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Best passive 4-stringer for metal?
- Thread starter Stupid Jerk
- Start date
Definitely Thunderbird. I kicks out some awesome metal tones. But I also heard Ibanez is good, though I don't have any experience with their guitars.
If you like to use distortion or overdrive, I would say a Rickenbacker is great, but without overdrive you're probably better off with a Thunderbird.
My dream 4-stringer is a Ric 4004 (shiny and black) with double Darkstars.
Would that do the trick?
Would that do the trick?
I do CGCF on a cheap Ibanez GSR 200, its a P/J combo that has a nice thin neck and is really lightweight. The new ones have an active bass boost i think (the 4 knob ones) but mine is totally passive with the 3 knob vol/vol/tone config.
I also got a Peavey NTB Grind 4 recently that I'm fixing up. Its pretty hifi sounding, and the pickups aren't incredibly agressive sounding, but it plays just like my Ibanez with more adjustability and more upper mids for a good cutting slap sound if that's your thing. I plan to drop a bass varitone and maybe some new pickups into it to make it really growl properly.
I also got a Peavey NTB Grind 4 recently that I'm fixing up. Its pretty hifi sounding, and the pickups aren't incredibly agressive sounding, but it plays just like my Ibanez with more adjustability and more upper mids for a good cutting slap sound if that's your thing. I plan to drop a bass varitone and maybe some new pickups into it to make it really growl properly.
1. Any P or P/J bass with a hot P pickup (SD Quarter Pounder, DiMarzio Model P, Lindy Fralin). Some good P/J's are Fender's Frank Bello Signature, which comes with the Quarter Pounder, and the Charvel San Dimas which has SD "Hot" pickups.
2. Any G&L with MFD pickups. Even the models with preamps are essentially passive basses at heart, with full functionality and super hot output in passive mode. The SB-2 gives you an MFD twist on the P/J theme, and would be a killer metal axe. I think my L-1500 would be outstanding for metal, and the L-2000 would work too.
3. Rickenbacker.
4. If you're into old school metal, a hot semi-hollow like the DiPinto Belvedere would be cool. I love playing old school metal with mine.
2. Any G&L with MFD pickups. Even the models with preamps are essentially passive basses at heart, with full functionality and super hot output in passive mode. The SB-2 gives you an MFD twist on the P/J theme, and would be a killer metal axe. I think my L-1500 would be outstanding for metal, and the L-2000 would work too.
3. Rickenbacker.
4. If you're into old school metal, a hot semi-hollow like the DiPinto Belvedere would be cool. I love playing old school metal with mine.
You didn't say the sound you want, but for metal there are only 2 REALLY good basses that I will reccomend:
Rickenbacker
Pbass
Those are the 2 most commonly reccomended for metal in any thread I have read about this on this site, and also the 2 types of basses I own, so I am speaking from firsthand experience with both. Rickenbacker is punchy and thick sounding, really great with fuzz or overdrive (think Cliff Burton, Lemmy Kilmister, or that guy from TOOL). Pbass is more twangy (with the tone knob rolled up high)... think Frank Bello (he played a P/J), or Steve Harris.
Between those basses it really depends on what sound you like- thick and punchy, or high and twangy. I like my cheapy Pbass enough that I plan on buying a Fender Pbass as my next bass, but I prefer the thick midrangey sound of my Ric just as much, if not more than the Pbass sound.
Rickenbacker
Pbass
Those are the 2 most commonly reccomended for metal in any thread I have read about this on this site, and also the 2 types of basses I own, so I am speaking from firsthand experience with both. Rickenbacker is punchy and thick sounding, really great with fuzz or overdrive (think Cliff Burton, Lemmy Kilmister, or that guy from TOOL). Pbass is more twangy (with the tone knob rolled up high)... think Frank Bello (he played a P/J), or Steve Harris.
Between those basses it really depends on what sound you like- thick and punchy, or high and twangy. I like my cheapy Pbass enough that I plan on buying a Fender Pbass as my next bass, but I prefer the thick midrangey sound of my Ric just as much, if not more than the Pbass sound.
I like to have cutting power because I like it when the bassist is heard. Steve Harris is my #1 bass hero, followed by Lemmy and Geezer Butler. They didn't just hold down the low end... they hurled bowling balls at your face.
My dream 4-stringer for this purpose (and others) would be a Ric 4004 with twin Darkstars. Would it still have the same punch and cutting power? I'm halfway worried that it would warm it up a tad too much, detracting from the Ric's inherent treble punch (which I need to be in the recipe!).
My dream 4-stringer for this purpose (and others) would be a Ric 4004 with twin Darkstars. Would it still have the same punch and cutting power? I'm halfway worried that it would warm it up a tad too much, detracting from the Ric's inherent treble punch (which I need to be in the recipe!).
