The classic all-round bass guitar?

[xilddx]

How can it possibly be a passive bass?

[mcgraham]

Hmmm. Good question. Slightly different spin on the 'which one bass do I get', given the 'classic' bit. Just for the sake of discussion...

If I rephrased the question to say 'which of the classic basses would cover most bases' - I'd pick a jazz bass. I used one for years and did a LOT with it. Allows for fingerstyle, slap, tapping, solo, fullband, rock, jazz, gospel, metal, etc, faux P tones, burpy bridge pickup... etc. But you sometimes have to work harder to EQ it right for particular styles. And the problem with both pups on full gives some sometimes unhelpful midscoop.

If I rephrased the question to say 'which of the classic basses would fit in with most genres' - I'd pick a precision. Will fit into most genres without messing around and just work sonically, but some genres it will unlikely be the first choice, e.g. slap, tapping, some smaller settings that needs prettier or fuller range sounds.

If I rephrased the question to say 'which of the classic basses would give the most flexible sound' - I'd pick a stingray. It can do the extended frequency range sounds, fingerstyle, slap, tap, pick, no inherent midscoop, onboard EQ allows bass and/or treble to be dialled in to taste. Depending on where you pick/EQ it you can make it more P like, more J like, but without the narrow frequency range of one or the midscoop of the other. Full or thin, very easy.

[fender73]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1357072849' post='1917244']
How can it possibly be a passive bass?
[/quote]

from my point of view, I find a passive bass easier to live with, and can cover all the bases (pardon the pun)

Edited January 1, 2013 by fender73

[JTUK]

In all seriousness.. I don't think I lost a gig with my Sei Flam5 but I know my current basses, which are 5 and active, are far better suited
for everything I hear, and therefore play.

Shame I don't get called as much...

[Bilbo]

As a 26 year dedicated Wal user . if you want ' classic', it' s got to be a 5 string Jazz.

[ezbass]

Live, Stingray 5. Discuss.

[Johngh]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1357070396' post='1917179']
There is no one bass that suits all players and all styles.

And it's definitely not a Fender. Given the choice of a P or J bass or nothing, I'd be playing synths or guitar instead.
[/quote]

I wouldn't quite go down the route of BigRedX with just synths, but he's right it ain't a Fender.

Personally I don't like passive basses, I prefer actives. I've taken Jazzes with me on numerous gigs and played them alongside any one of my Status S2's and the jazz haven't come close to the Status. My last Fender jazz went about 2 weeks ago, and I'll probably not bother with another.

Horses for courses though innit.

As a good all rounder a half decent 5 string active with medium gauge strings would do it for me.

[geofio]

no bass model does it all, thank god.

[skidder652003]

This?

http://s621.beta.photobucket.com/user/skidder652003/media/IMG_4153_zpsfc2a4753.jpg.html

[Dingus]

I've got a feeling that people are going to start falling out over this one very soon , so before it kicks off let me put in my two pence worth and say that whereas a Jazz bass will give you a reasonable working approximation of a Precision sound , the converse is not true ; a Precision cannot give you the characteristic Jazz Bass tones ( I love both basses though , so either would make me happy ) . If you were called on to play dub reggae , punk , heavy metal , funk , soul , pop , electro , techno , dubstep or , God forbid , some good old fashioned sing - along tunes down the local pub , a decent Jazz style bass played with your fingers , a pick or very occasionally your thumb will give you the appropriate sounds you need for the given style of music . A versatile and supremely comfortable design .

[mbellishment]

Bongo... 5 string obviously

[cloudburst]

To the OP - I think the question needs a bit of definition. You want a bass that is more adaptable than ALL other basses. But it also has to be a "classic" bass. So, depending upon precisely what criteria you mean by "classic", there may not actually exist such a beast.

CB

[martin8708]

Most of the "sound " will come from your fingers / pick / thumb style of playing .
( grabs a tin hat and runs for the trenches ) never needed much more than a good Precision .

[Johngh]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1357074962' post='1917279']
I've got a feeling that people are going to start falling out over this one very soon , so before it kicks off let me put in my two pence worth and say that whereas a Jazz bass will give you a reasonable working approximation of a Precision sound , the converse is not true ;[b] a Precision cannot give you the characteristic Jazz Bass tones[/b] ( I love both basses though , so either would make me happy ) . If you were called on to play dub reggae , punk , heavy metal , funk , soul , pop , electro , techno , dubstep or , God forbid , some good old fashioned sing - along tunes down the local pub , a decent Jazz style bass played with your fingers , a pick or very occasionally your thumb will give you the appropriate sounds you need for the given style of music . A versatile and supremely comfortable design .
[/quote]

That's just it, a Precision can't give you any tones other than a horrid farty thud, they're useless.









Puts on tin hat.

[warwickhunt]

PJ equipped Warwick Streamer Stage I

It may not be fashionable or even as liked by many but for covering 'many' bases, it does the job!

[iconic]

Another vote for a stingray.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1357072849' post='1917244']
How can it possibly be a passive bass?
[/quote]

Good point!

I don't like using active basses but in the majority of cases they're easily the most versatile!

[thepurpleblob]

Anything... it's only a bass. Only bass players care about what a bass sounds like. It's all about moving air about

[Dr.Dave]

[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1357068903' post='1917139']
That's true, and nowt sits in the mix better then a P... perhaps a PJ combo like the Fender Aerodyne Jazz is a better bet?
[/quote]

An Aerodyne is a marketing/redesign exercise to me.

A PJ is an adaption players have been making for ever and a day to try and combine the two classic Fender types - with a degree of success somewhere short of total. I suppose that's a fair stab at the 'ultimate' bass but not it's definition.

I can't think why anyone would mention a Stingray in this thread. They are wonderful instruments but they sound like one thing only - a Stingray. Long may that continue.

5 strings........ I think there's yet to be a classic 5 string. Most well known ones are upstringed versions of successful 4 strings rather than a design that set out to be a 5. Having said that - if you can only have one instrument and you need to do a lot of jobs on it it's a good choice , but not the choice of dinosaurs like me.

It's all pretty subjective - but I still maintain that if you want to be mainstream classic and versatile with one bass - buy a no frills jazz. I wouldn't give one house room myself , but that's what I think.

[HMX]

Jazz for versatility - any day.

[Dingus]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1357082801' post='1917407']
An Aerodyne is a marketing/redesign exercise to me.

A PJ is an adaption players have been making for ever and a day to try and combine the two classic Fender types - with a degree of success somewhere short of total. I suppose that's a fair stab at the 'ultimate' bass but not it's definition.

I can't think why anyone would mention a Stingray in this thread. They are wonderful instruments but they sound like one thing only - a Stingray. Long may that continue.

5 strings........ I think there's yet to be a classic 5 string. Most well known ones are upstringed versions of successful 4 strings rather than a design that set out to be a 5. Having said that - if you can only have one instrument and you need to do a lot of jobs on it it's a good choice , but not the choice of dinosaurs like me.

It's all pretty subjective - but I still maintain that if you want to be mainstream classic and versatile with one bass - buy a no frills jazz. I wouldn't give one house room myself , but that's what I think.
[/quote]


Dave is right on the money with all of these points as far as I am concerned . I would be interested to know why you wouldn't want a Jazz yourself though Dave .

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1357066301' post='1917087']
P bass or Ray. Love the Jazz tone but I think it's harder to stand out in the mix with both pups on full.
[/quote]

It is quieter with them on full, ironic... isn't it?

I would say a jazz.

Some people have said a P bass. surly it can't achieve that many different tones with one pickup and tone control? I mean, that is what we are talking about, isn't it? how many variants a bass can pull off well? well, the P does have a distinct tone that anybody could spot a mile off, and you could play anything on it (like any other bass) but i don't think you could call it an all-rounder.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1357076515' post='1917304']
That's just it, a Precision can't give you any tones other than a horrid farty thud, they're useless.









Puts on tin hat.
[/quote]

Ohh, i wasn't going to go that far!

*slides out side door*

[ordep]

[IMG]http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/tt25/psb557/washburn_and_chester.jpg[/IMG]

not a "classic" tho..

[xgsjx]

IMO Fenders are a bit like ford escorts, they sure ain't pretty!
A lot of the design looks fine, but some bits are just "why!". Like that top horn. Though they do sound good enough, there's basses with better sounds (again IMO).
I would say an Ibanez SR would cover the majority of sounds, but I wouldn't say it's a classic bass.