What's your favorite bass?

[Ren.]

Just wondering -either if you own it or not (yet )- what's your favorite bass?

[_Sweet Willie_]

Chilean Sea Bass.

 

OK, now that I'm done foolin' around w/ that old joke...

 

I love both my basses -- a fretless StingRay5 and a fretted Carvin LB-70 4-string w/ Bart p'ups and preamp.

 

However, I love many basses. I love a good ol' Fender Jazz. I dig MM Sterlings. I have played one Fodera in my life and this 5er was beyond delicious . I also dig George F's F Basses (played two).

 

My jones is for a custom instrument. Don't know when it'll happen (but maybe it'll be a Seismic! ).

 

Your question is a tough one, because there are so many basses and so little time! (PJR seems to understand this, and is making the most of his time! )

 

Peace.

[Dave Martin]

My favorite bass was my first 'real' bass - a 1969 Precision. It sounded great when I bought it in 1971, and sounded even better when I re-finished (this was in 1976; there wasn't a vintage market at the time). Unfortunately, the next time I re-finished it, the tone went away. After a third refinish, new pickups and a new bridge, I had it made into a fretless. It didn't help; I bought a replacement neck with frets, and finally traded towards a Steinberger in the early 80's. I traded the Steinberger for a Martin Guitar for my wife in about 1988...

 

I've been looking for another one that good ever since.

[The Fonz]

aside from the obvious answer (being a seismic), i'd have to say the it's between the g&l l2500 and the sadowski tokyo 5. i need one of those things again. i've so taken for granted how much easier those things were to play.

[wraub]

Mine is an Ibanez Roadstar II 5 string from 1985, with a Kahler (non trem) bridge. I have owned this for about 14 years, and recently bought another for a fretless conversion. This is one that Ibanez got right, except for the joke of a bridge. The more recent acquisition is also a nice instrument, but it is not "there" yet.

 

A songwriter I work with sometimes has a Kubicki Factor bass, from the 80's (it's pink) that is also really nice, and I gotta support E on that Sadowsky Tokyo. That was shweet!

 

I'm sticking with my baby...

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by wraub:

A songwriter I work with sometimes has a Kubicki Factor bass, from the 80's (it's pink) that is also really nice...

 

I didn't know that our pal Wally Malone was also a songwriter!

[wraub]

I'm sure Wally is a fine songwriter.

Also, apparently, he has fine taste in basses...

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[Wally Malone]

My Kubicki is black and is serial # 268 made in 1986. I have written a few songs over the years.

 

Wally

[73 P Bass]

My favorite bass is a '73 P-Bass. Thought it was a '74, but the numbers say different. I bought it because it was a deal, and I was initially disappointed with it. But a tweak here, tweak there, now I can't put it down. I've try to play my '00 Am. Std P., but I need the tone, and the neck of the '73. I've played alot of other, probably fancier, and better constructed basses in my time, but I love this bass!, I've never been so driven to play. Being so driven to play makes it my favorite.

[Max Valentino]

I have a '67 P bass with TI flats, which I only use for sessions now. I get many requests for that bass. I rarely play it otherwise, and have thought often of finding it a better home (I recently had a Jack Casady Sig Bass which after months of non-use I decided to sell to a student of mine who would play it regularly...geez I miss that bass!)....but the tone is so sweet I cannot fathom parting with it.

 

My fave tho, has to be my new Godin A5 fretless five string (strung with TI Acousticore Strings). Such a dynamic and sensitive instrument with incredible "mwaaah", and such a variety of tones, all of which emanate from the special "digital tone controls" located at the ends of my hands.

 

Max

[jeremy c]

1) Favorite bass in the world?

 

Probably something I haven't played yet.

 

2) Favorite bass of all the ones I own?

 

Guess that would be the next one I buy.

 

Maybe I'll get a Warrior 6 string next. Don't tell me wife that I'm even thinking about it...it's at least a $4k bass.

 

Currently my favorite bass is my Mike Lull M4V. I won't post a picture at the moment to avoid breaking anyone's heart, but you can see it on my web page.

 

And on my gig with Wally last week, I brought it but never played it! I played the whole gig on either my Carvin 6 or my Paul Reed Smith 5 which I have piccolized.

[dcr]

Thanks for mercifully withholding that heartbreaker photo, Jeremy. I doubt Ben Loy will be as merficul though. Jerk.

 

I love the Ric 4003. I especially like *mine*, because it feels just right. I recently played a new-ish one for sale in town, and thought it was just dreadful--felt awful.

 

I'm also a great lover of the Fender Jazz & the Music Man Sterling. So I'm very lucky to have one of each of these!

 

I am a lover-from-afar of the Fender Precision & the Music Man Stingray. I'd love an alder sunburst P with rosewood board, bridge mutes... Maybe someday I'll love them from aclose. But no time soon.

[davich]

I do agree with Norm Stockton on this matter. Sound palette is more important and how to achieve it with the instruments.

I do like warm sounding Alder body with Rosewood FB or Ash body with Ebony/Maple FB, or Maple body with Wenge FB for that low mid growl, or Maple/Alder semi hollow body and Ebony FB for fetless. I haven't tried composite neck though.

I haven't include pickup yet.

As Richard Johnston said: so many basses, so little time..

[Tom Capasso]

Originally posted by Dave Martin:

...I traded the Steinberger for a Martin Guitar for my wife in about 1988...

 

I've been looking for another one that good ever since.

Man - I'm confused

 

You traded your Martin for your wife? It's a rare man that gives up a good guitar for a woman.

 

But now you're looking for another wife that's as good? What about basses?

 

I've loved one woman in my time, but too many basses to count. I've only owned a few, but the list of ones I've enjoyed is long. And like others have said, it's not over.

 

Tom

 

Tom

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Tom Capasso:

Originally posted by Dave Martin:

...I traded the Steinberger for a Martin Guitar for my wife in about 1988...

 

I've been looking for another one that good ever since.

Man - I'm confused

 

You traded your Martin for your wife? It's a rare man that gives up a good guitar for a woman.

 

But now you're looking for another wife that's as good? What about basses?

 

Still have the same wife, and she still has the Martin - it's relegated to outdoor gigs these days, where her Santa Cruz would get exposed to Middle Tennessee's heat and humidity.

 

And the basses I own now? They're really tools and nothing more. Except Mavis, my early 60's Juzek; she's the only bass with a name. Unfortunately, I don't play her enough to really justify owning her.

[Mike H.]

I couldn't ever part with my Nathan East or Yamaha TRB5.

[JBFLA]

My '77/'76? (haven't had the guts to pull neck from body yet to know the REAL date) StingRay is a workhorse - never a doubt!! Always solid,with great tone!!

 

Currently looking for a fretless with the same qualities...

 

When I hit the Lotto tomorrow night (hehe - riiight! ), I'll search out a Lull or Sadowsky to fill the void.

 

JBFLA

[Banta]

http://bassforum.pointbeing.com/users/banta/images/4003-1.jpg

 

Sweet. Only thing that keeps me from playing it all the time is the lack of a B string.

[Timothy Lyons]

1977 Fender Precision with natural finish, maple fingerboard and all original parts.

[soupster]

American series Jazz fretless with inlays. Nothings better, simply nothing, besides an upright.

[dohhhhh6]

Well, sadly I haven't played too many basses but the best I've played myself was a Mexican Jazz through some GK combo. It was absolutely beautiful. I'm ashamed of myself for not treating it right and only playing some horrible tunes instead of some God-like jazz lines.

[Adrian Smith]

I love my Fender P.

 

Other favorites have been Music Man basses, my buddy had a Sabre for years and for some reason he sold it. I still give him crap for that.

 

Alembic was my favorite bass for years until I finally got the nerve to ask the Guitar Center clerk to climb the wall and grab one for me. Played it for 5 minutes and haven't thought about one ever since.

[Mike R.]

A Fender Jazz in natural finish and maple neck and trapazoid inlays or a Jazz in black with a maple neck.

[Mike R.]

A Fender Jazz in natural finish and maple neck and trapazoid inlays or a Jazz in black with a maple neck.

[doc taz]

I love both my early 1980's Yamaha BB300 (P style), and my Mex Fender P-Bass Special (1994 model w/ passive PJ pickups, and active EQ). Here are some pix of basses I'd like to have next:

 

http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/models/SR405BK.jpg

Ibanez Soundgear SR405BK

 

http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/models/SR496BM.jpg

Ibanez Soundgear SR496BM ... this one plays and sounds great! Feels like something that costs $1200, yet sells for less than half the price (around $560 US, new).

[ozman16]

Very close call for me between my '87 Spector, '96 Czech Spector 5-string, '86 Alembic Spoiler or Warwick Corvette fretless, but I guess I'd go with the '87 Spector since it's got the most sentimental value to me and has been my main bass for years.

Favorite bass I've played but don't own (yet): Warwick Corvette 5-string.

Just for reference, I've also played a Ric fretless, Ibanez SR800 & SR885, a Jackson, Fender jazz, and I still like the Spector better!

[bassingeorge]

Mmm my favorite bass? You meen my favorite bassES!

Heres a list of my favorites:

 

-Custom Alembic Rogue, 7 laminate purple heart/maple neck, cocobolo top, 18watt piezo/magnetic pickup system, macassar ebony fretboard and LED's. (5 stringer).

-Pedulla MVP 5 string bass.

-Carvin anniversary bass, quilt top, blue transparent color, neck thru, humbucker at bridge. (5 string)

-Fender 64 jazz bass, marcus miller 4 string, victor bailey model, 50's telebass and a vintage P bass.

-Wariwcks! Jazz man streamer 5 string, infinity fretless 5 string, streamer stage I 4 string.

-King custom double bass, with a candy apple flame paintjob. (www.kingdoublebass.com)

-Fodera emperor single cut 5 string and a 4 string emperor deluxe. Both of them with splated maple tops! Cool

 

So those are probably 14 of my favorite basses (out of probably a 100!). As you see, I have a very exclusive and rather expensive taste when it comes to basses, we're talking about almost 17,000 dollars, the alembic alone is probably about $8000 alone if not more! Oh well, dreaming doesn't cost anything right?

But, I'm just 17 years of age, If i start saving tomorrow I'll be able to buy my arsenal in about...30 years

[alexclaber]

I own it! As long as no-one steals my Warwick it will be my main bass for the rest of my life. It has such a gorgeous tight growly sound, dense and even from top to bottom of the neck. As a working instrument it has been (is being) modified from standard which has improved it further. Basically it started off as a 1987 Warwick Streamer with a 5-piece wenge neck with cherry stringers, wenge fingerboard, cherry body wings, those fantastic bronze frets, Schaller roller-saddle bridge, brass nut, EMG reverse P/J pickups, MEC 2-band preamp, Schaller straplocks, Schaller tuners, aluminium-alloy 2 way trussrod, 9v electronics. I still haven't weighed it buts it's not too heavy, between 8 & 9 lbs I think.

 

Since I've owned it I've replaced the unadjustable brass nut with a graphite just-a-nut 2 which has really improved the setup and somewhat improved the tuning stability (no change on tone). The aluminium truss-rod was snapped when I was adjusting it so it's been replaced with a stainless steel one which made the bass slightly more neck heavy (but its still very well balanced) but added a noticeable amount of growl and attack to the sound (extra stiffness I presume). I've added an ebony thumbrest/ramp between the pickups which really improves the playability for me. (The strings are critical too - it's a perfect match with LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass s/s rounds 44-110 - the current set are almost 3 years old and sound awesome).

 

It's about to receive the final bout of modifications - replacement of the MEC2 preamp with an Aguilar OBP-3 and upgrade of the electronics for 18v power, and the addition of a hipshot detuner on the E-string. The MEC2 has frequency centres at 100Hz and 1kHz IIRC whilst the OBP-3 has centres of 40Hz, 400Hz/800Hz and 6.5kHz - I'm really looking forward to being able to add in some really deep lows and glassier highs than the MEC2 could, plus being able to scoop some high mids out for slapping or bring the low mids up for thick pick playing will be groovy. Going to 18v should really open up the EMGs as well, more dynamics, cleaner top and deeper bottom. It's all just subtle improvements on an already fantastic sound.

 

The hipshot will definitely make a BIG difference though. It's going to be set to drop the E-string to B, and having experimented with this tuning I've found that (possibly thanks to using a .110 gauge E) the bass speaks really well on these low notes - it's all about having a nice stiff neck and resonant body woods to ensure the attack is strong and the notes have plenty of growl and definition. Who needs 5 strings?! :-)

 

Alex

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by Wally Malone:

My Kubicki is black and is serial # 268 made in 1986. I have written a few songs over the years.

 

Wally

I have now had the opportunity to finger this Kubicki, and it's really comfortable to play. It also shows obvious signs of love and soul in its wear!

 

I have also heard Wally play it on a gig. And it sounds great -- at least when Wally plays it!

[doc taz]

http://www.musicyo.com/product_images/048_full.jpg

Steinberger Spirit XT-25

 

I realize many hate this type of bass with a vengeance, but I'd buy one just for the heck of it. At least this one's made of RealWood. Also, it'd be great to have a bass that I could maybe play on a bus, or even in the back seat of a car during a break on a long drive. Not to mention something that won't kill my shoulder after five hours. Now that there's an adapter that allows a user to use single ball-end strings on most any Steinberger of this type, it's on my list.