80s Bass guitars

[InhumanResource]

Spector with PJ setup (especially a white one), tune bass maniac, Kramer, Precision with black pick guard, aria pro all come to mind for me!

 

[john_g]

Been mentioned a bunch of times already, but Steinberger or Aria Pro SB1000. My last band's second set was all 80s music, and I would generally use one of those and it worked great. Of course the OP didnt mention his budget...Kubicikis are pretty expensive, so are original Steinbergers. Heck, even my Aria Pro was not that cheap either.

 

[RoyGBass]

Are all those yours? Very nice 80s collection - extra points for the Performer, a rare axe indeed - and the two pickup Elite too - hardly common.

Yessir - these are all mine. I have 68 total currently. Love and play them all.

 

[tattooSAM]

In the 80's I purchased and gigged a purple BC Rich Warlock because my girlfriend said it turned her on...

It did.
And that made up for looking ridiculous on stage.

 

[RoyGBass]

'80's bass? Westone Rail, nasty old P bass, or the Electra Outlaw with the built in effects modules in the back. You could buy different ones and swap them out.

I have an Outlaw from '78. Not sure if they made it into the 80's.

 

[TrevorR]

Amazed no one has mentioned one of these yet... Jaydee bass, especially the Supernatural series. May have been more of a UK than US thing, though...

 

[RickyWoo]

Amazed no one has mentioned one of these yet... Jaydee bass, especially the Supernatural series. May have been more of a UK than US thing, though...

Only ever held these in regards to Mark King, not so much the 80's in general. Never seen anyone but him slinging one and related them to him only. Legendary.

 

[kodiakblair]

@TrevorR
I was going to but doubted most members here would know them. Same reason I never said Overwater.

 

[David Ferrare]

I have an old Charvel Model 3B. The thing has so much growl, and insanely low action. 80's were all about playing fast!

 

[jwilson67]

Pretty much anything in white, black, pink, neon yellow, or neon green with sharp points on the head stock. For sheer 80's nostalgia stay with lots of day-glo stuff. The average person in the audience isn't going to understand that a particular bassist used a particular instrument. All they get is the bright, eye-popping colors.

 

[franvarin]

ok, I joined an 80s band. I love the music of the 80s. The band has great Musicans and should be a lot of fun. I play a 2008 mia P bass. A very standerd bass my back up is a Jazz. What would be your ultimate 80s bass?

I was thinking a Musicman Stingray. What do you think?

Guild Pilot... everyday... all day!

 

[tlc1976]

I would suggest the old Ibanez RD basses that had their standard in-line headstock. It's one bass I wish I could find.

My EX looks like an identical bass, except with 2 J pickups.

Ultimate 80s looks, I'd say Steinberger or any other headless bass. Kinda goes with the 80s skinny tie.

Soundwise, I'd say the ultimate 80s bass is a keyboard. Whether it be originating on keyboard, or guys like Mutt Lange rebuilding the whole sound on a Fairlight.

 

[avvie]

Although it's not necessarily eponymous with the 80's or nearly as popular as many basses that have been mentioned so far, Yamaha BX-1 for me ticks all the boxes when I think 80's design

I had one of those around '93 or so. Couldn't be friends with it then due to the string spacing (was a Yamaha BB player then) so I sold it. One of two sales that I now regret, the other being the Digitech Multiplay PD20/20 delay/chorus/flange pedal. Tbat was really 80's also.

 

[fishdreams]

I had a G&L SB-2 that I played in the mid 80ties and it defined the decade to me, musically.

By the end of the decade I played a Blade B2, one of the first super jazzes, which I sold because it had the kind of electronics that made everything sound good, but also the same no matter where and how you played a given note.

Another one (sorta late 70ties/early 80ties) would be SD Curlee.

 

[ModuMan]

Yeah it's a split coil in a soapbar-ish case. I found that out the first time I filed the frets on mine.
I'd probably play mine more if it wasn't so heavy!

I got lucky, my SB-600 isn't too bad. My SB-1000 on the other hand could anchor a battleship.

Honestly, I kind of prefer the sound of the SB-600. It has a bit more bottom. Since I took that pic I replaced the knobs with originals so I'm really happy with it now.

 

[BritBass 2]

One I do not think I have seen mentioned in this thread yet were Spector NS2 basses. They got pretty popular mid 1980's on.

I was beginning to wonder WHO would come to their senses...LOL...Spectors ruled the 80's and always sound amazing!

Both Brooklyn and Kramer NS 2s , big hair optional !)))

 

[BritBass 2]

It may sound old-school but... When I was in a top-40 new wave dance music band in the early 80's, I switched between my 1980 Ric 4003 and my early 70's P-Bass. I mostly used the Ric, but would switch to the Precision when playing Police, Pretenders and Joe Jackson. Still have the Mapleglo Ric. Alas, the Sunburst Precision with the rosewood fretboard, Badass II bridge, brass nut, tort pickguard and lovely Jazz neck was stolen and I'm still (obviously) grieving. When I was shopping at the time, I was tempted to buy a Kramer with the aluminum neck.

Always sad to read about the theft of a prized bass .
In addition Sting, T M Stevens (Pretenders) and Graham Maby (Joe Jackson ) also used Spector NS basses .

 

[mpdd]

my 80s basses are a black 83 L2000 which is kinda more metal looking, but the bright red 85 lynx fits the bill

 

[Kickass]

Washburn headless?

 

[Gaolee]

In the 80's I purchased and gigged a purple BC Rich Warlock because my girlfriend said it turned her on...

It did.
And that made up for looking ridiculous on stage.

I would rock something that looked like that. Neon strings would make it even better. But, I have no taste.