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Picking out a 5

Joshuadriller

Joshuadriller

Guest
Apr 30, 2011
201
9
33
Kansas City
#1
So I've been thinking about getting a 5 for awhile now and I wanted to hear some opinions. I currently play a mim jazz and a 77 p. I've always gravitated towards jazz basses (I've owned three in the time I've been playing). I guess you could say I'm a fender fanboy, but I'm cool with that label. As far as money goes, I'd like to stay under $2300.
 
#3
Fender has jazz fives, but I've heard (though not personally experienced) that the low B tends to be a little weak and flubby.

If you're considering actives, Warwick Corvettes are nice and have a similar pickup configuration to a J. I'd give one a try if you have the chance. Especially if its German made.
 
#5
I just sold a killer mint 2012 Fender American Deluxe Jazz for $1250. Amazing basses for much less than you have budgeted.

If you have your heart set on spending $2300, a Sadowsky Metro is a great Jazz-style bass. A used Roscoe 5er is worth consideration. Amazing looking, play and sound great and are very versatile.
 
#9
Baird6869 said:
I just sold a killer mint 2012 Fender American Deluxe Jazz for $1250. Amazing basses for much less than you have budgeted.

If you have your heart set on spending $2300, a Sadowsky Metro is a great Jazz-style bass. A used Roscoe 5er is worth consideration. Amazing looking, play and sound great and are very versatile.
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I would've said American Deluxe Jazz V too. Save half your money. The improvement you'd get with a Sadowsky/Lakland/Lull wouldn't justify the extra $1K. That's not to say you wouldn't appreciate owning one of those.
 
#10
Munjibunga said:
I would've said American Deluxe Jazz V too. Save half your money. The improvement you'd get with a Sadowsky/Lakland/Lull wouldn't justify the extra $1K. That's not to say you wouldn't appreciate owning one of those.
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In my experience you need to find a "good" Fender to equal an "average" Sadowsky.

Whereas I've played and bought Fenders that sport various different characteristics and build variances, the Sadowsky's have always been more consistent. But yes, you're paying more. It's the law of diminishing returns. At some point you have to pay a lot more money to get a little bit more quality. Everyone can decide their level of wallet pain. Sometimes "good enough" is good enough.

That being said, a previous comment about the "flabby B-string" on the Fender fivers is just not true any more of the newer Am. Std and deluxe models. Every one I've played in the last few years has either a good or very good B-string, and I'm fussy about that.
 
#11
For a 5, I would go Lakland or Sadowsky. Especially at that price range. I love Fenders, but their wheelhouse is passive 4 strings. The wheelhouse of Lakland is active 5 strings. It really is nice to have a modern sounding 5 string paired with a passive 4. You are basically covered for any gig with those 2 basses. Especially if you are a fender fanboy, as Lakland use Leo Fender syle pickups. Jazz and music man combined on one bass equates to a sick tone that compliments a 5 string perfectly.

I do not own a sadowksy, but I have always wanted to get one some day and have only played them that friends owned or in stores. Absolutely top notch basses as well.
 
#12
Avoid Fender... and that is coming from another Fender fanboy.

The best advice I can give is to start testing basses out if possible, the B string is a very tricky beast and only a handful of manufacturers have tamed it.

I would go with one of the many Fender knock offs, as I hear they have a much better B. Alleva-Coppolla, Lakland, Sadowsky, Lull, there are SOOO many Fender clones which apparently have a better B. I have no experience with any of the aforementioned brands except Lakland, and I have only seen 4 bangers from them.
 
#13
Hawkeye said:
That being said, a previous comment about the "flabby B-string" on the Fender fivers is just not true any more of the newer Am. Std and deluxe models. Every one I've played in the last few years has either a good or very good B-string, and I'm fussy about that.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was going to mention that. A New Fender isn't going to have the "flabby B" problem. It's been fixed. But if you look used beware of anything back toward 2008 or before.

I have played Laklands and they are killer basses! You would not be unhappy.
 
#14
I’d suggest that you at least play a Fender Standard Jazz V (MIM) or a Fender Deluxe Active Jazz V (MIM) before removing them from the consideration set. IMHO, there’s no mandate to spend north of a grand these days to get a great 5-string. The newer MIAs are excellent instruments, but I have a ‘98 MIA Jazz V and still haven’t encountered a “floppy/flabby B” issue.
 
#16
55-02 and save some cash or the Mia version. Great basses. That or if you really want to stay classic, a used Lull... There are just so many better choices than Fender these days. Not that Fender is awful, they just aren't great in comparison to some of the other bases in that range. Fender is better than they used to be but they are still trading on their past and they spend a ton on Advertising. That cost gets absorbed into the product as well... And ya can't play advertising...
 
#17
When I was thining the herd to finance my Modulus, I had to decide between selling a Marcus Miller 5 string and a Metro 5 string. Both were great basses but i kept the Marcus because I thought it was a bit more organic sounding. Defintely a bass worth considering.

Bones
 
#18
I've looked at a lot laklands, but the problem is I don't have any dealers near me.. So I can't test drive these basses. I have played a fender deluxe V jazz, I can't really remember what it felt like though.. it was a year or so ago. I have considered getting a marcus miller V, because I liked the 4 string version.
 
#20
You play alt rock..hmm. I'd stay passive.

You could take a blind shot at a lakland Darryl Jones 5 and probably have your mind blown. It sounds like a jazz bass, but the low B will be better. I'd rather blindly buy a Lakland DJ5 than own a Fender 5 string, and I LOVE fender Jazzes.
 

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