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GREAT 5 string P-bass

S

Soul Power

Jun 9, 2010
211
4
35
calabasas california
#1
Hey all, so I'm in love with my spector euro with flats and the P solo'd-----
Money is no issue, because I won't be getting it for a long time, but I've realized that a 5 string P bass will be very handy for those times when guitarists want to play in alternate tunings. I have a 5 string fodera N.Y.C. empire bass and I must say, it is amazing and I LOVED it in action with this heavy blues cat I'm playing with now this past sunday----but I have a serious love for the classic P with flats and foam, and it'd be very nice to own one for those all-purpose moments.
I've seen alleva coppolo (is that how you spell it (broken question mark button)) basses on here and I must say, they are BEAUTIFUL!
What I would like to know is if their 5 string P bass
(Don't suggest fender, mainly because I want an EXCEPTIONAL bass in the future...not one i could give or take)
A. Has a neck similar in feel to the spector euro
B. Has that nice full "bell" tone with flats...not an empty bell
C. Has a sturdy B string.
or if you have a better suggestion, throw it out there!
 
#9
If you have a Spector 5-string routed for EMG Soapbar pickups, you can always replace them with an Link Removed & Link Removed (or Link Removed, the former for either the "Classic" P/J combination or the latter for the huge P/DC* arrangement that the older [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] had). I'm a J & Spector guy, and did this to approximate the Precision tone in the neck & ergonomics of my Spectors while I'm on the hunt for the Am. Dlx P5 from the very small window where they had the 5-inline headstock *and* came with Maple fretboards on the 5ers (I came upon one at the beginning of the year, but it was just after we'd moved and had too many expenses to fritter away on basses... and of course it was bought up 3 days later. :bawl: )

Granted, this works better in my case in getting the P-tone as I play Euro Bolt-On Spectors with Alder & Maple-topped bodies and Maple necks with Rosewood fretboards, so both the construction as well as the woods used are closer to "Classic Precision" than your typical neck-thru Spector. Then again, you could always try and keep your eyes open for a used 1st or 2nd Generation "ReBop" (the other name for the Euro Bolt-On line) that's a simple Alder body and either Dot Inlays or Crown Inlays which would do for a better Precision "platform" than the current Euro Bolt-On 5 DLX FM (Flame Maple top) or EX (Exotic Top, in this case Zebrawood).

Then again, this can get expensive if not watching out and buying used, so the advice of the "bgmww" for a Schecter Diamond-P 5 Custom is a great one. Basically the same configuration as the P/DC American Deluxe Precision but the humbucker has a Coil Tap, so you can switch to the more conventional "P/J" setup as needed. Fantastic build and sound quality, and quite reasonable at $549 at the "Big Box" online music shops.

*Granted, I'm also not your typical Spector Player as I'm not big on EMGs as "My Sound", so the EMGs are a "testbed" to see if the concept worked and will be replaced with Nordstrand NP5 & DC5 set in custom EMG shells, just as I have their single coil "Big Singles" in my other 3 Spectors - fretted 4-string & fretted and fretless 5-strings.)
 
#12
I play Alleva-Coppolo J's and they are great. The 5 string necks are a bit Fodera like in that they are very wide and a very flattened C profile. Their P Basses are beautiful also, but I haven't played one... not sure about the neck profile

I go for a bit brighter tone with a P than you are describing, and have round wound nickels on this bass, but the Nordstrand Nordy PJ5 is a thing of beauty. Perfect fit and finish, old school 1 piece neck (maple board) or skunk stripe with rosewood board, amazing Nordstrand P pickup, perfect playability, great weight (they are typically between 8 and 9 pounds. Nice nitro finish available if you want it (I went poly on mine, since I was more after that 70's/80's funk vibe. The neck profile is a very slight compound radius (I think 9 to 14), and has that bit of rounded P profile to the back of the neck. 19mm spacing and full 1 7/8" at the nut.

Here is my ash/maple VP5!

VP5_5.gif


vp5_3.gif


vp5_2.gif


As a former Fodera and MTD player, the Nordy is every bit the instrument as those wonderful basses. Price.... upper $2K to mid $3K, depending on how fancy you want to get.

I have some clips on my Youtube channel, but I have a feeling my tone is 'not your tone', so probably not helpful.
 
#14
Boy, that Nordy is a beauty....

I play a 59 P-bass as my primary bass so I know what you mean - for me, its a function of decent size flatwound strings (at least 50-105s), action not too low, and a VT bass pedal (only effect that I use). Cuts through everything like a knife with a real classic, deep sound. Having said that, I also have a Lakland Skyline 55-02 that I've owned for a few months because, like you, I wanted to get into 5s and see how I liked them. The 55-02 really more than holds its own against my P bass - great sound, more sustain than I am used to but that B string kills. A bit more versatile too, but the P is still my go-to bass for blues and r&b.

You might try one, lots of people are big on the Skylines and for the prices, they are killer.
 

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