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Favorite NEW P-bass builder?

#61
Hoover said:
Is it just the sound you're after, or are the aesthetics of a P Bass an important part of your GAS?

I really want to check out the Rob Allen Solid 4
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before I pull the trigger on any other Precision Bass Surrogates...but I realize that visually it might not fit the bill the way a more traditional faux-P would. Plus it's more than $2k.

I guess if I were trying to do it on the cheap I'd look at a Warmoth also.
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+1. Rob's take on a P-Bass doesn't fit the usual mold, but after getting my Solid 4 I put my P-Bass in its case.
 
#62
I'm pretty much a traditional P bass guy, but the Skjold Lions Pride B is a very interesting take on the P bass. I kind of dig it.

Here's a pic of one that I believe may still be for sale in the classifieds here.

I have no affiliation with this sale, just like the bass. :)

paul05.jpg
 
#63
I say nash all the way, they are expensive, but you really get what you paid for, i just ordered a black and maple j bass from nash, i went through brian at the low end service has been great, where i live there really isent much of a choice i have GC or order through a small family run music store, i ordered a p delux from fender and once i get my nash im gona sell it it just dosent feal right to me anymore, I say fo with the nash
 
#66
Just to clarify - I am looking for a passive 5-string P-bass with a tone as close to the vintage P-bass sound as possible and want to spend under $2000 to do it.

I got a chance to try out a couple on my list today - Lull, Lakland and Sadowsky but am not any closer to making a decision. The Skyline Laklands are nice, but no 5 string P-bass option (I don't think) and the US models are out of my price range. Likewise with US Sadowskys and Lulls, though the latter is closer. And the Sadowsky (a P/J) had a decidedly modern tone that was great for what it was but not what I'm looking for.

Barring finding a used Lakland fiver or Lull P5 I'm quickly exhausting options in my price range.

Who would have thought that a vintage sounding P-bass in a 5 string would be so hard to find for under 2 grand.

I think I'm going to try emailing Nino to get his thoughts and maybe a quote.
 
#67
Jared Lash said:
Just to clarify - I am looking for a passive 5-string P-bass with a tone as close to the vintage P-bass sound as possible and want to spend under $2000 to do it.

I got a chance to try out a couple on my list today - Lull, Lakland and Sadowsky but am not any closer to making a decision. The Skyline Laklands are nice, but no 5 string P-bass option (I don't think) and the US models are out of my price range. Likewise with US Sadowskys and Lulls, though the latter is closer. And the Sadowsky (a P/J) had a decidedly modern tone that was great for what it was but not what I'm looking for.

Barring finding a used Lakland fiver or Lull P5 I'm quickly exhausting options in my price range.

Who would have thought that a vintage sounding P-bass in a 5 string would be so hard to find for under 2 grand.

I think I'm going to try emailing Nino to get his thoughts and maybe a quote.
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Its a shame Nash doesn't seem to do fivers, there prices are actually really good (always under 2 grand, at least).

If it's gonna be a new bass Valenti might be your best bet. Or I bet Bud Lecompte could accommodate you for around that price point too; a lot of his designs are pretty out there but he's been known to do some really nice traditional stuff too. But with either of those you're talking custom builds which means possible wait times, no try-before-buy, and typically lower resale value.

Personally if this was my mission and I was willing to throw down as large a chunk of change as $2000, I'd probably bide my time waiting for a used US Lakland to pop up.
 
#68
Jared Lash said:
Just to clarify - I am looking for a passive 5-string P-bass with a tone as close to the vintage P-bass sound as possible and want to spend under $2000 to do it.


Who would have thought that a vintage sounding P-bass in a 5 string would be so hard to find for under 2 grand.
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Well there's always the Fender Am Standard 5.
New under $2k and if that's hard to stomach for a Standard American Fender then there's always used one popping up. The stock pickups in them can be a tad modern-Fender tone (slightly agressive). If it doesn't have a "vintage" enough tone for you a simple pickup change can get you there cheaply.
 
#69
chiplexic said:
Well there's always the Fender Am Standard 5.
New under $2k and if that's hard to stomach for a Standard American Fender then there's always used one popping up. The stock pickups in them can be a tad modern-Fender tone (slightly agressive). If it doesn't have a "vintage" enough tone for you a simple pickup change can get you there cheaply.
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This sounds like a good idea, but I don't know enough about 5-string P-bass pickups. Which one(s) have a "vintage" tone?

Also, I am my own favorite less-than-$2000 P-bass builder!

p-bass4X6halfsize.jpg


I put this together a few months ago, had a new bone nut installed with a pro set-up and I've been using it exclusively to get the Motown/classic rock sound I need for my current projects. It's light and plays as well as any bass I've ever tried.
 
#70
Jared Lash said:
Just to clarify - I am looking for a passive 5-string P-bass with a tone as close to the vintage P-bass sound as possible and want to spend under $2000 to do it.

I got a chance to try out a couple on my list today - Lull, Lakland and Sadowsky but am not any closer to making a decision. The Skyline Laklands are nice, but no 5 string P-bass option (I don't think) and the US models are out of my price range. Likewise with US Sadowskys and Lulls, though the latter is closer. And the Sadowsky (a P/J) had a decidedly modern tone that was great for what it was but not what I'm looking for.

Barring finding a used Lakland fiver or Lull P5 I'm quickly exhausting options in my price range.

Who would have thought that a vintage sounding P-bass in a 5 string would be so hard to find for under 2 grand.

I think I'm going to try emailing Nino to get his thoughts and maybe a quote.
Click to expand...
I missed that you were looking for a fiver, Jared. Unfortunately, there's no Lakland Skyline five-string P, and they only just started making US models--there are very few out there, so the chances of finding one in the used market are slim. The US models really are something special, but I'm not sure what the price/wait time is at this point for a new one.

I'd guess there are more Lull P5s out there, but they're probably still rare. I would talk to Nino, too.
 
#73
You want a passive 5 string p-bass, right? For the love of God, man, MIKE LULL already.

Here's what you'll get from a Mike Lull p-bass:

Perfect balance - at least every one of his 4 strings I've played had it, even the jazz style.

Lindy Fralin pups - there it is, right there. The core of your sound for the passive p-bass.

LIGHT WEIGHT - that's right, light weight and, at least on the fours, no neck dive.

Quality - fit and finish is superb.

Countersunk neck joint bolts and tuning machines - for some reason, I find this is a really nice touch.

Excellent customer service, generally a two month wait for your ax.

Lot's of options.

It will sound KILLER. Everyone loves my Lull PJ4 - so much so that when I bring other basses to rehearsals, they whine about it.

Made in the USA!

Going the passive route is a great idea. For some reason, I don't like preamps in Fender basses except for StingRays (probably because they were meant to have them in the first place). I'm actually thinking about going passive on my Spector Euro....there's just something more (and this word has been overused but I think it fits here) "organic" about the playing experience. I find that preamps can cover a little too much of your fingering, if that makes any sense.
 
#74
Everybody knows I'm a HUGE Lull fan & talk em up on the M5V an/or M5 , but I've never heard their 'P', but it's a 35" scale B string that's tight and the necks are to die for. Fair prices IMO. Def check out!



mmbongo said:
I've never seen a Fender I'd pay $2000 for (unless I could resell it at a huge gain with minimal effort!) so with that budget I'd scratch Fender and go with a high quality builder. You already mentioned Sadowsky and Lakland. Also check out Mike Lull. He does some outstanding stuff, as does Nash. If *I* were to buy a P, it would be similar to this one:

http://www.bassnw.com/New Exotic Basses/mike_lull_p5_ibm_brw.htm
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#75
JX, Man, that just makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside :)
I really like the single coil P bass pup ( this one may be a stacked humbuck, I didn't read into that far enough to find out). If you have any sound clips of your's, please let me know where to hear them.

I've never heard or played one and they are a bit pricey for my abilities, but that 'deep 4/5' model is sweet!

Thanx for the deepening G.A.S....



JxBass said:
+1. Rob's take on a P-Bass doesn't fit the usual mold, but after getting my Solid 4 I put my P-Bass in its case.
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