup in it that I've never fully warmed up to. I installed it many moons ago, and right before I quit playing for a very long time, and honestly, it's something I wish I'd never done. That is compounded by the fact that the OEM pickup was lost in a subsequent move, which is something I kick myself about to this day. I have recently purchased a Lindy Fralin P-Bass replacement pup, but I have yet to install it. I've heard nothing but great things about them, and will report further when the installation is complete.

What I will say about the Pilot vis-a-vis the P-Bass is that I MUCH prefer the neck, and the variety of sounds that I can get out of it, especially through my Hartke HA200 and 410 bottom. That bottom has been with me for many years and gigs, and unfortunately checked out on me right at the start of one last weekend. I'm not sure 100% what's wrong with it at this point, but it just doesn't work. I also have a 115 bottom that's in much better shape, but just doesn't sound as good. I'm in the process now of either fixing or replacing the 410 bin. The cabinet is so beat up (it's actually cracked on the bottom, and there's also a hole there :shock: ), that I'm leaning towards just replacing it. Another option (highly recommended by our own bassmyf) is to get a Hartke Kickback 12, and just call it a day. That's what Jeff uses, and he swears by them. Probably the best long-term for my back as well!

Stay tuned for more developments...

 

[Default]

Let's see if this post will take. There is a 4/10 Hartke bottom on the GC used inventory. 299, IIRC.

 

[twocorgis]

Let's see if this post will take. There is a 4/10 Hartke bottom on the GC used inventory. 299, IIRC.

I saw that Steve. The problem is that the bin weighs 88 pounds (!), and isn't able to ship with GC's cheap UPS Ground, which has a weight limit of 70 lbs.

I have just bitten the bullet, taken bassmyf's advice, and bought a refurbished Hartke Kickback 12 from 8th Street Music. It's over $100 less than a new one, and has the same warranty. Larry Hartke is a local Long Island guy, and has a reputation for standing behind what he sells, and is also an active member over at Talk Bass. Jeff always sings the praises of his Kickback 12, and that combined with the fact that is only weighs 42 pounds, and has an XLR out so you can put it through the PA for some extra grunt if needed, sold this geezer.

In the unlikely event that I need something louder than that, I still have my Sunn 200s and EV SRO bottom, so I think I've got everything covered. 8)

 

[krysh]

Re: GUILD PILOT BASS 15 min to go (no bids)

...Do the EMGs give you the Jazz Bass & Precision tones?

no, but fairly close. the problem is the emg toneblend. since the pickups are active, the tone pot doesn't work like a passive tone pot in a p-bass. so some nice p-bass sounds are not possible. bridge j sounds closer though.

Can you switch the pickups on them - is one of the knobs actually a pickup selector?

no, only 2 volume knobs, which also give a much better variety of sounds.

 

[Zelja]

Thanks for the thoughts & info guys (& for Frono for creating the thread from my OT post).

I'm pretty much exclusively a guitar player so tone wise I'm not really sure what I'm looking for & find the nuances of bass tone more difficult to discern than with guitar tones. Hagmeat came over with his JS-II & B-301 & we compared those to a Japanese P bass copy I have. To be honest I found it easier to pick out the differences in tone between my 3 S-100s than I could with these basses - simply due to my ear not being attuned to bass guitars in the same manner as I am with electric guitars.

That being said I think I had a preference for the B-301 over the JS-II tone wise, although a greater variety of tones was available from the JS-II. The B-301 seemed to have a more solid tone - deep but tighter, more density if you will. The JS-II on the neck PU & with the Soft/Hard switch in the "hard" position was deeper but a bit looser I think, not as defined. The bridge PU position on the JS-II was not a lot brighter of course, less depth. All sounds I could live with for sure & more than enough for my purposes. I did like the feel of the neck on the JS-II - probably due to the shorter scale & maybe slightly thicker, gentle V shape profile.

It sounds like the Pilot is pretty versatile & certainly very good value. I'd love a Starfire but I am not worthy.

 

[twocorgis]

It sounds like the Pilot is pretty versatile & certainly very good value. I'd love a Starfire but I am not worthy.

Why do you feel that way Zelko? I'm far from the best bass player in the world, but I don't feel myself "unworthy" of a Starfire bass at all. Buy what you like, enjoy it, learn on it, and get better while you do. Don't let what other people might think influence that one bit. It's one of the "joys" of getting older. :lol:

 

[ladytexan]

First of all, I have no idea why I'm reading a thread in the Bass section. :shock:

But, thought y'all might enjoy this somewhat related cartoon. 8) So as per twocorgis, get the bass you want (better yet, get ALL the basses you want). Life is too short, there may never be a tomorrow, enjoy life to the fullest, use the real china everyday not only for special occasions, etc., etc., etc. ::::softsmile:::: :wink:

 

[Zelja]

Why do you feel that way Zelko? I'm far from the best bass player in the world, but I don't feel myself "unworthy" of a Starfire bass at all. Buy what you like, enjoy it, learn on it, and get better while you do. Don't let what other people might think influence that one bit. It's one of the "joys" of getting older. :lol:

Well, I'm only joking I guess Sandy but as a certain bard wrote "many a truth said in jest". I don't feel I could justify a SF for myself at the moment with how much I would use a bass I guess. I would also feel somewhat guilty about depriving someone else off one, maybe. :lol: I do understand your sentiments exactly though. I have an appreciation of musical instruments as "functional art" & I guess if a better instruments inspires you to play more & get better then it's also worth it. I do want to get better as base as I think it would also improve me as both a guitarist & more importantly as a musician.

Toni, that cartoon is a crackup. You wouldn't have tabs & lyric for that song maybe, bass tabs as well?

 

[twocorgis]

First of all, I have no idea why I'm reading a thread in the Bass section. :shock:

But, thought y'all might enjoy this somewhat related cartoon. 8) So as per twocorgis, get the bass you want (better yet, get ALL the basses you want). Life is too short, there may never be a tomorrow, enjoy life to the fullest, use the real china everyday not only for special occasions, etc., etc., etc. ::::softsmile:::: :wink:

I resemble that! Where do you find this stuff, Toni? :lol:

I think that life is too short as well, and you've got to do what makes you smile while you're still able. What are you doing in the bass section anyway?

 

[twocorgis]

Well, I'm only joking I guess Sandy but as a certain bard wrote "many a truth said in jest". I don't feel I could justify a SF for myself at the moment with how much I would use a bass I guess. I would also feel somewhat guilty about depriving someone else off one, maybe. :lol: I do understand your sentiments exactly though. I have an appreciation of musical instruments as "functional art" & I guess if a better instruments inspires you to play more & get better then it's also worth it. I do want to get better as base as I think it would also improve me as both a guitarist & more importantly as a musician.

I've always done both, and lately have been playing mostly bass because of the band. I've really been enjoying playing a lot, and I'm starting to get some of my old chops back! Hoboken Starfires, whether four or six sting are so cool that they're always worth having. It's an honor and a pleasure to own Greenie, and I'd buy the right Starfire IV if it came along, too. 8)

 

[ladytexan]

What are you doing in the bass section anyway?

Well, as far as I can tell, this is how it happened.

frono made a comment that he was interested in getting a Pilot bass after playing one in Philadelphia.
There was a Pilot bass listed for sale on CL in Austin.
Asked Jamie if wanted me to check it out.
He did.
So, I drove to Austin, checked it out, and bought it for frono.
Had a little drama in shipping it to Jamie, but it finally arrived in Virginia. (but by this time, I'm invested in the doggone Pilot, now, too!) :wink:
He liked it.
Saw the recent Pilot bass posts on the recent ebay/CL thread.
Saw Jamie had moved it here.
Voila!

Heading back to acousticland, now! 8) :lol:

 

[fronobulax]

ladytexan is always welcome in Bass expecially after enabling my Pilot. Who knows, maybe she can enable yours to?

I am not worthy of any of the instruments I own. But I don't have to make my money playing them and I can afford them so...

When people ask which Guild bass they should buy, a Pilot is usually the answer. They are available, reasonably priced, have a wonderful slim neck and sonically can fill several roles.

 

[twocorgis]

ladytexan is always welcome in Bass expecially after enabling my Pilot. Who knows, maybe she can enable yours to?

I am not worthy of any of the instruments I own. But I don't have to make my money playing them and I can afford them so...

When people ask which Guild bass they should buy, a Pilot is usually the answer. They are available, reasonably priced, have a wonderful slim neck and sonically can fill several roles.

Agreed, agreed, and agreed, Frono!