• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Best cheap bass to Wootenize

#61
I would strongly recommend if you're "putting together" a bass, go with the company that exists purely to meet the needs of folks who love doing just that. Warmoth (of course there are others). I have built 5 Warmoth basses (3 of which were P/J) and all had active EMGs. Never had a Pope pre, but you can certainly find what your looking for new or used by going this route.

Side note: I met Vic at his Nashville home in the early 90's, he showed me his entire bass collection, including THE ONE. I assure you, as @two fingers said,
two fingers said:
VICTOR sounds like Victor with any bass no matter what the electronics
Click to expand...
He even offered to give me lessons and I turned him down, stating that "He sounds great himself, but I'd rather focus on sounding great as myself"
 
  • Like
Reactions: WillieB, Rickter and two fingers
#62
I'd say to find a PJ that feels good in your hands first!

giovabass said:
A Pope preamp into a Squier or similar "crap" bass is like putting a Ferrari V12 engine inside a farm tractor and pretend it to be a Ferrari... a complete waste of money IMHO. Also the key factor to have a "wooten" sound is low action, which you would never get from such a cheap bass. To achieve that, you need a better quality bass than a Squier or similar.
Click to expand...

Squiers are equipped with what is known as a "bridge". You use an "allen wrench" to lower the "bridge saddles" and you get low action. Ta-dah!

The best part about cheap basses is that you can drop any decent electronics in and WHAM! you've got a player! Just don't try to bend the neck like Wojtek Pilichowski does, make sure the bass is set up properly, and you won't get any neck twist.
 
#63
taowin said:
I just ordered the EMG-pups/Pope-pre Wooten kit from Best Bass Gear and am now looking for a low to mid-priced good tone-wood p/j style bass to drop them into for a poor man's Wooten bass.

I could go with a Squire vintage modified J bass and rout out the front pup and cavity but I'm wondering if anyone has any good suggestions for other basses to use perhaps with less fuss, like just dropping the pups and pre right in.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I would look for an older Japanese made Ibanez with the PJ configuration. There's an SR950 in the classifieds right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wintremute
#64
MotorCityMinion said:
Moses had graphite necks on sale for under $300. If it's anything like my Modulus Bassstar neck, you can dial it in under .008 relief easy and get the action you need.
Click to expand...
A graphite neck is exactly what I would NOT recommend for a Wooten style playing.
It's a very physical approach of the instrument that includes twisting and pulling the neck, a way of playing that doesn't belong well with the stiffness of a graphite neck bass, which calls for a very straight style.
 
#65
giovabass said:
A Pope preamp into a Squier or similar "crap" bass is like putting a Ferrari V12 engine inside a farm tractor and pretend it to be a Ferrari... a complete waste of money IMHO. Also the key factor to have a "wooten" sound is low action, which you would never get from such a cheap bass. To achieve that, you need a better quality bass than a Squier or similar.
A US made, 24-frets Kiesel/Carvin Icon or Vader with a PJ setup would make it IMHO. I did almost the same mod with my Kiesel Vader VB6 where I put Barts dual coils and the Pope Flexcore preamp with coil tap switches... turned out an awesome bass, my #1 go to.
Click to expand...
I disagree, I have Squier and relative to its price it is very good. It sounds good, it's comfortable to play. Squier bass guitars only have a bad name because of earlier models. Now a days they're some of the most affordable basses that are also very good quality. You shouldn't decide to get a bass based solely on the name brand, though it is important to take it into consideration. The particular bass that this person is talking about is the bass I have, trust me it's not trash. For such a low price it's better than lower priced fenders by a long shot.
 
#66
Fernandes gets my vote, for sure. I love their older, top of the line MIJ models like the APB90. The build quality is super high, they have nice, high mass bridges, Gotoh tuners, and adjustable nuts even. They are dirt cheap now, but they were in the $1000 range back in the day, so you are getting a lot more than you are paying for. I actually attempted exactly what you are trying to do here:

SOLD - Foderes! Fernandes APB90 w/EMG Victor Wooten pickups & EMG Pre

I can't imagine that you wouldn't be happy with one of these for this project.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FantasticFour
#69
I say forget Wootenize the bass, but teowinize it instead. If there are elements to Wooten's tone you like, no reason not to figure out to to add it to yours.

To me, one tone's is comprised of 60% their playing style, and 40% the rest. It's easy to swap pickups or strings that makes up part of the 40%, but changing one's playing style to another can be difficult. At least for me, it is easier said than done.
 
#70
Try and find an old Ibanez TR expressionist. Early 90's basses mostly Korean made, some Japanes. I have two of em, they really feel fantastic and a pope preamp would really open up their sound. Pickups are an unusual size though, so you may have to stick with the stock pickups.
 
#73
Just here to say I'm still amazed that people think you need to spend thousands on a bass for it to be worthwhile or high quality. I'll spend big on a bass to get some finer attention to detail in terms of fit, finish, pickups, etc. right out of the gate. I also play an MIM J and Chinese Squier P that feel wonderful. Save for a bit of fretwork needed on the J, they both take very low action and play smooth as can be.

Agreed with everyone saying find the right feel by trying basses compatible with the pickups & pre. I won't say that how it looks doesn't matter at all - if you love the look (and feel) of the bass, you'll be more inclined to play it. A great looking bass that doesn't feel right, however, will likely collect dust in the corner...
 
#74
From a functional standpoint I'd say you'd probably be best off using a bass that already has a rear routed control cavity. Sure, you can maybe stuff the Pope into a jazz or PJ sized front routed cavity, but it would be a lot easier to have more room to work. And battery boxes can always be added after the fact, but it eliminates extra work to get an active bass that already has one in place.

I don't fully disagree with people saying that it's better to find your own voice or that the EMG/Pope setup won't make you sound like Wooten, but neither is really on target IMO.

The EMG/Pope setup is surprisingly versatile. I figured the P pickup wouldn't get traditional P sounds given that it's a low wind, active pickup that's wound in parallel. And while it's not vintage sounding, I was surprised how well I could dial in a passable Pbass tone. Part of that is pickup placement and part of that is the flexibility of the Pope and the tone control but in a mix it could fill that role. The jazz pickup is further from a true jazz bridge sound but again, it's a flexible enough setup that you can be in the ballpark. And for all the talk about EMGs being sterile, this combo can also be very growly depending on your right hand attack.

At the same time, if you use a relatively strong attack with your plucking hand you get that percussive clarity that immediately sounds like Victor's tone. This was true for the Yin-Yang Standard I played, for the Fodera "New Standard" I played years ago (with EMG PJs and the Haz preamp) and it was true for a custom bass with very different woods that had the EMG/Pope combo.

I never learned a ton of Wooten stuff, but Sex in a Pan, Amazing Grace and the beginning of Classical Thump (at one point I wanted to learn to double thump well but never really did) all sounded pretty damn close when I played them. Well, the tone anyway.

Point being, I think that setup CAN do the Wooten thing (you'll have to supply the talent) but it can do a lot more. I say go for it.

Side note, when I played Victor's bass after a local show (unplugged) I wasn't surprised at the light strings (I knew he used a light set) but I was surprised that the action wasn't incredibly low but also that the strings were pretty old. This was years ago and his sound is brighter (Hartke cabs for sure, but maybe he changes strings more often too) but back then they were very worn nickel rounds.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HolmeBass
#75
pjbassist said:
I would strongly recommend if you're "putting together" a bass, go with the company that exists purely to meet the needs of folks who love doing just that. Warmoth (of course there are others). I have built 5 Warmoth basses (3 of which were P/J) and all had active EMGs. Never had a Pope pre, but you can certainly find what your looking for new or used by going this route.

Side note: I met Vic at his Nashville home in the early 90's, he showed me his entire bass collection, including THE ONE. I assure you, as @two fingers said,

He even offered to give me lessons and I turned him down, stating that "He sounds great himself, but I'd rather focus on sounding great as myself"
Click to expand...

And Victor sees that last part the same way. He has no interest is creating herds of ither Victor Wooten players. Nothing would make him happier than for someone else's playing to blow his mind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pjbassist, HolmeBass, StatesideRambler and 1 other person
#78
AngelsBassBall said:
This begs the question: Why do you want to sound like Wooten? I say find your own voice and sound like you!
Click to expand...
Perhaps ironically, this is also *exactly* what Wooten would say. Then again OP just wants a bass that's outfitted like Wooten's he didn't say he wants to sound like Wooten. Victor's bass is setup for flexibility, clarity, and a funky sound. Not a bad place for a bass to be. I mean, not for pumping 8th notes with a plectrum and an SVT maybe, but for a lot of things it's a good setup.
 
  • Like
Reactions: maxmaroon
#80
there are cheap basses that can give you low action and good tone. The Ibanez soundgear series that are made in Japan usually sell for $250 to $350 used are very well made. The better choice and closer to the fodera thing is a Neck through peavy dyna bass. The ebony board and pickup config will get you a similar vibe. Those dyna basses are great.
 
  • Like
Reactions: giovabass

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back