• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

New here, need some information on Basses!!!

S

sarahstalcup

Jan 15, 2008
6
0
#1
Hey everyone! I just joined today, and I'm eager to here what you guys have to say about this thread:

I'm looking to purchase a new bass, since the first, and only bass, I'm owned is a crap-tastic Slammer by Hamer. I'll be graduating college soon, so it'll give me some more time to play and learn the bass more extensively (i'm actually a trumpet major, so bass is <i>not</i> my primary instrument). Mostly, I'm looking for a nice, not top-of-the-line bass (I'm not good enough to denote plunking down the cash for a stingray or carvin custom) that would be suitable as an in-betweener before I decide to upgrade.

I've been looking at a few instruments, but I hardly get any real feedback or info from my local GC. So, maybe some of you can help me out.

Right now, I've been testing the Ocean, peavey grind series, fender p-bass, and a warwick corvette. All of them are 4-bangers.

I liked the Ocean, because it felt A LOT like a Cort Artisan I played a few years back for fun, but had a nice price. My only problem was the thin neck and the fact that the wood looks like it would dent really easily. The weight was very desirable though, especially when compared to my gigantic, unwieldy Hamer.
The Peavey was surprisingly impressive. It lacked active electronics but still had a nice tone quality that spoke clearly instead of sounding muddy. Neck-through design was nice, but I've yet to hear much about this series.
Out of all of them, I disliked the P-bass the least, but this is mostly because of the finish and the lack of neck-through. I did like the active electronics on it though.
Lastly, was the Warwick, which needless to say was a-mazing. It played like butter, and even though it was a little on the heavy side with a thick neck, I appreciated its distinctive, versatile tone.

I want to play mostly heavy music, with a little rock and alternative mixed in, so I'm not looking for a bass that'll give me a jazz or reggae-tone or feel. If you have any comments, suggestions, or anything, PLEASE write here! I need the input!

~Sarah

EDIT: I'm really asking for people to give their opinions on the above basses if you've played them as well.
 
#3
You have done the most important thing: playing them all and putting your impressions into words.

You stated that you think the Ocean's neck is too thin. That would be a deal-breaker for many of us. The bass you select must feel good to you.

The Peavey grind bass is well-respected in its price range, especially by those who play a lot of slap style.

IMHO you won't go wrong with any of these basses. It's up to you to work through your own decision-making process to select the one you want to buy. Good luck!
 
#10
Sarah

I would definately look for something used on this site in the classified section. You will probably be able to find something here in excellent condition for alot less money then you would if you got something new from GC. As for a good sounding solid bass for a decent price, it seems like alot of manufacturers these days are producing good basses. I havent played the Oceans much but i would go with the Warwick over an Ocean anyday. Also if you find something you like a GC new, that may be a little out of your price range, if you hang out here enough someone will be selling one sooner or later. A few brands that I have always liked for a decent price have been, Fender, Ibanez, and Yamaha. You sould be able to get a kicking bass from either of those three for around $500 to $800 bucks. Yamaha has always produced a very solid instrument so you may want to take a look at those. When it comes down to it, find a bass that you enjoy playing and that you like, be patient and look for that particular bass used before you buy it new because you can save some money and use that to go towards an amp! Happy hunting
 
#11
Which model?

I own a lot of P basses, but none of them had active electronics except for my American Deluxe 5.

I used to own two Warwicks (fretless Fortress 1, and thumb bo) but sold them both due to the weight.
 
#12
You should look at the G&L Tribute Series.
If P basses in general speak to you, the SB2 might be nice, though the neck is on the thinnish side.
The L2000 is a beast, very versatile, and has a wider, deeper neck.
Look here:
http://www.glguitars.com/
then go to instruments.

Welcome aboard!


SB2:
sb2full2.gif


L2500, the 5 string version of L2000:
L25K-1.jpg
 
#14
I've had several Precisions, a Jazz, and a Tribute L2000, among others, and, as always, will provide guidance and advice worth virtually $.02.:D

Reading your OP, bolt-on necks are not a problem. My Carvin through-neck needed frequent truss rod tweaks; out of 5 bolt-ons I've had to adjust one of them once. If a bass is otherwise comfortable, don't worry about the construction. Fender's been using bolt-ons since 1951.:D

If you need a thin/narrow neck, Precisions are less good. I have long fingers, and I prefer chunky shapes -- my left hand cramps up on thin necks. Be sure to get a bass with a neck you like.

Fenders are well-made, and available at a lot of price points. Tributes are beautiful, and not too expensive. I loved the one I had, but traded it for a fretless Jazz. It was a lot more versatile than my other basses, but didn't have that last little spark of personality.

Sound is an important issue: it's not really enough to play a bass at the store (unless your ears are quite a bit better than mine). If you can borrow one and play it at a jam or rehearsal you'll have a much better idea of how it works ensemble (and basses, by their nature, are ensemble instruments). The alternative is to buy a known quantity (this is why so many people buy Precision and Jazz basses) that you know you like.
 
#15
Sarah, whichever bass you get, I'd STRONGLY suggest buying used.

Many times people (including me) buy a bass that they think they like in the store, only to fall out of love a few weeks later once the initial excitement of a new bass wears off. If you buy used and this happens (and it happens a lot), then you can put it back up for sale on the classifieds here and be out just the cost of shipping. If you buy a new bass and fall out of love with it, then you eat the depreciation, which would be probably 30% of the cost -- several hundred dollars.

I've bought about 10 basses on the TB classifieds, and I feel much safer buying here than I do on ebay.

From what I can tell, none of the basses you listed truly "spoke" to you or you wouldn't be listing other choices. Keep looking and trying basses locally to see what features (thicker neck, pickup type, etc.) you really like, then come here and browse the classifieds until your dream bass pops up.
 
#16
While not everyone wants to go with the "Classic", a Fender Precision or Jazz has the advantage that:
A) It has a "classic" sound people expect
B) You can get a lot of support from people
C) It is easy to work on
D) It is easy to upgrade because it is simple, and because of the demand

The downside of Fender is that you need to be a bit more careful to "try before you buy" because of the variability in the quality-control.

Note: Squiers are supposedly more difficult to upgrade in some cases, since their parts are sized a little differently than standard Fenders.

If Fender is not your thing, I'd look closely at G&L's L-2000 and L-2500 Tribute. G&L is Leo Fender's last company (he died), and produces a NICE bass for $500-600. Be sure and look for the Tribute; the "real" L-2000/2500 is $1,500.
 
#17
I agree with the posts about buying used (especially here or from someone where you can play it first).

I highly recommend a Lakland skyline (01 series) if you can find one. Got my 44-01 for around $400. Good sounding (for the price range) and really excellent playing basses. The electronics are different, but the fit, finish and materials used in their construction are the same as that of Lakland's 02 basses that go for $1,200-$1,500 new depending on whether its a four or five string.
 
#19
If you want a five string (would be good to get IMO), there is a peavey foundation for sale in the classifieds for $200 in great condition. These are US made basses and top quality. I own one and play it as my main bass over my $5000 Fbass. Peavey is some of the best stuff at any price point and you can buy them used for a fraction of what they cost new. There is also a Peavey GV bass for sale here, cheap as well, 18 volt active electronics, graphite neck, the same pickups and preamp as the cirrus. If I had the money it would be mine.

lowsound
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back