Best slap bass out there...

[MikeBass]

Music Man, Ken Smith, G&L L2000/2500, Warwick Thumb and a Fender Jazz

 

[checkeverything]

Yamaha BB2000 and 3000-tetsuo sakurai!

 

[bstringkyle]

EBMM Sterling.
Nice bass, Great slap tone

 

[Sufenta]

I'm partial to StingRays, but this is what I look for in a bass, especially starting at about 1:55.

 

[neuromancer]

Slapping, thumping...whatever you feel like calling it....in no order, I like:

Spector Euro
Modulus Q5
Fender Jazz 24V

All of these have wider than average necks, which I find easier for this purpose, and they don't sound bad, either.

 

[K-T]

most Warwicks and stingrays are my fave for slap. i don't mind the slap tone on a jazz, but string material, gauge, and bridge height are usually allot more important than the bass your slaping on.

 

[capnsandwich]

Hey, here's an amazing slap tone if I've ever heard it. It's a Pensa and it smokes.

 

[EvoMan]

I've owned a lot of basses, all with the motivation of using them primarily for slap. If you want a super percussive punch to the sound, then the best have been the Status Graphites, with my Jaydee a great alternative. Neck feel is better on the Jaydee (the Status basses tend to have very flat necks, and their standard string spacing is pretty wide).

I had a Zon Legacy Elite that was also a great slap bass, but the tone was less percussive. The Zon is probably a better all around bass if you want versatility. I've owned some Alembic basses, and they were not good slap basses, but I would bet that the Alembic Mark King model would be a great slap bass!

 

[cmewhinney]

Fodera! Or a Stambaugh that's built for that sort of thing!

Personally, I would go with Stambaugh because you won't have to sell your house and you will likely get it within the next 15 years!

 

[epoxo57]

Fender Jazz ala my Geddy. But there's something sweet about the "pop" I get from my Precision with an EMG P (dial down the tone knob and slap n pop to your heart's content to disco and funk numbers!). My Sterling is nice too, but I just don't feel the mojo I do as with the Precision - but that neck is killer!

 

[maconbass]

I liked my StingRay's and MTD 535 but, to me, my Sadowsky J beats them all.

 

[Baird6869]

Paul has been slapping for a week or two, so I guess we have to listen to him. Man this guy can slap!

Anyways, I would add the following....

EBMM Stingray (single H PU is best IMO)
Warwick Thumb
Modulus (Flea and similar)
Fender Jazz (obviously)
"Super Jazz" basses such as Sadowsky

F Bass, Celinder and probably a 70s style Alleva-Coppolo. The best of the best IMO.

Cheers,
Paul Theriault
Bassjones
Link Removed

 

[babaseen]

I'm telling ya...I have to vote for Status (fully agree with the comments in the other two posts about Status...easy to play with great tone) having played many MM, Fenders and Sads, I'm partial toward the S-2 Classic
I had heard a bass played by Kai Eckhardt back the the late 80s, I think it was a Schaak or something like that made in Germany...it had an incredible slap tone. I have since heard Marcus, Victor, manring and others but nothing has topped it in my book...although Stanley and MK come damn close with their Alembics or the JD.

Another important point IMHO...it's got to be a 4 string! or all bets are off;-)

 

[Modern Growl]

Ash/Maple 70's Style Jazz IS THE slap sound. Preferably with a high mass bridge, like a BadAss and true single coils.

MarcusMiller jazz
Sadowsky UV70
Celinder, ect... there's many.

MusicMan's sound 'cool' slapped, nice tone indeed, but THE SLAP TONE is a 70's style J, barnone.

 

[J.Wolf]

not sure if I posted this already, but my favorite slap sound to date (that I have personally played) has been a Zon vinny 4 with light gauge strings. Not conventional "slap bass" material but it just killed

 

[Chad Michael]

...But after seeing (and hearing) this clip, I'd have to say Sadowsky:

(slap part comes about 17 seconds in)...

Fantastic playing, delicious tone!!

[crap ton of cool smilies]

 

[Lo end PUNCH]

In this order;

Musicman- any
MTD- any
Status- Mark king Sig, Classic 1 and II
Sadowsky-Metro modern
Ken Smith-any
Lakland-55-94, 55-01, 55-02
Ibanez-ATK-believe it!!!


Honorable mentions;
Sukop-any
Skjold-David Dyson video-YouTube
Traben-the NEW ones only, Bootsy
Conklin Groove Tools-Just ask Billy Dickens
Fender-Marcus Miller sig

Ones that totally shocked me;
Lace Helix-any AND they're passive
Dean-Brian Bromberg sig
Hohner-Steinberger licensed 5, nice

 

[Hoover]

I'm probably the last person whose opinion you'd want to solicit on this topic, since for over 25 years I've been on the fence about whether slapping is the coolest thing on earth or the stupidest most tasteless affectation ever to inflict itself on bassists.

But fwiw, the first time I ever played an original (pre-Kramer) Spector NS-2 it was like my slapping technique had improved 800% instantly. Something about the shape & layout of that instrument just fit perfectly with my body & my technique.

Back when I was doing a lot of slapping (this is going back to the mid-1980's, LOL) I owned a Fender Elite Precision II that had the absolutely perfect string spacing & string tension for slapping. Tone wasn't on par with a Spector though, and the neck was a little shallow for my tastes, but it definitely was a contender, & if I got a gig that required slapping nowadays (and couldn't find an NS-2) I'd consider locating one of these Fenders just to get the bridge & body.

 

[NorCal Dog]

i'd say a Modulus VJ my $.02

 

[MikeBass]

Crap!!
Totally forgot an MTD - 635/535