I want a new bass, and advice.

[burlhouse]

Things I like in my basses:
thru-neck,
20 frets,
natural wood finish,
MUST be 5 string.
I'm quite open to any body shape.
Price range of £800 or less.
Has anyone got any advice?

 

[1bassleft]

Unusual for NTs to be 20 fret, as advantage is taken of the inherent ability to access higher frets with 24 frets being pretty much the norm. Is it a deal breaker?

I'm very happy with my Jim Reed BE5 (pic in my avatar), an Italian make that should fall well under your £800 budget, yet is good quality and ticks your other boxes. The mahogany body with birdseye koa top and back is pretty and the joins flawless, very smooth and fast-feeling neck. The pickups are Kramer-sourced and I keep thinking I'll replace them, yet the whole warm woodiness keeps changing my mind (2 band eq).

Not exactly easy to try before you buy, but I haven't regretted buying mine.

 

[lowphatbass]

Nothing really comes to mind. You like basses with 20 frets, what don't you like about bolt-on necks?

 

[Thomas Kievit]

Well if you can find a Epiphone T-Bird Pro 5 on Ebay, you got yourself a 20 fret neck through bass Can you explain why you don't want more than 20 frets?

 

[MazingerZ]

Peavey Grind 4 or 5 string is an excellent instrument. 24 frets (which IMHO is better than 20 frets). And the price range is A-okay in my books. Look for the older versions with the scalloped thingy and imbuya wings.

 

[burlhouse]

Cheers for the advice guys.
It was a typo, I meant 24 frets.

 

[jamro217]

Carvin is a reasonably priced, high quality bass with neck through construction, plenty of finish choices, and active electronics. They do have 24 fret necks, though. I've had my '92 LB70 since '96 and it's still like new. Very bright sounding bass. Makes a Ric sound like an EBO!