Jon Shuker here in the UK does a bass everyone seems to rave about... The JJ.Burnel signature.
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Favorite NEW P-bass builder?
- Thread starter Jared Lash
- Start date
I take it that's your Alleva-Coppola? Would you mind shooting me a PM with an approximate price tag for a beauty like that?
Another one to add to the list. I don't know if I should be grateful for all the great suggestions or angry that you guys are definitely convincing me to drop a chunk of change on one of these fantastic 5 string P-Basses.
OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Definitely at the top of my list at the moment along with a bass from Nino. The frustrating thing with Lulls (and AC's) is that I've found a few for sale online but never in the configurations I want and there's no pricing info on their websites so I can't figure out what a bass that I'd want would cost me.
This is something I think about a lot, so my post is long.
Jared: A US Glaub is at the top of the heap, in my experience. Particularly if you're after a classic P sound. (Disclaimer: Among the boutique brands cited, I haven't played an AC or a Celinder.) I think their necks are the best I've played--Sadowsky is right up there in terms of feel, but I don't know how easy it is to get a traditional P tone out of them. And you can get a lightly used US Lakland Glaub for under $2k, easily. They seem to come up often enough, and some have J necks if you prefer that.
This Dark Starred Glaub I bought this past summer has the nicest neck I've ever played. Here's a bad picture.
I've played one Lull PJ, passive with Fralins, and it was a very fine bass. I've played several Valentis (one passive single-coil P, the rest were active Js), and Nino makes a heck of a bass. I don't put them quite at the same level as Laklands, but then again we're talking about a lower price point.
In the same ballpark are Fender's Fullerton-era reissues (1982-84, maybe 85). I have a '57 reissue, and it's a killer. Light and resonant with a comfortable 1.75" neck that's very flat. The only thing that can be a drag is the nitro finish on the back of the neck--feels a little sticky compared to an oil finish.
Beyond that, I agree with Johnny Alien's comments about Skylines and recent MIA Fenders. I have a couple Skylines, and they're pretty damn nice. In fact, here's a link to a Skyline Glaub converted to a PJ that I've personally played several times (one of the best Skylines I've played). Doug, the seller, is a friend and a great guy. He's also a bad photographer
, that CAR finish is really great.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=583554&highlight=
I haven't tried any G&L P basses. Good luck with the search!
Jared: A US Glaub is at the top of the heap, in my experience. Particularly if you're after a classic P sound. (Disclaimer: Among the boutique brands cited, I haven't played an AC or a Celinder.) I think their necks are the best I've played--Sadowsky is right up there in terms of feel, but I don't know how easy it is to get a traditional P tone out of them. And you can get a lightly used US Lakland Glaub for under $2k, easily. They seem to come up often enough, and some have J necks if you prefer that.
This Dark Starred Glaub I bought this past summer has the nicest neck I've ever played. Here's a bad picture.
I've played one Lull PJ, passive with Fralins, and it was a very fine bass. I've played several Valentis (one passive single-coil P, the rest were active Js), and Nino makes a heck of a bass. I don't put them quite at the same level as Laklands, but then again we're talking about a lower price point.
In the same ballpark are Fender's Fullerton-era reissues (1982-84, maybe 85). I have a '57 reissue, and it's a killer. Light and resonant with a comfortable 1.75" neck that's very flat. The only thing that can be a drag is the nitro finish on the back of the neck--feels a little sticky compared to an oil finish.
Beyond that, I agree with Johnny Alien's comments about Skylines and recent MIA Fenders. I have a couple Skylines, and they're pretty damn nice. In fact, here's a link to a Skyline Glaub converted to a PJ that I've personally played several times (one of the best Skylines I've played). Doug, the seller, is a friend and a great guy. He's also a bad photographer
, that CAR finish is really great.http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=583554&highlight=
I haven't tried any G&L P basses. Good luck with the search!
I don't have as much real world experience with a lot of the upper tier boutique builders as a lot of these guys, but I can honestly say the best traditional P i've ever played was a Lakland US Glaub. Skylines are very nice basses, especially considering the money, and generally better than any production Fender I've tried, but the US Glaub was just unreal. The neck was absolutely perfect, and so was the tone. Same store had quite a few other nice precisions including some by Mike Lull, which are nice, but not as much to my taste... not really a fan of the headstock, and the overall design aesthetic seems to skew more towards stuff I don't like (i dunno, makes me think of PRS or something... not what i want in a precision). They also had quite a few Nash precisions which were also very good, and something you else should consider. One word of caution about Nash's... they seem to be somewhat hit or miss. I've played probably 4 or 5 amazing ones and 3 or 4 that didn't feel quite right.
OP: seeing as you're in california, if you ever end up in Los Angeles you should try and hit up the Mesa Boogie store in Hollywood. That's the store with a pretty great selection of Lakland, Lull, and Nash stuff and god knows I've killed many an hour in there playing those beauties.
ive heard fender makes a pretty good p bass
I think I might have heard that before too.
Some good comments in the last 3 or 4 posts. The only thing is fewof the brands mentioned make 5 string Ps and those that do are 35"scale. Fender, Sadowsky & Alleva-Coppolo are the only one's I can think of 34" scale 5 string....
Definitely some good stuff in the last few posts, especially Greg C - thanks for your thoughts.
A USA Bob Glaub is most definitely on my radar. And you're right, they sell used in my price range. Right now my hang up is wanting five strings. In response to peterpalmieri's last comment, I believe Nino does 34" five string basses too right?
It will be a little bit before I make up my mind for sure (and in that time I'll be scouring the classifieds and my local bass shops for used deals) but if I decide to buy new, I'm leaning towards a Valenti - either completely passive or active with a passive mode and outfitted with flats.
If I go that route I am looking at either a very traditional alder/rosewood/tort/burst like this:
maybe even with the classic hardware
or else an ash/maple/pearloid/blueburst like this but as a P-bass
A USA Bob Glaub is most definitely on my radar. And you're right, they sell used in my price range. Right now my hang up is wanting five strings. In response to peterpalmieri's last comment, I believe Nino does 34" five string basses too right?
It will be a little bit before I make up my mind for sure (and in that time I'll be scouring the classifieds and my local bass shops for used deals) but if I decide to buy new, I'm leaning towards a Valenti - either completely passive or active with a passive mode and outfitted with flats.
If I go that route I am looking at either a very traditional alder/rosewood/tort/burst like this:
maybe even with the classic hardware
or else an ash/maple/pearloid/blueburst like this but as a P-bass
The Valenti's are 34" scale, I haven't had a chance to play one but I've only heard positive comments...
You should check out the Sandberg 5ers.
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I had the chance to play a California PJ 5 string the other day and it was just perfect
.
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I had the chance to play a California PJ 5 string the other day and it was just perfect
.
+1 on Atkinson. I ordered a J Bass body for a relic Jaco project I'm doing. He was quick, prompt with emails, and matched all my specs. Plus, his prices rule the school. I will do business with him again.
You should check out the Sandberg 5ers.
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I had the chance to play a California PJ 5 string the other day and it was just perfect
I thought Sandberg had been mentioned already but it's not on my list so thanks for that. Does anyone know how easy it is to find a Sandberg in the States? Most of the basses on my list I've already found somewhere local (or at least local to places I'll be in the next month or so) to try them out with a few exceptions.
Side note, I sent the pics of the two Valenti's above to a few people and so far the only one to weigh in is a friend and guitar player in one of my bands who says he and his girlfriend think I have to get the '59 burst.
It would be a Lull for me. I, too, found the Sadowsky basses bright. And I played two examples of Lakland Glaub Skyline basses that had obvious flaws (I was surprised). Maybe I was just unlucky.
I stopped by Mike Lull's shop on a trip to Seattle in early summer. Great guy - it's clear that he is personally involved in every bass that he builds. You let him know what you're looking for in feel, tone, and your playing style, and he'll deliver.
js
I stopped by Mike Lull's shop on a trip to Seattle in early summer. Great guy - it's clear that he is personally involved in every bass that he builds. You let him know what you're looking for in feel, tone, and your playing style, and he'll deliver.
js
