Good Bass for Prog/Sludge?

[Buzzo]

I'm looking into getting a new bass for a new band I've got going, its a progressive/sludge metal band and I'm already in the market for a better metal-bass anyway, and I don't know what to get. I'm not very good when it comes to knowing about basses, I can just play them (people say I'm good but feh. I don't think so).


I'm looking into any Kramer aluminum neck bass (bassist from Torche uses one), or a gibson RD artist (when I saw Kylesa live the bassist used this), I've wanted those anyway but I don't know if they'd be the best choice for a progressive/sludge band.

EDIT*
Price range is form, 0$-$1000(MAYBE 1,500).

P.S. If this matter to people, first post.

[infamusblkdeath]

[infamusblkdeath]

btw,i wouldn't suggest the RD artist unless you have boulders for shoulders.we're talking around 15lbs for that bass.

[Buzzo]

Originally Posted by infamusblkdeath

Already have a few Fenders (Jazz Deluxe (Mexi) and a Standard P-Bass) They're great but I just don't like them that much, just don't fit me all too well.

[Buzzo]

Originally Posted by infamusblkdeath

btw,i wouldn't suggest the RD artist unless you have boulders for shoulders.we're talking around 15lbs for that bass.

I've played a solid aluminum bass before, I think I should be fine

[Holy War]

Originally Posted by infamusblkdeath

btw,i wouldn't suggest the RD artist unless you have boulders for shoulders.we're talking around 15lbs for that bass.

Ya, but nothing else sounds like them either. I want one bad, its at the top of my GAS list. Heres my suggestion:

Rickenbacker 4003
Gibson RD Artist
P Bass
Jazz Bass
Gibson Grabber
Lakland Decade
Gibson Ripper
EBMM Stingray
Gibson Thunderverb

Really anything passive (with the exception of the Ray of course), into a BIG amp

heres my get up and I play that kind of music



works wonderfully

[Caca de Kick]

There's no such thing as 'best bass for....'

But those two basses you are asking about are equally hard to come by, but both have drastically different values.
You hardly find anybody wanting or using the old Kramer aluminum neck, but the they do pop up, they're really inexpensive.
The RD on the other hand is hard to find anyone wanting to unload one, and are pretty pricey.

[Buzzo]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

There's no such thing as 'best bass for....'

But those two basses you are asking about are equally hard to come by, but both have drastically different values.
You hardly find anybody wanting or using the old Kramer aluminum neck, but the they do pop up, they're really inexpensive.
The RD on the other hand is hard to find anyone wanting to unload one, and are pretty pricey.

I know there isnt a 'best bass for' I asked for a 'good bass for', now, didnt I :P

I'm asking what you guys think, just for some other ideas, I'd like to have more than two options.

[Holy War]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

There's no such thing as 'best bass for....'

I know thats the TB consensus, but I think its a bunch of BS and a smug answer that long time members give new guys looking for bass advise.

Sure many basses can be used for many different styles, but many basses are tailored to certain types of music.

[infamusblkdeath]

Originally Posted by Buzzo

Already have a few Fenders (Jazz Deluxe (Mexi) and a Standard P-Bass) They're great but I just don't like them that much, just don't fit me all too well.

believe it or not,i wasn't really suggesting a fender,let alone anything.more or less,i was pointing out that mastodon is sludge/prog as well,so i figured you probably took alot of influence.

[KramerBassFan]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

There's no such thing as 'best bass for....'

But those two basses you are asking about are equally hard to come by, but both have drastically different values.
You hardly find anybody wanting or using the old Kramer aluminum neck, but the they do pop up, they're really inexpensive.
The RD on the other hand is hard to find anyone wanting to unload one, and are pretty pricey.

That is so true... nobody wants em', save for a select few....

[Buzzo]

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

That is so true... nobody wants em', save for a select few....

Since you seem to like Kramers (I don't know HOW I knew, my ESP just exploded)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kramer-Bass-Alum...item2a0283bfaa

What kinda kramer is this?

[Snakeman1066]

Buzzo

your going to get a lot of different answers to your question....thay pop up alot on this forum on a regular basis and some long term members tend to get annoyed

um....I would say that the old standard P and J are not going to get the sound your looking for without some help

I suggest double humbuckers and probably active

I'm in a Doom/Stoner/Sludge band myself and I play a Traben Array Obsession 5 string

Bassist from Acid King uses a Traben also

but the Greg Weeks and the John Moyer Signature model will work great as well as far as Traben goes

Also big Fan of ESP especially their "F" series basses

but these are opinions we all have them

i suggest you look at the basses guys in the bands you like play and seek them out and try them...and pick the one that, in this order

1. Feel the best to you
2. Sound the best to you
3. Appeal to your sense of Style
4. That you can afford

Good luck

[sloasdaylight]

Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 6 HH.

Edit: Ok, that might be a tad out of your price range, so instead I'm going to recommend a Spector Legend Classic 6. As you can see, I'm partial to 6 stringers, especially for progressive stuff, because there's so much more that's opened up imo from having that high C over a 5er, and especially a 4 string. From new harmonics, to higher, cleaner sounding chording, to longer runs, to easier movement between octaves, there are just seemingly infinite advantages over a 4, without paying the exorbitant prices usually associated with a 7 or 8 string bass.

[mmbongo]

G&L L2000. Bridge pickup for prog (Wal sounding). Neck or both for sludge (covers everything else).

[Buzzo]

Originally Posted by Snakeman1066

Buzzo

your going to get a lot of different answers to your question....thay pop up alot on this forum on a regular basis and some long term members tend to get annoyed

um....I would say that the old standard P and J are not going to get the sound your looking for without some help

I suggest double humbuckers and probably active

I'm in a Doom/Stoner/Sludge band myself and I play a Traben Array Obsession 5 string

Bassist from Acid King uses a Traben also

but the Greg Weeks and the John Moyer Signature model will work great as well as far as Traben goes

Also big Fan of ESP especially their "F" series basses

but these are opinions we all have them

i suggest you look at the basses guys in the bands you like play and seek them out and try them...and pick the one that, in this order

1. Feel the best to you
2. Sound the best to you
3. Appeal to your sense of Style
4. That you can afford

Good luck

Isnt it the point of the forums to talk about basses...?

But whatever, Yeah, I know, I was asking for what YOU people like, because I'm going to take it into account, I know peoples tastes change, I just want some outside input here.
And A gibson RD is 1 2 3 and maybe 4....but they're hard to come by so I need other options......

The local vintage shop has a REALLY nice Vintage '83 white/black Rickenbacker 4001 and I want it but its $2,000, but its worth it because it basically plays itself...But, I don't have that kind of money...

[vinxbass]

Get a Jazz Bass, preferably American, they sound good for any kind of music.

[IntrepidCellist]

My 70s P bass would kill in a sludge band, especially played pickstyle into an SVT with the tone mostly off. My two active Schecters are a little too 'clean' for that style.

Based on this experience, I'd say find something passive. You've said you don't want a Fender, so I'd go for a Rickenbacker or second the G&L L2000 or L2000 Tribute.

Also, if you look for a while, you can find Rics for $1200-1500, which isn't so bad. I wouldn't pay more for a vintage Ric as the new ones are as good or better, and you can get a new one for just under $2k.

[eastcoasteddie]

Maybe I've been out of the music scene for too long or maybe I'm not aware of all the music generes out there today...but aren't sludge and prog 2 totally different types of music calling for 2 totally different bases?

I'd think that for prog, you'd need a very articulate and bright sounding bass like a Bongo or something, and for sludge, you'd need a P-bass or a Ric with a MudBucker.

what am I missing?

[pringlw]

Originally Posted by Holy War

I know thats the TB consensus, but I think its a bunch of BS and a smug answer that long time members give new guys looking for bass advise.

Sure many basses can be used for many different styles, but many basses are tailored to certain types of music.

+1

"Best" bass for... impossible to answer

"Good" bass for... perfectly legitimate question