Electric Bass

[banjoboy]

No mando content...please forgive me. I'm asking on this site because I know a lot of you guys are BG players. Do any of you play bass. I play acoustic upright. I have a Gold Tone acoustic electric that sounds pretty good. I'm thinking about a regular electric bass guitar. Any suggestions, comments, info?

[Mandoplumb]

Stick with the real bass.

[CES]

I have an Indonesian Hamer that’s a lot of “bang for the buck.” P Bass configuration run through a solid state Ampeg with multiple tone adjustment settings. Play it mostly in church, where it performs quite well, and is way more portable than a doghouse...

Like electric guitars, there are a ton of good options out there ranging from inexpensive to pricey...I chose my bass over a Fender hanging on the same wall that had a bit more refinement to the tone, but not the same volume and punch/thump as my cheapo. Good luck!!

[gspiess]

'lot of positive comments about the Fender Squire Short Scale Jaguar as an entry level instrument. Of course, an upright electric bass has the major cool factor, but I have no idea of the cost.

[spufman]

Used US G&L, Guild and Hamer prices are criminally low for what you get. Same with an older German Warwick. Go to a shop and see what instrument characteristics feel and sound best to you, and go from there. Bass guitar has been my primary instrument for 40 years - very rewarding role in the band, even if most people don't realize.

[Steve Ostrander]

'lot of positive comments about the Fender Squire Short Scale Jaguar as an entry level instrument.

I recently bought a Jaguar SS and couldn't be more happy with it. It has the PJ pickup wiring--one Jazz PU and one Precision PU. I found out after playing bass for 30+ years that I prefer a short-scale FB. It makes it easier for me to go back and forth between guitar, mandolin and bass.

I also have a Hofner Club bass, which is also SS. The elctronics on it are the same as a Beatle bass, just a different body shape. I think that the Hofner has a more acoustic sound than the Fender.

[pops1]

We have lost the 3/4 upright bass and went to a Kay M3 1/4 bass. It measures larger than a 1/4 and smaller than a 1/2. The great part is you still have the bass vibe, and it will go into the Honda civic front seat like a person. Much easier to transport. We put a pickup on it to play easier out and it works well.

[Chip Stewart]

I have an Indonesian Hamer that’s a lot of “bang for the buck.” P Bass configuration run through a solid state Ampeg with multiple tone adjustment settings. Play it mostly in church, where it performs quite well, and is way more portable than a doghouse...

+1 on the Hamer. I play an Indonesian Hamer SB4 and always get compliments on my tone. They're out of production so you can only get them used, but for the price you can't beat a used Hamer.

[Seter]

I have an Ibanez SR506 as my main bass that I really like, I think I rather have a 5 string version than the 6 string but I got a great deal on it. I also have a nice ESP LTD 4 string bass, neck through that is a nice solid and good sounding instrument. I think the amp has a lot to do with the sound and getting the most out of your instrument, I have a Gallien-Krueger MB-112 that is nice since you can add or subtract cabinets depending on how loud you you need to be.

[DavidKOS]

In the BG world most folks seem to want a real acoustic string bass.

However, a good electric bass, played well, is a wonderful instrument.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Fender-Ba.../dp/0879306300



http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...nalCode=rjaz20

https://www.premierguitar.com/articl...ass_Revolution

[Mark Seale]

Used US G&L, Guild and Hamer prices are criminally low for what you get. Same with an older German Warwick. Go to a shop and see what instrument characteristics feel and sound best to you, and go from there. Bass guitar has been my primary instrument for 40 years - very rewarding role in the band, even if most people don't realize.

Agreed. A couple of years ago I picked up a "used" G&L SB2 that was mint and had all of the paperwork still in the case for less than I had budgeted for a Fender Jazz bass (USA.) It's a wonderful instrument and super easy to play.

[mandroid]

there are electric versions of the bass viol , that don't use the big soundbox, so are easier to transport..

But still give you the option to use the bow.. curved bridge , arched fingerboard..


solid body bass guitars are rather heavy, so get a wide padded strap, or a chair..

[ukenukem]

True there are lots of choices in electric bass guitars. Bass is my primary instrument these days in an Americana Band but I am adding mandolin as I progress. But the bass I use is different because I have small hands, have played guitar for decades and like light weight instruments so . . .

Ibanez Mikro Bass - 28.5" scale and very high quality for under $200. And it comes in several colors! I have an orange one and a new sunburst one. Check 'em out.

[Jim]

My regular bass player plays a 1970s Gibson fretless studio bass, has a great tone for string band music! Of course the tone is as much in her hands as the bass IMHO

[gtani7]

I can recommend a few brands to try (besides the obvisous Fender and Warwick) Carvin, Lakland, Ernie Ball, the various Michael Tobias brands, PRS. Som eof the metal guitar oriented brands make decent basses: Jackson, Charvel, Kramer.

I only have one a fretless cheapo Samick with PJ pickups but i really like it.

[Kevin Winn]

+1 on the Lakland. I have a Bob Glaub and love it. Also have an old Fender P.

A lot depends on your budget. If you want the cheapest decent bass, the Mexican Fenders are your best bet. Your amp choice also will have a great deal of influence on the sound quality. Play a bunch and pick the combo that speaks to you.

[UsuallyPickin]

Well ... Fender , Gibson , Music Man , G & L , then there is the amp .... As with any instrument and player it is about Tone, and Playability and the only way to establish that is to go and play as many as you can. Your personal preference will soon narrow down the field ... R/

[Nevin]

There are so many choices depending on budget. Yamaha makes a solid line with good value at all price points. Ibenez are solid but have slim necks that some like and some don't. The current Squire Line get pretty good reviews. Schecter is another line to consider. As always you can do well if you go used. Perhaps take a look at the talkbass forum.

[DavidKOS]

Stick with the real bass.

OK



Man, Jaco could play a real bass very well.

[Ray(T)]

There is a solution. I'm not a bass player but, when I spotted a bass built by a friend of mine on eBay, a few years back, I thought it was time to have a go. Its a long scale, five string, fretless. Put simply, its a solid, heavy slab of mahogany with a bass neck and a Baggs under-saddle pickup. From the front it looks like an acoustic with its faux sound hole.

I recently fitted a Mi-Si preamp to avoid the need for on-board batteries (there's nowhere to hide them) and, played through an Acoustic Image "Coda" combo amp by someone more competant than me, you could easily mistake it for an upright bass with incredible sustain.

[Jim Garber]

No mando content...please forgive me. I'm asking on this site because I know a lot of you guys are BG players. Do any of you play bass. I play acoustic upright. I have a Gold Tone acoustic electric that sounds pretty good. I'm thinking about a regular electric bass guitar. Any suggestions, comments, info?

I would think the main question is why do you want to play electric bass? Is it portability and you are tired of carrying the dog house? Or some other reason.

I used to play upright for old time and bluegrass but back then I used to slap which you cannot do in the same way on a electric guitar bass. BTW the best sounding bass player on electric IMHO is Larry Cohen (used to play with Trischka band way back) who plays an old Precision and gets that great tone.

If I were going electric for portability I would probably check out the Eminence bass. They also make one with removable neck that breaks down pretty small.

A guitar bass is really a very different instrument than an upright in many ways.

[DavidKOS]

I used to play upright for old time and bluegrass but back then I used to slap which you cannot do in the same way on a electric guitar bass. .......
A guitar bass is really a very different instrument than an upright in many ways.

As a player that has studied and gigged on upright AND electric bass, the last statement is very true.

Although you can play much of the same music on each instrument, they are quite different.

"I used to slap which you cannot do in the same way on a electric guitar bass"

Very true! Slapping and bowing are unique to the string bass.

[Jim Garber]

I hope banjoboy (OP) comes back and tells us what he thinks.

[Paul Busman]

I got bitten by the bass bug several years ago but didn't want to spend a lot. I ended up with a short scale from Rondomusic.com

I don't remember which model it was, but I found the instrument very well made,and it sounded great. The price was ridiculously low. Many people on the bass forums,even pros, liked these especially as travel instruments.Some people upgraded the pickups. Eventually I passed it on to our bass player son, but I really enjoyed it while I had it.

http://www.rondomusic.com/bassguitars4.html

[Bill Cameron]

I use a Cort headless bass in my pub band. Copy of the iconic Steinberger. Short scale. Absolutely love the convenience of the space-saving lack of body dimensions, and tuning is much less awkward when the tuners are down by the bridge. Paid about $300 Cdn for it. Active pickups so plenty of oomph. Only inconveniences are: (1) needs special strings with a ball at each end (not hard to get)-mine came with a full set of spares plus extra and I havent changed any yet—its only been 5 years or so and I dont feel a need for my bass to sound bright );=
(2) cant hang it on a stand (no peghead eh) or rest it on a sit-upon stand due to the two-point body end. Guess I should make a custom stand for it.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure you cant get anything more compact in a bass guitar, without crossing over to the U-verse.