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Through-neck basses on a budget - advice please?


davidpike
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Hi all,

I am looking to add to my collection. I have a 4-string, a 5, a 6, a fretless, an acoustic and a U-bass. My wonderful wife (who is actually responsible for me purchasing at least 3 of the above) has just one rule:

[indent=1][b][i]"The next one has to be a through-neck."[/i][/b][/indent]

There is a good chance that this next one is going to be my main bass for some time to come, so I want to spend a bit of time and get it right.

I has to be a 4-string, and I would prefer passive (but I'm not going to be strict on this point). The short list is:

[u][b]Peavey Grind[/b][/u]



[u][b]Aria Pro II SB-404[/b][/u]


[u][b]Washburn T24[/b][/u]



I am a long-time Aria owner, my budget IGB 4 string has defied all (unintended) attempts to kill it over 20-something years. But I have no experience of Washburn or Peavey. The Ibanez BTB series only has 5- or 6-string versions, so Ibanez are off the list.

The Peavey has a lot going for it, in that it is passive and has a 35" scale length. Also, it appears to be stupidly good value at just over 300 quid.

Does anyone own any of the above? Are they well built, do they play nicely?

Any comments welcome!

Cheers

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[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261390123533?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261390123533?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[/url]

Don't know if this is of any interest to you? I hasten to add it's not mine or anybody's I know lol.

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I would look secondhand.
I have a old Yamaha BB1000 and a old Warwick SS1 which I picked up over the last few years - both of them were in the same price range as these instruments you've listed here and would be considered (rightly or wrongly) to be "better" than the brands you've suggested.
Both were very very good deals I was lucky to find - but they are out there.

I guess I would also ask what is it about a neck through that you're after?

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[quote name='jgmh315' timestamp='1391856897' post='2361992']
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261390123533?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1423.l2649[/url]

Don't know if this is of any interest to you? I hasten to add it's not mine or anybody's I know lol.
[/quote]

Thanks for the link.

Luke, I've never really been taken by Yamahas or Warwicks whenever I've tried them, although I will have another look. I'd like a through-neck for several reasons. I like the idea of a nice warm sound with tons of sustain, and they often give easy access to the higher frets

I must also say that I am a bit geeky (and probably a bit shallow) and so would also like one exactly because they are a bit different! :)

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There are two cheap through necks on the basses for sale here in basschat:

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/226006-through-neck-bass-korean-cort-for-sale-price-dropped-to-l125-posted/page__p__2357057__hl__through%20neck__fromsearch__1#entry2357057

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/224567-vintage-1004dx-bass-fs-price-drop/page__p__2354898__hl__vintage__fromsearch__1#entry2354898

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I have the impression it's probably easier to find a second-hand Peavey Cirrus BXP than a Grind. Cirrus is active and the early ones (like mine, grrr) had a battery-life problem, but they are nice :) - fast skinny neck, comfortable, play well, look pretty (though the tiger-stripes are too gaudy for me).

Edited by alyctes
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  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1391947696' post='2362829']
This is an active bass but it's a neck-through and Corts do get a lot of love from those who aren't label snobs http://www.cortguitars.com/en/product/a4-1
[/quote]

I have the six string version of this bass and it is a hell of a lot of bass for the money. Can't recommend it highly enough!

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Peavey make very good affordable basses as do Ibanez but you might get something a bit more special if you look at second hand - there was a really nice look neck-through Warwick in the classifieds recently which could be worth a look (it probably has an active/passive switch on it too so could be more versatile).

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I bought a through-neck by much the same logic.

By acccident, I ended up with an Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V, even though I was really after a 4 stringer. And I love it! Although I clearly have wide, and possibly undiscriminating, taste, as I also have a couple of Arias, an EB-3, a Jazz, a Precision, and a fretless Warwick Corvette

If you can cope with the name on the headstock, and the shape, the Epi Tbird Pro IV is a marvelously versatile -- although active -- bass. And the fact that are not at all expensive is just a plus; they really don't feel like budget instruments.

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[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1391863411' post='2362097']
Toby Pro basses (with the wenge laminate necks) are very good value used and, with a change of electronics, transform a good instrument into almost a pro level.
[/quote]

Are these the Korean made ones? I played one of those in a shop, and thought it was very nice indeed. The one I played looked like this: [url="http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5206/p1010012ps8.jpg"]Tobias Toby Pro[/url] other than being a four string.

Edited by Annoying Twit
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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1392833313' post='2373281']
Are these the Korean made ones? I played one of those in a shop, and thought it was very nice indeed. The one I played looked like this: [url="http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5206/p1010012ps8.jpg"]Tobias Toby Pro[/url] other than being a four string.
[/quote]
Yep, dem's the ones. Really well made instruments. They also built to a budget by taking short cuts on parts that can be easily upgraded. A great buy IMO.

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[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1392842494' post='2373479']
Twenty posts and nobody's mentioned Warwick???

You can pick up both German and Rockbasses for silly money at the moment....

Isn't there a Westone Thunder 3 for sale in the "For sale" section?? Now there's a good through neck bass...
[/quote]

I did, still can't believe how cheap some Warwicks are going for at the moment.

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[quote name='davidpike' timestamp='1392938513' post='2374601']
Thanks for the advice, chaps. I'm afraid Warwicks don't do anything for me. Every time I've played one, they left me cold.

I know they're popular, well built and have a very vocal following. It's just one of those "Chemistry" things! :)
[/quote]

What era Warwicks have you tried? Later eighties instrument have a completely different feel and tone to late nineties, which in turn are very different from naughties models, which are different from the current models :)

and popular? Warwicks have been very uncool for years now ;)

never rule a manufacturer out!

Edited by Kev
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