Impressive bass, need ideas
 

Hi everyone,

A little bit of background. I started with 6 string... and back in the day when I considered myself a 6 string player.... I saved and finally got a Rickenbacker (330 - fireglo). It was the guitar of my desire for quite some time. The quality seemed obvious and at the time the unique sound and appearance sold me on it.

Well I hardly played it. Just didn't connect with 6 strings any more. Funny that right as I got the guitar I wanted, I lost interest in playing guitar.

Anyway - fastforward - I found out that I'm a bass player and it looks as though I have found a new home for my Rickie.

So what I want to do is buy a really nice bass with the money from it.

Here's what I like

Price: 800-1,000 range
medium to light weight
full scale neck
passive electronics
slim neck
Humbucker or Humbucker/Single coil or split coil (not a big fan of only single coils)
unusual appearance - I love the stylings of Alembic, Prat and so on but looks like I won't be buying even the tuning knobs off of one of those anytime soon.....

I know I probably won't get everything I want in one bass, but does anyone know of something they'd recommend>?

Ideas (yes I know some of these go against my list): Fender P, Fender telle (modern player edition), B C Rich Mockingbird, Greg Bennett / Samick Delta,

How many strings?

Great question - 4

Oh while I'm on it - fretted.... too

Have a look at the Fender Precision Blacktop. It has a Precision body, humbucking pickups, and a very small, full-scale neck.

Higher end Schecter basses are great IME. The electronics are EMG's when you get past the lower end stuff. Great sounds and pretty thin necks in the stiletto line. Also some of the best B strings that I've felt if you wanna go into 5 string land.

(edit: scratch the stiletto line unless you are okay with changing a battery once a year. I just change batteries when I change strings and I haven't had a problem yet)

You could also try out that modern player jazz with the humbucker jazz pickups. I saw a guy playing with one of those and it sounded pretty good in the band mix.

Carvin Brian Bromberg Signature model
http://www.carvinguitars.com/customs...bergbasses.php

here's the TB club for it:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/bri...7/index26.html

Thank you all, you've given me more to think about

If you like p basses, the American special p bass has the string spacing of a p but is slimmer front to back than a normal p bass neck. And they're less expensive than regular American standard p basses.

Love my StingRay 4 and Fender Amer Dlx J5

Schecter model t is a good deal and fairly versatile. Or if you can budge on active electronics then an sbmm sb14 or a ebmm sterling used fits your bill nicely. I do think the Fender American Special p is good too.

I'd suggest the obvious - a Rick bass - but even the used ones are outta your price range.

How long have you had the "mehs" for the 330?

- I understand completely, btw. I had a 330 MG for a few years and a 660/12 for a little less than that. Sold them both off to fund other toys. But had the itch again last spring and got a 360 again. I'm kicking myself now for letting the 12-string get away. It is now worth 3x what I paid for it originally.

BTW you might be able to sell your 330 for more than $1k. . . maybe not.

Awesome basses, but these are all strictly active models. The thread starter wants passive electronics.

You can also check out Lakland Skyline 44-01 (4 string) or 55-01 (5 string) new in your price range or used the 44-02 and 55-02. The difference between the two beings the pickups and electronics. The Lakland website has all the detailed info on each of those basses and a few other models you might want to consider.

Epi or Gibson (used) Thunderbird?

Ibanez btb

More on the Thunderbird: I think it satisfies every once of your needs.

If you can live with a very basic active EQ, this is about as close as you're going to get to a Rick on your budget.

http://www.schecterguitars.com/Produ...argazer-4.aspx

Used Ernie Ball Music Man. You can get them used in your price range. There is a beautiful red 4 string in TB Classifieds

I second the 44-01. Great bass and my main one. In my opinion you don't need to look farther than Lakland.

I'd get a good P bass.
2nd hand if need be.