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Selling my basses for a good 5 string, ideas?
- Thread starter SirChallsA
- Start date
First suggestion: fill out your profile so we know what you currently play, what your playing situation is, and what you have used in the past.
Second suggestion: please tell us about your current basses and amps, what your playing situation is, and what you would like in the future. Oh, and what is your budget? I could suggest a Fodera Emperor, but $12K may be a little steep for you.
There are a lot of good mid-priced 5 string basses. Carvin, Lakland Skyline, Fender, Spector, etc. I need to know more to make a useful suggestion.
Second suggestion: please tell us about your current basses and amps, what your playing situation is, and what you would like in the future. Oh, and what is your budget? I could suggest a Fodera Emperor, but $12K may be a little steep for you.
There are a lot of good mid-priced 5 string basses. Carvin, Lakland Skyline, Fender, Spector, etc. I need to know more to make a useful suggestion.
I'd like to add the G&L L-2500 Tribute. They are cheap and sound great! The US-Basses are better, but the Tributes really do a great job when you're on a budget!
And for that matter Peavey and Ibanez. It's a very wide playing field. BFunk is right. Set some basic parameters and the community can be much more helpful.
- Oct 18, 2012
- 6,683
- 5,538
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Fender, Spector, Ampeg, Curt Mangan, Nordstrand Pickups, Korg , Conquest Sound
Would help if we knew your budget. Plenty of good used 5 string basses in the $1,000 to $1,500 range.
I just went and updated my profile for you guys to check out.
If you guys don't feel like looking then I'll tell you.
I'm in a hard rock band. We do some almost metal types of stuff. I'm currently playing that Ibanez SDGR 305DX in the picture. I don't like the bass. I don't think that any of the tone knobs actually do anything accept for the treble. It's quite noticeable actaully. Two of them are volume knobs but the pickups sound nearly identical. One is slightly deeper.
I play through a Hartkey LH500 head with a SWR Workingman 400 watt 4x10 cab (97lb tank of a cab). I like my bass head.
I'm just looking for a bass that has more tonal variety, is good for a heavy type of playing and doesn't have any volume issues. I noticed that a few notes on my E string are super quite. E string 5th fret is super quite. B string has some a fret that's actually louder than others... really odd. Maybe it's the amp though, I don't know. Also the treble knob is scratchy and sounds terrible when turned up.
Also, I don't think I'll be able to get more than 500$ for both of my basses. So I'm going to say 500-600$ is what I would like to spend.
If you guys don't feel like looking then I'll tell you.
I'm in a hard rock band. We do some almost metal types of stuff. I'm currently playing that Ibanez SDGR 305DX in the picture. I don't like the bass. I don't think that any of the tone knobs actually do anything accept for the treble. It's quite noticeable actaully. Two of them are volume knobs but the pickups sound nearly identical. One is slightly deeper.
I play through a Hartkey LH500 head with a SWR Workingman 400 watt 4x10 cab (97lb tank of a cab). I like my bass head.
I'm just looking for a bass that has more tonal variety, is good for a heavy type of playing and doesn't have any volume issues. I noticed that a few notes on my E string are super quite. E string 5th fret is super quite. B string has some a fret that's actually louder than others... really odd. Maybe it's the amp though, I don't know. Also the treble knob is scratchy and sounds terrible when turned up.
Also, I don't think I'll be able to get more than 500$ for both of my basses. So I'm going to say 500-600$ is what I would like to spend.
Heavy metal, hard rock: first thing that comes to mind is either a Music Man Stingray or a G&L L-2500. (Assuming you are looking at spending about $900 used or $1500 new.) If you budget is smaller, look at the import versions of each. The G&L Tribute, as mentioned above, or the Sterling by Music Man. (They also have the Music Man Sub series. I am not sure of the difference.) Both of these basses feature a high-output humbucker. Lots of guys play J and P basses in these genres too. But I would still look for a humbucker that can be run in series mode.
I was checking out those G&L L-2500 basses you were talking about and they seem to be in my price range, 699$. They seem to have a strange little switch above each knob. Seems a bit complicated.
They are pickup selector, series/parallel, and passive/active/active w/hi boost. The knobs are bass, treble, and volume. You will get used to it pretty quick. You are going to find a favorite setting and stick with that most of the time anyway. 
- Apr 15, 2009
- 539
- 260
- Disclosures
- Sales and electronic tech/piano tech: England Music Center - Clinton IA - now closed
All basses with a bunch of switches and knobs seen complicated until you find out what they're for. I just went to MF and found that the 3 toggle switches are for - 1 is a 3 position pickup switch, the 2nd is for series/parallel wiring, and the 3rd changes tonality in the preamp. And the price is pretty nice also.
I personally play a Warwick Corvette std 6 string that I got used online for $1k.
I personally play a Warwick Corvette std 6 string that I got used online for $1k.
It provides you a choice between a humbucker type sound or a single coil type sound by changing the way the pick-up is wired.
Some find them to be great, while most find a setting they like and then leave it alone.
Series is going to be much louder with more mids. Parallel is going to be quieter with a mid scoop. You are probably going to like series mode for the type of music you play.
Definitely check out Warwick, I picked up my Corvette Std-5 for $600 a couple years ago. Their Rock-Bass line isn't bad either.
If you like how the Ibby plays, you could move up to a nicer model. I have a SR-405 that I really like. The pre amp is a bit noisy but overall it sounds pretty good.
If you like how the Ibby plays, you could move up to a nicer model. I have a SR-405 that I really like. The pre amp is a bit noisy but overall it sounds pretty good.
