Looking for a bass to suit a guitarist

[Superhuman]

I'm looking to buy a bass for recording. I'm a guitarist so I'm looking for something that feels closer to a guitar than a bass... Example, I recorded a track recently and had to use a studio Fender base - it was so long that it went beyond uncomfortable on the wrist.
Any suggestions beside 'get used to it'? Also, I'm looking for something not too expensive but with good tone - will probably run it through a Bass Pod.

 

[Slowrider]

I just sold my Ibanez bass because the string spacing was too close together, so you may want to try one of those.

 

[Track Rat]

A Rickenbacker 4000 series. I have an old 4001 and plays like butta.

 

[mharr552000]

Look for a 'short scale' or 'student' bass. Here ar a few:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass...rt-scale-electric-bass?N=100001+306322&page=1
I've always played both guitar and bass. I'm not a big guy and the length of most bass necks bugs me. I'll think about selling my Warlock bass now and again, but when I play it I change my mind.

 

[Keiffer]

Same situation here...

I have an Ibanez SR400. I've had it probably 7-8 years. Lots of tone differences available between the Neck and Bridge PUP.

The Neck is small... which I like.

 

[David M]

Try a Fender Mustang. They are short scale like a guitar.

On the other hand, if your gonna get a bass I would not worry about it that much. You will get used to the longer neck.

I am a guitar player that took up bass and I love my Fender Jazz Bass. The neck on the Jazz bass is a little thinner than the P-bass but the scale is the same. I tried a Mustang a whiel back and really didn't like it as much as my Jazz Bass.

 

[Lt. Bob]

short scale is what you want ....... but, it will not sound the same as a long scale bass ...... more 'middy' sounding and not as deep.

 

[Superhuman]

Short scale sounds good, but I hear you on the depth of the tone... I suppose that could be EQ'd though. Especilly as this is for recording only.
Thanks for all of the suggestions guys, I'll get checking out those models and make a decision from there.

 

[ggunn]

Short scale sounds good, but I hear you on the depth of the tone... I suppose that could be EQ'd though.

Don't count on that. Tone is more complex than just EQing.

 

[Lt. Bob]

Don't count on that. Tone is more complex than just EQing.

Ditto.
It's because to have a vibration at a certain freq. ...... a string has to have a certain mass .
I'm a piano tuner and we've all heard little spinet pianos. They don't have any bottom end to speak of and even worse .... the bass notes on a lot of them have harmonics that are almost as loud as the fundamental.
The reason is that to compensate for the shorter strings ..... they have to double wind (even triple layers sometimes) the bass strings to get that extra mass. One of the consequences of that is the harmonics get louder. So they can actually sound like they're playing two notes at once. I've even heard tuners make the mistake of tuning the string to the false pitch rather than the correct one because it's so loud.
So on a bass either you're gonna have to use very heavy strings or if you don't (which is the normal way for most) you end up with much lower tension on that short string to get it tuned low enough.

That being said ..... they can sound decent I suppose, but I hate 'em. And I don't think they'll ever sound as full as a full scale bass.

 

[Superhuman]

How about running a short scale through a modeler like the Bass POD? IMO the PODxt does a bad job for guitar but a lot of people are satisfied. Bass is a different animal altogether... would something like that fill in the missing bottom end? Bear in mind I play heavy instrumental stuff, mostly guitar driven, bass sits underneath to beef up the guitars.

 

[faderbug]

i have a 1970 Aria Diamond hollow body short scale bass. it plays like a dream but sounds like a guitar only one octave lower. not like a bass at all.

 

[David M]

The Fender Mustangs sound pretty much like a bass. I used to play in a band with a chick bass player that played one and I never really noticed it not sounding like a bass. I remember checking it out once and I thought it sounded okay. Not as good as my Jazz Bass, but not bad.

 

[Dethska]

The Ibanez Soundgear lines have thin necks which make them much easier to play for a guitarist than a P-Bass.

I switched to bass from guitar and really like my Ibanez guitar. I found the transistion real easy. I played some P-bass style basses and really didn't find them that comfortable.

 

[jfrog]

Same situation here...

I have an Ibanez SR400. I've had it probably 7-8 years. Lots of tone differences available between the Neck and Bridge PUP.

The Neck is small... which I like.

This topic pops up surprisingly frequently. If you do a search you'll dig up several threads.

I would take a look at an Ibanez GSR200. Sounds a lot like the one Keiffer described. I'm also a guitarist who needed a bass to record some tracks. I ended up with a used GSR200. Pretty decent bass.

 

[notCardio]

Buy a Mustang or I'll kick your ass!

OK, maybe not. But I really really like Mustangs. Some guys don't like 'em, that's cool. But, if you want that artificially super low end that's popular now, your not gonna get it. Actually, to get that you either need at least a 5-string, or some sort of synth enhancement IMO. I don't like that sound, don't play that kind of music, so it's not a problem for me.

But if you want something that feels like a guitar, and your beef is with the length of the neck, then by definition, you want a short scale.

Your other short scale alternatives are:

A Hofner (unless your going for an early Beatles-era sound, I don't think you'll like it-I could be wrong)

An EBO (Gibson or Epiphone) - I love the way they feel, hate the way they sound, but if muddy bottom is what you're looking for, hey, knock yourself out

A fender P-bass Jr. - quite possibly what you're looking for, just a smaller, short-scale version of a P - I don't like 'em, but that's just me

A Squier Bronco - I like them because they're weird (I go for weird), but I can't imagine anybody else actually liking it. Maybe you're the one. ( In the dictionary, under cheap POS, there's a picture of a Bronco)

There's also the Epi Alan Woody. Listen to some early Government Mule to see if you like the sound. Very similar to the EBO to me.

They have a few different ones from time to time (they change the models available periodocally) at Rondo. Mostly cheap Fender knock-offs, but you can upgrade the hardware and electronics to your liking. More work and more $, but it's another option.

And as far as Mustangs go, the bass player for the Wallflowers used one during the 'Bringing Down the Horse' era; one of my favorites, Glen Hughes played one in Trapeze (but that was before your time), and so did the guy in Tin Machine (Bowie's project) at least for awhile. So yes, real live professionals play them. Go try one. You'll either like it or you won't. They do have a more midrange, guitar-like sound. But if you're like me and play 'lead bass', then it's perfect. My only gripe with them is the current crop only comes in Torino red (yechh!) or vintage white (boooring). If I bought a new one, I'd either have to have it repainted or strip it. Mine's been stripped, a very bad amatuer job, and I love it.

YMMV

Too bad Carvin doesn't make a short-scale, eh APL?

 

[notCardio]

Can you name an artsit

that plays music similar in style to yours? That would be helpful.

 

[chazba]

FrankenBass (it's alive!!!!)

I had the same problem and ended up having to build my own "FrankenBass"

Here is the recipe:

1 Musicmaster neck (short scale)
1 Offshore P-Bass body and Pickguard
2 P/U's, P-J setup is recommended, wired like a J-bass, w/o tone control
1 Badass Aftermarket bridge
1 Set of short scale strings, your choice
Have the neck and Bridge mounted by your favorite local Luthier so that the intonation will be OK. It is permitted to have the guy do as much work on the project as you can afford. He may have to add lateral shims to the body for stability of the neck

I've had mine for 15 years or so, It plays like a strat .The P-style body has way more mass that a stock Musicmaster/Bronco/etc body and will give a much better tone.


chazba

 

[notCardio]

chazba

I'd like to see a pic of that if you've got one. That sounds interesting. Not my cup of tea exactly, but interesting nonetheless.

Was routing for the J p/u difficult?

And I DON'T LIKE SPAM!!! But I love Velveeta!

 

[notCardio]

And Superhuman

sorry, I just noticed you're in Ireland. I don't know if that limits the availability of certain brands or make them prohibitively expensive. So what's the situation there, bass-wise?

(All of a sudden, I've become Frank Burns.)