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5 string modern bass, 34" scale, 19 mm string spacing
- Thread starter toniwonkanobi
- Start date
Go with your gut on the 35" scale issue. Laklands have very well crafted necks, but some find them chunky. I certainly found it uncomfortable to play for more than a half an hour. If you can try one before you buy, all the better. If you don't expect to have an easy out or a return policy at your disposal, you'd probably find a 34" scale a safer investment for yourself.
On that note, Carvin will do their ICON neck through without a premium top. Its not listed on their guitar builder applet, but you can call and request it. It essentially drops the base price of the instrument by $200 dollars. You could still get a nice ash or walnut body, sans the quilt or flame top for a very good price. And you can send it back within ten days if it doesn't work for you. Two octave neck, soap bars, and 34" scale.
I'll look into it, thanks!
I'm sure 18 would be okay, however, i just don't want an ibanez string spacing type of thing, you know? 16, 17...not my cup of tea
True, but not really esthetically pleasing lol
I was mostly curious if ya'll think 35" would make a big difference. I don't remember enough of my short time (~3 mins) with a friend's 5502 to recall any big deals with the 35" scale, but i was more interested in evaluating its tone, as that is what my friend and i were doing (it was a recent acquisition of his at the time). Sounds like i'll have to try it out for myself before taking the plunge...
wasn't able to locate any in the classifieds...will check ebay, but they likely cant be had for anything less than $1700, and that's about $1000 more than i want to spend
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
For what it's worth, if you can get a good 35/19 bass and feel comfortable with it, you will really dig how amazing the B string is compared to a 34" B. I've been playing 35" scale basses for about 12 or so years now. Previously to that, I never really liked the B string on any bass. I play Modulus and Status basses, primarily, so it could be that the B is amazing due to the carbon fiber neck, but in general I've found the 35 B strings to be better in all ways compared to a 34 B.
A few other options for you could be a Zon Sonus, Modulus Flea5 (now called the funk unlimited), or a Status 5. None of these will fall into the $600 range, not even used, but you should play them to see the difference and then start mowing lawns, walking dogs, or what ever else you have to do to fund a killer 5 that will last you a lifetime.
A few other options for you could be a Zon Sonus, Modulus Flea5 (now called the funk unlimited), or a Status 5. None of these will fall into the $600 range, not even used, but you should play them to see the difference and then start mowing lawns, walking dogs, or what ever else you have to do to fund a killer 5 that will last you a lifetime.
Ha yeah.. Most likely i'll just wait for a <=$600 lakie 5501 to pop up, and i'll jump on it to try out
I'd absolutely agree that a late-'90s [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] would fit your needs perfectly: it was the "step-down" version of the Nathan East Signature Model at the time, but still listed for $1,699 at the time and the only differences I can recall is that the Sig. had a higher figured Flame Maple top, Ebony as opposed to Rosewood fretboard, and Abalone as opposed to MOP blocks. I recorded several sessions with my drummer's BBN5A and the straight-to-the-board tone was to die for. Specs include: Japanese-made Alder body w/ Figured Maple top in Amberburst or Transparent Teal finishes with matching headstocks, 24-fret 3-piece Maple neck w/ Rosewood fretboard, Gotoh hardware, Electronics the same as the Signature model - 2 Yamaha-branded Soapbar humbucker pickups and 3-band EQ w/ 3-position mini-switch for the midrange: flat, and two user-set by trimpots within the control cavity. It was rated a 4.5/5 in the $1,500-$2,499 category in Bass Player's "The Ultimate 5-String" Shootout in their January 1997 issue. I still sometimes kick myself for not picking one up back then, or offering to purchase my drummer's from him. :scowl:
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do you guys think the Lakland 5501 with upgraded USA bart electronics would get me to that 'MTD tone'? Ya know, andrew gouche, norm stockton, etc...
Upgrading any bass to USA bartolini pickups and a good preamp goes a long way, no matter what the bass brand and model are. Does it get you all the way? No. I upgraded a Dean bass with bartolini pickups and a bartolini preamp, and it was wonderful. I upgraded an Ibanez bass with bartolini pickups and a Demeter preamp, and it was wonderful. But not all the way to a MTD or Roscoe.
If you are searching for a bass intending to upgrade, then the thing you have to keep in mind is the pickup dimensions of the basses you are looking at. Basses with the "EMG" pickup dimensions have more USA bartolini pickup models/options to choose from. Basses like the Lakland and the Ibanez basses with Korean made bartolini pickups have a more narrow pickup dimension, and I think you are limited to only one USA bartolini pickup choice for that pickup size.
One guy recommended bartolini "X2's," which with a little respect, i figured out are actually XXP25C's, dual coils. But i'm not sure if that's MTD, ya know? I know for some time, the Bart pups in MTD's were of an active design, but in order to facility easier production, Bartolini wanted to do a passive Pup design and Tobias consented, noting he could not tell a difference in sound with or without the preamp.
Anyways, i'll keep researching. I think the Lakland 55-01 is still the cheapest route to a decent 5 string (nice neck, pretty good hardware, jsut the electronics need to be 'MTD'd')
Thanks for your suggestion broski!
Those Yamaha basses are very nice. I have a BB605 (jazz pups instead of soaps) and I put a Bartolini preamp and pups in and it's even better than stock. I believe they were an $800 ish bass new. I got mine new with a ding in the headstock from the factory discount and paid $350. Great deal.
I love the Nathan East signature, and the "step down" models are very nice. So are the TRB's. Yamah makes greta stuff and is very under-rated and appreciated - iMO.
Not what youare looking for, but even the cheap RBX -170 or whatever - the "P" bass - are great basses and yo ucan get them used for next to nothing.
I love the Nathan East signature, and the "step down" models are very nice. So are the TRB's. Yamah makes greta stuff and is very under-rated and appreciated - iMO.
Not what youare looking for, but even the cheap RBX -170 or whatever - the "P" bass - are great basses and yo ucan get them used for next to nothing.
Give the Squier Jazz Deluxe V a try. excellent tone, my only complaint about it is it is a bit on the heavy side
It'd be nice of the next 5 i get has routes accommodating for bartolini P2 sized soaps, ya know?
To be honest, the non matching PUPS just KILLS me lol. I tried a 5502, and i wasn't really into the whole J/MM thing really. I think a j bass is good, and a MM bass is good, but together, just not my cup of tea :/
