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Affordable 5 string multiscale/fanned fret?

M

MaidLiz

Guest
Mar 22, 2018
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0
#1
As the title implies, that is what I am looking for. The background story is I am only an apprentice and what most people consider cheap can really do my budget in. I've spent hours researching 5 string multiscale bass guitars on the internet, to the point where I've given myself a headache and everything just seems too expensive. Anything that isn't too expensive seems to come from shady/hit and miss places. I'm in Australia, so shipping prices can really do in a decent deal as well.

I'm that desperate at this point for a 5 string fanned fret bass, preferably under $1000. I don't even care if it is second hand, refurbished, factory second or if someone would want to make me one. Has anyone here found any great deals for any of them? Links?
 
#2
Have you seen this Brice?

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I have one (slightly modified) and I think it's a good value. Mine is not the bubinga but natural, and out of stock right now, but it's the same bass.

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And there's also Link Removed with a slightly shorter scale. I have no experience with that one, though.
 
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#6
dabbler said:
Actually, they are not totally out of stock. Go to the 5 string bass page.
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Kewl:

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They're a "shoestring" operation I guess - not always great at website maintenance...
 
#9
MaidLiz said:
Wow! Thanks guys! Are any of these bass guitars good for playing music with very low tunings? Such as songs by Periphery which can tune down to G# (obviously with the right string gauge)?
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For really low tunings, the Knuckle Quake:
Quake.jpg

39.55" scale. Mine's fretless. :D
 
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#12
MaidLiz said:
As the title implies, that is what I am looking for. The background story is I am only an apprentice and what most people consider cheap can really do my budget in. I've spent hours researching 5 string multiscale bass guitars on the internet, to the point where I've given myself a headache and everything just seems too expensive. Anything that isn't too expensive seems to come from shady/hit and miss places. I'm in Australia, so shipping prices can really do in a decent deal as well.

I'm that desperate at this point for a 5 string fanned fret bass, preferably under $1000. I don't even care if it is second hand, refurbished, factory second or if someone would want to make me one. Has anyone here found any great deals for any of them? Links?
Click to expand...

I know precisely zero about fanned fret basses. Just swinging by to say WELCOME to TalkBass!!!!!!!
 
#13
MaidLiz said:
Wow! Thanks guys! Are any of these bass guitars good for playing music with very low tunings? Such as songs by Periphery which can tune down to G# (obviously with the right string gauge)?
Click to expand...

For those extra low tunings, longer is generally better. Nolly from Periphery has his own signature model (Dingwall NG), but all Dingwalls are going to be out of your price range. The NG basses are 34-37" scale.

The Knuckle Quake is about 3-4 times your price range.......

The Brice 34-37 is definitely your best bet. Don't know about shipping to Australia, though. Brice is one of Rondo Music's "brands", you're not going to find them new anywhere else.

You can do lower tuning on shorter scales, but you're going to get a lot more string/fret rattle. That may be OK or even good if that's a sound your going for. But you lose the more typical bass guitar dynamic of plucking hard for more bark/rattle, less hard for smoother/cleaner.
 
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