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thinking about a new 4 string

ergodynebass

ergodynebass

Aug 6, 2000
456
49
44
Summerville, SC
#1
Hey all, it's been months since I've posted in here. Yea I've been taking a break from the bass in order to re situate my life. Anyways, maybe a year back I switched to a 5 string from a 4, I like it, I think it's a lot of fun with the top string. The problem is, I like slapping sometimes and my thumbs so huge that I just can't get down only hitting one string on my bass after many years of practicing. I guess I've been playing off and on for 5 years. Here's what I am looking at, I really want a good 4 string as my second bass because I think I can move around a lot better on it and for the slapping thing. Right now I can only play with headphones on so it's pretty hard to get a good tone for that sort of thing, possibly because of the headphones? I was thinking about getting something like a Stingray but I don't really want to spend that much since it's not going to be my main bass (which is my Ibanez soundgear sr505 with bartolinis). I hate to sound kind of cheap here but how are the OLP or the EB SUB basses, something in that price range? I really haven't tried one out myself but is the tone decent for slapping/popping? Is it easy to fly on those necks (that's why I like Ibanez, the pencil necks)? Or something like a pbass? I'm just not sure what to test out.
 
#2
EB SUB is a very good bass, especially for the money. OLP is hit and miss, there are some great ones and some terrible ones. I think the Squier VM series are better than the OLP in that price range. A Squier VM 70's bass is nice to slap on and not too expensive.

If you are looking at a SUB, it will be likely be used and most are in the $400-500 range. I doubt you'll find a better quality bass in that price range.
 
#3
Double Agent said:
EB SUB is a very good bass, especially for the money. OLP is hit and miss, there are some great ones and some terrible ones. I think the Squier VM series are better than the OLP in that price range. A Squier VM 70's bass is nice to slap on and not too expensive.

If you are looking at a SUB, it will be likely be used and most are in the $400-500 range. I doubt you'll find a better quality bass in that price range.
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I'm sure I can find a few Ibanez in that price range, the old Roadster series. A squire though? Hmm... Yeah too bad it will be nearly impossible for me to test out a SUB considering how rare they are to begin with and i'd have to find it at a used place. I think I might check out the local used shop, they had a few nice Spectors there last time I went many months ago for cheap one was neck thru.
 
#6
Okay today I went around to every music shop and pawn shop in the area and I was trying to locate something decent in the 4 string category. I ended up finding a bunch of 5 strings and was wondering if any of these are worth the price they are asking, keep in mind the pawn shop ones I know for sure can get for cheaper.

Ibanez SR1205 $499 - I know I can get cheaper
about 3 OLP 5 strings for $275-350
custom Carvin 5, gold hardware $899, looked to be a few years old


I was sorta really interested in the Ibanez even though I own 2 already but that thing was nice, neck thru prestige series, hard to find, too bad it didn't have bartolinis. I really wanna know if any of these are worth the price they were asking. I didn't get to try it out since it was a pawn shop and they had no bass amp in the building.
 
#7
ergodynebass said:
Ibanez SR1205 $499 - I know I can get cheaper
about 3 OLP 5 strings for $275-350
custom Carvin 5, gold hardware $899, looked to be a few years old.
Click to expand...

Well, if your willing to go $499 - $899, go back to looking at the EBMM line used. In that price range you can get a used but very good condition SUB, Sterling or Stingray. I just got a MINT '04 Stingray for LESS than the Carvin you listed, including shipping. EBMM's quality control is very good. If you like the sound of this line, then you'll be able to get a good one used on the 'bay without worrying if it is a good one...
 
#8
Art and Music said:
Well, if your willing to go $499 - $899, go back to looking at the EBMM line used. In that price range you can get a used but very good condition SUB, Sterling or Stingray. I just got a MINT '04 Stingray for LESS than the Carvin you listed, including shipping. EBMM's quality control is very good. If you like the sound of this line, then you'll be able to get a good one used on the 'bay without worrying if it is a good one...
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Yeah I saw one for $750 shipped online with a nice case. Problem is the only EBMM types I've played are knockoff OLP's but I hear them all the time. Guy at church has one and I love the sound of it, the other one plays a Warwick which I'm fond of too. I have a question about EBMM basses, why do some have the egg shaped pickguard and others the one that stretches past the knobs, was that only on the 5 string or a custom option or what?
 
#9
ergodynebass said:
Yeah I saw one for $750 shipped online with a nice case. Problem is the only EBMM types I've played are knockoff OLP's but I hear them all the time. Guy at church has one and I love the sound of it, the other one plays a Warwick which I'm fond of too. I have a question about EBMM basses, why do some have the egg shaped pickguard and others the one that stretches past the knobs, was that only on the 5 string or a custom option or what?
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Yeah. Just for whatever reason, most of the time 4-string and 5-string Stingrays have different pickguards... the only exception I can think of is the MM SUB 5, which has the egg-shaped one on there
 
#11
joejnyc said:
If you're used to the neck profiles and tones of your ibanez experiences, I'd say go for those.

The roadster II's from the 80's are good and in your price range, maybe even cheaper. I have an original roadster, and I love it.
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Yeah I know I really do like Ibanez but that's just the fact that it was hard for me to find anything in my price range that wasn't ibanez, for like the 600 and under price range it's hard to beat. I am just looking for something different this time, why I'm leaning towards EBMM or maybe like a Warwick. I'm going to be testing some to see exactly what I like better. Just a whim that I will probably go for EBMM because I have fell in love with those ever since before I started playing bass 6 years ago.
 

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