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5 string modern bass, 34" scale, 19 mm string spacing

toniwonkanobi

toniwonkanobi

May 23, 2008
1,550
144
Northern California
#1
Hey all,

I am wanting to add a 5 string to my arsenal, but i can't seem to find what i'm looking for:

It has to have:

1. 34" scale
2. 19mm string spacing
3. modern (soapbar pickups)

Basically the sadowsky M5-24 would be perfect, but i'd like to spend less than $600... (not happening with the sadowsky lol). Alleva coppolo and similar high end are just too pricey for me. It seems all the cheaper, Korean export companies like Ibanez, etc. only offer a 35" 5.

The lakland 55-01 is pretty much perfect, but that 35" scale scares me off...

Any suggestions?
 
#9
nostatic said:
You won't get a Valenti for $600.

Why does 35" scale scare you? Have you tried it? I was originally worried about it, but now have 34" fretted and 35" fretless (both 5s) and find no problem switching between the two.
Click to expand...

Oops, missed the $600. n00b move on my part.

35" scale and anything less than 19mm gets too much bad press around here. :D Two years ago, I was jumping between a 35" scale 17mm spaced 6er and a 30" scale fretless 4. No problemo.
 
#10
I think the 34/35 thing is real. I have tried MANY basses over the last few years - hell the last few months. I find 35" scale basses to be very uncomfortable for me to play. 34's are noticeably more comfortable - at least to me.

Many people don't notice a thing - that's great. I'm happy for them. I do. Is it real? Is it in my head? I don't know. I know I feel better playing 34's so that's what I'm going to play.

I just had a 55-02 and was hoping to make it my bass. I sent it back. I have a very nice 34" Yamaha BB05. I modded it with some Barts and for about $650 I have a wonderful bass. Yamaha makes a great bass, and you can find nice deals on used ones all the time.
 
#14
Yeah 34 is my preference, too. I had an ESP C=305 that was 35" scale and I didn't even know it was longer. I kept wondering why it felt funny. On top of that the strings were too close together for my taste. It's okay if it's not quite 19mm, but too much closer is a no go for me.

Unless you find a bass used or get a good deal, I'd plan on spending a little over 1000 USD on something nice. It's definitely worth it.

Maybe you could go out and test drive several different five string basses and see if you find a better fit for your needs at a price that matches them?
 
#15
SteveC said:
I think the 34/35 thing is real. I have tried MANY basses over the last few years - hell the last few months. I find 35" scale basses to be very uncomfortable for me to play. 34's are noticeably more comfortable - at least to me.

Many people don't notice a thing - that's great. I'm happy for them. I do. Is it real? Is it in my head? I don't know. I know I feel better playing 34's so that's what I'm going to play.

I just had a 55-02 and was hoping to make it my bass. I sent it back. I have a very nice 34" Yamaha BB05. I modded it with some Barts and for about $650 I have a wonderful bass. Yamaha makes a great bass, and you can find nice deals on used ones all the time.
Click to expand...

I don't know your technique, style, build, etc, but quite often I've noticed that people who abhor 35" scale tend to hang their bass in the bowtie position, which adds a lot of accessory muscles in shoulder. If it's a fingering issue (probably not in your case), 1-2-4 fingering isn't being used.

From my experience over the years, the main downside of 35" scale is hitting a low C and having to alternate between C and Eb, which can be predominant in a lot of modern metal. I was once filling in with a metal band and this absolutely killed my hands. I declined mostly because they told me I had to quit my other band, but truth be told the key of C minor all the time got old. B minor.....that's cake! ;)
 
#16
DrSmaggs said:
Yeah 34 is my preference, too. I had an ESP C=305 that was 35" scale and I didn't even know it was longer. I kept wondering why it felt funny. On top of that the strings were too close together for my taste. It's okay if it's not quite 19mm, but too much closer is a no go for me.

Unless you find a bass used or get a good deal, I'd plan on spending a little over 1000 USD on something nice. It's definitely worth it.

Maybe you could go out and test drive several different five string basses and see if you find a better fit for your needs at a price that matches them?
Click to expand...

Yeah, i really am pretty much set on a 55-01, for a number of reasons. I was just curious if there was a bass out there, for around the same price, that had a 34" scale instead. Everything else about the 55-01 is perfect for me
 
#17
I play an upright (plucked, slapped and bowed) with a 42 inch scale, a 55-01 35" tuned BEADG, a 34" fretless 5-string Valenti tuned EADGC, a 34" scale Sadowsky 4-string with a special order Jazz-like neck, '55 and '71 P-basses, a 1965 30" Dano/Silvertone, a classical guitar, and violin. I have medium small hands.

I am not particularly talented, but I practice--a lot. :cool:
 
#18
ac3320 said:
Yeah, i really am pretty much set on a 55-01, for a number of reasons. I was just curious if there was a bass out there, for around the same price, that had a 34" scale instead. Everything else about the 55-01 is perfect for me
Click to expand...

I really recommend the 55-01! :bassist:
 
#20
ac3320 said:
Yeah, i really am pretty much set on a 55-01, for a number of reasons. I was just curious if there was a bass out there, for around the same price, that had a 34" scale instead. Everything else about the 55-01 is perfect for me
Click to expand...

The only alternative to this would be a Fender Jazz-24 V. They were made in Korea, in the same factory as the Lakland Skylines. They had nice looking quilt tops(I think the top was either fake, or just a paper-thin laminate, but they still looked nice) and a fairly tight B string for a 34" scale, much better than the MIM Fender Jazz V (IMO) and on par with some of the American Fender 5ers I've played. While not perfect (preamp was anemic, but the pickups were nice), they meet all your criteria...19mm spacing, 34" scale, and can easily be had for $500-650 on the used market. Just slap a decent pre in there and your good to go. The ones I played were all fairly consistent and I liked them all a lot. Unfortunately, I don't believe they make these anymore, so you would HAVE to go used for one. But, it might be worth trying.

Other than that, I would say that the Lakland Skyline is your best bet. If scale is more important than spacing, I would go with the G&L Tribute L2500. But, since you said spacing was more important than scale length, the 55-01 is probably the right choice for you.

EDIT: nevermind, I forgot the whole soapbar pickup, modern thing you were looking for. Just get the 55-01, I don't think you'll better at your price range, given your requirements.
 

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