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When someone says workhorse...

#41
Two basses make me think workhorse. One is the Peavey Foundation, a very simple and well made instrument that just happens to sound great. They are dirt cheap and pretty easy to fix if need be. The other would be the Modulus Quantum; it sound great, has a thunderous B string, and its neck is indestructible. Moduluses (Moduli?) are great pull it out the case, tune and play instruments since the neck will never shift.
 
#42
Workhorse to me means less than half a grand, incredibly sturdy, and somewhat versatile.

Peavey T-40
Built like a Tank (even if it weighs as much as a panzer)
Quite versatile
Very Cheap.

It's not my first choice, but there are very few gigs that I wouldn't feel confident taking my t-40 on.

Guild "B" series bass is another sturdy instrument that could play any gig pretty well.
 
#43
thedonutman said:
old beat up sunburst P bass, not the 51' style one, the more modern one with the split humbuckers, not the single coil
Click to expand...

Here you go.

PBassFull3.jpg


Cheers,
Jim
 
#44
Sorry for getting late to the thread.

I understand workhorse a s a non-expensive (under 800$) or even a good cheap (under 500$) bass that is solidly built (woods and hardware), has reliable intonation and durable setup, a good tonal range and can whistand a lot of heavy beating without the blink of an eye. Usually passive and with a P, J or P+J configuration (although MMs are not unusual).

Classic examples: Good ol´ Fenders P and J. Ibanez ATKs. Peavey T-40.

Curent examples: Fenders, and in the low end, OLPs and maybe some well constructed Squiers. Passive Yamahas. Looking for more of this kind, though.
 
#45
My definition of workhorse:

1) Solidbody. In a bar fight, you wouldn't want to whack anyone with a hollow or semi-hollow (seriously: have a drunk trip over one).

2) Standard woods and paint job. Boutiquey-looking basses made of figured exotic woods are too pretty to bring into the neighborhood watering holes. They look like they should just hang in a case somewhere. :p :D



I've exaggerated a little, but a workhorse to me is a Fender-style solidbody.
 
#47
Fuzzbass said:
:
1) Solidbody. In a bar fight, you wouldn't want to whack anyone with a hollow or semi-hollow (seriously: have a drunk trip over one).
Click to expand...

+1

Fuzzbass said:
:
2) Standard woods and paint job. Boutiquey-looking basses made of figured exotic woods are too pretty to bring into the neighborhood watering holes. They look like they should just hang in a case somewhere. :p :D
Click to expand...

+1000 :D

EDIT.: I would also say standard pickup size and shape, just for the case the bass needs a replacement or an upgrading.
 
#49
Ale said:
Fender J , P-bass

Seriously ,
Does it need to be moore complicated ?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, it usually is. Things in USA and Europe don´t go the same way. I don´t know how Fender is priced in the rest of Europe, but here in Spain a 450$ Fender Standard Jazz Bass MIM costs 545€ (if you are lucky). That is 654$ with the actual conversion rate of 1€=1.2$, wich means thet here a MIM costs more than a Highway One, and a little less than a Geddy Lee (I´ve taken these prices from Musicians Friend, i don´t know if they are on par with the street prices).

Now, you can have a "lesser" bass with the same wood and pickup configuration (let´s say the sadly discontinued BB404 or a SX, or a passive RBX) for 250€ or so (the RBX270 costs 220€, the BB404 300€). That is a 295€ (or so) gap between one of these and the Fender. There are people for whom those 295€ is a world :rolleyes: .

But let´s suposse that is not the point. If so, the cost of DiMarzio/EMGs/Basslines pickups is about 100€, a Gotoh201 is about 50€, and schaller/gotoh tuning machines, another 50€. If you want a luthier to install all those things with a major setup, it may cost about 50€. Add another 50€ or so for shielding.

Now, for the price of a stock Fender Jazz Bass MIM, you have a "lesser" bass with upgraded pickups and hardware, professionally setup and shielded. I think those upgrades make a great, durable, good sounding workhorse of the basses i mentioned above (for example, as i just wanted to put some cheap, sturdy instruments i know are durable).

With this i am not telling that MIM Fenders or Fenders in general are bad (actually, i´m gassing badly for a Highway One :hyper: ), is just that, in terms of price-quality, here in Europe they are not a big deal. And budget is an important thing. There are A LOT of basses out there in a given price tag, let´s be open minded towards everybody´s gear, as not everybody can affod the professional or semi-professional rigs a lot of lucky fellow TB´ers have.:)

Peace, as we all play the same instrument, independently of the price tag our babys came with. :) :bassist:
 
#50
If we're just talking about structural reliability, I think composite-neck basses like Modulus and Zon have an inherent advantage. But not everyone is going to run over their bass with a van. :D

Tonewise, anything having a P, J or PJ setup would certainly fit the mold of a "workhorse."
 
#51
I have to go with Fender Precisions; I actuallly have had one in a club fire, and it played fine after I cleaned it. I finallly sold it because of the smell, but the guy that bought it didn't seem to mind. My fretless Jazz deluxe is a great bass, but it's not the workhorse that my butterscotch blond is.
 
#56
TheMightyQuinn said:
...what bass pops into your head?

What bass do you think is the ideal piece of gear for the hard working, hard gigging player? What bass can take a hit, be dropped, or otherwise go through hell and back and come out of the fire still ready to rock? In other words, what does everyone think the ultimate workhorse bass is?

(BESIDES the tried and true P and J :D)
Click to expand...

I'd say EB/MusicMan basses. I used a Sterling and a StingRay-5 in bar bands for quite some time. They both withstood giggng abuse remarkably well.
 

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