Basses for Heavy Metal??

[Ripper]

I play a BC Rich Beast and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It plays low end metal easily, and if you get bored with that you can easily go up higher and play anything you want.

Also it has looks to kill for (and you could kill someone with them).

 

[greg]

What kind of metal are you talking about though?? Like are you playing like megadeath type of metal or stuff like children of bodom, two completely different metal bands, it really depends on what kind of metal your playing. But my vote would be either spector, fender j(Opeth bass player plays one), or an ibanez.

 

[Techmonkey]

Also it has looks to kill for (and you could kill someone with them).

+1! I was so tempted to buy one, an NJ beast in trans red... That thing was beautiful! But by time I had enough money the one I was looking at had sold. Now I'm starting gigging again I might save up for one though.

 

[Daywalker]

Warwick Thumb Bass. If your budget is that tight, go with the Bolt-on. You can usually find em on eBay for like $800ish. Or save up a few hundred more and buy mine!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Warwick-Thumb-Bass-1997_W0QQitemZ7343567287QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Ripper]

+1! I was so tempted to buy one, an NJ beast in trans red... That thing was beautiful! But by time I had enough money the one I was looking at had sold. Now I'm starting gigging again I might save up for one though.

I actually have the Trans. Red NJ Series and it is beautiful and has great tone.

If you get one, Be very careful with the points as they chip VERY easily and it is Heavy

 

[Techmonkey]

I actually have the Trans. Red NJ Series and it is beautiful and has great tone.

If you get one, Be very careful with the points as they chip VERY easily and it is Heavy

Good choice of colour!
And yeah, my mate's Warlock has no paint on the bottom points... Just from putting it down on the floor when not in use!

 

[bannedwit]

Really take a good look into (5 STRING ONLY VERSIONS!!!! 35" preferably too)
IBAENZ SR's and
Ibanez SRX's <-------- I GOT ONE ON EBAY FOR $221 + $20 shipping!!!!

IF you have more cash, look into warwicks and even ESP's... ($1500)

Warwicks will give you the Mudvayne, Incubus, 311 Sound that is all around beefy and can be used for all styles and realyl cuts through the mix.. Plus you wont be afraid to play higher notes because even those will growl with "machismo"

The SRX has active pickups and they have neck through ones for better sustain... The necks are also thicker (in between a warwick and SR series Necks) The bigger neck means more thicker sounds...

I heard Warwick Rockbasses are tigght, not as expensive and great basses too..

Or look into getting EMG pickups or Bartolini pickups and put them in your current bass... Or get a better amp rig

Remember this and use it for reference:
Chi Cheng (Deftones) = Fender American 4 string tunes drop C
Christian Olde Wolberg (Fear Factory) = 5 string Fender
Ryknow (Mudvayne) = Warwick 5 strings (thumbs and vampyre)
Jermey Marshall (Cold) = ESP F basses 5 string (Good sound hes got!)
Fieldy (Korn) Ibanez SR's

Basically: Ibanez basses click more no matter what you EQ...
Depends if you hit the strings hard and stuff too...

Other basses have less clicking. Depends on what you want to sound like. Warwicks have almost no clicking... That also depends on string height and stuff too...

 

[karandy29]

Warwick or Spector, ESP, Nothing else.

 

[txmulletrocker]

What exactly is your budget? On the low end, I would suggest checking out an OLP MM. Also, Robert Truillo (or however you spell it) has been playing Fernandez basses. I have never played one, but they seem to work for the Metallica sound.

Now, if you have a bit more money to spend, I would def. suggest checking out either an Ernie Ball MM, Spector, or Warwick. I have heard all of them played in Metal bands and they all work very well in that sound. It all depends on what sounds good to YOUR ear, but I think these basses are a good place to start.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[violatedppl]

i used an ibanez srx505 for some metal stuff I used to play. the pickups sound huge, which they are. they are passive which I think is a plus, imho. it does has an active 2band eq which at extrems gets harsh. but it handles drop tuning like a charm.(although drop an gets a little flopy.

 

[protoz]

I have a Fender Aerodyne Jazz, plays metal pretty well

 

[vacman]

Metal? Did someone mention Metal? My P-bass handles the metal well, with min. amount of issues. I would like of course higher output when holding down the lowend with a metal band and so IMHO Spector makes a KILLER metal ax. Punchy mids, clear lows. I played a Euro neck through into my SVT stack and it blew my P-bass out of the water in terms of being able to cut through gain. And gain my fellow metal heads is what the six stringers, or in the case of some, seven stringers crave. So up the irons and good luck with your search. BTW, I have not played Spectors lowend models but have been told they are worth a look.

 

[mofomage]

I'm building a 5er mainly for metal (Although I'll end up using it for everything really) with a wenge/wenge neck, claro walnut body, 2 Kent Armstrong soapbars (I'll be wiring them Parallel/Single/Series) but I'm not sure if I should go active or passive.
Anyone have any views on active vs. passive? The closest thing to what we play is like a Megadeth kind of metal. I use both a pick and my fingers, with a bit of slap here and there.

I'd say passive, but thats just me.

 

[BoognishMang]

this would be a good MeTaL bass

 

[Techmonkey]

I'd say passive, but thats just me.

I can't thank you enough for your opinon! I think I'll leave it passive at first and see how it sounds, then add a preamp later if need be. After all, it is easier to drill more holes in the body than it is to fill them in, especially with a natural finish

 

[CaracasBass]

Frank Bello from Anthrax (remember Anthrax??) plays a Fender Aerodine!!!!

 

[Force]

Hey, I can't get the Ibanez Iceman anymore, but I'm thinking of getting an Aria or a Warwick. Can someone please tell me if these two EXACT basses I'm linking are good for playing Metallica? cause I don't wanna waste any money here.

Link Removed

Link Removed

If they're both good for Metallica, which one would be better to buy?

Thanks!

 

[Force]

Can someone please help me?

 

[Tash]

You can play metal on anything, its more a matter of having the right amp than the right bass.

 

[txmulletrocker]

If they're both good for Metallica, which one would be better to buy?

Out of the two, I would go with the Warwick. I would think that in the event that after a year or so on it, if you decided to upgrade, the warwick will probably be a bit easier to sell. It will probably retian more of it's value as well.