There are these screws on top of the tuning pegs on the playing side. Is one supposed to tighten those?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
Welcome to TalkBass! Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
By the way, I really like the "Duncan Designed" Mustang-style pickup on this bass! It sounds really, really good.
If you don't mind, could you tell me if you're still using this, has it proven to be a good bass and will it hold its own against other basses. I like the medium scale but was concerned about the odd components. Any insight would be really helpful. Thanks.
These basses are amazing. Not to be underestimated. They play fast and have a great neck. They also sound incredible when played through a proper amp. The only issue I ever had was my fingers seem to find the tuning holes. The bass is more is more of a pain in the ass to tune. But I have a feeling you will love it. A great step up from your micro. I'm looking orward to your review.
Does it sound like a PBass to you? Do you feel it's live gig worthy? Also, could you use a modified version of a guitar Peg turner to reach in and make tuning easier?
i like it, i still use it. it's the most comfortable bass ever. i will admit that the hardware quality is meh, but i can live with that - it's not like the hardware on my mikros are much better. if you have problem shoulders, sore back or legs from playing, this bass will help a lot. if you want to avoid them, same thing. and it's an excellent couch bass.
sorry, but i've never played an actual P bass on my rig, so not sure. i've never owned a bass that wasn't gig worthy, but although i'm not exactly careful with my stuff, i've never broken a bass or guitar or bass or guitar hardware.
my husband just pulled out his planet waves string winder and tried it on my TB-4P. it was a sloppy fit but it worked.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it sounds like a P. It's definitely P-like, due to the type and placement of the pick-up, but the pick-up itself is a different construction, and therefore sounds a bit different - somewhat "lighter" and more boxy sounding than the custom shop pickups in my American Standard P, if that makes any sense to you. I guess it sounds more like a Mustang, though I've never had the chance to compare the two.
That said, the sound is by no means bad, and the bass is definitely gig-worthy IMO.
As far as tuning is concerned, I don't bother with a peg turner. The tuning system takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you won't think twice about it.
I'm not as interested in overall tone as I am the comfort and travel-friendly design. I've spent almost 200 nights in hotel rooms over the past 3 years and I'm kicking myself for not getting something like this before.
I have a couple of questions:
1. Do you guys think half-rounds/flats would work on this bass? I'm wondering if they may slip due to the spools (or whatever) that take the strings under the body?
2. I wonder if some type of locking tuners would fit this hog? Traveler sells locking tuners but only for guitars.
Thanks, folks!
I have a couple of questions:
1. Do you guys think half-rounds/flats would work on this bass? I'm wondering if they may slip due to the spools (or whatever) that take the strings under the body?
2. I wonder if some type of locking tuners would fit this hog? Traveler sells locking tuners but only for guitars.
Thanks, folks!
Last edited:
I'd avoid flats, as they tend to slip on the tuning posts. Half-rounds or pressurewounds might work. With ordinary strings you don't really need locking tuners.
LowNloud1
Commercial User
- Jun 11, 2012
- 712
- 1,100
- 4,626
- Disclosures
- I am a hobbyist making stone picks that I sell but mostly give away. They made me do this anyways.
Congratulations, pcake. I have not tired them but as long as you were able to get the buzzes out and you are a happy camper, I am glad for you. The fact that it is light will help you be able to hopefully occasionally use your other basses.
Personally I like sunburst. A plus to see the wood grain.
Personally I like sunburst. A plus to see the wood grain.
I just received my Traveler TB-4P Bass.
I ended up buying it from Sweetwater (more on this later). They did an excellent job packing it and I received it three days after ordering.
Here's the rundown. I figure somebody will stumble across this while doing research just like I did.
First impressions:
This thing is definitely NOT a toy. Very well-built with attention paid to the details.
Now I understand why Traveler has a higher price point on these models; this bass truly does have the fit/finish of a nice mid-range guitar (MIM Fender, Epi, etc.)
Hardware:
The neck is finished in satin and feels great. Frets are well-dressed, no gaps or glue around the fretboard due to sloppy fretwork. Action is a little higher the my P/J-Bass but it's still comfortable to me.
Electronics:
The pickup is decent. I prefer the tone of a P-Bass so this pup sounds brighter and a little thinner. I can see where others would draw comparisons to a Mustang bass Pup here. Bottom Line: This is a travel-friendly instrument so I'm making some tradeoffs. I'm not sure what kind of pup I would be able to swap in if I wanted to change them out!
I love the fact that it's 6 lbs because I've dealt with chronic neck pain. This is a big plus for me!
Playability:
It plays very well out of the box. I don't know if this can be attributed to Traveler or the 55-point inspection Sweetwater performs on all their axes before shipping them out?
It sounds great with no dead spots up or down the neck. The headphone preamp sounds better than I'd expected, based on reviews. Also, the mp3 input works fine.
Question: Any suggestions for strings when it's time to change them? I prefer half-rounds but another poster said they may cause tuning issues on this baby. At any rate, I'd like to possibly darken the tone a little and thought strings may help.
At any rate, I'm very satisfied. My expectations with this instrument have been surpassed. And dealing with Sweetwater made it hassle-free; it's no wonder those guys are running circles around some of the other online retailers.
I ended up buying it from Sweetwater (more on this later). They did an excellent job packing it and I received it three days after ordering.
Here's the rundown. I figure somebody will stumble across this while doing research just like I did.
First impressions:
This thing is definitely NOT a toy. Very well-built with attention paid to the details.
Now I understand why Traveler has a higher price point on these models; this bass truly does have the fit/finish of a nice mid-range guitar (MIM Fender, Epi, etc.)
Hardware:
The neck is finished in satin and feels great. Frets are well-dressed, no gaps or glue around the fretboard due to sloppy fretwork. Action is a little higher the my P/J-Bass but it's still comfortable to me.
Electronics:
The pickup is decent. I prefer the tone of a P-Bass so this pup sounds brighter and a little thinner. I can see where others would draw comparisons to a Mustang bass Pup here. Bottom Line: This is a travel-friendly instrument so I'm making some tradeoffs. I'm not sure what kind of pup I would be able to swap in if I wanted to change them out!
I love the fact that it's 6 lbs because I've dealt with chronic neck pain. This is a big plus for me!
Playability:
It plays very well out of the box. I don't know if this can be attributed to Traveler or the 55-point inspection Sweetwater performs on all their axes before shipping them out?
It sounds great with no dead spots up or down the neck. The headphone preamp sounds better than I'd expected, based on reviews. Also, the mp3 input works fine.
Question: Any suggestions for strings when it's time to change them? I prefer half-rounds but another poster said they may cause tuning issues on this baby. At any rate, I'd like to possibly darken the tone a little and thought strings may help.
At any rate, I'm very satisfied. My expectations with this instrument have been surpassed. And dealing with Sweetwater made it hassle-free; it's no wonder those guys are running circles around some of the other online retailers.
Congrats on your new bass! It's a very good instrument, but I agree there are tradeoffs. It's nothing major, however. The build quality is very good, and since I didn't get any of mine from Sweetwater, I think it must be good QC on Traveler's part. A slight bass boost on the amp will take care of the slightly thin-sounding pups, and changing the stock string set improves it even more (I prefer GHS Bass Boomers). As for when to change them, you can do that as often or seldom as you would on any other bass. Enjoy!
I initially bought my TB-4P because I figured it would be like a medium-scale Squier Vintage Modified Mustang Bass (owing mainly to the pickup) but I find that it sounds so good and plays so nicely that it's definitely a good choice for rehearsals, live performance, and recording! It's definitely a great instrument for the money with its own unique voice. To me, it sounds especially nice played with the thumb.
Last edited:
It works very well. I use it mostly for travel - in fact, I’m off to France tomorrow, so it’ll be the TB-4P for the next couple of weeks for me!
I wonder if anybody besides me has considered changing out the tuners? It doesn't really need a new bridge but it would fun to try one anyway.