A
Axis
oompa loompa
64Firebird said:
They have one of those here goin for about 300 i love that bass. Everytime i go into the store i sit down for a while and play it
They have one of those here goin for about 300 i love that bass. Everytime i go into the store i sit down for a while and play it
mixmkr
we don't need rest!!
hixmix said:
especially with RotoSounds..
Bass Master "K"
New member
Yo yo yo....
Like many people have said, a large part of what instrument and string type you want depend on what sound your looking for. I play fairly hard rock and do lots of finger tapping and active melodic bass lines, what people seem to like to call "lead bass" and after playing many different types of basses I setteled into an american made Fender P-Bass and it has stayed my favorite. I played part time for a few years on a Peavey and it was pretty good but I preffered the Fender. I did get a Peavey fretless in a good buy and it has been a good addition to my arsenal. Alembic's have a very unique sound which can be good and bad at the same time....no matter what I added to that sound it always sounded like an Alembic. Yamaha has a nice line, and Music Man does as well although I havn't played one personally. I would say until you have at least $700 bucks to invest (unless it's used), stick with what you have and save. Buy American and you will get quality....it's a HUGE step up from the mexi/korean/taiwan models of any line.
Strings really are a personal choice and believe it or not, they are not all made the same. I would suggest each time you buy new strings try a new brand until you have covered these:
GHS Boomers: My personal favorite! They are very live and have a real nice high end sound.
Ernie Balls : My old band won the quarterfinals of their International battle of the bands back in '98. In addition to going to the semi's and getting to play on the Van's Warped Tour when they came here, I got about $500 worth of their bass strings. I still have some left because I prefer the boomers so I use them when I want new strings on but don't have a gig coming up. They are very similar to the boomers, but I swear the E string isn't as live when I tune to drop D.
Fender stock: I don't like 'em, but others swear by them.
Okay, maybe someone can help me...don't know the brand name but there is a lion on the front. They cost like $45 instead of $22 but they are supposed to hold the high end longer than normal strings ala Elixers for guitar(it's not Elixer's is it guys?)
D'Addario: sounds like you already tried them. Pretty good all around, I think the Boomers are brighter though so ....
Anyhow, hope this get's you started. Just keep plugging at it and don't let the guitar players give you crap. Good guitar players are a dime a dozen. Good bass players are hard to find
Like many people have said, a large part of what instrument and string type you want depend on what sound your looking for. I play fairly hard rock and do lots of finger tapping and active melodic bass lines, what people seem to like to call "lead bass" and after playing many different types of basses I setteled into an american made Fender P-Bass and it has stayed my favorite. I played part time for a few years on a Peavey and it was pretty good but I preffered the Fender. I did get a Peavey fretless in a good buy and it has been a good addition to my arsenal. Alembic's have a very unique sound which can be good and bad at the same time....no matter what I added to that sound it always sounded like an Alembic. Yamaha has a nice line, and Music Man does as well although I havn't played one personally. I would say until you have at least $700 bucks to invest (unless it's used), stick with what you have and save. Buy American and you will get quality....it's a HUGE step up from the mexi/korean/taiwan models of any line.
Strings really are a personal choice and believe it or not, they are not all made the same. I would suggest each time you buy new strings try a new brand until you have covered these:
GHS Boomers: My personal favorite! They are very live and have a real nice high end sound.
Ernie Balls : My old band won the quarterfinals of their International battle of the bands back in '98. In addition to going to the semi's and getting to play on the Van's Warped Tour when they came here, I got about $500 worth of their bass strings. I still have some left because I prefer the boomers so I use them when I want new strings on but don't have a gig coming up. They are very similar to the boomers, but I swear the E string isn't as live when I tune to drop D.
Fender stock: I don't like 'em, but others swear by them.
Okay, maybe someone can help me...don't know the brand name but there is a lion on the front. They cost like $45 instead of $22 but they are supposed to hold the high end longer than normal strings ala Elixers for guitar(it's not Elixer's is it guys?)
D'Addario: sounds like you already tried them. Pretty good all around, I think the Boomers are brighter though so ....
Anyhow, hope this get's you started. Just keep plugging at it and don't let the guitar players give you crap. Good guitar players are a dime a dozen. Good bass players are hard to find
Buck62
噛んでくれ
I really like the Epiphone Thunderbird bass.
It has an awesome, punchy sound and excellent playability for such a reasonably priced bass guitar. The body is light, so it won't kill the shoulder with pain.
Of course, that means it's a bit neck-heavy... but it's easy to get used to in a day or two.
It would be a good choice of bass to "grow with" as a new player.
It has an awesome, punchy sound and excellent playability for such a reasonably priced bass guitar. The body is light, so it won't kill the shoulder with pain.
Of course, that means it's a bit neck-heavy... but it's easy to get used to in a day or two.
It would be a good choice of bass to "grow with" as a new player.
B
Bass Freak
New member
wow, I am floored by the wealth of new knowledge I have accumulated here. I am forever indebted to you all. Thank you much, with my newly found knowledge, I shall walk into a guitar store and not feel stupid lol.
Thanks
Fox
Thanks
Fox
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S
sjjohnston
New member
barefoot said:
"History"? Hardly. There's a Rickenbacker bass rather prominently featured in that Hives song that's all over the radio, unless I miss my guess.
On the original poster's topic -- Fender basses are so common, that it's practically like the world of basses is divided into "Fenders" and "everything else." Leo Fender did, after all, invent the thing ... and at one time "Fender Bass" was more-or-less a synonym for "Electric Bass" (like Kleenex is a synonym for facial tissue). It's absurdly easy to try out the various flavors of P and J basses, since there are racks of them at every music store in the country. From what I can tell, it seems to be hard not to try them out, judging from the miscellaneous plunks and roars the emanate from the bass area of your typical GC.
And they come in a variety of levels, including low-priced ones which, by all accounts, are sort of no-brainers from the "value for the money" perspective. Of course, the original poster already has one of these. The standard Fender-branded Mexican would be a step up, but perhaps not worth the trouble.
In the "not a Fender" group, I lilke Rickenbackers. I have a '70s 4001 myself. They're distinctive sounding. The aforementioned Hives song gives a pretty immediate taste of what's good and bad about the sound. And, depending on your visual sense, you may agree that they look cool. Maybe I'm just influenced by the back cover of "This is the Modern World."
barefoot
barefootsound.com
Yeah, I always thought the 4001 looked as cool as it sounded. And that is a fun picture on that album, as I recall. The bass player’s leaping off the stage, right? Musically though, I was more influenced by the progressive sounds of Chris Squire and Geddy Lee.
Hix, I don’t remember the price, but I think it was around $400..??? I just remember it seemed pretty low compared to the Fender and Music Man basses they had – and usually nothing goes for cheep in SF.
You guys have me on a roll. Now I’m considering buying a bass!
I make electronica and I’m having good success with synth bass lines, but I do often get the urge to slide my fingers across some strings. Any suggestions for a former guitar player who’s looking to get a LEVIATHAN bass sound? Which bass, strings, pick or no pick, etc., would help me get a big, thick, and deep sound? I will most likely go DI. Also, is it possible to string up a 4 string with a low B? I would probably never touch the G string.
barefoot
Hix, I don’t remember the price, but I think it was around $400..??? I just remember it seemed pretty low compared to the Fender and Music Man basses they had – and usually nothing goes for cheep in SF.
You guys have me on a roll. Now I’m considering buying a bass!
I make electronica and I’m having good success with synth bass lines, but I do often get the urge to slide my fingers across some strings. Any suggestions for a former guitar player who’s looking to get a LEVIATHAN bass sound? Which bass, strings, pick or no pick, etc., would help me get a big, thick, and deep sound? I will most likely go DI. Also, is it possible to string up a 4 string with a low B? I would probably never touch the G string.
barefoot
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S
sjjohnston
New member
$400 is an excellent price for a Rickenbacker bass that isn't broken. Where exactly is this Guitar Center?
Another piece of memorable cover art from the same period is "London Calling," which -- coincidentally -- features a Fender bass. I don't know that the picture really amounts to an endorsement of Fender basses, though if it survived, I suppose that's a point in its favor. Fender basses are pretty sturdy.
Another piece of memorable cover art from the same period is "London Calling," which -- coincidentally -- features a Fender bass. I don't know that the picture really amounts to an endorsement of Fender basses, though if it survived, I suppose that's a point in its favor. Fender basses are pretty sturdy.
hixmix
Halibut, North Dakota
400 bucks??!!
Which guitar center? I'll call 'em and have 'em ship it to me.
Which guitar center? I'll call 'em and have 'em ship it to me.
barefoot
barefootsound.com
Err uumm, can nobody see that fucking SAN FRANCISCO under my name???!!! 
Now don’t quote me on that price. I could be completely off. Like I said, it just seemed cheep compared to the rest, but $400 could be sticking in my head from something else I looked at.
Does anyone have an opinion on the Ibanez BTB400? I’m reading reviews that say it has a thin neck, 35” scale, solid feel, and lots of tonal possibilities. Might this be a likely candidate for my leviathan low-B 4-string bass?
barefoot
Now don’t quote me on that price. I could be completely off. Like I said, it just seemed cheep compared to the rest, but $400 could be sticking in my head from something else I looked at.
Does anyone have an opinion on the Ibanez BTB400? I’m reading reviews that say it has a thin neck, 35” scale, solid feel, and lots of tonal possibilities. Might this be a likely candidate for my leviathan low-B 4-string bass?
barefoot
Lame Thrower
New member
Barefoot,
I've heard good things about the BTBs. I haven't had any hands on experience, but I've never heard anyone speak ill of 'em.
As for the low B, the most you would have to do is swap out the nut and adjust the trussrod. Pretty easy to do yourself, and pretty cheap to have someone else do.
If I were going to put electric bass under electronic music, I think I would go fretless! That way you can throw in all those sweet "bwweeeoooo"s, and "fwwwaaaaahh"s.
I've heard good things about the BTBs. I haven't had any hands on experience, but I've never heard anyone speak ill of 'em.
As for the low B, the most you would have to do is swap out the nut and adjust the trussrod. Pretty easy to do yourself, and pretty cheap to have someone else do.
If I were going to put electric bass under electronic music, I think I would go fretless! That way you can throw in all those sweet "bwweeeoooo"s, and "fwwwaaaaahh"s.
barefoot
barefootsound.com
Yeah LT, maybe I should consider that too. Do you know of 35” 4-string fretless basses?
barefoot
barefoot
Lame Thrower
New member
I would imagine that the BTBs are available fretless. If not you can always have one defretted.
I think the Yamaha TBR is available in a 35" four string too, which you can probably get fretless.
IMHO, the difference between 34-35" scale is not all that great. There are some that would vehemently disagree though.
I think the Yamaha TBR is available in a 35" four string too, which you can probably get fretless.
IMHO, the difference between 34-35" scale is not all that great. There are some that would vehemently disagree though.
barefoot
barefootsound.com
Well, it’s a 3% increase going from a Gibson type 24.75" to a Fender type 25.5" guitar scale. And all other things being equal, that’s still quite a change in sound and feel IMO. Going from 34" to 35" base scale is also about a 3% increase, so I can see how some might argue your point.Lame Thrower said:
I'll check out your suggestions. Thanks for your help LT!
barefoot
Toki987
Rock Steady
A "good" is one that gives you those little metaphysical orgasms inside when you hear it and play it. It could be a $100 bass from a pawn shop or garage sale that looks like it survived a train wreck or a $5K forged aluminum reinforced custom built job. I`ve had many good ones, and rarely keep one that doesn`t "turn me on". I have a custom crafted and hot-rodded Washburn 5 string that I play a lot. But I can pick up the early 60`s Moserite 4 string and enjoy the feel of the neck and the tones as well. Price and "eye candy" effect can sometimes lead you astray, trust your ears and fingers... they are still with you when you walk off, and your fellow players reactions.
Hat`s off to Brother John, Entwhistle......
Hat`s off to Brother John, Entwhistle......