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What is your Favorite "Hidden Gem" Bass?

Hardbassjunkie

Hardbassjunkie

Jul 29, 2019
654
927
Toronto, ON, Canada
#1
I was playing and recording with my Squier Jaguar SS yesterday and it just inspired me to write this post because it is my least expensive bass but my favorite. I call it a hidden gem bass because once in a while Fender (maybe other brands) accidentally comes out with a great bass for a ridiculously low price. I say accidentally because they never seem to want to replicate it for a long period of time. So, I'm wondering what other hidden gem basses to folks have out there?

I can't say enough good things about this Jaguar. It has the most comfortable neck of any bass I've played. I feel like I'm cheating when I play it. It sounds great. I never found the need to change the pickups but I'm thinking of trying out the Seymour Duncan PJ pickups. It is really lightweight without having that hollow light weight sound. Also, its cheap so I don't fuss too much about it.
 
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#2
Probably SKC Bogart basses, made in Germany. They remain something of a hidden secret. Here in Europe, contemporary basses that use carbon fibre necks remain popular. Brands like Status Graphite and Modulus remain more popular and thus far more expensive.

Bogart basses do have a cult following and the brand continues to expand. They are naturally very popular in Germany and good used examples pop up on Ebay.de from time to time. I have a 1994 5 string model that was previously owned by Stuart Clayton. It is a brilliant player and has an amazing tone.


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#3
India_Sierra said:
Probably SKC Bogart basses, made in Germany. They remain something of a hidden secret. Here in Europe, contemporary basses that use carbon fibre necks remain popular. Brands like Status Graphite and Modulus remain more popular and thus far more expensive.

Bogart basses do have a cult following and the brand continues to expand. They are naturally very popular in Germany and good used examples pop up on Ebay.de from time to time. I have a 1994 5 string model that was previously owned by Stuart Clayton. It is a brilliant player and has an amazing tone.


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your Cort Rhythmic is likely THE secret weapon, but you'd know better than me. I'd like to try one.

being so enamored by my latest buy (which was a secret to me and ends up being a potent weapon) I'll say the dirt cheap Ibanez EDC700 active and made of Luthite is something anybody with GAS and curiosity should give a spin ...if knob twiddling is tolerable cos there's lots to twiddle. it's worth the time and hassle.
another secret is my Tokai Works Revolution, yep, it's a real thing. super comfy, light, and a great neck.
 
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#4
I think the DiPinto Belvedere qualifies. Semi-hollow mahogany body, ebony fretboard with 14" radius, 34" scale, two hot single coil pickups. Amazing tone and playability, and great quality for the price. They've been out of production since DiPinto moved its manufacturing back to the U.S. a few years ago. (Some guitars are now built in China and then set up in the U.S.)

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#5
Bass V said:
your Cort Rhythmic is likely THE secret weapon, but you'd know better than me. I'd like to try
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In terms of cost, spec, sound and quality, I think the Rithimic presents a package that's very hard to beat.

My vote for a hidden gem would go to the Peavey Palaedium. For what they cost now, they are obscenely good. Probably the best passive four string bass I've ever played and I got a really good condition example for $300. Ok, shipping and import tax bumped that up, but the bass itself was unbelievably cheap. Made in America, Bartolinis, Bad Ass bridge, ebony board, it's a fantastic package.
 
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#6
Mastodon2 said:
In terms of cost, spec, sound and quality, I think the Rithimic presents a package that's very hard to beat.

My vote for a hidden gem would go to the Peavey Palaedium. For what they cost now, they are obscenely good. Probably the best passive four string bass I've ever played and I got a really good condition example for $300. Ok, shipping and import tax bumped that up, but the bass itself was unbelievably cheap. Made in America, Bartolinis, Bad Ass bridge, ebony board, it's a fantastic package.
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despite the less attractive headstock IMO those do seem to be a real deal. no doubt the neck is great.
 
#7
Framus Nashville, a mid-'70s model based on the analogous guitar design by Chet Atkins, with original pickups by Bill Lawrence. It's 33 1/3" scale, with a chambered larchwood body, 3-piece maple set neck and rosewood fretboard. An excellent, full-sounding instrument, perhaps the best of Framus as was.
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#8
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My Traben Havoc John Moyer alongside my 1974 Ric 4001. Truly brilliant bass, totally underrated in my opinion. Twin Rockfield MM pickups (these sound absolutely massive, huge output and do most sounds a bassist would ever need!) Aguilar OBP3 preamp (18v) great chunky bridge and Grover tuners, 35" scale, light as all hell due to its paulownia body and balances beautifully. Does everything I need it to, bought second hand for £200 (around $260-270USD) in as new condition, well set up and with a hard case.

My true diamond in the rough, that is if you don't count the free Rickenbacker it's sitting next to.
 
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#11
Fender FSR Jazz Basses MIM. Swamp ash bodies raised A&D poles on the pickups like the 90s American Basses I had and I’m sure that’s what their modeled after. A lot more growl than an Alder Jazz. They just have never let me down.
 

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#13
I parted ways with mine decades ago, but if I had to pick one out of the hundreds of basses that I owned as a "hidden gem" it would likely be Gordon Smith "Gordy" bass...

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Yes, a blatant Status rip-off. Sounded great and was likely the easiest bass to play ever, for silly old me.

The picture was borrowed from another bass forum, but mine was almost exactly the same.
 
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#16
Hidden gem that I’m sorely tempted to purchase: Mitchell TB500. Plays well, sounds great in a P-bass kinda way, is lightweight.... and costs $200. But I just recently laid out $1100 for a KillerB 6, so I really can’t justify another purchase at this time.
 
#19
Hardbassjunkie said:
I was playing and recording with my Squier Jaguar SS yesterday and it just inspired me to write this post because it is my least expensive bass but my favorite. I call it a hidden gem bass because once in a while Fender (maybe other brands) accidentally comes out with a great bass for a ridiculously low price. I say accidentally because they never seem to want to replicate it for a long period of time. So, I'm wondering what other hidden gem basses to folks have out there?

I can't say enough good things about this Jaguar. It has the most comfortable neck of any bass I've played. I feel like I'm cheating when I play it. It sounds great. I never found the need to change the pickups but I'm thinking of trying out the Seymour Duncan PJ pickups. It is really lightweight without having that hollow light weight sound. Also, its cheap so I don't fuss too much about it.
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I had a Jag vm ss but I sold it when I got my Mustang cuz I like the Mustang better. So I guess my Mustang is my hidden gem.

I really like my Epiphone EB0 but they don’t get any love on TB. It’s the cheapest bass I own, but it gets a lot of play time. I’ll never sell that little gem.
 
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