Help: I don't know what I want anymore

[JazzyJacuzzi]

TL;DR: I need a light versatile bass that can get me from Gloria Jones' Tainted Love to Muse's Starlight, passing by Dua Lipa's Don't Start Now and Queen's Don't Stop Now.

I've been playing bass for over 15 years now and have owned quite a few Jazzes, Precisions, PJs, Stingrays and even a Warwick at one point. In the past two years, I've had an American Original 60s Jazz and American Original 60s Precision, which I have recently sold for a Music Man Stingray Special HH.

Thing is, I don't like owning more than one bass. I always end up playing my favourite one and leaving the others in the closet.

I loved the tone of the Precision with La Bella flats best, but it didn't work for the faster songs and those where the bass needed to cut through the mix. The nut width (1.73) wasn't the greatest either. The Jazz worked for those songs, but sounded thin for modern pop.

I like the feel of the Stingray HH, but I don't know about the tone. It works great for some things, but too hi-fi or aggressive on other things.

I've been going around music stores trying stuff this past week, but most of them don't have all that many basses. I really enjoyed the Squier 60s Mustang. I've been eyeing Serek basses for a while and was thinking maybe I could get them to build a short scale versatile bass, but I'm worried having a short scale bass as my sole instrument will be limiting. I also really enjoyed the American Professional II Precision. But again, it's not the most versatile instrument.

But again, everything seems, I don't know, disappointing? What would you be looking at with $3k?

 

[Gorn]

Maybe experiment with some new strings on the basses you have before you spend three grand?

 

[4SG]

You lost me at “I don’t like owning more than one bass.”

 

[Black Out Jazz]

If I was gonna spend 3 large I'd build my own starting with a killer neck from
https://musikraft.com/product/bass-neck-custom-build/

 

[jd56hawk]

And you've never owned one of these?

Seriously?

 

[Razman]

You lost me at “I don’t like owning more than one bass.”

This.

And you've never owned one of these?
View attachment 4506722
Seriously?

And this - my first thoughts exactly.

I do somewhat get your reasoning behind the one bass only thing but I don't think it's practical for the variety of tones you need.

That said, you are in the right place for finding opinions and there is no shortage of GAS here, so enjoy the journey that your search will lead you on. I hope it is shorter than what I think it will actually be.

Raz

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

I've had an American Original 60s Jazz and American Original 60s Precision.

It sounds like you had everything you needed right there, unless you need an active bass. Maybe re-examine your aversion to having one bass?

 

[bwildt]

I'll second that you might want to check out a G&L L2000 or L2500. It's passive. It's active. It can be aggressive. Roll back the volume and tone controls and it tames down.

Re: too hifi. That's what the volume and eq on an active bass is for. You don't need to always run the instrument wide open. On my Stingray, I never have the bass and treble turned all the way up. It can get rather muted and dark sounding if you turn them down enough.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Thing is, I don't like owning more than one bass.

What is wrong with you?

 

[osonu]

Flats on a Stingray 5HH and learn your way around the controls gives you a pretty good range, same for the L2500. I guess the flats are optional, but I like them.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

An active J should not be too thin for anything with the right strings. Maybe try a few of those before you decide.

 

[Ks68jazz]

Many options with $3k. G&L'S are great and very versatile, I own several. None of mine are light however, if you can find one under 9 1/2 pounds snag it.
But for me I would look at Sandberg California Series . Several options for pickup configuration, I have a VS4.
All of these are light, mine comes in at 7 pounds.

 

[sonojono]

+1000 on the G&L

 

[juancaminos]

It's all been said...

 

[Wolfhound32]

Again G&L L2000, specifically with the optional “K-wiring.” It is a three position switch (replaces one of the 2-position switches) that adds the ability for coil tapping (provides single coil selection).
- Twin humbuckers (3 positions)
- Twin single coils (3 positions)
- Active preamp
- Active/ passive switch
- Series/ parallel switch
- Treble/ bass boost

* Variety of neck size/shape options

The single coil options nail several classic Fender tones… really tough to do better than this one for a “1-bass does-it-all.”

best of luck!

 

[themickster]

Whatowould you be looking at with $3k?

I wouldn't spend that much. 3k would buy no better a bass than much less. You're paying for the name and finishing at the top end of the ranges. Gold plated bridges don't play any better than any other and neither does a paint job that takes weeks. Spare yourself a thousand or two.

 

[Bright Midnight]

I recently bought a secondhand L2000 Tribute. It needed some work as it had been sitting idle for years. Changed the wiring to Parallel/Single Coil. I've had far more expensive basses, yet this one is so good, and covers much ground, more than I will ever need. You could look into a L2000, even a cheaper Tribute.

 

[MynameisMe]

, I don't like owning more than one bass.

Your doing Talkbass all wrong!

 

[J_Bass]

A Yamaha BBP34 (passive PJ) or a BB734A (active/passive PJ) could be what you're looking for.

Quality wise, Yamaha is excellent.
With the PJ configuration, you can navigate through those tunes easily.

I also play various styles of music and I always use my Yamaha BBPH, which is an active/passive reverse P. This, plus Ti Flats strings, allows me to get different sounds.

 

[sonojono]

Again G&L L2000, specifically with the optional “K-wiring.” It is a three position switch (replaces one of the 2-position switches) that adds the ability for coil tapping (provides single coil selection).
- Twin humbuckers (3 positions)
- Twin single coils (3 positions)
- Active preamp
- Active/ passive switch
- Series/ parallel switch
- Treble/ bass boost

* Variety of neck size/shape options

The single coil options nail several classic Fender tones… really tough to do better than this one for a “1-bass does-it-all.”

best of luck!

All this brings back Peavey T-40 vibes but in a modern instrument