Doubts about selling a bass...

[Cameronj279]

Not too sure if this is the right place for this (if not let me know!)

Basically in August last year I bought a Warwick Thumb LTD 2006 Dirty Blonde. I absolutely adore how it plays, looks and feels to play but I feel like I can't get on with having a Precision pickup, I feel like they sound a little bit too harsh for my liking. I love the tone 90% of the time but occasionally hear the P pickup a little too much.

Over the last 2 months or so I've been seriously GAS'ing for a Dingwall bass (and missing my low B string) but have never played with fan frets before.

I'm in 2 minds about it because I haven't ever played a bass as nice as the Warwick but also feel like I haven't got my ideal tone with it.

Any advice from people with more wisdom than I is appreciated

[LukeFRC]

Save up and have both?

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1392833955' post='2373296']
Save up and have both?
[/quote]

If I would I could! Unfortunately I'm a skint unemployed (not through lack of trying) student

Edited February 19, 2014 by Cameronj279

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Sans amp di box ? Change pickup or amp ? You seem to love the bass otherwise

[xilddx]

Sounds like you are finding little excuses to buy a new bass Otherwise you would have changed the pickup or put a John East pre in it or summat. I've massively GASed for a Dingwall in the past too, but I have absolutely no thoughts of one now.

[Cameronj279]

I love the tone I get from it when I play gently but I have quite a heavy hand unfortunately. I was hoping to avoid modifying it because its one of the limited edition basses but getting rid of the P pickup is the only real option

[Wud]

^^^ +1 what has been said above regarding the P pickup ^^^

If you miss the B string, how about loosing the top G ?
Put some 5 string strings on there, and go BEAD?

Only you will know if the Dingwall fanned frets are comfortable or not, and maybe only after a period of time.
Much like your Warwick conundrum, you may well find the Dingwall wanting in some aspect, but only after the initial honeymoon period.

In my personal opinion, I'd say upgrade to Pre Amp and Pick Up's if they are MEC.
You can easily pop them back in if you do decide to sell the bass on in the future.

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='Wud' timestamp='1392845690' post='2373541']
^^^ +1 what has been said above regarding the P pickup ^^^

If you miss the B string, how about loosing the top G ?
Put some 5 string strings on there, and go BEAD?

Only you will know if the Dingwall fanned frets are comfortable or not, and maybe only after a period of time.
Much like your Warwick conundrum, you may well find the Dingwall wanting in some aspect, but only after the initial honeymoon period.

In my personal opinion, I'd say upgrade to Pre Amp and Pick Up's if they are MEC.
You can easily pop them back in if you do decide to sell the bass on in the future.
[/quote]

I use the G string all the time. I'm happy with the preamp (I really like it actually!) and pickup wise if I change the P pickup it would mean routing a new hole for a twin jazz, which would presumably reduce the value of the bass? (for if the worse happens in the future and I need to sell)

[neepheid]

I think it's unwise to destructively mod such a bass. Particularly when you don't have a pickguard to hide the mess that the hole could be.

There must be a tamer P pickup you could try rather than routing for a double J. SD SPB-1 maybe? Custom job (as in tell them what you want from the pickup, sound-wise)?

[Fionn]

Sell the Dirty Blonde, and buy a Thumb NT5?

[xilddx]

You know, if you use the right equipment, you can make almost any bass sound like almost any other bass. A 4-band parametric may solve all your problems.

The GAS you have for a Dingwall is not rational, you have no idea how they feel or sound.

[CamdenRob]

It's difficult isn't it, you might get rid of the Warwick then decide years down the line that it was the perfect bass for you after all.

I guess ideally we'd all buy different types of bass, keep them all until we found what works best for us. Space and cost prevents most of us from doing this.

The thing I have found is that by buying second hand I can move stuff on at cost or a minimal loss and try something new better than trying something out in a shop with strings of unknown age / quality for two minutes through a rig you've never used before.

Another thing is our 'perfect tone' changes over time. The tone I am after now is very different to the tone I liked ten years ago...

[karlfer]

As Nige said!
Pretty pictures! Far too many of us are magpies attracted by pretty things.
If we were to be totally rational, most basses can be made to sound like most other basses.
Yes, I am one of the worst offenders

[chris_b]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1392833892' post='2373294']
....I'm in 2 minds about it because I haven't ever played a bass as nice as the Warwick but also feel like I haven't got my ideal tone with it....
[/quote]

If you like it but don't play it, sell it.

If you love it but don't play it, sell it.

Just remember, everyone needs a backup bass. So you can keep it.


....and, fanned frets are easy to play.

[cheddatom]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1392884833' post='2373724']
You know, if you use the right equipment, you can make almost any bass sound like almost any other bass. A 4-band parametric may solve all your problems.
[/quote]

This is my opinion, if it sounds too harsh, EQ it!