I'd like a bass that sounds like this. Any suggestions?

[Spoombung]

 

[Spoombung]

Any modern alternatives? That twangy sound that'll sound good with palm muting...

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Danelectro Longhorn.

[BigRedX]

I actually have one of those, and what gives mine its unique sound is the fact that when you have both pickups on together they are wired in series (but not humbucking) rather than the more normal parallel mode. So you could try rewiring any bass with twin single coil pickups in series, although the extreme pickup positioning of the Burns may also be a big contributor to it's sound.

[fleabag]

Just buy a '64 Burns Sonic and one of those toy Hartke combos and you'll nail it

[Beer of the Bass]

I haven't seen one in the flesh, but the Bass Collection Bill Wyman bass looks like it might get towards that sort of character in a modern instrument.  (Short scale, tiny body, pickup positions etc.)

[Happy Jack]

An original Hofner 185 Artist (or perhaps the 182 Professional) won't cost you an arm & a leg, and it will sound better than that thing!

[Daz39]

Buy that bass. That'll do it!

[Happy Jack]

Now that's what I call straight-line thinking!

 

[pete.young]

Burns Nu-Sonic looks as though it will be fairly close:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/burns_nu_sonic_bass_trans_red.htm

[ikay]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/vintage-1960-s-vox-clubman-bass-guitar-sunburst/1308913097

[three]

You can get a short-scale Alembic to sound like that (honestly) but probably less expensive to simply buy the Burns

[BigRedX]

2 hours ago, pete.young said:

Burns Nu-Sonic looks as though it will be fairly close:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/burns_nu_sonic_bass_trans_red.htm

Different pickups and from the looks of things different pickup placement - IMO the extreme closeness of the pickups to the bridge and neck respectively is an important aspect of the sound. I don't know for sure but I would imagine that the all-important 2 pickup selection will put the pickups in the more conventional parallel mode rather than series as it does on my Sonic bass. Also if you think these make a significant difference; neck and body woods are different and the overall construction of the two basses is completely different.

About all they have in common IMO is the Burns name and the scale length.

[pete.young]

6 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Different pickups and from the looks of things different pickup placement - IMO the extreme closeness of the pickups to the bridge and neck respectively is an important aspect of the sound. I don't know for sure but I would imagine that the all-important 2 pickup selection will put the pickups in the more conventional parallel mode rather than series as it does on my Sonic bass. Also if you think these make a significant difference; neck and body woods are different and the overall construction of the two basses is completely different.

About all they have in common IMO is the Burns name and the scale length.

OK, so what are you proposing?

[Beer of the Bass]

Thinking about it, if you had the budget for it, it would be very cool to pick up a pair of the Adeson repro pickups and find a custom builder to come up with a nice lightweight short-scale to get that sound in a more dependable instrument.  

[bigsmokebass]

6 hours ago, fleabag said:

Just buy a '64 Burns Sonic and one of those toy Hartke combos and you'll nail it

+1 😂😂😂

[Bridgehouse]

2 hours ago, Beer of the Bass said:

Thinking about it, if you had the budget for it, it would be very cool to pick up a pair of the Adeson repro pickups and find a custom builder to come up with a nice lightweight short-scale to get that sound in a more dependable instrument.  

This. Body and neck combo of the right dimensions would be easy, and a custom Pickup winder would do a set that did the job. 

[Spoombung]

21 hours ago, BigRedX said:

I actually have one of those, and what gives mine its unique sound is the fact that when you have both pickups on together they are wired in series (but not humbucking) rather than the more normal parallel mode. So you could try rewiring any bass with twin single coil pickups in series, although the extreme pickup positioning of the Burns may also be a big contributor to it's sound.

Very interesting. Thanks

[Spoombung]

14 hours ago, bigsmokebass said:

+1 😂😂😂

 

21 hours ago, fleabag said:

Just buy a '64 Burns Sonic and one of those toy Hartke combos and you'll nail it

It's a shame they don't come up for sale that often

[Spoombung]

16 hours ago, Beer of the Bass said:

Thinking about it, if you had the budget for it, it would be very cool to pick up a pair of the Adeson repro pickups and find a custom builder to come up with a nice lightweight short-scale to get that sound in a more dependable instrument.  

That's an intriguing thought

[Spoombung]

23 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Danelectro Longhorn.

I've been wanting to try one of these for a while...

[Spoombung]

20 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

An original Hofner 185 Artist (or perhaps the 182 Professional) won't cost you an arm & a leg, and it will sound better than that thing!

Interesting. Not familiar with those...

[Cosmo Valdemar]

27 minutes ago, Spoombung said:

I've been wanting to try one of these for a while...

If ever you find yourself in Dartford you're welcome to try mine.

[Spoombung]

9 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

If ever you find yourself in Dartford you're welcome to try mine.

Thank you

[fleabag]

2 hours ago, Spoombung said:

 

It's a shame they don't come up for sale that often

Very true sir.