Battle of ze new Birds

[uwe]

Inquisitive character I am, I took with me to last night's rehearsal:

- 2000 Blackbird Nikki Sixx Signature (BB),
- 2006 Ltd Edition Gothic TB IV (GB), both pictured here:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/DCP_2415.jpg

- 2007 GoW Zebra Wood TB IV (ZB)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/DCP_2192.jpg

and finally

- 2008 Nikki Sixx Signature Model (NS).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/100_1110.jpg

Conceptually, we're talking about one and the same bass here with small differences between each: The BB has stripped down electronics (just a kill switch) which in theory should provide a more direct sound (my BB also has the Hipshot supertone bridge installed), the GB for whatever reason doesn't have a nine-ply maho/walnut neck, but a single piece (solely) maho one (were they experimenting with cost saving and then painted the prototypes black to sell them as a Goth Ltd Ed?!), the ZB has zebra wood wings and a rosewood board (all others have ebony) and the NS flamed maple wings plus semi-stripped down electronics (vol, tone, kill switch). The GB claimed to have "new design" TB Plus pups, the ZB and the NS probably have those too as they came later.

Due to the BB's and NS' inherent restrictions, I played them all with both pups full on, all had fresh, but not new roundwound strings (DR Black Beauties on the BB, Dean Markley Signature Nickels on the ZB and stock Gibson factory strings on the GB and NS).

BB: Still the leanest and most piano-rrrrrrrrringing of them all (even though DR Black Beauties are far from being Rotosound "biters"). Strong treble and higher mids, less fundamentals than the others. Very lively.

GB:Loudest one of them all, bass, mids and treble, everything is there, no frequency range overshadowing the others. Very lively.

ZB: Pronounced mids of a shade you don't hear in the others, fusion music comes to mind. Treble doesn't sparkle, but is there. Deader sounding than the maho winged siblings. I wonder how much the rosewood rather than ebony board has to do with the sound or is it just down to the zebra wood which has a reputation of being more a "looker" than a "tone wood"?

NS: Surprise, surprise. I had expected the maple wings to enhance clarity and attack. They don't. Much the opposite: This bass sounds deeper than the other three by a stretch. Treble and mids are there if you dial down the bass on the amp (though not as lively as BB and GB), but with full bass dialed in, this bass has no piano ring to speak of, even thuds a little.

Which made me wonder as Nikki Sixx always raves about the piano ring sound of TBirds in interviews (not that I hear much of it on Crüe CDs, on the new one he certainly sounds dark). So I actually assumed the optigrab position, inserted my pinkie in that strange contraption and picked in that narrow space between bridge and bridge pup (the only place you can still reach in optigrab pos  - and I have long fingers). Voilà, the piano rrring appeared from nowhere, yet the bass still had sufficient bass ooomph. The other TBs of this test sounded brittle if played like that, especially the BB. It's something I already noticed on the recent Epi Blackbird which didn't deliver more rrring than a regular Epi Bird, but definitely more raunch'n'ooomph (at the loss of some clarity).

So is this all just a coincidence with my particular specimen or did Gibson in fact boost bass frequencies (how?) a little to accomodate Herr Sixx's playing style on his signature instrument?

Uwe

BTW: That optigrab pos is uncomfortable as hell for me. I generally rest my hand on the upper part of the three point and pick between the two pups, but closer to the neck one.

[Blackbird]

This post is a complete tease for me, Uwe.

Perhaps send them my way for a second opinion 

I swear I'll send them back

Uwe's edit: Yup, just like you didn't take any land from the Native Americans! 

[TBird1958]

Thanks Uwe,

I'm really looking forward to my new Bird, tho I never used the opti-grab my hand always ends up in contact with the top of the bridge. It seems that, is the *sweet* spot which will work quite nicely for me. Just my .02 on the strings - standard DR 45-105 stainless round core are the brightest I've ever played, certainly they would have more "angry piano"  (thanks, George!) sound.   

[Blackbird]

I have Black Beauties on mine too - first time I tried them.

Might try the Hi-Beams as Mark suggests next time...

[Dave W]

ZB: Pronounced mids of a shade you don't hear in the others, fusion music comes to mind. Treble doesn't sparkle, but is there. Deader sounding than the maho winged siblings. I wonder how much the rosewood rather than ebony board has to do with the sound or is it just down to the zebra wood which has a reputation of being more a "looker" than a "tone wood"?

An observation from afar:

ZB's tone: could be the zebrawood, I don't know since I've never hear a zebrawood bass or guitar. But rosewood has plenty of top end and probably wouldn't be contributing to deadness. No matter how many times you hear people say maple is bright but rosewood is warm, it's just not a very accurate description. Rosewood has a broader tonal range than maple, just smoother and with less attack.

Uwe's edit: I didn't want to attribute the "deadness" to the rosewood - I have plenty of lively sounding rosewood board basses -, but the more middish character (compared to other TBs). The deadness probably derives from the zebra wood wings though those - if I knock against them with my knuckle - still sound considerably brighter than the flamed maple wings of the NS which just "thud" whereas the zebra and maho wings "ring".

[angrymatt]

Thanks... I really needed this.  If I get the cash together between now and next summer, it makes my next bird purchase a lot simpler.

Hello Gothic.

[Basvarken]

Great review Uwe.
As usual you decribe everything very precise and in a language that even a simple guy like me can understand.
Thanx!



Are you sure you're not after Chris' new Job as editor in chief for the new Bassist mag?

[doombass]

Yes, a very nice review indeed. It got me thinking. Some maple basses like The Ripper, RD and Victory all have some  oompf. My conclusion is that maple has a very wide frequensy spectrum and it depends on the mass, construction and frequensy response of the pickups which part of that spectrum will be pronounced.

[Blazer]

I have seen footage of Motley Crue recording "New Tatoo" and Sixx played a very worn Spector Thunderbird shaped bass on all the tracks. I guess that's the reason why you don't hear that Piano-like sound of a real Gibson 'Bird on those recordings. I wouldn't be surprised if Nikki Sixx's bass sound on a lot of Crue albums was coming from Spectors since he endorsed them as early as 1988

"Dr Feelgood" performed in 1989, check out the cool reversed Spector 'Bird.

I guess that's also why the new Nikki Sixx model has maple wings: his Spectors also use a lot of maple and as you found out, it gives the 'Bird a darker sound

[uwe]

Nice nurses. Or maybe even bad ones.

[TBird1958]

I look really good in a nurses outfit, I have the legs for it.   Ummmm.........I'd be one those naughty ones tho.
...................haven't done that in awhile 

[uwe]

Know your enema. All careful nurses do.

[sniper]

I look really good in a nurses outfit, I have the legs for it.   Ummmm.........I'd be one those naughty ones tho.
...................haven't done that in awhile 

maybe you could get an outfit from my ex...............lol

[TBird1958]

 Yeah I like that!  Hmmmm.........I'll need a stethescope and a probe to go with it tho 

[bobyoung]

I'm a nurse and don't look anything like that picture.

Incidentally I use Chromes on my 2007 Sunburst Gibson T-Bird and it sounds great, very deep with hand muting and thumb. Piano-like with a pick especially considering they're flat wounds. They are hard to finger pluck for me. I'm not used to the tight spacing.