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Looking for suggestions for another bass
- Thread starter two fingers
- Start date
ESP LTD B204 is worth trying out, not a PJ config but the stock p'ups and preamp do a great job.
May seem like an odd choice from me considering all the basses I’ve had but for that price range and what you intend to use it for I’d pick up a used Conklin groove tools. They are 24 fret. They made a 4 string in that range (GT4) There’s a used one on reverb now in your price range. The groove tools Conklins are particularly nice for tapping stuff, really liked the wenge neck and the smaller frets. Really let’s you get the action lower before having the usual cons of low action. There are tons of videos of people playing tapping stuff on YouTube with the 7 strings from that line but you might be able to find some footage of a 4 with some digging
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Thinnest necks are most often found on some Ibanez basses in my experience. The suggestions to check out the SRs is a good one.
I don’t know if you can find used in the $500 range. They seem more up around the $800 mark despite dropping recently. But the Tobias looking 2017 Gibson EBs have a really fast two octave neck and a Babicz bridge that'll let you get down super low with your string action. Neck is 0.8” at the first fret and 0.9” thick at the 12th fret so you can really fly up and down. I find myself tapping more than usual on mine.
I don’t know if you can find used in the $500 range. They seem more up around the $800 mark despite dropping recently. But the Tobias looking 2017 Gibson EBs have a really fast two octave neck and a Babicz bridge that'll let you get down super low with your string action. Neck is 0.8” at the first fret and 0.9” thick at the 12th fret so you can really fly up and down. I find myself tapping more than usual on mine.
I think you're familiar with these, but out of my own quiver I'd strongly suggest the Cort Curbow Retro. despite the maybe obtuse pickguard it's a beautiful bass which seems to comport with your specs 100%, and it's not your garden variety J bass that everybody and their mother have two of, in fact it might out J any Jazz Bass in the field. I luv it's lows and everything else sonically, it's light / petite, with superb playability (hey it's a Curbow!), killer slim neck, and criminally inexpensive. one of the great sleepers.
we got a mint one locally that the poor girl can't give away!
we got a mint one locally that the poor girl can't give away!
If you want to spend much less than $800, I recently bought a new mahogany bodied Dean Edge 1 PJ for $219. Had to order from Dean, could not find the PJ model in stock online. I was looking for a cheap back up bass to leave at a practice spot, wanted thin neck, 24 frets, and P-J to fit a set of pickups I had on hand. Very happy with the bass.
Dean Edge 1 PJ Vintage Mahogany
To be fair, at the time I thought it could have been packed better, but there was no damage. To be really fair, I have since received an acoustic guitar from Amazon which made me think the Dean was packed great by comparison; inside the huge Amazon box the empty, open guitar box and the unboxed guitar were bouncing around with no packing material.
Dean Edge 1 PJ Vintage Mahogany
To be fair, at the time I thought it could have been packed better, but there was no damage. To be really fair, I have since received an acoustic guitar from Amazon which made me think the Dean was packed great by comparison; inside the huge Amazon box the empty, open guitar box and the unboxed guitar were bouncing around with no packing material.
Sounds like maybe a used Spector Legend might fit your needs.
4 strings - check.
2 octave board - check.
Slim, lightening fast neck - Maybe not so much as the Ibanez is purported to be, but are a very manageable 1.57" at the nut, and fairly thin and flat.
Easily-swappable electronics (like a PJ setup maybe?) - Check - It is an active bass, but that is easily remedied if desired.
Around $500 budget - check - The Legend Standards can usually be found in the $425 - $550 range.
I don't know how well it does the tapping thing, as I don't use the method. However, I can say it is a very nice sounding and an easy, comfortable playing bass. Good solid build quality, made in S Korea.
4 strings - check.
2 octave board - check.
Slim, lightening fast neck - Maybe not so much as the Ibanez is purported to be, but are a very manageable 1.57" at the nut, and fairly thin and flat.
Easily-swappable electronics (like a PJ setup maybe?) - Check - It is an active bass, but that is easily remedied if desired.
Around $500 budget - check - The Legend Standards can usually be found in the $425 - $550 range.
I don't know how well it does the tapping thing, as I don't use the method. However, I can say it is a very nice sounding and an easy, comfortable playing bass. Good solid build quality, made in S Korea.
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Carvin LB70. 24 fret neck through (slim, fast neck), two J pups, ebony board, active electronics, Sperzel locking tuners, all for the price of a hacked up MIM Jazz.
I have been interested in the 5-string version of this bass at one point. I was curious on how it sounds. thanks for the input on the sound quality of this bass. I might get one at reverb.com. that or the stiletto stealth.
Peavey Fury p bass clone. Thin bass like a jazz bass, all the tone of a p bass.
Look for basses made in the mid 1990s.
Look for basses made in the mid 1990s.
I'm also thinking Ibanez, Yamaha or Schecter. They have relatively flat boards, and even though I don't tap I imagine it would be easier with a flatter radius. I seem to recall the Yammie 5 string BB even had a 24" radius. That's flat-earth territory. But 16" on Schecters and 12" on Ibbies.
Ibbies with wider fretboards would be the BTB series. not my cup of tea, but they do check your boxes.
Good call!
There’s also the Cort Curbiw 4 that looks like it fell off the back of an equipment van on a Prince tour.
Not mine, but mine looked just like this one.
Check it out. 34” scale and 27 frets on the skinniest thinnest neck you ever played. Active Bartolini electronics and pickup. I had one for awhile. Paid something like $275 for it at GC. Scary fast neck. No speed limit at all on it. I indulged in some of the most wretched, over the top, Prog influenced excesses and overplaying imaginable while I had it - all of which never made it out of the home music room, thank Buddha. Only drawback was the synthetic body - a plastic called Luthite. It has a certain plastic odor which unfortunately bothered me. I’ve got asthema and allergies. So I ended up giving it away after a couple of months. But if you’re looking for a super inexpensive tap/slap bass, the Cort Curbow could be a possibility provided the body doesn’t bother you. I’m guessing it airs itself out after awhile. But I didn’t have the luxury of waiting for it to.
Had another thought, Washburn Taurus T24. I picked this YT vid because the comments are hilarious.
I know OP likes P basses, but fits other criteria I think. Should be under $500 used. (I've never played one though)
OH WAIT IT GETS BETTER, tap master himself:
I know OP likes P basses, but fits other criteria I think. Should be under $500 used. (I've never played one though)
OH WAIT IT GETS BETTER, tap master himself:
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that's why I flipped when I found the Retro with a slightly differently designed wood body yet retained some of the luthite model's positives. for the peanuts these go for it was an easy choice and risk factor for me and it paid off in spades.
a year ago these could be found for $100 but have climbed to a more proper $300+ range.
Haven’t seen the Retro. But if it has anything to compare with the neck and electronics on the one I had it’d be worth at least checking out. And the quality is pretty amazing seeing as how you see them go for such small money.
Ibanez SR. On the current modles you can swap out the pups for a number of nordstrand or other P2 size pickups,
Fast neck 2 octaves 4 strings and priced reasonably. Should fit your bill.
Fast neck 2 octaves 4 strings and priced reasonably. Should fit your bill.
