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Most versatile bass?
- Thread starter funkybass
- Start date
Having owned a G&L 2500, a number of passive and active Jazzes, vintage and new 2 band and 3 band Stingrays, and vintage p basses - I'd have to say the most versatile bass I've played or heard is the one I designed and built specifically to be versatile.
It's a precision/stingray pickup combo with an important twist - each pickup has it's own dedicated 2 band active preamp. I can play straight up pbass or straight up stingray or split the ray coil for a jazz bridge pickup tone. The on-board controls can blend the two pickups anywhere between and a Les Paul switch allows me to flip between the neck, both or bridge pickup on the fly. It kills my G&L and is a dead knockoff on my pre-ernie ball stingray, my '68 fender pbass and my active jazz bass. I am planning on one final improvement - adjustable string mutes so I can more easily get near upright tones out of the precision pickup. BTW - it's a fender jazz bodystyle and solid rosewood neck with brass frets and nut. Strung with gold optima roundwounds and finished in vintage aged white with a tort pickguard and gold hardware it looks as good as it sounds.
It's a precision/stingray pickup combo with an important twist - each pickup has it's own dedicated 2 band active preamp. I can play straight up pbass or straight up stingray or split the ray coil for a jazz bridge pickup tone. The on-board controls can blend the two pickups anywhere between and a Les Paul switch allows me to flip between the neck, both or bridge pickup on the fly. It kills my G&L and is a dead knockoff on my pre-ernie ball stingray, my '68 fender pbass and my active jazz bass. I am planning on one final improvement - adjustable string mutes so I can more easily get near upright tones out of the precision pickup. BTW - it's a fender jazz bodystyle and solid rosewood neck with brass frets and nut. Strung with gold optima roundwounds and finished in vintage aged white with a tort pickguard and gold hardware it looks as good as it sounds.
Jaguar. That's why I was sold on it. Lot's of variation possible, but one or two settings that can get me through any gig.
MikeBass
Supporting Member
- Nov 4, 2003
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- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
I have a Robben Ford DVD with Jimmy Earl on it....he's playing an old Jazz with a P pick-up jammed in between, sorta like the Fender Stu Hamm bass.
Anyway, I know it's Jimmy Earl and all, but that bass does get some killer tones!
Anyway, I know it's Jimmy Earl and all, but that bass does get some killer tones!
Eric!
Commercial User
MikeBass
Supporting Member
- Nov 4, 2003
- 11,943
- 3,140
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
True, but I got railed for taking (and using just because I could- and the singer was an ass) a Warwick Thumb 5 fretless to a blues gig.
At the end of the night, he forgot I was using it......just because it's fretless doesn't mean you have to sound like Jaco or an upright!
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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Thanks Holmes! That made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Now I feel like recording something with mine. Incidentally, there's a smokin' one on eBay.
