If you were buying a bass to play modern country...

When I think of 'modern' country, I think of mainstream pop with a pedal steel, but I suspect that's not really what we're talking about here.

To me, a P-bass with flats = country. There may be contemporary country artists that would consider that to be an old-fasioned edict, but if I were in your shoes I'd probably just look for a maple-board Precision 5 and string it up with flats.

In the meantime, I'd go ahead and try the fretless SUB. If you keep the sustain under control and don't gliss all over the place, they may not even notice and then you've saved yourself a whole lot of hassle.

 

+1 I'd use the SUB 5 too. You could always try stringing it B to G. Thomastik Flats would be awesome!

edit: Or you could have the SUB fretted, that would be cheaper than buying a new bass

 

modern country (get something fretted)= sadowsky (probably not for under $1500), my first and go to Music Man SR5 single H (basically anything Music Man 5 string will work great for modern country), Fender Deluxe J5, AM Std. J5 or P5, Lakland 55-02 (I have several friends using those on the road), Lakland 55-01, 55-64, 55-60, Carvin SB5000 (killer basses for the $$$. Michael Jeffers is/was using one on tour with Joe Nichols).

Basically anything fretted. Fretless is cool for a special song or something, but I would never show up for a country set with just a fretless.

 

I think a Carvin SB 5000 might work for you.

 

Lakland 5501

 

I play modern country almost exclusively these days. My go to bass is a nordy pj with sadowsky pre.
Also my Benavente vintage vortex does wonders on songs where I need a lot if growl.

If I only had one bass I could take it would be a jazz or a pj

 

I agree with chef. I see a lot of country players using laklands.

 

This would work exceptionally well.
A sadowsky Metro PJ might be more cost effective, and less wait time.

 

Sadowsky's are great basses but hard to afford. You could try a Sadowsky outboard pre and see what that does to your sound on the Fenders. It will wake those passive basses right up!

 

Not really.
No more so than anything at that relative quality level, and maybe more cost competitive if you buy used.

 

I do session work for a "country" band. Twangy pop really. I don't play with them live, I just session work for the bass in the recordings. Just be sure you can hit Db and Eb as 100% of the tunes I've tracked have been in Db, Eb or Gb. And I notice lots of country tunes are in Eb, Db, Gb or Bb. I use my sooooped up J (Ramirez Custom Bass Guitars - Model F for Alex Wallerstedt)

Sounds like this: http://wdesignstudios.com/music/TLR/Only Way For Me.mp3

In general, I think a Jbass or Pbass would work well. But really, as long as its a "traditional" bass 4 or 5 stringer , as long as it isn't an 11 stringer, you'll be golden. the Lakland would kill too, it'd be perfect.

 

If I were playing modern country I would buy a cheap bass, widdle the neck down to a sharp point and stab myself in the chest. (ok I couldn't resis, trolling over)

Another vote for Lakland 55-01 (I'd probably drop some Nordy's in it, though)

 

Along with all the Lakland suggestions, I'd add a JO5. I used mine for a couple years with a band that was "modern country" oriented. Worked and sounded great!

 

I don't recall ever seeing a Sadowsky, Metro or otherwise, in the OP's target price range of "under $1500"

 

I recommend the Gretsch G5123 (GC Special) See: Gretsch-GEAR: Gretsch 5123-B Electromatic Bass: The Gretsch Pages
& TB cult if you search here.

 

All the guys I see in "modern country" seem to be playing Fender Jazzes FWIW.

 

Buy a Roscoe and put the others in the closet. Go over to the Roscoe forum, there are plenty of sound clips of how great these basses sound.