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What bass to buy?

G

Gerson Bassco

Jul 14, 2008
2
0
#1
Hi guys.

I want to buy a new five string bass. I don't have the possibility of buying a lot of basses and I play many diferent genres (rock, pop, funk, jazz, salsa), then I need a very versatile bass to record and play live. I can spend 2000 USD max. I have been reading and I'm between these basses:

American G&L L-2500
Lakland Skyline 55-02
American Fender Jazz Deluxe
Musicman Sterling 5
Musicman Stingray 5

Please help me to choose the best bass for me :bassist:

Thanks
 
#2
The G&L as well as the Fenders all derive from the same place, Leo Fender, and although the Ray is now manufactured by Ernie Ball, it still has pound for pound better sound IMO. If I am not mistaken ,the Lackland that you are looking at is one of the low end models that lackland produces. I have played several of the lacklands that you are considering,and my MM Stingray 5 beats Them hands down. I just Purchased a Rob Elrick 6 about a month ago and I hadn't touched my Ray since it came in, and last night after cleaning my Ray and playing it again, I realize that I have 2 awesome basses with two distinct sounds. The Ray can give you what you need for any genre of music. Happy Shopping
 
#3
i would choose the lakkie,
you have more sounds to choose from, a very nice p-sound and a very nice j-sound and a come-close-sound to the stingray.
the neck is a dream to play and the B-string is a killer...
i would take the stingray 5 as a very close second.
with the stingray you can also choose from more colors.

i am a a huge lakland convert......from fender and MM.
 
#4
Some very nice choices.. Out of the basses you listed, I would say the G&L and Fender are going to be pretty versatile basses and they are American-made. While having a very distinct tone, the Stingray 5 is pretty versatile too. They can be very heavy, so you might want to search for a lighter weight one if weight is an issue. I haven't played a Sterling 5, but I have played a Sterling 4 and there is a nice selection of tones to be had. I have owned 2 USA Laklands and they are fabulous basses. I've heard good things about the Skylines but haven't played any.
If you can find a really nice L-2500, I'd say go with it. Excellent bang for the buck on a hand-made, versatile bass.
 
#5
Chosen1 said:
If I am not mistaken ,the Lackland that you are looking at is one of the low end models that lackland produces.
Click to expand...

The Lakland 55-01 is the low end one, not the 55-02. I wouldn't call a $1300 Lakland exactly low end. Just my $0.02.

I find the Lakland 55-02 is great for recording. One of the best recording basses I have ever owned. I got rid of mine as it didn't cut as well as my Stingrays, Fenders or Sadowskys live.

I would try out the Jazz V, Stingray and Lakland and buy what you like best. They are all serious basses. Note: I have virtually no experience with G&L.
 
#7
I don't think you can go wrong with any of those choices. Although, I personally don't like Fender 5ers. The Lakland, Musicmans, and G&L are all top notch in my book.

One thing to look out for though is the string spacing.

If IRC, the Lakland has the widest spacing (19mm???) which will fell more like a 4 string. But it also has 35 in scale and will be slightly longer.

I think the MMs are a little tight (17mm???).

Well, I have a bunch of speculative figures running around in my head. Think about how the instrument feels in addition to sound which basically means you'll have to test drive them.
 
#8
Gerson Bassco said:
Hi guys.

I want to buy a new five string bass. I don't have the possibility of buying a lot of basses and I play many diferent genres (rock, pop, funk, jazz, salsa), then I need a very versatile bass to record and play live. I can spend 2000 USD max. I have been reading and I'm between these basses:

American G&L L-2500
Lakland Skyline 55-02
American Fender Jazz Deluxe
Musicman Sterling 5
Musicman Stingray 5

Please help me to choose the best bass for me :bassist:

Thanks
Click to expand...
maybe my review on my G&l l2500 will help

Review of My new G&L L2500
well i ordered it on 3-29-2008 and recieved it on 7-11-2008 so it took a little over 3 months, and man let me tell you it is worth it, i have played it 6 times, 1 time at a gig on friday 1 hour after i got it from ups, 1 on saturday, and 4 on sunday, the neck is not big at all, it is a lot like a stingray 5 neck but a little thiner in my opinion, i dont know how it got the reputation for having a big neck, maybe the neck is bigger on the tribute model, but the usa model is not big at all, the neck is smaller than my fender jazz usa deluxe 5 string, and the string spacing does not feel tight at all, in fact it is faster and easier, and i have been able to get any tone i want from it, neck pickup active in parallel sounds just like a precision to me, both pickups active in parallel sounds kind of marcus miller like but with a better low end, and bridge pickup active in parallel sounds to me like a stingray 5, and if i flip the switch to series while still in the bridge pickup active in parallel position it sounds allot like a warick, and man let me tell ya in series mode it gets real thick sounding very ballsy, and when i go passive it hardly losses any volume at all, this thing will growl all day and then some, or with just a flip of the switches it sounds smooth and jazzy with no growl, this is definitely the swiss army knife of basses, the rose wood fretboard is perfect, no neck dive at all, paint job is the best i have ever seen, and the sustain will ring on for days, and it feels allot lighter than my fender jazz, this bass caused me to lose all of my gas for an ernie ball stingray 5, but i love them dont take me wrong.
This is my go to bass, the only bass i might want in the future would be the lakland decade with chi sonics pickups, but seriously i almost wanted a usa 55-94 lakland and or a stingray 5, i have played both many times and the G&L l2500 can get pretty much the same sounds and also is made in the usa, and it costed me in total $1277.00 with hard shell case, the lakland usa is over $3000.00 no case and a long possible 9 month or more wait i have heard, i am not saying lakland is bad in fact they are some of the best quality basses out there, but The G&L L2500 makes sense in many ways, hope this helps! oh and the b string is decently tight even for a 34 scale neck.
 
#9
May I make another suggestion? Check out Link Removed. I just purchased a Human Base model BaseX.oc5. Retails for about $1300 and it is awesome! Played it next to G & L, Music Man Stingray, Lakland 55-02 Delux and a nice Fender MIA P. It is extremely versatile (active/passive modes, single/dual humbucker toggle, bass/mid/treble controls). Comes STOCK w/Delano MM style pups and a sweet Glockenklang pre.

Check out my thread at http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=447926&highlight=Human+Base for pics and links to vids
 
#11
lamonica78 said:
May I make another suggestion? Check out Link Removed. I just purchased a Human Base model BaseX.oc5. Retails for about $1300 and it is awesome! Played it next to G & L, Music Man Stingray, Lakland 55-02 Delux and a nice Fender MIA P. It is extremely versatile (active/passive modes, single/dual humbucker toggle, bass/mid/treble controls). Comes STOCK w/Delano MM style pups and a sweet Glockenklang pre.

Check out my thread at http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=447926&highlight=Human+Base for pics and links to vids
Click to expand...
i too have heard good things about the human base, even though i love my G&l l2500 i am curious about the human base, your right i think he should look into ones of these, your post is definitely something to think about.
 
#12
lovenotfear said:
i too have heard good things about the human base, even though i love my G&l l2500 i am curious about the human base, your right i think he should look into ones of these, your post is definitely something to think about.
Click to expand...


I had the opportunity to record with it last week on a friend's album. I heard the rough mix yesterday and the bass sounds awesome. Feels great, plays well AND records well.
 

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