Best budget violin style bass?
- Thread starter DankStar
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BlueTalon
New member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
No such thing.
What do you want it for? To play? Or to collect and display? If you want to play it, I strongly recommend getting something that doesn't ergonomically suck so bad. I had one (one of the first basses I ever had), it brought a whole new meaning to the term "neck dive."
If you really have your heart set on one, PLEASE, play about 40 of them before you buy one.
No such thing.
What do you want it for? To play? Or to collect and display? If you want to play it, I strongly recommend getting something that doesn't ergonomically suck so bad. I had one (one of the first basses I ever had), it brought a whole new meaning to the term "neck dive."
If you really have your heart set on one, PLEASE, play about 40 of them before you buy one.
LtKojak
New member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Epiphone/Viola.aspx
A lot of bass for the coin.
HTH,
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Epiphone/Viola.aspx
A lot of bass for the coin.
HTH,
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
LtKojak
New member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
If you look for the best budget bass for recording, this is the one: it's discontinued, but you can still find'em:
Peavey Cirrus BXP 4-or 5-string. Just put a .145 5th string and it'll rock your world, pun intended.
With its active electronics, it sounds outstanding direct to the mixing board, and it's versatile enough to play any style of music, and it excels at slapping and popping playing styles.
HTH,
If you look for the best budget bass for recording, this is the one: it's discontinued, but you can still find'em:
Peavey Cirrus BXP 4-or 5-string. Just put a .145 5th string and it'll rock your world, pun intended.
With its active electronics, it sounds outstanding direct to the mixing board, and it's versatile enough to play any style of music, and it excels at slapping and popping playing styles.
HTH,
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
+1
Hollowbody "violin" bass guitars are a pain to wear on a strap and a pain to play seated. The sustain leaves much to be desired ... like, ANY sustain would be nice. The intonation is pretty random. The amplified sound is weak. If it were not for Paul McCartney, the small, hollowbody bass guitar would have gone extinct fifty years ago.
Anyone who wants a bass guitar like this either desires that early Beatles plunky tone or just wants something to hang on the wall.
+1
Hollowbody "violin" bass guitars are a pain to wear on a strap and a pain to play seated. The sustain leaves much to be desired ... like, ANY sustain would be nice. The intonation is pretty random. The amplified sound is weak. If it were not for Paul McCartney, the small, hollowbody bass guitar would have gone extinct fifty years ago.
Anyone who wants a bass guitar like this either desires that early Beatles plunky tone or just wants something to hang on the wall.
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
Paul McCartney dropped that bass rather quickly once the fame and fortune started rolling in. Yes, it's nice to think that those vintage tones were better than they really were, but in truth, they were not. They used what they could afford, which wasn't much.
As well, a violin-shaped bass these days is *always* made with the Vintage Beatles fan in mind, and if they're any good, they're overpriced. If it's a budget model, it's still over-priced.
Get a real bass, like Paul did.
Paul McCartney dropped that bass rather quickly once the fame and fortune started rolling in. Yes, it's nice to think that those vintage tones were better than they really were, but in truth, they were not. They used what they could afford, which wasn't much.
As well, a violin-shaped bass these days is *always* made with the Vintage Beatles fan in mind, and if they're any good, they're overpriced. If it's a budget model, it's still over-priced.
Get a real bass, like Paul did.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
Awesome thread. I wonder what Paul Mccartneys Beatle Bass will be worth someday ? Probably the single most famous bass on the planet?
Awesome thread. I wonder what Paul Mccartneys Beatle Bass will be worth someday ? Probably the single most famous bass on the planet?
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
Err, used it on Let it Be. Easily could have afforded any Bass on the planet.
Err, used it on Let it Be. Easily could have afforded any Bass on the planet.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
Actually, with ABK management at the helm, McCartney's money would have been tied up.
Actually, with ABK management at the helm, McCartney's money would have been tied up.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
well, even so ,he wasn't poverty stricken by any stretch. Tied up or not, he had more money banked and available to be spent at that point than most human being will ever see. He wasn't playing the Beatle Bass on "Let it Be' because he couldn't afford a 4001, that much is true beyond any doubt. Whats the knock on the violin bass anyhow? Its very acoustic and rich sounding, and clearly one of Sir McCartneys favorite recording basses. He dropped it for the stadium gigs with Wings.
EDIT- Actually, I went back and did some research, and you are right! Apparently, he couldn't even afford shoes then;
well, even so ,he wasn't poverty stricken by any stretch. Tied up or not, he had more money banked and available to be spent at that point than most human being will ever see. He wasn't playing the Beatle Bass on "Let it Be' because he couldn't afford a 4001, that much is true beyond any doubt. Whats the knock on the violin bass anyhow? Its very acoustic and rich sounding, and clearly one of Sir McCartneys favorite recording basses. He dropped it for the stadium gigs with Wings.
EDIT- Actually, I went back and did some research, and you are right! Apparently, he couldn't even afford shoes then;
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F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
Why would a guy who was "dead" have wanted shoes? :scratchch
Why would a guy who was "dead" have wanted shoes? :scratchch
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
it's not a good bass at all. The pickups have no tone, the neck has horrible dive, and the finish is atrocious. I've played 5 of them, and they only seem to get worse as I play them. The bass player for jazz band at my school uses a Hofner Icon Series that he got for $500. If you really want a violin bass, then go for the brand that made the original "Beatle Bass"
it's not a good bass at all. The pickups have no tone, the neck has horrible dive, and the finish is atrocious. I've played 5 of them, and they only seem to get worse as I play them. The bass player for jazz band at my school uses a Hofner Icon Series that he got for $500. If you really want a violin bass, then go for the brand that made the original "Beatle Bass"
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
I tried a hofner one out and it was really nice to play. It was not one of the german hofners either - just the cheap chinese version. I think its called the "ignition". They dont sustain much, but there is definitely a place for short sustain. Rickenbackers have adjustible string dampers under the strings, and a lot of session greats jam a piece of foam under their strings at the bridge to cut down sustain. I know these violin basses have their shortcomings, but real double basses have their shortcomings too if you compare them to a musicman stringray running thru a gallien kruger, or a vintage P bass running thru an svt. I reckon for the money, the hofner ones are pretty good, and definitely useable for recording and gigging in the right context.
I tried a hofner one out and it was really nice to play. It was not one of the german hofners either - just the cheap chinese version. I think its called the "ignition". They dont sustain much, but there is definitely a place for short sustain. Rickenbackers have adjustible string dampers under the strings, and a lot of session greats jam a piece of foam under their strings at the bridge to cut down sustain. I know these violin basses have their shortcomings, but real double basses have their shortcomings too if you compare them to a musicman stringray running thru a gallien kruger, or a vintage P bass running thru an svt. I reckon for the money, the hofner ones are pretty good, and definitely useable for recording and gigging in the right context.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
I played one of the $400 ish dollar Hofners just this past weekend and was really impressed with it in general!
Hollow body, short scale basses are funny beasts but if that's the thing you are looking for the budget Hofner is a lot of bass for the money!
I played one of the $400 ish dollar Hofners just this past weekend and was really impressed with it in general!
Hollow body, short scale basses are funny beasts but if that's the thing you are looking for the budget Hofner is a lot of bass for the money!
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
The song or the album? Did any song on there require the presence and sustain of a Jazz, Precision, or 4001? Context is important. Why set up a bass with mutes and mufflers or do a lot of post-editing (on the limited number of tracks they had) when he could just grab the violin and nail it?
The song or the album? Did any song on there require the presence and sustain of a Jazz, Precision, or 4001? Context is important. Why set up a bass with mutes and mufflers or do a lot of post-editing (on the limited number of tracks they had) when he could just grab the violin and nail it?
BlueTalon
New member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
You might be missing the point a little. On any other bass that has good sustain, you can mute the sustain if you want, either with a mute that's already there, or a piece of foam, or (my favorite) the palm of your hand. However, the Hoffner (or whatever brand) violin bass is a one trick pony. If people want kind of a dead thump instead of a live ring, the Hoffner is the bass -- along with every other bass on the planet. However, if people want any notes in a song to ring -- oops, gotta switch basses. Not to mention they don't balance well, or do many (if any) other things well. Think about it -- how sad is it that the best thing one can say about the sound is that it doesn't sustain?
Which is why my first response to the OP, when he said he always wanted a violin bass, was to ask what he wanted to do with it once he got it.
I have no problem with him or anybody else wanting a violin shaped bass. It's just if he had thoughts of getting a bass like that and then automatically getting a Beatles tone on a wonderful playing instrument, that's probably not going to happen.
For the heck of it, people might find this interesting.
You might be missing the point a little. On any other bass that has good sustain, you can mute the sustain if you want, either with a mute that's already there, or a piece of foam, or (my favorite) the palm of your hand. However, the Hoffner (or whatever brand) violin bass is a one trick pony. If people want kind of a dead thump instead of a live ring, the Hoffner is the bass -- along with every other bass on the planet. However, if people want any notes in a song to ring -- oops, gotta switch basses. Not to mention they don't balance well, or do many (if any) other things well. Think about it -- how sad is it that the best thing one can say about the sound is that it doesn't sustain?
Which is why my first response to the OP, when he said he always wanted a violin bass, was to ask what he wanted to do with it once he got it.
I have no problem with him or anybody else wanting a violin shaped bass. It's just if he had thoughts of getting a bass like that and then automatically getting a Beatles tone on a wonderful playing instrument, that's probably not going to happen.
For the heck of it, people might find this interesting.
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
I think Blue Talon that you are missing the point. Every instrument has its own inherent timbre and character. Its not just about copying beatles tunes.
By your reasoning, acoustic guitars are inherently inferior to solid body electrics, or that semi or even hollow body electrics are also a waste of time and inferior to playing a solid instrument. In the case of basses, your reasoning states that acoustic double basses are also a waste of time because you believe that you can get the same characteristic tones by using a piece of foam or adjusting your right hand technique. Its simply not possible. You can get an approximation of that sound yes, but you'll never get the same sound or feel. Same goes for violin basses.
There is no "better" or "worse". There is only sounds and colors. This is art. If the OP wants to avail himself of the tone palate and response inherent in a violin bass, then why not?
I think Blue Talon that you are missing the point. Every instrument has its own inherent timbre and character. Its not just about copying beatles tunes.
By your reasoning, acoustic guitars are inherently inferior to solid body electrics, or that semi or even hollow body electrics are also a waste of time and inferior to playing a solid instrument. In the case of basses, your reasoning states that acoustic double basses are also a waste of time because you believe that you can get the same characteristic tones by using a piece of foam or adjusting your right hand technique. Its simply not possible. You can get an approximation of that sound yes, but you'll never get the same sound or feel. Same goes for violin basses.
There is no "better" or "worse". There is only sounds and colors. This is art. If the OP wants to avail himself of the tone palate and response inherent in a violin bass, then why not?
BlueTalon
New member
Re: Best budget violin style bass?
Don't put words in my mouth. There is nothing I said in my harsh critique of violin basses that in any way reflects on acoustic bass guitars, semi-acoustic bass guitars, or double basses. Your conclusions are the result of your reasoning, not mine. I have an acoustic bass guitar, a semi acoustic bass guitar, and I have played double basses, and none of them come close to being the same miserable experience of playing a violin bass.
Yes, every instrument has its own inherent timbre and character. And some of them just plain suck. Have you never heard a crappy bass sound?
Or are you seriously proposing that there is no such thing as a crappy bass sound? If you really believe that stuff about no "better" or "worse", sounds and colors, art, and tone palate, the I can see why you wouldn't want to acknowledge that some basses can sound like crap. But it puts you in a distinct minority.
But to answer your question about why not -- the bass playing experience is about more than just the sound. And the violin bass is a singularly poor design with regards to neck-dive, intonation, action adjustments, among other things. I have had one, and I'll never have another.
But I also acknowledge that there might be some good examples. I didn't respond to the OP by telling him not to get one at all, instead I told him to play a bunch of them before buying one if that's what he chooses to do.
Don't put words in my mouth. There is nothing I said in my harsh critique of violin basses that in any way reflects on acoustic bass guitars, semi-acoustic bass guitars, or double basses. Your conclusions are the result of your reasoning, not mine. I have an acoustic bass guitar, a semi acoustic bass guitar, and I have played double basses, and none of them come close to being the same miserable experience of playing a violin bass.
Yes, every instrument has its own inherent timbre and character. And some of them just plain suck. Have you never heard a crappy bass sound?
Or are you seriously proposing that there is no such thing as a crappy bass sound? If you really believe that stuff about no "better" or "worse", sounds and colors, art, and tone palate, the I can see why you wouldn't want to acknowledge that some basses can sound like crap. But it puts you in a distinct minority.
But to answer your question about why not -- the bass playing experience is about more than just the sound. And the violin bass is a singularly poor design with regards to neck-dive, intonation, action adjustments, among other things. I have had one, and I'll never have another.
But I also acknowledge that there might be some good examples. I didn't respond to the OP by telling him not to get one at all, instead I told him to play a bunch of them before buying one if that's what he chooses to do.
