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EBMM Caprice, or other budget friendly options?

filler83

filler83

Supporting Member
Jan 5, 2015
506
501
51
Cleveland, OH
#1
So in my local GC, there is a EBMM Caprice that I have fallen in love with. I am looking for a P or PJ bass to get various sounds with a thinner neck. Right now, I am trying to get something a little less traditional than the typical P, which is why this Caprice seems like great choice. It is a little punchier but can get P and H tones out of it. The only thing that dissuades me is it's a little over my budget. So I started looking at other basses that might get me a similar sound/look to the Caprice but more budget-friendly.

I play 75% pick 25% fingers, mainly classic rock, hard rock, punk, hardcore, and older metal. No slapping. I am sure a traditional P bass would be enough, but just looking for something slightly different.

Some other options:
- Sandberg Electra VS - it has active electronics, but has that look and youtube videos sound good.
- MTD CRB 4 - reviews on here sound good. Passive, thin neck, a different body profile.
- Spector Coda? - again, active electronic, and might be too modern, but seems to check off a lot what I was looking for.


Or should I suck it up and just buy the Caprice? Thoughts?


EBMM Caprice:
upload_2018-11-1_9-15-24.png



Sandberg Electra VS: MTD CRB: Spector Coda:
upload_2018-11-1_9-17-33.png
upload_2018-11-1_9-18-32.png
upload_2018-11-1_9-27-19.png
 
#2
SPLIT BRICK NECK
Strong lows and highs, open mids. Like a vintage P bass pickup but with more beef, yet retains clarity. 43 gauge wire, ceramic magnet, 8.5K ohms.
THICK BRICK BRIDGE
Warm and thick with strong mids. Output and punch like an active, but more organic sounding. 42 gauge wire, ceramic magnet, 7K ohms.
If you really want something different.
Reverend Thundergun-$999.99


Passive but powerful!
24xqg60.jpg
 
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#5
I’ve owned the CRB. In fact 2 at the same time. Great basses. But there is this hollow like tone it has that gets annoying after a while .

Own the Caprice now. It’s the bass that made me sell of all my CV 60’P and Sire V7 Vintage jazz. The Caprice is the best 4 string I’ve ever encountered . Those are being discontinued and discounted now.
If I were you I would either haggle on the price , or buy one of the several used ones off of Guitar Center Used website. Also you can usually find a used one here in classifieds or Reverb . Do it now before prices start to rise on used product. They already seem to be slowly increasing since the recent price hike by Ernie Ball MusicMan.

If you want something lower cost but great sound and still that slim jazz neck , try a Yamaha BB424X.
 
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#6
I
LadyLoveStingRay5 said:
I’ve owned the CRB. In fact 2 at the same time. Great basses. But there is this hollow like tone it has that gets annoying after a while .

Own the Caprice now. It’s the bass that made me sell of all my CV 60’P and Sire V7 Vintage jazz. The Caprice is the best 4 string I’ve ever encountered . Those are being discontinued and discounted now.
If I were you I would either haggle on the price , or buy one of the several used ones off of Guitar Center Used website. Also you can usually find a used one here in classifieds or Reverb . Do it now before prices start to rise on used product. They already seem to be slowly increasing since the recent price hike by Ernie Ball MusicMan.

If you want something lower cost but great sound and still that slim jazz neck , try a Yamaha BB424X.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. They have them discounted new in store for 1199 - the guy I normally work with at GC says that’s the lowest they can go - close to cost. Bevause the list price is over $2000, the used ones I have seen are priced higher than the clearance price. But I am thinking if I am going to have one bass, the caprice can do it all and. Enter to get the best quality and what I really want
 
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#8
filler83 said:
I


Thanks for the input. They have them discounted new in store for 1199 - the guy I normally work with at GC says that’s the lowest they can go - close to cost. Bevause the list price is over $2000, the used ones I have seen are priced higher than the clearance price. But I am thinking if I am going to have one bass, the caprice can do it all and. Enter to get the best quality and what I really want
Click to expand...

I can't believe you have not bought it yet at that price...used ones are going for more than that!!!
 
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#9
filler83 said:
I


Thanks for the input. They have them discounted new in store for 1199 - the guy I normally work with at GC says that’s the lowest they can go - close to cost. Bevause the list price is over $2000, the used ones I have seen are priced higher than the clearance price. But I am thinking if I am going to have one bass, the caprice can do it all and. Enter to get the best quality and what I really want
Click to expand...

Too bad I can't order from GC!! at this price, I'd rather deal with my bank manager..

mdogs said:
I can't believe you have not bought it yet at that price...used ones are going for more than that!!!
Click to expand...

Me too!!
 
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#11
filler83 said:
I


Thanks for the input. They have them discounted new in store for 1199 - the guy I normally work with at GC says that’s the lowest they can go - close to cost. Bevause the list price is over $2000, the used ones I have seen are priced higher than the clearance price. But I am thinking if I am going to have one bass, the caprice can do it all and. Enter to get the best quality and what I really want
Click to expand...

If you have tried and love this specific bass, it is definitely worth going over budget for. I have a Caprice and recently got a similarly discounted Cutlass.

The other suggestions are nice too but when you find something like this in real world and then try to sub with something else...in my experience the sub never works and I end up wasting time and money chasing the original.
 
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#12
I know from experience that Spector Coda will feel and sound nothing like the Caprice. The Caprice is a top-notch instrument. That Coda is decent at best.

I was in your exact situation. I played and loved a Caprice, I even bought it from GC. However, the more I played it, the more I couldn't justify what I spent ($1350 used). So, I pieced together a few Fender PJ's and I love them just as much, and I spent around $700 each. The Precision Special is a really great bass. I personally upgraded the pickups, but that's purely taste.

However, if you truly love the Caprice, maybe it's worth the money to be happy!
 
#14
HD007 said:
If you have tried and love this specific bass, it is definitely worth going over budget for. I have a Caprice and recently got a similarly discounted Cutlass.

The other suggestions are nice too but when you find something like this in real world and then try to sub with something else...in my experience the sub never works and I end up wasting time and money chasing the original.
Click to expand...
I’ve learned this the hard way oh so many times myself.
Very sound advice .
That bass is a steal at that price.
Some things are worth spending a little extra on.
You would be getting a new made in the USA bass with boutique quality for made in Mexico or pacrim pricing
Even the nice made in Japan stuff cost way over that discounted price.
 
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#19
filler83 said:
But I am thinking if I am going to have one bass, the caprice can do it all
Click to expand...


HD007 said:
If you have tried and love this specific bass, it is definitely worth going over budget for.
.... when you find something like this in real world and then try to sub with something else...in my experience the sub never works and I end up wasting time and money chasing the original.
Click to expand...

Bodeanly said:
If you don’t get the Caprice, you will always wish you would have gotten the Caprice.
Click to expand...
Buy it or you’ll regret it. I’ve been there before, so just find the money. Sell something else later on if you need to recoup funds.
 
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