Need help on a new bass (long post)

[Herbie Chesnutt]

I just tried the MIM Deluxe Active Jazz for the first time.

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Mmmmmmmmmm. I liked this one a lot. I was able to dial in quit easily. It felt nice. Not nearly as good as the AmStd, but it is like $500 less so there you go. I figure a setup and fret dressing to smooth down those edges will get this lady a long way to luscious. Switch out the pickups down the road a bit and she's perf.

I really liked the controls. Felt solid and smooth for a MIM and looked nice and vintagey with the black dials. The active preamp was a little bit more aggressive than the passive I was A/B' ing which gave me that little sumpin-sumpin that I was wanting to hear. I was also able to mix up a pot of pudding within a couple knob turns and realized I had a grin on my face and not my usual brow furrow.

I'm thinking the black finish w/ a new white pearloid or gloss black pickguard. Sorry, never liked tort on anything except white.

Plus this saves me a couple hundy to put towards a new rig. I'm looking at my Fender Frontman 25B right now and need something real if I'm going to get serious again.

 

[zeke917]

Here are a couple of OK (not great) pix of my Accu-Bass- Everything went except the tuning machines, strap pegs and neck plate - the body is string-through but the Badass II isn't...But I don't care because this bridge adds more sustain anyway. It is a mid-nineties Accu-bass - I'm not familiar with the recent ones but this one has a maple neck and what feels like an ash body - it really is a great bass once the stock junk was stripped out.

 

[MtManiac]

Stylee: I play mostly The Cure, Joy Division and Bauhaus type stuff with a little dub-ish type stuff mixed in. Slight chorus/distortion. I don't slap at all, though I'm interested in learning. I'm a mellow dude that loves the sound of a smooth finger roll over a low E and the shimmer when I go high.

Soooooo.... which would you go for if you were me? I hate to ask, but I'm totally stuck. Once I think I've made a decision I immediately start lusting for the others. If I wasn't such a lazy-ass with little 9yo girl hands I would just keep the Ray34.

Thanks for any nudges.

Peter Hook (Joy Division) played several basses:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Hook

And so did Simon Gallup (early Cure):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Gallup

*IF* I were in your shoes, (which I almost am, being 39 and just got back into playing three years ago after a looong no-playcation) I would try out:

1) a non-Highway One Fender P bass, such as a Mexican Standard or even a Squier Classic Vibe P bass. If you can find a used American Standard, even better. If you can, try it through a tube amp or an amp with a tube preamp. Set the EQ to flat on the amp, and roll the tone off on the bass to almost zero, and adjust to tastes after that. If the amp has a "Contour" dial, turn it down to zero.

2) Epiphone EB-0 (the "SG" style bass). There are different models, but you'll want the one with two pickups. Try this out with the amp set the same as above, and fiddle with the pickup selection for neck to bridge.

3) Epiphone Thunderbird (The "Goth" one that looks like Nikki Sixx's) - from what I have read, this is the best Epiphone Thunderbird model, and it's really unfortunate about the looks if you're not into Goth, but the tone is reportedly very good and is about as sonically useful as the EB-0. Simon Gallup's favorite bass, and there's a Gibson signature model.

4) An active P bass special (Mexican), the one with the Jazz bridge pickup, or one of the large BB4xxx Yamaha basses that have a similar pickup configuration.

My money, honestly, would be on a regular passive P bass, which is very different from a Thunderbird, an EB-0 or a Ric, but is sonically adept enough to fit pretty much anything from the Cure or Joy Division, especially if you keep roundwounds on it and run it through a Sansamp or some kind of active preamp.

EDIT: I predict that once you start playing again, especially with other people, your musical tastes will branch out considerably.

 

[Emmaporkchop]

I would go with the MIM P deluxe active, I absolutely love mine. Changed out the bridge and the pickguard (the bridge was fine but I put in a Gotoh 201 since I had one lying around). Mine was pretty much perfect from the start, and I chose it over some MIA basses. I even picked up a jazz deluxe active last week.
If you're still looking, I do think it's worth checking out G&L's too.

 

[electracoyote]

The SB14 is basswood, which is not a bad thing in and of itself, but a lot of people feel it falls way short of the other EBMM offerings in terms of tone and playability.

You had best actually play the Highway One to see if you think it leans more toward the MIM or the American Standard. I have my own opinion on that one. The MIM Deluxe Active Jazz would be a better call in the Fender department.

Of the three you mentioned, the Lakland sounds like the best choice to me. I don't own one, but I hear nothing but favorable comments, and they seem to have the right stuff in terms of looks, materials, tone, playability, QC, service after the sale, etc. etc. I just checked Musicians Friend, and it looks like the 44-01 is only offered in natural and sunburst, "yuck" and "meh" in my book, so maybe you can snoop around and find a decent color selection.

Good luck!

P.S. --Yes, if by "get serious" you mean jamming and performing with a full band, get yerself at least a couple hundred watts of power.

 

[tycobb73]

Offer this dude $800 and you'll be a happy camper. Best bass I played for the price.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=638587&highlight=lakland

 

[electracoyote]

Offer this dude $800 and you'll be a happy camper. Best bass I played for the price.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=638587&highlight=lakland

Damn. That is pretty. The 02 has awesome features. Maple fretboard. Me like.

 

[Herbie Chesnutt]

Peter Hook (Joy Division) played several basses:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Hook

And so did Simon Gallup (early Cure):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Gallup

*IF* I were in your shoes, (which I almost am, being 39 and just got back into playing three years ago after a looong no-playcation) I would try out:

1) a non-Highway One Fender P bass, such as a Mexican Standard or even a Squier Classic Vibe P bass. If you can find a used American Standard, even better. If you can, try it through a tube amp or an amp with a tube preamp. Set the EQ to flat on the amp, and roll the tone off on the bass to almost zero, and adjust to tastes after that. If the amp has a "Contour" dial, turn it down to zero.

2) Epiphone EB-0 (the "SG" style bass). There are different models, but you'll want the one with two pickups. Try this out with the amp set the same as above, and fiddle with the pickup selection for neck to bridge.

3) Epiphone Thunderbird (The "Goth" one that looks like Nikki Sixx's) - from what I have read, this is the best Epiphone Thunderbird model, and it's really unfortunate about the looks if you're not into Goth, but the tone is reportedly very good and is about as sonically useful as the EB-0. Simon Gallup's favorite bass, and there's a Gibson signature model.

4) An active P bass special (Mexican), the one with the Jazz bridge pickup, or one of the large BB4xxx Yamaha basses that have a similar pickup configuration.

My money, honestly, would be on a regular passive P bass, which is very different from a Thunderbird, an EB-0 or a Ric, but is sonically adept enough to fit pretty much anything from the Cure or Joy Division, especially if you keep roundwounds on it and run it through a Sansamp or some kind of active preamp.

EDIT: I predict that once you start playing again, especially with other people, your musical tastes will branch out considerably.

Your too cool. Thanks for your post. I think I've made up my mind and feel solid and happy about it. I'm going wth the Deluxe Jazz Active. I hit GC twice over the weekend for a good hour each time and that is the one. I got everything I wanted out of it. I love the look and feel.

I tried the 44-02 Deluxe with the Cherry Burst at Music Go Round. Phenominal bass. But honestly, the Jazz Active felt more right to me right now and I'm going with that one. But now I have my eyes on a Lakland Joe Osborn or a Decade. GAS.

I couldn't get the non-goth Epi Thunderbird off my body fast enough. Totally wrong for me. Made me feel like "Run Forrest, Run!" Totally awkward, but man I'm just getting back in so I'm sure it's just my lack of skills. I originally bought the Schecter DV-4 based on the price and looks (over the top EB) but that EMGhz had no soul so I sent it back for the Sterling.

Oh, and to your point about P-bass. Once I knew I wanted the Jazz active I also made the decision to get the SX P (maybe shortscale) for modding and to have a passive P around. I had the Epi Accu-Bass before so I know what a (albeit sh*te) P sounds like. And I guess the SX sounds fairly good. I'm itching to mod, just not a $500 Fender Jazz right out the gate.

I hope you are right about branching out. Right now I'm just having a ball shaking the rust out, getting my bearings again and just plain having fun. I gave it up to begin with because I told myself it was time to be a grown up. Well, now it is time to have some fun again.

 

[Herbie Chesnutt]

The SB14 is basswood, which is not a bad thing in and of itself, but a lot of people feel it falls way short of the other EBMM offerings in terms of tone and playability.

You had best actually play the Highway One to see if you think it leans more toward the MIM or the American Standard. I have my own opinion on that one. The MIM Deluxe Active Jazz would be a better call in the Fender department.

Of the three you mentioned, the Lakland sounds like the best choice to me. I don't own one, but I hear nothing but favorable comments, and they seem to have the right stuff in terms of looks, materials, tone, playability, QC, service after the sale, etc. etc. I just checked Musicians Friend, and it looks like the 44-01 is only offered in natural and sunburst, "yuck" and "meh" in my book, so maybe you can snoop around and find a decent color selection.

Good luck!

P.S. --Yes, if by "get serious" you mean jamming and performing with a full band, get yerself at least a couple hundred watts of power.

Yep, that 44-02 was wonderful. But I had already played the Active Jazz for a long time at GC and wanted that one more. The Lakland had a WAY better neck and it felt great. I dunno. Hard to explain it and I feel sheepish since it seems no sane person would make a decision to go Fender over Lakland, but I just wanted the Fender more. The Lakland was a superior ax in every respect. Oh well. I just really wanted the Fender. Maybe Fender is the gateway drug to Lakland and one shouldn't go right into a Lakland without first having a Fender. Ha! Stupid newbies, right?

Oh, never found a Hwy1 and I won't buy a bass again unless I have it in my hand and spend a little time with it. I bought a Schecter online based on price and looks alone (idiot) then did a cursory drive-by to GC on the Ray34 and figured I'd man up and get used to it. Nah. I took the Jazz Active out to dinner and a movie. The Hwy1 was nowhere to be found. What is your opinion about the Hwy 1?

Yes, serious exactly like you said. I'm having fun noodling and sounding horrible by myself, but in a few months or a year I hope to be back to fighting weight and would like to mix it up again. And I'll need some amplification. That extra ~$300 left over from going with a less expensive bass (got the Jazz Active for just over $525 at GC during the exchange) will go into that savings pool. Maybe in a few months I'll post about my inability to choose a head and cabinet. HA!

 

[Herbie Chesnutt]

I would go with the MIM P deluxe active, I absolutely love mine. Changed out the bridge and the pickguard (the bridge was fine but I put in a Gotoh 201 since I had one lying around). Mine was pretty much perfect from the start, and I chose it over some MIA basses. I even picked up a jazz deluxe active last week.
If you're still looking, I do think it's worth checking out G&L's too.

NICE!!!! Lucky person you.

I kept switching between the two MIM Actives. That Jazz Active won though for me. I think it was a combination of the looks of the Jazz along with the fact that within a few minutes of picking it up I had a nice shimmer when I went up high (opening riff from JD/New Order's Ceremony) then dialed in this thick thump when I did Seventeen Seconds by the Cure and The Chain by Fleetwood Mac. However, the P would probably be more authentic, but just dug what I was able to do with the Jazz.

Is a Jazz more forgiving of crap technique?????

 

[Herbie Chesnutt]

Here are a couple of OK (not great) pix of my Accu-Bass- Everything went except the tuning machines, strap pegs and neck plate - the body is string-through but the Badass II isn't...But I don't care because this bridge adds more sustain anyway. It is a mid-nineties Accu-bass - I'm not familiar with the recent ones but this one has a maple neck and what feels like an ash body - it really is a great bass once the stock junk was stripped out.

My dad used to say you can't polish a turd, but man you managed to pull one out here. She's a looker. God, that headstock. Careful, that'll cut somebody. She looks great. Good job!

Mine was black on black with a maple neck. I'll see if I can find a pic of this young punk hacking away on one of these.

 

[Emmaporkchop]

Is a Jazz more forgiving of crap technique?????

Not sure one will cover any weaknesses more than the other. My P bass seems a little clearer than the jazz so it's hard to say. I tend to always play "The Chain" too when trying out a bass, it's a perfect example of a great bass sound to reference.

 

[MtManiac]

Yep, that 44-02 was wonderful. But I had already played the Active Jazz for a long time at GC and wanted that one more. The Lakland had a WAY better neck and it felt great. I dunno. Hard to explain it and I feel sheepish since it seems no sane person would make a decision to go Fender over Lakland, but I just wanted the Fender more. The Lakland was a superior ax in every respect. Oh well. I just really wanted the Fender. Maybe Fender is the gateway drug to Lakland and one shouldn't go right into a Lakland without first having a Fender. Ha! Stupid newbies, right?

Oh, never found a Hwy1 and I won't buy a bass again unless I have it in my hand and spend a little time with it. I bought a Schecter online based on price and looks alone (idiot) then did a cursory drive-by to GC on the Ray34 and figured I'd man up and get used to it. Nah. I took the Jazz Active out to dinner and a movie. The Hwy1 was nowhere to be found. What is your opinion about the Hwy 1?

Yes, serious exactly like you said. I'm having fun noodling and sounding horrible by myself, but in a few months or a year I hope to be back to fighting weight and would like to mix it up again. And I'll need some amplification. That extra ~$300 left over from going with a less expensive bass (got the Jazz Active for just over $525 at GC during the exchange) will go into that savings pool. Maybe in a few months I'll post about my inability to choose a head and cabinet. HA!

I go Fender over Lakland, but I've never played a Lakland, noone near me sells them.

I tried several P basses once, the MIM Roadworn, the Squier CV, and the Highway One, plus I own a 2008 American. The MIM Roadworn was my favorite in feel and sound, and the Highway One I thought was the worst, in sound anyway - very thin and ball-less IMHO...

Best advice is to start playing ASAP with people who are better than you, and who are patient. Guitar players who know lots of songs well enough to sing and play, and can tell you the chords. Doesn't matter what kind of music they play, I was a major metalhead when I was a teen, and started jamming country with an old (lol 38 year old) dude who showed me *a lot*!!! When I was 19 I played with a touring country band who were all in the 40s, and also studied Jazz for two years at university and jammed with some seriously old dudes. Now I listen to anything that has a solid bass line and tasty tone, but am especially drawn to listening to bass players who play Precisions. My band however plays traditional Irish stuff, sailor shanty's, etc. mixed with Tom Petty, Collective Soul and traditional pub/bar band stuff like Mustang Sally for our mostly over-35 crowd. Very eclectic mix, but we have a following.

 

[Herbie Chesnutt]

Best advice is to start playing ASAP with people who are better than you, and who are patient... SNIP

Thanks for the excellent advice. Haven't thought too hard yet on getting with other people. Not even sure how to go about it. When I was at this before all my buddies played and we just did it. Now I'm tucked off in a suburb of a suburb and so on. Anyway, I'll figure it out when the time is right. For now, I'll just plunk away, find a teacher and start up some lessons again and maybe make connections to other players that way.

 

[zeke917]

My dad used to say you can't polish a turd, but man you managed to pull one out here. She's a looker. God, that headstock. Careful, that'll cut somebody. She looks great. Good job!

Mine was black on black with a maple neck. I'll see if I can find a pic of this young punk hacking away on one of these.

Thanks Herbie - Although, improvements aside, it doesn't come close to some of the great instruments discussed in your thread. Good luck with the active Jazz! I had some interest in that very bass a couple years back but no GC or Daddy's Junkie Music outlets (or anybody else) ever had it in stock...I was afraid to take a chance without touching it so I ultimately bought an Ibanez ATK300.

Enjoy your new axe my friend, it begins it's musical journey with you. Peace out

 

[Herbie Chesnutt]

Thanks Herbie - Although, improvements aside, it doesn't come close to some of the great instruments discussed in your thread. Good luck with the active Jazz! I had some interest in that very bass a couple years back but no GC or Daddy's Junkie Music outlets (or anybody else) ever had it in stock...I was afraid to take a chance without touching it so I ultimately bought an Ibanez ATK300.

Enjoy your new axe my friend, it begins it's musical journey with you. Peace out

Thanks brother. Hope to see you around the boards here. And maybe get some clips of that Accu honey up here or send them to me direct. Later!