5 string J-style basses

[dirtystatic]

I've always had sterling advice on these forums so I though I'd pick your collective brains before my next purchase.

Don't mind buying second hand. Will be for playing finger-style, I would like a slim fast neck and the B-string has to be tight... I've tried out a few Ibanez and Fender Jass Vs and the B was too loose for me


I'm in love with that Carvin SB5000 at the moment but it's way over budget and I've not seen many second hand.

Got a preference for rosewood fretboards and natural finishes but it's not all that important.

[iamthewalrus]

The Yamaha TRB5 has a great neck (Rosewood board) - the B string is pretty damn good (the 35" scale neck helps that IMO) too. The string spacing is also very user friendly.

I've got one as part of my hoard & wouldn't part with it, but I think there are a few on the second hand board up for grabs?

[chris_b]

The MTD Kingston's would be a good place to start but don't come up on the used market very much. I heard a guy playing an MTD Z5 last month and it sounded very good.

I would also look at the various 5 string Lakland Skylines.

Both basses use 35" scale which seems to work well for 5'ers.

[bassaussie]

You could check out this bass. Maybe not quite what you're after in relation to being a J, but still Fenderesque, and at a good price currently.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=106971"]Valenti 5 string on forum[/url]

[EBS_freak]

5 string Lakland Skylines or KSD 5 strings (that's if you can find one) - both have 35" scale and a great sounding B.

[Vibrating G String]

There are a lot of great 5 string jazzes from Japan. Moon, ESP, Fernandes and others made great stuff. Lots were made in the 1990's.

I have a Fernandes LEB J5 that plays and sounds like a boutique job but I paid just $250 used. I think the tight B string thing is a bit misguided but that's for another thread If you want more tension, use a thicker string. I use a 120 on this bass and play with a light touch and it sounds massive. This one has 17.5 mm string spacing at the bridge and a smoothly rounded slim neck.

[lemmywinks]

Keep an eye out for a used Bacchus, they go for your budget. They're not much more than that used either and i've never heard a bad word about them. Very handsome basses

Give funkydario a shout in the affiliates market, he might have something!

[dirtystatic]

Are new Kingston's out of my budget? I will take a look at Fernandes too, not a brand I'm familiar with.

That Valenti is a thing of beauty, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope it's still available in a couple of weeks, but at that price I doubt it.

Anyone here play a Carvin?

[chris_b]

[quote name='dirtystatic' post='993373' date='Oct 19 2010, 12:06 PM']....Are new Kingston's out of my budget?....[/quote]
Sorry I was looking at the prices on Ebay, but I'd forgotten that they will need to be imported from the States!

Mark at Bass Direct has an Indie. I don't know that make but it look pretty good. I'm sure he can fill you in.