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Versatile dual humbucker bass?
- Thread starter kln_bc
- Start date
I don't have much experience once you get over the $1k price tag. The most insanely, sonically versatile bass I've had the pleasure of playing is the MTD Super 4. Both humbuckers can be independently toggled single-coil/humbucker/series - plus a 3-band preamp. Honestly, it's overkill for me, but it absolutely does the spectrum of tones. The neck is very jazz bass, which may be a turnoff for you.
Going back into time, Carvin used to make an LB50 dual humbucker with 2 mini switches for each pickup for dual/single. And it had a pickup selector toggle and a phase/out of phase mini switch. It also had dual output jacks for each pickup. Two volumes and two tone knobs.
This bass had no less than 12 different pickup options + blending and mixing. (It was passive.)
I own one of thoae. Mine has VVT.
2013/14 Gibson EB series, arguably the most versatile Gibson bass ever. Covers a ton of grounds. Coil tap on volume pots.
Gibson EB Bass 2013 | Reverb
No affiliation with the seller.
Gibson EB Bass 2013 | Reverb
No affiliation with the seller.
I have a friend selling me his EB fiver. It’ll be a great companion for the ‘15 Thunderbird. The DeCola pickups are as versatile as it gets.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Double buck musicman checks those. Replace the pickups with quad coils that have leads to select each coil in different combinations. All will be hum cancelling.
Personally, I’d get a nice P body and neck and have it routed for a couple of Tbird pickups. Feels like home and sounds like a beast. No problem coming in well under your budget even with boutique pickups.
+1 for G&L L-2000, especially since you professed your love for the P-bass tone. It'll get you all the versatility you could ever want and then some while also getting you the core tone you love.
Just to poke at your Jazz decision, have you considered a meatier set of pickups and a series parallel switch. I'm not a huge fan of the traditional Jazz bass sound, but my Jazz has a set of Dimarzio Model J pickups (basically PBass pickups in a Jazz case). Thicker tone in general though with the bridge soloed it does the Jazz thing and the neck pickup has a good solo tone as well. When I flip the switch it turns both pickups into one monster humbucker like an extra thick p-bass on steroids.
Like you I do order a wider neck though so mine has a P-like neck.
If not that, than any dual humbucker bass with coil splitting options should be worth looking at. If you prefer a classic look than the G&L and Musicman options folks have already mentioned would be my top choices.
Like you I do order a wider neck though so mine has a P-like neck.
This would be my vote as well if you're not playing shows that last more than an hour. It really is a wonderfully versatile bass. I think it looks great too.
If not that, than any dual humbucker bass with coil splitting options should be worth looking at. If you prefer a classic look than the G&L and Musicman options folks have already mentioned would be my top choices.
Another G&L L-2000 vote here….. and yes, good luck finding a US model in store where you could try, also must keep in mind, there are options available, I haven’t played two US made that had the same neck specs lol I’ve owned two ( one stolen) and another one on the way….. also the D-roc is a beast of a bass, my only complaint is no matter what cable I’m using including my wireless keep popping out ( position on output jack) I’ll have to install a neutrik jack, you can get some pretty convincing tones out of it….I personally use it with all 3 pu’s for live playing and the tone cuts through really good, if I want it more p bass tone I play closer to the neck and pull back towards the bridge for jazzier/mm midrange zone.
G&L L-2000. The Tribute models are very affordable used. Once you learn how to use the EQ properly a G&L with MFD pickups can produce just about any sound you could want. Jazz, P, Stingray, or humbuckers on steroids..... the G&L can do it all.
Yes!! Reverends are awesome, so versatile with the split brick and the big brick pups
I'll chime in to echo recommendations on two basses already mentioned:
One: G&L L-2000. Arguably the most versatile production bass out there - passive/active/active+treble boost, series/parallel, bass/treble. There are a TON of tones to be had in an L-series; I have an L-2500 fretless and it can go from polite to monster with a flip of switches and roll of knobs. If you want big, P-bass-ish tone, the neck pickup in Series is massive; if you want a Jazz-ish tone, flip it to Parallel with both pickups, and there are a wide range of options in between. Mine is almost always in Series/Active mode, but that's just me. I have several US G&Ls and they are all very good. I've only played the Tributes in music stores, and while they have the same electronics and hardware, the necks (IME) don't feel nearly as nice as the US models. But they certainly do have bang for the $$.
Two: Reverend Mercalli or Thundergun (same pickups, Mercalli is bolt-on and Thundergun is neck-through/set neck). I recently acquired a Mercalli 5 and this bass sounds huge. It won't do a Jazz-ish tone, it's just too big-sounding IMO, but you can get a remarkable amount of tones just between the blend and tone knobs. The bang for $$ ratio is fantastic, but admittedly the shapes are a bit polarizing; I dig it but not everyone does.
One: G&L L-2000. Arguably the most versatile production bass out there - passive/active/active+treble boost, series/parallel, bass/treble. There are a TON of tones to be had in an L-series; I have an L-2500 fretless and it can go from polite to monster with a flip of switches and roll of knobs. If you want big, P-bass-ish tone, the neck pickup in Series is massive; if you want a Jazz-ish tone, flip it to Parallel with both pickups, and there are a wide range of options in between. Mine is almost always in Series/Active mode, but that's just me. I have several US G&Ls and they are all very good. I've only played the Tributes in music stores, and while they have the same electronics and hardware, the necks (IME) don't feel nearly as nice as the US models. But they certainly do have bang for the $$.
Two: Reverend Mercalli or Thundergun (same pickups, Mercalli is bolt-on and Thundergun is neck-through/set neck). I recently acquired a Mercalli 5 and this bass sounds huge. It won't do a Jazz-ish tone, it's just too big-sounding IMO, but you can get a remarkable amount of tones just between the blend and tone knobs. The bang for $$ ratio is fantastic, but admittedly the shapes are a bit polarizing; I dig it but not everyone does.
