What bass next?

stickyfiddle · February 2023

As titled. Currently have a parts P bass that does the classic 60s thing *perfectly*. If I wanted to buy something else to compliment, what should I look at?

Generally I really like nitro finishes and things that feel old. My instincts are along the lines of a nice Jazz, or possibly 4003 or Stingray. More extreme wildcards could look like a Thunderbird, EB-2/Rivoli, Hofner Club or 500/1. I'm not super interested in flashy active stuff though something simple wouldn't be the worst thing, maybe?. I don't have a specific budget so let's assume a $4k ceiling and go down from there...

My band is playing a mix of motown, soul, disco, pop and rock and I have no intention of taking multiple basses to a gig, so it'd be nice to have something that could cover that stuff if I wanted (applying the usual caveats of "you can play anything on anything")

What thinke ye?

stickyfiddle · February 2023

...and obvs the right answer is "go try everything!" which I would absolutely love to do but have no good shops within 2000 miles. I'll try and hit a couple when in the UK in a couple of weeks. And then it's entirely possible I'll order another MJT...

GoFish · February 2023

I am a Bass fundementlist (ha!), so I'd lean towards saying a P-type will do everything you need and nothing you don't. Maybe have another one strung with something else? The one's you've mentioned sound good for a change- Thunderbird for rawk, Hofner for that Beatles look and the short scale. Don't forget to try a Ric! Regardless of anything else, an afternoon spent playing a bunch is a fine investment.

I'd also consider P-adjacent basses like Yamaha BBs or Stingrays. As a wildcard, your budget nudges you up against a player grade CBS bass, which would be a hoot,

ICBM · February 2023

stickyfiddle said:

My band is playing a mix of motown, soul, disco, pop and rock and I have no intention of taking multiple basses to a gig, so it'd be nice to have something that could cover that stuff if I wanted (applying the usual caveats of "you can play anything on anything")

With that list it’s got to be a Jazz, although a Rick would do it quite well too.

You could always justify it by putting rounds on one and flats on the other… I would go with flats on the Jazz if you get one, but flats on the P if you get a Rick.

stickyfiddle · February 2023

Clearly the answer is still "go try some", as expected

I will be keeping to flats on the P but a Jazz with flats could also be a nice addition. Not sure about the narrow necks though no I'm used to the chunky P. I did try a Ric 4003S in almost-dayglo red back in 2020 just before I ordered the MJT. I thought I liked it at the time but hadn't a clue what I was doing really. Now I'm actually halfway-competent I'd like to try one again.

GoFish said:

I'd also consider P-adjacent basses like Yamaha BBs or Stingrays. As a wildcard, your budget nudges you up against a player grade CBS bass, which would be a hoot,

Yeah I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much cheaper old basses are vs old guitars. A 60's Gibson EB2 for well under 5k?! You won't see change from double that for an ES335!

stickyfiddle · February 2023

Aaaand looking at Carter Vintage is an error, as usual...

Image: https://cartervintage.com/sized-images/2BA6HRjgtWtExGwfsgBD6nYtxhV/2Lh74bm3mxN7ejP6huZuIBBtHaE/product.jpeg

Image: https://cartervintage.com/sized-images/2BA6HRjgtWtExGwfsgBD6nYtxhV/2HPYvo4DIpfcbjMnqZUzUQTzfZz/orders.jpeg

roberty · February 2023

stickyfiddle said:

Aaaand looking at Carter Vintage is an error, as usual...

Oof glad I'm sitting down

Sporky · February 2023

Stingray, obvs.

Or a Jaguar bass, just because they look ace.

Koa · February 2023

You can’t go wrong with any that have been mentioned so far. A Jazz is probably the natural progression but have you considered a Mustang with flats? Would do everything you want and a nice contrast to what you have, super easy to gig with too.

prowla · February 2023

The answer is always a Rickenbacker; it's just a matter of how long it takes you to realise it...

JCA2550 · February 2023

prowla said:

The answer is always a Rickenbacker; it's just a matter of how long it takes you to realise it...

Took me 30+ years

louis_LLM · February 2023

The answer is actually the JMJ Mustang i've got in the classifieds!

stickyfiddle · February 2023

louis_LLM said:

The answer is actually the JMJ Mustang i've got in the classifieds!

Honestly those do look really cool. Just needs a black or tort guard.

fretmeister · February 2023

1 bass for every gig only has one real answer.

Fender Urge 2.

fretmeister · February 2023

But - TBH you might as well do it properly and get a Jazz and a 'Ray.

louis_LLM · February 2023

stickyfiddle said:

louis_LLM said:

The answer is actually the JMJ Mustang i've got in the classifieds!

Honestly those do look really cool. Just needs a black or tort guard.

It comes with a black guard as well!

Whitecat · February 2023

Definitely a Jazz next, but I'd also check out a few short scales - they can be mega fun.

Or the left-field answer - a fretless of some description.

stickyfiddle · February 2023

Whitecat said:

Or the left-field answer - a fretless of some description.

Oh god, do I have to?

stickyfiddle · February 2023

fretmeister said:

Fender Urge 2.

Well that is certainly one of the basses that exist... apparently....

fretmeister said:

1 bass for every gig only has one real answer.

Well worth noting that I'm not after proper Swiss army knife "HSS Strat/PRS DGT of basses", but just something different to a P that at least might be capable of doing a whole gig (or at least rehearsal) so that I actually have a good chance of using it outside the house!

In an ideal world of course I'd have one of everything I listed (and probably multiples with different strings), but we live in a world where I could probably buy more than one it might lead to divorce, not least because our spare room is already overflowing with stringed instruments...

Sporky · February 2023

stickyfiddle said:

Whitecat said:

Or the left-field answer - a fretless of some description.

Oh god, do I have to?

How often do you need, as an artist, to make rubber-bandy "bwaaaaang" noises?

fretmeister · February 2023

stickyfiddle said:

fretmeister said:

1 bass for every gig only has one real answer.

Fender Urge 2.

Well that is certainly one of the basses that exist... apparently....

I had one for years in sparkly blue.

It was very good indeed.

Sporky · February 2023

fretmeister said:

sparkly blue

You called?

ICBM · February 2023

Sporky said:

How often do you need, as an artist, to make rubber-bandy "bwaaaaang" noises?

Nah, fretless is much more versatile than that - they only really do that clichéd 80s bwaaang sound if you put compression and too much midrange on them.

I use one most of the time in my prog/space-rock jam project because with fuzz, octave, chorus and filter sweeps you can make it sound really synthy...

idiotwind · February 2023

ICBM said:

Sporky said:

How often do you need, as an artist, to make rubber-bandy "bwaaaaang" noises?

Nah, fretless is much more versatile than that - they only really do that clichéd 80s bwaaang sound if you put compression and too much midrange on them.

I use one most of the time in my prog/space-rock jam project because with fuzz, octave, chorus and filter sweeps you can make it sound really synthy...

My favourite example for defending the versatility of fretless is The Chain aka one of the most well-known bits of bass ever, which was done on a fretless with a stainless steel fingerboard, and sounds nothing like "fretless bass".

stickyfiddle · February 2023

No fretless tall on my thread! Even though I've been learning a load of Police lines lately and apparently most of those were fretless as well. Bah!

Funkfingers · February 2023

JCA2550 said:

prowla said:

The answer is always a Rickenbacker; it's just a matter of how long it takes you to realise it...

Took me 30+ years

Ditto. I knew that a RIC was inevitable but was reluctant to pay the price.

Sporky said:

stickyfiddle said:

Whitecat said:

Or the left-field answer - a fretless of some description.

Oh god, do I have to?

How often do you need, as an artist, to make rubber-bandy "bwaaaaang" noises?

A lot of Seventies and Eighties John McVie stuff is fretless but he doesn't overdo the glissandi. e.g. The Chain outro bass motif is fretless. Listen carefully to the first note and you can detect the slide from open E to A at the fifth position.

roberty · February 2023

Depending how much you want to spend Epiphone could be a shout. The bass player in my band has a Thunderbird Pro with active Gibson USA pickups. It was only £450 pre-pandemic. Proper neck thru. It is superb. They do some semi hollow type things I think

roberty · February 2023

These thingees

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Epiphone-Jack-Casady-Bass-Metallic-Gold/19CP

DonnyMac · February 2023

stickyfiddle said:

My band is playing a mix of motown, soul, disco, pop and rock and I have no intention of taking multiple basses to a gig, so it'd be nice to have something that could cover that stuff if I wanted (applying the usual caveats of "you can play anything on anything")

A Precision or Jazz would cover all those genres... but the Stingray was probably the best sounding bass I ever got to play.

stickyfiddle · February 2023

@roberty I gotta admit I'm never gonna buy an MIC Epiphone (or Indonesia etc). I just can't do it. Now if they did a USA Rivoli so go with the Casinos...?

I have a decent end of service payment from work so potentially happy to spend a decent bit to get something that could potentially stay with me forever. I'm honestly still tempted by that EB2 in Nashville, but the braz rosewood makes it a pain

stickyfiddle · February 2023

Carter's can't do CITES for me, so the EB2 is off the table. Slightly sad but my wallet is happy..!

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