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Fast Slim Neck, Hot Pickups, 5 String, Durable Finish

yakmastermax

yakmastermax

Mar 1, 2015
671
444
33
Boulder Colorado
#1
Hey TB! I'm looking for another bass and was hoping to pick the collective brain. My budget is about $800 used or new but I'd prefer to hit something around $500 used.

I play in an heavy originals rock band. Lots of drop D, lots of fast riffs. Right now I'm working with a 4 string MIM Fender precision, I love it, but I know there is better out there.

I want something with a slim fast neck, capability for super low action, and small string spacing. I've played a couple Ibanez SR basses and I love the way they play and feel. The problem is the finish and the pickups. While the tone on those SRs is very versatile it doesn't have the fat growl I'm looking for. Also the finishes are not up to par. My SR500 had deep gouges and bare wood showing after about a year. My roomate's SR1200E has visible glossing/ signs of wear in the finish and for a $1000 bass I find that unacceptable. While there are some Ibanez SR basses with poly finishes they stop around the SR400 level and I'm trying to get a higher quality instrument than that.

I was looking at the Warwick Rockbass Corvette $$ for the Double humbuckers which can be switched series or parallel, however the finish looks like weak stain similar to Ibanez, and I'm afraid the neck won't be what I'm looking for.

Any thoughts? Thanks guys!
 
#5
Fondsdale said:
Yamaha TRBX 305/505, Yamaha TRB 1005J, older MIJ Yamaha, Ibanez SR805, Ibanez BTB775, Lakland 55-01.
Click to expand...
Hmm as far as I know the BTB's are actually pretty thick necked. I'll check out the SR805! The neck I am looking for and I didn't realize they made higher end SR basses with poly finishes. I was just hoping to get series humbuckers, which none of the SR basses have. :D

The TRBX305s look to have pretty durable finishes, some poly, but the TRBX505 appears to have a thinner finish :thumbsdown:, The lakland also has Bart MK1, similar to the Ibanez SR.

Dave W said:
Used EBMM SR5. Be patient and you can probably find one close to the top end of your budget. Ticks all your boxes...
Click to expand...

I thought the EBMM necks were pretty thick?
 
#6
yakmastermax said:
I thought the EBMM necks were pretty thick?
Click to expand...

How are defining thick? Front to back? Nut width?

Front to back they're very comfortable. I definitely wouldn't say they're thick at all.
Nut width is narrow at 1 3/4" and the string spring is pretty narrow down at the bridge too at 17.5mm.

You also get a superbly built instrument, a great finish, and a great tone that works well in all kinds of music including heavy stuff.
 
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#7
yakmastermax said:
Hmm as far as I know the BTB's are actually pretty thick necked. I'll check out the SR805! The neck I am looking for and I didn't realize they made higher end SR basses with poly finishes. I was just hoping to get series humbuckers, which none of the SR basses have. :D

The TRBX305s look to have pretty durable finishes, some poly, but the TRBX505 appears to have a thinner finish :thumbsdown:, The lakland also has Bart MK1, similar to the Ibanez SR.



I thought the EBMM necks were pretty thick?
Click to expand...

No, the BTB's have a very thin neck (front to back), they are a little thicker than an Ibanez SR but much thinner than Warwick, Fender or Musicman.

I haven't played a Lakland but I've heard that the neck is thinner than most Fender or Musicman necks.

And regarding the Stingray 5, yes they are pretty thick. If you like skinny necks do not get a Stingray. The Ray 5 I had was probably the thickest neck I've owned (comapared to your SR500 it would probably be twice the thickness)
 
#8
Fondsdale said:
And regarding the Stingray 5, yes they are pretty thick. If you like skinny necks do not get a Stingray. The Ray 5 I had was probably the thickest neck I've owned (comapared to your SR500 it would probably be twice the thickness)
Click to expand...

The SR5 neck is not thick at all, and definitely not anywhere near twice as thick as an SR500.

My Lakland neck (JO4) is very similar to my SR5's. Lakland has their specs right on their site...
 
#9
Dave W said:
How are defining thick? Front to back? Nut width?

Front to back they're very comfortable. I definitely wouldn't say they're thick at all.
Nut width is narrow at 1 3/4" and the string spring is pretty narrow down at the bridge too at 17.5mm.

You also get a superbly built instrument, a great finish, and a great tone that works well in all kinds of music including heavy stuff.
Click to expand...

Yikes they are kinda outside my budget :greedy:
By thick neck I'm kinda just combining a lot of variables into 1. :bag: Total neck volume is what I'm trying to minimize, within reason though. Ideally I want something as close to and Ibanez SR as possible, just with a poly finish or a pickguard and humbuckers.

Fondsdale said:
No, the BTB's have a very thin neck (front to back), they are a little thicker than an Ibanez SR but much thinner than Warwick, Fender or Musicman.

I haven't played a Lakland but I've heard that the neck is thinner than most Fender or Musicman necks.

And regarding the Stingray 5, yes they are pretty thick. If you like skinny necks do not get a Stingray. The Ray 5 I had was probably the thickest neck I've owned (comapared to your SR500 it would probably be twice the thickness)
Click to expand...

String spacing on a 5 string BTB is 17mm compared to SR 16.5mm? Right? What about neck width?
 
#10
Dave W said:
The SR5 neck is not thick at all, and definitely not anywhere near twice as thick as an SR500.

My Lakland neck (JO4) is very similar to my SR5's. Lakland has their specs right on their site...
Click to expand...

Twice the thickness is admittedly quite an exaggeration, but it's substantially thicker than any Ibby SR I've played and also quite a bit thicker than my 70's RI P bass.
 
#11
yakmastermax said:
Yikes they are kinda outside my budget :greedy:
By thick neck I'm kinda just combining a lot of variables into 1. :bag: Total neck volume is what I'm trying to minimize, within reason though. Ideally I want something as close to and Ibanez SR as possible, just with a poly finish or a pickguard and humbuckers.



String spacing on a 5 string BTB is 17mm compared to SR 16.5mm? Right? What about neck width?
Click to expand...

All the specs are on the Ibanez website. The BTB neck is 20mm thick at the first fret, your SR500 is 19.5mm. Not too much of a difference there.
 
#17
Schecter Stiletto Studio 5, under $750 new or around $450- $500 used. It comes with a slim neck and satin finish, smooth and fast. Many people on TB have complained about neck dive but in four years I haven't had so much as a neck lean! Maybe it's my belly that provides more friction. The neck through design makes for a stronger anchor for the tension of five strings. Just my opinion, not a paid endorsement (not that I'm above simple bribery). :woot:
 
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#19
jjmuckluckjr said:
Schecter Stiletto Studio 5, under $750 new or around $450- $500 used. It comes with a slim neck and satin finish, smooth and fast. Many people on TB have complained about neck dive but in four years I haven't had so much as a neck lean! Maybe it's my belly that provides more friction. The neck through design makes for a stronger anchor for the tension of five strings. Just my opinion, not a paid endorsement (not that I'm above simple bribery). :woot:
Click to expand...

I second this. Schecter doesn't get enough love. I recently sold a lower end Stiletto 5 just to try something different (an Ibanez ATK). I do think it feels a bit thicker than an SR neck though, so I would try it out first.
 

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