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Seeking 5-string recommendation

G

Geðrven'

Sep 25, 2008
10
0
#1
Greetings, people of TalkBass! I'm looking for an instrument recommendation...

I've been playing for 9-odd years, but haven't really paid attention to the market or what's out there for the last 6. I've had a Kramer Beretta 5-string for a while. Good design and features, but as quality goes, I deserve and can afford much better now; looking to spend about $750, up to ~1k, preferably on a used instrument. I definitely want a 5-string with a 35" or longer scale, to tune to F#BEAD. I like zerofrets, neck-thru/string-thru construction, wide spacing, and don't mind weight. Tonal versatility would be a bonus, but the main use of the instrument will be live bass in a psytrance/triphop project, so I'm looking for a crisp, clear, broad-spectrum sound that'd be amenable to processing. I'll almost certainly replace stock pickups with an EMG humbucker or two, so crappy stock electronics aren't a problem per se.

Any recommendations/related advice?
 
#3
Geðrven';6316168 said:
I definitely want a 5-string
Click to expand...
I don't think most here would consider a five-string an "extended-range bass", since fivers are pretty standard nowadays.

Since you are looking for advice in buying a five-string, I would start a thread with a title that states this clearly, as in "Seeking five-string bass recommendation".

The title of this thread will likely give most people the wrong impression.
 
#4
elros said:
I recommend you ask the crowd at the Link Removed.
Click to expand...

Takk.

Jjango said:
I don't think most here would consider a five-string an "extended-range bass", since fivers are pretty standard nowadays.

Since you are looking for advice in buying a five-string, I would start a thread with a title that states this clearly, as in "Seeking five-string bass recommendation".

The title of this thread will likely give most people the wrong impression.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm looking to tune it to F#...I guess you're right, that's not really "extended" range so much as "shifted" range (original post edited accordingly), but I'm particularly interested in hearing from folks with ERB's, since their range covers mine, but most people's doesn't.
 
#6
Sounds to me like an MTD Kingston would fit the bill, other than the neck-thru part. A used Spector Euro would fit the bill, other than the wide spacing & zero fret parts. An Ibanez BTB might also work, but I don't think those are neck-thru either.
 
#11
there's also those Cort Elrick JPS5's, but they aren't neck thru either. I think they are discontinued now, or built under a different model name.

+1 on the MTD kingston models, especially the ZX5.
The only thing I can think of that is neck thru and 35" scale is the Ibanez BTB prestige models. They come with a bart electronics. I found playing the BTB prestige that the strings felt "tighter" than on the MTD KZ5 I tried.
 
#12
BTBs, ESPs, a Spector Euro LX if you are lucky. 35'' scale for higher string tension. If you are lucky enough, you may even bump into an old Status, they sound very clean with massive low end. It's hard to guess with a F# tuning though.

imo, a nice BTB (prestige if you are lucky) would be a good bet.

The knuckle Quake would be perfect, but they are expensive, they are basically customs.
 
#14
Thanks all for the responses.

Knuckle bass - exactly what I'm looking for, except over twice my budget. For that money, I could get a RAN made exactly how I like it (assuming their basses are as good as their guitars).

These BTB's are looking pretty good, and I like what I read about them...are the Prestige models worth the extra cost and effort of finding one? Anyone selling a 575 or 1305 (or similar discontinued model)?
 

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