Basses you love that don't get enough recognition

[birminghambass]

As per the title, let's hear about some hidden gems in the bass world. Maybe it's a rare model of a poplar brand, an obscure builder that nobody talks about, or just a bass that typically gets crapped on by TB but you love it anyway. Looking for mass-unpopular basses here, sorry but your beloved P bass doesn't qualify.
I've owned about 200 basses through the years (have 9 currently) and have been very pleasantly surprised by a few models, and downright blown away by others. My inspiration for this thread is a recently acquired Tobias Growler. For years I've read about how Gibson Tobias basses should all be burned for firewood. Well my Growler is fantastic in every way. I got it cheap and am amazed at the playability and flexibility.
A few others that are undervalued IMO:
Fender Zone, the MIM version. Much higher quality then regular MIM. I see these sell for less than $400 all the time.
Low end Ibanez, just above the Gio line. Super nice, great necks, dirt cheap.
Older, lower Yamahas. I'm talking the RBX models and the like. Can be had for super cheap.
Warwick Fortress. Might be a bit odd looking for most, and definitely hard to find these days. Incredible tone and playability.

That's all I can think of at the moment, I'll come back and add to the list as I remember them.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I cannot lie! For me, it's gotta be the Fender Blacktop Jazz! I love that beast to pieces! It's so incredibly bold and powerful, but can still be mellowed out to the nth-degree.

Sadly, they received a lukewarm reception at best and were only produced for a couple of years…2011 to 2013, I believe.

 

[JakobT]

For me it’s the Musicman Sabre. More versatile than the StingRay, but still unmistakably a Musicman. It never really caught the imagination of the bass community, and has been discontinued twice.

 

[Bass V]

I'm out, everything does come straight back to a good P, no matter who makes it

 

[jamro217]

Ampeg AUB-1 scroll bass
Westone Rail bass
Gibson Ripper
Guild Starfire

 

[Microbass]

Can’t see myself ever requiring a Fender with this thing. Been my #1 since I bought it when I was 14. Was built 12 years before I was born to the day.

 

[JRA]

all of mine and most of everyone else's. isn't that one of the reasons why we're here gabbing in the first place?

per the OP: i cannot lie! lots of chinese branded axes out there and too many of them are the cat's meow! but my kapok unlined fretlesses (modified) are the bomb!

 

[Andy R]

Peavey Palaedium - I know that there are people on here who appreciate it (myself included, obviously) but the only person that I’ve ever seen a video of using one is Jeff Berlin (with Mike Pachelli) and even that was post Peavey’s production of them and he has gaffa tape over the logos.
If anyone has found any more footage of one being used I'd be interested to see it.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Fender gets a lot of negative talk about their 5 string models . If it’s not the so called floppy B string , it’s the crappy preamp.
Anything Fender does outside of the normal classic Precision or Jazz Models seems to get criticized and or discontinued before given a fair chance.

I happen to enjoy my now discontinued Fender Elite Jazz V with its non traditional ebony fretboard and trust rod adjustment wheel very much. This is one of the lightest, best playing , most comfortable 5 string guitars I have ever played. The neck is perfect for my hands . It still has that classic Fender look. Just a great bass and one Fenders best 5 string offerings IMHO.

 

[bwildt]

I've been pleasantly surprised with my Ibanez Artcore AGB140. Unlike most semi-acoustic basses, this one has a 34" scale and just a single pickup that is placed a little more toward the bridge than the usual p-bass position. The result is that the bass has a slightly Stingray-esce tone, except it is a little more "accoustic" sounding-- nice attack, then a quicker decay.

Note: This pic is not mine.

 

[L-1329]

It never really caught the imagination of the bass community, and has been discontinued twice.

That would be because the bass community has no imagination.

Mine is my Victory Artist. It was a perfect stroke of luck that it was my first bass guitar. And it will never leave my possession, no matter what.

 

[JakobT]

I'm out, everything does come straight back to a good P, no matter who makes it

The P-bass is great (I own two), but it can scarcely be said that it doesn’t get enough recognition, especially here on TB.

 

[JakobT]

That would be because the bass community has no imagination.

Mine is my Victory Artist. It was a perfect stroke of luck that it was my first bass guitar. And it will never leave my possession, no matter what.

I don’t know about lack of imagination - traditional might be nearer the mark, which I don’t really mind that much, being of a somewhat traditional disposition myself.

However, in spite of being a less traditional bass, the StingRay has kind of stolen a march on the Sabre, which is a pity, as you can get a great many different tones out of the Sabre, including a very passable StingRay tone. But I suppose it’s somewhat less iconic looks-wise, being more P-like in appearance, and the StingRay was simply more popular. Oh, well.

The Gibson Victory Artist is a very untraditional-looking bass, and I’ve actually never seen one in the wild. Got any pics?

 

[Hank Scorpio]

I cannot lie! For me, it's gotta be the Fender Blacktop Jazz! I love that beast to pieces! It's so incredibly bold and powerful, but can still be mellowed out to the nth-degree. View attachment 3716364

Sadly, they received a lukewarm reception at best and were only produced for a couple of years…2011 to 2013, I believe.

View attachment 3716365

Always planned to have one of these and swap in a maple Precision neck (just not Jazz/rosewood guy), as well as use a Reggie Hamilton pickguard to move the middle pickup back a bit. I bet that would be pretty close to my dream bass, and with a switch to put each pickup into parallel mode, I think that you could pretty easily get close enough to:

- Precision
- Jazz
- PJ

sounds, plus it's own P-P goodness. It'd really be a swiss army knife of Fender tones.

Now they never seem to pop up for sale in the UK, I've probably missed the boat on that one.

 

[Ostie]

Epi Jack Casady. It’s my #1 and the one I can’t live without.
Epi EB0. Only thing I would trade it for is a Gibson EB0.
Fender Mustang PJ. So much fun to play and a good P sound.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Fender gets a lot of negative talk about their 5 string models . If it’s not the so called floppy B string , it’s the crappy preamp.
Anything Fender does outside of the normal classic Precision or Jazz Models seems to get criticized and or discontinued before given a fair chance.

I happen to enjoy my now discontinued Fender Elite Jazz V with its non traditional ebony fretboard and trust rod adjustment wheel very much. This is one of the lightest, best playing , most comfortable 5 string guitars I have ever played. The neck is perfect for my hands . It still has that classic Fender look. Just a great bass and one Fenders best 5 string offerings IMHO.

View attachment 3716554

I also think the Fender Roscoe Beck is another overlooked great Fender 5 string.

 

[hawk400]

'78 Odyssey Hawk

 

[Bass V]

The P-bass is great (I own two), but it can scarcely be said that it doesn’t get enough recognition, especially here on TB.

no truer words, and deservedly apropo. Leo nailed it, then gave the public variations of it

 

[bobyoung53]

Well, my P bass...............

 

[Clark Dark]