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Help me pick a 5 string with a vintage vibe
- Thread starter rawchuck
- Start date
J-Tone with volume and blend. Had to route a battery cavity under the pickguard as the cavity on the AmPro II was a little shallow but came out super clean and sounds perfect to me. I love having an active EQ or just a traditional passive tone knob.
I have a 2021 Fender Am Pro II Jazz V that I absolutely love. The only change I might consider making to it is a push/pull pot for serial/parallel.
I found a used Sadowsky Metro PJ a few years ago in the classifieds that I really like. I put some Labellas on it and play 99% of the time with only the split coil and the preamp at zero (though you can also pull knob up to completely bypass it). Sounds fantastic. Certainly vintage-y enough to me and gets very close to my '76 P bass sound - solo practicing, of course...I'm sure no one could tell a difference (or really care?!) in a live band setting.
Even better - should you ever have the need or desire to use a preamp, you've one of the best in the business ready to go!
Even better - should you ever have the need or desire to use a preamp, you've one of the best in the business ready to go!
IMHO/IME the Sadowsky quality will be more consistent than Fender, but if you play/try before buying, 1)that can be eliminated from the equation, 2) there'd really be zero need to change the bridge or pickups, 3)it'll be cheaper and 4) it'd prolly be easier to flip if you wake up one morning "with a different worldview" 
That said, if weight is important to you, finding a Fender J5 under 9.5-10 lbs will be difficult. My '98 Fender Am J5 weighs 8 lbs (preamp removed/ no batteries); it took me literally years to find one that light that spoke to me. Good luck.
That said, if weight is important to you, finding a Fender J5 under 9.5-10 lbs will be difficult. My '98 Fender Am J5 weighs 8 lbs (preamp removed/ no batteries); it took me literally years to find one that light that spoke to me. Good luck.
No affiliation, but there's a 34" scale Mike Lull M5V in the classifieds right now:
For Sale - Mike Lull MV5 Custom order 34" scale
For Sale - Mike Lull MV5 Custom order 34" scale
THIS
Because of the Lollar pickups. I've got a Marin Cano JB V 70's pickups spacing and I requested Lollar classic JB 60's pups on it after trying some Nash jazz basses in some shops in Paris. Best pickups IMHO to get that vintage warm sound. I ordered the built from the spanish luthier, Manolo Marin Cano, fully passive, classic electronics
Then the goal was to put the right premap on it, something that was really true to the passive bass, I was OK to test a bunch of them but got lucky with the first one: East J-Tone, that came with plug-in tone caps with different values, the classic 0.47 µf, the 0.75 and the 100. I've tried an Audere too, cos' they true to passive tone's reputation was unmatched at that time (2014) but the J-Tone man... perfect. Now i'm considering buying the Lollars JB V 70's pups too, cos' with the East preamp it's easy to switch between the pickups, no soldering required whatsoever ! it can be done in 5 minutes chrono.
Aero Pickups makes some cool ones too, I've had some in a previous MIA Passive jazz V from 2010, 60's pickups spacing then, what is called now an American Pro II, perfect too. Fernando Lamadrid got a Marin Cano JB V 70's with Aero pups too, They're voiced kinda like the Lollar classic 60's ones, not much difference, here he plays it fully passive:
Mine with Lollars, neck pickups only, East J-tone installed, passive mode with tone knob fully open, mid open, and closed, light and stronger attack
Passive mode again in jazz trio rehearsal, we were doing kind of "jazz wedding band" stuff, both pickups on, passive mode tone knob closed:
The Aeros on my ex-Fender Am Pro, slap things, fully passive no preamp installed:
Of course I'm using SS strings, Dunlop for instance, that's why it sounds sometimes that" near active mode" even when playing passive mode. I've got a Markbass Super Booster pedal that helps sometimes when I really need that P'like vintage tone.
All in all, the Marin Cano was 2500 bucks at that time, so yeah maybe now close to the 3 grands, with a preamp you'd be still under the 3500 mark. East J-Tone or Audere preamp to me is the way to go to keep that true to vintage passive tone on passive mode.
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OP here. Thanks for the recs. A bit more info…..I’m interested in a vintage vibe, but the bass doesn’t have to be a replica. I’m ok with modern aspects, I just want the tone to be in the vintage vein.
I already own a Nash P Bass, and I really like it. The only thing that stops me from ordering a Nash j is the fact that I want a 5 string.
I’ve never owned a 5, nor have I played many. My only experiences with 5 strings come from test driving more modern basses, like a Modulus.
How do the Fender B strings hold up? Do they fart out, or do they play nice? My only hesitation in buying a FCS or Nash is that I am concerned about the usability of the B string. This does not seem to be an issue with Sadowsky Metroline basses.
Based on this thread, I’m considering Fender, Sadowsky, and Modern Vintage. Nash too if I can get a V in a reasonable amount of time. I have played Mike Lull basses and they are amazing, but I hate the headstock shape…stupid reason, I know, but alas….
I already own a Nash P Bass, and I really like it. The only thing that stops me from ordering a Nash j is the fact that I want a 5 string.
I’ve never owned a 5, nor have I played many. My only experiences with 5 strings come from test driving more modern basses, like a Modulus.
How do the Fender B strings hold up? Do they fart out, or do they play nice? My only hesitation in buying a FCS or Nash is that I am concerned about the usability of the B string. This does not seem to be an issue with Sadowsky Metroline basses.
Based on this thread, I’m considering Fender, Sadowsky, and Modern Vintage. Nash too if I can get a V in a reasonable amount of time. I have played Mike Lull basses and they are amazing, but I hate the headstock shape…stupid reason, I know, but alas….
I find the Lull headstock shape looks okay on a 5-string, but not as nice on a 4. There's nothing wrong with wanting something that is aesthetically pleasing to you.
I think there's often the debate on how good a 34" scale length B-string can be. While the odds are better that you will have a better (clearer) B-string on a 35" scale length, I personally do not like what is does to the G-string, making it sound thinner. I also prefer the playability of a 34". Unless you are willing to go to fanned frets, there will be a bit of a compromise, although you can get very good sounding 34" B's.
If I were in your position, I'd be looking at the same ones you have listed. It would likely come down to weight, balance and size (I prefer a slightly narrower nut and 18mm bridge string spacing).
I’ve yet to play a Fender B string I liked but the good news is you can probably find one in a store to test drive and decide for yourself. My Sadowsky Metro has a great B string so it can be done on a 34” scale.
Great advice IMO. I bought a very early 2008 Fender Jazz V, and did venture down the rabbit hole of replacement pickups, first hum-canceling Nordstrands and then Bardens. Both were great in their own ways, but I ultimately went back to the stock single coils, which had a more vintage vibe and were a great match for the bass overall. I think that's partly because the J5 had a slightly thicker, or "huskier" native tone than many J4s, which reduced the mid scoop with both pickups on full for hum canceling.
As a result, when I bought a used G&L JB-5 a few years after selling the Fender, I never even considered swapping out the pickups. They sounded much like the Fender, with good vintage tone and nice thickness IMO.
MAFbass1992
Bass Player / Low-End Reviews
Yamaha is a great choice. I had the 415, another of many great Yamaha choices for Fender sound with a different decal.
My Fernandes LEB J5 was apparently made at the same time Fernandes were making "real Fenders". It's the 5 string Fender didn't make in the '60s.
I couldn’t agree more. I’m seeing more & more people are buying top of the line instruments with upgraded components already done from the factory and a list of first things they're planning to change before even playing or hearing it.
If you’re mod minded buy a standard model as a platform to mod or better yet hand select every detail & build a ground up interpretation of your dream instrument.
I’m a huge Warmoth fan & before acquiring the 2 I now own I was going to do this . I actually found both of mine used in flawless condition with the exact components I would have done. Saved a lot of money & couldn’t be happier with them.
