Topic: Your Favorite Bass and Why? (Read 8570 times)

Basspicker26 · « **on:** August 17, 2009, 01:53:08 PM »

What's up my fellow bass players?! I want to know what everybody's favorite bass is and why. So let's start with me. After 20yrs of playing, traveling, sessions etc... I've discovered that a good old Jazz Bass just does it for me. The sound is thick enough to give u that "hump" as I call it, but yet thin enough to cut on stage and in the mix on a record. I can take it on a gig with Donnie McClurkin to a studio session with Chris Brown to a jazz festival with Boney James, and back in the studio doin a rock record. They're just that versatile. The thing that baffles me is that I've never liked them, but I knew they were somewhat of an industry standard primarily in Jazz and R&B music. In fact I'm on my 4th or 5th jazz bass now...lol Welp I know now that I'm definitely a jazz bass guy. So what's your favorite?

malthumb · « **Reply #1 on:** August 17, 2009, 02:44:19 PM »

Alembic.

Now, I'm speaking as one who has played for a long time, but semi-professionally at best and near zero studio time. So I play what I want, not necessarily what a band leader or studio tech is looking for.

I like Alembic because they are top of the game in terms of build quality, craftsmanship, quaility of materials, and options. They are pricey as all heck (buy USED).

Alembic invented active circuitry in basses. Since they build their instruments, their electronics, their pickups, their bridges, it all works when it comes together. The only things that they buy are tuning pegs and strings and maybe their knobs. They have a very flexible tone palette (due to the electronics) and are very powerful in a live situation.

I've been told that studio techs HATE them because it's hard to dial them into the mix. Especially if you are trying to make an Alembic sound like a P-Bass. Of course, in my opinion, that's sort of like trying to make a Corvette sound like a Corolla.

As far as more MAINSTREAM brands, I'd have to say that Music Man would be my favorite. Just love the tones you can get out of the Bongo in particular. If you can get past the looks, it's HOT. For that matter, don't sleep on the Music Man Big Al. Three pickups and out-of-this-world electronics and tone controls. Maybe even uglier than the Bongo, but killer tone.

ssabass · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2009, 06:33:05 PM »

Though I own a Lakland & a TBC & I really like both. I'm with you on this basspicker. My favorite bass is the Fender Jazz. I just love the warm tone that the Fender Jazz has. I can reflect on many of songs that the Fender tone, just blows me away. The Fender tone just seems to blend in so well with any style of music. Thats why Marcus Miller can get away with slapping on ballads. Now granted there are some, very nice basses out there, but most of them are Fenders on steroids. They may also have very good tones, but none have been able to duplicate or surpass the Fender Jazz tone, without spending thousands of dollars. Fender will definetly be my next bass. I also like the pre-Gibson, Tobias's also a great all around bass. Just cant find a used one for under $2500.00.

dhagler · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2009, 07:41:16 PM »

Despite the fact that I own a Schecter, I am forever a Jazz bass guy. So much in fact that the Jazz V I have been trying to sell for three months will probably just come on back home.

Something about that passive Jazz bass tone.

Basspicker26 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2009, 08:17:00 PM »

Malthumb I have to give it to you on the Alembic. I had a custom Rogue 6, and then traded it for a Roscoe skb 3006. Thou I loved the Roscoe I was in love with the Alembic...lol Of course when I wanted my Rogue back it was nowhere to be found. Still hurting about that one.

Ssabass, man I've been looking for a pre-gib tobias forever, and just when I thought I had one it turned out to be Gibson. Definitely a Great bass!

Godsbassman62 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2009, 08:19:52 PM »

I am gonna say that my favorite is my Sadowsky Metros. They fit in anywhere both sound and looks.

malthumb · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2009, 08:50:58 PM »

Quote from: Basspicker26 on August 17, 2009, 08:17:00 PM

Malthumb I have to give it to you on the Alembic. I had a custom Rogue 6, and then traded it for a Roscoe skb 3006. Thou I loved the Roscoe I was in love with the Alembic...lol Of course when I wanted my Rogue back it was nowhere to be found. Still hurting about that one.

Ssabass, man I've been looking for a pre-gib tobias forever, and just when I thought I had one it turned out to be Gibson. Definitely a Great bass!

Just curious......

Did you get nasty looks from sound engineers when you pulled out the Rogue?

Do you still have the Roscoe? My fretless is a Roscoe LG3005. Used it last Sunday. Probably use it again this Sunday when we play Caribbean Medley (Donnie McClurkin's reggae cut)

Basspicker26 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2009, 09:03:23 PM »

Naw no dirty looks. Im very famliar with the Carribean medley. I travel with Donnie every now and then.

DWBass · « **Reply #8 on:** August 17, 2009, 09:26:18 PM »

I'm a jazz bass guy as well but of the Lakland variety! I own a Joe Osborne 5. I also own a custom made jazz 4 string with active SD pickups but with standard VVT. Dead quiet. I also own a Lakland 55-01 which I like better and feels better to me than the 55-02 which "should" be a better bass. I like the build quality, neck profiles and body weights more so than Fenders.

kevmove02 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 18, 2009, 02:54:42 PM »

This is a really hard question to answer, due to the fact that most people are not exposed to that many brands. For example, I hear alot about Lakland basses, but have never seen one. On the opposite end of the spectrum, many favor "SX" Basses; i haven't seen one of those either. This would be especially true for custom basses or expensive basses.

Maybe the question should be, "Of the mass market brands, which is your favorite?"

I've played Ibanez, Yamaha, Schecter and Fender basses. After 12 basses, I love the Fender Jazz the most. But if i ever got my hands on a Ken Smith, I don't know....

stix_clgi · « **Reply #10 on:** August 18, 2009, 04:00:38 PM »

Quote from: kevmove02 on August 18, 2009, 02:54:42 PM

This is a really hard question to answer, due to the fact that most people are not exposed to that many brands. For example, I hear alot about Lakland basses, but have never seen one. On the opposite end of the spectrum, many favor "SX" Basses; i haven't seen one of those either. This would be especially true for custom basses or expensive basses.

Maybe the question should be, "Of the mass market brands, which is your favorite?"

I've played Ibanez, Yamaha, Schecter and Fender basses. After 12 basses, I love the Fender Jazz the most. But if i ever got my hands on a Ken Smith, I don't know....

I agree. I haven't played many big name bass guitars so I couldn't comment on them. I've played a few Ken Smiths, and they're probably my favorite high end basses. But, I currently play and Ibanez BTB566 with an upgraded Bartolini preamp, and it does everything I need it to in church. I also own a Squier Active Jazz that is also upgraded with Bart pups and and Aggie preamp. Vicious is the best way I can describe it! I love the tone I get from it...deep and round with enough mids and highs to cut through any mix!

I played a $6000 fretless Fbass though, and the only reason I didn't like it was because it was fretless. The "sweet spot" was the entire fretboard...punch and clarity at all registers!

I'm getting ready to get a Schecter Stiletto Studio-5 too, has anyone ever played/own one?

Bullitt · « **Reply #11 on:** August 18, 2009, 05:05:40 PM »

Quote from: stix_clgi on August 18, 2009, 04:00:38 PM

I'm getting ready to get a Schecter Stiletto Studio-5 too, has anyone ever played/own one?

Yep...I had 1 a few years ago and thought it was a bit neck heavy and the EMG pups were a bit hot but overall I liked the bass alot.

As for my favorite, hmmm....it really just depends on the gig.

My MTD 535 gets played more (I love the feel, tone, and playability) but my modded Warwick Corvette Std 5 gets plenty of lovin' too! Both basses have great tone and are flexible but in very different ways so I have a hard time picking one over the other on any given day lol

-J

Basspicker26 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 18, 2009, 09:28:45 PM »

Ok, this question isn't based on a class. It's not high end or low end specific, it's bass specific. Your favorite bass could be the one you got from the JCPenny catalog, or the $8000 Fodera that you've never even played. Whatever you like is cool I was just curious what that bass is.

floaded27 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2009, 12:05:51 AM »

yeah. the question is YOUR favorite bass, which actually may change tomorrow or next week if you find a new favorite.

but it still is a hard question, kinda like askin which of your kids is your favorite. The easy answer: the one you spend the most time with. The bass i been playing the most at any given time is gonna be my favorite. Last week my favorite is my MTD. we had our youth conference and i was playing it for all our rehearsals (even though it was just for one song because i was on keys the rest) and i had it all week during the conference. This week my Fender MIM Jazz 5 has been my favorite. Since i been practicing at home mostly, I get the best sound out of my practice amp at home as well as the studio monitors i have, so i been using it the most. im sure by next week or so, my favorite will change yet again. my "kids" are always competing for my attention. lol

csharp57 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2009, 05:41:15 AM »

I made the mistake of playing a Sadowsky my bass teacher owned. I would sell half my instrument collection to own that bass. I hope to purchase one after tax refund time!!!! That bass was sooo light. And the B string didn't flop around like my marcus miller does. I probably will not buy another bass after the Sadowsky. TRUST!!!

superjaay · « **Reply #15 on:** August 19, 2009, 06:53:48 AM »

As a beginner I'm sure I haven't seen all of the basses that are out there, but I was quite impressed with a Ken Smith 7 string that a guy brought when he came to play for a concert at our church. He allowed me to mess around with it a little bit and I was even more impressed with it up close. I knew nothing about Ken Smith custom basses but after checking out their website and the $7000.00 price tag, I knew I won't be getting one anytime soon. The sound was so distinct and amazing. It was like nothing I had ever heard before. The way it sounded in rehearsal was even more brilliant than the actual concert because the soundman toned it way down to blend in with the band. My bass instructor also mentioned that he had recorded with the guy playing the KS7 and that his Fender MIM JazzV was easier to mix in on recordings. But Even though I really liked the KS7, I'm waiting on a much less expensive ESP D5 that seems to be on backorder forever. I played the six string version of the ESP at a local music store and liked everything about it except the string spacing so I ordered the 5 string version.

lowlife350 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 19, 2009, 11:01:38 AM »

I am not sure what other parameters I am looking to fulfill, but my search for a bass which fits me has led me to require:

1. Quality/Usable tones
2. Wide tonal variety
3. 5-string
4. 35" scale
5. Wide string spacing at bridge
6. Not too wide of a neck ? narrow at nut
7. Active preamp (ideally with a bypass)
8. Good balance
9. Decent weight
10. Not certain, but I think a maple fingerboard
11. Aesthetically simple and natural
12. Under $1500 used or new

I swear to all of you though, I will eventually upgrade my Squire to and always own a Fender Jazz, but right now, may struggle to satisfy this list has led me to the Lakland 55-02 and the MTD KZ5. (What's that Z mean anyway?) Those are my current "favorites", though I am forever in love with the Jazz.

Quote from: stix_clgi on August 18, 2009, 04:00:38 PM

I'm getting ready to get a Schecter Stiletto Studio-5 too, has anyone ever played/own one?

Quote from: Bullitt on August 18, 2009, 05:05:40 PM

Yep...I had 1 a few years ago and thought it was a bit neck heavy and the EMG pups were a bit hot but overall I liked the bass alot.

Agreed Bullitt. I tried the Studio and the C5. They played very similar. The Studio felt a little more comfortable but I got a gret deal on the C5. While I exprience the same issues Bullitt expressed, I also really enjoy playing my C5.

malthumb · « **Reply #17 on:** August 19, 2009, 11:36:42 AM »

Quote from: lowlife350 on August 19, 2009, 11:01:38 AM

....MTD KZ5. (What's that Z mean anyway?)....

The first year on the market they were called MTD Zephyr. MTD also has (or had?) a line of basses called "Kingston", which I think refers to where they were made. Kingston, NY.

lowlife350 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 19, 2009, 12:26:58 PM »

Quote from: malthumb on August 19, 2009, 11:36:42 AM

The first year on the market they were called MTD Zephyr. MTD also has (or had?) a line of basses called "Kingston", which I think refers to where they were made. Kingston, NY.

Thanks malthumb. That explains it. The KZ5 is in the Kingston line. It is probably the Kingston Zephyr. Mr. Tobias' shop is in Kingston. It is interesting though that the Kingstons are outsourced to Korea.

His first serial number for Tobias guitars was -0178 for January 1978, my birth month and year so that is how I initially found him. Then I found out he is like an hour from me and makes basses which fit my bill pretty nicely. I am actually about 20 minutes Saratoga, NY, which he also has a bass named for but it too is outsourced I believe. I've emailed a few times. Nice gentleman.

I am really interested in the answers you guys are providing. Anyone else have a personal favorite?

dhagler · « **Reply #19 on:** August 19, 2009, 04:16:16 PM »

Quote from: stix_clgi on August 18, 2009, 04:00:38 PM

I'm getting ready to get a Schecter Stiletto Studio-5 too, has anyone ever played/own one?

I have one and I absolutely love it! Great active tone, 24 frets with a 35" scale.

Author Topic: Your Favorite Bass and Why? (Read 8570 times)