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Marcus Miller V (five) string....

serein2j

serein2j

May 25, 2008
778
7
Austin, TX
#1
I'm thinking of buying a Marcus Miller 5 string and wondering how the low B on it is. I'd love to try one but GC or other stores only have MIJ 4 stringers.

I'm loving my 2008 Fender Jazz V (though was trying to sell it out of my stupidity) and I want another 5 stringer with Maple fret board. And if MM5's low B string is just as good as 08 Fender 5 Jazz, I think I would go for it :).

I know I can probably get a Lakland DJ5 and I love 35" scale but I really like Marcus sound and MM Sig's looks.

Any opinions and experiences would be really appreciated.
 
#4
I haven't played one in about a year but all of the stock MM 5's I've played were disappointments. They had all the typical Fender GC foibles of the era, bad set ups, fair fit and finnish, and the pre amps were noisy. Ironically I've always felt the MM4 was a great deal. I've always felt Fenders higher end non custom shop MIA's were overpriced compared to Sadowsky Metros or even Lakland Skyline stuff like the Daryl Jones. BUT, I have heard that Fenders quality has really turned the corner in the last year and a half or so. Unfortunately so has their pricing. That bass is like 2430$ at Sam Ash. I don't know, for that price I'd look at a Sadowsky MV5 metro real quick. That price is approaching used NYC Sadowsky prices.

If you are scared of the investment, there always seems to be used Metros on the board. If you buy one used and don't like it, usually you can sell it for what you have in to it. I would go that route, and look for a MV5 or a UV70-5 in the Sadowsky. Maybe a MM5 will pop up on the board used. But that way you can try it without taking a huge wallet hit.
 
#5
burk48237 said:
I haven't played one in about a year but all of the stock MM 5's I've played were disappointments. They had all the typical Fender GC foibles of the era, bad set ups, fair fit and finnish, and the pre amps were noisy. Ironically I've always felt the MM4 was a great deal. I've always felt Fenders higher end non custom shop MIA's were overpriced compared to Sadowsky Metros or even Lakland Skyline stuff like the Daryl Jones. BUT, I have heard that Fenders quality has really turned the corner in the last year and a half or so. Unfortunately so has their pricing. That bass is like 2430$ at Sam Ash. I don't know, for that price I'd look at a Sadowsky MV5 metro real quick. That price is approaching used NYC Sadowsky prices.

If you are scared of the investment, there always seems to be used Metros on the board. If you buy one used and don't like it, usually you can sell it for what you have in to it. I would go that route, and look for a MV5 or a UV70-5 in the Sadowsky. Maybe a MM5 will pop up on the board used. But that way you can try it without taking a huge wallet hit.
Click to expand...

That is great advice
 
#7
I had a MMV for a few years and really enjoyed it, I also have a MM 4-string. IMHO, I think these are the best of what Fender has to offer. But their is a caveat, I really love the MM sound. It is an old school sound that I did not find in any of the other Fenders. Most Fenders have a modern sound, once again IMHO.

As far as the low "B", it isn't a great low "B", but honestly I haven't played very many 34" scale length basses that did have a tight one or one that was as defined as a longer scale bass. As a lead Trumpet and bone player in the past, I restrung it with a high "C" and loved it, plus it gave me the extended upper range I wanted, good luck!
 
#8
TheRockinRoadie said:
As far as im aware, its one of the best basses Fender make, at least in my opinion!
Click to expand...

Yes but...

There were two MMV basses a while back at GC. They seemed identical except for color. But they were not identical basses. One was simply killer including the B string. The other was just pretty ordinary and bland. I was rather surprised at the difference between them.

I decided not to buy and the next day the one I judged good was gone so it wasn't just me. Try before you buy.

I've got 34" scales basses with killer B (not my Fender which is only OK) like my Ken Smith or Alembic. I also have 35" scale basses (Modulus) that also kill. Hey the 34" scale on my SX is better than my Fender! The only thing I have against 35" scales is sometimes you have trouble getting the longer scale strings. I usually have to special order a stack at the local store.
 
#10
Caveat emptor - ALWAYS try before you buy.

Here's my experience.

I am a big fan of the Sadowsky instruments and for a couple of years played an RV5 that I bought from Roger. It was a great instrument, sat in the mix really well, and was really well received by everyone I played for and with.

Then, I found a MM5 in Shoreline Gold at the Bass Place that absolutely gave me 100% of the actual J bass clank, vibe, and tone in a sub 9 pound instrument with a completely tight and focused low B. I bought it and sold the RV5. No offense to the RV5. Nice instrument. But, it is a different instrument. I get great comments on this bass as well.

There are some similarities in the character of the pre-amps between the two instruments, in the sense that a little goes a long way on the active tone controls. One has to be judicious with the boost in both cases. Comparing them, the Fender has more of a Fender sound, with the clanky lower mids, while the Sadowsky circuit produces that more refined sound that Roger has so carefully crafted. I really like them both, but wanted an actual Fender sound. The circuit in my Fender is dead quiet, aside from the 60 Hz hum when one of the pups is panned; but that was the same with the Sadowsky, which had single coils.

I can NOT make a blanket statement about the Fender MM5, because I have not played 100 of them. This particular bass just fell into my lap, and it does everything that both a 5 and a Jazz bass should. IMO/IME, the Fender is a quality instrument that stands up very well to the other J5's that are out there, and preference should be determined by the characteristics of the bass you are seeking. Again, play before you pay.
 
#13
It is true that their are probably plenty of 34" scale 5-strings that have a great low "B" but I have performed on plenty at the winter NAMM show over many years and I have chosen to have a luthier make a 35" scale because of my dissatisfaction with the 34" scale low "B".

I believe I have gotten out enough to make an educated choice for me. But we all have our own opinions and why it is great that there are so many luthiers out there building outstanding basses so we can choose the best instrument that sounds good to us.


peterpalmieri said:
Man you've got to get out more. Sadowsky, Alleva-Coppolo are just two j style 34" scale 5 strings that just kill.....There are plenty of others
Click to expand...
 
#14
freakybass1 said:
It is true that their are probably plenty of 34" scale 5-strings that have a great low "B" but I have performed on plenty at the winter NAMM show over many years and I have chosen to have a luthier make a 35" scale because of my dissatisfaction with the 34" scale low "B".

I believe I have gotten out enough to make an educated choice for me. But we all have our own opinions and why it is great that there are so many luthiers out there building outstanding basses so we can choose the best instrument that sounds good to us.
Click to expand...

No problem, if you prefer a 35" scale bass that's your choice I have no reason to argue that.

While we all have our preferences I can't imagine being to "many NAMM shows over the years" and not playing at least a few killer B strings on a 34" 5 strings that are worth mentioning.

So somebody new to this stuff comes along reading this thread and is led to believe that if you want to get a 5 string with a killer low B you HAVE to buy at least a 35" scale bass. And that's all I'm really saying.
 
#15
Setup is such a big factor.A couple of years ago I went to GC in San Jose to try out the two MM5s they had.I had the money in my pocket and I had also brought my Moon JB5 for comparison.
Both basses were set up so poorly that they were no joy to play and neither of them had had any kind of Marcus vibe.
One was tuned about a 4th too high nobody in the store had noticed that and the instrument might have suffered from being under so much tension for I don't know how long.
The strings on both basses were completely dead, no zing whatsoever.Action and trusrod adjustments were way off and the basses were difficult to play.I did not want to go as far as doing a setup and putting on new strings on a bass that I was just trying out. So needless to say I did not buy.
It made me realize just how good my Moon bass really is.Later on I learned about the difference between 60s and 70s pickup placement.The Moon has the 60s, which is why I was never really able to get the Marcus sound with it and why I still kept looking for another bass.I still have the Moon, but in addition to that I have an Atelier Z where I did some surgery and now have the 70s placement.
I know some of the members here disagree but I think this placement is a huge factor in getting that sound.
Anyway, my point is that if you want a Marcus type of 5 string, make sure that it has the 70s spacing.There are a lot of high end basses that look like a Marcus type of bass but they still have the 60s spacing.
 
#17
I'm smellin'' what you're sayin'. No offense was taken.

peterpalmieri said:
No problem, if you prefer a 35" scale bass that's your choice I have no reason to argue that.

While we all have our preferences I can't imagine being to "many NAMM shows over the years" and not playing at least a few killer B strings on a 34" 5 strings that are worth mentioning.

So somebody new to this stuff comes along reading this thread and is led to believe that if you want to get a 5 string with a killer low B you HAVE to buy at least a 35" scale bass. And that's all I'm really saying.
Click to expand...
 
#18
I love mine Marcus V (with OBP3) I use this bass a lot. In past I switch two basses MTD53/Marcus IV or Ken Smith/Marcus IV. Now I play only MM5, sometimes I take MTD or Ken Smith. For me is MM5 two instuments in one. It has growl like MTD or modern instruments but when you slap it sounds close to Marcus...Mine has great low B. I don't feel I have to avoid this string...realy great instrument, light weight, easy to play
 
#19
Well, I have one,and what I've done is that I've taken the preamp out ( because I think it's horrible ! ) and run it thru a Sadowsky outboard di,and it sounds really, really good,and I also changed the nut out and went with a true bone nut which open the MM5 tremendously and gave it a real good setup with a fret dress and now it's a great bass,but I've had it for a few yrs,and I bought it used for $700.00 dollars back then, had it cost more, I wouldn't have bought it
 

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