Traben Basses..

[ZenG]

Saw one of these in a local pawnshop. They wanted $489 Cdn.

Had two pickups. (P/J) that looked like maybe EMG or Bartolini style.

String spacing seemed to look quite wide.

Never heard of these..don't know what model it was..

Any good?

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Traben basses are pretty generic entry-level basses in my experience. Their big claim to fame was that god-awful giant flame bridge. I played a bunch back in the day and they were never anything special to me. I think they may actually still make them too.

 

[richntiff]

no.

 

[GKon]

I've owned one for the last 16 years. It's a good bass in my opinion and I like the style of the flame bridge, and the flames on the fretboard.
The styling is not for everybody. However, they make more than just the Phoenix bass with the flames bridge.

Do you know which models you saw for sale?

They are not an expensive or boutique bass. I've heard that the earlier versions were better made (Korea? I'm not sure), but then production
was moved to somewhere else (Indonesia? again, a guess. My memory isn't what it used to be), and quality dropped off.

They made some that were upgraded with EMG pickups. To be honest, I wish I had spent the extra money and gotten that model, although I
can always drop a pair in myself.

The construction of my Phoenix is excellent, no issues with frets poking out, the neck, body, tuners, bridge are all still solid after all this time.
I just don't like the tone I get out of the active preamp and pickups, which is why I would like to try it with the EMG's.

The price you listed is just about what they went for new in USD without the EMG pickups. If I remember correctly, I got my Phoenix 4 string
with stock pickups in 2006 for somewhere around $550.

 

[kodiakblair]

Recently sold my Traben Neo. That model doesn't have the weird bridge cum scratchplate it's
a big oval bridge cum scratchplate Bit like a ray has.

Was a Korean build and no complaints. The new ones sell here in UK for £320 so that's what $530CAN.
Same price range as Epi T-bird Pro,Yamaha 424 and Squier VMs.

Thought it was a decent, well built bass and I liked the tone. Only sold it because I felt I'd too many basses.
One thing though I didn't like was the body comes to a point at the bottom strap pin so care was needed not
to chip it there.

 

[jd56hawk]

Are there no other options?

 

[Watchootognbout]

Are there no other options?

The Traben Chaos and Attack models don't have the flame bridges.They are more conservative in design.
The great thing about these basses is that they have an aluminum block under the bridge.
It adds a more focused tone they say.
But it also cancels out any neck dive!
traben chaos | eBay

Traben Chaos 4

Traben Attack 5

 

[Joey Walton]

I know this is an old post, but I am new to Talk bass. Pleasure to meet any and all. I love my Traben Array Premium in see thru black. I play in my Dad's blues band and I use this bass (front pickup, eq. set bass boost at full, mid and treble set in the middle. Play with just my index finger over the front pickup...perfect lol). I seriously get every tone I need. I can get like a precision sound (palm muted pick with the front pickup), or I can dial in like a cross between a Rick and a musician, or a Jazz bass back pickup sound. I love my Travel and wouldn't part with it for any number (except for the millions ), ok nothing less than 10,000. Especially now that Traben isnt making basses anymore. Anyways...Traben.

 

[Joey Walton]

This is the bass. Lol, and that is the Doc. I love my bass, through my Ampeg Ba-15, all I need. Except in a week I am adding a Hartke Bass Attack 2, just for a quick slap tone I can click on and off. We play like blues and jazz and Motown esque jams and it's nice having a bass that can pull all that off.