Brave Sir Robin

[quote name='arabassist' post='583366' date='Aug 28 2009, 11:13 AM']i wanted to switch to 5, but when it comes to playing i end up staring at an odd number of strings, my orientation gets messed up and i get confused which string im plucking also i prefer thin necks[/quote] Yeah, takes a while to adapt. However, going back to a 4 string is so easy

damn, if only it was black

Well, between a Rockbass and those new-fangled Sterling Ray35, I'd take the Ray In the UK, that's a different story (The Sterling would be more expensive I recon).

[quote name='karlfer' post='582809' date='Aug 27 2009, 07:38 PM']Perhaps it chickened out and it buggered off. know what I mean, say no more.[/quote] Nope, you lost me there. Your amp will not over-power your cab and damage it, that's all I mean.

hmm what happened to my reply... The amp is rated 200 watts @ 8 ohms, so you'll have plenty of headroom to spare, at least the cabinet will not have a problem.

Apparently at the end of the year, I'd say 2010. They were suppose to be available this summer. Basically I wouldn't hold my breath for too long. [url="http://forum.warwick.de/17-warwick-rockbasses/8120-so-where-new-2009-rockbasses-up-warwick-website.html"]http://forum.warwick.de/17-warwick-rockbas...ck-website.html[/url] The $$ will be passive, and no coil switch like its big brother. However, I'm sure plenty will have a go at 'pimping' those.

You mean 64's then. I love mine in the Corvette. Gives out an old school Fender vibe, even when the Corvette is anything but Fender originally! Much more interesting sounding than the MEC it had previsouly. I also have East u-retro with them, works fine together Ask Andy about this, what sound you want, he'll guide you towards the best suited pickups.

Most Ibanez have humbuckers. Maybe it's that sound that you don't like (versus single coils). Jazz sound for no money... SX?

The new rockbasses will be even better, with 2 piece bridge and cleaner headstock. ... but he want a 'sweetspot' bass, a-la musicman Maybe the rockbass $$!

The organic shape, the upper horn looking like a dino neck stretching, the wavy pattern, the colour... and it was made in Scotland (I have a very shallow view of the world). Noneless, I can't wait to see it finished, you must be suffering G.A.S. hell right now

Ibanez makes good stuff and OK stuff, but the quality is good. Maybe it's not your sound. My K5 sounds a bit thin up the register, and it's going to my sister for Christmas. maybe you're a jazz bass guy after all. If it's not your sound, it's not your sound

Nice! It's gonna look and sound wicked! ...Nessie the Green Monster!

phoar! Always had a soft spot for the t-bird.

Aye, totally forgot the G&L.

Spectors are a pretty safe bet. The price looks good. If you decide to mess about with electronic later, that looks like a great platform.

Traben Chaos Core 5. Around that price iirc.

Another good one is www.thomann.de.

Some shops do 30 days returns. Best is not to rely on that though (you'd pay for shipping, and run the risk of damaging it). I buy computer parts off the net with reputable shops (mostly overclockers.co.uk), but I'm a tinkerer. However, I would have bought my Samsung NC10 (netbook) quite happily from my local PC World (gasp), as it was the same price and it is more convenient for returns and customer support. For me, no point saving a few quids going for ebay or some cheap online shop. For trivial electrical appliances, I buy locally. Saves the hassle and cost just a little more. All in all, it depends how likely the stuff is to break down and what customer supoort I can expect, how available it is, and how more expensive it is locally! For saving a few pounds, I would not bother with online.

I'd say a Warwick Corvette ash second hand with a pre, but their necks are anything but slim. also, Yamaha BB614F left handed, but it does have a P-bass pickup, and the pre is a bit cheap. Cort B5 fretless. MK1 electronics (like the ibanez SRs). In any case, a left handed bass, fretless, will be hard to come by. Unless you are willing to defret it.

You have to remember that with a custom comes the wait (6 months up to 12 months). Since you are in no hurry, a custom can be a nice option. Adding to that, you pay a deposit (say about 1/2 of what you have in mind), and you can build up a kitty in the meanwhile. Not something I'd always recommend, I'd personally make sure I have the funds beforehand, but it's something to think about, if a bass is slightly above your current available funds. Secondly, from my experience with Alan @ ACG, the bass is entirely bespoke. You decide the pickup placement, pickups (humbuckers will have coil switch options), scale, string spacing, he can even work with a particular neck shape (mine is asymmetric, and it's very, very nice). The ACG pre is a little wonder in itself.

Never heard of them tbh, but I'll go off the tangent a little bit... From a Hohner perspective, I have a 16-something years old BBass IV profesional(?), and it's a trooper. My first real bass, it cost me around £250 at the time, pretty expensive. The electronics is pretty cheap (pickups are based on some steinberger passive design, the bridge pickup is very 'dry' but works well with the neck pup), but the rest is immaculate. It's got a weird drop-D steinberger bridge, and electronics similar to yours (could be the same actually). It's volume-volume, stacked bass/trebble boost, and looks antique in design, a bit noisy with trebbles boosted, it also has a passive switch and a led (), and the battery is inside the electronics cavity, which is held by 4 screws. It's got massive low end with the bass boost, Aston Barret used to play one IIRC. So, Hohners do get played by some pretty high profile muzos Tye Zamora used to play a Hohner BBass 6 strings IIRC again. He is a pretty accomplished bass player as well (playing 6 strings in a punk pop band?!?). Not sure about the latest Hohners, they seemed to have backed of the bass guitars market since the 1990s and mostly sell headless steinberger licensed copies (which are still well regarded actually). I still have it for sentimental reason, and because it still works!

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_streamer_stage_i_2.htm"]Warwick Streamer Stage 1[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_streamer_stage_ii_4_nt.htm"]Warwick Streamer Stage II[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_streamer_lxltd_2008.htm"]Warwick Streamer LX-LTD 2008[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_sr5000e_ol.htm"]Ibanez SR-5000[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_sr4000e_sdr.htm"]Ibanez SR-4000[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/spector_euro_4_lx_fmt_zw.htm"]Spector Euro LX 4[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/music_man_bongo_sab.htm"]Musicman Bongo[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_bb2004_bl.htm"]Yamaha BB2004 BL[/url] ect ect... £2000 can get you a lot, especially second hand. Warwick, Spector and Ibanez do lots of 24 fret basses. Sandberg Bullets and Basic should be 24 frets too. As are the Clovers.

I can vouch for the wizards vintage J pickups (the 64s). Very nice pups, very 'vintage'!. Talk to Andy at Wizard with your requirements. Nordstrand have a great reputation as well. A East retro is a strange beast. In passive, the pickup blend does not work, and the pickups are selected using a switch. You can always use it in active mode but flat to be able to blend (but then, what's the point!). You'll need the deluxe version to blend in passive. Audere does nice pres as well. The ACG is a wild beast and will shape your sound like no other. I'd go with a nice set of vintage sounding pickups, with a bigger custom bridge, no active preamp. If you need some dirt for your punk rock band, I'd look for a second-hand sansamp, or sadowsky outboard (both are quite expensive), or equivalent.

if you like throaty and burpy, and the streamer shape, give a spector a try. I had my hands on a Spector US spalted maple (EMG humbuckers) and wow! 2.4k was just too much though! It's a bit smaller than Streamer, almost 1/2 way between a streamer and a thumb. That or a Stage II, ultimate GAS. WIth 2K, the world's your oyster, especially second hand. speaking of Spectors...

I have a K5 and it's light. Much much lighter than my corvette 4 strings (these are boat anchors), about the same as the ACG (surprisingly light for a fancy 5 strings single cut). Probably the same weight as the SR505. I don't think you could get a lighter 5 strings. The body is small and comfy, the string spacing is pretty tight (16.5, 17 mm?)! I'd go with the ibby if you like it, they are very very well designed (weight, balance, feel, neck, hardware, even the pre is decent), and well priced. If it feels right for you, and you can get it at a good price, go for it. One slight issue with the K5, I don't like the Elixirs they put on (coated strings). If I can grab some scales, I can weight the K5, but it's definitely on the light side. for fun