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Best 5 string bass!!!

#21
A Squier Jazz 5 affinity is a solid bass with a great tone and very nice fit and finish for just $250usd. It's about the best 5 string bang for the buck out there if you want a jazz bass. If you're looking for a Stingray type tone try the new Sterling SB5 or if you're looking for something even more hifi and growly try a Spector Legend or a Warwick Corvette, either can be had in the sub $800 bracket new or for around $500 used.
 
#25
Second the Squier Affinity J 5. Just got mine for 200 USD shipped. You would have to pay several times more to get anything significantly better. Besides, I just like the sound of an alder body with a maple neck and rosewood fretboard (dunno why, but among current Squiers, only the Jazz V, Jazz, and Precision are made of these woods--the others use agathis, basswood, or soft maple body woods).
 
#29
Because of the piano/vocal-friendly keying, you want a particularly good low B. But, short of that, the diversity of Gospel music is such that you can play anything. Gospel is defined more by the message in song than the genre of music.

Pick out the bass that sounds like the sound in your head. The one that you have to stop and look at every time you pass by it, and the one that you enjoy playing so much that you'll squeeze practice time in at every opportunity. If you can't put it down, it's the right one.

The better you become as a player, the better any bass is going to sound.
 
#30
Tom Clement is a bass luthier here in Florida. He has made and sold more than 200 basses and has shipped them all over the world. Great reputation. You will find all kinds of great info here on the forums about him and he's a regular contributer.

I have a 5 string "Jon" model of his and it's amazing. The low b is crazy good. I use it in my church band and it creates some beautiful sounds. He uses many different quality woods and has many original designs.

He does mostly custom work but when I bought from him the bass was one he had already made and was selling. On his website you can pick out your own piesces of wood and he sends you step by step photos of the construction

I previously played an modulus Q5 and an original NYC Steinberger 5er (both highly regarded B strings)and I would take the clement anyday.

I met Tom in person and he is the nicest guy. Lastly... He's in your pricerange.

Highly recommended

I have attached a file of a friend of Tom's named Bill playing the bass. They sent me that so I could hear it before I bought it.

The bass has Bartolini pickups with the NTMB active system although I play it passive most of the time.

a link to Toms website...
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#37
I apologize for my earlier post. For Gospel (we're talking old school Gospel like Aretha, right?) I would absolutely have to have a P. Everything else, not knowing what it might be, add a J pickup just in case. So for your price, I'd want only a Nordstrand Nordy PJ5 (I'm GASsing for one, actually I'd been GASsing for one for years before it existed).
 

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