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Bass suggestions for heavy metal

What kind of "metal" are you even talking about? Bass sounds in metal vary as much as any other genre from deep, smooth low end, to clanky finger and fret noise, and everything else.

If you want low end humbucker sound with a manly badass look I'd suggest a used black-and-chrome Peavey T-40. Nothing says METAL! like black-and-chrome. And really it'd visually go just as well with any other genre as well.

peavey_t40_001.jpg
 
I play a more progressive metal style so keep that in mind while I rattle off my suggestions.

It depends on your budget. If you've got around 2k to drop on it, I'd definitely say get a music man of some kind. My nod would go to a Bongo 6 HH, but then I'm a bit biased :-P.

If you're more in the Under 1k range, I'd say look at ESP. I've got a B-305, which is actually a discontinued model, but it's basically the model before the 400 series. Until I played a bongo I really never played a bass that fit me better, and I played a lot looking for an upgrade (Sadowskys, F basses, Warwicks, Laklands etc)

If you really don't have a lot of cash, and you're under $500, I'd say that a Fender Jazz or maybe a used Schecter of some kind would be good for Metal.

My general advice though would be to get a bass with an active EQ at least, since a simple passive tone pot is so limited in my opinion.

My opinions.
 
True enough, I just find myself personally limited without an EQ. Some great bass players have played with just the tone knobs, just not my cup of tea.

And some great players have played with actives, but they're not my thing. Almost everything I use is more on the primitive old school end of things.

One of my friends, on the other hand, plays a Bongo, which is active, if I recall correctly. I've tried it out, it's an amazing bass. But I still like mine more.

Tool's first bassist used a passive Rickenbacker with pickups that had a design going back more than a half century. Their current bassist plays a Wal. They both sound incredible.