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Upgrade advice

S

squishyH

Nov 2, 2009
51
0
#1
Hey guys.

So I've been playing bass for around 8 years now, and I've gone through a cheap Westfield P to a Rockbass Corvette basic and now I'm getting that urge to upgrade again. I'll be heading to university in a few months and I know I won't be able to spend large amounts of money easily for a few years so I've been saving up so I can move up before I go.

I've only played 4 string since I started and I'm thinking this would be a good time to move to 5, I do find myself wanting the extra range and more options of finger positions.

I play mostly rock and funk (Audioslave, Rage, RCHP, a bit of Primus, that kind of thing) and I mess around with slap quite a bit. My amp is nothing special, a 100 watt ashdown 515 ministack (2x10) which I'm quite fond of because it's basic and quite versatile.

In terms of budget I'm looking at around £500-800 (with 800 being a real absolute limit there, as far as I can stretch). So today I went to a specialist bass shop and tried a few. The spector legend 5 classic was what I first gravitated towards, it was nicely in my budget and seems to play pretty well. However what's caught my eye now is the MTD KZ5. That is right at the top of what I can possibly afford but really does seem to be a step up. What concerned me a little about it is the lack of tone control knob, I am very used to having one and I'm constantly changing it on my rockbass depending on exactly how much punch I want, and I'm just a little concerned it'll be difficult to achieve softer more background feeling notes without the option there of turning the tone down.

So I was wondering what any of you in a similar position have gone with (any other suggestions of basses to try?) and what people think of the MTD for my favoured genres. Ultimately I will try and go for the best I can possibly afford that plays the nicest in my hands and at the moment that feels like the MTD, but I always get shaky when spending large amounts of money so any opinions, experiences, or suggestions are greatly valued.

Thanks for your time!
 
#2
I've played a couple of the MTD Kingston basses (KZ5 and Andrew Gouche signature) and they're pretty good basses. I've also played a Spector Legend... Owned a Legend Classic 5 for about a week. It was a good bass, just not what I was looking for at the time.

If the Kingston impressed you and you can afford it, I'd say that's the route you should go. Any bass I've ever bought has spoken to me the moment I played it, instinct counts for a lot when buying an instrument. I've played some "nice basses" according to reputation that I just didn't vibe with.

Don't let the lack of a tone knob throw you with the Kingston. It has a 3-band EQ, which replaces the tone knob. A tone control is basically a high-end roll off, which a 3-band can do, and then some... being able to boost OR cut in three separate frequency ranges can be pretty handy. Boomy room? Dial out a bit of lows. Want a ballsy slap tone? Dump some mids and boost bass/treble. Or, roll off the treble knob to simulate what a tone knob does.

I own basses with both types of controls and there are pros and cons to each of course, but a 3-band EQ can be more tonally versatile than a single tone control, in my opinion. As with all gear, there's a certain amount of subjective personal preference, but if I were only going to have one bass, I'd definitely go with one that has a 3-band EQ.

Go back to that shop and play around with it some more. Try to push the "but it doesn't have a tone control" out of your mind, and twist the knobs to get a feel for what a 3-band can do. I suspect that playing that bass a second time will tell you more about whether it's the bass for you or not.

I do find it a little interesting that you didn't mention the lack of a tone control about the Spector. The Legend Classic series has a 2-band EQ and if I remember right, it's a boost only. Not bad, just different, but also one of the reasons I returned it.

Good luck with your decision! I'd also suggest playing some other basses than just these two... you might be surprised by something else.

5sg.
 
#3
Thanks for the advice :)

I guess the tone knob thing is just me stuck in the rut of the gear I have, I'm so used to the combination of tone on the bass and EQ on the amp that I'm glossing over the added versatility of the 3 band EQ.

I didn't mention the spector as after playing the MTD I haven't really thought about it again. I did like it a lot I have to say but the 2 band EQ was one of the reasons I'm moving my attention away from it. While it certainly is a step up from my Rockbass, I kind of get the feeling it's a class behind the MTD (it is quite a bit cheaper after all). Things like the asymmetric neck and the zero fret on the MTD just seem superbly engineered to make it so playable. I'll certainly try and find some more models to try, but at the moment I'm only getting more confident in my preference for the KZ5.

My wallet is getting nervous :P
 
#6
GG Allin said:
I'd look for a used U.S. Fender Jazz Deluxe. They're active and stuff.
Click to expand...

I get the distinct vibe that Squishy is in the UK since he mentioned pounds as the currency. ;) A used Fender US Jazz Deluxe is pretty specific and may be fairly hard to find over there... ? If not, it'd be worth looking at.

GG's basic point IS valid though... a used bass may get you an even better bass than the Kingston you're looking at. The downside with used is that you might not get the chance to play it before you buy it depending on circumstances. It also may take you longer to find the "right" used bass.

Squishy, if you're already thinking away from the Spector, that definitely says a lot. You'll know when you pick up an instrument if it's right or not. That Kingston may be The One (for now :D), but trying other basses would be a good idea too. Playing as many basses as you can get your hands on will help you get a feel for what's out there and what you like vs. what you don't like (the Spector is a great example).

I'll throw this into the mix, just for kicks. If you can try out a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz V 5-string, DO SO. I'm fortunate to have several very nice basses, and for $329 (£215-ish?) it really is a tremendous value. I've been meaning to pick one up for a while, and definitely will if I start travelling more with my gospel band like I think will happen. It would be a GREAT intro bass to 5-string, if you're on the fence about whether a 5'er is for you or not.

5sg.
 
#7
fivestringgecko said:
I get the distinct vibe that Squishy is in the UK since he mentioned pounds as the currency. ;) A used Fender US Jazz Deluxe is pretty specific and may be fairly hard to find over there... ? If not, it'd be worth looking at.
Click to expand...

They're not at all hard to find here, you just pay through the nose for them (compared to what they go for in the States).

I certainly am open to used instruments, but it's not my priority for the reason you stated (for most of them I would not be able to try before I buy). However I am seeing what used instruments are in stock in the places I go so I might just get lucky and snap up a good deal if it presents itself.
 
#8
That's kind of my issue with used gear. "If the issue presents itself." Lol I know used gear CAN be a good deal, but I'm not usually lucky enough to FIND the good deals. It requires patience and work, and my GAS doesn't like to wait that long. Lol

Also, I've done some used gear deals where what I got wasn't quite as advertised (read: technical issues with the gear), so I'm pretty well over used stuff and waiting for custom builds.

5sg.
 
#9
Okay so today after trying it again I bought the KZ5.

I do love the way it feels to play and it sounded great in the shop, I had no trouble getting the sound I wanted out of it.

Now I've got it home and to be honest I'm finding it difficult to get any midrange punch out of it without a teble-y twang. It's mostly on the G and D strings, I'm fine with what I can get on the lower strings, particularly bad through headphones. I know some of that will be the zinginess of new strings but they aren't going to magically going to gain substance with use.

Does anyone have any tips?
 
#12
Basses never sound that great through headphones, IMO... especially bad ones. How does that bass sound through your amp? Same problem? It could be that those strings sounded good through the amp in the shop, but don't jive with your amp at home. Maybe a different brand of strings would solve the problem

Example: I tried a set of DR Lo Riders on my Jazz V and hated them. Tried them out for a month just to make sure I wasn't crazy, but went back to my D'Addario EXL's.

Out of curiosity, what was the amp you were playing through in the shop?

5sg.
 
#13
It has the same sort of sound through the amp, just a little more midsy like I'm trying to get.

The amp in the shop was a Genz Benz head (EQ'd completely flat) and 1 or 2 Vanderkley 1x12 cabs. I in no way expect my little ashdown mini rig to compete with that, but I've never found it bringing out too much treble zing before. I'm having no trouble getting the lower strings to growl like I want. I believe the strings on it at the moment are D'Addarios.

In all probability I'm being paranoid, I tend to get very fidgety after spending a lot of money. I'll wear the strings in for a couple of days and keep tinkering with the EQ and see how I'm feeling then. The guy in the shop was exceptionally helpful so if I'm still not quite satisfied I'll give him a call and see what he suggests.

In terms of feel and sound (when I'm not trying to get the mids to punch), it's fantastic!
 

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