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The working bass

F

funkmasterflex

Mar 3, 2007
36
3
New Hampshire,
#1
Simply for the sake of discussion. I'd like to get an idea of what most people around here think would make an ideal working bass. One suited for a working stiff. What kind of electronics, finish, pup configuration etc. Lets assume we are going to stay under the $1500 price tag. I am not looking for necessarily off the rack instruments. Something that would cover the live end of work, and recording too.

Give me details guys. nitty gritty details if you feel inclined.

I guess ideally mine would be an active P/J of some type, with a passive bypass. An easily accessible battery box. A decent solid colored tough finish. A jazz neck with a rosewood fingerboard. Straplocks of course. Top loading bridge, likely a Gotoh. Decent tuners with a hip-shot. Duncan pups. A brass nut.

Funk
 
#2
I would go along with everything except the finish and the brass nut. I like sunburst and wood finishes better myself. And brass nuts always make the open notes sound like a different bass, so I just use bone or plastic or whatever it came with.
 
#4
there are a lot of basses in that price range that fit the bill, so a lot depends on your style. I am a Bongo whore myself, so that is my answer to every question. Your answer might look more like this:

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G&L L-2000 $1200 @ Musicians Friend

Can do the P sound, the J sound, a reasonably close MM sound, and many in between, plus has a active bypass. There are tons more optioins in the high end arena like Lull and Sadowsky, but those are usually quite a bit more than your price range.
 
#7
I would try to find an old Yamaha BB like I've got, although there's not much room in those to fit a preamp. However, for $1500, you could turn one into a killer bass with a few mods.

However, the G&L or Bongo would be my second choices. I've owned a Bongo, and there's nothing that cuts through the mix quite like it, in my experience. However, the overall tone quality wasn't my thing. The G&L's I've played have sounded excellent.
 
#12
Thanks for the responses guys.

I guess I should have made myself more clear. I am looking for peoples ideas if they were going to design a bass for themselves. Now if you would have designed yourself a bongo or something thats fine. I don't want anyone to feel like they need to suggest some of the rack bass for me to buy. I pretty much plan on building my next bass, and your guy's ideas are going to go into the planning and building of this bass.

Again, any responses are greatly appreciated. And feel free to get as detailed as you want. Wood choices, tuners, bridges..etc

Funk
 
#14
funkmasterflex said:
Simply for the sake of discussion. I'd like to get an idea of what most people around here think would make an ideal working bass. One suited for a working stiff.
Click to expand...
Off-the-shelf USA or Japan Fender. End of story. Forget the fancy woods, electronics, pickups, etc. Fender does the basic workhorse bass better than everybody else, and has for decades. The Reggie Hamilton model may be the best fit for you. The Roscoe Beck is another model to check out.
 
#15
Good question Phalex,

Well I will be building it. I am not sure a working bass and a custom bass are mutually exclusive terms though. Los of people use the aforementioned bongo's and lots of sadowskys and laklands seem to be in the hands of many a pro. One could argue the various sadowskys, lull's etc are very much both.

I do see the point though, and can see the confusion.

funk
 
#16
For me:
5-string
PJ (Nordstrands)
Active - 3 band, VBTMB
Ash body - Ice Blue Metallic
3-piece maple neck
ebony board - fretted with jumbo frets
black hardware (hipshot Type A bridge, ultralight tuners)
bone nut

At least, that are the current specs on the bass I want to build.

Dan K.
 

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