Saving up: What would you do?

thlayli · #1 04-18-2011, 04:52 PM

The other day, I made a decision. Since I'm working full-time AND playing music with the new band (cheap plug: 600lbsofsin.com - Home) pretty much every weekend, I'm going to save up nearly all the money I get from playing music and get a new instrument or something. Even though it seems like I have a bunch of instruments already, I don't get them very often, I just keep and use a lot.

So here's my conundrum: I've been playing a Pedulla Rapture 5-string for about ten years or so. It's my main bass, and I love it. Love how it sounds, love how it plays, love everything about it. Every other bass I play gets compared to it, not always favorably. I love my '73 P-bass too, which also plays and sounds wonderful, but I still default back to the Rapture.

I want another one, but fretless. However, I've also recently been looking at the Carvin SB5001. It's got the right scale length, and I like the body shape, looks, and options, and all the discussions here about them point to them being a really good playing and sounding bass.

I'll be thinking about this for months, by the way. My current plan is to save up the approximate cost of the Pedulla. Once I have that money, I'll have the option of either pulling the trigger on getting another Rapture, or pulling the trigger on getting two Carvins (a fretless SB and an Icon 6), because that's seriously the way the price differences work out.

So, hypothetically speaking, if you were confronted with this choice and already had the money saved up, what would you do?

Rockmusician · #2 04-18-2011, 04:58 PM

I would look at Pedulla, Alembic and Sadowsky. I bought a Carvin in December. I hated it so much that I sold it less than a week later. The good thing was that I sold it for $500 more than I paid.

pica · #3 04-18-2011, 05:03 PM

Everyone I know who has the Cavin SB series bass loves it. I've never played one so I can't speak from experience.

thlayli · #4 04-18-2011, 05:03 PM

Ah, finally a negative review.

Alembic's out of the question, though. The ones that I've played sound really great, but didn't actually feel good to me. Sadowsky, on the other hand... I already know those are great.

IbanezBass69 · #5 04-18-2011, 05:05 PM

Buy whichever will make you happier. Try them out if you can, and compare them. Example: I like both Ibanez basses and Warwick basses, for reasons unique to each. But, I would rather save the $2k for a Warwick Corvette then buy like 3 or 4 good Ibanez basses with that money. And, like Rockmusician suggested, you may not like it and regret the choice, so make sure you play them before throwing that much money at basses.

darkstorm · #6 04-18-2011, 05:13 PM

Id buy the pedulla. Not much of a fan of carvins neck construction.

thlayli · #7 04-18-2011, 05:21 PM

Quote:

... make sure you play them before throwing that much money at basses.

That's pretty hard to do around here; I'd have to go to a NAMM show to play any high-end stuff, just because of a marked lack of dealers in high-end instruments in WV.

Now, there was a dealer that I went to when I lived in San Francisco, Gelb Music in Redwood City, that carried a lot of really nice high-end stuff. I played some really nice Lakland, FBass, Roscoe, and Mike Lull basses there (oh, and a really cool little Rob Allen Mouse

), and that's where I got my amp rig, but I'd be spending half my budget just to travel there to try them out again.

Then again, I also have a bass luthier here with whom I've already worked in getting my Fender fixed up, Roger Morillo, whom I could definitely talk to about building me one. However, I'm not really sure what his build times are.

Plus, being ADHD, I have some serious trouble making decisions, which doesn't help me in the least bit. :-/

Rockmusician · #8 04-18-2011, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thlayli

Ah, finally a negative review.

Alembic's out of the question, though. The ones that I've played sound really great, but didn't actually feel good to me. Sadowsky, on the other hand... I already know those are great.

I'm surprised you didn't like Alembic. I own 2 and love the sound and feel. Pedullas are made a couple of miles from where I live. I have tried several and didn't like the feel. I guess I feel the same way about them as you do about Alembic. Everybody is different. That's what makes music interesting.

BassMan4Him · #9 04-18-2011, 05:30 PM

IF I had the money, I'd give it to you..
Since you have the money, tho....?

Kwesi · #10 04-18-2011, 05:31 PM

Fretless? Tom Clement, Pedulla and F Bass are the first places I'd look. Not saying that other companies don't make good fretless basses just that those are the first three that come to mind. Never personally played an F Bass but everything I've heard from and about them was positive.

bassbenj · #11 04-18-2011, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thlayli

The other day, I made a decision. Since I'm working full-time AND playing music with the new band (cheap plug: 600lbsofsin.com - Home) pretty much every weekend, I'm going to save up nearly all the money I get from playing music and get a new instrument or something. Even though it seems like I have a bunch of instruments already, I don't get them very often, I just keep and use a lot.

I'll be thinking about this for months, by the way. My current plan is to save up the approximate cost of the Pedulla. Once I have that money, I'll have the option of either pulling the trigger on getting another Rapture, or pulling the trigger on getting two Carvins (a fretless SB and an Icon 6), because that's seriously the way the price differences work out.

So, hypothetically speaking, if you were confronted with this choice and already had the money saved up, what would you do?

First thing: I think your band needs to fire the photographer! Several pictures (out of 32) of the percussionist and even the drumber, but all we see of the bass player is a corner of a 73 P-bass?

Second thing: Rule: you can never own too many basses.

Third thing. I've played some Pedulla basses and to me they seemed nice but the tone was rather "sculpted" in my opinion. Which sounded nice but seemed to lack versatility to me. My main 6 string fretless is an Alembic. The 5 string fretless a G&L. Just so you know where I'm coming from. My taste is not your taste.

Personally, at the money level you are talking I'd be REALLY reluctant to buy a bass I hadn't played with my hot little hands. OK, I DID buy a new Carvin (AC50) sight unseen and was totally happy with it. People rave about the Carvin SB series basses. And a fretless tends to be a bit different sounding anyway. I could see you getting away with that. The Icon might be a different story. Just saying...

My personal choice would probably be the Pedulla IF I could play it first AND I fell in love with it (as happened when I played my Alembic). BUT given the price range of Carvin and the quality you get, I'd be VERY tempted to get an SB fretless just for drill and exercise the return policy if I hated it. I personally think the chances of you hating it are slim. But if you'd like to see what's the deal with 6 strings, I'm not sure that an Icon would be the bass I'd get. They are beautiful, but... Again I'd urge you to play it first if you can. I'm not sure what I'd recommend for a 6 string. My 6 stringers are a Modulus, a Ken Smith and Two SX 6's. Right now I like the SX basses best! Can you dig it?

baileyboy · #12 04-18-2011, 10:06 PM

Try them all out and then try an FBB. Quality and sound is on par to the basses mentioned here, but at a far more reasonable price. Read the reviews yourself if in doubt.

thlayli · #13 04-19-2011, 08:40 AM

Hmm, not familiar with FBB. I'll have to check that out.

It's looking more and more like I'm going to have to do some traveling in order to try some stuff out. Grr.

That said, if I just go with a custom I won't be able to try it out anyway. I'll look to see what kind of high end places are in easy driving distance.

osuok88 · #14 04-19-2011, 09:12 AM

Get the Sadowsky

SallyGrowler · #15 04-19-2011, 09:44 AM

Seem you sort of know what you want, but are torn between other makes and models.

Pedulla fretless are great. You already have experience with the brand so you know what you are getting.

to throw a wrench in your decision process - how bout a custom build?

You'll get everything you want. Possibly the best decision I ever made was my custom 8 from Chris Stambaugh.

Fuzzbass · #16 04-19-2011, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockmusician

Everybody is different. That's what makes music interesting.

Yup.

When I played four string, I knew pretty much exactly what I liked. When I went to 5 string a few years later, it was another learning process. I eventually realized that my right hand isn't comfortable with narrow string spacing (e.g. MusicMan Stingray 5) so I went with "wide" spaced fivers. But hey, plenty of players prefer the narrow spacing and can't get comfy on anything else. Different strokes.

To the OP... I'd say do some research to find out which basses have similar ergonomics to the Rapture. Note: it's not just factors like string spacing and neck profile... there are also ergonomic issues such as how far the neck is set into the body, which determines where bridge is located. Me, I've gotta have Fender style, with the bridge located right at the butt of the bass. On some basses, especially 24-fretters, the bridge is located toward the middle of the body, and IMO that greatly affects playability (it's not a matter of better or worse, but only what you're accustomed to).

southgabass · #17 04-19-2011, 06:00 PM

OK... so here we go... get 1 Carvin... and send me the other... I think that solves the issue =D....

I too am in the OPs situation (not that kind of $$ though) where I am I have a very limited selection to actually try.... but a road trip (maybe not to california) could very well be worth the investment if you get a chance to try a few out... I end up driving about 3hours 1 way to get to anything =(....

Kwesi also suggested a custom bass.... the Clements from when I was looking at them seem to be great and he is involved deeply on the basses to help you get what you are looking for... and the price isnt bad at all... if I was working with a larger bank account I think I'd opt for something that direction....

christw · #18 04-19-2011, 06:07 PM

I was actually disappointed by a Pedulla MVP 5'er that I played before. It had certainly seen some use but that never bothers me. All of my basses but one are worn in and used. It's just that it didn't do anything for me. I love everything from vintage to modern and it just was "eh." It didn't sound, play, look, or feel special. It was obviously a trade in at GC but the setup and strings weren't horrible. It was a little dirty but just didn't deliver.