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Five String Search: Looking for my unicorn. Suggestions?

#43
Best I've ever owned is my fender jazz v. But it's heavy as a chevy so definitely not what you're looking for.

Easiest to play and most comfortable was my Cort action v but it Def needed an upgrade in the pickups.

Ibanez sdgr I could not get rid of fast enough just all around felt and sounded terrible.

My sterling by MM sounds good but not as good as the fender

And my schecter a studio, most expensive of the bunch, sounds good but not 700 dollars. A little too sterile.
 
#44
If they accept my counter, I may nab this tomorrow from Reverb at $700 out the door.

There's a Tribute L2500 in my absolute favorite color.

0D238C79-15AA-4AC4-B218-82ED7F0EE319.jpeg
 
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#47
dfreeland83 said:
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.
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Truth be told, Squire contemporary jazz hh. It's cheap, neck is great, fingerboard is pretty darn flat for a Fender, and they sound awesome. Also, the pickups are a standard bartolini shape, so you can swap them with anything you could ever imagine if you wanted try some options. The preamp is very functional. It Doesn't boost crazy, or overload your input. It has a standard tone knob. And, it's cheap.
 
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#48
Another Soundgear fan here. Have a PJ SR755NTF and as mentioned there is the slightly less fancy (as far as woods only) SR655NTF. Light, narrow string spacing, top horn all the way to the 12th fret. The new SR605e has split coil Nordstrand pickups (so humbucking). I'd be on the prowl for one except for the fact I already have mine. I've go my eye open for discounted prices though...
 
#52
Zooberwerx said:
Okay, I'm biased but...

Why don't you keep your eyes peeled for a used Ibanez Soundgear Premium? They show-up used on rare occasion and know why? Everybody likes 'em and won't sell! They're comfy, lightweight, 16.5 spacing, and sound great with the stock pups and preamp harness. If not to your taste, they're a great platform for future upgrades. Don't see one available at the moment but here's a Standard 655 which caught my eye...I have the Standard 755 and it's not slouch, either.

For Sale - Ibanez SR655

Riis
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I agree - I have an old Soundgear 885 (recently replaced the preamp and pickups with Bartolini's) that I love due to the thin neck and light weight. Have owned it since 1987 and original electronics gave up last year -- they are pretty cheap used now.
 
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#54
dfreeland83 said:
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.
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Tribute L-2500s tend to be very heavy.
 
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#56
dfreeland83 said:
Waiting for a reply before I accept the counter. They have 2 in stock. My first offer, I would have profited even if I didn't keep it. Their counter means I'd only break even at best, so now I'll make sure I'm 100%
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As @Stranger Danger mentioned, the G&L models tend to run on the heavy side but maybe you'll find one < 9 lbs...I won't hold my breath. Same holds true for the EBMM 5's I've encountered. This is not a hard & fast rule but it does merit scrutiny prior to purchasing.

Riis
 
#57
There are so many different 5 stings out there! The issue is going to be trying to decide which one. First advice, buy used! Save money.

If you had issues with the Sterling being too heavy or issues with heavy basses in general............the G&L Tribute is most likely going to be in that territory also. Those 2 massive pickups probably weigh close to 2 lbs, alone! Usually, those Asian made basses are heavy! (My son bought a Squire Telecaster bass, over 11 pounds!)

The #1 issue with those who play 5ers tends to be the string spacing at the bridge. Hardcores like the 19mm spacing and complain that less than 19mm, the strings are too close together and are difficult to pluck.

So, keep that in mind.

Good luck. (Buy used!!!!!)
 
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#58
dfreeland83 said:
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.
Click to expand...

I ended up with a tribute L2500 in my own 5 string search. I A/B'd it against a Ray35 and was much happier with the build quality and tone. It's a modern sound kind of like the Ray but with a lot more body, if that makes any sense.

Mine is on the heavier side at about 10 lbs but I'm sure lighter examples can be found. The neck is fat. Like P bass fat, which is bigger than I am used to but I have adjusted to it fine. My biggest criticism is that they can be kind of boring to look at but that's neither here nor there.

It'sa great bass. I got mine used for $500. While it has been tempting to splurge for a US or custom model it's hard to justify as the build quality and tone of the tribute are just so solid.
 
#59
I really like my Schecter 5 string, you might find that's the best value in today's market. The neck feels great for small-average sized hands and string spacing is narrower than most, but not so narrow as to make slap playing harder. And it has held up great for about 16 years now. I know some people might not like the stock EMG's but I personally have had great success getting those to fit in a mix on a variety of genres, without much effort. It has been used on dozens of recordings and hundreds of gigs by now, and I hope it lasts me for the rest of my life.
 

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