bubinga5 Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Im in conundrum. i adore the 55-02 i own but I'm not sure i need a 5 string, thing is I'm not in a band that maybe needs a 5 string.if i let it go, i want to find the right four string Jazz bass. It has to be a jazz bass obviously, but I have my reservations about Fenders. what i would really like is a Jo Osborne, or a Moon Jazz Bass. don't get me wrong i would take a Fender, but as we all know the good ones are hard to find, and once you have traded, there is no turning back. any thoughts.? Quote
Machines Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Why not a 44-02 ? It will do the Jazz bass sound and you won't lose anything the 55-02 did. Quote
gary mac Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 I've no experience of the other Jazzes that you mention, just wanted to say that although Fender gets a fair bit of bashing about QC and many forum users go on about terrible Fenders, I would say that there are still many, many better ones than there are bad. I know it could happen but I've yet to have a bad one, yes some have been much better than others but even the ones that weren't quite so good, were actually very playable once set up properly. There is a fair bit of nonsense spouted, often based upon trying out a P or J that has languished in a shop, with dead strings and in need of a set up. Quote
dave_bass5 Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Id go for a Sire V7, either 4 or 5 string. Better pre amp than the 55-01 (ive had one, lovely basses) but also a very good passive Jazz bass. You would also save a considerable amount of money, with the same end result. Quote
Grahambythesea Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Keep the Lakland. You don't have to play the 5th, but who knows, you may find another gig when it will be really useful. Having occasional hand pains I have found it useful to use the 5th higher up the board to reduce the hand stretch and reduce discomfort. Quote
Marvin Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Keep the Lakland. If it's a bass you like and feel comfortable with, keep it. Quote
chris_b Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 So, the band doesn't need a 5 string bass. . . . would the world stop turning if it got one? What you play should be important to the band, not what you're playing it on. I can see being asked to hit low C's when you have a 4 sting bass would be a problem but who is going to be worried if you don't play below low E? Keep the bass you "adore" and play as many interesting bass lines on it as you can think up. Quote
Raslee Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1448030808' post='2912505'] Id go for a Sire V7, either 4 or 5 string. Better pre amp than the 55-01 (ive had one, lovely basses) but also a very good passive Jazz bass. You would also save a considerable amount of money, with the same end result. [/quote] <<<This...keep the Lakland, those 55-02 are superb....the Sire's are bloody superb! Quote
dave_bass5 Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Maybe I'm a bit unusual but I find playing a 4 string a different experience to playing a 5 string. Of course we can play a 5 string like a 4 but it's not the same, to me. I stopped playing a 5 string because my band didn't need it, and going back to a 4 string was as good move. I can't see the point of having that 5th sting getting in the way and having a wider neck if it's not neccecery. I do feel this thread is just about GAS though, and not a NEED, and therefore there isnt really a right answer. Quote
JapanAxe Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1448045447' post='2912738'] Maybe I'm a bit unusual but I find playing a 4 string a different experience to playing a 5 string. [/quote] I don't think that's unusual at all, it's exactly how I feel. Quote
White Cloud Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Far be it for me to tell you that the prospect of swapping a Lakland 5502 for a Jazz bass is crazy..... Quote
Lozz196 Posted November 21, 2015 Posted November 21, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1448043059' post='2912702'] So, the band doesn't need a 5 string bass. . . . would the world stop turning if it got one? What you play should be important to the band, not what you're playing it on. I can see being asked to hit low C's when you have a 4 sting bass would be a problem but who is going to be worried if you don't play below low E? Keep the bass you "adore" and play as many interesting bass lines on it as you can think up. [/quote] This. I rarely play anything on the D or G string, but I still have a 4 string bass. Keep your fave instrument, and just play the Low B string at home so it doesn`t feel left out. Quote
jassbass Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Sell the 55-02 and get a 4 and a 5 sire for under £700 Quote
JTUK Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 I don't want a 4 str but I've seen some really tempting custom Fender that make you think. I wouldn't want a run of the mill Fender tho...so I'd be temopted to keep the bass you really like. Bands and musical situations change all the time.... Quote
krispn Posted November 24, 2015 Posted November 24, 2015 I've been playing a 5'er for a few years and recently sold an old 4 string (well traded) as I tried the 4 string at a rehearsal with one band and then at a gig on the same night kinda back to back and I just missed the low B. I actually traded for another 5er and sold my Lakland JO5 but only as it was a Dingwall PZ5 which was too good to miss. Basically if you love the 5'er keep it. If you can borrow a 4 string Jazz and take it to the gig/rehearsal and see how it feels back to back playing the 4 then the 5 I'd recommend it.....otherwise it's GAS. Good luck! Quote
chardbass Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 +1 for a Sire. Incredible basses for the money. A slightly quirky preamp layout but what a great bass for little outlay. I've gigged with a £2k 55-94 for about 13yrs but after taking it and my new Sire V7 5 string to a theatre gig last week, tomorrow's gig sees the Lakland staying at home. I'd struggle to part with proper decent money for a Jazz bass again. Quote
NickD Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 [quote name='chardbass' timestamp='1448670626' post='2917405'] I've gigged with a £2k 55-94 for about 13yrs but after taking it and my new Sire V7 5 string to a theatre gig last week, tomorrow's gig sees the Lakland staying at home. [/quote] Crikey! How would you compare the B strings?... as the Lakland is the first bass I've had with a B string that's pretty much as playable as the other strings. Quote
dave_bass5 Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) I didn't get to compare my Laklands with my Sire, but I've had a few 5 string basses since my DJ5 (my last Lakland) and the Sire is the first one that I've found to have an even and usable (to me) B string, especially in the middle of the fretboard. Funny thing is although I've changed the strings a few times on my Sire, the B string is the original string. No idea why I haven't changed that yet though. Edited November 28, 2015 by dave_bass5 Quote
NickD Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 Good to hear. I really want to try one. Quote
dave_bass5 Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 I think the thing about the Sire basses is they are good basses, and don't cost a lot. They aren't amazing at any price IMO, and they do have a signature tone that sounds different to my other jazz basses, but the build quality, the 18v preamp and the overal playability seems to be not what you would expect at this price point. For me the vintage frets put this in front of basses like the Squiers and others at the sub £500 price point. Personally I'd rather not have a pre amp in it, but as it's a good one I don't mind too much. When I had my 55-01 I changed the preamp for a NTMB but the preamp in the Sire is miles better. In fact for me it's better than the P-Retro I had in my P bass a while ago as well. Quote
bubinga5 Posted November 29, 2015 Author Posted November 29, 2015 Are Sires that good. really.? what preamp do they have.? Quote
dave_bass5 Posted November 29, 2015 Posted November 29, 2015 They have their own brand of preamp. 3 band, sweepable mids, active/passive mode, passive tone control in passive mode (so in passive mode you still have the normal Jazz controls of VVT) http://www.sire-guitars.com/usa/shop/bass/sire-marcus-miller-v7-bass-guitar-4st-ash-natural-color/ Quote
chardbass Posted November 29, 2015 Posted November 29, 2015 [quote name='NickD' timestamp='1448740084' post='2917846'] Crikey! How would you compare the B strings?... as the Lakland is the first bass I've had with a B string that's pretty much as playable as the other strings. [/quote] I enjoyed playing the Sire last night more so than other "spare" basses I've owned. It's a great bass and considering it's a 34" scale bass it doesn't suffer from the flappy B string syndrome that I've heard so much about from some 34" basses. Certainly on the Lakland I can get stuck into the B more- the bass seems to have a slightly compressed/tighter sound whereas the Sire behaves more like a Jazz. They are very different basses but if I chose the appropriate bass for each gig I do then I'm on to a winner. £300 for a bass like this is fantastic- yes the pre is a bit fiddly but you soon get your head around it. As a side-note I've owned 2 55-02 basses and neither came close to the quality of feel and sound the US bass. Quote
dave_bass5 Posted November 29, 2015 Posted November 29, 2015 There is a 5 string Sire V7 for sale on here. A very reasonable £285 (I have no connection with the seller). Quote
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