Best bass for modern country?

Stingray 5 or Lakland 55-02

 

My initial suggestion was anything that looks like a jazz bass with 5 strings and active, but the two you mention would be excellent choices. Not to say you can't use something more modern looking in many circumstances, but both the Stingray 5 and 55-02 have a classic look that will fit anywhere and can more than nail the tones you'll need.

 

Currently using a Fender P tuned EADG with a Hipshot D-Tuner.
Wanting a Dingwall 5-string, or a Lakland 55-02.

 

On my Dimension V, I'm quite surprised that Ernie Ball Strings, the yellow-green pack starting at a 130 (I think) sound just fine. One my Precision V, I use DR Low Rider Nickels, same gauge and have been quite happy.

Strings also depend upon your amp & cabs. I have an old school set up: Hartke LH1000 and LDS 2 x 10 cabs that are ported. BUT, it seems to work just fine.

 

I'd pick flats all the way because you get better decay and the tone " out of the box " is a good country sound. It's a little eye opening at first but it's perfect, really. I want to go to flats but half the stuff I play is in the modern vein and I need more sustain, kind of a bummer. I mean last night I was playing on my acoustic with flats and the more traditional stuff sounded better with the band than when we do our electric gigs. For those, I play an active j 5.

 

Kenny's guy is now a girl...
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But back to the op, I have a Warwick thumb 5er that I use for 90% of my modern country gigs which has a male and female front. The other 10% I use a fender cs Jazz v and although it's more beautiful, the Warwick sound crushes the fender. I will keep trying to love that damn custom shop bass though. Eventually though, it'll just stay in its case.

 

Only since the 90s. Things take place at different speeds in parallel universes.

 

I took your advice. At first I irrationally thought, "I love the tone of the rounds on my Jazz 5 for country music. How could anything be better?" But the tone of the flats kept calling to me. I had recorded my test of Sadowsky flats and during playback through studio IEMs, it surprised me how much massive presence came with those strings. And quite a bit of harmonic content, too. Fingerstyle plucking had a percussive attack veering toward what you'd get with a pick. And picking the flats was even more so. (Recollections of my prior experiences with flats were much "thuddier" than the Sadowsky's.) After three playbacks I said, "Hang it, I'm not saving those flats for a rainy day. Put 'em on now!" So glad I did.