Looking for a warm/full 5-string

[Infusion]

I'm not a bass player, but I can hang. I've got a 5-string Modulus. I like the tone for some things. It's very snappy and "stringy" for lack of a better word. You bass players probably know what I'm talking about.

 

I need a 5-string with comparable electronics, quiet etc. I need a nice round, warm tone, kind of a modern rich tone. Does that make any sense?

My 5-string has one of the longer length necks. Should I be going for same.

 

Styles of music? Fusion, Jazz, Contemp Jazz, Pop.

 

Help an extremely ignorant, but enthusiastic newbie.

[alexclaber]

You've got one of the best 5-string basses that you can get - try putting flatwound strings on it, that should mellow it out and make the sound warmer and fatter.

 

If that doesn't do it for you, check out Lakland or Sadowsky basses - both make excellent more 'traditional' sounding fives.

 

Alex

[_Sweet Willie_]

What's your price range? This will help a lot in terms of pointing you in the right direction.

 

Alex's suggestions are great, but are definitely in the $2500+ range -- unless you go w/ the Lakland Skyline series, which might work well for your needs.

[bassaddik]

you need to go and F yourself!!

no, really.. get an F bass. The warmest , fullest tone....hmmmm..

[doc taz]

http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/models/SR495BM.jpg

 

Ibanez SR495BM, Mahogany body, 5 pc. walnut/wenge neck, rosewood fretboard

 

I just played the 6 string beast of this a month ago. Compared it to several other basses, including some similarly priced Warwick Rockbasses, and a more expensive Ibanez Prestige Soundgear (also a sixer).

 

Great sound, very warm overtones, excellent active eq and pickups. I can't imagine how incredible this would sound fretless...

 

The really cool part? Brand new, it's less than $600 U.S. Sure, it's made in Korea, but the quality is excellent, and the sixer I played exhibited no flaws. The oiled finish and body is SEXY! The bridge is solid, and the tuning holds very well. I really have to try getting one of these before they're gone.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by bassaddik:

you need to go and F yourself!!

no, really.. get an F bass. The warmest , fullest tone....hmmmm..

Mmmmmmmmmmm.

[jeremy c]

I agree with Alex,

you've already got a great bass.

 

Flatwounds would help (although in my opinion, that's like putting gangster whitewalls on a Porsche).

 

With the bass's controls, roll off some trouble, turn up the bass and play closer to the neck (or between the pickups and the end of the fingerboard--instead of the usual place, between the pickups).

 

Whatever you do, don't put new roundwounds on the bass. In time the ones you've got on it will mellow out a little.

 

A piece of foam rubber stuffed under the strings at the bridge will take off a lot of the stringiness. Experiment with different thicknesses of rubber.

 

At a studio once when they wanted a mellower sound I asked for a pair of scissors, then asked if they minded if a cut a little piece off the soundproofing on the wall.

 

They were a little surprised, to say the least, but they humored me on my request and then were surprised and pleased with the result.

[bass_lover]

When I think of warm sound, I think of a P-Bass.

I know that Fender has a 5 string P-Bass model.

It might be worth considering. Has anyone seen

a review or tried one?

[Infusion]

Please explain.

What's the difference between a $600 Ibanez, Yanaha and a $2500 Pedulla, Warwick, Sadowsky etc.

Is it fudamental things or esoteric things like gold knobs, stained woods etc. ?

[davebrownbass]

Well, the name, to be sure. But behind the name, there are a lot of subtle differences.

 

In many cases the labor on cheaper basses is very inexpensive Asian...the higher the price, generally the more experience the guy that put his/her hands on the bass.

 

The quality of wood cannot be discounted. Higher priced basses are made of better wood.

 

Then, there's the fit and finish...a high priced bass often has a Cadillac paint job.

 

Little accessories and things are added...straplocks, and the highest quality pickups and electronics.

 

Construction designed is also included...neck through, multi-laminated necks...on my Warwick, where most basses paint the headstock area, I have a thin laminate of ebony...just classy, I guess.

 

Still, all high end makers are using their best woods and techniques to make great, classic basses...but they are forced to take some of their design innovations and mass produce basses at a cheaper price in order to maintain profitability. Some are named here...Lakland Skyline, Warwick Rockbass, Spector.

 

These can often be a nice upgrade to an entry level bass.

[fig]

I remember testing out a Peavey Cirrus 5 string in a music store a few years back. Went back on different days, used different amps. Very even sound, great bass, but I couldn't get past the mellow tonality of it. Very warm sounding. Didn't buy it cause it just seemed a bit too warm in character for my taste.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

Originally posted by Infusion:

Please explain.

What's the difference between a $600 Ibanez, Yanaha and a $2500 Pedulla, Warwick, Sadowsky etc.

Is it fudamental things or esoteric things like gold knobs, stained woods etc. ?

i have found that one of the largest differences is that with a $2500 bass, you can go to any music store and buy one, knowing you've bought a great instrument. for the $600 ones, you have to play every single instrument and find the one that is actually good.

 

in other words, the cheap ones vary, the good ones have attention to every detail.

 

another thing i've learned is that i have to put a lot more effort into my $300 MIM jazz bass to keep in feeling the way i want. when it's dialed in, it feels incredible and comfortable. with a much more expensive instrument, i expect it to feel great over a much wider range of setup styles and stay feeling great over time.

 

better wood, better construction, more dongles and widgets -- they're all part of a more expensive bass. but it's the attention to detail that help the bass retain its vibe, playability, and value over time. when you make an investment like that, you'd expect more out of it, more longevity. and that's what a more expensive bass delivers.

 

robb.

[Caevan O’Shite]

The various suggestions pertaining to string-changes and control settings are right on, for the most accessible, immediate results.

 

For strings, I'd recommend a set of DR Sunbeams, as well as some tone-control tweaking.

 

Are there adjustable polepieces on your pickup(s)? If so, lower the polepieces and raise the pickup by the same amount and you should get a warmer tone. A little trial-and-error here can really fine-tune your tonal response, sometimes personalizing it dramatically, and for free! -k

[humabass]

What's your price range? I agree with you about Modulus. I had one and it sounded really cool by itself but in a band setting it didn't have any low end warmth. Seemed almost transparent. If you like 35"scale I would go for a used Lakland 55-94 deluxe. Expect to pay $1500-$1800 on ebay. Great bass,can sound like a P bass,J bass,or MusicMan.

[Caevan O’Shite]

By the way- just wondering, what do you use for an amp, and cab? Have you tried out any other amps and/or cabs with this bass, with your band? Perhaps that could make the difference you are looking for. -k

[Jay J.]

I will second the F-bass recomendation. and you should also look at MTD basses. those are my 2 dream basses. but if you are like me and can't afford those. I have a Lakland Skyline 55-02. it is just like the US made lakland stuff but at less than half the price. and if blind folded and given both basses it would be hard to tell which is the skyline and which is the US one.

 

http://www.lakland.com

http://www.fbass.com

http://www.mtdbass.com

[dcr]

The Modulus should do it, as some have said.

 

Still, I guess sometimes there isn't a connection, even with a good bass.

 

I would definitely check out the Music Man Stingray 5. Excellent quality bass in the $1300 range (roughly), very versatile, plenty of bottom, good modern sound. Can't go wrong.

 

Also, a piezo option would let you add in lots of "woody"/"acoustic" sounding warmth.

[davich]

Warm tones usually associated with Alder body and Rosewood fingerboard - Maple necks. Modern sound can be associated with electronics. By this you can choose the bass.

 

Do not know whether Modulus Quantum can produce warm tones with the graphite necks. Foam might help, but is it what you want? Cause it just decrease the sustain, not warm in my opinion.

[Infusion]

These bass guitars are strictly for recording in my studio.

I use the Sansamp RBI, Eden WT400 head and various preamps to use. Are these front ends sufficient or should I be looking at a dedicated DI box? I've never played through a DI, so I don't know.

 

I like the modulus, but there are times I want that Jimmy Haslip warm thingie sound going.

[humabass]

Laklands record very well A buddy of mine with a home studio didn't like the sound he was getting from his Stingray or Ibanez BTB. I plugged in my Lakland and he loved the sound. But it also has to do with your recording gear. He now runs the DI from his Eden Metro into some kind of analog synth controller,I'm not sure exactly,but he now gets a better sound from his Stingray.

[SteveC]

I had a modulus Q5 for a while - a couple actually - and they aren't necessarily "warm" sounding basses. They are very clean, and play great, no doubt. I think I missed the wood.

 

Maybe I didn't have the right combination of gear, but I did get rid of both of them and went to a Stingray 5. I have a Warwick Dolphin 5 on the way. Lots of wood there.

 

Anyway, just wanted to toss in my $.02.

[Infusion]

Update, just picked up a Yamaha TRB 5-string for $400.

It's gotta be warmer than the Modulus.

[davich]

Yamaha TRB (especially the newer ones) is known for its sizzling high tone and a bit noisy from the electronics.

Don't know whether it will be suitable for your studio work.

Anyway, that's OK for the money point of view.

[humabass]

If it's the older TRB5P neck through that's a great bass. I had two TRB4P's and loved them. Electronics a little noisy but a really nice sound. I used one on an entire CD, it sounded great.

[Bass Burp]

Try a check republic spector 5 neck through with a upgraded OPB-1 onboard preamp. I did this to the one I own right now and I'm stolked with the tone.