Time to buy a bass ........ maybe

[Lt. Bob]

I have a Schecter and the active electronics are getting tired.

It plays aight but I'd want/need to replace the p'ups and electronics.
To put in a set of Nordstrands or Bartolinis would cost 2-3 hundred while there's a ton of basses not a lot more.

5-string BTW ...... that's an absolute and since I require 35" scale on a 5 string, it limits me a bit.

Spector has an Indonesian made model at 500 bucks and Jackson has some nice looking basses at 400.

The Spector is passive which I like but will it play awesome like Spectors do? ..... did they stay on top of the QC?
If so then the Spector is the one.

Or is it just another Indonesian bass and the Jackson is just as good?
The Jacksons are better looking to me but playability and sound are most important.

I think I'm gonna want to play anything I get first.
For guitars it doesn't matter so much ..... I have 18 and they're all different in sound/playing and I like that.

But a bass will be on everything and will be the only one I have so it has to play demonstrably better than my Schecter or else there's no point.
May as well just grab some p'ups.

So anyone have any thoughts?

And I'm looking at you @vomithatsteve ........... but everyone else too.

[Bill L]

My son has a 5 string Spector (built in Asia, I think?), that has active electronics. I'm not sure of the scale length but it's a fantastic bass. I'll post a pic of it when I get a chance. I only have 2 basses, a 77 Rick 4001 and a Fender Mexican Jazz Bass. The Rick is great but not very versatile. The Jazz Bass is my go to if I need to play bass (which thankfully doesn't happen very often). But I would comfortably recommend a Spector. Solid build, great feel and won't break the bank.

[Lt. Bob]

My son has a 5 string Spector (built in Asia, I think?), that has active electronics. I'm not sure of the scale length but it's a fantastic bass. I'll post a pic of it when I get a chance.

I'll be super interested.@Bill L
Do you know the model by any chance?

[Tadpui]

I'll be curious to see what you end up with. When I was shopping for a budget 5-string several years ago, the main knock against them was that nobody was making one with a satisfying low B string. They were all kinda flabby or floppy or weak sounding.

I ended up with a Squier Jazz V back then. Really great fit and finish and it plays very well. But the active electronics are pretty "meh" sounding. And yeah the low B string is really tough to play without it farting out. Could just be my poor technique. Or it could be that it takes more attention to detail to manufacture a 5-string than Squier could muster from its mass production.

As soon as I got my used Fender MIM P-bass, I never touched the Squier again. I don't even really miss the low B any more.

[rayc]

I look forward to reading/seeing more.

[Lt. Bob]

I'll be curious to see what you end up with. When I was shopping for a budget 5-string several years ago, the main knock against them was that nobody was making one with a satisfying low B string. They were all kinda flabby or floppy or weak sounding.

bettin' they were all 34" scale ..... that's why I have to have a 35" ..... that tightens up that B string.

And to me, even if you don't use the lower notes, being able to play a low E on the 5th fret is worth a 5-string right there.

[paulman]

I got an Ibanez 5-string for $300 and put EMGs in it. It sounds great, but I never play it because my bass player leaves all kinds of awesome basses at my house all the time. I don't even remember what mine plays like well enough to recommend it or not, because I use my friend's high end basses on most of my recordings.

[Lt. Bob]

I got an Ibanez 5-string for $300 and put EMGs in it. It sounds great, but I never play it because my bass player leaves all kinds of awesome basses at my house all the time. I don't even remember what mine plays like well enough to recommend it or not, because I use my friend's high end basses on most of my recordings.

in the past I would have bought a high end bass but for just recording I don't want to spends that much.

Unfortunately Ibanezes are 34" scale.
Too bad because they have some nice looking inexpensive basses.

[vomitHatSteve]

For me, one of the most important things with a bass is how it feels in my hands. That'd be especially true for a 5 string - I've yet to play a 5 or 6 string that didn't either have a neck too wide for my stumpy little fingers to comfortable reach, or the strings too close together to play cleanly.

So in that context, it really would be a matter of picking up each of the basses in person and seeing what you like to play.

[Lt. Bob]

For me, one of the most important things with a bass is how it feels in my hands. That'd be especially true for a 5 string - I've yet to play a 5 or 6 string that didn't either have a neck too wide for my stumpy little fingers to comfortable reach, or the strings too close together to play cleanly.

So in that context, it really would be a matter of picking up each of the basses in person and seeing what you like to play.

well 6 strings are just stupid ...... I mean, how many bass solos ya' gonna take?
I guess if you do a lot of soloing or if the band is built around you and your bass excursions, then a 6 or even 7 string is useful.
But that's not how I see the bass and for the purpose of playing bass, I don't see any real point.

But speaking as an OLD guy who's from the oldy, timey bass playing days when you just thumped the root ...... even though I came to 5 strings late, ( I was maybe 52 when I first tried one ) , I am definitely a 5 string player ....... I find 4 strings limiting.
Of course I can play one when needed but I simply 100% prefer 5.

Actually, the very best ever playing bass I ever held was a Canadian friends '59 Precision.
I might settle for 4 if I could have that bass.

But I digress ...... a 5 string is it for me and I also have to have a 35" scale.

As for string spacing ...... I think I'm more inclined for a wider, rather than narrower, spacing.

And I have to remember that I'm no longer a full time bassist ..... seems strange since for prolly 20-25 years that was my main gigging place and plenty of folks back in BR think of me as a bassist.
I always also played guitar and sax but in a band where you're the bass player, that's kinda sporadic and you mostly play bass all night..
But I don't any longer so my chops are affected by that.

I dunno what I'm gonna do ...... maybe nothing.

Doing nothing is always an easy to accomplish choice.

[Tadpui]

I can't imagine how difficult it'd be to play a 6-string bass. Kind of like 7 and 8 string guitars. I don't think I'd touch the extra string enough to justify it. I'm getting carpal tunnel syndrome just thinking about it.

I do really enjoy a 5-string bass because I rarely play below 5th position, and its even more rare that I play open strings. So having the full low end range at hand is nice. And it's cool to occasionally play those lowest notes too.

[vomitHatSteve]

I can't imagine how difficult it'd be to play a 6-string bass. Kind of like 7 and 8 string guitars. I don't think I'd touch the extra string enough to justify it. I'm getting carpal tunnel syndrome just thinking about it.

I do really enjoy a 5-string bass because I rarely play below 5th position, and its even more rare that I play open strings. So having the full low end range at hand is nice. And it's cool to occasionally play those lowest notes too.

Heck, one of the big reasons I play a down-tuned 4 string is that I realized I almost never even played all the way up to that open G. Having that extra low end is pretty great, and if the song calls for the pocket to go higher than normal, I can just move my hand.

[CeeBee]

How about this



You get them all

[Farview]

The Spector Performer series have a 35" scale. They also make multi-scale necks, but those are expensive.

[Lt. Bob]

How about this



You get them all

lol

none of that provides a neck in my hands

[JD01]

Its certainly a good time to sell a bass.... someone just bought my Squire Jazz Bass for a little over 300 quid. It cost me 330 quid new!

[Lt. Bob]

I've ended up doing nothing.

Thing is ...... I like the Schecter well enough and the low B doesn't flap around on the neck which is something that not all 5 strings manage .... even at 35" scale.
And I could just replace the 'lectronics in it ....... easy to do.
I don't gig on bass over here in deSantis' armpit that much ...... I even got rid of my bad-ass bass rig.
So it's really just for recording.

Ordering a guitar online is easy peasey since it doesn't much matter how it plays as long as it plays ok.
ALL my 21 guitars play differently and that's fine .... elicits different playing from me.
But a bass will be the only bass I use on everything so it has to be right.

The Schecter is right enough ..... so for it to be worth spending money it'd have to be demonstrably better feeling than my Schecter which I could only tell by playing it .... so IF I run across a bass that makes me say "I gotta have it!" I'll get it but otherwise I'll prolly just end up replacing the 'lectronics in the Schecter.

[Armistice]

Vote 1 for Schecter basses. I have one.

Damn thing hums like a mofo though... always have to keep a hand on the strings somewhere, which is pretty much how I play anyway, so no biggie.

[Greg_L]

Vote 1 for Schecter basses. I have one.

Damn thing hums like a mofo though... always have to keep a hand on the strings somewhere, which is pretty much how I play anyway, so no biggie.

You got a bad ground somewhere. Probably the bridge ground.

[Armistice]

Vote 1 for Schecter basses. I have one.

Damn thing hums like a mofo though... always have to keep a hand on the strings somewhere, which is pretty much how I play anyway, so no biggie.

You got a bad ground somewhere. Probably the bridge ground.

Yeah, I know, and one day when I actually have somewhere I can work with tools, I'll have a go at fixing the damn thing.

Paid this "guitar whisperer" guy who gets lots of acclaim in Sydney, to fix it once already when I was running all my guitars through a maintenance and set up cycle with him. I had to re-intonate most of the guitars pretty quickly and a couple of years on, the various "repairs" he did have all failed. Guy is a fucking charlatan, but still people love him. That was a waste of time and money.