So I've been looking at basses...

[astrozombie]

...I need one. I sold my only one about a year ago to cover some expenses, I record demos with this Squier that belongs to my old man but I don't want to keep using it, something could happen to it and I'd never hear the end of it.

I've been considering both 4 and 5 string basses. It would be nice to have a 5 string, though in the end I will probably go 4 string because I feel like the pleasure I feel while playing a 5 string bass is passing and this is just a phase.

I am by no means a gigging bass player, I just want a bass I can mess around with at home and maybe lend to my bassist for a different tone every once in a while.

Here are the basses I am considering:

Epiphone Thunderbird 4

$299.00

Alder body (Mahogany on Silverburst finish)
34" scale
Maple neck
Rosewood fingerboard
20 frets
2 TB-Plus humbuckers
2 volume and 1 tone
Chrome hardware
Polyurethane finish
Limited lifetime warranty


Epiphone Ripper

$300-500

'70s Gibson Ripper design
Hard maple body
Hard maple neck
Maple fingerboard
Satin neck finish
Durable polyurethane finish on the fretboard
Brass nut for added sustain
Single-coil/split-coil pickup combination
2 volume controls
Master tone
3-way switching


Epiphone Thunderbird 4 pro

$499.00

7-piece walnut/maple neck
Through-body construction
T-Pro humbucking pickups
Custom active electronics and EQ



Allen Woody signature

Epiphone EB-3

$299

Like the guitar, the SG bass has been one of rock's defining instruments. This reproduction is true to the Gibson original—light, fast, and loaded with a Sidewinder humbucker and a mini-humbucker to give it tonal power, and a set neck to give it the sustain that made the original famous. Limited lifetime warranty.



Jack Casady Epiphone

$799 (way out of my budget for this)



Hofner Icon Violin

$370

Authentic details inspired by the original
Spruce top
Flamed maple back and sides
Set neck
Rosewood fretboard
30" scale
22 frets
Dot inlay


Squier Jaguar

$199

Agathis body
Slim, fast-action, C-shaped maple neck
Rosewood fretboard
20 medium-jumbo frets
High-output humbucking pickup
3-band active tone circuit with Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass controls
Chrome hardware


Vintage Mod T bass

$299

Body: Basswood with Ash Veneer on Top and Back
Neck: Maple, C-Shape,
(Polyurethane Finish)
Fingerboard: Maple, 9.5" Radius (241 mm)
No. of Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo
Pickups: 1 Fender Designed™ TEB 101B Humbucking Pickup
Controls: Volume, Tone
Pickup Switching: None
Bridge: 2-Saddle Vintage Style Precision Bass Bridge with 2 Brass Saddles
Machine Heads: Standard Open-Gear Tuners
Hardware: Chrome
Pickguard: 3-Ply Black/White/Black, ('70s Tele® Bass Style Pickguard)
Scale Length: 34" (864 mm)
Width at Nut: 1.6" (40.5 mm)
Unique Features: Ash Veneers,
Large Chrome Covered Tele® Bass Humbucking Pickup,
'51 Headstock Shape,
'51 Slab Style Body Top with Sharp Radius,
'51 Style Control Plate,
'55 Style Front Arm Contour,
'55 Style Pickguard Shape,
Dot Position Inlays,
Knurled Chrome Dome Control Knobs





I'm basically trying to avoid anything that sounds like a j or p bass.

I'm looking for gibson like bass tones. something with mini or full size humbuckers.

I may also be interested in something hollow.

whatcha think?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Wot? No Stringray?

Several of the Epiphone instruments have fairly narrow string spacing. This might be a problem.

The original Ripper/Grabber series was meant to ape Fender. Even with humbucking pickups, it will sound too much like You Know What.

IMO, the hollow and semi-hollow models are fairly specialised in their applications. (Read: limited.) The only model that offers tonal variety is outside your budget.

This leaves the Squiers. The VM Tele bass will play as nicely as the P bass that you sold BUT the Wide Range lookalike humbucker will give a distinctly un-Fender sound. The Jaguar bass will kinda fit in with your existing guitar collection. The pickup is of standard dimensions. It should be easy to upgrade in the future.

EDIT: If you were not half way around the planet, I would offer you a deal on my Yamaha Attitude Special bass guitar. This combines a Gibson EB-style humbucker and a P pickup. Thus, you could get the thumpy, farty Gibson tones from the neck pickup. When you eventually decide that a Fender bass tone is worth using occasionally, the P pickup is waiting to be dialled in.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Frankly, none of the above. I can tell you that a number of those basses are poorly balanced - some very "neck heavy" and immediately neck dive when you take your hands off it. Gibson/Epi are not known for their basses and you typically don't see too many of them out there. (Not too long ago I spoke with a bassist of a band that recently got a Gibson endorsement deal. She used to play a Fender P-Bass but now is forced to play a Thunderbird Bass. She told me she absolutely misses her P-Bass).

The Jaguar is a nice design, but the Squier makes me wonder - that pickup and preamp. Lousy preamps sound... well, lousy. I've seen preamps that cost more than that whole guitar.

The T-Bass is going to give you a very warm sound - almost muddy. There's a reason these weren't around long back in 1970.

Since you're obviously trying to stay below $400, I'd go for either a Squier P or Jazz bass. If you looked, you'd probably be able to score a used Fender MIM P or J around that range too. They're simple, classic, reliable designs. There's a reason you see about a 10 to 1 ratio of these vs. everything else you're considering.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

I'm kind of running away from traditional fender designs when it comes to basses. I feel like a change of scenery is needed to come up with some good basslines.

i know i could be just as creative on any instrument, but i want it to come from the guitar itself. "every guitar has a few songs in it".

I don't mind the dive that gibson basses often suffer from. remember: this will mostly be used for demo recording.



that could be me doing that video :eek2: eek!

while the ripper sounds kind of fender flavored, to my ears it has some of that stingray kind of... quack? almost like a cocked wah tone only not was extreme.

I've been playing a jazz bass lately so spacing is fine.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Wot? No Stringray?

Several of the Epiphone instruments have fairly narrow string spacing. This might be a problem.

The original Ripper/Grabber series was meant to ape Fender. Even with humbucking pickups, it will sound too much like You Know What.

IMO, the hollow and semi-hollow models are fairly specialised in their applications. (Read: limited.) The only model that offers tonal variety is outside your budget.

This leaves the Squiers. The VM Tele bass will play as nicely as the P bass that you sold BUT the Wide Range lookalike humbucker will give a distinctly un-Fender sound. The Jaguar bass will kinda fit in with your existing guitar collection. The pickup is of standard dimensions. It should be easy to upgrade in the future.

EDIT: If you were not half way around the planet, I would offer you a deal on my Yamaha Attitude Special bass guitar. This combines a Gibson EB-style humbucker and a P pickup. Thus, you could get the thumpy, farty Gibson tones from the neck pickup. When you eventually decide that a Fender bass tone is worth using occasionally, the P pickup is waiting to be dialled in.

You think that jaguar with the humbucker seems music man size?

 

[Varg]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Why dont you get a USED Squier P bass? You can pick them up dirt cheap, Id imagine you would find a decent one for under a hundred bucks.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Why dont you get a USED Squier P bass? You can pick them up dirt cheap, Id imagine you would find a decent one for under a hundred bucks.

As stated various times in the thread, I'm not after a traditional Fender design.

 

[Varg]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Fine. Get a used Thunderbird, they feel great.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

The pickup on the Squier Jaguar bass looks to be either three and a half or four inches across - the same size as the EMG-35 and -40 range and some of the Duncan/Basslines Phase I/II models.

It is not the same dimensions as a Stingray pickup.

IMO, the Stingray does not "quack". It just has a midrange hump where a Precision never did.

EDIT - FYI, there is now a Squier VM Mustang Bass available. Just like the VM Tele Bass, this will combine Fender playability with distinctly non-standard tones.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Let's add another to the idea pool...the Peavey T-40

34"scale, maple neck, two humbuckers that feature a spin-to-split arrangement. When you turn the tone control full up, it's a single coil...when you hit 7 on the dial, the other coil comes in, and you get a humbucker. Bridge could take a hit from a nuke, and the entire bass will make some of the others you've mentioned feel like toys.

Also came in black, red, and sunbursts both light and dark.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Yeah, I know; it's a Fender...but hear me out, please.

Here is a short neck that doesn't sound like your typical Fender (that's a Strat pickup under that cover, straight from the factory), is inexpensive, relatively well built, and that will last you for life if you want it to. The short neck will do more to influence the way you play and the parts you come up with than will any design difference, such as set vs. bolt, humbucker vs. single, etc.

Yeah, yeah. They were absolute bottom-rung guitars. But they are still way better than any cheap one you can get new.

Think a Strat pickup won't cut it for a BASS sound? I understand, but it just ain't true. The tone can be as fat or as skinny as I like it, as long as I keep extra heavy flat-wound strings on it (.110's). IMO, ALL short necks NEED .110 strings at MINIMUM to sound and play great.

Think it will break down on you because it was a student instrument? This has been my number one gigging bass for 3 years now. I have played nearly 100 gigs on it in that time. In that time, it has gone out of service a handful of times; all except one was just for a broken string. The other was just due to a bad volume pot. It has been in the family for 35 years, and it has been used for 100's of gigs and several albums in that time. All it has ever needed was that one volume pot. So reliability and build quality ain't an issue either.

And that also means that you don't need to get a nice one in order to get a working one. In other words, they can take lots of abuse, and still be perfectly serviceable instruments. (Uhm, see the photo. ) That saves you money because you can buy someone's beater for cheap, and still have a good instrument. I would not say that about an Epi or a Squier.

As for price, you can get them for $300 to $600 on E-Bay all day, depending on condition. But it is a worthy investment, and since they are already that old, they will not lose 1/3 or more of their value the second you plop down the cash. For a guitarist who just needs a knock-around bass that will never leave the house, resale value is a very important consideration, since you probably won't keep the thing forever. What's more, plenty of them can usually be found around town, so you can check out the instrument in person before buying. VERY important.

IMHO, Epi basses are crap, and so are Squiers. I have one of each, and the only one I play is the Squier, and only after extensive modification (basically changed everything but the body and neck, for a grand total of 3x what I paid for the bass). Don't get into one unless you want to spend money on it right away just to make it sound and play passably. There are some cool and unique models, so I can see the appeal. For me, the Jag short scale was so unique, I had to have it, and I got it knowing I would end up with a $500 bass in the end. But for a guitarist who just wants to knock around a bit on the bass, I would not suggest Epis or Squiers, as they are IMO unusable as they come, and will be money pits from day one. They will also lose a huge chuck of their value. With the Musicmaster, if you decide to sell, you get what you paid, and you have just rented a bass for X number of years for free.

P.S. COLORS! You can get red, white (all pretty much turned to piss yellow by now), or black. Plus some early ones were a blue color (that now looks aqua due to yellowing of the lacquer clear coat) with a pearloid pick guard, but those are more expensive. My personal favorite is red. Oh, they also came with either white or black pick guards. Black guards are usually later models TMK. I prefer white.

Sorry my post got so long....

 

[astrozombie]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Yeah, I know; it's a Fender...but hear me out, please.

Here is a short neck that doesn't sound like your typical Fender (that's a Strat pickup under that cover, straight from the factory), is inexpensive, relatively well built, and that will last you for life if you want it to. The short neck will do more to influence the way you play and the parts you come up with than will any design difference, such as set vs. bolt, humbucker vs. single, etc.

Yeah, yeah. They were absolute bottom-rung guitars. But they are still way better than any cheap one you can get new.

Think a Strat pickup won't cut it for a BASS sound? I understand, but it just ain't true. The tone can be as fat or as skinny as I like it, as long as I keep extra heavy flat-wound strings on it (.110's). IMO, ALL short necks NEED .110 strings at MINIMUM to sound and play great.

Think it will break down on you because it was a student instrument? This has been my number one gigging bass for 3 years now. I have played nearly 100 gigs on it in that time. In that time, it has gone out of service a handful of times; all except one was just for a broken string. The other was just due to a bad volume pot. It has been in the family for 35 years, and it has been used for 100's of gigs and several albums in that time. All it has ever needed was that one volume pot. So reliability and build quality ain't an issue either.

And that also means that you don't need to get a nice one in order to get a working one. In other words, they can take lots of abuse, and still be perfectly serviceable instruments. (Uhm, see the photo. ) That saves you money because you can buy someone's beater for cheap, and still have a good instrument. I would not say that about an Epi or a Squier.

As for price, you can get them for $300 to $600 on E-Bay all day, depending on condition. But it is a worthy investment, and since they are already that old, they will not lose 1/3 or more of their value the second you plop down the cash. For a guitarist who just needs a knock-around bass that will never leave the house, resale value is a very important consideration, since you probably won't keep the thing forever. What's more, plenty of them can usually be found around town, so you can check out the instrument in person before buying. VERY important.

IMHO, Epi basses are crap, and so are Squiers. I have one of each, and the only one I play is the Squier, and only after extensive modification (basically changed everything but the body and neck, for a grand total of 3x what I paid for the bass). Don't get into one unless you want to spend money on it right away just to make it sound and play passably. There are some cool and unique models, so I can see the appeal. For me, the Jag short scale was so unique, I had to have it, and I got it knowing I would end up with a $500 bass in the end. But for a guitarist who just wants to knock around a bit on the bass, I would not suggest Epis or Squiers, as they are IMO unusable as they come, and will be money pits from day one. They will also lose a huge chuck of their value. With the Musicmaster, if you decide to sell, you get what you paid, and you have just rented a bass for X number of years for free.

P.S. COLORS! You can get red, white (all pretty much turned to piss yellow by now), or black. Plus some early ones were a blue color (that now looks aqua due to yellowing of the lacquer clear coat) with a pearloid pick guard, but those are more expensive. My personal favorite is red. Oh, they also came with either white or black pick guards. Black guards are usually later models TMK. I prefer white.

Sorry my post got so long....

$350 Negotiable

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Peavey T-15 or T-20. Good, solid MIA bass guitar. Peavey in-house pickup conforms to no known standard. The upside is that its sound is unique. The downside is that upgrading is either difficult or virtually impossible.

I cannot for the life of me remember whether those models were long, medium or short scale?

*

Getting back to your anti-Fender stance. With the use of active pickups and/or EQ, it is possible to make a conventional P, J or PJ bass sound completely unlike a traditional Fender electric bass.

I am a big fan of the long-discontinued Seymour Duncan Active EQ Series of bass guitar replacement pickups. These happen to fit into the ubiquitous P and J routs but this fact gives no clue whatsoever to how they sound. The specifications of the P and short J pickups are identical EXCEPT that they are inside differently sized covers.

One of my favourite bass guitars is also one of my cheapest. Yamaha bottom-of-the-range Attitude Plus, Gotoh 201 bridge, SD Active EQ pickup, basic treble roll off tone control. Looks like a P, plays like a cross between a P and a J. Sounds like whatever I like, depending on how I set the DIP switches. Ideal demo/songwriting instrument.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

See if you can put your hands on a Cort. They are incredibly good instruments for the money.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

Peavey T-15 or T-20. Good, solid MIA bass guitar. Peavey in-house pickup conforms to no known standard. The upside is that its sound is unique. The downside is that upgrading is either difficult or virtually impossible.

I cannot for the life of me remember whether those models were long, medium or short scale?

*

Getting back to your anti-Fender stance. With the use of active pickups and/or EQ, it is possible to make a conventional P, J or PJ bass sound completely unlike a traditional Fender electric bass.

I am a big fan of the long-discontinued Seymour Duncan Active EQ Series of bass guitar replacement pickups. These happen to fit into the ubiquitous P and J routs but this fact gives no clue whatsoever to how they sound. The specifications of the P and short J pickups are identical EXCEPT that they are inside differently sized covers.

One of my favourite bass guitars is also one of my cheapest. Yamaha bottom-of-the-range Attitude Plus, Gotoh 201 bridge, SD Active EQ pickup, basic treble roll off tone control. Looks like a P, plays like a cross between a P and a J. Sounds like whatever I like, depending on how I set the DIP switches. Ideal demo/songwriting instrument.

http://www.vintageguitar.com/3203/peavey-t-20/

these people had a lot to say about it...

if i can get it for $250 and it's in good shape... :beerchug:

what kind pf pickup do you think this is anyway?

 

[Ayrton]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

I swear when I first read the title, I thought it read "So I've been looking at asses..." :lmao:

 

[BloodRose]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

I have the Thunderbird Pro IV in black just like pictured and love it. Big growly tone and IMO, looks killer too. I also found the cheaper Tbirds play and sound pretty bangin too...

 

[astrozombie]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

I have the Thunderbird Pro IV in black just like pictured and love it. Big growly tone and IMO, looks killer too. I also found the cheaper Tbirds play and sound pretty bangin too...

Can you get the tone to sound like a passive thunderbird or is it impossible?

 

[JOLLY]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

I hate the way Jaguars look as far as guitars go, but I dig that look as a bass.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: So I've been looking at basses...

The Peavey pickup is their own Super Ferrite single coil design. Blade polepiece, two-con + shield wiring, yadda, yadda. The dimensions of the pickup and surround need measuring. I would not be surprised if there is an EMG, SD/Basslines or Bartolini pickup that fits the aperture.

EDIT - I remember a photograph in a Peavey catalogue from the Eighties illustrating bass maestro, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, holding a fretless Peavey bass guitar. This instrument was black with a rosewood or ebony fingerboard and the pickup mounted on a slant. It resembled the T-15 and -20 rather than the T-40.