Low end Jazz 6. I was expecting something hifi, which it does, but It also gets crazy awesome mellow sounds!
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Basses that suprised you (In a good way)
- Thread starter Naxeez
- Start date
Two basses that impressed me. Not sure why I never bought them, but still, every time I play one I'm impressed.
Peavey TL-5. Why does this bass sell for so cheap used? Great playing, well made, lovely tone. Very impresssed.
Danelectro DC I remember picking one up in a music store. The store also had a really nice MIM Jazz. The Dano appealed to me much more. Great neck. Nice open tone.
Peavey TL-5. Why does this bass sell for so cheap used? Great playing, well made, lovely tone. Very impresssed.
Danelectro DC I remember picking one up in a music store. The store also had a really nice MIM Jazz. The Dano appealed to me much more. Great neck. Nice open tone.
I'm forever in love with my Squier MB-4: Super versatile, light as a feather, the neck is to die for, and with the Hi-Beams I can get a pretty massive tone. Considering I got it on a whim and never expected much of it, I'm so impressed and it is my go-to bass for anything that doesn't involve a 5th string.
Peace,
Greg
Peace,
Greg
Went into the local guitar store a few years back, and picked one of these up to try on a lark, expecting it to be rubbish.
To this day it remains one of my regular/main players, with a small mod, I added a coil switch to give the pickup a bit of versatility. Love isn't the word.
To this day it remains one of my regular/main players, with a small mod, I added a coil switch to give the pickup a bit of versatility. Love isn't the word.
My '80s USA Peaveys. I used to mock Peaveys back in the day, wouldn't even try one. I guess everybody grows up at some point.
Amazing basses, especially for the price.
Amazing basses, especially for the price.
I have owned literally hundreds of basses from cheapo to Ken Smith basses. But the ones that I can say truly surprised me were two of my current basses; a 1986 Yamaha BB5000 and a 1991 Ibanez SB 900 Sabre. They are tone machines. This is really remarkable to me because I was of the opinion that basses had to be Fender or American or expensive or whatever the flavor of the month was. I now regularly gig with two twenty plus year old imports and there is no shame to my game!
I borrowed a new Ibanez SR1405 Premium 5er from a local store and absolutely love it. I have never been a fan of Ibanez basses, but this Indonesian made beauty is just killer... light, sounds amazing, thin neck and looks great.
I am very likely going to keep it.... 'cause we all need an 8th bass!
Beyond that, Squier VM and Vibe basses are all great for the $$$. God bless computers and CNC machines!
I am very likely going to keep it.... 'cause we all need an 8th bass!
Beyond that, Squier VM and Vibe basses are all great for the $$$. God bless computers and CNC machines!
I owned one of these a year or two back.... great bass for the $$$. I slapped a Hipshot bridge (didn't like the stock one at all) on it and started gigging it wight away. really nice boomy tone.
Went into the local guitar store a few years back, and picked one of these up to try on a lark, expecting it to be rubbish.
To this day it remains one of my regular/main players, with a small mod, I added a coil switch to give the pickup a bit of versatility. Love isn't the word.
Peavey Pallaedium I bought used for under $400..I never gig with it since I prefer 5 strings but the Peavey is a pretty cool bass and great value if you can find one.
I planned on changing the bridge too(Hipshots being my fave), but the intonation was pretty dang close stock, close enough for rock 'n roll as it were. So I skipped messing with it.
Two that stand out for me are my Dean Acoustic Fretless. I got it about eight years ago for around $330 as something to play around the house and it sounds and plays great with much better acoustic projection and tone than most ABGs I have played. Another bass that suprised me was the Ernie Ball Bongo. I really wasn't a fan of the look of them and then one night I played a set on one with dual humbuckers. Man, that bass felt and sounded great. Now, they don't look so bad... 
Two basses I own truly shocked me at their quality, playability and amazing tone: First and foremost, my 1986 G&L SB-1. I first played one of these at an open jam session with an old musicain/high school buddy that I hadn't seen in like 20 years. He looks me up and invites me over to just have a loose jam with all these musicians we mutually know. "Don't need to bring anything, I've got basses and amps over here that you can use" he says. I go down into his basement to find out what he's been doing for the past 20 years: collecting gear! Anyway, he hands me his SB-1, plugs it into a Dr. Z tube amp. MY GOD!!! It made me a better player instantly. THE TONE I HEAR IN MY HEAD FINALLY REALIZED!!! Very aggressive sounding when you want it to be, but also quite resposive to a lighter touch as well. I started scouring Craigs and bought one from the same year, got it for $300 w/OHSC. My main player, now and forever.
Second was a 2001 MiM Fender Jazz Deluxe. Picked this thing up for $150, and I just can't believe I scored a bass of this quality for that kind of money. The neck must have had a nice reworking by a fine luthier, because the MiM P-bass I played had fretwork like railroad ties, and it was a 2003. The Jazz plays like a dream, lowest action I ever had on any bass. It sounds great too; has the Suhr designed pickup and a nice pre amp, but can still get that passive burpy Jazz sound I love. Both of these basses knocked me out!
Second was a 2001 MiM Fender Jazz Deluxe. Picked this thing up for $150, and I just can't believe I scored a bass of this quality for that kind of money. The neck must have had a nice reworking by a fine luthier, because the MiM P-bass I played had fretwork like railroad ties, and it was a 2003. The Jazz plays like a dream, lowest action I ever had on any bass. It sounds great too; has the Suhr designed pickup and a nice pre amp, but can still get that passive burpy Jazz sound I love. Both of these basses knocked me out!
Hopkins
Commercial User
I don't own it, but I played a few Dean Hillsboro Js. They played and sounded surprisingly awesome.
All my keepers of coarse !
Vintage parts Fenderbird- sounds like an Alembic- Maple & Mahogany goodness
RD Artist- infinate sustain, crazy harmonics
LP Standard-
Once I got it set up right, my most comfortable fastest playing bass- All that's great in the Guitar transfred to the bass- Billy Gibon's pinched harmonics included. Balls big balls.
69 Gibson EB-0 Project bass- The mudbucker is the most amazing pickup when combined with Fuzz & overdrive- The pitbull growls almost better than my dog! How's that for a shortscale?
Custom Blueshawk- sounds like a trumpet when used with certain effects. Great bass, the only one in the galaxy!
Vintage parts Fenderbird- sounds like an Alembic- Maple & Mahogany goodness
RD Artist- infinate sustain, crazy harmonics
LP Standard-
Once I got it set up right, my most comfortable fastest playing bass- All that's great in the Guitar transfred to the bass- Billy Gibon's pinched harmonics included. Balls big balls.
69 Gibson EB-0 Project bass- The mudbucker is the most amazing pickup when combined with Fuzz & overdrive- The pitbull growls almost better than my dog! How's that for a shortscale?
Custom Blueshawk- sounds like a trumpet when used with certain effects. Great bass, the only one in the galaxy!
Washburn XB 102
My first instrument, my first bass.
Feels and plays great, loved it since day one.
My first instrument, my first bass.
Feels and plays great, loved it since day one.
Vintage parts Fenderbird- sounds like an Alembic- Maple & Mahogany goodness
Holy crap! Too Funny!!
'83 or so Ibanez Roadstar II (sorry for crappy phone pic). First instrument I've ever bought on impulse at a store because I just couldn't pass it up for the money. Perfect neck. I've always been mainly into Fender designs, but this one mostly eliminated my Stingray lust. I believe it's the first humbucker I've played on a bass without an active eq, and it turns out I like that sound, I like it a lot. Not that attractive looking, but plays and sounds great.
