Black Coffee

[quote name='EmmettC' timestamp='1457341940' post='2997427'] Add Sadowsky and Lull to that list for me, I can't seem to afford them, so I never end up with one. [/quote] I scraped across the line of affording a Mike Lull and of all the £1500+ basses ive played or owned the Lull was the shabbiest. I understand that for others its bass heaven, but i was really disappointed. Just IMHO. A good usa five string fender jazz i owned was the best passive fiver i ever played, the Lull was just - mmmhh :-( - cant really say i got the warm fuzzy feeling when playing it. Id like to believe id drool when playing a £5,000 fodera but i will likely never know this side of retirement.

Id like to try one, maybe some day and find out for sure if the hype is worth it. I've owned £3,000+ dingwalls and they are mutts nutts, but how much better is a £5,000 fodera bass over a £3,000 Dingwall bass - I dunno..... It's all in the satisfaction I suppose. My biggest gripe with expensive basses was the worry of somebody (or me) putting a ding in it and ruining the perfect finish. Shallow maybe. I dunno. My yamaha bb series is meeting my needs currently and I could replace it a dozen times before out pricing a good fodera.

I've never got on with fodera basses. I don't earn enough money to be able to afford one would be my biggest gripe. Alembic too.

Ric are having a bad day in this thread. I'm sadly gonna add to it and say I've had three separate rics and none worked for me. 2x4003's, one fretless and one fretted; also a 4004 in red finish. Love the look, love the sound when the bridge pup is wound down but the playing position just ain't comfy on the 4003 without U-bend surgery and the truss rod on the 4004 was pathetic in that it didn't do anything; quite ridiculous really for £1800 of bass. Might plough the ric field again some day but it's a while away yet. Also warwick thumb basses, the first fret top string feels as if I'm stretching too far to play it. Shame as they look pretty cool.

Sire 5 string is the best value for money in a long time. I loved the finish and sound of mine but the more I played it the less I was getting on with the radius of the fretboard. It's not a negative thing, it's just that it wasn't for me as I prefer a flatter fretboard. You could do worse than a yamaha BB series as a fiver.

I parted with my USA sub musicman 5 string and shouldn't have. Ballsy thick massive sounding bass and comfy to play. It knocked spots off every other MM I've played since, including a rather expensive 25th anniversary HSS. I didn't know how good it was till i parted with it to apparently upgrade. How much of a non upgrade the full SR wasn't was incredible. I know who owns it and it resides and plays about 8 miles from where I live. But I'm over it ---- honestly.

The Yamaha BB series are simply brilliant. I'm playing a 425x and can't fault it. Even if I dent the headstock against something I can't even get annoyed about it cuz they are so cheap. Played more expensive basses that didn't sound as good, and a year on from getting it I've not much interest in selling it. Enjoy.

What a guy. Awesome drummer and paved the double kick road with his own brand of mayhem.