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Metal basses?

#41
So so far we have:

Used Lakland 55-01
Used G&L SB-2
New G&L SB-2 Tribute
Squier Deluxe Jazz 5
ESP LTD series
Older Charvel 3B
Fender Frank Bello
Fender Aerodyne

You might also hunt for a used Gibson Victory Standard. You might find one in that range.[/QUOTE]

There was also one vote for an Epiphone Thunderbird Goth. Gotta admit, that certainly looks the part.
 
#44
I understand all this. However, Geezer can play anything he wants because price is no object when you live in a castle and you're worth $40-50 million. He doesn't endorse Vigier anymore. No, he's a Lakland 4-94 endorser, and it's what he plays. I also agree about Pedulla's. Absolutely remarkable basses and that Thunderswitch is a killer overdrive switch. But this guy is looking in the $600 range and that limits the choices.
 
#45
Hmm... I never get buried by the mesa stacks that stare me down when I play metal. Mexi-pbass with SD quarter pounds and Roto Sound strings.
Sould be able to get that set up for well under $600 if you shop around. Of course I must come clean and say I am playing through an SVT and an 8-10; this no dought adds to the mix shall we say. One of the problems with metal these days is that the kids want to just play loud and not play well, IMHO. Thus all the complaining of not cutting through well in a live situation. Sorry for the rant...
 
#46
vacman said:
Hmm... I never get buried by the mesa stacks that stare me down when I play metal. Mexi-pbass with SD quarter pounds and Roto Sound strings.
Sould be able to get that set up for well under $600 if you shop around. Of course I must come clean and say I am playing through an SVT and an 8-10; this no dought adds to the mix shall we say. One of the problems with metal these days is that the kids want to just play loud and not play well, IMHO. Thus all the complaining of not cutting through well in a live situation. Sorry for the rant...
Click to expand...

Yeah. Amp and cabinet choice play a BIG part. i wasnt cutting through on certain notes in high and low registers.

I change strings, adjusted pick-ups, amp settings. I thought I might even have dead spots on my bass as some fretted notes would distort on octaves at the 12th fret.

I changed my cab and ALL these problems disappeared.I cut through better, my sound is "meatier" or rather, "girthy." I seem to have more punch where it counts and thats in the low-mids.

So the sound of your bass will factor in. You can make a terrible bass sound okay with some adjustments and amp settings, but a good bass through a good amp and cab should have no problem with metal.

Also your guitarists (1 or 2) will play a part. I play with 2 guitarists and need low mids and upper low-end.

I've found sealed cabinets work better for this.

A P-Bass would work fine for metal as would a jazz. Ricks work fine too. Passive or active shouldnt play a factor.

I perosnally think it more boils down to overall tone of the bass, feel, action, look, etc.

An MIJ P-Bass would work fine if you want to make it work.
 
#47
Throwing in a vote for the BC Rich Heritage Classic Mockingbird. $599 shipped, dual P's are great for metal tone.

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Played one at GC, thought it was a great bass for 600 bucks. I liked the looks, had an excellent tone through an Ampeg SVT-4, nice construction.
 
#49
scorpionldr said:
i'm surprized i'm not hearing more about ibanez's......people go to them for the cheap and good sounding and fitting for metal/punk any day of the week
Click to expand...

Here you go. This little Ibby will provide all the growl and metal tone you'll ever need :bassist:


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#52
Stingray SUB. Growly, Punchy, can take a good low tuning well. I bought mine for a hardcore band that fell apart before we started.

You can hear a sample that recorded in my basement using my pc at Link Removed , both files were recorded using that bass. First song was tuned to low C. Second slap happy one was standard E.

They are GREAT basses for the money. Mine is black with a black pickguard looked metal to me anyway. You can pick one up used in the 400 range.

I also agree with the Ibanez statement. Good basses for the money and they have fast necks.
 
#54
CFclef said:
For my money I would go with ESP F series. It comes in a 4 and 5 string (F-404 and F-405). These are around $700 but can be negotiated down to $650. They also have the less expensive F-254 and F-255, which look the same, have the same pickups, but different hardware and tuners.
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I completely agree, with the caveat that you do the super-easy 18V mod. The double power makes the pickups thunder and helps to give the ESP something more than the "generic" sound people whine about. I love it, for the record.
 
#56
Spector Rebop. Or, save a few hundred more, and get into a used Spector Euro.

Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, Cattle Decapitation, Pantera, Between The Buried and Me, Judas Priest, Life of Agony...not bad company to be in.
 
#57
CFclef said:
For my money I would go with ESP F series. It comes in a 4 and 5 string (F-404 and F-405). These are around $700 but can be negotiated down to $650. They also have the less expensive F-254 and F-255, which look the same, have the same pickups, but different hardware and tuners.
Click to expand...

For the Money you can't beat the ESP models of which there are many many under $600.00 price range

I saw somewhere somebody in this thread typed ESP's were generic sounding....nothing could be further from the truth...but opinions are like backsides everybody has one and they all think theirs smell better than the next guys....

The tone on my F series ESP is absolutely amazing it blew the Warwick Vampyre i tried the same day right out of the store

Just a few Metal Heads (Bass) that play ESP

Dave Pybuss of Cradle of Filth
Henkka Blacksmith from Children of Bodom
Orion from Behemoth
Mike Ruehle from Full Blown Chaos
Fred Leclerca from Dragon Force
Mick Deth from Eighteen Visions
Aaron Patrick from Bury your Dead
Bobby Burns from Soulfly
Danny Horboychuk of Dry Kill logic
Steve Unger Metal Church
Steve Digiorgio of Testament
Beefcake the Mighty of Gwar
Pig Benis of Mushroomhead
Laz Pina of Il Nino
Tom Araya of Slayer
Brian Redman of Three inches of Blood
Scott Crochet of Soilent Green
John Miller of Devil Driver

Just to name a few off the top of my head...

as i type this Musicians friend has 73 basses currently listed in the under 600.00 dollar range

best advice is go out to your local store a play what catches your eye and feels good in your hand...as your playing and skill advances then you can always trade up....

Play what you like and like what you play

Later...
 
#58
Just get a bass you like!! I mean, some guys can have can get a good metal tone from vintage pickups and traditional woods, other people get a good tone from active EMGs and exotic woods...the important thing is to like the bass and feel good with it.
 
#60
There are so many different metal tones. Some of my favourite ones are Atheist ( Tony Choy ) , Kalas ( Stoner Rock ) , Pavor ( Rainer Landfermann ) , Sabbath ( Butler ).
I would recommend ESP LTD's . Digiorgio uses them. Also Zon basses ( Tony Choy ) and Sadowsky's too ! Newstead used to play them.
 

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