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Vintage for cheap

B

btozzi

Jan 13, 2012
1
0
#1
Hey guys, I'm looking to get an old bass (maybe teisco), or anything cool really. I'm looking to get that punchy sound that you hear from those old Spagetti Westerns. I've been really digging Danger Mouse's Rome album lately and I want to incorporate a little of that flavor to my band The Takes. Any suggestions for cheap vintage basses? I'm on a budget but I really want that sound/ look. My Fender Jazz just isn't cutting it. I appreciate the help.
-Cheers!
 
#2
btozzi said:
Hey guys, I'm looking to get an old bass (maybe teisco), or anything cool really. I'm looking to get that punchy sound that you hear from those old Spagetti Westerns. I've been really digging Danger Mouse's Rome album lately and I want to incorporate a little of that flavor to my band The Takes. Any suggestions for cheap vintage basses? I'm on a budget but I really want that sound/ look. My Fender Jazz just isn't cutting it. I appreciate the help.
-Cheers!
Click to expand...

Tone is where you find it!

You can't just go looking for a certain brand/model vintage bass and expect to find one (unless you hit collector circles and pay a fortune). What you need to do it start hitting pawn shops, garage sales, music stores, CL, Ebay, etc. just keep your eyes open and hopefully find an old bass in a place where you get to try it before you buy it. If it has the sound you think you can use, you buy it. Simple. Doesn't matter what it is. Boomie's Radio Shack bass is the perfect example of this.

Tone is where you find it.
 
#5
btozzi said:
Hey guys, I'm looking to get an old bass (maybe teisco), or anything cool really. I'm looking to get that punchy sound that you hear from those old Spagetti Westerns. I've been really digging Danger Mouse's Rome album lately and I want to incorporate a little of that flavor to my band The Takes. Any suggestions for cheap vintage basses? I'm on a budget but I really want that sound/ look. My Fender Jazz just isn't cutting it. I appreciate the help.
-Cheers!
Click to expand...

The bass parts on Rome were done on a Fender Bass VI, and played with a pick. That instrument was a big part of that spaghetti western sound that inspired the Rome record, and in a number of articles that were written about that album the Bass VI was specifically cited as being crucial to that sound.

The unfortunate thing is that Bass VI's don't come cheap. Even some of the Fender reissues from the 90's/2000's are fetching crazy high prices. There are some manufacturers who are offering some similar instruments. The Schecter Hellcat comes to mind.
 

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