I see you know a thing or 2 about knobs. Nice!1
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I might be biased though
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Top 5 Best Bass Guitars
- Thread starter Jan Dawnson
- Start date
Well TB being TB it's gonna have to be 5 P basses with 4 different kinds of flats and one with rounds for variety
I'll limit to production(-ish) basses:
1) Fender Precision 4 / passive
2) Fender Jazz 4 / passive
3) Sadowsky Metro 5 string J
4) Musicman Stingray 5
5) Hofner 500/1
1) Fender Precision 4 / passive
2) Fender Jazz 4 / passive
3) Sadowsky Metro 5 string J
4) Musicman Stingray 5
5) Hofner 500/1
I own and use 10 different basses. Ive had many over the years. Based on what i own and prefer:
1 )2017 Fender Roadworn 50s Precision made in Mexico/ light weight / works egually good with flats or rounds
2)2018? Marcus Miller V3 Jazz currently has light gauge Earnie Ball Cobalt flats / to me amazing tone with or without using onboard electronic eq
3)Gibson 1969 or 1970 ? EBO with Lace Sensor soapbar pickup/light weight/short scale/sounds beefy with rounds or flats
4)1998 reissue Danelectro Longhorn /twangy with the right rounds and boomy good with the right flats
5)2019 Hofner Ignition Violin / love because its as close to what i can play like Macca ( my bass hero )Very light weight /works best for me with flats
This is my top 5 of what i know personally about/ all old school 4 strings/ im 69 and played bass since 1968
1 )2017 Fender Roadworn 50s Precision made in Mexico/ light weight / works egually good with flats or rounds
2)2018? Marcus Miller V3 Jazz currently has light gauge Earnie Ball Cobalt flats / to me amazing tone with or without using onboard electronic eq
3)Gibson 1969 or 1970 ? EBO with Lace Sensor soapbar pickup/light weight/short scale/sounds beefy with rounds or flats
4)1998 reissue Danelectro Longhorn /twangy with the right rounds and boomy good with the right flats
5)2019 Hofner Ignition Violin / love because its as close to what i can play like Macca ( my bass hero )Very light weight /works best for me with flats
This is my top 5 of what i know personally about/ all old school 4 strings/ im 69 and played bass since 1968
My current top 5:
1. 2015 Spector Euro Mike Starr LE (white)
2. 2021 EBMM Stingray Tim Commerford (natural)
3. 1974 Fender P (sunburst)
4. 2017 EBMM Cutlass (coral red)
5. 2020 Spector Forte (black)
1. 2015 Spector Euro Mike Starr LE (white)
2. 2021 EBMM Stingray Tim Commerford (natural)
3. 1974 Fender P (sunburst)
4. 2017 EBMM Cutlass (coral red)
5. 2020 Spector Forte (black)
Hofner 500/1 - 'cause of Paul
Hofner 500/2 - 'cause Fang played one
Hofner 500/5 - 'cause Stu played it
Hofner 500/3 - 'cause it's fat
Hofnet 500/7 - 'cause it's (veri)thin
Hofner 500/2 - 'cause Fang played one
Hofner 500/5 - 'cause Stu played it
Hofner 500/3 - 'cause it's fat
Hofnet 500/7 - 'cause it's (veri)thin
My #1 bass
My #2 bass
My #3 bass
My #4 bass
My #5 bass
That was easy!
My #2 bass
My #3 bass
My #4 bass
My #5 bass
That was easy!
Since everyone had their personal favorites, and rightfully so, I like to think of it as the 5 basses that were a sea change when they were introduced. So if we start with the 1951 Fender Precision, it was one of two new electric basses that moved players from the
Double Bass to slab. Next would likely be the Fender Jazz Bass in 1960 as it had uniquely different sound from the Fender Precision, and took it's place alongside it's older sibling in the recording world. Then along came the Rickenbacker 4001 circa 1973 which
was quickly adopted by players because of its edge and stereo capability. With it's multi laminate neck and body the Alembic introduced powered preamps and 5 string bass instruments into the Electric Bass world. Finally, since I only get 5 the Music Man Stingray allowed
all the players who could not afford the Alembic the opportunity to use a bass with active electronics. I don't own any of these particular basses but I humbly think their the ones that changed things for the better. Just my take of course. Lots of other fine basses out there.
Double Bass to slab. Next would likely be the Fender Jazz Bass in 1960 as it had uniquely different sound from the Fender Precision, and took it's place alongside it's older sibling in the recording world. Then along came the Rickenbacker 4001 circa 1973 which
was quickly adopted by players because of its edge and stereo capability. With it's multi laminate neck and body the Alembic introduced powered preamps and 5 string bass instruments into the Electric Bass world. Finally, since I only get 5 the Music Man Stingray allowed
all the players who could not afford the Alembic the opportunity to use a bass with active electronics. I don't own any of these particular basses but I humbly think their the ones that changed things for the better. Just my take of course. Lots of other fine basses out there.
1) What I want
2) What I really really want
3) What you want
4) What you really really want
5) What I want
...This thread should really be renamed to "top 5 FAVOURITE basses", there will never be a definitive best. I mean, have you tried them ALL?
2) What I really really want
3) What you want
4) What you really really want
5) What I want
...This thread should really be renamed to "top 5 FAVOURITE basses", there will never be a definitive best. I mean, have you tried them ALL?
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,672
- 2
- 16,492
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
Five?! On Talkbass? Come back with twentysomething or (in the words and thick British accent of McVie) sod off.
nice try!my picks:
1. fretless custom parts bass
2. fretless G&L bass
3. fretless ibanez bass
4. fretless fender bass
5. fretless 'other' bass
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
There is no "best" - depends on the person, the budget, and the music. A P neck is perfect for me, not for most. I play fretless, most here don't.
Etc.
Etc.
Do you mean what I think right now, or what I'm gonna think five minutes from now? 
I can't speak to "best" but I do have a top 5 FAVOURITE…
My family photo suggests that list may be a touch biased…
- Wal Custom Series 4 string - love them all but especially the Mk 1s in their old school vibe
- Wal Pro Series Pro IIE
- Aria SB basses (mine's an SB700)
- Sandberg California with humbuckers - don't have one but if I was buying a new bass it would be one of these.
- Chowny CHB1 - if I wasn't buying a Sandberg it be treating myself to a semi. Played a few of these and they're lovely, especially for the price… and their manufacture is transferring to the UK, bonus!
My family photo suggests that list may be a touch biased…
Top 5 bass guitars…
1. Precision
2. Jazz
3. PJ
4. StingRay
5. Some other Leo Fender invented bass model
1. Precision
2. Jazz
3. PJ
4. StingRay
5. Some other Leo Fender invented bass model
1. Four string bass
2. Five string bass
3. Six string bass
4. Seven string bass
5. Two string bass
2. Five string bass
3. Six string bass
4. Seven string bass
5. Two string bass
See that bass in my avatar? That's a 2005 Lakland USA 40-60 Joe Osborne. Ergonomics, tone, stacked knobs, classic Fender Jazz conformation, and what I got it for in the first place: Super-comfy neck. I've bought and sold something like two dozen basses on tb over the years. I've often been happy, but this is the first time I've been in love. Five? There is no number two, in my little world.
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