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A quality, USA-made bass for under 1K?

D

dancaldwell

Aug 18, 2000
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#1
Greetings all!

This is my first-ever post in this forum so please forgive me if I'm bringing up a previously tackled topic.

I'm looking for a new bass and I need I a little advice. I can only spend about $1,000.00, and I'm looking for a quality, American-made 4-string with passive electronics. I prefer a traditional jazz/be-bop tone, low action, and a fairly slim neck. Here are the basses that I'm currently researching given the fact that I can only spend 1K:

Carvin LB20
Carvin LB70
Peavey Foundation 2000
Reverend Rumblefish
Fender American Series Jazz

Does anyone have any experiences or thoughts to share on the above instruments? Do you know of others that match my criteria? I'm extremely intrigued by the Rumblefish, but I've read that its "piano like" tone is sort of a combination of a "Danelectro, Hofner, and a Fender Jazz" so I'm wondering what in the world they sound like--and I'm looking for sound samples on the web.

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Dan Caldwell
Walla Walla, WA
 
#2
Hey Dan,
Welcome to the board!
I own two Rumblefish, and they are great basses. IMHO, they fry every other bass you listed. I've owned a Carvin LB70 and a Fender Jazz in the past, and the Rumblefish is far better in playability and tone than either one.
Go to my band's website (click the "www" icon on this post) and select "Music & Pictures".. all the MP3s there have my Rumblefish on them, so you can get an idea about how it sounds. Trust me on this one, you will not be disappointed!
 
#3
Dan,

If you can find a Hamer Cruise 2Tek around (they have been discontinued) it's a high quality, american made jazz clone. A local shop had one and he wanted 1K+ for it originally it was still there a while ago (brand new, the proprietor says bass-wise he sells bunches of the Korean Hamers and Samicks but the US Hamer is too expensive for his normal clientele) and he would have sold it to me for $700 so it would fall in your price range.

Have you looked at G&L's? The SB-2 has a P-J pickup configuration and the L2000 has 2 humbuckers and while it is active it can also be run passive and the bass/treble controls are passive cut. They can have a jazz-width neck and are high quality american made. I just don't know if they would meet your tone requirements.

Craig
 
#5
Hey Dan; If you haven't already talked to Carvin, call them and discuss what pick-ups/electronics/bridge you need for the sound you are looking for. It's hard to envision having to spend even 1K for a 4 string Carvin that suits your needs. By ALL means, the 'neck-through' construction of the LB 70 puts it miles ahead of the bolt on neck stuff regardless of what the guys selling the inferior 'bolt on neck' tell you.
Look at the REAL professionals that play Carvins, it reads like a who's who of bass players.
Add to that the high points Carvin gets from every 'Bass' mag. review and you wonder how the others stay in business. This is top notch pro stuff at a price you and I can afford.
No, it's not a "Toby" and doesn't sound like a Padulla either but I can't afford either of those.
I have had the LB75 for five years and love it! The sound I wanted was different from your needs but they fitted me up for MY sound demands.
I'm fortunate enough to live 15 min. from their main factory so they are my local "guitar shop" as well.
Lots of luck!
:)
 
#6
I agree that you should check Carvin out, there's very little risk and you may like or even love them. Given that...

By ALL means, the 'neck-through' construction of the LB 70 puts it miles ahead of the bolt on neck stuff regardless of what the guys selling the inferior 'bolt on neck' tell you.

You're new here, huh? :D "Inferior bolt-on neck"?:rolleyes:

Look at the REAL professionals that play Carvins, it reads like a who's who of bass players.
Add to that the high points Carvin gets from every 'Bass' mag. review and you wonder how the others stay in business. This is top notch pro stuff at a price you and I can afford.

Just for grins who might they (REAL professionals)be? Carvin spends a ton of money on ads, I'm not sure how objective the reviews are. What have you seen reviewed that they flat out didn't like? Who likes everything?

OTOH I know how the ones I've played and owned were, from personal experience.


No, it's not a "Toby" and doesn't sound like a Padulla either but I can't afford either of those.

A neck through (better, right?;)) Toby 4 cost $429 plus shipping. With a 30 day approval period.

I have had the LB75 for five years and love it! The sound I wanted was different from your needs but they fitted me up for MY sound demands.
I'm fortunate enough to live 15 min. from their main factory so they are my local "guitar shop" as well.
Lots of luck!
:)

Great, the hard part is finding something you like. Congrats.
 
#9

Now seems like a good time to buy new old stock American Standard Fenders as they bring in the new line, prices haven't dropped a lot but some.

I would have to say 1000 goes a long way in the used market G&L and Fenders, can't beat 'em. And the Rumblefish is just the coolest thing on the market.

[Edited by gmstudio99 on 08-19-2000 at 07:11 AM]
 
#11
Couple of things:

First, welcome to the board! If you use the Search feature, you'll find waaaaay more than you've ever wanted to know about all the basses you've listed.

Second, I'd say get the Fender. The American Standards can be found closed out for under $600.

Third, to BLIPNDUB: edited your post to remove the quote...hope you don't mind...not your fault at all. ;)

Fourth, to TSAL: Some :):):)'s would help us know how to interpret your now-vaporized post...

-GM
 
#16
Like thoumas,I love StingRays,however they are not passive.If you must go passive,I like the versatility and quality of any G+L product.Another active bass That you ought to try is a Pedulla Rature J2.And You can find some leftover T-basses,(Trace Elliot)made by Status-Graphite for Trace Elliot,on ZZZounds.Im sure they would give one away,they are discontinued.They are an Excellent quality Jazz type bass,that sold for about $1800 originally,and are now in your range.Play a Rumblefish before you buy it.(that was pretty gentle,right Dave.)
 
#18
Hey, y'all overlooked someone.

Check out the Peavey stuff. It's mostly active, but the G series basses are pretty damn impressive, and can be had for well under your grand budget. Impressive deal for a graphite necked bass, and they play and sound great. There is also the new Millineum series, which I've not had the opportunity to play, but based on what I've seen of the Peavey basses, should be great, and also in your price range. Finally, although they're a bit above your budget, the Cirrus basses are INCREDIBLE. If I were in the market for a neck-thru exotic wood bass, it would be first on my list. They spank anything in their price range (I got one quote on a 6 string of $1300 w/hsc!) and quite a few that are considerably more expensive. I'm actually hoping to run across a Millineum 5, as I'm looking to get a good bolt-on 5 to add to the two neck-thru 6's I've got now.
 
#20
i have to agree with craig above. i used to have a hamer cruise 2-tek 5 and sometimes wish i hadn't sold it. it had a piano like bright tone and slim 3-piece maple neck with contoured heel. in my opinion, it blew away most of the fender j's i've played.
just my 2 cents

thiessen out
 

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