Stoner/Doom Bassist thread Pt. 46: In Soviet Russia Bass Plays You

[Jason Hall]

Originally Posted by The_Janitor

So I was messing around trying to set up my POS ibby 5-string last night, grumbling about what a POS it is when my wife suggest that I use some tax refund money to get a better bass. Best. Wife. Ever.

Don't have a ton of money to spend, but I'm leaning toward G&L Tribute series. So here's the poll: You've got around $300-$400 bucks and you want a 5-string. What do you get?

Go!

I'm gassing for an L2000 personally. Almost traded my pbass for one a while back... kinda wish I did. Active/passive and all those buttons make my nerd side happy.

The jb-2 would be pretty sweet too I bet if you're looking for more of a jazz bass style. Probably find either of those used within that price range.

Edit: Bah think both of those are 4 string only.

Edit#2: There we go.. I'd get a used L2500.

[OysteinosaurusG]

a four-string!

[OysteinosaurusG]

just kidding. one of these, of course:

[Ron Now]

Best 5 string I ever owned was an old Ibanez ATK 305. That thing was awesome, used it on the first 2 bongripper records. But I just can't dig on a 5'er anymore, if I did I would try to find another one.

[Lazarus.Bird]

For your price range and 5 string, G&L Tribute series sounds like exactly what you should be looking at!

That, or whatever the high quality low cost "value" line it is that Stingray uses. Really like the 5 banger Stingray Toastfuzz picked up.

Also wouldn't rule out something like a used Ibanez BTB or SRX. I owned an SRX 5 stringer for awhile and it was an awesome bass, especially for the money.

[dozicusmaximus]

Peavey, Lakland Skyline, Ibby, G&L Tribute, maybe a Jackson for cheaper 5 strings.

[The_Janitor]

Yeah, I know a lot of folks don't dig the 5-string. I hated them for a long time, but I'm tired of messing with setups to get a 4 string down to B. It can be done, but it's a lot less hassle with a 5.

[The_Janitor]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Those old Ibbys are nice, I'll look into the other stuff.

[Lazarus.Bird]

Lol, had to do some digging for that Ibanez pic. Found a pic of my old blackened death metal band. The guitarist closest to the camera is the guitarist in Father of fire's current band, and the singer is Evan, one of the Maryland Deathfest founders.



Pretty funny that this was my "stable" at one point, considering all of these are long gone.

[mc_muench]

I recently found the first 5 string Ive ever played that I didnt instantly hate. It was a Squier Precision 5 string. The one with the jazz bass pickups. The neck felt perfect for a 5 string to me. Decent B string and passive too. If I had extra cash I wouldve walked out with it. It was like $150.

[OysteinosaurusG]

Originally Posted by The_Janitor

Yeah, I know a lot of folks don't dig the 5-string. I hated them for a long time, but I'm tired of messing with setups to get a 4 string down to B. It can be done, but it's a lot less hassle with a 5.

sorry, man. I realized while I was preparing dinner that my whole "five strings is one too many"-attitude can come across as arrogant and annoying. am I really no better than the guys outside this thread who insist that "picks are for guitar players"?

anyway, that reminds me of a hillarious interview I once read with Ümlaut:

Q: Before we begin, I can't help but notice you've got only two strings on your bass.

A: Yeah, it's in case I break one. We have two guitarists, now, too—you can never be too careful.

[The_Janitor]

Originally Posted by OysteinosaurusG

sorry, man. I realized while I was preparing dinner that my whole "five strings is one too many"-attitude can come across as arrogant and annoying. am I really no better than the guys outside this thread who insist that "picks are for guitar players"?

anyway, that reminds me of a hillarious interview I once read with Ümlaut:

Ha ha, no worries. I didn't think you came across like that.

[JoeVictim]

I'd go Squier so I could try before I buy. After that, used Peavey foundation fiver. If none, than start just randomly picking up 5 strings at local shop.

Sorry, I don't do 5 strings.

[CL400Peavey]

It just goes to show you that everyone's tastes are different. I love my Fender 4 bangers, but I have never picked up a Fender 5 string that felt right. The best feeling 5'er I have played is actually a Sterling 5 HH. On the flip side, a lot of guys love a Ric. They just dont feel right to me.

[LOCOPELAND]

Hey Nick, there's an El Oso in the classifieds if you're still looking for one.

[Toastfuzz]

I love 5 strings, even for jamming normal music with rando's I still find myself reaching for the D note on the B string when its not there to go lower than everyone else. My band now plays in Drop B tuning, so I play my 5'er more like a 4 now anyway with the top 4 strings actually tuned up to F# B E A.

Anyhoo, yeah I'd +1 the other guys and recommend the Ibanez ATK, Musicman Ray35 (what I have now), and G&L Tribute. I have a Tribute ASAT (Telecaster copy) that kicks ass, got a stellar deal on it new from a store cuz the frets stuck out a bit originally, but everything else on it is solid as a rock (and G&L pickups are a unique beast of their own!). You can find some awesome vintage 70's/early 80's Asian-made basses in that price range if thats your bag.

[father of fires]

Here's a vid from a show last Friday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-zoxU5mUpo

You can't hear me well except for one part around 2:25. I'm using a Mesa Bottle Rocket into an MXR M80 and my Hartke into an 8x10 (sans 2 speakers). I didn't use my 2x15 because I was sharing with the headliners and I didn't want them to blow it.

If you don't know which one is me, I'm the guy who looks like a minivan holding a ukulele.

[Corey Y]

+1 for Sterling By Music Man...they're top notch. I love my Ray34CA and I've tuned it to baritone before (previous owner had it set up that way).

I play my Fender Precision tuned BEAD for Warp Rig. I don't have anything against 5 strings though, I've owned plenty. Setting up a 4 string for baritone tuning is kind of a pain, but I do prefer it slightly. When I start thinking about it though, the preference is mostly vanity, because it's definitely not convenience. I get used to the width of neck pretty quickly, lots of 5 strings have very comfortable neck profiles. My Precision BARELY intonates properly, because of the bridge position. It's just a hair sharp on the B, because the saddle has to go so far back that one little crank farther and it starts going sharp again instead of flat, due to the break angle.

I've been gearing up to buy some new basses this summer, so I have a main and a backup for this tuning and it's been back and forth between detuned 4 strings or 5 strings. One of them is going to be custom made, so I'm sure the builder can set everything up perfect for the intended tuning either way. In the past I've thought I preferred the sound of a 4 string B to a 5 string B, but in reality I never compared nearly identical instruments with only that difference. It was always totally different sounding basses/pickups, so not a very fair comparison.

[Lazarus.Bird]

Just picked up The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal on vinyl at lunch today. One of my favorite albums ever!

[dunwichamps]

that reminds me of high school