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New Gig/New Bass Dilemma (ask my wife)

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by TrevorOfDoom, Sep 21, 2018.

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Do I get a new neck, or a new bass?

  1. New Neck

    45 vote(s)
    38.8%

  2. New Bass

    60 vote(s)
    51.7%

  3. New Wife...?

    11 vote(s)
    9.5%
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  1. Sep 21, 2018 #1
    TrevorOfDoom

    TrevorOfDoom

    Jun 17, 2007
    Austin, TX
    So I'm starting a new gig next week, doing 90's Top 40 tunes.
    Lots of pop-punk, some rock, some R&B, a little hip hop.
    BL prefers Pbasses, as do I.
    Problem is, my main bass, my only working P, is seriously vintage-flavored. Nordstrand NP4's, mellow nickel rounds. Plays and sounds like a million bucks, but sounds wrong for this gig.
    Here's the dilemma:
    I have a Pbass with a fretless neck that needs a LOT of help (the neck, not the body)
    I could buy a new neck, new pickup (Something hotter and more modern than the NP4), it'd need new strings and a setup, yadda yadda.
    Or I could buy a decently cheap bass (Yamaha BB, or Squier, or somesuch) for the price of the new neck, but it'd likely still need new strings and a setup. Maybe new pickups, depending.

    I can take the pickups out of the equation because a friend of mine has a couple pairs I've been wanting to try out. So it's just the bass or the neck, plus strings and setup.

    And we're balling on a budget, so whichever option will cost less gets the go-ahead.
    Any suggestions?
     
    EatS1stBassist, nbsipics and pjbassist like this.
  2. Sep 21, 2018 #2
    arbiterusa

    arbiterusa

    Sep 24, 2015
    SoCal
    1. Put rounds on your existing Precision.
    2. Squier P-bass, VM or similar (not Affinity). Yes, you will need new strings and likely a setup if you can't do that yourself. You won't need new pickups, the stock ones are good for what you're going to be doing.

    Getting your existing bass with the fretless neck up to speed will cost more than buying a used Squier.
     
    lazycat93, Andii Syckz, ppiluk and 9 others like this.
  3. Sep 21, 2018 #3
    48thStreetCustom

    48thStreetCustom

    Nov 30, 2005
    Colorado
    ^^^^ Agreed. Rounds, a pedal to add some grit and maybe a compressor. Maybe a sansamp to get an SVT tone?

     
    jmone, design and TK4261 like this.
  4. Sep 21, 2018 #4
    TK4261

    TK4261 Supporting Member

    Aug 27, 2010
    Las Vegas..from Redlands California
    New in stock showcase Warmoth neck
     
    Bassist30, eadg98005, Fluid Power and 4 others like this.
  5. Sep 21, 2018 #5
    Maxdusty

    Maxdusty

    Mar 9, 2012
    Michigan USA
    Buy a Sire, inexpensive but versatile.
     
    Bassist30, generalduncan, oren and 2 others like this.
  6. Sep 21, 2018 #6
    TrevorOfDoom

    TrevorOfDoom

    Jun 17, 2007
    Austin, TX
    Like, $200 inexpensive? :meh:
     
    Moosehead1966 likes this.
  7. Sep 21, 2018 #7
    two fingers

    two fingers Opinionated blowhard. But not mad about it. Inactive

    Feb 7, 2005
    Eastern NC USA
    Yamaha BB used all day long. Well made basses. Sound great. Take a beating.

    And this is coming from a guy who owns several Fender P basses.

    Also, what OTHER basses do you have? Your band leader might be a bit of a weirdo for insisting on a P bass..... especially being that you are covering so many genres and tones.

    And, again, this is coming from a big P bass fan.
     
    baTassi, looper, DaDo625 and 4 others like this.
  8. Sep 21, 2018 #8
    filmtex

    filmtex

    May 29, 2011
    I highly recommend the VM's. Bought a fretless VM Precision last year. Plays and sounds great. Don't discount the PU's till you've played a few gigs with them. All the groups I play with tell me it sounds great. $299 at GC.
     
  9. Sep 21, 2018 #9
    JACink

    JACink

    Mar 9, 2011
    Spain
    Although I would personally pick up a Squier, thinking about it, you would still have a bass with a neck that needs attention.

    If you want a P, I would say look for a neck (used can be a good option), but if you want a different flavours, then I would look for a Squier or an Ibanez.

    (Edit: or a Yamaha, which always seem to be good value for money).
     
  10. Sep 21, 2018 #10
    TrevorOfDoom

    TrevorOfDoom

    Jun 17, 2007
    Austin, TX
    I should clarify:
    I have rounds on my existing P.
    I LOVE my existing P as is.
    It’s perfect for literally everything I do, between recording, church, pickup gigs, and my regular gigs, EXCEPT it’s not right for this gig. Not enough treble bite. Needs a more modern sound.
    So I should take a bass perfect for 80% of all my work and alter to make it acceptable for only 20%?
    Hence, either new neck or new bass altogether.
    And I don’t have a pedalboard. No boards allowed. Just straight to house via DI.
    Already had that conversation with BL:
    “The old bassist didn’t need a pedalboard, so why do you?”
    So i’m starting here.
    New bass, which needs strings, and setup;
    Or new neck, for a bass that already needs strings and a setup. Plus, it gets one of my herd back into use, instead of collecting dust, which is nice.
     
    dan1952, EatS1stBassist and Moosehead1966 like this.
  11. Sep 21, 2018 #11
    TrevorOfDoom

    TrevorOfDoom

    Jun 17, 2007
    Austin, TX
    Modern 5string Jazz, Jazz with flats, and the fretless.

    I’m looking into the BB’s, as they also have a bit different sound than a standard P, maybe more bitey?
     
  12. Sep 21, 2018 #12
    jaco944

    jaco944 Supporting Member

    Apr 13, 2005
    BL sounds like a real peach to work with.
     
    BBassBassington, larryatravis, ajkula66 and 33 others like this.
  13. Sep 21, 2018 #13
    friskinator

    friskinator Supporting Member

    Apr 5, 2007
    Georgia
    I know this isn't a popular opinion here, but the audience won't care. The P you already own and love will sound fine out front. See if the gig works out before you start spending money. If the BL isn't OK with that, I'd move on.
     
    bassobrutto, BBassBassington, larryatravis and 34 others like this.
  14. Sep 21, 2018 #14
    TrevorOfDoom

    TrevorOfDoom

    Jun 17, 2007
    Austin, TX
    Well, this gig may not last that long.
    Buuuuutttt...
    1. The money’s really good.
    2. He might change his mind after a bit, as he comes to trust me.
    3. The company that this is under does a lot more than just this band, and it’s a great way to get my foot in the door.

    Business is business, and this is a business. Gotta play by the rules.
     
    SpruceApple, BBassBassington, dnp41 and 7 others like this.
  15. Sep 21, 2018 #15
    TrevorOfDoom

    TrevorOfDoom

    Jun 17, 2007
    Austin, TX
    I completely agree.
    The audience won’t care. But I do, and i’d LOVE to use my #1 for this, but the BL cares as well, and (rightly so) wants a bass closer to the appropriate tone for this gig.
    Again, my main axe is SUPER vintagey, and it’s not working for this gig.
     
    EatS1stBassist likes this.
  16. Sep 21, 2018 #16
    TrevorOfDoom

    TrevorOfDoom

    Jun 17, 2007
    Austin, TX
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2018
    JdoubleH, chaak and wesonbass like this.
  17. Sep 21, 2018 #17
    pjbassist

    pjbassist Supporting Member

    Mar 13, 2014
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Absolutely! Get a new neck. You literally CANNOT go wrong with Warmoth necks, pick every option you want, or buy the "In Stock" area. I was just drooling this week over a sweet P Bass neck with Vintage Tint...and I don't even have a body for it go on! All my basses are 100% Warmoth at this point b/c I love their stuff SO much!
     
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  18. Sep 21, 2018 #18
    ScottTunes

    ScottTunes Gear-A-Holic Supporting Member

    Feb 7, 2011
    So Cal
    If you're interested, I have a huge maple P-bass neck (aftermarket - likely AllParts) I'm not using, and a MIM J Bass rosewood neck, that is larger than a J and smaller than a P (Fender factory made). PM me, if interested.
     
    Qlanq, EatS1stBassist, 31HZ and 2 others like this.
  19. Sep 21, 2018 #19
    CryingBass

    CryingBass Just a Fool Whose Intentions are Good Gold Supporting Member

    Apr 8, 2016
    I concur this might be a good idea. Being a masochist myself, I recommend Roto 66 Swing Jazz's.
    The breakfast of champions...
     
    leeriejinx, Groove Doctor, EatS1stBassist and 1 other person like this.
  20. Sep 21, 2018 #20
    BigLoopDuke

    BigLoopDuke

    Jan 2, 2007
    DSM, IA
    I wouldn't touch a thing on your p-bass. That sounds amazing and I'm fairly superstitious about altering anything that could impact the magic.

    What you could consider would be a used Ibanez 5-string with dual humbuckers. When I think 90's bass to cover all of those, Ibanez comes to mind, especially with active pups.
     
    Nashrakh, aprod, Ghastly and 1 other person like this.
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