EX-5 Explorer Bass Sound Demos

[wazkelly]

Demo video with stock Chinese Humbuckers


http://youtu.be/MGTWx3SIuw4

[wazkelly]

Demo video after installing John Benson Custom Handwired Soapbar Humbuckers with 2 x Bourns 500k push pull pots and a gotoh 3 way selector switch.


http://youtu.be/wsj_nIS59F8

[Dedman]

Sounds great Waz, especially the bridge

[dave.king1]

Playing bass with a pick, good lad :)

Edited to add I do like the SC sound of the Bensons

[wokkaboy]

good stuff Waz I got to head out but will check your vids out later, look forward to the comparison of sound/

Waz I'm disappointed thought you would have a big bushy beard like your Ned Kelly avatar haha

[WeirdBits]

Dancing in the moonlight, nice. The pickups sound great, particularly the split neck. Worth the upgrade, thanks for sharing.

[wazkelly]

Thanks Guys. Really pleased with the single coil sounds as that was a big unknown before doing the coil splits.

@ Dave, I originally started off as a guitarist before switching to Bass and therefore feel more at home on a pick but have taught myself to use fingers a bit more over the past year or so. Some songs do sound better with fingers but I need to work harder on speed and accuracy before giving up a pick.

@ Woks, sorry to spoil your mental picture. Haven't grown a beard for more than 35 years and it never got past 3 weeks as I couldn't stand the itchiness. These days it would just make me look way older than what I am and would mostly would be white or grey.

@ Weirdy, well spotted. Interesting chord progressions on some Thin Lizzy stuff and not what you would usually expect. Boys Are Back In Town is another good example where they have lots of movement going on.

[Andy40]

You can really tell the difference between both types of pups. the Bensons sound fantastic.

[dave.king1]

@ Dave, I originally started off as a guitarist before switching to Bass and therefore feel more at home on a pick but have taught myself to use fingers a bit more over the past year or so. Some songs do sound better with fingers but I need to work harder on speed and accuracy before giving up a pick.

@ Woks, sorry to spoil your mental picture. Haven't grown a beard for more than 35 years and it never got past 3 weeks as I couldn't stand the itchiness. These days it would just make me look way older than what I am and would mostly would be white or grey.


An important part of playing dynamics is damping / muting and palm muting is easy when using a pick a bit less so when finger muting with the left hand which is why I rarely stray from a pick when playing bass. ( also been playing bass for way too long to change )

As for the beard I reckon with a bit of salt & pepper fluff you would have a definite Clapton look happening :D

[wazkelly]

You can really tell the difference between both types of pups. the Bensons sound fantastic.
Thanks Andy. Huge improvement and well worth the money spent.

[wazkelly]

An important part of playing dynamics is damping / muting and palm muting is easy when using a pick a bit less so when finger muting with the left hand which is why I rarely stray from a pick when playing bass. ( also been playing bass for way too long to change )

As for the beard I reckon with a bit of salt & pepper fluff you would have a definite Clapton look happening :D
Cheers Dave. Sounds like we may have similar playing styles as I also do palm muting just as you do on guitar too.

As for the Clapton look that might have to wait a few more years until I reach retirement age.

[wokkaboy]

finally got around to watching both vids Waz, the Bensons have much more punch, are clearer and the split coil options give you heaps more sounds. Good demo thanks for posting that.
On the first video you had a bum note on the Pink Floyd Money riff but corrected it for the 2nd video.

[wazkelly]

Thanks Woks. No bum notes during the rehearsal, just crumbled under pressure once camera was rolling. As I do a few more hopefully they will get better.

[wokkaboy]

hahha no worries Waz. I usually record my videos after several drinks and record about 5 to 10 vids and pick the best one

[wazkelly]

Might need to do that in future.

[MusicStudent1]

I’ll be brutally honest. It’s just scales using the stock pickups, into a 15w practice bass amp. It is NOT the crowning achievement. There will be more and better videos with it coming soon.

But, if you’re interested in seeing a guy’s 1st demo with his 1st build, this is it! :D



https://youtu.be/nL9TbAuXDaI

[MusicStudent1]

Just a little demo. I’m playing along with a track from a bass instructional book.


https://youtu.be/Fb3Vh-jaKwc

For now, I am satisfied with merely building a bass and actually playing something on it!

[Andy40]

Nice vids Musicstudent1. Bass sounds good and looks the part.

[wazkelly]

Good Vids buddy. Reminds me that I need to practice scales more often.

[MusicStudent1]

I know I’ve already posted 2 other videos playing my EX-5 bass but this one is more of an achievement & I’m not happy with the others. I just learned this little instrumental a week or so ago.

Yes, I know there’s a pickup screw missing. I had to remove it because it was tearing up my fingers. I’m going to get a drill bit the size of the screw head and hand drill out some of that plastic. Then the screws will be flush with the surface of the pickup. Right now, they all stick up about 1 mm which is unacceptable.

To get the true METAL sound, I’m using the bridge pickup only with the tone rolled off just a little. The strings should be plucked closer to the neck than bridge to get the right tone. I’ve done the best I can to replicate bassist Alex Webster‘s sound.

Enjoy a 56 year old man playing along with the “Extreme Metal Bass” CD, lol!!!!! I hope you fellas don’t mind! 👍🏻

https://youtu.be/QbtyY-ZlpXI


https://youtu.be/QbtyY-ZlpXI