I've now got my "Perfect Bass" which cost peanuts!

[thebrig]

Have you ever wondered why it takes so long to find the bass that is right for you?
Over the years, I started by buying cheaper basses but none felt or sounded right to me.
So I then started buying more expensive ones, but still I was not happy with the feel or the sound.
I've had Fenders such as precisions, (american hot-rodded, mexican,), jazzes, (american, japanese & squire),
Warwicks, (corvette std bubinga passive & corvette std ash active), Musicman *Black Onyx" Sterling (too scared to gig it, because it is too nice),
Home-made Jazz, plus numerous other basses.
The only one I truly liked was my Warwick Corvette bubinga, but it weighs well over 11lb.
Because of neck and shoulder problems, I have had to look for a lighter bass, and remembered an Ibanez SR500 I picked up in a shop a few years ago, I was amazed at just how light it was, but I must admit that I never bothered to try it, as I thought a bass so light, and at a budget price couldn't possibly deliver the goods.
Anyway, many thousands of pounds later, I have just brought a second-hand one for £250 in absolutely mint condition, and I just can't put the thing down!
It's as light as a feather, super fast neck, full range of tones, a real joy to hold and play!
I really do think that this is [u]the one[/u] for me.
Cheap as chips compared to what I've spent in the past, I just wish I got one sooner!

I'd be interested to know whether anyone else out there has experienced the same thing.

Edited December 15, 2010 by thebrig

[Lozz196]

Well I`ve spent stacks of money on different basses, only to realise that the very one I coveted from the first, the humble Fender Precision, is the bass for me.

With all the basses I bought, I always went for a specific sound, and they were never quite there, as it was the P sound that now realise I wanted.

Still, it was fun, if costly, getting there.

[icastle]

[quote name='thebrig' post='1059993' date='Dec 15 2010, 08:27 PM']I'd be interested to know whether anyone else out there has experienced the same thing.[/quote]

I've owned an SR505 (5 string version of your SR500) from new for some 6 or 7 years now.
Definately light and the necks are, reputedly, the fastest around.
Tonally it does pretty well but I still have to supplement it with a couple of other basses to cover all the tonal ranges I tend to work in the most.
I think I paid somewhere in the region of £500 for mine back then and must have easily paid for itself 100 times over by now.
Whilst other basses have appeared for periods and departed, this one has stayed... although the SR5005 has winked at me and whispered "take me big boy" a couple of times...

Edited December 15, 2010 by icastle

[thebrig]

[quote name='icastle' post='1060027' date='Dec 15 2010, 08:52 PM']I've owned an SR505 (5 string version of your SR500) from new for some 6 or 7 years now.
Definately light and the necks are, reputedly, the fastest around.
Tonally it does pretty well but I still have to supplement it with a couple of other basses to cover all the tonal ranges I tend to work in the most.
I think I paid somewhere in the region of £500 for mine back then and must have easily paid for itself 100 times over by now.
Whilst other basses have appeared for periods and departed, this one has stayed... although the SR5005 has winked at me and whispered "take me big boy" a couple of times... [/quote]
I am thinking of adding a SR505 as well,
what is the B string like?

[icastle]

[quote name='thebrig' post='1060033' date='Dec 15 2010, 08:56 PM']I am thinking of adding a SR505 as well,
what is the B string like?[/quote]

What tonally, physically or ergonomically?

[thebrig]

[quote name='icastle' post='1060039' date='Dec 15 2010, 09:01 PM']What tonally, physically or ergonomically?[/quote]
Tonally & tension

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='thebrig' post='1059993' date='Dec 15 2010, 12:27 PM']I'd be interested to know whether anyone else out there has experienced the same thing.[/quote]
Absolutely. I find tone and playability to be cheap, some of the most expensive basses I've played have been total crap in comparison. Some of my best basses only cost me $250. Of the basses I've owned over $1000 only the Ken Lawrence was of higher quality than my cheap Peavey, Tokai or Fernandes.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1060025' date='Dec 15 2010, 08:51 PM']Well I`ve spent stacks of money on different basses, only to realise that the very one I coveted from the first, the humble Fender Precision, is the bass for me.

With all the basses I bought, I always went for a specific sound, and they were never quite there, as it was the P sound that now realise I wanted.

Still, it was fun, if costly, getting there.[/quote]
+1 to all of that

[Jigster]

yeah I can appreciate this - i have a Nash jazz and a Sandberg JM4 which play beautifully, but the other day I dragged out my 1981 Ibanez Blazer and the tone, and the feel is everything I would ever need, it's my definition of the bass sound 'in my head' it's the sound I think a bass should have - so why have I not remained faithful to it and instead allowed myself to be seduced by other basses?

[Vibrating G String]

Advertising.

[AntLockyer]

I was in the position of the bass not being my first instrument so had been lucky to play plenty over the years from band mates and in jams etc. When I bought my P Bass I knew exactly what I wanted (a brand new American deluxe P) and played every example I could both here and in the US until I found the one. Six years later and I'm still convinced I was right.

[Jigster]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1060155' date='Dec 15 2010, 10:53 PM']Advertising.[/quote]

yep - and now I'm going to have a quick look in For Sale before bed!

[xgsjx]

I got lucky, bought my SR1000 20 years ago & I've never wanted anything else until I visited the Ritter website a couple of years ago.

[icastle]

[quote name='thebrig' post='1060051' date='Dec 15 2010, 09:15 PM']Tonally & tension[/quote]

Tonally it has a pretty rounded sound with the typical growl that most Bs make.

Tension wise I find it just a little bit loose but I compensated for that by putting a slight tilt on the PUPs and playing that string slightly lighter that the others.

[oldslapper]

[quote name='Jigster' post='1060146' date='Dec 15 2010, 10:49 PM']so why have I allowed myself to be seduced by other basses?[/quote]

Honestly Chris, what you like????







Oh yeah.....like me

[Skol303]

+1 from me regarding old Ibanez basses.

I've just recently got back into playing and picked up an old Ibanez EDB600 to get me going again. And I'm loving it! Low action, super-fast neck and a very nice sound, even using the knackered old strings I bought it with.

[MB1]

MB1.
....Until the Next Gas Panic!
Breathe deeply and fear not! your among friends!

Edited December 16, 2010 by MB1

[MacDaddy]

I've owned a few basses over the years, but the one that works for me is the custom one I had built

didn't cost peanuts though

[Muzz]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1060025' date='Dec 15 2010, 08:51 PM']Well I`ve spent stacks of money on different basses, only to realise that the very one I coveted from the first, the humble Fender Precision, is the bass for me.

With all the basses I bought, I always went for a specific sound, and they were never quite there, as it was the P sound that now realise I wanted.

Still, it was fun, if costly, getting there.[/quote]

+1000. Are you reading the inside of my head?

[lovetheblues]

Well - I'm kinda at the opposite end of the spectrum. Had only played my Squire P bass, but did a lot of research and playing in Guitar Center and local shops- and decided on an SR505. I love it, I have played it every day since I got it about 1.5 years ago. Someday I want to get a Fender P and J bass, to add options, but for now I really really enjoy my Ibanez. I have seen on other forums that others seem to feel the same way about the SR series, the 500 and 505 in particular. Glad to hear you are enjoying yours - I'm surprised sometimes that Ibanez doesn't get more press. Happy Holidays to you!

[JTUK]

I am sure it is possible to find a bass that does all some people want for cheap money.
Conversley, I have tried a lot of junk in those price ranges...in fact most were junk comparitively, IMO.
Junk may be too strung a word, admittedly, but you only handle them for a few seconds and you know it isn't going to work
for you.

I wouldn't have high hopes of any bass under £1000 being any good and would be nicely surprised if this was so.
I'd be going over it pretty thoroughly sonically before I turned any attention to construction or finish
I have also picked up a few with silly prices tags and put them straight back ..and IIRC, that would mostly be down to something that registered as unacceptable on a £2500 plus bass, from my POV.

Funny, isn't it

[thebrig]

[quote name='lovetheblues' post='1061242' date='Dec 17 2010, 05:51 AM']Well - I'm kinda at the opposite end of the spectrum. Had only played my Squire P bass, but did a lot of research and playing in Guitar Center and local shops- and decided on an SR505. I love it, I have played it every day since I got it about 1.5 years ago. Someday I want to get a Fender P and J bass, to add options, but for now I really really enjoy my Ibanez. I have seen on other forums that others seem to feel the same way about the SR series, the 500 and 505 in particular. Glad to hear you are enjoying yours - I'm surprised sometimes that Ibanez doesn't get more press. Happy Holidays to you![/quote]
I'm seriously considering getting the SR505 too, but how do you find the B string, both tonally and for tension.
Being a 34" scale bass, is it refined enough?
cheers

[dbass]

Not sure where I stand on this subject...

I am very happy you have found your bass for such a good price, especially after years of trying more expensive basses.

I paid £1200 for my Dingwall and I've not found a better bass (IMO) yet but I have played basses below £500 that are great too but something that just doesn't "do it for me". I don't know if it is bass snobery or simply down to feel and tone but I've found that in life, you "generally" get what you pay for...ish

[Vibrating G String]

Price has a powerful effect on our opinions though we don't like to admit it. Case in point would be '70's fenders that were crap for $300 but now that they are in the thousands the same bass is the holy grail of tone.

[Oakbear]

A big part of it is in your head imho.
Price can certainly play a big part of that though, especially as that is often seen as a marked for status or desirability of an item.

My Ritter would cost silly money to buy new. Is it good? Absolutly, it's wonderful.

I also have a Chiwanese 6 that cost £100. Is it good? Actually it's pretty decent after a good set-up.
As good as the Ritter? No, but there's not several thousand pounds of objective difference there, some of it is quite small details.
I'm gradually upgrading and playing with the cheapo job, and it's getting closer to the Ritter each time....