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Your best sounding bass . . .

My wenge-necked, '97 Thumb BO. Although I am GASing pretty bad for an '08 Fender...

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Moser Spawn (I know, I post it a lot, sorry).

It's loaded with a Dimarzio Split P/Model J now.

It's kinda like a super-deep P bass with some Ric snarl. The Split P is just awesome in it.

Put a .0047 cap in series with the Model J, kick on some distortion... om nom nom nom.
 
I agree with the earlier poster that most my basses have their own distinctive sound that works for some songs better than others.

My first real bass was a Gibson EB0. I really liked the acoustic tone and playability of this bass but it never sounded the same through my amp. Way too muddy. So I set out on a journey of modifications to reproduce its acoustic tone. First I added the EB3 bridge pickup. Helped some but still didn't quite cut through the mix of 2 guitars. I then changed out to a Badass bridge. This helped tremendously. More sustain, note focus, and way better intonation. I then added a Dimarzio Model One with in and out of phase switch. Out of phase it gets an almost P bass tone. In phase I think it sounds like the mudbucker only clearer. Still plenty of bottom. Once I got the sound, I couldn't have my bass look like all the other Gibsons could I?

80 hours of carving went into this.
 

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Well, that's easy - it is my (in alphabetical order)

Alleva Coppolo KPB-5
Alleva Coppolo LG-5
Ken Lawrence Brase 5
Lakland 55-94
Warmoth 5 fretless

I would not keep a bass (except for the Heir 5 for when I don't want to take one of my favorites) if it were not exceptional!

Dan K.
 
I think my ESP LTD B-4E is the best sounding bass I've got. I love the preamp in it. There are so many awesome tones that you can dial in with it. The more I play it the more impressed I become. I am confident that my first electric five string bass will be an LTD; either the B-5E or D-5. I can't decide if I want two identical basses. It'd be cool but the D-5 is cheaper and still looks awesome (and I believe they have the same preamp).

I'm going to switch the strings from Elixir heavies to something less slippery. I used to be able to tolerate the slickness but the G string has been getting on my nerves.
 
Hard to say.

If pressed, I'd have to say my Steinberger XL-2. Unbelievably clean tone, yet still has warmth. Cuts through the mix better than any bass I've ever tried.

But I really like my Reverend PJ ("big bottom") with its hot passive pickups, and the Sadowsky PJ sounds great too.
 
As many have said, "Tough call". If I'm in a "Back-To-Basics" punchy four-string mood, I've been reaching for my "ZeBop" more and more these days:

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...but if I feel like the "cutting" tone of a modern Jazz Bass (which I believe is ultimately *my* sound deep down) absolutely nothing can touch my Mike Lull Modern 5 w/ Aero Type 1 pups:

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But luckily, I also have a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Spector, as well as a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Mike Lull, so just about every mood* can be sated these days.

*although I'd be lying if I said every mood could be sated - it would be terribly nice to have a fretless Mike Lull five-string at my disposal, as well as 5-string Spector Zebrawood ReBop and my idea for a "Effects" Spector ala Doug Wimbush: a 4-string Spector ReBop with a Kahler tremolo, Bass Sustainiac, and with a "Invalid Link Removed" refinish. :hyper: