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best active bass £500-£1000?


Funky Dunky
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Hi guys, looking for opinions on the above, I have a passive Squier with PJ pups but I'm thinking about buying a good quality workhorse as gigging is in my future and I would like to test the water on active basses. Open to all suggestions and recommendations. Have at it, and wax lyrical.

thanks

Dunc

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[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1406203344' post='2509264']
I recently bought a G&L M-2000 (Tribute) and its fantastic. Really versatile.
[/quote]

This or any l 2000/2500 bass. Tributes are great, the American basses are killer. Why G&L aren't more common than stingrays is beyond me!

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[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1406203344' post='2509264']
I recently bought a G&L M-2000 (Tribute) and its fantastic. Really versatile.
[/quote]

[quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1406204417' post='2509278']
This or any l 2000/2500 bass. Tributes are great, the American basses are killer. Why G&L aren't more common than stingrays is beyond me!
[/quote]

I had a G&L L2000 Tribby for a while and it was a fantastic instrument... No idea why they aren't more popular.

Edited by CamdenRob
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Workhorse..? Gigging..?

Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass. Preferably in Vintage White. ;)

[url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/series/deluxe/deluxe-active-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-vintage-white-4-ply-brown-shell-pickguard/"]http://www.fender.com/en-GB/series/deluxe/deluxe-active-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-vintage-white-4-ply-brown-shell-pickguard/[/url]

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With all of my active basses I've tended to home in on one particular combination of the tone shaping controls and it's essentially then a set-and-forget situation. The last bass into my collection is my passive Squier VM Precision and I don't miss active EQing at all, to some extent I actually prefer the simplicity of the single treble cut tone control because I've got another two tone-shaping devices further down the chain anyway (my Zoom effects unit and my Genz Benz combo). So in your case I'm wondering what an active bass might give you that say, an outboard pre-amp/effects unit can't (and right now I can't think of anything). Have you considered trying something like a SansAmp Bass Driver or similar?

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[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1406208970' post='2509339']
With all of my active basses I've tended to home in on one particular combination of the tone shaping controls and it's essentially then a set-and-forget situation. The last bass into my collection is my passive Squier VM Precision and I don't miss active EQing at all, to some extent I actually prefer the simplicity of the single treble cut tone control because I've got another two tone-shaping devices further down the chain anyway (my Zoom effects unit and my Genz Benz combo). So in your case I'm wondering what an active bass might give you that say, an outboard pre-amp/effects unit can't (and right now I can't think of anything). Have you considered trying something like a SansAmp Bass Driver or similar?
[/quote]

What he said. I use passive jazz basses with a SansAmp Bass Driver.

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Thanks for all feedback so far. I have tried the G&L and LOVED the tones but with a nut width of 44mm it's beastly on my hands. If they made it with a narrower neck, this would be the one.

I will have to do my research on Ibaneezers. The Jazz bass in white would tick my Paul Turner wannabe box. I love that dude's playing and tone. The Laklands look nice. Never played one but they stock 'em in Glasgow so I will have a play. Musicmans are the bomb too.

I notice there's no love for Warwick here so far. I had considered a Streamer LX purely on youtube demos but they're hard to obtain round these parts - in fact, I don't know of a stockist in Scotland.

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[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1406211580' post='2509369']


What he said. I use passive jazz basses with a SansAmp Bass Driver.
[/quote]

what does the Bass Driver add to your sound? Is it a matter of boost/cut or is there more to it?

Edited by Funky Dunky
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Just to clarify, what do you mean by an "Active Bass"? I am assuming you mean a bass with active pickups, only many of the suggestions here actually have passive pickups but do have active tone controls - not that there's anything wrong with a passive / active hybrid, in fact a lot of people would argue that that combination offers the best of both worlds.

Edited by darkandrew
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[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1406223790' post='2509549']
what does the Bass Driver add to your sound? Is it a matter of boost/cut or is there more to it?
[/quote]
The Bass Driver is a great bit of kit, but does have it`s own sound/tone. Boost or cut on Bass/Treble & Gain/Drive. For me, I prefer the VT DI also by Tech21. Has Mid control as well, making it more flexible, plus a few other featues, speaker-sim and "bite" to add top-end. For Ampeg sounds a plenty, the VT is great.

Re basses, I`ve just seen on here a Fender US Deluxe Jazz. I had one for a while and it was def the most versatile bass I`ve ever had. Could do 95% Precision (and I don`t make that claim lightly, being Precision-Nuts) to Flea on the Alanis Morisette songs, all with the onboard eq. I`d check this out, it`s within budget.

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/241531-fender-usa-jazz-bass-deluxe-block-inlays-bound-rosewood-fboard-3-tone-sunburst/

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