Five String Jazz Basses talk to me?! NOW A NBD THREAD !!!!!

[pete.young]

A used Yamaha BBNE2 would be within your budget. I have one and it has completely cured my 5-string GAS.

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1414165547' post='2586658']

Don't they have the fan shaped frets? That seems like a brilliant idea but I can't decide if it looks weird or cool....
[/quote]

They do indeed. They feel great to use and do get a fair few questions at gigs!

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1414165547' post='2586658']

Don't they have the fan shaped frets? That seems like a brilliant idea but I can't decide if it looks weird or cool....
[/quote]

They do indeed. They feel great to use and do get a fair few questions at gigs!

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1414165547' post='2586658']

Don't they have the fan shaped frets? That seems like a brilliant idea but I can't decide if it looks weird or cool....
[/quote]

They do indeed. They feel great to use and do get a fair few questions at gigs!

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1414167974' post='2586695']


They do indeed.
[/quote]

How do they feel to use? Do you ever get questions at gigs?

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1414145901' post='2586339']


Eww!! Not content with allowing a strange old man (who likes children) into your house while everyone's asleep, you want him to...
...oh God no, it hardly bears thinking about. Merry Christmas!!
[/quote]
It's only once a year, close my eyes and think of Stingrays!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1414166699' post='2586677']
A used Yamaha BBNE2 would be within your budget. I have one and it has completely cured my 5-string GAS.
[/quote]
They are VERY nice basses with awesome build quality, but I just want some form of Jazz again

[mcnach]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1414172570' post='2586755']
How do they feel to use? Do you ever get questions at gigs?
[/quote]

[dave_bass5]

I thought fanned frets were just a gimmick until Fran (Grandwazoo) brought one of his Dingwall 5 stings to a gig I was playing last year. After not playing a 5 stings for a few years I did a whole set with it and never struggled once. I've never had such a smooth transition between 4 and 5 string before. You really don't notice the frets and for some reason they just seem to be in the right position if that makes sense.
The bass was also a passive jazz. Lovely bass although not a cheap bass.

[discreet]

Yes, I've played some of GW's lovely Dingwalls and it took me about four minutes to get used to the fanned frets. It's actually more logical - the frets fall under your fingers much more readily. Great ergonomic design.

[stingrayPete1977]

I find them easy enough to play but also a solution to a problem I dont have and the B string although good was no better or worse than a good 35" scale bass. I'm more likely to get a bass with no frets than fanned frets to be honest

[Skinnyman]

I managed to try out a couple of five strings today....

Squier Vintage Modified V - first impression, it weighs a ton. And I think that put me off from the word go. There's just no way I could see myself doing a set, let alone a whole gig, with one of these things on. Fit and finish are good, but I found the neck quite deep as well as wide. That may be my imagination but it just didn't seem to sit right under my hands. It might be perfect for someone else but it did nothing for me. I like the neck binding and the colour but that was about it. The B string seemed really loose - annoyingly so, to the extent that if I got one I'd have to change the strings. To anchor cables from the look of things....

Fender modern player V - I really like the idea of the Modern Player series and I've been impressed by some of the guitars I've tried. But I really didn't care for this one. It was that matt white which made it look like the Storm Troopers in Star Wars might have played - just a big slab of plastic. I didn't even try it.

I also tried an Ibanez SR505 which was really light with a lovely wide but shallow neck. Gorgeous to play although I wasn't enamoured with the tone. Or the shape. Or the colour.

So, the search continues... Next on the list to try is a Sei, a Sandberg and an Overwater

Edited October 25, 2014 by Skinnyman

[stingrayPete1977]

Ah I dont like a deep neck either, so that could be the squier out for me too, I'm not keen on the look of the modern player. The Ibanez is really nice, I use one at practice some weeks as the front man in our trio has one, good B string, good preamp and pickups, nice neck, nice bass

[Skinnyman]

But it's not a Jazz-a-like....

I know I'm being picky but, hey, it's my GAS...

I think I'll be taking a trip to the Gallery some time this week.

Although the wife is doing that one-in, one-out thing that she applies to guitars. (But not shoes or handbags, oddly). So maybe I'll need to move one of my four string jazzes. Wonder how much a Select Active might fetch...

[stingrayPete1977]

I've just 'discussed' my shopping trip next saturday over a nice 3 course meal, went quite well Jazz Deluxe looking OK :-D

(Russ we are on if you're still up for it?)

[Skinnyman]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1414273174' post='2587864']
I've just 'discussed' my shopping trip next saturday over a nice 3 course meal, went quite well Jazz Deluxe looking OK :-D

(Russ we are on if you're still up for it?)
[/quote]
I like your style. Happy shopping - let us know how you get on....

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1414273174' post='2587864']
I've just 'discussed' my shopping trip next saturday over a nice 3 course meal, went quite well Jazz Deluxe looking OK :-D

(Russ we are on if you're still up for it?)
[/quote]

yup!

[stingrayPete1977]

Just making a list now, only Thomann has the Oly white USA deluxe in stock, Andertons say ready to ship from their suppliers, what does that actually mean, why 2 weeks? are they getting it from Thomanns!

Guitar Guitar pre order only but they do have the black and maple at least worth trying out? PMT have a burst 2012 Standard model to try.
Bass Gallery have the Oly white RW Tort but in a Standard USA not Deluxe?

Can you think of anywhere else to visit in person?, I want to gig it Saturday!

[JTUK]

I wouldn't rush it... you need to get the right one.

As far as I know... Thomanns are regarded as a bit or a bugger for the U.K as they can sell cheaper than some U.K outlets can buy in so
the U.K shop may well buy in from Thomanns..but the manufacturers are pretty strict about this and have all sorts of clauses/penalties to
stop it happening. I don't believe Andertons would take that risk, tbh... they are building a rival empire to the German outlet anyway...??

I'd just wait until the right bass crops up...or bite the bullet and buy a Sei or Celinder S/H or maybe Sadwosky and Overwaters for lesser money.
...that way you are pretty much beyond the foibles of the Fenders/Laklands, IMO.

[Roland Rock]

The Overwater is now even cheaper. I'd say that you could easily move this on at no loss if it didn't do it for you.
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247011-overwater-jazz-5-string-bass-was-l1100-reduced-to-l975/

[stingrayPete1977]

Got a list of basses at various shops ready to go at on Saturday, charcoal Lakland DJ5 is now looking favourite but I've got a whole range of multiple fenders to try at a few places,I will try every single one and if I like one I'm going to grab it regardless of the colour within reason

Got a nice gig for it Saturday night too!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1414322851' post='2588159']
The Overwater is now even cheaper. I'd say that you could easily move this on at no loss if it didn't do it for you.
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247011-overwater-jazz-5-string-bass-was-l1100-reduced-to-l975/
[/quote]
That is a good price isn't it, I'm not mad for the colour and I want rosewood to be different as all my stingrays are maple.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1414409055' post='2588929']
Got a list of basses at various shops ready to go at on Saturday, charcoal Lakland DJ5 is now looking favourite but I've got a whole range of multiple fenders to try at a few places,I will try every single one and if I like one I'm going to grab it regardless of the colour within reason

Got a nice gig for it Saturday night too!
[/quote]

This is how my DJ5 ended up. I so miss this bass.

[stingrayPete1977]

PJDJ5 Thats cool! I like the blocks and the colour matched headstocks, usual Lakland build quality?

[dave_bass5]

Yeah, the black sparkle finish was really nice. It came with a white pick guess but the black one really improved the look IMO.

I've had 4 Laklands and none have had any issues. I love thier necks. They seem flatter than a lot of basses but I find this helps get a lower action. They also have banjo sized frets, which again seems to make the necks very fast.

I've still got a JO neck on my Squier Jazz. That neck seems to end up on most of my basses at some point.