Lightwave SaberVL5 Fretted

[GeneEdwards87]

DISCOUNT @ tiny.cc\39dxh

Product Description

LightWave Saber VL

The revolutionary Saber Bass VL Models are high performance, professional basses designed with the exclusive and patented Optical Pickup System, making the Saber's tone and playing experience unlike any other bass. The Saber VL is superbly crafted, with a Swamp Ash body and a premium AAA flame maple top. The reinforced ...

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[MomoTheBellyDancer]

Is that a Tony Oppenheim slap part at 8:55?

[kbot86]

So did they go away from the composite fingerboard and start doing only maple? or is it simply an option?

[Fenorn]

3:35 look to down to left corner. There's a voodoo doll of someone! I knew the BassWhisperer was evil!

[AcoBass2378]

that sustain is loooooooonnnnnnnnnggggggggg

[Numbdegree]

harmonic slap/popping that's interesting.

[ZiyadAlvi]

Please do a wall bass. You can try doing some Geddy Lee and Justin Chancellor licks .. :D

[edthehead83]

Malkovich, malkovich.

[OHTEHWIN]

Would you say this bass has a lot of growl to it? I'm looking for a bass that will stand out in a mix of distorted guitars.

[tenoki]

I think that I have found my first base!

[meatwad61]

Always love a little Steely :)

[ALIONBASS]

@bloodyrituals I think it does, because different strings have their own vibrating properties.

[ZepIV]

Ed was hypnotized by the sustain. So was I. It's kind of ridonkulous

[123andrelevy]

please, review a fodera bass!!!!

[BassGuitarMag]

@bloodyrituals - They tell it does, but I personally have never changed strings on one to see for myself.

[123andrelevy]

would be realy cool if you begin to do some tapping stuff

[BassGuitarMag]

@123andrelevy - No, it would be a miracle. I don't know how to do that.

[SpaceVulcan]

Question: how would it compare to a piezo-only bass? I'm currently designing a 4-string fretless with piezo-only, but this system keeps cropping up...

[BassGuitarMag]

@SpaceVulcan - It's a very different thing. The Lightwave is a lot punchier than most piezos (in my experience), and it's not "quacky" like some piezos. However, I'm not sure if you can buy the electronics for your bass. They used to sell the system separately, but I don't think they do anymore.

[WhiteMexicanBassist]

The review for this and the fretless version convinced me to get the 2 versions rather than the fretless Le Fay I planned on and still save me $3000. Which is great because I love fretless but also like the fretted tone so it would've hurt to have to chose one over the other. Now I just have to find a good dual bass case.

[BassGuitarMag]

@WhiteMexicanBassist - Awesome. Check out the Mono case dual gig bag, or Reunion Blues.

[musicman9901]

Hey Ed, really liking this bass, is there any real drawbacks or negative points about the bass? I'm looking to get into bass and would like to move up to a 6 string and further eventually but figured a 5 would probly be a better start. I also was looking for something different than a Fender bass and I am deffinately interested in the Lightwave SaberVL5.

[BassGuitarMag]

@musicman9901 - No drawbacks, nothing negative - if you like the way they sound. It's a very different tone than Fender.

[jonro100]

Excellent review. I like how you take your tim and go through all of the settings and features. It really answered a lot of questions about the Lightwave for me.

[wirdcash666i]

@BassGuitarMag hi i buy a new bass guitar it is a gsw i dont now what kind of company is that do you now it? tell if that's a good bass

[SteveUrkeI]

If I send you my bass will you review it?

[BassGuitarMag]

@SteveUrkeI - Include a check for $900 and I will.

[fullforce174]

what is that name of the beautiful piece you were playing at the end?

[BassGuitarMag]

@fullforce174 - All The Things You Are.

[ibanezbass671]

Nice, The head stock reminds me of th e Ibanez Sound Gear basses.

[AhmanskoVelicanstvo]

2:15 he saw jesus christ

[bmiranda2645]

If the Lightwave bass could talk to a Hofner Beatle bass, it would probably say, "I have sustain like there's no tomorrow. All you got is a short 'thoomp' and nothing more. Neener-neener!"

[Tooltrocity]

Was that Misty you were playing at the end?

[BassGuitarMag]

@Tooltrocity - The chord solo piece was All The Things You Are.

[iPivo]

Hey Ed, any chances Ibanez will send you the new Ashula bass? I'd love to hear your thoughts on that!

[BassGuitarMag]

@iPivo - I don't know, it could happen.

[pjmuck]

Astounding sustain! As for the tone, I would have expected a honkier J bridge pickup sound considering the placement of the Lightwave pickup system back near the bridge, but this bass is more reminiscent of a P pickup position tone. Very strange. Ed, I listened through my headphones, and I noticed the bass seems to accentuate harmonic overtones, though not necessarily in a good way (sometimes sounded dissonant). Do you find this to be true, or is it perhaps a product of your audio file?

[BassGuitarMag]

@pjmuck - You are hearing Youtube audio dreck. My original file is clean, and try as I may to keep the levels within reasonable parameters, YT seems to put it's stank on everything I upload.

[bmiranda2645]

@BassGuitarMag Yeah that happens to my guitar sounds too. YouTube seems to taint my good mixes with its compression and lack of dithering or some computery reason. But either way this Lightwave bass has supernatural sustain sorta like a piano, but I suppose that's only possible with proper calibration. The fact that it doesn't have magnets or piezos makes the bass cool because it's an oddball.

[Pehennji]

Hey Ed! Great job, as usual! Does the palm muting sound good on this kind of bass?

[BassGuitarMag]

@Pehennji - I can't do it, the bridge housing blocks where I mute, and muting in front of it is too far from the bridge to get the right sound. So.... no.

[MusicAndDaren]

WOO DONALD FAGAN BASS PLAYING

[Vulturer]

Hey Bass Whisperer, did you attend the recent Victor Wooten (with Nate Watts) Clinic at Manhattan? I thought I saw you there. Anyway, you put up great reviews!

[BassGuitarMag]

@Vulturer - No, some other bald guy with a beard....

[theguitargeek12345]

I hope you can review the ibanez ashula bass

[funkeety]

Hi Ed...aah, without any question (usually i ask something to you), THIS BASS IS TRULY THE BEST BASS YOU REVIEWED...EVER!!!! hahaha... the technology is new and helpful..thx.. i'll buy this bass.. well.. not tommorow, but i'll buy.. lol

[huangjiasheng]

the slap bass demo is my favorite part

keep it up Ed.

you good sir rock

[SadisticB1tch]

Ed, may i ask, that bass is DEAD SILENT even if you turn the treble to 100%, right? no noise whatsoever like on magnetic pickup basses.

[BassGuitarMag]

@SadisticB1tch - That is correct.

[mnikolov2]

Love the new video styling Ed keep up the good fight man! You ROCK !!!

[mcg413]

I have a question for you, Ed- which do you prefer, the fretless model of this bass, or the fretted one?

[BassGuitarMag]

@mcg413 - Ah... hard to say. I think the fretless sounds pretty awesome... but, the fretted bass has it's own thing. I'd probably go with the fretless for myself.

[theloafersuk]

Hey Ed I loved the Peg extract - we do a version in our set and I usually play it straight finger style - we're far too loud for subtleties like you and Chuck Rainey play with ease LOL

[BassGuitarMag]

@theloafersuk - Well, I've certainly absorbed the vibe of what Chuck does there, but he is the one and only. I can't copy him, and I'm sure I over played it... but heck, it's a bass demo.

[theloafersuk]

@BassGuitarMag It sounded fine to me - not overplayed at all

[joesmackidy]

Wasn't sure how the slap tone was going to be.. heard it and cried with amazement. 

[chhppx]

hey ed!

i wanted to ask about your left hand technique

do you use the surface of your finger tips to depress the note or the portion right above the second joint of the finger

does the finger tip method offer more control and less fatigue?

[BassGuitarMag]

@chhppx - I use both. Certain things work better on the tips, others - the other way.

[MadTheMonk]

That bass looks terrible! Tell you what, I'll take it off your hands no questions asked...

[BassGuitarMag]

@DarkEternal250 - I personally don't need to rest my thumb on a pickup, but I know a lot of people rely on that. Frankly, you shouldn't because leaving your thumb on the pickup means you're not muting your lower strings as you move across to the higher ones... but, I know there are lots of folks that play that way. They will feel strange at first, but it's probably better for them to get used to it. The bridge is not tall, but the housing is - to keep light from interfering with the pickup.

[MrTheguyofbigbite]

Who's the little rocker on the drum toms?

[BassGuitarMag]

@MrTheguyofbigbite - Tommy Chong

[caal15]

Ed what about the neck??, is it really comfortable to play, do you know what's the string spacing in this bass??, great review by the way

[BassGuitarMag]

@caal15 - It feels comfortable... the spacing is not given on the website, and due to the bridge housing, it's hard to take a measurement, but it feels pretty standard... I'm going to estimate it at 19mm.

[6y298]

Cool instrument. Nice, and different, addition to one's arsenal if possible. Interesting the shades of EBMM as the ice tone kicks in.

[JosephGallagher]

Someone's got a 2nd camera

[Hysteriskull]

Great review!

Thanks, Ed.

[PowerSlave59]

love your reviews, as always. Keep up the good work :D

[Intenzity]

oooo look at you all fancy with two cameras now. ;)

I have played one of these things before and they are cool BUT...they are really expensive, you have to pay a premium for the pickup systems and it put the one I played into the super custom bass price range, and the workmanship on these....just isn't the same as a 3-5k bass. So you end up paying for the pickups, not the bass. If these things are so great how come they are still a novelty and haven't gone mainstream yet?

[BassGuitarMag]

@Intenzity - Yeah, two cameras - giving it a try. By the way, the bass sells for $1,795 - not cheap, but certainly not $3-5K.

[killmeandit]

do the optical pickups act normal too effects? like overdrive, synthesizer, reverb and fuzz? thx.

[BassGuitarMag]

@killmeandit - Sure, it's a normal analog signal just like a regular bass, it will drive any effect.

[killmeandit]

The ice tone slapping. eargasm

[LarvaVengadora]

Which´s the price of this bass?

Excellent review!

[BassGuitarMag]

@LarvaVengadora - I've seen them for $1,795.

[surfertron20000]

Fantastic Review Ed! Totally digging this bass, sleak, sexy and sound damn great! :D

[TheKaappari]

Is the optical pickup digital?

[BassGuitarMag]

@TheKaappari - No, it's an analog signal.

[canvoodoo]

peg yeh

[9bogar8]

@ BassGuitarMag

excuse me, I'm not an english-speaker and do not clearly understand, what does "boost" and "cut" mean?

[maciekfingerstyle]

@9bogar8

boost -> more

cut -> less

(in terms of EQ)

[9bogar8]

@maciekfingerstyle

thank you

[1951abcd]

Were you playing into a tube amp? I could hear what sounded like a little tube break-up throughout. Kinda a warm sound with slight distortion.

[BassGuitarMag]

@1951abcd - Yes, it was the tube channel of my ShuttleMax 9.2, but I wasn't pushing it that hard.

[thesplage]

Hey, you guys bought a new camera?

[BassGuitarMag]

@thesplage - "You guys" is me. I work alone. Yes, I used a Zoom Q3HD for another angle.

[fatmaru]

haha those slap harmonics at the end were killer!!!!!

great review as usual ed :)

[Casperrrh]

somehow i thought that with that lightwave pickup it wouldn't be possible to get the agressive slap out of it, but it sounds pretty neat!

good job as always ed!

[wujastyk]

Great sound too from this 5-string. A lot nicer than the SL, in my view. And many different sounds. Is it my ears, or do I hear a very slight fuzz sound on the edge of the sound sometimes?

So the fretted has a wooden fretboard, where the fretless has a composite?

With Lightwaves, though, I worry a bit about the troublesome overheads of recharging the battery, complications when adjusting the string height, and general fiddliness and being outside the mainstream for service, resale, etc.

[BassGuitarMag]

@wujastyk - No, the VL fretted has the same composite fingerboard.

[jiafu]

is that a jesus action figure playing the bass??

[BassGuitarMag]

@jiafu - No, even better - Tommy Chong.

[dillydean]

loved that harmonic bass bit at the end very smooth. interesting bass as well

[carbonatedbrainsauce]

That is a pretty cool slap tone. That slapped harmonics riff at the end reminded me of Michael Manring, both in style and tone.

[BassGuitarMag]

@carbonatedbrainsauce - It's sort of in his style, but I'm no Manring!

[SteveUrkeI]

That bass is absolutely amazing, I can tell you really enjoyed playing it.

[dobbs123456789]

Ed the man!

[mailnyaican]

if i can play bass like that i'd have a million wive 

[BassGuitarMag]

@mailnyaican - Well, let me tell you, it gets tiring.

[leroyatleroys]

Forgot to mention that the bass is awesome by the way. Love your reviews. Wouldn't have looked into Genz Benz amps if it weren't for your reviews.

[leroyatleroys]

Green Eyed Lady is one of my favorites. :D



[Fenderwolf95]

Hey Ed, What is being used to record the bass? is the amp going direct or is it mic'd? Thanks.

[BassGuitarMag]

@Fenderwolf95 - I mic the amp into Protools.

[YellingAtEveryone]

Damn, that slap tone is killer

[Satanicm0nk]

That bass sounds amazing! So funky and fat!

[YellingAtEveryone]

When you started talking about its sustain, the first thing I thought of was the scene in Spinal Tap with the les paul

[Noxx93]

dude, you just made my morning! oh yea, and the review was awesome, but i simply thought the fretless sounded better. maybe because you played differently... which do you prefere?

[loosveld69]

WHOEWHOEW!!! first comment!!!