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Anyone else have a 'type'?

After years of experimenting I’ve pretty much settled on my type- P-bass body, slim 9.5 neck, 1 or 2 pickups between middle and neck. Kinda like this thing I’m working on:
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Yeah, I like Fenders.

I have a '69 Precision and a AVRI '74 reissue Jazz with a "U" neck.

I don't like taking the '69 out of the house 'cause I'd be heartbroken if it got robbed, and the Jazz is reaching that status now.

I have a maple Precision neck w Hipshots I'm gonna put on a Warmouth maple Precision body when it comes, that's a heavy body, I like that. Haven't decided on pickups yet. That'll be the gig bass going forward.
 
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Maple fretboards with black markers. Partly aesthetics, but also because I can see them easier in dim lighting.

Passive electronics too. Nothing against them per se. But not for me. It’s less to think about, easier to maintain, no risk of breaking a battery clip and I can do all the the tone shaping I want with external devices.

Oh, and thicker necks. I can manage different nut widths and different neck profiles, but I can’t abide thin necks.
 
I'm quickly finding out my type is pointy. Sold my (player grade) '74 Precision to pay for a mid-80s BC Rich Warlock, and ended up with a second BC Rich USA neck so I'm having an Ironbird body made for it. Also planning a five-string when Neal Moser reopens the custom orders.
 
I have two basses, one for each band I'm in. They also are each other's backups if needed.

I have no clue what the bodies are made out of. I sold a StingRay Special a couple years ago on Reverb and this dude was trying to get me to take the neck off so he could play detective to figure out if it was one of the "good ones" (made of ash?). I blew him off.

My Type:
1. Narrow nut with a deep profile
2. Neck does not have a hard finish (all rosewood, oil/wax maple, roasted maple, etc)
3. Great fretwork so I can get the action stupid low
4. Opaque finish in a color I like

Bonus:
1. Matching headstock
2. Binding & Blocks
 
I guess it's finally time to admit that the only basses that stick around long term here are ash body basses. Some of them are heavy norther, some are super light swamp. Honestly, most of the time it's ash/maple, provided that they have a good midrange voice and aren't too scooped. I think for solid body fretted basses, Im really only comfortable with the attack and frequency presentation of ash, when it's done right. I always want to love alder, mahogany etc. as a body wood, but 9/10 it just doesn't quite sit right. 4, 5, 6, J, P, humbuckers, bolt on, neck thru, theyre all just ash. Minus that nice Koa Taylor in the back.

Anyone else find that they gravitate to one type of wood for a body or fingerboard? Besides neck wood, the body and board seem (to my ears) to have most impact on tone. Unless you're one of those that believe 'all woods sound the same and anyways, its all in the fingers', in which case, perhaps this thread may not be for you :)

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I have a little bit of everything. I do find ash bodied basses to be a little mid-scooped, but 2 of the three that I own have onboard preamps with 3-band EQs. That way I can bump up my mids when needed.


Generally speaking, I prefer an alder body, maple necks, and I prefer either maple or ebony fingerboards.

And for the last few years, I’ve been playing Spector basses, which are kind of their own thing, IMO.

My Spector NS4CRFM, has solid maple body wings and a rosewood fingerboard.

My Spector NS6 has solid maple body wings and an ebony fingerboard. Both have graphite reinforced 3 piece maple necks.

My main gigging bass is a Spector Euro 6LT, which has a 3 piece graphite reinforced maple neck, with an ebony fingerboard. It has weight relieved body wings made of alder with a thin slice of walnut with figured maple tops.

All of three of my Spectors have active EMG PJs. My NS4CRFM has standard series EMGs, and my NS6 and my Euro 6LT have X-Series EMGs. Both of Czech-made Spectors have EMG BTS EQs, my NS6 has a 9 volt Hazlabs preamp.

My other main gigging bass is a Ristola Exotic-6. It has an alder body core, with a bubinga top, and a graphite reinforced, 5 piece maple and purpleheart neck, with a birdseye maple fingerboard. It has Bartolini Quad Coils with an Aguilar OBP-3 onboard preamp. It has much more of a warm, vintage-type of tone, even though it has active electronics.

And last, but certainly not least is my Fender MIA Standard Precision Bass. I take it along to most of my live gigs. IMHO a passive P-Bass works on pretty much
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every live gig. It has an alder body, with a maple neck, and what looks to be a pau ferro fingerboard. Passive electronics, with a Nordstrand NP4 pickup.

Here’s a photo of my 6-strings. My Ristola is on the far right, my Spector Euro 6LT is in the center.
 
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