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Need some advice on new bass...

M

morf

Inactive
Feb 17, 2006
10,374
11
#1
I've been wanting to buy a new bass lately and I wanted to get you people's opinions in first. My budget's gonna be 1500-2000 bucks or so.

I'd like something with a unique sound, but not this hi-fi, modern tone everyone seems to love these days. I'm looking more along the lines of passive electronics, with a "vintagey" sound. Something polyvalent like a Jazz, so I can play smooth or growly with a twist of the tone knob. Large string spacing is a must, 19mm or more.

A simple bass but with great playability and a tone like no other basically. I know its a bit much to ask but I thought I'd give it a shot and see what people can come up with.

I currently have my eyes on Sadowsky, and Valenti.

Thanks in advance for your time
 
#2
If you're looking vintage and Jazz-type, I'd say there's not much better than the Lakland Joe Osborn, modelled after Joe's 1962 Jazz. Amazing passive Fralin pickup, @ 19.8mm spacing, classic vintage tone.

The Sadowsky is excellent (just got one myself!!!) but not as purely "vintage" as the Lakland.

Valenti is fantastic -- excellent construction, and you can get pretty much anything you'd want.
 
#5
Yes, and that is my next step, talking to luthiers about it, btu I'd like long time players opinions first to be sure I'm going in the right direction. I really want THE bass for me, and so far what I've tried comes close in such or such aspect but everything is never perfect, theres only some things that bug me.

For example, I love the Peavey Cirrus I have, great sound, versatile tone, great playability, and at first I thought I liked the narrow string spacing, but when I pick up the Conklin Rocco Prestia and start slapping it just blows the Cirrus away.

And the Conklin has great sound though not vintage enough, and that neck is fabulous, but birdseye maple doesn't have enough mwah, and the body shape and the weight are a problem. The body's just too big for my taste, I really like the small body basses better.

I was thinking a Valenti Jazz with J/J, passive electronics, but I dont really know what woods I want, as I dont know much about the different types of woods and their resulting sound.

That and it has to be a good slapper.

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll look into Lakland.

Any other opinions welcome :)
 
#7
morf said:
I've been wanting to buy a new bass lately and I wanted to get you people's opinions in first. My budget's gonna be 1500-2000 bucks or so.

I'd like something with a unique sound, but not this hi-fi, modern tone everyone seems to love these days. I'm looking more along the lines of passive electronics, with a "vintagey" sound. Something polyvalent like a Jazz, so I can play smooth or growly with a twist of the tone knob. Large string spacing is a must, 19mm or more.

A simple bass but with great playability and a tone like no other basically. I know its a bit much to ask but I thought I'd give it a shot and see what people can come up with.

I currently have my eyes on Sadowsky, and Valenti.

Thanks in advance for your time
Click to expand...

Sounds like you want a Rickenbacker.
 
#9
Move your eyes on over to Lakland Joe Osborn signature Skyline.
If you had somewhere to play all three Lakland, Sadowski, and Valenti, then you could see what suits you best... The Darryl Jones signature Skyline ain't so bad either. Good Luck bro. You have a nice piece of change there to spend, you should try a few beefore you buy.
 
#12
low rider said:
oiii

try a dingwall super j

bottoms up
Click to expand...

You're killing me there... I've always really liked Dingwalls looks. I'll have to check more into it though. Most of these basses I won't be able to try out before buying unfortunately.

Thanks people, I'll look those up and see which I prefer, I'll try to find soundclips too.
 
#13
So I talked quickly to Nino and this is what he thinks would work best for me:

"I would recommend Swamp Ash body with a Maple/maple neck. I would pair it with a set of Nordstrand NJ4 Single coil pickups with possibly a series Parallel switch."

All this on a passive Jazz style bass. I'm still hesitating between that and a Lakland Joe Osborne (Skyline version). I'll go try a Rick again sometimes next week but I want a versatile bass so the rick may not be the way to go. I want to play jazz, blues, funk, rock, hiphop and drum n bass mostly.

Let me know what you guys think of the wood combination, for the type of sound I want, is that what you would get? I know nothing about woods, which sound like what etc... Any help would be appreciated as I'd really like to get this bass right.

Thanks in advance :)
 
#17
lefty007 said:
Mike Lull or an used USA Lakland, or a Custom Classis Fender Custom Shop -although a recent thread talked about dissapointments about the latter one.

For budget, I doubt you can go wrong with a Lull.
Click to expand...

+1 on mike lull.

i might suggest pressing your luck on the used market for a while. $2000 can go REALLY far on the used market.
 
#18
Yeah, I put alot of thought into that as well. Putting the money pot aside and waiting for the right deal. I still have a couple more luthiers to talk to, so we'll see. thanks for the input ;)
 
#19
morf said:
So I talked quickly to Nino and this is what he thinks would work best for me:

"I would recommend Swamp Ash body with a Maple/maple neck. I would pair it with a set of Nordstrand NJ4 Single coil pickups with possibly a series Parallel switch."

All this on a passive Jazz style bass. I'm still hesitating between that and a Lakland Joe Osborne (Skyline version). I'll go try a Rick again sometimes next week but I want a versatile bass so the rick may not be the way to go. I want to play jazz, blues, funk, rock, hiphop and drum n bass mostly.

Let me know what you guys think of the wood combination, for the type of sound I want, is that what you would get? I know nothing about woods, which sound like what etc... Any help would be appreciated as I'd really like to get this bass right.

Thanks in advance :)
Click to expand...

IMO a Swamp Ash maple/maple wood combo is THE sweet jazz bass tone.
 

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