5 string basses under $3500

[wcoffey81]

spector, warwick and were are the carvin fans when you need one.

schector has a custom shop right here in the good old USA too.

[5StringThunder]

I'd personally hit up the ESP custom shop.

[2meterbassman]

For 3500 $ you can pay a manufacturer for building your dreambass, with your own specifications.

Greetz

[DwaynieAD]

I'd get a Stingray HH

[SteveC]

There is no better feeling neck than a Roscoe 5 string. I'm getting a Standard Plus made for $2,600. $3,500 will get you a Signature with carved top, etc.

[aqsw]

5 string=B string = Dingwall

[wraub]

I have 2 older Ibanez 5s (85), both sound and play really well, lots of tonal variety, and I have less than $600 into the pair.
Define your needs and shop around.

wraub

[Mr_Music90]

Ibanez SR Prestige 5005e, Mayones Jabba Custom, Mayones Patriot Classic, Sandberg Custom Supreme, used MTD USA, used Pedulla..

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by backsandbreaks

So I'm interested in spending up to $3500 for a 5 string (NOT fretless) bass. I know it's a lot; I'm a musician but bass is not my main instrument. Nonetheless, sensational sounding bass is what I live to hear, and I do play. Suggestions for the best ax out there in that price range? I know good basses can be had for less, but I'm stubborn.

First, "best ax" is a dumb question to start with. Second it's never about money so why are you so determined to spend it. But with that said, let me home in on the "sensational sounding bass you live to hear". Well that could be ANYTHING. It could be a Danelectro for crying out loud. On the other hand with your high money limitation it opens some very interesting possibilities.

First is that "sensational" bass "old school"? Because if it is then the area to look would be among the "super-Fenders" Which indeed could be high end Fender Americans or custom shop, but also things like Sadowsky or Low End basses all founded in the Fender tradition but made with great detail and skill.

or maybe something strange. that would be a Dingwall fanned fret bass. These have the advantage of longer strings for low notes and shorter strings for higher notes that really evens out the tone, the playability, and the basic approach. It's weird but people who own them say there is NO tone like it. So perhaps that might turn out "sensational" for you.

Or maybe my favorites. The best "sensational" tone is my Modulus TBX and I'm sure you can't get one like mine, but you can get things similar. What we are talking about is the whole graphite neck vibe. My bass just kills. B string to die for. Cuts the mix like a hot knife. Mine is a 6 but they come in 5s. Zon is a similar vibe. But you can't freak at the cold plastic neck! Personally I prefer it, but that's just me.

Things with a more "modern" twist would be my Alembic. Alembic is it's own thing. Ages ahead of everyone else it has a clarity and definition that is unparalleled. Mine is fretless but they come in fretted too. It can't be explained. You just have to play one and see if it's "sensational" to you. I played one and and inspite of the big cash immediately ordered one because I was in love. OK?

Another area of investigation (though a bit below your price range) are G&L L2500 basses. These are Leo's last effort and are extremely verstile and don't cop really good Jazz or P-bass imitations, they simply speak with the most authority you've ever felt in a bass. I've got two blueburst USA models (fretted and fretless) which would get you into the right money ballpark! But you don't want fretless. Next to the Modulus these are THE coolest basses I own. But you can't freak at lots of weird knobs and switches.

Another possibility is a real Stingray. These basses are TOTALLY their own thing. There is NOTHING like them. You either love them or hate them. Personally I wouldn't want to play one all the time, even though I do love the tone. But people do. It just depends if you find it "sensational".

Or if "sensational" to you is jazz or maybe Gospel, Ken Smith basses have a certain popularity. They are AMAZING instruments, but do sound like Smiths. What can I say?

And you can go on from here. There are all sorts of makers with basses that many find "best" for what they are doing. But as in any question of "which car is best?", first you have to tell us if you want it to haul gravel or pick up chicks.

[zachoff]

almost all of em.

[Blue_Whistle88]

- German-made Warwicks, except for really top-end stuff
- Japanese-made ESPs (outstanding quality, some of the best I've seen and some cost well under $3500)
- American-made Spectors
- Sadowsky, if you're looking for something more Fender-style
- Modulus, which have carbon fibre necks that never move. DEFINITELY worth the cash as I'm sure they'd last forever
- Musicman, particularly the Bongo (classic models are great too but the Bongo just HAS more)
- If you're in America, Carvin. They'll effectively do a custom shop model for that money and you will literally get whatever you want

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by TolerancEJ

Pick pretty much any bass manufacturer... If you have $3500, you're probably walking away with their top of the line model.

This would probably be the case for most manufacturers...but certainly not for "all". It wouldn't be true for Alembic. It wouldn't be true for Fodera.

MM

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by bassbenj

First, "best ax" is a dumb question to start with. Second it's never about money so why are you so determined to spend it. But with that said, let me home in on the "sensational sounding bass you live to hear". Well that could be ANYTHING. It could be a Danelectro for crying out loud. On the other hand with your high money limitation it opens some very interesting possibilities.

First is that "sensational" bass "old school"? Because if it is then the area to look would be among the "super-Fenders" Which indeed could be high end Fender Americans or custom shop, but also things like Sadowsky or Low End basses all founded in the Fender tradition but made with great detail and skill.

or maybe something strange. that would be a Dingwall fanned fret bass. These have the advantage of longer strings for low notes and shorter strings for higher notes that really evens out the tone, the playability, and the basic approach. It's weird but people who own them say there is NO tone like it. So perhaps that might turn out "sensational" for you.

Or maybe my favorites. The best "sensational" tone is my Modulus TBX and I'm sure you can't get one like mine, but you can get things similar. What we are talking about is the whole graphite neck vibe. My bass just kills. B string to die for. Cuts the mix like a hot knife. Mine is a 6 but they come in 5s. Zon is a similar vibe. But you can't freak at the cold plastic neck! Personally I prefer it, but that's just me.

Things with a more "modern" twist would be my Alembic. Alembic is it's own thing. Ages ahead of everyone else it has a clarity and definition that is unparalleled. Mine is fretless but they come in fretted too. It can't be explained. You just have to play one and see if it's "sensational" to you. I played one and and inspite of the big cash immediately ordered one because I was in love. OK?

Another area of investigation (though a bit below your price range) are G&L L2500 basses. These are Leo's last effort and are extremely verstile and don't cop really good Jazz or P-bass imitations, they simply speak with the most authority you've ever felt in a bass. I've got two blueburst USA models (fretted and fretless) which would get you into the right money ballpark! But you don't want fretless. Next to the Modulus these are THE coolest basses I own. But you can't freak at lots of weird knobs and switches.

Another possibility is a real Stingray. These basses are TOTALLY their own thing. There is NOTHING like them. You either love them or hate them. Personally I wouldn't want to play one all the time, even though I do love the tone. But people do. It just depends if you find it "sensational".

Or if "sensational" to you is jazz or maybe Gospel, Ken Smith basses have a certain popularity. They are AMAZING instruments, but do sound like Smiths. What can I say?

And you can go on from here. There are all sorts of makers with basses that many find "best" for what they are doing. But as in any question of "which car is best?", first you have to tell us if you want it to haul gravel or pick up chicks.

Hear, hear!

MM

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by Profania_bass

Nobody has said it yet but Spector. I have a Warwick 5 and was blown away by its B string. Then I got a Spector and was blown even more away by that B string and its general comfort, playability and sound. Then I got a more expensive Spector (Euro 5LX) and was eeevveennn more blown away!

Go out and try some basses though. You're not gonna find what you like asking a bunch of people on the internet.

But Spector/Warwick I'd go for

I definitely see it your way. Spectors & Warwicks are the stuff!

Originally Posted by wcoffey81

spector, warwick and were are the carvin fans when you need one.

That would be me...

I'm a Carvin guy for sure. Have got several Carvin five-strings, I love 'em all and will never sell any of 'em.

That said, there's definitely a German-made Warwick Streamer five-string in my future. And a Spector Euro 5LX.

MM

[JCheung]

If it was my money I'd say EBMM Stingray Classic 5 and a Fender American Precision V. For that amount of money, or any bass really, try it before you buy. Know exactly what you want from the bass and get something that matches that. If I was determined to spend that much I'd get a custom bass.

[ebannist]

Without question it's the Fender's CS Reggie Hamilton Bass V. The RH to a bass player is like a Swiss Army knife to MacGyver. Awesome!!!!

[ERIC31]

It must be nice to be rich. $3500........for ONE bass. I don't really think you need to spend that much money to get an incredible bass that plays like a dream.

That being said, if you must blow that much cash go for any of those "rich guy basses" like Warwicks, Sadowsky, Lakland etc.

[Sni77]

What a troll...

[Mastermold]

Originally Posted by blindrabbit

Squier VM Jazz 5 would be a great choice. You don't need to spend $3500 to sound good.

+1

I've got a real nice SX Jazz 5'er that I paid about $170 for, ash body, neck inlays and binding, and after paying for a fret dress it plays as nice as a Fender too.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by aqsw

5 string=B string = Dingwall

unless it is strung E-C