Budget 5er?

[Joeyfivebags]

Guitarist friend of mine is looking to get a 5 string to do some work on his solo project. Looking at under £200 second hand and wants to know any suggestions/what sort of things to keep an eye out for. Style is progressive metal in style of TesseracT, Periphery and Modern Day Babylon, so really wants something with a good low ended/strong B (buckers?) probably to be tuned to drop Ab. Not too familiar with 5's in this price range so any advice would be gratefully received.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Joeyfivebags

[geoffbyrne]

You could look at Yammies - a BBN (J style pups) or BBG (soapbar). They're OK.

G.

[BigRedX]

TBH unless you are very lucky, you are unlikely IMO to get a 5-string bass with a decent sounding B-string for that price even second hand.

[CamdenRob]

A low Ab? is that even audible? must be seriously flappy...

[miles'tone]

I picked up a Yamaha BB415 here on BC for £200.
KILLER B string. The bridge even has an extension for the B to increase tautness.

And it's black. All black. \m/

[Conan]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1401704131' post='2465922']
TBH unless you are very lucky, you are unlikely IMO to get a 5-string bass with a decent sounding B-string for that price even second hand.
[/quote]

That's what I was just going to post.

I've owned several fivers now - ranging from "bargain basement" to "mid-priced but serious". In every case I have sold it on because it wasn't as good to play and didn't sound as good as even a cheap four string bass.

There still seems to be a real problem in building a good five string bass down to a modest budget. If he really needs a five (and can't get away with a four with heavy strings, down-tuned) then I would suggest he really needs to at least double his budget...

[uncle psychosis]

I think at that price and those tunings he'd be better off getting a four string and tuning it with the lowest four strings from a five string set.

[pete.young]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1401710669' post='2466003']
I think at that price and those tunings he'd be better off getting a four string and tuning it with the lowest four strings from a five string set.
[/quote]

In my experience, that won't make a lot of difference. I did this with a Bass Collection, a reasonably decent bass by 4 string construction standards, and the low B was still too flappy.

I'd suggest he looks for something which is either 35" scale, neck-through construction or both. He might pick up a Peavey Grind or and Ibanez BTB for that sort of price.

[cocco]

I'd be looking for Ibanez and Yamaha. You should be able to pick up a tidy BTB, SR/SRX, or RBX for close to that money.

[Conan]

Spector legend might be worth a look... A bit more than £200, but a lot of bass for the money.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1401711133' post='2466008']
In my experience, that won't make a lot of difference. I did this with a Bass Collection, a reasonably decent bass by 4 string construction standards, and the low B was still too flappy.

I'd suggest he looks for something which is either 35" scale, neck-through construction or both. He might pick up a Peavey Grind or and Ibanez BTB for that sort of price.
[/quote]

35" scale is IME a complete red herring. It's all in the construction whether or not the B-string sounds any good. Any manufacturer capable of making a 35" scale bass with s decent low B is equal capable of making one with a 34" scale. By all means go for a 35" scale bass if you like the fret spacing, but don't assume that the one extra inch will make the B-string sound and feel better.

Of all the decent priced 5 string bases I have owned, the two with the 35" scale length had the poorest sounding and feeling B-stings. If simply want scale length to solve your problems you need to go to at least 36".

[chrismuzz]

I've got to recommend the Peavey Grind series. 35" scale, but very comfortable to play. And even with the stock pickups they've got a nice punch and growl to them! They go up for sale second hand very often

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1401716328' post='2466081']
35" scale is IME a complete red herring. It's all in the construction whether or not the B-string sounds any good. Any manufacturer capable of making a 35" scale bass with s decent low B is equal capable of making one with a 34" scale. By all means go for a 35" scale bass if you like the fret spacing, but don't assume that the one extra inch will make the B-string sound and feel better.

Of all the decent priced 5 string bases I have owned, the two with the 35" scale length had the poorest sounding and feeling B-stings. If simply want scale length to solve your problems you need to go to at least 36".
[/quote]

This is a very valid point! But I tuned the B on the above mentioned bass down to an octave below a low E, just out of pure curiosity... Still had a pretty bright punchy sound, even with a .130 gauge string!

Edited June 2, 2014 by chrismuzz

[skej21]

Ibanez SR305. Has a surprisingly good low B for the price and at £299 new, you should be able to pick one up second hand at a decent price. Close string spacing though, so watch out for that if you're not a fan!

[kodiakblair]

I posted a link in the Ebay thread for a Peavey Grind 5'er. It was made in Vietnam so has the Scooped
lower horn. Sitting at £50 + £12 postage ends Saturday.

I've same but 4 string never notice the scale length just a great Bass.

[Joeyfivebags]

Cheers for the advice people. Pretty much seems the same as I told him. Gunna have to spend a lot more for something great. But thanks for the suggested options I will let him know. The budget is pretty no moveable due to him being a student and buying two 7s this year. I don't see floppyness being an issue I dropped my .145 to Ab last night on 34" and it wasn't the worst thing ever.

Completely off topic but has anyone seen the image going round of the Ibanez Fanned Fret?

[krispn]

fanned fret bass or guitar from IBZ?

[Joeyfivebags]

Its a fanned fret bass supposedly called SRFF 4505, don't think there is any official word from Ibanez yet. Odd if its going to happen though, would expect them to do a FF guitar first?

https://twitter.com/ikebegakki/status/472341046836211712

[geoham]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1401717687' post='2466099']
Ibanez SR305. Has a surprisingly good low B for the price and at £299 new, you should be able to pick one up second hand at a decent price. Close string spacing though, so watch out for that if you're not a fan!
[/quote]

I picked up an SR405 for a third of that! Bargain of the year for me!