Lightwave Saber VL5 fretless bass
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Ed Friedland - The Bass Whisperer demonstrates the Lightwave Sabre VL5 fretless bass. This is the first in a series of demos featuring the Lightwave product line. For more info go to www.lightwave-systems.com
The body and neck are built in Korea, but the electronics, optics, and bridge housing are made by Lightwave in the US.
This is Chris, from LightWave Systems. The optical pickup is very sensitive to the string materials, construction,, and the resulting tone. Of course you do not need to use strings that are ferrous, since there is no magnetic field. We are planning to offer some unique strings made to our specs which will provide some tonal variations that are unique or difficult to obtain with other pickups.
It's the extension of the fingerboard over the neck joint.
Yes, in fact they do have a hybrid model with both. Look at their website.
It's nice to see someone who can actually play reviewing an instrument. I've seen too many reviews by people who couldn't play their way out of a wet paper bag...
Excellent execution "Donna Lee".Respect!
i tried one the other day. they are sooooooooo coool, the sound is amazing, if i had the money i would defs buy one no hesitation
@BassGuitarMag
Thank you.
Love your playing by the way.
Well, it IS pretty complicated, but that doesn't really affect the user. As you can see, it's not hard to make adjustments to the pickups. There are lots of piezo basses out there, but this has WAY more bottom and fundamental. It's a different animal entirely.
@shoeme123 - I don't know. The emitters are housed in such a way that it would be very hard for light to reach them.
Yes, in a few weeks.
@MrDenyarnold Yes, he does some slap/pop in his review for the Music Man Stingray/Sterling/Big Al basses. He probably does slap/pop in other vids, but those are the only ones I've seen.
@treksez - Usually lower, but you can string it higher too if you prefer.
@DaNorthernLight You bet it is... I have a custom made fretless Lightwave that always amazes me. I have TI flats on it and I have been able to get anywhere from a Jaco tone to a P bass tone and a really convincing upright tone. I really wanted a Lightwave in the beginning to get that really woody upright sound. The Lightwave pickup does this better that anything else I have heard, and that includes a lot of the electric upright basses. Next I am going to try some Rotosound Trubass 88"s.
so much skill crammed into one man.
@BoseBassist - If you play with the right hand at the end of the fingerboard, turn your finger more to the side and use a lot of flesh on the string, you can soften the attack enough to get something similar, but fretless is fretless... you'll never get it exact.
Yes it is!
@Orval666 - Thanks. I have a Warwick 4 string fretted in line for review, and an LTD 6, but no fretless 6... Sorry.
@rossmc72 You don't need two pickups, but a bridge pickup definitely brings out the harmonics better.
I didn't know Scott Ian did bass reviews...
Great review Ed.
badass review!. i think Ed friedland videos are more comprehensive and articulate vs all the other ads etc we find in the mags.. I am defenitely now interested in picking this bass up if they have a midi pickup integrated, and it tracks the low E and B strings better than other midi-controllers, (which it should since its a light sensor vs magnetic coil)..
@twcal Thanks for the advice, I'll try a few out and see which ones I like best.
@AnthonyOnBass - no. In fact it's so sensitive I found I had to play extra clean. It picks up all my bad habits!
@giply2
Pardon my interjecting, but I think (key word, I may be off) the sound of slapping is from the string 'hitting' the fret, or the fingerboard. Upright bassists slap, too. On a fretless fingerboard, it sounds different... like a the sound of flip-flops hitting the pavement, but with pitch (to my ears). Where as the sound of 'slap' on a fretted partially comes from the string hitting the fret (metal hitting metal). Ed even did a review of a fretted Lightwave and he slaps with the best.
wow thats some crazy tech on that bass!!!!
@BassGuitarMag thanks I thought it had rounds but I wanted to be sure.
@Beenyad - Not all, but it's nice when they do!
Every bit as good? Sure, but very different because of the frets. The fretted models have more "clang" to the sound, but that is to be expected.
@DaNorthernLight Wrong my friend..... It's all in the string you use and even the fretless will pop.... but of course, the fretted version pops just fine.
Awesome reviewing skills!
They also make fretted... This one is about $1500. They also make $1100 models (not chambered)...
thanx,Ed
Ed, great review! How did you record this? It sounded direct and really good. Is it the bass or your recording technique? I would be really impressed with that Genz Benz rig if the sound I hear was from that rig miked.
My only, very minor, complaint is I prefer to rest my thumb on the pick up instead of on the string itself, to reduce rust at my plucking position.
Finally! I was wating for this review!
@Mooingjedi533 I was recommended from someone to check the fender fretless bass guitars. He said a lot of bass guitars come with bad pickups but the fenders don't. Seems like a solid choice.
It sounds wonderful.
Goddamn, look at that circuit. Very well constructed.
@willcox23 Ahh yes!!! I have been thinking of different combinations as well. Looking for that KILLER upright tone. I have even thought that a long scale silicone string ala Ashbory would be cool. But we need something with a quicker decay for upright. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Anywhere we can keep up with the development. BTW, I LOVE my Lightwave!!
@JuIsTheLaw Get used to trying a LOT of strings, and more importantly, try some flats. If you are looking for a bright sound, DR puts out a flat that is pretty bright and Sadowsky is really bright. I use TI flats on my Lightwave, and though not as bright as the other strings mentioned, I have to keep the high end -- ice tone -- rolled down. But the mid range of the TI is just beautiful. And don't let anybody tell you that flats don't sustain or are thuddy. All three strings have great sustain.
While it's not a cheap bass, that doesn't seem expensive to me. You can pay that (and a lot more) for basses that are just "regular" instruments. If you consider the time that went into R&D with this system, and the fact that it's unique and no one else makes it.... not so bad.
Fantastic.
I would suppose you're right, no need for metal strings. Personally, I'm not a fan of bronze strings on bass, so I wouldn't try it. But they would work. How they would sound.... who knows?
Its a Genz Benz Uber Bass 410.
@Haydeosmith Or a dude called Pino Palladino- he played with too many people to list- but he plays heavy rock to pop and jazz. Some of the most classic non- "Disney" sounds you want to hear man. No insult intended- just you may not know. There a huge amounts of sweet fretless players. Just search fretless bass- Marcus Miller, Alain Caron, Victor and the whole bunch should be there too.
@dan0496 - the fingerboard.
yes, he was
This sounds phenomenal but I'm overwhelmed by the adjustment and maintenance of the pickup system😨, looks like a lot of options in there.
They should really try this sytem with other guitars. It'd be interesting if only to see what the sound would be like. I 'd love to see it on a guitar, because opne thing I've always wanted was to really sustain the harmonics without distortion. I'd have it on a custom.
Still, lovely bass, even without praising the curcuit.
@BassGuitarMag now you've got me thinking. i'm curious if changing string type would even affect the optical pup sound at all, i mean just between rounds and flats, not to mention the various string types for ABG's. could be a whole nother dimension of sound worth exploring. i think you should do another video on it ;)
@BassGuitarMag Probably one of the better replies I've read.
I love it, SO this "lightwave" tech would prevent buzzing when slapping?
wow...14 seconds of resonance from that open A at 2:10
nice review and playing
@FinnishBassBoy - Sure I'd recommend it. But I suggest you try any bass before you buy it.
@MchammerandJapenese1 - I don't have one. It depends on the music I'm playing.
@Haydeosmith - Time for you to listen to Jaco Pastorius dude...
I imagine it would.
@LolVermillion because the 'little metal things' arent there
The diamondwood stuff is supposedly really hard (much more so than your usual ebony), so you should be able to abuse it for many years before it becomes an issue
@Haydeosmith - piezo is not magnetic. It's a transducer that fits into the bridge saddle. It picks up string vibration at the bridge, and so has no effect on the vibration of the string length.
@APairofBoots - Several years ago, they were available separately and several companies used them on their instruments. But now they are only available on Lightwave instruments.
Regarding string experimentation: since the magnetic properties of the string are useless on this bass, what difference would switching between string types really make? ie Stainless vs nickel vs copper ABG vs nylon tape wound vs barnyard twine? As long as the string material vibrates in the optic field, it will work, right? Wouldn't different string materials have a negligable effect on the vibration of the string, translating to little difference in tone?
@giply2 if i'm not mistaken it's almost neigh impossible to slap on a fretless, so at least with this particular bass it might not be possible
Is it me or does the initial attack of the note have less volume than a few moments after?
I have a first generation Lightwave system on a Zon Sonus 5 fretless. Best bass I've every played bar none. Absolute magic.
Has anyone played the fretted model? It'd be interesting to hear how the frets interact with the hi-fi optic pickup and, in particular, the ice tone circuit.
I really liked the sound of this bass - but I'm a "neck pickup" kinda guy and it doesn't really have that bark.
yeah, the 1080p video quality is really good.
I just can't jibe with the fretless tone... not sure why, but I never have.
Nice Donna Lee.
I...want... that... bass guitar!
on a five string bass is the extra string above or below the existing strings a 4 string what i mean is you have four strings is the fifth string higher then a 4 string can play or is it lower then a 4 string can play
if jaco would live to this day to get his hands on this technology, i cannot imagine the possibilities
@rossmc72 - Harmonics. Look it up.
i absolutely love this bass!!!! Great review, but one question, what would happen if you used apick with the lightwave system?? would it change the tone any?
@WoWintosh I do own a Squeir jazz bass.... Its REALLY good. Itching for the fretless now. And its no squier I want. Its the real thing. XD
@5oulPower
Dude, I played a Squier fretless jazz bass not too long ago and it was AMAZING on slap. You'd be surprised... ;)
Finally a Lightwave bass demo where we can hear the tone of the bass, and not just some crazy tapping. Thank you Mr. Friedland!
@fingerboy18 - that is known as "mwah".
Hey, I just got in a fretted 4 and 5, more Lightwave demos will be coming soon. They have a great slap tone, and real nice for chords too, but they can get fat and punchy like a good Fender too. Stay tuned.
I`m not really interested in fretted. I am pretty set there with two Warwicks and two MusicMans. Still cool thought.
i keep on looking this review again and again i love that bass... my impossible dream...
@BassGuitarMag
Ed - Thank you! A salesman at a music store where I live told me that players were reporting that 'nuances' were not translating very well. My first thought was 'are you kidding me!?', but I have not played them and figured I'd ask the most informed and intelligent source on the matter I can think of :)
p.s. I purchased your 'Building Walking Bass Lines' books years ago; just wanted to say 'thank you' while I was at it.
Definitely. I wonder if this kind of pickup system is going to become more and more popular. It definitely seems to help the sound of the B string.
@amtheriver I own one
the sound isn't bad, but very special
maybe you like it
The battery life is very good, 15-16 hours. You can also play it while it's charging, so unless you forget the charger, or don't plan to have a plug nearby - it's not really an problem.
awesome, I love the Jaco Pastorius Donna Lee in the beginning.
Well, they've been building this system for quite a few years now, and they've got it de-bugged pretty well. You're really at no more risk than playing any active bass without passive bypass. In fact, less. If your battery dies in the LW, you just plug it in.
@huangjiasheng Thanks Huang (just gonna assume that that's your name), that's what I was expecting,
but isn't a lot of the sound from slapping made by the strings getting close to the pickups?
And since these dont have pickups...
@CreativeMast3rmind Haha :) I actually think it's interesting. My bass and my acoustics all take batteries, and I don't always have some in stock. It would be nice to just be able to plug it in and let it charge :D
No worries. If you use roundwound strings, they will over time dig in to the fingerboard over a period of time. But if you play lightly (don't death grip the strings) it should take quite some time before you notice anything. Yes, you can have the fingerboard sanded down when it gets noticeably bad. Or, you could use flatwound strings and have no problems. Different roundwounds make a difference too. Stainless steel is harder than nickel, so maybe use nickel.
Well, then be impressed. I've been miking the rig for all my videos for about a year. I gave up on going direct for these demos a while ago, I feel it gives people more of a sense of how the bass sounds in performance than using a DI.
whats the difference between a fretless bass and a bass with frets? (apart from the obvious of course, one has frets the other does not)
AMAZING, really the future of guitar technology!
Harmonics played at the end are amazing! And a very valueable review too.
@spaceghost4life - Well, try TUMS, they help me deal with it. ;) (Thanks!)
thank''s for the review.
i have a question
those infrared pickups "read" or see the vibration of the strings, right? well the technology info at the ligthwave FAQ says that you can experiment with different "things" that can be consider as a strings, and for example if you put an ashbory bass strings on it
would it change the sound completely?
I`ll definitely look into these whenever I venture into the fretless world.
i bet you could do some crazy stuff to it with a tv remote
You're right, it is a fast response. Thanks for mentioning it.
The hybrid model has a magnetic pickup in the neck position along with the optical pickup, check their website.