Five String Search: Looking for my unicorn. Suggestions?

[wvbass]

It all depends on what kind of neck you like.

If I may suggest, try a Sterling Ray5. My main fivers are a Dingwall AB1, A Stingray Special 5, and a G&L CLF L-2500. My Ray5 is 100% the player that those are, and 50% the tone. The tone is upgradeable, if I ever want to do so.

Also, I have some used Peavey BXP basses ... a Grind and a Cirrus. They also punch WAY above their weight. On the other hand, I've played some US Peavey fivers that were absolute dogs with respect to their B strings.

 

[dfreeland83]

What's your experience with Lakland? Just food for thought: I was a StingRay devotee for years until I checked out Laklands. I ultimately sold my beautiful US StingRay5 for a Lakland Skyline 55-01. Remember, Lakland basses were initially inspired by Music Man basses.

Similar story witn G&L: I nearly put a down payment on a wonderful L-2000 until I picked up a Lakland 494. That was all she wrote... just sayin'.

Local dealers have never carried Lakland. I'll have to either see who their closest dealer is and road-trip it. I've always liked the specs and the looks, but I've never played one.

 

[dfreeland83]

It all depends on what kind of neck you like.

If I may suggest, try a Sterling Ray5. My main fivers are a Dingwall AB1, A Stingray Special 5, and a G&L CLF L-2500. My Ray5 is 100% the player that those are, and 50% the tone. The tone is upgradeable, if I ever want to do so.

Also, I have some used Peavey BXP basses ... a Grind and a Cirrus. They also punch WAY above their weight. On the other hand, I've played some US Peavey fivers that were absolute dogs with respect to their B strings.

My first bass was a 4-String Millennium BXP. I paid ~$120 at a local music shop and it punched WAY above it's weight. Ended up getting stolen when someone broke into my car the night after a late gig, though :/

 

[Pings Bass]

I love everything about my tribute l2500 except the neck dive. Other than that, plays great, sounds great, well built and finished.

 

[mrperkolator]

You can get anything from Maruszczyk via custom shop. I've heard great things, though never touched one. I do follow all their videos on youtube...

 

[Scarysharkface]

Morning, y'all. So, I think I'm heading in the right direction, but a gentle nudge would be appreciated. I've downsized a bit... I recently got rid of my Yamaha BB415 and my Sterling Ray34HH. The BB415 was nice, but I wanted to put the cash towards a different instrument, and I got the Ray34HH a few months ago. I loved the sound, but the neck didn't vibe with me, and the weight of the bass (the thing was legitimately over 11lb) just didn't mesh well with me.

So, I've flipped those, and am in the market for something that's sortof the best of both worlds.

I'm leaning towards a G&L Tribute L-2500, but no stores within a few hours of me carry G&Ls. Any of you have experience with the L-2500s that can offer insight? Or, is there another five string under $1200(ish) that really speaks to you that I should check out.

Look for a used Peavey Cirrus. Best. Neck. Ever. and not heavy.

John

 

[wvbass]

My first bass was a 4-String Millennium BXP. I paid ~$120 at a local music shop and it punched WAY above it's weight. Ended up getting stolen when someone broke into my car the night after a late gig, though :/

Hard to like a post that ends with a stolen bass, but...don't rule out a good Peavey!

Also, the key tradeoff with the Tributes and the Sterlings is that they are heavy. I'm not a weight weenie, but I also don't see the point in gigging with a 13lb bass when there are other, better options. I have an old, Korean Tribute L-2500 that is lightweight and wonderful, so they are out there.

 

[BOOG]

Morning, y'all. So, I think I'm heading in the right direction, but a gentle nudge would be appreciated. I've downsized a bit... I recently got rid of my Yamaha BB415 and my Sterling Ray34HH. The BB415 was nice, but I wanted to put the cash towards a different instrument, and I got the Ray34HH a few months ago. I loved the sound, but the neck didn't vibe with me, and the weight of the bass (the thing was legitimately over 11lb) just didn't mesh well with me.

So, I've flipped those, and am in the market for something that's sortof the best of both worlds.

I'm leaning towards a G&L Tribute L-2500, but no stores within a few hours of me carry G&Ls. Any of you have experience with the L-2500s that can offer insight? Or, is there another five string under $1200(ish) that really speaks to you that I should check out.

I'm a four string player that wants a fiver on hand as needed, and for variety when wanted. I had a Schecter Stage-5 and wasn't satisfied so, it got sold.
Well, after a couple of years, GAS set in again. I came across a couple of threads about the ESP-LTD AP-5 where @TonyP- and few others were talking about the specs, tone and feel so, I took the plunge and have not been disappointed. The neck dimensions and feel are just what I was hoping for.
Last year, I committed myself to making it my main from February to October and it really worked out well. I still prefer a four string but I absolutely love this AP-5. Along with everything else mentioned, the hardware/electronics/fit/finish/light weight spike the value/cost ratio of the instrument. It is at the least, worth your time to try one. My favorite peculiarities of it are the ergonomics of a thin feeling neck and compact feel of the overall length.
Here's an old pic taken shortly after getting it (2019 ? iirc)

 

[dfreeland83]

Hard to like a post that ends with a stolen bass, but...don't rule out a good Peavey!

Also, the key tradeoff with the Tributes and the Sterlings is that they are heavy. I'm not a weight weenie, but I also don't see the point in gigging with a 13lb bass when there are other, better options. I have an old, Korean Tribute L-2500 that is lightweight and wonderful, so they are out there.

That's where I land. I *can* do it, but if I don't have to, I'd prefer not to. I've shared in a couple of other threads... I played a pretty long youth retreat gig a few months ago... Throughout a long morning practice and the first set, used the Ray34... it was a heavy beast. Then, I switched to my Precision and it was almost like a toy for the second half of the day.

 

[Wfrance3]

Warmoth makes a 1.75" 5 string neck. You can get a 4+1(Fender Style) or a 3+2.
They're 10" radius, not sure about the thickness tho…
Their bass bodies are nice too. If weight is a concern, maybe try for nice light swamp ash body. Roasting the neck helps with weight a little as well.

 

[BassFalcon]

Morning, y'all. So, I think I'm heading in the right direction, but a gentle nudge would be appreciated. I've downsized a bit... I recently got rid of my Yamaha BB415 and my Sterling Ray34HH. The BB415 was nice, but I wanted to put the cash towards a different instrument, and I got the Ray34HH a few months ago. I loved the sound, but the neck didn't vibe with me, and the weight of the bass (the thing was legitimately over 11lb) just didn't mesh well with me.

So, I've flipped those, and am in the market for something that's sortof the best of both worlds.

I'm leaning towards a G&L Tribute L-2500, but no stores within a few hours of me carry G&Ls. Any of you have experience with the L-2500s that can offer insight? Or, is there another five string under $1200(ish) that really speaks to you that I should check out.

In the "other 5 string under $1200" category, I'd say check out a Sire. I picked one up this past fall (V7 vintage Fretless) and am over the moon happy with it, I even love the stock pickups and electronics, which is an oddity for me at this price range. I never even considered one for years because the hype that'd been built up, but it was the only Fretless 5 in stock near me. I liked it so much I still bought it even though it was in a color I usually hate with a fingerboard material and fingerboard finish I had never liked. It just played and sounded that good to me. There are quite a few models and options now, if any fit your preferences I'd say they are worth a look.

 

[Timmah]

Eek, I forgot to put my grievance with the neck. It was really the thickness. I've been a Jazz / P player most of my life and that neck was just a *lot* thicker than I would have anticipated. I don't mind width, i.e. the Yamaha 5'er, but the Stingray neck was very ball-bat-y to me.

As far as specific features on the L-2500, I like the preamp options & the series/parallel option.

In my limited experience, at least the Tribute L2.5K has an even chunkier neck than a Ray. The one I've got is a BEAST. Maybe the American ones are a little slimmer, but if not you may want to look elsewhere.

 

[dfreeland83]

Warmoth makes a 1.75" 5 string neck. You can get a 4+1(Fender Style) or a 3+2.
They're 10" radius, not sure about the thickness tho…
Their bass bodies are nice too. If weight is a concern, maybe try for nice light swamp ash body. Roasting the neck helps with weight a little as well.

I have the know-how to assemble and set up a bass from scratch as long as the neck is decent. It's pricey, but I've been serially eyeing those Warmuth cavity bodies.

 

[Thundar]

Look for a used Peavey Cirrus. Best. Neck. Ever. and not heavy.

John

THIS! All day long! The necks are amazing, Killer B strings, more of a "modern" tone though...very different than a Stingray or the G&L...might want to also consider a Peavey Millennium 5. I sold my last Stingray 5 and bought a Cirrus AND a Millennium for the same $$$...and then bought 3 more Cirrus's
I also recommend the Lakland 55's as well.

 

[Blues Daddy]

I'll toss in my strong support vibes here for a 5 string G&L !

I have three of them - including a Tribute L2500 - and they are all a delight to play. Great components, great designs, great builds, great sounds and beautiful to look at.

Good Luck with your search.

 

[clockworkcorpse]

another vote for a 5string cirrus... but they might be harder to find. fyi, yamaha has thinned the necks down for the five string BB series, so if you like that, you'll like that.

 

[GreyBeard]

String spacing is gonna be the limiting feature here. MusicMan, G&L, and Ibanez are the 5's I've owned with narrower string spacing. The G&L JB-5 has narrow spacing and a fairly thin neck. You can find them used in you price range.

 

[Gizmot]

I have a G&L L2500 Tribute and it sounds excellent. I wish the neck wasn't so chunky, but for as little as it cost, I got a deal. As others have pointed out, at your price point, you have lots of choices. The US made G&Ls, Stingrays and others are definitely nicer than the imports, but you usually have to find one used which is possible. Let us know what else you find interesting.

 

[BobKos]

I know your budget is good and you have received alot of good advice so far. I will throw this at you. I have been in the market for a 5 string again to mess around with. I am a 4 stringer at heart, I have owned them in the past and never really meshed with them. I didn't want to buy a $1K to $2K instrument. Musicians friend had a scratch & dent SBMM 5HH Indonesian Stingray look-alike offered for $275 to my door last week. How could I say no?! I received it this week and truth told it is actually a pretty decent bass. I am a 4 string Jazz Bass fanboy and hate really wide necks. The narrow spacing and hence narrow neck (by 5 string standards) are comfortable for me. The build quality of the bass is pretty good keeping in perspective what it is. I think that for what I paid it is a keeper. I have some pretty expensive Jazz Basses, so this isn't one of those 'my $200 Squier is better than any Sadowsky' posts. But I do know what a high end bass feels like and this SBMM is OK in my book. If you can try one check it out. Or if you can get a scratch & dent from MF just buy it.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/bas...MI58HZyoe19QIVy3ZvBB2jzA79EAQYASABEgKlCPD_BwE

 

[theduke1]

Morning, y'all. So, I think I'm heading in the right direction, but a gentle nudge would be appreciated. I've downsized a bit... I recently got rid of my Yamaha BB415 and my Sterling Ray34HH. The BB415 was nice, but I wanted to put the cash towards a different instrument, and I got the Ray34HH a few months ago. I loved the sound, but the neck didn't vibe with me, and the weight of the bass (the thing was legitimately over 11lb) just didn't mesh well with me.

So, I've flipped those, and am in the market for something that's sortof the best of both worlds.

I'm leaning towards a G&L Tribute L-2500, but no stores within a few hours of me carry G&Ls. Any of you have experience with the L-2500s that can offer insight? Or, is there another five string under $1200(ish) that really speaks to you that I should check out.

G&L is always my first choice
Duke