I'm playing a 2012 cort artist a5 sp atm and while it seems to be strong for a fender jazz sound it doesn't seem to have the punchy mids or clear bottom of a fender precision. It also doesn't seem to have the highs of a musicman stingray for funk even when boosted from an eq. The highs are just not there unless you blend all bridge in which case the bass is weak. Is there one bass to rule them all for less than $1500?
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Bass recommendation
- Thread starter corgi
- Start date
There are a TON of factors that influence your tone. #1 is how you play! If you're slamming with a big heavy pick as hard as you can right next to the bridge no bass is going to sound big and round, and if you pluck big fat strings over the bottom of the fretboard you are going to get a more indistinct tone regardless of what kind of pickup configurating you are running.
The amp is going to change that too. If you are scooping your amp EQ into a smiley face those mids won't cut through no matter how many EMG jazz pickups you cram in there.
The amp is going to change that too. If you are scooping your amp EQ into a smiley face those mids won't cut through no matter how many EMG jazz pickups you cram in there.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
You should be able to get a good usable tone from any decent bass. Stop obsessing and play what feels right to you.
For what it's worth, the best versatility I've found in a bass is from basses that have 3 pickups. If all you're working with is 1 or 2 pickups and a volume and tone control, there's only so much you can get out of that without running into the problem that it sounds like the same 1 or 2 pickups. If you add a preamp, you can do a lot more, but you still run into the issue where it doesn't sound much like a different instrument unless you make extreme EQ changes.
Having that additional pickup, though, gives you a choice of not just a new voice by itself, but new combinations to combine the voices that are different in ways you couldn't easily achieve by EQ.
If you think about each pickup, or each combination as a pickup as a "voice", you can do a bit of combinatorics. One pickup, obviously you have one choice of voice. two pickups, you have 3-- bridge, neck, and both (not counting "none"). With three pickups, you get 7... neck, middle, bridge, n+m, m+b, n+b, n+m+b. All of those voices sound substantially different and can be useful in a broad variety of situations.
All of this being said... I doubt that it's really that big of a deal. Like, I take it seriously because I happened upon the concept in a bass that was new to me, and now I know I have that preference. But, I don't think it's worth going out and dropping $1000+ on a new instrument unless you're really just sick and tired of the one you're playing. And there are ways you might be able to resolve your issue without just buying a new instrument or even any new gear at all.
Active dual humbuckers.
The neck profile, thickness, string spacing, body ergonomics, all that is going to comedown to a personal/physiological fit… but for versatility, dual humbuckers with an active pre is REALLY tough to beat.
You can get all three of the tonal families you are looking for with a good, high quality pre and modern dual humbucker pickups. If you can coil-switch the humbuckers all the better, and a passive/active switch is the chef’s-kiss for versatility.
It will be argued, likely, that you can’t get a perfect, exact P bass tone without a P pickup, or a J bass tone without a single-coil J pickup… but a single-coil switched humbucker at the bridge with the blend rolled mostly to bridge and mids forward on the EQ IS the J bass sound, etc. etc.
A bass to rule them all? Versatile?
Dual humbuckers with active eq.
And yes, amp and eq do matter, but they can only modify the sound they are given. Period. Hand placement matters, yes, good technique matters, yes.
But an amp can only modify what you put into it. A versatile bass can put a variety of tones in, and that’s what you are looking for.
I suggest buying used, from a TB’er with good marks (almost everyone here should have good ratings!). You’ll get bang for the buck on a loved, well-cared for instrument.
I’ve always had great experiences here.
The neck profile, thickness, string spacing, body ergonomics, all that is going to comedown to a personal/physiological fit… but for versatility, dual humbuckers with an active pre is REALLY tough to beat.
You can get all three of the tonal families you are looking for with a good, high quality pre and modern dual humbucker pickups. If you can coil-switch the humbuckers all the better, and a passive/active switch is the chef’s-kiss for versatility.
It will be argued, likely, that you can’t get a perfect, exact P bass tone without a P pickup, or a J bass tone without a single-coil J pickup… but a single-coil switched humbucker at the bridge with the blend rolled mostly to bridge and mids forward on the EQ IS the J bass sound, etc. etc.
A bass to rule them all? Versatile?
Dual humbuckers with active eq.
And yes, amp and eq do matter, but they can only modify the sound they are given. Period. Hand placement matters, yes, good technique matters, yes.
But an amp can only modify what you put into it. A versatile bass can put a variety of tones in, and that’s what you are looking for.
I suggest buying used, from a TB’er with good marks (almost everyone here should have good ratings!). You’ll get bang for the buck on a loved, well-cared for instrument.
I’ve always had great experiences here.
My (old) quest to find or build a bass, which can do it all, failed. If you want different vibes, I recommend getting a P, a J, and a modern bass separately. Also, consider using them with different strings - like P with flats, J with nickels, and M with steels.
Turn off your Bridge pickup and turn down the tone a third and just use your neck pickup to get a p-bass type sound. Pretty much the solution for any jazz bass
First of all so you can get honest answers please answer the following questions.
1) What amp/combo are you using and what are the settings you use?
2) If it’s not a combo, what cabinet(s) are you using?
3) When was the last time you changed strings and what strings do you use?
4) If you have a pedalboard, what is on it?
All of this info will help with getting you some accurate advice on how to overcome your dilemma.
If you really want a rabbit hole of a bass get a Sire M5 or M7. Nearly every possible combination is available on those. Selling mine. Too many choices!
BBB
BBB
From what you've said about your bass being OK as a Jazz bass, but lacking in the P-bass department, I would recommend you try a Schecter CV-5.
Very convincing P-bass and Jazz bass tones, and some of its own.
It's very vintage-sounding, so it's not going to impress in the treble department.
Two humbuckers which can be set to series/parallel or single coil. Very versatile.
Video coming up.
Mike
Very convincing P-bass and Jazz bass tones, and some of its own.
It's very vintage-sounding, so it's not going to impress in the treble department.
Two humbuckers which can be set to series/parallel or single coil. Very versatile.
Video coming up.
Mike
"If one bass did everything well, there would be no reason for Talkbass."
Mike drop.....
Mike drop.....
I’ve been a bassist for over 50 years. I’ve gone through a lot of basses and gear. I’ve come to the conclusion that if your are having trouble getting the right sound out your bass, 90% of the time it’s not the bass’s fault. It’s whatever you are using to produce the sound that is the problem. The other 10% might be like strings, the set up, tonal choices incongruent to the music or ensemble at hand, and or you are really picky (which is certainly ok).
And yes, there are basses that flat out are dogs, and the best advice here is don’t buy them in the first place, and if do have one to get rid of it as soon as possible. Investing more money trying to fix the shortcomings of a substandard instrument that exceeds 20-30% of the purchase price of your bass for me doesn’t make sense.
And finally it is not uncommon at one point you can find kismet, then a change it taste moves you to another choice. Others? The search is never ending. Best wishes on your journey.
Thanks for the great replies. I'm recording in a studio direct using the following.
Digimax FS interface over toslink to
www.presonus.com
RME 9652 into
www.rme-usa.com
Reaper DAW through
Softube Eden ET800 bass plugin. I also have Helix Native and many eqs and compressors and have experimented extensively with other options to get there but no luck so far.
My keyboards and Guitars are crystal clear through this interface so I know the highs get through if the bass is putting them out.
For monitoring I go back out the RME 9652 into the Digimax FS over toslink and then into
Kali IN-8 2nd wave and 12 Sub
www.kaliaudio.com
www.kaliaudio.com
Bass Setup
----------------------------------
On this Cort Artisan A5-Custom SP 5-String Bass, I have installed this week the DR NMR5-45 SunBeams Round Core Bass Guitar Strings; 5-string gauges 45-125
and done the following setup.
Tune the guitar
Relief of Neck / Truss Rod
Neck Relief (Truss Rod): 0.3 mm – 0.5 mm (0.012" – 0.020")
measured at the 7th or 8th fret while holding down the 1st and last frets.
Play all strings after to look for BUZZING.
Action String Height (Bridge Saddle adjustment): String height with nothing fretted
Low B-String: 2.4 mm – 2.5 mm (approx. 6/64") at the 12th fret.
E / A / D 2.2 mm
G-String: 1.8 mm – 2.0 mm (approx. 5/64") at the 12th fret.
Tool: 1.5mm Hex Key for Hipshot TransTone saddles.
Scott's Bass Lessons: from top of fret to bottom of string on 12th fret is 2mm
Low B-String: 2.3 mm (approx. 6/64") at the 12th fret.
E / A / D 2.2 mm
G-String: 2.0 mm (approx. 5/64") at the 12th fret.
Intentional rasp
Low B-String: 2.1 mm (approx. 6/64") at the 12th fret.
E 2.0 mm
A 1.9 mm
D 1.6 mm
G-String: 1.5 mm (approx. 5/64") at the 12th fret.
Nut
Press string at 3rd fret. Gap at 1st fret should be the thickness of a human hair (0.005").
The Resting Measurement (Standard)
With the bass tuned to pitch and the strings sitting open (not touched),
measure the gap between the **bottom of the string** and the **top of the 1st fret wire**.
Low B: 0.022" - 0.024" (0.55 - 0.60mm)
E & A: 0.020" (0.50mm)
D & G: 0.018" (0.45mm)
Intonation (Saddle Length)
This ensures the bass is in tune all the way up the neck.
The Check: Play the harmonic at the 12th fret, then press the string down at the 12th fret.
The Adjustment: If the fretted note is sharp, move the saddle away from the neck (tighten the screw).
If it's flat, move it toward the neck.
Pickup height targets (Cort A5 Custom SP 5-string)
Measured with the string fretted at the last fret.
Neck Pickup
- Bass Side: 3.5 mm
- Treble Side: 3.0 mm
Bridge Pickup
- Bass Side: 2.5 mm
- Treble Side: 2.0 mm
--------------------------------------------
When playing the Cort (fingers only, no pick), the bottom end is outstanding but when I try to get the highs when slapping (which I'm a total beginner) they don't seem to be there. Turning up highs on the bass or in the daw doesn't seem to help only adding hiss. Thanks again for any ideas and I hope that helps.
And for the buldog5151bass that said "Stop obsessing and play what feels right to you." That's good advice unfortunately I don't have other basses here to try to see what is better which is why I started the thread. Also, I do obsess, in a good way. I don't stop till I get the sound I want. Once we spent days trying to get just the right stand up bass sound only to find that an effect was shaving the attack off it. But after days we figured it out and were glad we put in the time. But that's just me.
Digimax FS interface over toslink to
DigiMax FS
The DigiMax FS is an eight-channel microphone preamplifier, with 24-bit/96k ADAT dual SMUX I/O and word clock I/O. Loaded with direct outputs and inserts on every channel, the DIGIMAX FS is the perfect hardware expansion for your FireStudio or any digital recording system with optical lightpipe...
www.presonus.com
RME 9652 into
52-Channel PCI Card with ADAT and SPDIF I/O - rme-usa.com
RME Audio Professional Live, Studio, Recording and Broadcast Solutions. Unrivalled Quality, Performance & Stability MADI Interfaces, Converters & Preamps.
Reaper DAW through
Softube Eden ET800 bass plugin. I also have Helix Native and many eqs and compressors and have experimented extensively with other options to get there but no luck so far.
My keyboards and Guitars are crystal clear through this interface so I know the highs get through if the bass is putting them out.
For monitoring I go back out the RME 9652 into the Digimax FS over toslink and then into
Kali IN-8 2nd wave and 12 Sub
Kali Audio — Kali Audio's IN-8 is a best-in-class 3-way studio monitor with an 8" woofer, 4" midrange & 1" tweet.
One of the most innovative speakers ever made, Kali Audio's IN-8 is a 3-way studio monitor with an 8-inch woofer and a 4-Inch midrange with a coaxial 1-inch tweeter. The unique architecture of the Midrange and Tweeter eliminates off-axis lobing, giving the IN-8 an incredibly accurate, lifelike stere
www.kaliaudio.com
Kali Audio — WS12 1000 Watt Power Subwoofer
The WS-12 Subwoofer is the most powerful studio subwoofer available under $1000. It is made to be used with any near- or mid-field studio monitors, as well as with small portable PA systems in a live setting.
www.kaliaudio.com
Bass Setup
----------------------------------
On this Cort Artisan A5-Custom SP 5-String Bass, I have installed this week the DR NMR5-45 SunBeams Round Core Bass Guitar Strings; 5-string gauges 45-125
and done the following setup.
Tune the guitar
Relief of Neck / Truss Rod
Neck Relief (Truss Rod): 0.3 mm – 0.5 mm (0.012" – 0.020")
measured at the 7th or 8th fret while holding down the 1st and last frets.
Play all strings after to look for BUZZING.
Action String Height (Bridge Saddle adjustment): String height with nothing fretted
Low B-String: 2.4 mm – 2.5 mm (approx. 6/64") at the 12th fret.
E / A / D 2.2 mm
G-String: 1.8 mm – 2.0 mm (approx. 5/64") at the 12th fret.
Tool: 1.5mm Hex Key for Hipshot TransTone saddles.
Scott's Bass Lessons: from top of fret to bottom of string on 12th fret is 2mm
Low B-String: 2.3 mm (approx. 6/64") at the 12th fret.
E / A / D 2.2 mm
G-String: 2.0 mm (approx. 5/64") at the 12th fret.
Intentional rasp
Low B-String: 2.1 mm (approx. 6/64") at the 12th fret.
E 2.0 mm
A 1.9 mm
D 1.6 mm
G-String: 1.5 mm (approx. 5/64") at the 12th fret.
Nut
Press string at 3rd fret. Gap at 1st fret should be the thickness of a human hair (0.005").
The Resting Measurement (Standard)
With the bass tuned to pitch and the strings sitting open (not touched),
measure the gap between the **bottom of the string** and the **top of the 1st fret wire**.
Low B: 0.022" - 0.024" (0.55 - 0.60mm)
E & A: 0.020" (0.50mm)
D & G: 0.018" (0.45mm)
Intonation (Saddle Length)
This ensures the bass is in tune all the way up the neck.
The Check: Play the harmonic at the 12th fret, then press the string down at the 12th fret.
The Adjustment: If the fretted note is sharp, move the saddle away from the neck (tighten the screw).
If it's flat, move it toward the neck.
Pickup height targets (Cort A5 Custom SP 5-string)
Measured with the string fretted at the last fret.
Neck Pickup
- Bass Side: 3.5 mm
- Treble Side: 3.0 mm
Bridge Pickup
- Bass Side: 2.5 mm
- Treble Side: 2.0 mm
--------------------------------------------
When playing the Cort (fingers only, no pick), the bottom end is outstanding but when I try to get the highs when slapping (which I'm a total beginner) they don't seem to be there. Turning up highs on the bass or in the daw doesn't seem to help only adding hiss. Thanks again for any ideas and I hope that helps.
And for the buldog5151bass that said "Stop obsessing and play what feels right to you." That's good advice unfortunately I don't have other basses here to try to see what is better which is why I started the thread. Also, I do obsess, in a good way. I don't stop till I get the sound I want. Once we spent days trying to get just the right stand up bass sound only to find that an effect was shaving the attack off it. But after days we figured it out and were glad we put in the time. But that's just me.
The A series are awesome bass - I love my A6.
A simple mod to improve the sound might be a set of EMG E5W which will fit without routing, sound great and will cost you like $250 and are reversible, providing you like how the bass plays.
My A6 would be getting some but uses the same size PUs as the 5 and the EMGs don't have the coverage, so the router will eventually come out and will probably get a P/DC combo in the 45 size. This is a mod I'd like, but not one I really need right now, so if it happens it'll be later.
This is the closest I've gotten to "1 bass to rule them all" - having a humbucker with legit single coil coils is critical
-dual nordstrand bigmem
-series/parallel/single coil switches for each pickup
-underhill dual filter preamp with added bass eq control
It is as bright/dark/clear sounding as i want. Used traditional mm pickup positions. Cost under 1500 in parts and weighs 6.8 lbs with good balance
-dual nordstrand bigmem
-series/parallel/single coil switches for each pickup
-underhill dual filter preamp with added bass eq control
It is as bright/dark/clear sounding as i want. Used traditional mm pickup positions. Cost under 1500 in parts and weighs 6.8 lbs with good balance
There are many basses with a PJ pickup configuration. I believe they will help you achieve the tone you're chasing.
