Sell me on a 5 string.

[bobdabilder]

Man that's nice

The only Spector 5’s available with 19mm string spacing are the USA models. I have a Forte 5 with 19mm string spacing, but I bought mine used for about $1k more than the original poster is looking to spend. They are COMPLETELY worth it though, best playing and sounding 5 string I’ve ever owned..

 

[dave64o]

Going first with basses I still own..

I own and can HIGHLY recommend a Stingray 5 (you choose the pickup config you prefer) and a G&L L-2500. Both give you a big beefy sound, have lots of tonal options, and I also like the narrower string spacing at the bridge (i think both are 17.5mm). I love both but my Stingray is clearly my #1. However, to be in your price range, you'd have to buy used. I bought both of those basses used and they look like I bought them brand new today.

Another bass that I owned for a few years that I can also highly recommend the Lakland 55-02. That's hard to beat in that price range for a new bass. The only reason I sold it is that the 19mm spacing and the 35" scale didn't feel right to me. I gave is a few years but eventually sold it (to buy my first Stingray! .

I also owned and can highly recommend a Warwick. I owned an FNA Jazzman, which was based on the Corvette, but with a specific pickup configuration. It sounded fantastic. In fact, it was probably my favorite sounding bass of all I've owned. Unfortunately that also didn't fit me well ergonomically and I eventually sold it to a friend. He regularly tells me what a dope I was for selling and, in some ways, he's right. He loves it. You'd need to buy used if you want a German-made bass, but the couple of Rockbass models I played in a store felt and sounded quite good as well and are often well within your price range.

I've played a few Bongos in stores and I would love to own one someday to see if it could displace any of my current basses (I've been following the "one in, one out" rule for quite a while). They felt great great to me, sound fantastic, and had as big and beefy a sound as my Stingray and L-2500. But, as with the Stingray and L-2500, you'd have to buy used.

I've never played or owned a Spector, but they're one of those basses that I've been curious about from all I've seen about them here on TB.

I also think any of those could do quite well in a hard rock or metal situation.

 

[mesaplayer83]

I've owned and played a fair amount of 5ers, and in that range I'd be shopping for a used EBMM - either a Stingray or a Sterling, depending on which you prefer... I settled on a Sterling 5 HS, and it's my #1 5er, followed up by a USA Peavey Foundation 5, Spector Legend 5 Custom, Schecter Hellraiser 5, and my newest purchase is a Steinberger XT-25...

 

[RolandMHall]

I play laklands and sandberg basses. However for metal in your price range the spector euro 5 is hard to beat. If you were to choose a lakland for metal go with a 55-02. Amazing

 

[2F/2F]

Well, it's one more, isn't it?

 

[Ravenblack67]

In the not too distant future, I'll be looking to purchase a new 5 string for around the $1500 range. I have no bias towards country of origin and no preference on wood or pick-ups (though I'm leaning toward active.) I'll be playing mostly hard rock/metal with it. Also, not a fan of the look of single-cuts.

Any recommendations?

Ibanez BT.B or Lakland Skyline 55-01. I have both and enjoy them. I’be only been a five string player. For two years.

 

[Nighttrain1127]

I have had several 35" scale 5 ers and none have been miss and I have not noticed any difference between them and my 34" 4 bangers as far as the G string goes. I am not trying to start anything here just stating from my experience and IMHO YMMV. I had a Roscoe Beck V and it was the worst B string I have ever played . I tried several different B string including a .140 and it was just dead sounding no sustain and no clarity. Every 35" I have played has had at least a good B and my Ibanez SRMR850 has the best one I have played next to a Dingwall. But I can't seem to get the vintage vibe I want from a Dingwall.

 

[MDBass]

In the not too distant future, I'll be looking to purchase a new 5 string for around the $1500 range. I have no bias towards country of origin and no preference on wood or pick-ups (though I'm leaning toward active.) I'll be playing mostly hard rock/metal with it. Also, not a fan of the look of single-cuts.

Any recommendations?

Dingwall NG-3, hands down.

There's honestly no real competition in that price range for those genres.

 

[backin82]

Great suggestions and advice from everyone. Thank you all! I was mostly fishing for what was most popular within my price range to use as a starting point. Guess I will have to hit some stores instead of being lazy and using Sweetwater for this one. The Kiesel option sounds fun, though.

My experience with that price range would be: new Lakland Skyline or used Stingray.

 

[MrLenny1]

I bought my first 5 string 1991.
A 5 is a four string with a great thumb rest.
Also very handy for Pop music and New Country.

 

[1nterest1ng]

Kiesel AW5.

 

[selowitch]

I like my 2001 Music Man StingRay 5H, which I got used on TB for well under $1,500:

 

[hyp.spec]

Stingray 5!

 

[Doug Parent]

I'd do some research on wood choices and scale length. Some 34" scale basses have very decent B string performance, my G&L M2500 is just one example of this.

 

[selowitch]

The Lakland 55-64 is really sweet if you can find one.

 

[nostatic]

I have had several 35" scale 5 ers and none have been miss and I have not noticed any difference between them and my 34" 4 bangers as far as the G string goes. I am not trying to start anything here just stating from my experience and IMHO YMMV. I had a Roscoe Beck V and it was the worst B string I have ever played . I tried several different B string including a .140 and it was just dead sounding no sustain and no clarity. Every 35" I have played has had at least a good B and my Ibanez SRMR850 has the best one I have played next to a Dingwall. But I can't seem to get the vintage vibe I want from a Dingwall.

Not familiar with the Ibanez - you referring to the multiscale? I thought all the SR series were 34" scale.

It really depends on how many instruments you've tried. I frankly wouldn't expect a production Fender 5'er to have a stellar B-string. But I've owned/gigged a number of Smiths, Sadowsky, MTD, and Foderas that had great B-strings at 34" scale. Yes, more expensive, but just indicative that the scale length isn't the problem, it is the design and execution. I've also played some Stingrays that had a solid B-string. So you don't have to break the bank or go to 35" scale to get a good B.

As for the G-string, there is a reason that multi-scale instruments are designed the way they are. They are roughly following piano design where the lower the note, the thicker the string, the longer the scale. I had a couple of 35" scale instruments over the years and usually felt the G-string was a bit "off." Actually the sweetest sounding bass I had was a 33" scale Fodera strung E-C. That thing sounded spectacular.

I will say that it certainly is easier to get a solid B with 35" scale, but as I originally said, all designs are a compromise. We pick the one that works best for us. If 35" does the job, it's a winner. If it doesn't work (either ergonomically or sonically), then it doesn't. Steubig was over today to do some amp comparisons and we were talking about this. He played Matt Garrison's 31.75" scale Fodera and said the B-string sounded fantastic. Of course for how much it costs, it should also make espresso but that is another topic...

 

[Eminor3rd]

If I was doing metal, I’d try to find a good used Dingwall around that range.

 

[Adhesive_X]

stingray or sterling

 

[TwinBass]

Find a (used) EBMM Stingray 5. I did and haven’t even looked at another 5er in like 25 or so years.

 

[Nighttrain1127]

I will agree that all designs are a compromise . I have played a Dingwall and if it were capable of a more vintage sound I would have one. The only two Ibanez SR basses that have 35.5 scale are the SRF805 And now the SRMS805.