4005XC

Vintage, Modern, V & C series, Fretless, Signature & Special Editions

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Dom
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Dom »

Sounds like you’ve survived a Teisco.

It is string changing time, so I ordered some under pickguard thumbwheel controls for my piezo mod. This one has both volume and tone but I might end up with just the single volume style and set tone at the board. I only use RicOSound, so the piezo output will go in place of the the standard jack which gets secured away so the original harness is unaltered. Video of the process and recordings will follow.
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chrisdski
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Re: 4005XC

Post by chrisdski »

Dom wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:04 am Sounds like you’ve survived a Teisco.

It is string changing time, so I ordered some under pickguard thumbwheel controls for my piezo mod.
What under bridge piezo are you using?
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Koshchei
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Koshchei »

Yes, please document!
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Dom
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Dom »

I plan on going into well recorded depth later, but it’s a refinement on what I did on my 370WB. Not a mod for everyone, but one I find super useful. The recipe is simple. To avoid the “quack” I hear in the typical under saddle style piezo I use a large disk type. It works on pressure so it gets sandwiched between the bridge plate and body. Separate the piezo from grounding out by taping the bottom of the plate. Run the leads into the bridge pickup route to a 500K volume pot and depending on your circumstances maybe a treble bleed. I go into a boost pedal at the pedalboard. Probably a couple weeks out yet. Reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaly Anxious to hear it on the bass. TRIcOSound…you get three outputs.
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chrisdski
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Re: 4005XC

Post by chrisdski »

The other consideration on a piezo is you need a mega ohm input for your amp for the piezo to sound good. Check the ohm input rating of the amp you are using. If it is only a kilo ohm input, you should run the piezo thru a pre amp with a mega ohm input. Ohm mismatch between a piezo (mega ohm) and an amp (kilo ohm) produces an impedance mismatch, making the piezo sound tinny.
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Dom
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Dom »

https://youtu.be/DEsXxXAzJm8

4005XC with a piezo!
Just got the piezo installed like moments before so this is just the first taste. Fun! Excuse the playing, my fingernail is mostly on with glue. Ciao!

https://imgur.com/a/XlU2h3o
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Koshchei
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Koshchei »

Very subtle install!

I wish I could say I could tell the difference between the piezo and mag, but I really can't! Might just be YouTube and their audio compression algorithm though.

What are your thoughts?
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Dom
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Dom »

Thanks! The video was only the piezo, no toasters and with the original played out strings, and suuuuper late at night. Just DI to the iPad with the heavy bottom preset. My bass pal was surprised at how slinky it made it sound. It adds a liveliness to whatever it is mixed with on my rig, which needs another redo to handle four outputs and switching instruments. My 370WB has had a version of the piezo on the 5th knob for a good long while so it was “I must do this” when I saw the 4005XC. Super easy and makes it like the best hidden hybrid instrument.

Th roller position is practical and it’s becoming intuitive but I realized almost immediately that I should have attached the volume to the lower guard, that would raise the wheel instead of it being right against the guard. This is not a problem for those who stick with raised guards or for guitars. Flexible wires are another thing I recommend. I’m working on the full how to vid and I want to address those. I also have to figure out the rig. I have been able to switch between each pickup clean out to pA and an additional bridge out to the guitar chain but the piezo makes it four.
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jps
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Re: 4005XC

Post by jps »

Dom wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 5:32 am https://youtu.be/DEsXxXAzJm8

4005XC with a piezo!
This would sound great fretless. :wink:
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Dom
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Dom »

Absolutely would be great on fret less. :twisted: Still, I’m keeping my pliers safely away from the neck! :lol:
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jps
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Re: 4005XC

Post by jps »

Dom wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 6:37 pm Absolutely would be great on fret less. :twisted: Still, I’m keeping my pliers safely away from the neck! :lol:
That's fine. 8) Just buy another 4005XC to do so with. :twisted: :mrgreen: :D
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Dom
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Dom »

Before they made the XC I was going to do a bari 6 conversion on a 330 but a fretless might finally get me over the fear of building a neck.

I figured out how to use my thumb and approximate the stand up bass sound. Get that string buzzz goin. Here’s a song of some sort with the piezo run through my rig and a run through the tones. Everything is run through a mic’d 4x10 behind me.
https://youtu.be/GzGuG7rhRfk
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Koshchei
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Koshchei »

Just another plug about what beasts these basses are! Just coming down the home stretch of developing a saltando plucking technique using my 4005XC, and holy hell does it handle fast playing well.

https://soundcloud.com/koshchei-1/thana ... is-rabbath
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Isaac
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Isaac »

Koshchei wrote: Mon May 15, 2023 10:05 am Just another plug about what beasts these basses are! Just coming down the home stretch of developing a saltando plucking technique using my 4005XC, and holy hell does it handle fast playing well.

https://soundcloud.com/koshchei-1/thana ... is-rabbath
What is a saltando plucking technique?
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Koshchei
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Re: 4005XC

Post by Koshchei »

It's the jumping bow technique that string players use when playing really fast arpeggio shapes across strings, where the lowest and highest notes are repeated. François Rabbath adapted the technique from violin for double bass, and I've tried to extend it for electric bass.
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