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"Common Sense" Bass

Dr. Cheese

Dr. Cheese

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2004
57,282
120,408
Metro St. Louis
#1
I am a fair to middlin' bassist who plays mainly in church and his den. I play urban gospel, some jazz and latin, and I love to play along with old funk and rock records.

Suppose I want just one nice five string, fretted bass (could be used,) that will be my go to bass 90% of the time. The price should be between $700-$1,100. Tell me what I should get!:bassist:

PS - I have owned a ton of gear, don't hestitate to recommend something I have had before.:hiding:
 
#2
Dr. Cheese said:
I am a fair to middlin' bassist who plays mainly in church and his den. I play urban gospel, some jazz and latin, and I love to play along with old funk and rock records.

Suppose I want just one nice five string, fretted bass (could be used,) that will be my go to bass 90% of the time. The price should be between $700-$1,100. Tell me what I should get!:bassist:

PS - I have owned a ton of gear, don't hestitate to recommend something I have had before.:hiding:
Click to expand...

Without any rhyme or reason backing me up, I bet a used USA G&L L-2500, or a new Tribute L-2500 would probably make one helluva jack-of-all-trades workman bass. Never owned one, but I've quite enjoyed the handful I've played. And they seem to be built very well, and a lot of people adore them. Probably one of the most versatile instruments I've tried in that they actually can do a good vintage/warm type of tone in addition to all the other stuff.
 
#4
used Stingray 5...in whatever configuration of H, HS, HH you like best. I have nothing against the extra pickups, but I've always liked the sound of the single H enough to feel like I wouldn't need the extra neck pickup. They are at home in virtually any style you like. It'll even get old-school, in a Bernard Edwards kind of way, if you string it with flats. If you can handle the weight, or find a light one, you really can't go wrong with an SR5. It is the consummate professional 5er IMO.
 
#8
As was mentioned earlier, you can't go wrong with a Stingray 5. I'd say the SR5 is the benchmark by which all 5 string basses are to be measured by.

Bang for the buck, a used Peavey Cirrus 5 is an incredible bass for the money.
 
#10
another vote for g&l l2500

i play the tribute , and its an amazing inmstrument, i can only imagine the usa would be better (im not sure how it could be really, the trib is so good),

it does everything pretty well and is built beautifully.
 
#12
Fromage,

Given your preference for wider spacing, the SR5 and/or L2500 are out, tho you could get one of each with your $ number, if you went Sterling and Trib, both used....
OK, The US Millenium is "pretty wide" but still not 19mm. 5502 is the next one up the ladder. Used Roscoe Beck. Newer used Jazz 5. Lots of options.

Are you settling on THE bass?? I wager whatever you pick, you will hold on to for no more than 90 days. My wager, one US dollar!

Lee
 
#13
Dr. Cheese said:
I am a fair to middlin' bassist who plays mainly in church and his den. I play urban gospel, some jazz and latin, and I love to play along with old funk and rock records.

Suppose I want just one nice five string, fretted bass (could be used,) that will be my go to bass 90% of the time. The price should be between $700-$1,100. Tell me what I should get!:bassist:

PS - I have owned a ton of gear, don't hestitate to recommend something I have had before.:hiding:
Click to expand...

this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/5-string-Americ...QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item1c0d66977a
or this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/5-Ernie-ball-St...QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item35a4725293
or this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/WARWICK-CORVETT...QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item2302d9bedc

or this (6 strings on this one:D)
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Peavey-Cirr...QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item2ea865a299
 
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#15
BassikLee said:
Fromage,

Given your preference for wider spacing, the SR5 and/or L2500 are out, tho you could get one of each with your $ number, if you went Sterling and Trib, both used....
OK, The US Millenium is "pretty wide" but still not 19mm. 5502 is the next one up the ladder. Used Roscoe Beck. Newer used Jazz 5. Lots of options.

Are you settling on THE bass?? I wager whatever you pick, you will hold on to for no more than 90 days. My wager, one US dollar!

Lee
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, I love SR5s, and the narrow spacing does not bother me, I just happen to like wide spacing when it is available.

I really just want some feedback because the economy is making me want to settle down. I'm pretty deep in middle age, and my children are pretty young for a man my age too. I need to settle on a decent bass and call it a day because soon I will be needing to really concentrate on both college and my retirement. I guess the bad economy has really scared some sense into my consumer indulgences. I think I need to settle on a nice, workaday bass and chill because the next ten or eleven years will be on me before I know it!:help:

It's funny because I have owned every bass mentioned except for a DJ5, which is most likely a bit outside the limits I have set for myself. My own biases lead me towards a 55-02/SR5/Fender Jazz V or JO5. We'll see what happens because any purchase won't be until next Spring at the earliest.:)
 
#17
I won't necessarily recommend something specific, as I don't have a whole lot of experience in that price range, but it seems like your requirements in a bass would have to be able to nail a vintage R&B/Soul tone (in my mind a Fender sound of course) while still being able to cop that bright and snappy Modern Gospel tone. Sounds like the Lakland 5501 to me, or possibly a passive or active Fender Jazz bass 5. In general, I'd go with a bright sounding bass that you can darken up with EQ rather than a darker sounding instrument. IMO of course.
 
#18
 
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#20
ElMon said:
I won't necessarily recommend something specific, as I don't have a whole lot of experience in that price range, but it seems like your requirements in a bass would have to be able to nail a vintage R&B/Soul tone (in my mind a Fender sound of course) while still being able to cop that bright and snappy Modern Gospel tone. Sounds like the Lakland 5501 to me, or possibly a passive or active Fender Jazz bass 5. In general, I'd go with a bright sounding bass that you can darken up with EQ rather than a darker sounding instrument. IMO of course.
Click to expand...

That is a pretty good assessment of what I want although even when I play funk, it tends to sound pretty bright.:) I guess the only time I cut the treble is for some Bernard Edwards sort of stuff or maybe some Paul Jackson lines.:bassist:
 

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