best bass for a growl without overdrive?

[nickbear]

if you want a relatively cheap growly bass then a mexican fender jazz bass.

if you have more money then rickenbackers would be my number 1 choice, then an american jazz bass, then a warwick thumb although that is a different type of growl

 

[DrGroovenstein]

the OP is talking about OLP and you all are giving him options that cost 100x as much LOL.

Give us a price range and we could give some more reasonable feedback.

 

[Chronicle]

i wish haha

Rickenbacker 4003.

Your wish is a reality...

 

[danomite64]

the OP is talking about OLP and you all are giving him options that cost 100x as much LOL.

Give us a price range and we could give some more reasonable feedback.

That's not true; a couple of people mentioned the ATK, which would be cheaper (and better) than buying an OLP and hot-rodding it, which is specifically what the OP mentioned.

 

[Step]

ATK growls big-time

Buy it

 

[Jim Carr]

the OP is talking about OLP and you all are giving him options that cost 100x as much LOL.

Give us a price range and we could give some more reasonable feedback.

Yeah, not all y'all. The MTD Kingston 5 or 4 I suggested, discontinued but findable, is typically under $450 new.

 

[()smoke()]

Both my J-24 and my MM both have good growly tones...But also very different. My favorite is my MM. Go to my myspace site and listen to the song "Stan is the Man" to here the MM growl most notable in the beginning....

Link Removed

BTW...Listen to "Groove in D", that's my Fender J-24...Still growly but a whole different animal!

cool sound, jedi!

 

[adube810]

a Gibson Grabber

 

[chiplexic]

G&L SB-2 (for an agressive growl) L2K (for a smoother growl).

 

[mikeypbass]

Crappy Squier PJ, Out of whack Intonation, flats, a big ass peavey combo amp with every EQ all the way down except mids and extreme highs and lows, mess with the EQ on the bass and you will have the mikeypbass patented fretless-sounding growling mud machine

 

[PikeoftheLake]

I put some TI flats on my Warwick Streamer std and it is a lion.

These German made streamer stds are going for pretty cheap if you look around.

 

[Kyon`]

G&L l2000

 

[mikeypbass]

I'm thinking a musicman but i don't know yet, let me know please?

and musicman!? I have an HH with LoRiders through a Traynor, and it has ZERO Growl

 

[LifeIsBass]

I think even a cheaper Warwick would get you that growl with a correctly matched rig and the right EQ. I have heard so many Warwicks used with modern pop and fusion stuff that was amazingly growly and sat in the mix well. I have not played a Warwick live that sounded all that good, but I chock it up to bad strings/demo amp/luck.

That's the key right there. I've never played a Warwick at a store that I thought sounded all that great, especially at Guitar Center. Why? The strings, setup, and demo amp. Warwicks need good strings and a good setup to sound good. With a new set of strings they sound completely different and a thousand times better.

 

[capnsandwich]

Pretty much any bass with a MM pickup in the bridge postion will give you a good deal of growl, especially a Bartolini MM pup. I know my Tobias Renegade has that and it's got great growl.

Also my Warwick Corvette's got some growl to it, especially panned towards the bridge. It's got MEC jazz pups.

 

[Nedmundo]

To those already mentioned, I'll add the G&L L-1500. It can be had for very low prices on the used market, and is one gnarly, growly beast! The Fender Big Block Precision is similar, but has nowhere near the G&L's construction quality and doesn't sound quite as good. The L-2000 and SB-2 are more versatile, but don't have as much pure growl IMO.

 

[lowbass68]

My Warmoth J has a tremendous low-mid growl. Korina body, Padauk/ebony neck and DiMarzios. Pure passive old school growl.

 

[MarkusBass]

ATK growls big-time

Buy it

Yeah...I have add that my ATK USA growls like a snarly beast! It is crazy! So mean sounding...I love it!

 

[elpelotero]

warwick and rickenbacker and wal. The three mighty growls from my perspective and listening experience.

 

[Ampeg SVT]

Warwick Thumb hands down