Gear Reviews
Nordstrand StarLifter Bass Preamp/DI Review
A review of the Nordstrand StarLifter Bass Preamp/DI…
Carey Nordstrand is one of the bass world’s most prolific modern-day characters, and chances are, you’ve come across his work, knowingly or not. After years of running an amazingly creative lutherie business out of his Southern California shop, where he handcrafted incredible exotic and traditional basses of extraordinary quality, Nordstrand launched a line of pickups and onboard electronics, which have become an industry benchmark for tone and innovation.
Several years back, Nordstrand partnered with Ibanez to put his famed Big Single and Big Split pickups in a number of their higher-end basses, effectively bringing boutique high-end bass pickups to the masses. Nordstrand has since all but phased out the bass building (not entirely true, if you’ve followed him on social media, you’ve probably seen his very limited runs of P basses, and his affordable and uber-cool Acinonyx series of retro-inspired short scale basses) to focus on the pickup game, and his line of traditional and unique pickup options is ever-expanding with creative and unique products.
A couple of years ago I started seeing effect pedals bearing the name “Rocket Surgeon Effect Pedal Laboratory” emanating from Carey’s shop, and was instantly curious, given the quality of everything that Carey puts his name on.
Following some cool overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals and their Ice Caves reverb, the newest offering from Nordstrand/Rocket Surgeon is the StarLifter Preamp/DI. As Bass Musician Magazine has recently profiled the specs and details of the StarLifter, I’ll cut to the chase. The thing sounds good. Real good. I would expect no less from an outboard preamp bearing the swoopy ‘N’ logo, but plugging my basses into the StarLifter was immensely gratifying. It seems to work equally well with active and passive basses and imparted powerful tone shaping capability while retaining transparency, which is a lot easier said than done. The build quality is exquisite, with smooth feeling knobs and switches, and a very hefty and rugged chassis sporting some cool graphics.
I tried the StarLifter with a range of instruments, including 5-string passive P and J basses, an active Sadowsky 5-string, and my custom active 6 string, and with each bass, I was able to easily dial up fantastic tones that complemented the instruments’ inherent voicings. The StarLifter has an input impedance selector to optimize the unit’s input signal for different instruments, (for example, magnetic pickup output vs higher impedance piezo pickup output). It also has a 10 dB pad for the input, to reign in hotter signals.
There are a couple of noteworthy things about the StarLifter, besides its wonderful aesthetic, build quality and tone.
First, the volume knob works whether the pre is engaged or not, so even with the preamp bypassed, you have to set your level with the volume knob. The only downside is that it’s hard to tell where “actual” unity gain is, without the reference point of a passed through signal. Not a biggie, it didn’t slow me down much at all, but I thought it was worth mentioning, as it is different from other preamp boxes, where the signal is routed straight through when bypassed.
Also, let me give a serious shout out to the midrange control on the StarLifter.
I’ve messed around with a LOT of “sweepable mid” setups, where you have control over the boost/cut as well as the frequency center, also known as a ‘semi-parametric’ EQ control. Some seem to be more usable than others, depending on how the EQ is designed and the transparency of the circuit. The StarLifter’s sweepable mid control was sublime. It functioned exactly as I would have wanted it to: elegant and smooth yet powerful. I was very quickly able to dial up a perfect low mid bump, upper mid-cut and everything in between to craft my tone to my liking. The mid control ranges between 150 Hz to 2.8 KHz, which offers a very wide window of control. Boosting the EQ bands revealed just how quiet the unit is, adding almost no noise to the signal, muy bueno.
But probably the most magical and unique feature of the StarLifter is its 3-way Contour switch, offering Vintage and Modern EQ profiles in addition to its Flat setting.
I found these to be pretty spot on, and used them quite a bit, depending on the instrument. My passive 5 string jazz seemed to really like the Modern setting for killer 70’s J bass tone, while my P bass was almost perfectly voiced with the Vintage setting. Further fine-tuning for the presets was easy with the units EQ, resulting in a range of fantastic and usable sounds.
The StarLifter’s fully featured DI offers everything you’d want from a pro DI, including a 20dB pad, pre EQ/post EQ switch, and a ground lift. The DI signal sounded fantastic into my home recording DAW, due in part to the units architecture, and in part to the high quality componentry found in the StarLifter, like Burr Brown op amps.
And lest we overlook some bling bling, the StarLifter’s vibey pinstripe lighting is undoubtably cool. With the unit engaged, the edges glow green. Hit the mute switch and they turn red. Serious pedalboard atmosphere/coolness upgrade.
Another factor that’s worth mentioning is the power requirements of the StarLifter.
Included is a 15v AC adaptor, delivering 300mA. I am a diehard Voodoo Labs PP2+ user, and its outputs are not compatible with the StarLifter’s power needs, so plan on using a different power supply or the included AC adaptor.
All in all, the StarLifter is simple and highly effective.
There is something to be said for a preamp that is as simple as it can be while still providing the necessary features and options that pro players need. As many online users have attested, the StarLifter kinda just nails it, giving players straightforward and easy control over their sound, and doing with style and grace. Having gone on a bit of a pedalboard preamp journey myself as of late, I’m hard-pressed to not put the StarLifter at the top of the game, particularly in its price bracket. With a retail price of $349, it packs a lot of bang for the buck and is pretty tough to beat.
If you’re in the market for a pedal preamp for your axe, the StarLifter needs to be on your shortlist. For more info on the Nordstrand StarLifter Bass Preamp/DI, visit Nordstrand’s website.
Gear Reviews
Review Transcript: BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass
This is a written transcript of our video review of the BITE Custom Bass Black Knight PP Bass originally published on March 4, 2024
BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass Review…
Bass Musician Magazine did a review on a Steampunk bass from BITE Guitars about three years ago, it was an amazing instrument, and we were very impressed. Now we’re happy to bring you another BITE bass, the Black Knight PP.
Everybody needs a P-type bass, it’s the standard of bass. If you’re recording, they want you to have a P bass. So why not have something that gives you a little more by having two instead of one P pickup. That’s the idea of this bass, it’s the first thing that leaps out: the double P pickup configuration.
Installing two of their 1000 millivolt split-coil pickups, BITE then went one step further and wired them up in a 4-way parallel/series circuit, a look at the controls reveal a 4-way rotary selector:
The first position, marked “B”, gives you the bridge pickup by itself.
The second position, marked “P”, gives you the bridge and neck pickups in parallel mode, that’s the traditional J-type circuit, it reduces output due to the physical law of parallel circuits.
Position number 3 is marked “N”, it gives you the neck pickup by itself.
And finally, number 4, marked “S”, gives your bridge and neck in a series (humbucking) mode which adds up resistances and thus boosts output. The other two controls are master volume and master tone.
What’s more, like every BITE bass, this one also has a reinforced headstock heel designed to give it extra output and sustain. The BITE website features a graph and explanation of what they have done to the heel, as compared to traditional headstocks.
A look at the body reveals a beautiful Black Blast body finish and underneath that we have alder wood. The bass has a matching headstock with a 4-in-line tuner setup and the traditional bite out of it, so everybody will know what kind of bass you’re playing. The pickguard is 3-ply black, the neck is vintage tinted hard maple and it has a satin speed finish at the back which keeps your thumb from sticking.
On top of that, there’s a clear-coated roasted black locust fretboard with black blocks marking the frets. The nut is a black Graph Tec nut, we’ve got diamond dome control knobs, and the tuners are lightweight compacts with cloverleaf buttons and a 1:17 ratio precision gear. The bridge is a Gotoh brass bridge with 19-millimeter string spacing.
Overall measurements: we’ve got a standard 34″ scale, a 1.65″ width nut and a C neck profile. This bass weighs 8.2 pounds, or 3,7 kilograms for our metric friends, and it uses standard 18% nickel silver frets.
Taking a closer look at the sound, this bass is a joy to play. The BITE proprietary 1000 millivolt pickups deliver an extraordinary amount of output which is surprising considering this is a passive instrument. You may even want to set your amp to active mode because of all of the juice you’re getting out of this guy.
The tonal possibilities are very versatile, it’s a straight P if you want but also much more with those different arrangements of the circuitry. So why have multiple basses when you’ve got one that can give you your basic P plus a lot more?
To sum it up, the Black Knight PP is an amazing instrument. The attention to detail that BITE puts into their basses is second to none. This bass is also amazingly balanced and gorgeous to hold and feel with the satin neck finish.
For more information, visit online at bite.guitars/product/black-knight-pp
Bass Videos
Reviews: Phil Jones Bass Compact Plus 450 and Bass Engine 17
Phil Jones Bass Compact Plus 450 and Bass Engine 17 Reviews…
In this issue, we take an in-depth look at two new amps from Phil Jones Bass, the Compact Plus 450 and Bass Engine 17.
For more information, visit online at pjbworld.com
Bass Videos
Video Review: BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass
BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass Review…
I am sure many of you saw my review of the Snobby Steampunk Bass from BITE Guitars back in February of 2021 and will remember what a remarkable bass it was. BITE has been building custom basses since 2019 and has a unique custom approach where you can configure your bass to your specs.
I am very excited to have another Bass From BITE Guitars in my hands, The Black Knight PP Bass!
The need for a P-Bass in one’s armamentarium is pretty standard for bass players and I recall chatting about this with Marty O’Brien about a year ago. It turns out that Marty and BITE Guitars got together and came up with this excellent configuration that gives you a P-Bass with a whole lot more. Marty even played his own Black Knight PP bass at the 2024 NAMM show. You can see his review here.
Join me as I take an in-depth look at this very cool instrument and share all the details.
Here is The Black Knight Bass from BITE Guitars!
For more information, visit online at bite.guitars/product/black-knight-pp
Gear Reviews
Gear Review: Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Bass
Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Bass Review…
Throughout the evolution of music, bass players have sought tools to sculpt and enhance their sonic landscapes, and one indispensable ally in this pursuit has been compression. Origin Effects, a name synonymous with premium audio craftsmanship, introduces the Cali76 Compact Bass Compressor, a pedal that pays homage to the legacy of compression and brings forth a new chapter in bass sonic mastery.
As we delve into the world of the Cali76 Compact Bass Compressor, we’ll explore how Origin Effects seamlessly weaves together the heritage of compression and contemporary bass demands, promising a pedal that not only honors the past but propels your bass playing into the future. Join us on this sonic expedition as we dissect the nuances of the Cali76 Compact and uncover the secrets it holds for bass players seeking the perfect blend of vintage warmth and modern versatility.
For Starters, the Cali76 is a studio-grade FET compressor pedal, based on the classic Urei 1176, but with some features optimized for bass guitar. For those of you who are not familiar with it, a FET (Field Effect Transistor) compressor is essentially a solid-state tube compressor emulation that allows for fast and precise control over the attack and the release parameters; allows for extreme compression ratios; and finally adds the typical 1176 color and character to the sound.
Together with the common controls we see in most compressor pedals – Ratio, Attack/Release, input (just like the original 1176, the threshold in this pedal is fixed), and output (makeup gain). The Cali76 offers two more controls dedicated to us bass players.
A Dry control – This allows us to mix in our dry, uncompressed signal to the pedal output. This is great for when we want to add back some of our playing dynamics to the compressed sound or for when you want some volume back in situations where the compression starts taking away the volume.
A High Pass Filter control – Low frequencies on a bass guitar signal normally overwhelm compressors. This high pass filter allows the compressor to only react to higher frequencies, which helps preserve the natural dynamics of our playing while keeping the low end intact.
Metering on this pedal can be a bit hard to get used to at first. There’s a single LED light on the pedal, that not only serves as an On/Off light, but it’s also our meter. It glows red when no compression is applied and orange for active compression. The brighter the light, the greater the amount of gain reduction. Yellow signifies that the gain reduction reached 27dB and maximum reduction occurs around 38 dB.
In practical terms, it’s all about working with the input and the LED to find the sweet spot (turn the input to zero, start playing and slowly increase the input level until you start seeing the LED glowing orange, which means there’s reduction going on).
With 6 highly interactive knob controls, this pedal implies some degree of compressor knowledge and also some amount of tweaking and experimentation to find the perfect settings. The good news is that it is very hard to make this pedal sound bad…
It can go from very subtle compression settings to very extreme, and it can do everything in between. Also, the team at Origin has been kind enough to add a couple of sample settings in the manual to get players started and to help us understand better how the pedal works.
Dynamic Control is a setting that provides natural compression, balancing dynamics between various playing techniques. It is a subtle compression that will work almost out of the box almost all the time. Having a medium setting for the High Pass Filter ensures an honest translation of the lower string dynamics.
Parallel compression is a popular studio technique, where both compressed and natural signals are blended. We get the sound and feel of hard compression while retaining the natural playing dynamics.
Percussive, lively & Fat is a setting that uses a slower attack time to accentuate the start of any note. Then using a fast release allows the compressor to recover between notes so that the phrases sound more percussive. Ideal for slapping and other percussive techniques.
Finally, I would like to mention the classic 1176 tonal coloration. It’s not a secret that engineers all around would sometimes use the 1176 compressor, without applying any compression, just to get the tonal coloration into the instrument sound.
And the Cali76 compressor is no different, it has such a rich, warm, and full coloration that’s super pleasing to the ear and makes you want to have it ON all the time. So be aware, that if you want a transparent compressor, this pedal is not for you!
All in all, it is easy to understand why this pedal became a favorite of so many bass players around the world. The Cali76 Compact stands as a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship and thoughtful engineering that Origin Effects is renowned for. It seamlessly navigates through the rich history of compression, offering bass players a gateway to the soulful resonance of the past while empowering them to sculpt a contemporary sonic future.
Whether you’re a seasoned bass maestro or a budding virtuoso, the Cali76 Compact invites you to embark on a sonic journey where every note is held in a delicate balance between tradition and innovation. As we bid farewell to our exploration, we do so with the realization that the Cali76 Compact is more than just a pedal; it’s a sonic companion that elevates the artistry of bass playing
For more information, visit online at origineffects.com
Gear Reviews
Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass Review
Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass Review…
Not long ago, I did a review of the Spector NS Dimension HP 5 Bass and I have just been given the honor and privilege of reviewing the Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass. I have to say, another great bass from Spector that is hard to put down! While there are some similarities between both basses, there are also some noticeable differences which is why I believe having both is essential to any bass arsenal.
Spector, widely used by many rock and metal bassists like Ian Hill, Alex Webster, Colin Edwin, Doug Wimbish, and many more, just to name a few, has a long-standing in these genres. Well, that’s about to change! The bass I used for the review, didn’t see any of those genres, matter of fact, I used it on a few classic country gigs and at church too! However, when at home in the studio, I let the funk out. The NS Ethos HP 4 Bass is an all-around great bass for any genre and will not disappoint.
Let’s get into the specs about the bass, and here we will find the differences between the HP 5 Bass and the HP 4.
Forget that one is a 5 string, while the other is a 4, while that is a difference, that’s not one that I feel needs to be noted as both models are available as 4 and 5 strings. The Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass has a 34” scale, 24 fret, 3 piece maple neck through construction with solid alder wings, ebony fingerboard along with centered and side dots and the 12th fret Spector logo inlay with a brass nut.
While the pickups are different as the NS Dimension HP 5 Bass uses the EMG 45DC and the NS Ethos HP 4 Bass sports the EMG 35DC pickups, they are the same pickup configurations, the difference being, one for 4 string, the other for 5 string. The electronics are the same, consisting of a Darkglass Tone Capsule preamp which consists of +-12dB @70Hz for Bass, +-12dB @500Hz for Mids, and +-12dB @2.8kHz for Hi Mids. Controls for Spector NS Dimension HP 5 Bass consist of Master Volume, Blend, Bass, Mid, and Hi Mid controls. The electronics are powered by a 9-volt battery.
The bridge is a Hi-Mass locking bridge with intonation screws and the tuners are sealed die-cast. All hardware is black. Same as the Spector NS Dimension HP 5 Bass, the HP 4 Bass is available in 4 different finishes, White Sparkle Gloss, Gunmetal Gloss, Plum Crazy Gloss & Black Gloss. The bass also comes with a very nice and well-padded gig bag.
Check out the Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass at a Spector Music Retailer today near you or visit online at spectorbass.com/product/ns-ethos-hp-4/