SUB ray5-ws First impessions

[rnolan]

Well the SUB 5 string finally came today.  :whoohoo!: (the pic below is from their web site but this is what it looks like (actually, even better in the flesh)). Price point $500 AUD
So got it home on the bench, B string was wrapped around the machine head shaft top down (not bottom up (never seen that before)) so very little string break over the nut and it had a bit too much neck relief (not surprising). Tried to adjust the neck relief but it didn't want to turn mmm, neck off time. Whipped off the strings (kept them to measure where to cut the new ones, and who knows they might come in handy, normally I'd cut them near the PU so they are easy to pull through the bridge plate holes and chuck them).  Took the neck off to adjust truss rod/neck relief, very tight but got it to loosen (went that way first  ;) ), then managed (with much more force than I would have liked) to give it a 1/4 turn more than it came with.  Put the neck back on and gave it a good drink of fretboard oil (3) also gave the frets a quick gentle 1200 rub between oilings.  Next a set of DR 45 - 125 Fat Beams, had a bit of trouble getting the last bit of the B through the bridge plate hole but didn't have to ream it (the hole) in the end.  Neck relief was good, did the action/intonation, sounded great through the Carvin BR510 although the 10"s were struggling a bit with the low B (E up was awesome), may need to get the Carvin 18" cab (or similar) to cope.  I've now got this bass on a stand next to me, and it's beckoning me to play it.  So I did and lowered the action as far as I could (~went from "a bit high for me" to silky smooth, mmmm), I'm a guitar player, and this bass is great to play     At this price point, with a good setup, what a bass.

[Peter H. Boer]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice  O:-)

[rnolan]

Hey Peter, Now I really wish it was mine, I just plugged it in through my TLA Ivory (hybrid) valve pre amp and into the Behringer Truths with truth sub, all flat, little bit of tube warmth from the TLA, this bass is amazing, very much like it's expensive versions, you plug them in, they just sound great.  And this ones really got character, kept me captivated all night.

[Peter H. Boer]

Hey Peter, Now I really wish it was mine, I just plugged it in through my TLA Ivory (hybrid) valve pre amp and into the Behringer Truths with truth sub, all flat, little bit of tube warmth from the TLA, this bass is amazing, very much like it's expensive versions, you plug them in, they just sound great.  And this ones really got character, kept me captivated all night.

You got a TL Audio Ivory? A VP5051 by chance?  8)
I use a TLA VP5051 as clean channel for my bass with recordings also (and run the MB-1 parallel on a distortion patch.
Highly Modable the TLA Ivory range, Machinator modded mine and they became even better ;D

[rnolan]

Hey Peter, I've got a 5001 quad valve preamp (bit of a misnomer as it's a hybrid where you can wind in some tube (2 x 12 AX7s using one triode per channel and each channel is completely discrete, no mixing available).  This, and a bunch of other gear (including a Focusrite Platinum Penta stereo compressor, 2 Rode NT5s', TC M One XL (I've been using this), a Roland DAW (still in the create)) was given to me by a friend who's wife wanted it out of the garage.  :whoohoo!:
Last night was the first time I'd turned the 5001 on, sounded very nice on the SUB ray5, all flat, little bit of tube wound in, so I can hear why you'd use it as a clean channel for recordings, I was enjoying it so much (the SUB and TLA together) that I didn't even turn on the record (had protools up and left it sit there as I was enjoying just playing the SUB through the TLA), then ahh 4.30 am time for bed (and by now I'm playing in B).  I'd read some not so great reviews about the 5001 but my ears told me immediately they were wrong/on drugs whatever.. The TLA is very (very) nice on bass (and I suspect on other signal sources).  Next I want to try the NT5s' through it on acoustic guitar and my Rode NT1 on vocals, I recon it will be very good, take the edge of that slight metallic-ness that Rode mics have by adding a bit of tube warmth.
Must try to catch up with Machinator, he and I were working on an idea for a 2 RU 8 channel valve line mixer (with 6 pre/post sends), perfect for ADA preamp users to bring your rig together properly, I've designed the front panel layout, now the idea needs a good clean tube circuit.

SUB ray5 went home today (smiles all round), probably just as well, it and I were bonding big time, much longer, I may not have been able to let it go, (and only got it on Friday arvo)

[Peter H. Boer]

5001, then you probably have an Ivory 2 series, as the original 5001 (which I also have, and which is also modified by Machinator) is strictly mic input.
The valve (on the original version) however is fully in the path though, not just mixed in.

Glad to see a guitarist fall for a bass  >:D
A well, I'm a bass player and have 5 guitars (2 homebuild) about as well  :D

[rnolan]

Man I don't know what it is about that bass (it's got (big) personality, if you know what I mean), it just kept looking at me (am I being weird ?, play me, play me...), I'd done the initial set up, it was fine..., then I sat down and it kept beckoning me, so took all the string actions down one by one till they buzzed, and then back up 3 little turns, mmmmm by the end I couldn't stop playing it, then plugged it in through the TLA./monitors..and played it until I had to go to sleep (totally captivated).

TLA Ivory 5001, it doesn't say the series, but as you say must be 2 series, it's 4 separate inputs/outputs (1/4" instrument levels on the front; xlr mic ( phantom switch)/ or balanced XLR/unbalanced T/S mic/line in on the back) but no mix buss', sounds sooo nice though (mmm passes that test in spades).

(The valve (on the original version) however is fully in the path though, not just mixed in.), this I would prefer although this 5001 does sound good.

Man that SUB bass is great, only one I like better (to date) is one I made, Maton style EB4 body shape (all in sugar maple), straight through neck, 33" (the recipient, she's small), neck fender jazz dimensions...ebony board.... It came out well.

I do like to play bass, it's a bit hard on the fingers (sometimes), but I love how it sits in a song/feel/grove.

[Peter H. Boer]

TLA Ivory 5001, it doesn't say the series, but as you say must be 2 series, it's 4 separate inputs/outputs (1/4" instrument levels on the front; xlr mic ( phantom switch)/ or balanced XLR/unbalanced T/S mic/line in on the back) but no mix buss', sounds sooo nice though (mmm passes that test in spades).

(The valve (on the original version) however is fully in the path though, not just mixed in.), this I would prefer although this 5001 does sound good.

Yes you have the Ivory 2, as I do not have 1/4" inputs available.
Looking up the manual, the block diagram does show the tube to be fully in the path though.
http://www.interstage.dk/Sider/Produkter/Brochure_manual/TLA/TLA_PA5001-2_man.pdf

Man that SUB bass is great, only one I like better (to date) is one I made, Maton style EB4 body shape (all in sugar maple), straight through neck, 33" (the recipient, she's small), neck fender jazz dimensions...ebony board.... It came out well.

I do like to play bass, it's a bit hard on the fingers (sometimes), but I love how it sits in a song/feel/grove.

Stop wimping about it being "hard on the fingers" try a 36" scale 6-string fretless with roundwounds 
We'll make a bassplayer out of you yet 

Attached my Ivory-1 series 5001, which has a tube for each channel. The Ivory 2 series IIRC has only 2 tubes where each channel only uses hal a tube.

[rnolan]

In the 5001 manual it talks about turning down the output and winding up the input to get more valve involved, Very nice sound though.  I going away this week but when I get back I'll try the NT5s through it with acoustic guitar (the one I built).

Hey my fingers stood up ok, I liked that bass so much I played it quite a while (just not used to it).  A fretless 6 string 36" with round wounds (I don't like ground or blahh (no tone) flat wounds) would be lots of fun.

[Peter H. Boer]

In the 5001 manual it talks about turning down the output and winding up the input to get more valve involved, Very nice sound though.  I going away this week but when I get back I'll try the NT5s through it with acoustic guitar (the one I built).

Aha, that's why you thoughtit's wired parallel. No it's in series and upping the gain just lets the tube work harder, and thus colour the tone more.

Hey my fingers stood up ok, I liked that bass so much I played it quite a while (just not used to it).  A fretless 6 string 36" with round wounds (I don't like ground or blahh (no tone) flat wounds) would be lots of fun.

See, you're getting there. Next SUB purchase will be for yourself  >:D

[BrokeDownSouth]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7UzSt-viPM

How does it compare to my old Stingray?  I haven't played any of the SUB's but I noticed new stingrays aren't as deep and percussive.   Great looking bass BTW!

(Fixed the link)

[rnolan]

See, you're getting there. Next SUB purchase will be for yourself  :D
Very (very) tempted (when I get a job...  ahh the vagaries of the ICT security contracting market).  Then I'll need an MB-1, get my B200s going, I've got 2 new Altec 15" so just need some cabs for them...  :whoohoo!:

How does it compare to my old Stingray?  I haven't played any of the SUB's but I noticed new stingrays aren't as deep and percussive.   Great looking bass BTW!
Looks even better than the pic (pic is probably rendered), and it's got "attitude" >:D  Not sure about comparison to older Stingrays, it's been quite a few years since I recorded one (just sounded great direct, no eq).  IIRC I'd agree, not as deep, not sure about percussive (it wasn't shabby when I whacked it a bit).  But for $500 AUD, what a buy, sets up really well, looks great, only complaint was the neck relief adjustment, way tight, nearly broke the alen key I was using (well felt like it).

[rnolan]

Minor update, the Ray5 got it's first run (that I got to hear) through the Fender Rumble 30 (these are very cute/great sounding amps, impressive (and I'm a bit hard to impress) and punch well above their weight).  Mike and I played acoustic, all sounded very good.  Tomorrow night the Ray gets it's first run in full band/volume anger  >:D
:whoohoo!:

[BrokeDownSouth]

 

Nothing like breaking in new gear.

[rnolan]

Hey BDS, Absolutely  :whoohoo!: , I'm, trying to get Matt (the owner) on here just to talk bass stuff with you dudes.  In the fullness of time (well it's my plan  >:D ), he'll probably get a MB1 (I know I will...), I'd not heard the MB1 until your post (youtubes), I was very impressed with the sounds (variety of, (and great playing BTW)) it makes me want to buy one  Hey, not that the Carvin (or Fender Rumble 30/grab one if you can!) he's got is shabby, it's a great combo amp (and 500w!), but in the same way, I'd struggle to go back to a Marshall (which I loved in its day), I'm now (after more than 40 years guitar, 25 ish with ADA) an ADA MP1/MP2/MPx/MB1 devotee