The best bass for any music is the one that you like playing and sounds good. In other words, play what you like. Otherwise, it makes absolutely no difference...
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BEST BASSES FOR CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL
- Thread starter holuoch
- Start date
I am very blessed to have both a Cirrus 5 and a Smith Black Tiger 5. Both are slammin'! For the money, a used Cirrus is hard to beat-IF YOU LIKE THAT TONE! I have heard Yamaha, Warrior, Fender, Sadowsky and others sound real good in the mix. Here is a very nice sounding US Masters bass played by Sean Obryan Smith:
I've heard great things about US Masters. Now I finally know how they sound-REAL GOOD TO MY EARS!!!
You should get what you can afford and what appeals to your ear. To each his tone.
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
I've heard great things about US Masters. Now I finally know how they sound-REAL GOOD TO MY EARS!!!
You should get what you can afford and what appeals to your ear. To each his tone.
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
Check out this thread here.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466883
There's a lot of guys on here that play that kind of music, me being one of them in my church, and they use an array of basses. I think that a good active 5 string jazz bass with stainless steel strings will get you what you need. There's a lot of options available that don't have to cost you a kidney to get one.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466883
There's a lot of guys on here that play that kind of music, me being one of them in my church, and they use an array of basses. I think that a good active 5 string jazz bass with stainless steel strings will get you what you need. There's a lot of options available that don't have to cost you a kidney to get one.
I use a brace of Carvin Bolt 5s, one fretted and one fretless. The B seems to work well in that genre. They are active, but have the option of going passive with the pull of the volume knob. I have used them for over 10 years. They sound really good, are well put together, and are visually attractive as well.
For your budget a MTD Kingston would be a great fit. Swap in some nice pickups and let the Lord be praised! I think the MTD is a good fit as their necks are comfortable, and they are light! I know how it is playing for 3 to 4 hours and weight means a great deal to me.
There are three main models.
The Artist which has a single MM set up like a Stingray.
The Heir which is the same as the Artist but has an additional J pup in the neck posistion.
The KZ which is a lot like the high end MTD American models sporting 2 soapbars.
You can find any of these models for under $1000 used or just a touch over new ($1100 for the KZ). The KZ is a mahogany body with burl maple top. The only complaint some people have is they do not like the electronics. So if you buy used, you can afford a nice set of pickups and a preamp and get any tone you're after. Giving you a custom to your tastes bass with the look and feel of a MTD. Just my .02
There are three main models.
The Artist which has a single MM set up like a Stingray.
The Heir which is the same as the Artist but has an additional J pup in the neck posistion.
The KZ which is a lot like the high end MTD American models sporting 2 soapbars.
You can find any of these models for under $1000 used or just a touch over new ($1100 for the KZ). The KZ is a mahogany body with burl maple top. The only complaint some people have is they do not like the electronics. So if you buy used, you can afford a nice set of pickups and a preamp and get any tone you're after. Giving you a custom to your tastes bass with the look and feel of a MTD. Just my .02
The typical contemporary gospel bass sound, IMO, is a modern, Hi-Fi tone from an active 5 string with soap bar pickups and SS round-wound strings. I personnly can't stand this bass tone. I love the music, but the bass tones used in it drive me nuts.
I use a P-Bass with flats or my Tony Franklin fretless P, also strung with flats. In most live settings, I find that the notes below E do not retain a musical quality and end up sounding like another kick drum.
I won't even go into the likelyhood of a typical sound man being able to get a good kick drum sound AND audible low bass notes at the same time.
Thats just me though, like the others said, play what you think make the music sound good.
John
I use a P-Bass with flats or my Tony Franklin fretless P, also strung with flats. In most live settings, I find that the notes below E do not retain a musical quality and end up sounding like another kick drum.
I won't even go into the likelyhood of a typical sound man being able to get a good kick drum sound AND audible low bass notes at the same time.
Thats just me though, like the others said, play what you think make the music sound good.
John
If the fiver had flats, it would most definitely sound as you describe in the second part of your post. My notes below E do retain a musical quality. Probably because I use a very nice bass, stainless steel roundwounds, soapbar pickups, and have a very hi-fi tone. That's what works, if you want those low notes to be musical.
Exactly! That set up is probably used the most is Gospel settings because it works so well, and has been proven time and time again. I could never imagine using a Fender 5 with flats in church.
No need to reinvent the wheel, the only reason not to use a set up like that is because as JFN stated you don't like the sound of it. Most people do, and thats why MTDs, and Smiths are so popular in Church.
Again I think the MTD Kingston line would be a perfect fit for the OP's wants and needs, and would allow him to get a SWR, or Mark Bass Amp with the money left over.
As a way of making his point, you should check out the praise band at my church. They have a rotation of musicians, and the basses are different every week. The ones I can recall seeing at the moment are Fender 75 ri, jazz 5er, pj, 62 ri precision, some kind of Warwick 5er, An Ibanez 5er, a stingray 5er, a bongo and lately some kind of 6 er that I don't know the make of. Only one that seems to get lost in the mix is the 62 ri, but I might have been sitting in a bad spot that weekend.
If brings out the spirit in ya, play it!
Bob
- Mar 18, 2009
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- Disclosures
- Bass Is The Heart Of The Band -Patrick Pfieffer
I have an ibanez gio that I bought on ebay for $150.00 and it's in really good shape but I got lucky because I should've gone to a guitar/music store and got one from there because when you're buying a bass you can't just give it up just because it wasn't what you expected. so to prevent that from happening you should go to the music store (one that will let you hold and play on an amp for a few seconds is best) and ask for their reccomendation on what kind of bass is best for your level of skill on a bass. when you get the answer you should go to the room with bass guitars hanging on the wall and pick out the best one the employee suggested. After that you should take that bass and play it on the store's amp for a few minutes. Be sure to make sure that it sounds and feels good. if it sounds great but feels like crap don't buy it. if it feels wonderful but sounds like a chainsaw don't buy it. You have to pick out the one that's right for YOU. Besides you're the one who's going to own the bass. After you picked out the bass you like put it back on the rack. Try to prevent the urge to buy immediatly because there are other fish in the sea which means in the way i'm using it there's more bass guitars out there and maybe the one you picked out can be replaced by a better one from another store. It's your bass and you want it to last you a long time. 6 years tops. Good luck!SIZE][/SIZE]
I have been playing Gospel for the last 17 years and have switched between Ken Smith, Tobias, MTD, Warwick Thumb, and Warwick Dolphin. All which do well in gospel. I agree when it was said you need that good roundwound sound with lots of snap. I have found that for me to really be happy I need to always have all 4. I currently have the Smith, MTD, and Dolphin. Once I get another Warwick Thumb Neckthrough, I will be set for life.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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- 7,614
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- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
Any one of these might go to church with me on any given Sunday -- they all work very well.
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