BMU
I'm looking at getting a bass. Apologies in advance for a long ramble but I really am not sure what I want so I'll just give some background and then some questions:
- I currently have a Fender Jazz Bass Special, 4 string, 1984, Japanese made. It has J-style pickups (bridge) and P-style in the neck. But I'm itching for a more modern, kickass bass.
- I'm a guitarist so the bass is for tracking when I home record. But I do also love noodling around on bass. My budget is about R7 - 10k so hopefully I can get something fairly nice.
- This will be for metal, the death/thrash variety with lots of distortion and lots of fast palm muting on 7-string guitars. But I don't want a distorted bass tone, I'm thinking something more jazzy along the lines of the bass playing in Cynic (Sean Malone) or Obscura (Jeroen Thesseling - plays a Warwick Thumb 6 string fretless). Or maybe a very crisp and clear sound to stand out from the wall of guitar distortion. I'm aiming for *arty* progressive extreme instrumental metal here. ?
I'll be playing fingerstyle where I can, (I can do the "gallop" up to sort of medium speeds but I'm definitely not a good bassist) but resorting to a pick for fast playing. DEFINITELY no slapping, never ever.
1. I like the idea of a 6 string, am I crazy? Is that only for "really good" bassists? (It opens the possibility for some interesting upper register guitar/bass harmonies .)
2. Yamaha TRB1006 - opinions? Seems to have a good rep, looks killer and fits my pocket. I know it's been discussed here before, but is it likely to suit my specific needs? I'd love a Warwick and might stretch the budget for an entry-level one, but I doubt it's really worth the extra $$?? (I'll try both, this is pre-information so I know what to look for when I do.)
3. I'd like something that's easy to play (who doesn't ? ) i.e. low action and narrow string spacing (since I won't be slapping). Does that change the picture of what I should be looking at?
4. Ibanez SR505 or 705 series...any opinions on those? I think the Yamaha beats them...or not? Ibanez BTB's?
5. Should I hang on to the Fender J-bass Special? Is it regarded as a good bass or pretty "meh"? I really have no clue.
Thanks very much in advance to anyone who read all that. I'd keep it shorter, but that would only lead to more questions so I thought I'd unpack it all upfront!
Explorerlover
Ibanez SR's are sweet and so are the BTB's. For your budget range, TOMS can get you a killer bass. I recently bought the BTB 470. Neck through, Bartolini's and overall a sweet piece of hardware. Mine is a 4 string, but I'm sure there'll be 5 & 6's that will work for you too.
DonovanB
My opinion is that you are overthinking this.
A 4 string is more than adequate, it's what you do with it that counts. I personally like a 5 string because it give me more vertical options, scale wise.
Rather look for a kickass amp and /or some bass effects. That Bass of yours sounds like it would be a kick-ass bass anyway. I played a Jackson with similar pups through a Fender Bassman 200 recently. it was OOOOOOOOAAAARRRRSSOOOOoooOOMMEE to say the least.
Bob-Dubery
I'm in broad agreement with Donovan. Why buy a whole new bass? The money would be better spent on an amp and/or pick-up upgrade.
AlanRatcliffe
Nothing wrong with either the Jazz or the P-bass - they are both still awesome basses for any style of music. Nothing fancy by modern standards, but they both do the job, and do it well. The few Jap models available these days are in the R20K region and I'd hang on to it regardless.
Once again, four does the job, but extended range can be nice for certain things. Five strings give you the added low end, which is real nice - especially for heavier styles of music. Six strings I tend to think of as basses for players who like doing the weedly-wee soloing thing, which for me has nothing to do with a bass guitar. If you use a bass for simple working bass parts, the added high end of a six is overkill IMO and has the downside of making the neck even bigger (or the string spacing narrower) and making string changes more expensive (and they are already expensive on even a four string).
Sounds like you are describing an active pickup kind of sound, so that's where you should be looking. An active pickup/tone change is a good option too.
The TRBs are great basses - hard to go wrong with them. I don't like the skinny necks on the SR series Ibbys - makes the necks feel wrong to me and also thins out the low end tone, which is then boosted by an overzealous active tone - not the same as having the low end in the first place.
Warwick does great quality basses, but all the models I've played (the Thumbs) tend to be funk machines, made for playing high up and with a slap/pop style. I know they have different models now like the Rock basses (bolt on necks), but I don't know them.
Matt-White
Dont talk him out of selling the Fender - I want it! ?
Guys, pse check out my thread as well - I dont want to piggyback on BMU's, but also have a lot of beginners questions about which guitar... Tx!
BMU
That's some good input, thanks all. I did play the TRB1006 and liked it a lot, also played some others so now I'm in the thinking stage (I'm a pre-purchase fretter & worrier lol.) The 6-string intrigues me exactly for the weedlee-wee soloing possibilities, I do agree playing up there is not bass anymore. I'm thinking multiple bass tracks...or Opeth style acoustic interludes on bass instead of acoustic... stuff like that. Could be interesting.
But more than that, you guys made me look at my "old boring" Fender with new eyes. Experimenting with the different pickups and different amps in the Line6 Bass Add-on pack has led me to some really cool sounds, I'm impressed.
Jwaters
warwick, or keep what you have
BMU
Since starting this thread I've swung around to my Jazz Bass. It sounded so beefy on the "Engagement nexus" track I posted here, I'm sold on it. Although I'd still love an MIA 5-string Jazz..yummm.
Keira-WitherKay
and in my experience ( i started my career as a pro bassist live and sessions) most producers are very happy when the bassist brings a fender into the session. they have that traditional fat bass sound thats on most hits/recordings and very much in demand
as alan said warricks and even many of the other top end bass's are more made with the sharp cutting sound in mind aimed at funk ...... so yeah fenders are industry standard for sessions.....
and most session bassists will like the session guitarists own a few instruments ...... so go to a session with a P bass and a steinberger or warrick and use the one that suits the track,,,,,,,
so if anything keep the fender and rather add to the collection with a yamaha or warrick especially if you recording it might be advantageous to have a choice......
good luck with your choice
ps. also find a bass that sounds fat and good without EQ and producers will love you and call you back for sesions cos bass on recordings is tricky to eq a fat sound into without muddy'ing up the track ...low end always sounds better when it's the natural tone of the instrument ...thats why most fenders sound great but have passive pups but a huge sound and presence in the music all the tone is from the bass not the electronics.......
DonovanB
Funny that you mention that Keira, I like the deep, fat sound. I used to get it by rolling of the highs on the amp, and playing with the soft part of my finger. I used my thumb a lot and always had my nails really short. So the attack wasnt as hard and the bass sounded, well, like bass instead of a guitar.
Keira-WitherKay
DonovanB wrote:
Funny that you mention that Keira, I like the deep, fat sound. I used to get it by rolling of the highs on the amp, and playing with the soft part of my finger. I used my thumb a lot and always had my nails really short. So the attack wasnt as hard and the bass sounded, well, like bass instead of a guitar.
yeah donovan the inside secret of being a bass session muso is that unless the project is aimed at funk ....or some bass speciality... most of the time the producers hire in a bassist who is quick and lays in a sound they don't need to tweak ..
cos bass is actually vital in the music but genrally treated as something that long as it's played in time and has a warm fat tone.... no one wants to waste valualbe studio time fussing with it .......
cos really who even notices the bass in jingles and film/doccies ect ect ..... and to most people that fat warm simple bottom end is all they want ....... and if you can read the charts in one take and then drop in for a few fix's maybe ...you done in less than 30 min which suits the people paying the bills just right ............. but yeah bands can be more fussy ..... but one could do any pro bass session for a movie/ad/doccie with nothing but a standard P bass and a DI box......
AlanRatcliffe
Keira WitherKay wrote:
one could do any pro bass session for a movie/ad/doccie with nothing but a standard P bass and a DI box......
+1. Although a few chops don't hurt either. ?
Excellent post K...
