• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

$1000 price range.

Kentucky Ryan

Kentucky Ryan

Guest
Feb 12, 2012
157
24
#1
i am recently new to bass. i have an epiphone thunderbird pro and i like the way it sounds. but when im not touching the strings its really loud. i thought it was a grounding problem but i took it to a well known tech here in lexington and they said it was just the active system making it loud and noisy.

anyway. im wanting to get a bass in or around the $1000 price range. the style of music i play is similar to tool. i do a lot of melodic runs that take the forfront of the song. so i need something that can cut very well. but still do good for strait up rock music.

ive had my eye on the korean made warwick corvette $$ but im afraid that since both pickups are further away from the bridge than most basses that it wont give me the cut i want.

so i would like any and all input, and sorry. im not a big fan of fenders (for looks only)
 
#6
Your bass probably has a shielding issue. If it gets louder when you touch the strings it's grounding, if it gets quieter when touching the bridge/strings it is a shielding issue And post #2 mentioning a musicman, in my experience musicman basses have awful shielding and pick up A LOT of unwanted noise.

It is because it has an active pre amp, amplifying a passive pickup. At least that's what I've been told. Your Thunderbird might be the same way.

Just a head up 9.8/10 "Professional" techs will insist shielding won't do anything for unwanted noise.
 
#7
Take it to someone who has a clue. Active preamps dont create background noise unless theres a grounding or other problem with them. On some cheaper ones you might get some hiss if you crank ther treble all the way, but thats it. And theres no reason to crank the treble all the way up.
 
#8
Kentucky Ryan said:
i am recently new to bass. i have an epiphone thunderbird pro and i like the way it sounds. but when im not touching the strings its really loud. i thought it was a grounding problem but i took it to a well known tech here in lexington and they said it was just the active system making it loud and noisy.
Click to expand...

Is the tech well known for not knowing what he's doing/talking about?

You have some choices in that price range. Bump it up to $1300 and the world of Music Man starts to open up. Go find a music store, pick out some basses, try them out. And if there are multiples of the same bass, try the one with the best setup. For $1000 you can get a nice used Lakland, G&L, used MM, new Ibanez, Yamaha TRB, etc.
 
#10
thanks everyone. i played a stingray the other day, and loved the way it played and sounded. once again though. not crazy about the looks. i dont much care for pick guards. but i might look past that as i did love the way it sounded. what about bongo's. would you all take one of those over a stingray? i also thought about getting a g&l L2000 and having a new neck made, i really cant stand the fender headstocks.

so what is everyone's view on the corvette $$? i have a line on a German made one for under a grand. will they get a good tool/rock sound or are they more muddy?
 
#11
i never knew the ibanez sr premiums were good basses. but now that im looking at them, they seem to get good reviews. maybe i'll check some of these out. i love the looks. and the fact i need my bass to cut through, the single coils might be a good thing.
 
#17
I thought Ibanez basses were for guitarists and people who don't know there are other options. I owned one back in the day and once my eyes were opened to the world of quality basses I never looked back.

Does Ibanez make good basses these days? By good I mean above mid range.

OP- I'd go with an MM or other options. You could probably get a USA Cirrus or Millennium Plus in that price range too and they are killer.
 
#18
chaosMK said:
I thought Ibanez basses were for guitarists and people who don't know there are other options. I owned one back in the day and once my eyes were opened to the world of quality basses I never looked back.

Does Ibanez make good basses these days? By good I mean above mid range.

OP- I'd go with an MM or other options. You could probably get a USA Cirrus or Millennium Plus in that price range too and they are killer.
Click to expand...
I don't really care for the Soundgear line primarily because of the smaller body and string spacing. I've had only one issue with my Ibanez basses, and that is I had to replace a nylon bushing on one of my tuning machines on the SR-400. Both of my BTBs played like butter.
 
#20
Yo Ryan, I know you said you're not big on Fenders. But, if you get a chance, try a Precision Elite II (although, there's not many out there). They were only in production for about 2 years. The basses are awesome. The guitars, not so much. A lot of people had issues with the guitars. In particular, it seemed the tremolo was subpar. Those of us who have the basses, love them. Those who used to have one typically regret letting go of it. 2 pairs of split lace sensor p/ups - 1 standard P position, 1 bridge. Preamp. 3 way for the switch preamp controls one, the other, or both p/ups. Same switch setup for tone control. Hi mass, fine tuning bridge. Rather heavy, weightwise. Absolutely amazing tone. I can get Wal tone out of her with ease, but my rig may help out with that one. I typically shoot for something between Justin Chancellor and Steve Harris. I let Aston Barrett (The Wailers) use it for a show after the truck carrying his gear broke down. He loves my Elite. I've been playing for more than 25 years, and she's the one! Here's a pic, but photos don't do it justice.

PrecisionEliteII_a.jpg
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back