Topic: Bass Guitars (Read 26552 times)

a pack of wolves · « **on:** 05 Feb 2006, 00:18 »

I've been thinking of getting a new bass to replace my Squire P-Bass. It's been alright up until now, but that's largely because I've been playing it through various shitty practice amps which would have made a really decent bass a waste. But I've just invested in my own head and my bands are starting to play gigs so I feel the time for something better is at hand since I'll actually have the opportunity to play through some good equipment. So I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of good basses to keep my eye out for, or alternatively just wanted to wax lyrical about their favourite basses.

Reno · « **Reply #1 on:** 05 Feb 2006, 01:20 »

Well, I have been told that Cort is a good brand to go with. Personally looking at their B4FL and b5 models. A bit pricy, about $900. Their Junior bass with a single pickup sounds bloody incrediable, so I can only imagine how good their full sized must be.

I am also currently playing a Squire.

a pack of wolves · « **Reply #2 on:** 05 Feb 2006, 02:20 »

I've just been having a look at the Cort website and one for a dealer here in the UK. Thanks for the recommendation, they look like they definitely warrant some investigation. I really want to find out how the GB series sound, based on my very limited knowledge they might be just what I'm looking for. Good sound without spending stupid amounts of cash.

Vlishgnath · « **Reply #3 on:** 05 Feb 2006, 14:41 »

Hey, wanna buy my Ibanez EDB 605?

will: wanton sex god · « **Reply #4 on:** 05 Feb 2006, 16:51 »

ive been happy with my whatever mexican fender jazz bass forever.

depends on what you want to play.
i think warwicks look awesome and sound great too.

IronOxide · « **Reply #5 on:** 05 Feb 2006, 18:06 »

Uprights are the shit. That being said, you should, under no circumstances buy a 6-string bass. They are useless and stupid.

That's all of the advice that I have.

Kai · « **Reply #6 on:** 05 Feb 2006, 18:48 »

I'm quite partial to Rickenbackers, but they are sooo fuckign expensive it hurts.

pikester · « **Reply #7 on:** 06 Feb 2006, 00:15 »

Telling us what kind of money you'd like to spend would probably help with getting responses.

a pack of wolves · « **Reply #8 on:** 06 Feb 2006, 02:50 »

The reason I didn't mention how much I had to spend was partly because I don't really know. I do have a bass, the Squire is far from appalling so it's not like I'm in desperate need of something else (desperate want yes, but not need). So although I do have some money I could blow on a nice new bass right now I might decide that the best thing to do is wait and get something much more expensive if I think it warrants it. The other reason was that I thought it would get in the way of people rambling on about basses they love, which I thought would be cool.

Quote from: Kai

I'm quite partial to Rickenbackers, but they are sooo fuckign expensive it hurts.

My friend was singing the praises of Rickenbacker copies from the 70s yesterday. He was telling me they were pretty much the nicest basses he'd ever played, and he'd been wanting to track one down for years since they can be acquired for around £200, which is about a quarter of what you'd shell out for a genuine Rickenbacker from the same period.

Thrillho · « **Reply #9 on:** 06 Feb 2006, 05:40 »

Peavey. I play a Peavey bass and nothing I've touched since has been as good.

Saturday · « **Reply #10 on:** 06 Feb 2006, 06:39 »

what kind of sound are u into?
most rock pop bands play with fender basses... you can choose between a precision (like your squier) or a jazz bass.
i prefer a jazz bass mostly because the neck is slimmer, thus easier to play for my small hands. the tone is nicer, but not as harsh and "heavy" as a precision. both are great basses... and you can get a used mexican or japanese for 300-400, or even less!
they will sound much better than your squier and will probably last you for a lifetime.
if you want to spent more and see other options, just go to a music center and start trying stuff. i personally don´t like actives or those fancy new basses, but that´s me.

a pack of wolves · « **Reply #11 on:** 06 Feb 2006, 08:55 »

I'm terrible at describing sounds. I know what I'd like a bass to sound like but describing it... Warm and clear? And still good if I need to make it brutal, with a lot of distortion. None of my bands at the moment do this, they're indie and melodic hardcore, but I listen to a lot of heavy stuff so I know I'll be needing that sound some point.

Oh, I'll be trying anything I buy beforehand. I'm not crazy. But around here the music shops all seem to concentrate heavily on either guitar or drums with limited selections of basses, so for a lot of manufacturers I'll have to travel out of town. This means having an idea of what I want to try and then finding stockists.

Saturday · « **Reply #12 on:** 06 Feb 2006, 11:11 »

you can get any bass with that description ^_^
get a fender bass, a precision or jazz bass. they both are great jack of all trades. those are my 2 cents.

Chad K. · « **Reply #13 on:** 07 Feb 2006, 10:31 »

I own a G&L L2000 that I'm in love with. It is active/passive, with dual "Musicman" humbuckers. I can get j-bass, p-bass and musicman sounds out of it. Stay away from the newer ones and the Tribute series. After the early to mid-90's the quality went downhill.

If you want the fender sound without the fender price tag- try a 70's japanese copy. I own a japanese j-bass copy that's amazing and was bought for $200. After CBS purchased fender in the mid-60's the quality of their products went way down (it's since become much better) and Japanese companies started offering exact replicas of the pre 60's models. A few things to look for if you go this route- try to find a bass that came out of the matsumoku factory (cortez, ibanez, tokai, greco, etc.). It will typically say it on the neck plate. These are high quality instruments. Otherwise you can find a bass that is natural (i.e. not painted). Paint obscures cheap wood. If the body is made from pressed ply as opposed to a slab- avoid it. If it's a one piece body, or body made from two pieces joined in the center, you have a winner. The brand "Pan" comes to mind. These are very easy to modify with upgraded pickups and bridges taht can make a good copy a great sounding bass.

TheFoolOnTheHill · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 Feb 2006, 15:02 »

Rickenbackers are sexy. Cost a lot though.

Old school jazz basses are cool too. Such a great sound.

Chad K. · « **Reply #15 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 12:46 »

I don't know if you're still in the market- but here's a link to a Greco p-bass like the one I was talking about-

http://cgi.ebay.com/1978-Greco-Fender-of-Japan-P-Bass_W0QQitemZ7387874817QQcategoryZ64401QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They give that 70's fender tone for less money, and you don't have to feel guilty for mod-ing them like you would a classic fender.

pikester · « **Reply #16 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 13:58 »

A nice Fender Jazz Bass should probably do what you're looking for.

The Geddy Lee Signature J-bass is a personal favourite of mine. So sexy.

Kai · « **Reply #17 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 14:06 »

Anything with Geddy Lee's name on it is a sure bet, because Geddy Lee is great.

TheFoolOnTheHill · « **Reply #18 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 14:11 »

Quote from: Kai

Anything with Geddy Lee's name on it is a sure bet, because Geddy Lee is great.

For the win.

Geddy Lee is such an underrated bassist.

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #19 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 15:46 »

Honestly, what I'd suggest would just be to go around any brick-and-mortar music stores as you can find, and try out as many basses as you can get your hands on (and I do mean as many basses as you can get your hands on), because it all depends on personal preference. I mean, some people like Ibanez basses, which are radically different from, say, Fender basses. Neither bass is a poor choice, but one (or both) may not be the right choice for you. Now, if you find a couple that you kind of like, come back here and tell us which basses you found. Those of us with experience with those kinds of basses can tell you whether they're worth it or not.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #20 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 16:46 »

Geddy Lee is an amazing bassist. But all you have to do is LOOK at different brands of basses to look at how different they are.

Ibanez bass:

Fender bass (the Geddy Lee one):

TheFoolOnTheHill · « **Reply #21 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 17:41 »

Jazz basses are the shit.

Kai · « **Reply #22 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 17:55 »

Yes. Although I can't say I like Ibanez basses too much; I love their guitars, like, religiously almost, but the bass is just kinda... eh. That one there looks real nice though.

TheFoolOnTheHill · « **Reply #23 on:** 08 Feb 2006, 18:03 »

My bass; a Custom MTD435 4-string bass guitar.Myrtle burl on ash, wenge neck and board. Natural finish.

I like it a lot. ^_^

thermodynamics · « **Reply #24 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 18:28 »

one option that has been overlooked is to upgrade your bass. do you like the way your squier plays? if so, upgrade parts! it's cheaper than buying a new one and you can save your money for a really nice bass in the future (why pay $400 now and then want to buy a $1000 bass in a year or three?).

my first bass was a squier p-bass that i have modified so much, it really isn't a squier anymore. i've changed everything to the point that the only original part is the body itself. new neck, new pickup and electronics, shielded, new knobs and pickguard, new bridge, new tuners, new neck plate... but i was able to do it over time as i had the money. now my bass looks and plays just as good as any $1000-$1500 fender usa bass, and i only spent about $550 total on it.

i first upgraded the pickup to a seymour duncan basslines spb-3 quarter pounder (seymourduncan.com) ...there is a guy on ebay selling them from arkansas, usa for $55 buy it now with free usa shipping and $10 international shipping. the pickup is probably going to make the most bang for your buck as far as improvement goes. bartolini makes great pickups as well as EMG (if you like active... i personally like passive pickups). others feel free to chime in on what pickups you like for your certain styles of music.

upgrading the electronics (better pots and wiring are a good start) as well as buying a roll of copper shielding tape and shielding the body cavities. a p-bass uses a hum-cancelling pickup, so you don't have to worry too much about that, but often times, cheap pickups and electronics make lots of unwanted noise and shielding and grounding the electronics are a good way to eliminate a lot of that.

next, the bridge... most vintage-style bridges get the job done, but don't give a whole lot of sustain... uprgade to a high-mass bridge for more sustain and improved playability. i am partial to leo quann badass II bass bridges (about $60-$70) and they improved the sustain and playability a lot from the squier bridge i had before.

tuners: tuners can make a difference in stayng in tune for longer as well as improving sustain. about $50 for a good set of sealed tuners. a worthy upgrade.

looks: usually squiers come with a single-ply white plastic pickguard and they look really cheap. i have a cream body, and i bought a tortoise shell p-guard for it which improved the overall look a lot. i currently have a black/white/black 3 ply p-guard on mine now and it looks great with the body. pickguards are $20-$50 depending on material. i also changed the knobs from the shiny chrome barrel knobs to black jazz bass knobs (fender knobs cost under $10 for the set.

as you can see there are a whole lot of options with making your bass better. i've built two already (both fender-style with mainly fender parts) and it is a really rewarding experience.

i hope that helps a little!

Kai · « **Reply #25 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 19:00 »

I was actualyl thinking about saving a little money and assembling a guitar from parts. That'd be fancy.

M3gaBigh · « **Reply #26 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 19:34 »

I have a cort action bass. It looks pretty sweet but it rattles when I hit some notes, I think that may just be my technique

theheadoffatness · « **Reply #27 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 19:41 »

+1 on the bloke that recommened the cort basses- ive beeen playing a Gb64 for the last 5 years: a) because im a tightarse b) because it aint too shabby.

Best bet for finding a nice bass (on a budget)- get your greasy hands on the nicest 'tar in the store then find the one you can afford that sounds the closest. Or steal the nice one... that works too.

Misereatur · « **Reply #28 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 05:12 »

I'm a fender man
I have a fender Jazz Bass Highway 1 (made in 2003) and it never faild me.
great sound and the neck is slim and comfy.
I play with diadrio (sorry about the spelling) .45 strings.
Althogh it came with a .40

but, I playd on my friend's Yamaha fretless bass most of the summer and really liked it. I usually tuned the bass and treble on the bass itself and left the controlers on the amp pretty low so it sounded just like a duble bass.

Also, Warwick Corvet models are good. rich thick sound.
you have to get used to the thick neck, but when you get past that its well worth the money.

Saturday · « **Reply #29 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 11:49 »

Quote from: thermodynamics

one option that has been overlooked is to upgrade your bass. do you like the way your squier plays? if so, upgrade parts! it's cheaper than buying a new one and you can save your money for a really nice bass in the future (why pay $400 now and then want to buy a $1000 bass in a year or three?).

if he has a crappy squier, the wood may be of really bad quality (or even plywood) and upgrading wouldn´t be the best idea. you can upgrade lots of stuff, but if the body of wood is bullshit, then you will always have an average bass imho.

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #30 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 12:12 »

You definitely make a good point. Poor body wood leads to poor tone, poor resonance and basically everything that's connected to sound. Heck, if it's a poor as a Squier, it's likely to warp a ton.

Kai · « **Reply #31 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 13:14 »

Shit, if it's a Squier in GENERAL.

HeroX · « **Reply #32 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 16:03 »

anybody know anything about RockBass? some local dude is selling a RockBass Streamer that i considered picking up to screw around with. but i've played guitar for over 7 years so don't want something that i'm gonna get annoyed with in a month.

Kai · « **Reply #33 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 16:04 »

Soudns pretty cheesy of a brand name.

HeroX · « **Reply #34 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 17:20 »

they're made by warwick

thermodynamics · « **Reply #35 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 22:10 »

thermodynamics · « **Reply #36 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 22:13 »

Quote from: Bastardous Bassist

Poor body wood leads to poor tone, poor resonance and basically everything that's connected to sound. Heck, if it's a poor as a Squier, it's likely to warp a ton.

Quote from: Saturday

if he has a crappy squier, the wood may be of really bad quality (or even plywood) and upgrading wouldn´t be the best idea. you can upgrade lots of stuff, but if the body of wood is bullshit, then you will always have an average bass imho.

you are right about what wood it is made of does make a difference!

Squier Standard models have Agathis bodies. This is a pretty big difference from plywood, wouldn't you say?
http://www.squierguitars.com/products/view_specs.php?full_partno=0321500&name=P+Bass%26reg%3B+Special
http://www.myguitarsolo.com/usenet/threads_guitar/116577-1.html

The SQUIER Affinity series have ADLER bodies...
http://www.squierguitars.com/products/view_specs.php?full_partno=0310400&name=P+Bass%26reg%3B

most FENDER Standard instruments (made in mexico) have adler bodies. it says "Fender" on the headstock so it's fine, right?
http://www.fender.com/products/view_specs.php?full_partno=0136100&name=Standard+Precision+Bass%26reg%3B+%28Upgrade%29

Squier Deluxe Series guitars have Mahogany bodies.
http://www.squierguitars.com/products/view_specs.php?full_partno=0321830&name=Satin+Trans+Fat+Stratocaster%26reg%3B+HH

not to be the asshole to argue, but i have had agathis, basswood, maple, and adler bodied basses... i couldn't tell THAT much of a difference. of course, all the basses i've bought have been good basses. i played several of the same model before i found the pick of the litter. we all know that an instrument built with a shitty piece of wood is going to be a shitty instrument. but, you can get a dud with any kind of wood. i've stripped my project p-bass special down to the bare wood before priming and painting, and, frankly, i wouldn't want to have a clear or translucent finish with it because the grain isn't 'perfect', but opague solid or metallic finishes work great... especially nitrocellulose finishes.

so, yes there are many shitty squiers, but just because it says squier on the headstock doesn't make it an automatic piece of shit. no, it is not made of plywood. most are 2 or three piece bodies. i totally agree that squiers aren't q.c. screened as well as they should be, but i'd say 1 out of every 10 or 15 i've played at guitar center were a quality bass with quality fit and finish. you can't expect to pay $200 and have every instrument be perfect... but isn't that why you play the instrument before you buy it?

thermodynamics · « **Reply #37 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 22:45 »

i just looked at fender.com and pretty much EVERY precision bass has an adler body. even the custom artist limited edition models and vintage reissues. we're talking $1500-$2000+ basses. these basses would have the same tonial qualities (just more pleasing grain patterns or lighter weight) as the squier affinity models.

makes you wonder what you pay all the extra money for....

Misereatur · « **Reply #38 on:** 17 Feb 2006, 05:17 »

Quote from: HeroX

anybody know anything about RockBass? some local dude is selling a RockBass Streamer that i considered picking up to screw around with. but i've played guitar for over 7 years so don't want something that i'm gonna get annoyed with in a month.

If you dont want to do anything serious with it and just "screw around" then take it (the price should be low). But if you are serious about playing bass then stay away from the RockBass.

Squire basses can be good from time to time.
The japanese Squires from the mid' 80's are rumoured to be superb, way better than the american Fenders around that time. And they sell second hand for A LOT of money.

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Author Topic: Bass Guitars (Read 26552 times)

Reno

Vlishgnath

pikester

Saturday

Saturday

TheFoolOnTheHill

pikester

TheFoolOnTheHill

TheFoolOnTheHill

TheFoolOnTheHill

thermodynamics

M3gaBigh

theheadoffatness

Saturday

HeroX

HeroX

thermodynamics

thermodynamics

thermodynamics