POLL: An active bass to complement

[4dog]

Ibanez...and call it a day.

 

[gelinas666]

L-2000.. Very versatile..

 

[simotek]

I agree with the whichever Ibanez SR lands at your price point, in particular they have really thin neck, personally I like the 3XX and 4XX series with the coil split.

 

[pudgychef]

From your I vote Musicman. While I prefer Rays to Sterlings (neck preference) the Sterling is super versatile, authoritative and the build quality of Musicman is, imho/one is too of the heap of production basses.

The Big Al is a beast too...would own one if the Ray or Bongo neck was available

btw there was a nice USA SUB Sterling in the classifieds recently...if that is still there, those USA.SUB basses are great basses that cost less

 

[GoLeafsGo]

Might want to look at Fender Deluxe Active Jazz in Okuome.....I love mine...and a great bargain too!

 

[FugaziBomb]

For a long time, I considered active electronics to be some sort of magical unknown force that makes the bass it is in inherently different than any passive ones, but now that 90% of my collection is active, I realize that is not the case. In reality, most of them are just the same old passive design with what is essentially an eq pedal stuffed in the control cavity (active pick-ups are a different story). Despite this, I still like having an on board preamp so I can boost mids going into my overdrive.

My point is that unless you have a reason for needing that eq at that certain point in the chain, I wouldn't sweat having an active bass. You can also just install a preamp in your t40 and have it all. I put an Audere 4 band in one of my two t40s and it sounds great. Protip on that: I had to run it at 18v cuz the output from the toaster pickups was so hot it was overloading the preamp

Edit: One thing that I failed to mention about active basses is that they have a buffered output, which will prevent tone loss from long cables.

 

[ba55i5t]

I owned 2 T40's back in the day ($349.50, case incl, seems crazy what they sell for now !), and my first question would be: Those are MASSIVE instruments. I'm 6' and 220#, and it was a bit heavy for me, but they did have very thin, flat necks.

(Although, at this point, your poster has to remember their phenomenal build strength was better than Kevlar in a bar fight . . . . .)

So is that size and mass good for you, or do you want something a bit less unwieldy? I always ask, as not everyone is a 44 Long like me. Then we can fill in the rest of the blanks.

According to my super scientific bathroom scale, my T40 weighs about 9.5 lbs. I love the cutaway on it giving easy access to the 20th fret. It is a big bad bass and the only gripe is the lack of contouring. Mine is a 79 model.

Having owned a T-40 (which BTW can hack a pretty decent Musicman sound), a G&L L-1505, and currently owning 3 EBMMs (a Sterling5HS included) I voted Sterling. Checks the following:

- has a thin neck, way thinner than a P (or a 4 string Stingray, or an L2000 for the case)
- has a similar radius as the T40
- really thin/sharp C profile, Ibanez SDGR league really
- the natural finish on the neck (unfinished really, some waxing/oiling necessary from time to time, smoothest neck finish there is)
- has 3 band EQ plus a coil tap switch (parallel/single coil/series), BTW, the L2000 onboard preamp is HISSY and poorly functional (in the end not much more than a treble boost), the layout is orthopaedic (the 3 band EQ layout is THE way)

As per options, well, you can always order one to your selection via a distributor, takes time to get delivered but can be done. As for you not liking the Fender Dimension, well, you're right, I also don't like them 'cause I compare them all the time to the real deal, which is Musicmans (same thing happens to me with G&L's L series). Consider a Sterling HS for added versatility (can mimic P/J too, with some added lowend authority and EBMM's signature cut-thru' ability).

EDIT: Also had a Maruszczyk Jake 5a+ and the neck, altho' comfortable, is light years behind that of the Sterling. Also avoid the big pole Delano pickups, sound dead, as if the amp was under a blanket.

The reason I'm liking Sterling H is for the 3 selector going from series to parallel to single coil (phantom coil). Those three settings plus the 3 band look fantastic. Do you happen to know what the freqs are set to? Also, I've seen older Sterling by music man sterlings with the 3 pup selector and 3 band eq. What are the differences between these production basses and the American made?

 

[gregmon79]

You know I hate you because you have a T40 @ba55i5t right? I've wanted one of those so bad for the last couple years and have watched as prices rose and fell no being to afford one.

Anyway, I have GAS for a small handful of basses too. A T40 is one of them as is a G&L. But when I stopped and thought about it, my ATK300 fits our band so good, it still works great, sounds great, plays great, there really isn't any reason for me to go out and spend money I don't have on a bass I don't necessarily need. But who here buys a bass because they NEED it? Not many I don't think. I just want the option and different tones. I still have my Fenders at home as well as a JFerro Avalon. So overall I'm happy. In short, I voted keep your T40 and play that. But hey, who am I to stand in the way of bass GAS?!

 

[gregmon79]

According to my super scientific bathroom scale, my T40 weighs about 9.5 lbs. I love the cutaway on it giving easy access to the 20th fret. It is a big bad bass and the only gripe is the lack of contouring. Mine is a 79 model.



The reason I'm liking Sterling H is for the 3 selector going from series to parallel to single coil (phantom coil). Those three settings plus the 3 band look fantastic. Do you happen to know what the freqs are set to? Also, I've seen older Sterling by music man sterlings with the 3 pup selector and 3 band eq. What are the differences between these production basses and the American made?

Get an ATK

 

[BassBrass]

I voted Lakland but lately I'm into a new Schecter CV5 bass that really has it going on (the CV4 for you) As much useful tone variation as a T40, series, split, and parallel switches on the pu's and a slimmer neck than P, maple or rosewood (I got rosewood because that's what was at the store I tried it at, and it sounds rich, but I'd sell my Lakland 5501 to finance a maple neck one... It's also not the lightest of basses, but compared to an average T40, it's quite light. I traded my T40 for a 1982 Carvin LB50 which you would love if you could find one time capsuled, high out put switchable passive hum-buckers, a straight neck influenced by Rickenbacker (but narrower and rounder) Infinite sustain, maple/ebony set neck. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[andruca]

According to my super scientific bathroom scale, my T40 weighs about 9.5 lbs. I love the cutaway on it giving easy access to the 20th fret. It is a big bad bass and the only gripe is the lack of contouring. Mine is a 79 model.

So, you've got one of the LIGHTEST T40s, not the norm at all. Mine was an '82 model, natural finish, 12lb (bought a second body, lightened it and refinished it, ended up little over 10lb). Ended up selling it (with original body, sold lightened body separately) because it wouldn't play nice strung BEAD (I string all my 4s like that). SUPER bass really, if Peavey re-issued this with a lighter body and a double action truss rod I'd be sold (a 5 string version would be total nirvana). Best passive electronics ever.

The reason I'm liking Sterling H is for the 3 selector going from series to parallel to single coil (phantom coil). Those three settings plus the 3 band look fantastic. Do you happen to know what the freqs are set to? Also, I've seen older Sterling by music man sterlings with the 3 pup selector and 3 band eq. What are the differences between these production basses and the American made?

In an HS Sterling you still have series and single coil options for the humbucker soloed (positions 1 and 2 -from the bridge-), plus you've got a couple flavors of J sounds (positions 3 & 4) and P (position 5). I know as I also own 2 single humbucker Stingray5s (old, ceramic as Sterlings). On HH Sterlings you only get one (series), but the HS still has 2 of the 3 sounds a single humbucker Sterling can produce.

IIRC the frequencies for the 3-band EQ are 40hz, 500hz and 12khz.

I modded all my EBMMs so that both coils of the humbucker can be swapped, so I can decide which one to use when going single coil (not only the bridgeside one -which is the only choice stock-).

 

[Rib 13]

No MM love or Maruszczyk love? I was really enjoying the P + MM style pickup config. My idea is, if you're going to have a neck pickup, or a 2 pup bass, the neck one should be in or very close to the P spot. The T40 of course has a neck one but its closer to the infamous mudbucker spot than P.

yup....its one of the reasons why T-40s sound like certain Alembics (particularly the Spoiler)...I thought it was interesting to note that the T-45 has a single pickup in the P-Spot -- The T-45 can get the P- voicing but the T-40 can't

I have an off the wall suggestion: Get a T-45, route the bridge area and drop another T-40 pickup in it or an entire T-40 electronics package (both pop up on eBay quite a bit).....that would give you what you like about the T-40 but with the bridge/mid nominal pickup positioning

 

[lug]

If you do decide on a G&L, make sure to look at the neck options. The standard neck is pretty big, I opted for the "Jazz style" #8 neck when I ordered mine....love that neck.

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[bass40hz]

L2K...see my avatar, thats my custom ordered baby!

 

[BlueAliceOasis]

G&L, but an SB-2 instead.

Or, an old Mockingbird with dual DiMarzio Power Ps, because you like hot, high outlut basses and so do I.

In fact, one of my dream Spectors-

Nvm,I can't spill my secrets.

 

[BlueAliceOasis]

A Rickenbacker 4004 is also a viable route.



EDIT: So is an Ibanez ATK

 

[KevInDaBassment]

If you're looking for good feel and quality, all the basses listed will fit the bill. If you want sheer versatility and tonal options, I'm going to have to stand on saying the G&L L2000 is your best bet. The amount of flexibility with the electronics is staggering. If someone can't find at least a few good tones out of that bass, then they don't know how to turn a dial lol

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I would say G&L L-2000.

 

[Jay2U]

I'm a happy L2000 owner. Most of the time I play in passive mode. If I need the extra punch, I switch to active mode.

 

[Dana R Gregory]

If you like long skinny necks then the Ibanez Portamento series may be just what you are looking for. They are active and are a joy to play. Give one a try, they sound great.