• 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.

5 Strings under $500

M

Mike Money

In Memoriam
Mar 18, 2003
7,100
17
38
Bakersfield California
Disclosures
Avatar Speakers Endorsing Hooligan
#1
I need a 5 string for concert band... It is the beginning band class, and there are no tubas... so I was recruited to play tuba parts on my barse.

Problem is, I have 4 strings... And they don't go as low as I need them to, and if I tune any of them BEAD, it just sounds like ass.

I don't want a lame one, I may as well get a good 5 that won't leave me desiring more in 5 months.

My options seem to be:

Spector Performance
Ibanez
Yamaha
Essex/Brice (If I really have to...)
Used?


I don't want a 5 string... but it is a necessary evil at the moment. I could get away with a ultra-cheap one, because I don't play 5's or anything that requires one... But I'm sure it will come in handy eventually, so I may as well get an intermediate 5 that wont leave me wanting.
 
#2
Yamaha's are very cheap, but have great tone and playability. Not sure about the rest on your list.

You could just buy a pack of 5er strings (BEADG), and put the BEAD on your bass. I assume you've tried tuning your standard strings down to BEAD, right? If you put strings that are gauged to be tuned to BEAD, and tune them to that, you should get a pretty good sound ;) But you lose your G string, which is terrible lol.

If you really think you'll want a 5er, I would get one. But if you're only gonna use it to hit those 5 extra notes, than I'd just buy diff strings ;)
 
#5
Wyman said:
Gotcha ;) Than that plan's out the window lol.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_id/116525 That's what I would do...I own a similar model (4er), and it has treated me very well. I wouldn't trust Ibanez :P
Click to expand...

YUP YUP! What he said.. The RBX375 is better made and has great playablility and tone compared to brice. I still love my brice, just don't use a 5 that much. But if your gonna use 5 alot, that RBX is top notch for under $400. And looks cool too (silver or black)

What happened to the RBX775 ? Is the 375 the upgrade with better pups?
 
#9
$100, hardcase included? heh . I'll work on that sale. I remember playing the RBX775 and loving it, except for the noisy pickups. It had great tone, awsome playability, but the damn pickups were noisy. I take it the 375 improved on that. Which is now why I want one.
 
#13
BassDmb18 said:
What happened to the RBX775 ? Is the 375 the upgrade with better pups?
Click to expand...

In a word, no. I'll reprint what I posted here

I love, and I mean love the Yamaha's I've played and recorded with, most recently my dual RBX 775's, but in a comparison I'll paraphrase what I said here:

Off the top of my head, the 775's have additional carving on the body along the "bottom" (when strapped on) which I'm sure were removed from the 375's to reduce CNC time and cost. IMO, the 375's look cheaper due to this. 775's have a monorail-type bridge vs. the more standard on the 375's, which I think again is to lower cost by sacrificing quality. I personally prefer the 35" scale, but that's my choice and playing style, and I can see your disagreement. The electronics are certainly different - I haven't had a chance to play a 375 so I can't comment on that other to say it looks to be more normal than the 775's odd "pickup selector/tone/mid-boost" configuration. The color selection did (and still does) have much to be desired on both series, but the flat silver is pretty sweet, and the flat blue looks much better in person than it was ever photographed. I will say that I envy the metallic red of the 375 (and was originally going to be offered on the 775 according to the original press releases - I wonder what happened on that regard?)

Originally posted by DeeZee:
Well, it just seems like it offers much more than the previous RBX basses, almost like it should be in its own new series in- between the RBX and TRB series...
Click to expand...

Based on the above and the fact that I bought two 775's within 2 weeks, I'd have to disagree. I think the 775 was a sleeper and a casualty of one of the tightest markets to sell in - the "$999 list" area. With it's street price about 1/2 of the 775 before the "discontinued blowout", the 375 appears to be a lower-tier version and while a good bass for the price, hardly "offers much more" and is deserving of it's own series.

Between the discontinuation of the 775's and the screw-up of the new RBXJM2, it seems that Yamaha simply doesn't know how to market their "rock line" as opposed to the BB/TRB's, which both sell a tremendous amount and generate positive word-of-mouth (which you can't buy) regardless of pricepoint, be it a BB404 or 2005.

New material: anyone looking at a 375 might want to take a few days for a 775 to pop up on eBay (people bought them during the firestorm sale, wasn't their thing, now selling...). You could easily get a "practically new" 775 for less than a 375, sometimes with tags and warrantee still available, and put the savings towards new electronics as it seems that's what most people are complaining about. Myself, I don't have a major problem with them (perhaps an upgrade in the future, but nothing that's desperately needed IMO)
 
#15
Damn, I wish someone was out there that has played both the 775 and the 375. I have only played the 775 and hadn't noticed the extra body work that the 375 lacks, good job on finding that. Still, if the 375 plays anything like the 775, it'll be way above average. That neck on the 775 brought me back to the days of going to Mars every weekend and playing the modulus; LIKE BUTTA!
 
#19
You do realize when you're reading a tuba part to play it all up an octave right? This is off topic from this forum, but here it goes anyway.

Tuba reads the music where it sounds-we don't, for the ease of reading, all bass parts are "transposed" up a full octave e.g. it sounds an octave lower than written. Example: what we read as Middle C sounds as the one below it or Space C-make sense?

Back on topic.....For a 5er under $500-used MTD Kingston or save up a bit longer for an SUB5-i am biased towards the Ray5 style though. Also-the SX Jazz 5s are remarkably good for the money. One of my students bought one as a first five string. I had to think long and hard to NOT buy one-might even still though-i really liked the sound. This is apparent since i've been GASing for 2 main basses-a 6 string, and a passive j 5.

If you have any questions about playing bass in school band-feel free to message me on AIM or via PM.

That's all
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back