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Your main bass, and why?

J. Crawford

J. Crawford

Feb 15, 2008
14,147
2,875
FL
#1
I dunno if this has been done, but I thought I would throw it out there! Im sure it has, I mean, this is TB. :D

What is your main bass, and why? What are your back up basses, and why does your main get rights over them?

My main is my '05 MIA Fender. Reason: Its pretty much perfect for me. Its different (Inca Silver, mint guard, neither of which I see too often, especially combined), the tone is incredible with the stock pickup and Chromes, and the looks are just awesome. The neck is chunky, yet sooo buttery smooth.

I used to be a Jazz bass guy.. No mo'.

My backup is my Squier VM Precision. IMO, it can hold its own to any MIA, MIJ, or MIM out there, especially most of the ones I can play. I mean, the quality of the bass itself isnt up to par build wise, but the neck is awesome, and the stock electronics work pretty darn well! The pickup is kinda hot for my likes, but with Sadowsky flats, its become kinda mellow.

IMG_3153.jpg

(Silver is the MIA, white is the Squier)

And my red-headed step son.. my Brubaker MJX-4. Love it to death! But it sees lots of case time.. I love the tone of flats, and really deep lows and mild highs. This thing, with its bright rounds and JMM config is far from that. Now, it does what it does amazingly! I mean, my Ps cant get a bright funky tone, especially for slapping, but this thing can! It has that feel of being a better bassist, the neck and slap tone are that good.

IMG_3139.jpg


Ill post pics in a minute.. I need to do updates, some minor mods have occured.

Post away children! And if this has been done, my mistake! Im bored on a gig-less Friday!
 
#2
I have a Squier Affinity Jazz V and a Squier Affinity Precision. The Jazz V is my main bass, and the only one I brought to college with me, because it has the B-string and its tones are more versatile and suited to Praise and Worship that I play a lot. I am now addicted to having that low range of the B. I love my Jazz!!
 
#4
bassist4dalord said:
I have a Squier Affinity Jazz V and a Squier Affinity Precision. The Jazz V is my main bass, and the only one I brought to college with me, because it has the B-string and its tones are more versatile and suited to Praise and Worship that I play a lot. I am now addicted to having that low range of the B. I love my Jazz!!
Click to expand...

Im still not a full believer in the low B, for myself, of course! I have played lots o' 5ers, and I just can never get used to having it there.. I mean, hours at a time, and it just feels unnatural.

Maybe Im just crazy!

And of course, pictures are always wanted guys/girls!
 
#6
its a hard one for me, as i have 2 'players' my 4 and my 5.

for the 4, Status graphite B2. it is THE OX tone and the neck is soooo sweet

and for a 5, it has to be my sandberg PM5, same profile neck as the B2 but wider for the 5th string, and obviously a more traditional body shape. and P+MM has been my pickup choice for about 12 years now :) (see last pic for my crappy MM copy mod)

i wonder if sandberg would, on request skew the P like i did? :cool:

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pickup.jpg
 
#7
For me, it changes but usually it's either the Jazz 5(wife & soundman's favorite & can cover pretty much any gig), the MIM black & maple P(this one is the most *me* & feels like an old pair of jeans; it's my currently most-played)or the fretless Ibanez P-copy(works very well for the Sunday night church service I usually do).
 
#12
I've owned a few fenders, zon,musicman, ibanez and every bass I've had I really feel would work in any situation, but i sold or traded them for various reasons. Right now I have a Fender Jazz and a Peavey foundation. The foundation is my main bass because it's a 5 string, its versitle and honestly, if i roll back a bit on the neck pickup It can nail my jazz bass tone, but I cant get rid of the jazz bass because to me it has the perfect feel. so that's where I stand but I am looking into cirrus basses right now. Many basses sound great but the Fender Jazz just feels right to me..........but I like foundation too. Currently looking into T-40s and Cirrus though
 
#13
MAIN BASS - 1997 American Standard Fender Jazz - Inca Silver w/Black Pearl guard

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This one I will keep forever
The Fender Jazz was my dream bass . I started on Precisions but I wanted a little more in the highs and this bass fit like a glove. I got it used in mint shape at a mom and pop store in 1998 for a real good price. This bass i like a well worn leather jacket
and all the relicing ,nicks and bumps are from me and countless gigs.

BACKUP #1 - 1989 Washburn Status Series 1000 - Translucent Green over Teal

3647160251_bf1a51433d.jpg


This is what I use for an active Jazz bass sound which it does very very well. The headless design means ZERO neckdive. Never goes out of tune. 24 frets means upper register work is a breeze especially when I'm doing tunes like Hillsong's "Salvation is Here" at church. Those of you who play that tune know that the bass solo exercises your fingers ALOT.

BACKUP #2 - 2007 SX P/J Fretless - # tone sunburst with bakelite guard

3647170807_da9632e131.jpg


I bought this to get my feet wet on playing fretless. Is it as good as my MIA Fender? umm no BUT this is a fun bass to play and it sounds pretty nice for such a cheap bass

I have used it at church for some slower tunes
P/J setup is very versatile : The P pickup soloed sounds close to a P -more Pinolike
the J pickup solo creates nice mwah - more Jaco

BACKUP #3 - 200? Squier Standard Precision Special - Shoreline Gold w/ 3 ply white

PICT0147.jpg


Bought this this week from Ashtray (great TBer to deal with) for modding/frankenbassing purposes.

Has a very unique tonal characteristics and I plan to do some cosmetic work first
like new pickguard (brown tort) , tugbar and covers
New aftermarket maple neck ( J profile)
and eventually new pups and an 18 volt preamp

I will post pics when all is done
 
#14
i really try not to have a main bass. all the basses i have are basses that i really love so i rotate them. i tend to favor one usually for a period of time, but usually i try to grab something i haven't played in a while. i find it really adds inspiration since each bass brings out different things in the way i play. when i'm really breaking new ground on an instrument i tend to stick with it for a while...but it is always good to mix things up for me, keeps me on my toes (esp when i switch between scale lengths and string count) and forces me to be able to play things in more than one way.

right now i've been favoring the Pete Hilton. mostly because it is the newest and one of the most amazing instruments i've ever played (but i feel that way about all of my basses, which i think is a good thing?). it is also a very organic instrument and very different from all the others. they are all unique in their own way...that's what i love about em.

here's the family today...
IMG_7640.jpg
 
#15
bassist4dalord said:
I am now addicted to having that low range of the B. I love my Jazz!!
Click to expand...
This is why my Fender Jazz V is my main bass.
J. Crawford said:
...the low B... I just can never get used to having it there.. I mean, hours at a time, and it just feels unnatural.
Click to expand...
It's worth it to take the time to get used to it, trust me. Took me about 3 months of full-time playing. I made loads of mistakes at first, but after that I wondered why I waited so long to get a 5er!

I also have a Spector 4-string, tuned DGCF, and there's Old Faithful, my '77 Precision 4-string. Both of them get used with my originals band. But yeah, the Jazz is #1.
 
#17
My main bass is my Groove Tools Bill Dickens. It just sounds better and has more versatility than any of my other basses. Even for gigs when a four-string would be fine, I bring the GTBD-7, unless a fretless is required, or someone specifically asks me to bring one of my other axes. It just sounds that good.
 
#19
I think most guys that gig out alot, tend to play a cheaper model bass. Bad things can happen when your talking to that girl, or some drunk thinks he's gonna show everybody how great he can play. I love a thin neck, similar to a jazz, but jazz basses can be expensive, and Squires can be good or real bad depending on what neck you happen to get. I have done what I think is the next best thing. I have 3 made in America, fantastic playing, low action , great sounding, Peavey Fury basses! All three are 90's models from near the end of the American made era. They are all special order models, that are all black. Neck and all. I just love a painted neck. I think they are so much smoother, and slippery than any wood finish, either oiled or varnished. Since I'm not going to be giging out as much, as I'm mainly in the studio now, I think I'll put all 3 as a package sale on here. Anybody interested??
 
#20
Mine's a '77 4001 with my cheap Peavey 5er as backup.
Used to be my 4000, but the 4001 is more versatile, just a lot more tonal variety.
I do lug out the 4080 for a night when I think my shoulder needs some punishment. :)

Some fine day I'll have a 4003 modded to a 5 string for a main squeeze, and probably a passive Jazz or MM 5er for a backup or change of pace.
 

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