At wits end - please help

Try looking at a Jackson, they make some nice basses, or perhaps a spector, they just released a 'Pantera' signature model, and while there not my kinda band, its actually a really nice lloking bass

this is only off the top of my head, hope it helps
*Si*

 

I can't think of any basses that meet all those descriptions. But, I've got to question the fact that you won't consider active electronics because they're too bright sounding and don't have enough mids.

There are many preamps that have mid controls, and if the preamp is active, that means you can actually BOOST mids, sometimes semi-parametrically or even parametrically! Plus, if a bass is too bright, why don't you just turn the treble down?

 

You're right - you don't want a Carvin. The reason I got mine is precisely because I needed a bass with "modern sound" you are trying to avoid.

My advice it is to get a pen, a blank piece of paper, some imagination, and start putting your custom together. A bass with few, if any, frills, can come in for around a grand from Dave Pushic and some other luthiers.

Once you have your basic design/spec's put together, you could shop it out bids at www.luthiersaccessgroup.com . That's how I started when I couldn't find a versatile bass with a mean low end for less than a good used car.

 

Don't like woodgrain or active
You think thunderbirds look cool
Me and Warick Thumb bass are going to cry

 

I'd imagine that this is the best way to go. $550 for passive 4 string, plus other stuff. Some nice passive pups(Basslines?), decent bridge and tuners wouldn't rake up more than $450. He doesn't want any fancy woods for tops, just slab the finish over the alder or swamp ash or whatever body. I'd go good, I'd go great, I'd go Dave Pushic Custom.



http://www.dpcustom.com

 

Wow...tough criteria. I'd just say go with a Ripper. Or that Warwick in black...you know, actually, a black warwick would look pretty cool...

And yeah, I share the lament: Why can't you paint a nice bass? Is that like a crime in some Luthier Handbook? "Thout shalt not paint thy bass a solid color"

But, hey, I'm lucky, I'm hip on wood grains!

 

Well, most luthiers are tone freaks. The painting apparently chokes the tone, and is therefore a big non-no.

What I don't get is that people love vintage Fenders, and these things are choked to hell.

 

MTD Kingston 4. Styling is pretty conservative, except for the goofy-ass pickguard. Not quite a Ric or Ripper.

Didn't Warwick make some outlandish model called the "Flashback" with lipstick pickups and pearloid pickguard? Discontinued, I think, unless you can find a blowout.

 

Hey,

Dave Pushic will do a Black Stain for you, I asked him about that some time ago.

David

 

The same reason chefs don't cook at McDonald's.

 

I don't know what year you are talking about when you say vintage, but nitrocellulose finishes don't choke the tone near as much as hard polyester finishes do.

 

I always thought that old Fenders had massive amounts of it slabbed on. Ah well.

 

The legendary tone of old Fenders doesn't have to do with the nitrocellulose, per se, from what I've read. It is actually due to the breaking up of the nitro over time that lets the tone blossom a bit more.

I'm no scientist, I don't know. Mine's finish is intact. But those old pickups really mellow.

 

Touche.

It's just as well...Daves gonna do a dark blue stain on my bass, which I think will look pretty tasty with the black hardware and the (Flamed or quilted) maple...

 

Uhh for a grand, why not just get a black Ric??? or do they only have 21 frets? I just never noticed.. I don't play all the way up there often anyway Crazy kids and their guitars these days