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Looking for a light-weight bass with a thin neck and warm tones

Y

yeasayer

Jan 4, 2012
5
0
#1
Hi! I've had a Squier Affinity Series J bass for a year now, and I'm looking for an upgrade. I really don't like how big and heavy the Squier is, and the fret board is a little too thick/wide for my small fingers. I always get comments on how the bass looks bigger than me, haha. I don't really like how the bass looks, although I know that's not as important as the sound.
Maybe it's an issue with the strings, but it also sounds sharp and tangy like I'm using a pick, when I prefer the warm, thuddy tones that you would hear in a Beatles song.

I had my eyes on the Rogue VB100 series II violin bass because of the price, but it seems to be discontinued. My budget is about $370, and I love the look of violin basses...and the small size.

I like The Beatles and indie and folk, like Mumford and Sons, Florence And The Machine, Foster The People, etc.

Thanks for your help!
 
#5
I was going to suggest a J! Lightweight is relative but with my paduk six string... the necks play easy and the tone is warm. If you're open to trying MIM Js, they're right in your price range and they'll sound nicer than the Squier, especially if you get a used, upgraded one. You just might find a light one and if you put flatwounds on that bad boy... that neck pup will sound something special.

How long have you been playing?
 
#7
yeasayer said:
Hi! I've had a Squier Affinity Series J bass for a year now, and I'm looking for an upgrade. I really don't like how big and heavy the Squier is, and the fret board is a little too thick/wide for my small fingers. I always get comments on how the bass looks bigger than me, haha. I don't really like how the bass looks, although I know that's not as important as the sound.
Maybe it's an issue with the strings, but it also sounds sharp and tangy like I'm using a pick, when I prefer the warm, thuddy tones that you would hear in a Beatles song.

I had my eyes on the Rogue VB100 series II violin bass because of the price, but it seems to be discontinued. My budget is about $370, and I love the look of violin basses...and the small size.

I like The Beatles and indie and folk, like Mumford and Sons, Florence And The Machine, Foster The People, etc.

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

Sounds like a Birdsong Bass would be PERFECT for you (take it from a Birdsong owner who is having another one custom-built for delivery in a couple of months. A Fusion is probably just what you are looking for; however, a Cortobass would also fit your requirements quite nicely. Here's a link to the "Instruments" page on the Birdsong website ...

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#8
I had the rogue vb100 and I wouldn't wish it on anybody! to me I'd felt and sounded very very cheap. I was young and it looked good but it didn't take me long to wake up, A bass to check out could be a peavey bxp 4, one on eBay right now for 320
 
#10
"Light-weight bass with a thin neck and warm tones"

That is the definition of Hofner violin (500/1) or Club style basses. There are 3 levels to choose from for each type (in order of new price low to high): Icon , Contemproary, and "Made in Germany" The Contemproary has a wood block in the center so they're a bit heavier than the Icon and "Made In Germany" versions and sound a bit different, but still warm.

There are also many clones but none of the clones I've owned or tried over the years have the thin neck and playability of the Hofner Icon.
 
#13
MNAirHead said:
I'm not sure of what a "warm tone" is ...
Click to expand...

Really? In your profile under Influences and Teachers you have "Warm and Tight Backlines" listed.

To me that strongly indicates that you do know what "warm" means.

But anyway, IME "warm" generally means fewer highs and/or more lows in the signal. In many cases it can usually be had by simply turning a passive tone control to the "bassier" tone or judicious use of eq to attenuate the highs and upper mids and possibly boost the lows or any combination of such.

Some instruments simply have a "warmer" native tone that others, for whatever reason.
 
#15
I have had Fenders and also Ibanez basses. The problem with Fenders from early 90's to the new range until -96, is that the necks are multiwarped (the old ones just warped), now I have a vintage Jazz Bass from a Finnish luthier Matti Nevalainen. And I am happy, I have played for 2 years without anything at all. Before with Fenders I had to finetrim the bass from time to time but now, it just sounds fine. The Vintage series means that I have all the original woods (the body Californian alder and the neck Canadian maple) and 60's pickups to make your sound. The pickups are handwired and the polemagnets are, in this case, weakened to generate the true 60's sound.
Ibanezes are good or excellent basses but now I have sold them all.
 
#18
devonstone said:
I had the rogue vb100 and I wouldn't wish it on anybody! to me I'd felt and sounded very very cheap. I was young and it looked good but it didn't take me long to wake up, A bass to check out could be a peavey bxp 4, one on eBay right now for 320
Click to expand...

Cheap? I've had a Rogue VB100 for a few years now--great bass in my experience, very sturdy for a violin bass. From what I can tell it's identical to the Epiphone Viola save the control plate and headstock design, which I like better on the Rogue. Like the Epiphone, the tuning pegs are sturdier than the Hofner Icon's being regular bass pegs. The Hofner Icons are nice too, I had one for a while but ultimately decided I liked the Rogue better. Strung with some good flats it delivers the Beatles thing you're looking for.
 
#20
Sounds like you might be in the market for the Hofner Icon Series.


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