Hello all. I'm primarily a guitarist, some keyboards, but I've also been playing bass since the 90s. I used to do a Angine de Poitrine style show but instead of a human drummer I'd use sequencers. My bass is a Steinberger Q from the early 90s that I used to have up on a Grace stand so I could do guitar and synth stuff. Fun.
I love the tone of the Steinberger, but the 34" scale of it has always been difficult for me due to a left hand pinky injury when I was in high school, back when the earths crust was still cooling. I got a bee in my bonnet to go with a short scale, and here's where I'm at. There's an Ibanez EHB1505S that seems very good for me. Short scale, headless, light and a 5 string, which I've never played but I think that would be good, especially if I tune the B to an E. For a bit more, there's a EHB1505SMS. They seem like a lot of instrument for the money and a good value.
...however, there are other instruments that come from small luthiers that I feel drawn to. McGrath, Curtinsmith and ACG are in the running. These are more, and would mean I'd have to sell the Steinberger, which I do have some emotional ties to, but not as strong as my ties to my Steinberger GM4T guitar, which isn't going anywhere, ever. Am I paying for exotic woods and the romantic notion of a fine craftsperson lovingly carving basses out of wood, instead of a factory made instrument in Indonesia? Will my cats think I'm less cool if I don't get the boutique bass?
(of course not, I'm the one who feeds them)
Two other questions:
I've never played a 5 string, but as a guitarist I don't see it as being an issue, other than neck width. Is it?
If I wanted to make the B the E and the G a B, is that an issue? Could it put odd strain on the neck? Intonation issues?
Thanks in advance!
Mark
I love the tone of the Steinberger, but the 34" scale of it has always been difficult for me due to a left hand pinky injury when I was in high school, back when the earths crust was still cooling. I got a bee in my bonnet to go with a short scale, and here's where I'm at. There's an Ibanez EHB1505S that seems very good for me. Short scale, headless, light and a 5 string, which I've never played but I think that would be good, especially if I tune the B to an E. For a bit more, there's a EHB1505SMS. They seem like a lot of instrument for the money and a good value.
...however, there are other instruments that come from small luthiers that I feel drawn to. McGrath, Curtinsmith and ACG are in the running. These are more, and would mean I'd have to sell the Steinberger, which I do have some emotional ties to, but not as strong as my ties to my Steinberger GM4T guitar, which isn't going anywhere, ever. Am I paying for exotic woods and the romantic notion of a fine craftsperson lovingly carving basses out of wood, instead of a factory made instrument in Indonesia? Will my cats think I'm less cool if I don't get the boutique bass?
(of course not, I'm the one who feeds them)Two other questions:
I've never played a 5 string, but as a guitarist I don't see it as being an issue, other than neck width. Is it?
If I wanted to make the B the E and the G a B, is that an issue? Could it put odd strain on the neck? Intonation issues?
Thanks in advance!
Mark
