What's your most versatile bass? (Include Pics!)

[Agent P]

My "mongrel" P-Bass (90's MIJ body, MIM neck, EMG GZR passive p/u, Babicz bridge, Hipshot tuners... Extender set to "low C"). It takes pedals well, too (Boss OC-2, DOD FX25 and Boss BF-2). Using just the tone knob and my hands, I can go from fingerpicked/slapped:



to "dub" styley:

 

[Doner Designs]

These are all pretty versatile. Each has 3 pickups and 4 band preamp. The one with the koa top (far right) has over 60 possible combinations of the 6 coils which are individually switchable (Nordstrand Dual Coils - Parallel Wind). Another cool thing on that one is the Audere Noise Cancelling preamp which allows use of any combinations of single coils without any hum. It's a custom setup and barely fit in the cavity.

 

[Farrin D]

These are all pretty versatile. Each has 3 pickups and 4 band preamp. The one with the koa top has over 60 possible combinations of the 6 coils which are individually switchable.

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I saw you post this pic in another thread and instantly drooled. Those look amazing, great collection you have there!

 

[Mark_70]

I'm going with the Ibanez SR1900 - just received a couple of weeks ago.
Those Nordy's really do sound good and the electronics on this thing are on steroids. The tone control really is very impactful - and one of the little switches is for the mid-control frequency. Who DOES that ?!

the whole package doesn't look that bad either..

Regards
Mark

 

[ofajen]

I'd say the most versatile is the Gibson Ripper:

That said, I also have an SX P and an import Sterling, and they are both versatile and yet each distinctly different. Particularly as the import Sterling is currently tuned in fifths (DAEB). No doubt a vestige of decades of Stick playing, I still play some bass in fifths (and keep at least one guitar tuned Crafty).

Otto

 

[aproud1]

ESP LTD RB-1005

• aproud1
• Aug 10, 2016

Great 5. Perfect P bass sound (even though it's a reverese P), Great J Bass sound. Lightweight and easy player.

 

[lsabina]

Anything with two humbuckers should be pretty versatile. My Robin Freedom II...

 

[ExaltBass]

The Fendowsky

 

[P. Aaron]

View attachment 928733
I'm going with the Ibanez SR1900 - just received a couple of weeks ago.
Those Nordy's really do sound good and the electronics on this thing are on steroids. The tone control really is very impactful - and one of the little switches is for the mid-control frequency. Who DOES that ?!

the whole package doesn't look that bad either..

Regards
Mark

THAT is a sweet lookin' bass!

 

[mindwell]

Yamaha BB2025X. Best passive 5 I've ever played. Does everything well and has tons of character.

 

[cujodos]

Yamaha Nathan East B Beast. Has adjustable pre-sets so you dial up what you want, plus the normal controls. It's been played!

 

[Stonetown Lows]

My M&V Titan V. It's basically an alder 34 inch scale maple bolt neck Fender recipe , but has slightly narrower string spacing, a Schaller bridge, and the remarkable John East custom voiced U retro active preamp. The controls are like a cross between a '61 stack knob J bass and the later 3 pot layout.

The controls are master volume over series/parallel pickup switching, treble boost/cut over bass boost/cut, and mid boost/cut over mid frequency parametric sweep knob. East did an unbelievable job. The sound is really transparent.

Since bass tone really happens mostly in the mids, I can really dial it in to any room. Sometimes it can help solve a problem room, like a big hall. If you need to you can thin it out by sucking-out certain frequencies while accentuating others. It also has a 15db push/pull treble boost on the treble knob, so I could make it sound really crispy and obnoxious if I wanted to.

The preamp was custom voiced as a Music Man Stingray, because I loved the overall sound of my old Stingray V, but it just couldn't do more subtle kinds of stuff.

It's also dead quiet, as that pair of lipstick tubes is actually a big single humbucking pickup in the P bass location. So, in a lot of ways it sounds like a P bass, but much more versatile with a lot more plucking sensitivity because the magnet field extends continuously under the strings.


I absolutely love it, and I really don't ever need another bass.

Although, of course, I DO want another bass. LOL.

 

[Stonetown Lows]

Yamaha BB2025X. Best passive 5 I've ever played. Does everything well and has tons of character.

Absolutely! The BBs are classics with the best tone. Love em. Super versatile.

 

[betavision]

1981 Fernandes FPM 80

 

[Toxie]

I've always like the necks on the Ibanez basses because I have tiny hands.

For when I like to pretend I'm Sir Paul.

 

[JRA]

for me it would be about any pj unlined fretless with a j style neck/nut (1.5). pretty fun and fairly versatile. (avatar)

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I give you the mighty Dolphin

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

This is my current main player.

1969 Fender Precision body, Fender Jaguar bass neck, added J pickup.

Strung with DR Low-riders. I can get a huge variety of tones just by moving my hand position and adjusting pickup volumes and the tone control.

 

[andruca]

Here's MINE:

Beat me to it. Mine is a T40 too (1982). Just bought a (cheap yet beaten) extra body for carving its back to lighten it and make it a "daily driver" (kept the original body hich BTW is in great condition -safe at home-). On the finishing process with this new body right now. My original T40, immaculate...

... and this is the second body, already carved and midway thru' its refinishing...

ESP LTD RB-1005

• aproud1
• Aug 10, 2016

Great 5. Perfect P bass sound (even though it's a reverese P), Great J Bass sound. Lightweight and easy player.

What bass is that? Definitely DIG IT!

 

[Mdrummey]

My Bossa OBJ-5 Has 4 distinct and useful tones.

I think of them like this
-Traditional P-Bass sound
-Jazz bass tone a la Marcus Miller
-Modern fusion warm bass tone a la Jimmy Haslip
-Modern fusion jazz tone a la Matt Garrison, Tony Grey etc

Not that I can play like any of those guys...But I do have fun messing around with the different sounds.