Man, you have the best reviews on here ever ! Everything is so clear and you cover everything. Not to mention that you record the sound with great quality. Love your channel, great job !
sdushiu has reply turned off I guess... But to address his comment about reviews being dominated by pick and percussive styles... That may be true in general, but if you have noticed... I always demo a bass using finger style, pick style, and slap. I personally love to slap, and so yeah... I use that sound a lot in my demos, but only if the bass is suited to that sort of thing. For example.... I never slap in a fretless demo. Anyway, no offense taken by your comments, I realize it's not possible to accommodate everyone's preferences... try as I may!
My favorite sounding p-bass ever. I'm sure a lot of factors contribute to it but I think the pickup position is a little closer to the bridge on these and I think I really like what it does.
Thanks for the Demo Ed!! Love your stuff... I'm assuming that the whole demo was through your amp... I would have liked to have heard it direct... I'm still wanting one of these basses... Thanks for all you do!!
Yes, I always record the bass coming out of the amp, and I play LOUD! Just like you want to! I figure that's the way you're going to hear the bass when you play it...
Okay Ed---I'm sold. I got a quote from Carvin for a PB5 in swamp ash in gloss black; maple board; abalone diamond inlays (those are so cool); radiused humbucker in the bridge; tortoise shell pickguard; and chrome hardware. With a soft case it came to just under $1200. That totally blew my mind. Fortunately I have a few basses I can sell to get the $$$ together for this.
Thanks for all your reviews. I wondered if you had an opinion on the Carvin JB4 Jazz bass. Looking at that or maybe a Lakland DJ4. Looks to me like the Carvins are very well made. Thank you.
Ed,you make everything sound good. Another great Demo . I just ordered one after watching your video. Sorry,I actually ordered two . There are a ton of different configurations .Ed ,what is your next bass rig going to be ,now that Genz Benz is no longer in business? Thank you
hey Ed.... I would like a demo with a parker maxxfly bass, seems like awesome bass but I have dudes with carbone epoxy o what ever it names. Sorry about my bad english
Great demo as usual, Ed. Say, will you be reviewing the new Carvin JB5 Classic Bolt-Neck 5-String Jazz Bass anytime soon? And if so, will you compare it to the Carvin SB5000 and maybe even a Fender American Deluxe Jazz V? I know you don't usually do shoot outs but I think most of us Carvin guys would really dig. Thanks!
Hi Ed .....I have been truly enjoying your videos ....I'm looking for a good start up bass I'm a guitar player but need to fill in and work some ideas bass wise ...what would you recommend as far as Bass instrument ?....need something that cuts through and fairly easy neck wise to play prefer 5 strings as I would need a low B ...any help appreciated
Hi Ed ~ As usual, this is a fantastic demo. In your opinion, would the PB4 have more punch, low end and responsiveness over a Carvin neck thru? I own a LB70 four string and a Bromberg B5, for some reason I've never gone bolt-on with a Carvin. I'm asking this because as seems to be my norm, I'm eyeing up the new Xccelerator four string, yet another 24 fret bass. Perhaps I should change my ways...lol. Thanks and again, love all your reviews!
Well, in general terms yes. Bolt-ons are by nature "punchier" than neck-throughs, but there are always exceptions. I think the PB is a great example of the P Bass platform... if all you play is neck-throughs... maybe it's time for some variety? I think the Xccelerator looks very interesting, but the headstock is a deal breaker for this old guy! ;)
Great review, great bass! I hear ya on that 18 volt preamp. I wish Carvin would offer a 9 volt option. It's almost too big a sound, plus I'd rather deal with just one battery. That's just me though.
Bass Whisperer TV Guess I really have to sit down with one and take it for a test drive. I have an early 90's 2 band, LB6 Fretless I really love. Almost really doesn't need that mid range, but I usually get that from my amp if needed. Thanks again for the review and your input!
Great demo, as usual! I'm curious about 2 things: was the Streamliner run flat, as you usually do + how did this 5 string P Bass compare to the Mike Lull? I'm in the market for a good 5 string P + would love your input/opinion! Thanks!
I don't remember the specific settings on the amp... but usually I run the Bass at 9:00, Mids flat and treble flat. I may have messed with the miss a bit, don't remember. This is a nice bass. Compared to the Lull? Well, the Carvin has a more modern vibe, the neck plays more like a hotrod boutique, where the Lull feels more like a Fender... chunky, rounder, more primitive. The Lull is 35" scale - which changes a lot about the response. The Carvin pickup is a bit grindier compared to the Nordy I have in the Lull. The Lull to me feels more like a passive Fender while the Carvin feels more like a "souped up" P bass. I like both for different reasons.
Being a longtime Fender guy, it sounds like the Lull might be the way to go for me. Although, I'm sure it would probably cost at least 2x as much as the Carvin! I've been to Mike's shop many times, he's got really nice basses, but they're not cheap. You do get what you pay for, though. I think the 35" scale would help that B string really ring out, too. Thanks for the insight!
I have taken the plunge and ordered one of these. Slightly different color scheme but same pickup configuration, fretboard, etc. I am sure you do your own setups and everything but how was this one right out of the box?
Carvin/Kiesel makes great basses and guitars. The difference to my ears when you compare a bass like this to the Fender is it has a more neutral sound. It lacks the warmth of the Fender. So if you want a more modern sound of a classic you may prefer this bass. Personally though I prefer the latest made in America Fender basses.
I like it- but in all honesty the passive sounds perfect- why mess with it? You can always scoop your amp for slapping... I have a custom SB4 coming my way, can't wait to partake.
Bass Whisperer TV I didn't see you discuss that massive looking bridge, or did I just miss it because I was in a trance by its absolutely wonderful tone?
Hey Ed, I saw your review of the Fender Precision 5 string which you gave high marks and I was wondering, if you could only have one, would you choose the Fender P Bass 5 or a Carvin PB5? I know you can get the PB5 active/passive for around the same money. Do they feel much different? What would make you pick one over the other?
I won't choose for you. But I'll say that the Carvin has a much stronger and clearer B string than the Fender, at least between the two basses that I played. The neck profile on the Carvin is wider and flatter, so that may or may not be your preference - the Fender neck is narrower and rounder.
Good reviews and knowledge...but regarding preferences in playing styles, it sure gets old seeing reviews that are literally dominated by playing with a pick and/or using the bass as a percussive instrument by slapping to the exclusion of more traditional finger style playing - which makes all of the obligatory references to Jaco rather... ironic..... I guess you should toss my perspective into the pile labeled "loyal opposition" (meaning the wry wit is all meant with a smile), as the more traditional stylings have been jettisoned for the oh so trendy pick and slap style. I am not expecting anyone to jettison their stylings, but to kindly include the more traditional styling as well - if only for review and comparison sake. Does anyone, or for that matter, Can anyone actually play traditional melodic 'acoustic/finger' style aka as if they have ever played an acoustic upright (or simply without a pick or slapping)? I realize that those of us who actually prefer fretless and more acoustic tones are already marginalized 'weirdos'... Nor do I expect everyone to do that and that having the versatility to play many styles has its place, but it would sure be nice if the more tradition forms of playing were even acknowledged or addressed for reviews sake - if simply to hear the tone and response of the instrument as there is (so I am told) more to a bass' tone than the sound of metal strings bouncing off frets. And it would sure be nice to have the ability to ascertain that aspect of the performance of such basses as the Carvins and G&Ls. OK, rant over...thank you very much for your substantial efforts and time...
Love your reviews and appreciate you taking the time to make and share them with us.
Man, you have the best reviews on here ever !
Everything is so clear and you cover everything. Not to mention that you record the sound with great quality.
Love your channel, great job !
Enjoyed the review! Thanks Ed!
Great review as always Ed
Thanks, Ed. Great review. I want one now.
The green/black color is stylish. Thanks for this great review.
Great review. Keep 'em coming.
i love these old bases under the Carvin name....i have the Carvin 5 string from Brian Bromberg...Sweet!
best reviews on youtube
great review as always and great bass
Man, that sure is NASTY! We love you Ed. Peace and non-flabby bass appreciation from London, England.
Ed is very thorough with his reviews. Great job!!
awesome stuff ed
Another great review love PB5. Can't wait to see LB 100.
It's coming.
sdushiu has reply turned off I guess... But to address his comment about reviews being dominated by pick and percussive styles... That may be true in general, but if you have noticed... I always demo a bass using finger style, pick style, and slap. I personally love to slap, and so yeah... I use that sound a lot in my demos, but only if the bass is suited to that sort of thing. For example.... I never slap in a fretless demo. Anyway, no offense taken by your comments, I realize it's not possible to accommodate everyone's preferences... try as I may!
My favorite sounding p-bass ever. I'm sure a lot of factors contribute to it but I think the pickup position is a little closer to the bridge on these and I think I really like what it does.
Thanks for the Demo Ed!! Love your stuff... I'm assuming that the whole demo was through your amp... I would have liked to have heard it direct... I'm still wanting one of these basses... Thanks for all you do!!
Yes, I always record the bass coming out of the amp, and I play LOUD! Just like you want to! I figure that's the way you're going to hear the bass when you play it...
Okay Ed---I'm sold. I got a quote from Carvin for a PB5 in swamp ash in gloss black; maple board; abalone diamond inlays (those are so cool); radiused humbucker in the bridge; tortoise shell pickguard; and chrome hardware. With a soft case it came to just under $1200. That totally blew my mind. Fortunately I have a few basses I can sell to get the $$$ together for this.
That is just awesome. Do want
Thanks for all your reviews.
I wondered if you had an opinion on the Carvin JB4 Jazz bass.
Looking at that or maybe a Lakland DJ4.
Looks to me like the Carvins are very well made.
Thank you.
Nice... He's playing "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside at the end!
Ed,you make everything sound good. Another great Demo . I just ordered one after watching your video. Sorry,I actually ordered two . There are a ton of different configurations .Ed ,what is your next bass rig going to be ,now that Genz Benz is no longer in business? Thank you
Sounds amazing, was expecting it to be a lot more than $1100. For $800-900 on the basic model, I'd imagine it would be a steal.
Ah how I've missed those Ed licks
Uhm, that's not plural. "Lick"
cool bass that low B is flawless! what mic do you use?
hey Ed....
I would like a demo with a parker maxxfly bass, seems like awesome bass but I have dudes with carbone epoxy o what ever it names. Sorry about my bad english
Hi Ed, great review! Do you know what strings were on at the time? Was it the originals from the factory? Thanks
Great demo as usual, Ed. Say, will you be reviewing the new Carvin JB5 Classic Bolt-Neck 5-String Jazz Bass anytime soon? And if so, will you compare it to the Carvin SB5000 and maybe even a Fender American Deluxe Jazz V? I know you don't usually do shoot outs but I think most of us Carvin guys would really dig. Thanks!
Yes, at some point I will. I have a backlog right now... I have to get to the Vanquish basses first! The JBs look sweet!
Great. Looking forward to it.
Hi Ed .....I have been truly enjoying your videos ....I'm looking for a good start up bass I'm a guitar player but need to fill in and work some ideas bass wise ...what would you recommend as far as Bass instrument ?....need something that cuts through and fairly easy neck wise to play prefer 5 strings as I would need a low B ...any help appreciated
Hi Ed ~ As usual, this is a fantastic demo. In your opinion, would the PB4 have more punch, low end and responsiveness over a Carvin neck thru? I own a LB70 four string and a Bromberg B5, for some reason I've never gone bolt-on with a Carvin. I'm asking this because as seems to be my norm, I'm eyeing up the new Xccelerator four string, yet another 24 fret bass. Perhaps I should change my ways...lol. Thanks and again, love all your reviews!
Well, in general terms yes. Bolt-ons are by nature "punchier" than neck-throughs, but there are always exceptions. I think the PB is a great example of the P Bass platform... if all you play is neck-throughs... maybe it's time for some variety? I think the Xccelerator looks very interesting, but the headstock is a deal breaker for this old guy! ;)
Bass Whisperer TV Yes, I believe it's time to change it up. Thank you!
Ahhh BASS WHISPERER!
Great review, great bass! I hear ya on that 18 volt preamp. I wish Carvin would offer a 9 volt option. It's almost too big a sound, plus I'd rather deal with just one battery. That's just me though.
If I'm not mistaken... it is possible to rewire some preamps for 9v operation. But honestly, the headroom you get from 18v is a big improvement.
Bass Whisperer TV Guess I really have to sit down with one and take it for a test drive. I have an early 90's 2 band, LB6 Fretless I really love. Almost really doesn't need that mid range, but I usually get that from my amp if needed. Thanks again for the review and your input!
how does the carvin PJ compare to the Fender
Hey Ed! What's the neck profile like on this bass?
Great demo, as usual! I'm curious about 2 things: was the Streamliner run flat, as you usually do + how did this 5 string P Bass compare to the Mike Lull? I'm in the market for a good 5 string P + would love your input/opinion! Thanks!
I don't remember the specific settings on the amp... but usually I run the Bass at 9:00, Mids flat and treble flat. I may have messed with the miss a bit, don't remember.
This is a nice bass. Compared to the Lull? Well, the Carvin has a more modern vibe, the neck plays more like a hotrod boutique, where the Lull feels more like a Fender... chunky, rounder, more primitive. The Lull is 35" scale - which changes a lot about the response. The Carvin pickup is a bit grindier compared to the Nordy I have in the Lull. The Lull to me feels more like a passive Fender while the Carvin feels more like a "souped up" P bass. I like both for different reasons.
Being a longtime Fender guy, it sounds like the Lull might be the way to go for me. Although, I'm sure it would probably cost at least 2x as much as the Carvin! I've been to Mike's shop many times, he's got really nice basses, but they're not cheap. You do get what you pay for, though. I think the 35" scale would help that B string really ring out, too. Thanks for the insight!
I have taken the plunge and ordered one of these. Slightly different color scheme but same pickup configuration, fretboard, etc. I am sure you do your own setups and everything but how was this one right out of the box?
ordered an SB5000 last year and getting PB5 later this year. Out of the box, carvins are good to go, loved it.
I wish it had 24 frets.
Carvin/Kiesel makes great basses and guitars. The difference to my ears when you compare a bass like this to the Fender is it has a more neutral sound. It lacks the warmth of the Fender. So if you want a more modern sound of a classic you may prefer this bass. Personally though I prefer the latest made in America Fender basses.
I call the big one Bitey.
Did you say swamp ash body or swamp ass body?
I like it- but in all honesty the passive sounds perfect- why mess with it? You can always scoop your amp for slapping... I have a custom SB4 coming my way, can't wait to partake.
Well, it is available as a passive only bass. But if I'm going to demo one bass... it makes sense to do the one that does both right?
Bass Whisperer TV
I didn't see you discuss that massive looking bridge, or did I just miss it because I was in a trance by its absolutely wonderful tone?
David Korr No, I didn't say much at all about it. It's nice, it works... it's a bridge.... Same bridge as all Carvin bolt-ons.
Much bigger than the bridge on my 2011 Fender Am Std P-Bass.
Bass Whisperer TV Yeah- right you are.
Hey Ed, I saw your review of the Fender Precision 5 string which you gave high marks and I was wondering, if you could only have one, would you choose the Fender P Bass 5 or a Carvin PB5? I know you can get the PB5 active/passive for around the same money. Do they feel much different? What would make you pick one over the other?
I won't choose for you. But I'll say that the Carvin has a much stronger and clearer B string than the Fender, at least between the two basses that I played. The neck profile on the Carvin is wider and flatter, so that may or may not be your preference - the Fender neck is narrower and rounder.
Good reviews and knowledge...but regarding preferences in playing styles, it sure gets old seeing reviews that are literally dominated by playing with a pick and/or using the bass as a percussive instrument by slapping to the exclusion of more traditional finger style playing - which makes all of the obligatory references to Jaco rather... ironic.....
I guess you should toss my perspective into the pile labeled "loyal opposition" (meaning the wry wit is all meant with a smile), as the more traditional stylings have been jettisoned for the oh so trendy pick and slap style. I am not expecting anyone to jettison their stylings, but to kindly include the more traditional styling as well - if only for review and comparison sake.
Does anyone, or for that matter, Can anyone actually play traditional melodic 'acoustic/finger' style aka as if they have ever played an acoustic upright (or simply without a pick or slapping)? I realize that those of us who actually prefer fretless and more acoustic tones are already marginalized 'weirdos'... Nor do I expect everyone to do that and that having the versatility to play many styles has its place, but it would sure be nice if the more tradition forms of playing were even acknowledged or addressed for reviews sake - if simply to hear the tone and response of the instrument as there is (so I am told) more to a bass' tone than the sound of metal strings bouncing off frets. And it would sure be nice to have the ability to ascertain that aspect of the performance of such basses as the Carvins and G&Ls.
OK, rant over...thank you very much for your substantial efforts and time...