Suggestions for a lightweight 5 string under £500.....

[Raslee]

I've adored my Cort GB5 that I've had a few years now - it surpassed two Lakland 5's and a Yammy TRB2 as the better bass and at a 34" scale has a fantastic low B...just like the 35" scale Laklands are known for.  I've been experimenting the last few months, tried different straps etc, but I've concluded the 11Lbs+ of the Cort is exacerbating my back pain too much. I can handle a 2 hrs gig with my 7.2lb Stingray Special but 2 hrs rehearsal with the Cort and masses of Ibuprofen isn't doing it for me, especially the next day. I will sadly sell the Cort eventually which will be gutting as it sounds bloody great with a John East in it......one was up for sale here recently and they really are great playing basses.

I've had back pain for 6 months now, GP of little to no help, so for this reason I bought a Bass Collection 310 5 string, 8.2lbs a few months back. This works good for the back pain but the bass is a bit Meh...leaving me a little uninspired. Don't get me wrong the quality of the bass is fine but the B is nowhere as good as the Cort and the sound is a bit dire; it oddly has 4 string sized pick ups with large cavity gaps, not sure if this normal, the preamp is also a bit lackluster.

I was hoping to try one of these new Ibanez Headless 5 strings due out soon which on paper look like they'd fit the bill weight wise, 18mm string spacing (i think), and i love how they look, but I simply don't have the monies upfront for one of these due to saving and paying for a forthcoming holiday - Mrs Raslee is monitoring my accounts...ahem!.

So I'm thinking what lightweight 5 stringers could I get for under £500 ish???? Don't mind new or secondhand, with a decent B string, 18-20mm string spacing (most Ibby's seem to have too tight string spacing), don't mind active or passive either and ideally under 8.0Lbs in weight..

I realise I probably won't get all these  requirements with such a small budget. Have thought of upgrading the Bass Collection pre/pickups...but hmmm, not sure. FWIW I'm playing Ska, Reggae , Dub music with a 5 string (Lows needed as covering music that has used low dub synth bass, low B, C's & D's etc)......wish i could get away with playing a 4 string to be honest as I have 3 great lightweight 4 strings but the 5 does make life easier for this particular band.

Thank you for any advice & guidance

[Drax]

Could you get away with a 4 string BEAD? 

[Raslee]

1 minute ago, Drax said:

Could you get away with a 4 string BEAD? 

Good idea, but we're doing Stevie's 'Master Blaster' and need that 'G' as it's the only tune I get to funk out a bit....not sure my simple brain can handle learning the runs again without a G  😂

[cheesemaster]

I’m actually selling an MTD artist series Kingston for under £500 if that’s up your street?

I also have the truss rod cover, it was removed as I had just adjusted the truss rod recently.

i can weigh it for you when I get home.

Edited January 24, 2020 by cheesemaster
Added info and pictures

[Woodwind]

This is something I consider a lot.

I hanker after a lighter bass, but everything other than the weight of my instrument is perfect.

I'm assuming it's a bolt on neck. If this bass absolutely ticks all the boxes for you, would you consider having a new body made and transferring everything over?

Or more radically have the current body chambered? (this is something I will most likely do to my instrument in the end).

I know there are no guarantees with keeping the sound you love if changing the body though.

11lbs is no joke though - I'm not surprised your back complains.

 

Good luck

[jrixn1]

7 minutes ago, Woodwind said:

I'm assuming it's a bolt on neck. If this bass absolutely ticks all the boxes for you, would you consider having a new body made and transferring everything over?

Or more radically have the current body chambered? (this is something I will most likely do to my instrument in the end).

I know there are no guarantees with keeping the sound you love if changing the body though.

Will either of these process adversely affect the balance between body and neck - i.e. introduce neck dive?

[fretmeister]

Used £500 as a deposit and buy a Sandberg Superlight TT5 or TM5

 

Proper 5 string and under 8lb!

[Woodwind]

2 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Will either of these process adversely affect the balance between body and neck - i.e. introduce neck dive?

It's entirely possible, but on an 11lb beast I would imagine you have a fair bit of leeway

The biggest cavity machined into a bass already (the control cavity) is ironically in the place that increasing the weight would guard against neck dive.

 

On my own instrument I'll eventually be chambering from behind the upper horn and back towards the bridge and possibly a small area out from the lower horn.

[jrixn1]

4 hours ago, Raslee said:

I have 3 great lightweight 4 strings

I was in the same position last year - searching for a significantly-lightweight five-string on a modest budget.  I didn't find one.  In the end I changed approach and sold three of my existing basses to increase my budget, and got a Sandberg SL TT5, which is 7.2lb.  I do  miss in particular the Yamaha BB735A I sold, but very happy overall that I made the switch.  For my musical situation at the end of the day I don't really need a collection of basses - one is enough. and there's nothing I need to do but can't on the Sandberg.  Your situation might be different of course.
 

[Woodwind]

17 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

...and got a Sandberg SL TT5, which is 7.2lb. ...

I only found out about the SL TT and TM5s from this thread.

They seem like amazing basses! 

Now wondering about making a cedar body for my bass instead.

Triggers broom springs to mind

Edited January 24, 2020 by Woodwind

[fretmeister]

Ive got a 4 string Sandberg Superlight and its roughly 6.5 lb

Its a Mk1 Cedar wood. The new ones are paulownia - apparently they take paint better.

 

Its a brilliant bass and Im saving for a 5 string as well.

[King Tut]

Have a look at the Mahogany bodied Sires - I think they're the V3. They come in pretty light apparently.

[Raslee]

22 minutes ago, King Tut said:

Have a look at the Mahogany bodied Sires - I think they're the V3. They come in pretty light apparently.

Thanks, I did contemplate them - maybe a good choice. 

[Raslee]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

Used £500 as a deposit and buy a Sandberg Superlight TT5 or TM5

 

Proper 5 string and under 8lb!

Wowsers, they’re not cheap...but they do come in cheaper than the new headless Ibanez’s I like...and I don’t even know if the Ibanez’s are going to be lightweight. 

[Stub Mandrel]

Seek out a Hohner Jack Custom V 🙂

[Paul S]

13 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Seek out a Hohner Jack Custom V 🙂

Is that the one you are going to sell to me?   

Bit of a tight string spacing, mind.

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, Raslee said:

Wowsers, they’re not cheap...but they do come in cheaper than the new headless Ibanez’s I like...and I don’t even know if the Ibanez’s are going to be lightweight. 

Unhelpfully they are! I'm guessing no more than 7.5 lbs given my SR 1825 is 8.6 lbs and the headless have a chambered body and no headstock & tuners. 

If sub 9 lbs is manageable, there's an excellent Ibby SR 2405W just been listed in FS on at a great price. 

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Ive got a 4 string Sandberg Superlight and its roughly 6.5 lb

Its a Mk1 Cedar wood. The new ones are paulownia - apparently they take paint better.

But unfortunately Paulownia is a softer wood (as Holger readily admits), so will ding more easily. Not an issue if you're a fan of relic'd basses.

Edited January 24, 2020 by Al Krow

[Cuzzie]

I wouldn’t worry about the ‘soft’ woods - we had this debate when it was announced and the fact Cedar has been used for years in ship building I don’t think should deter people from having it as a bass.

Hohner Jack is a great idea, or even a hohner headless

Edited January 24, 2020 by Cuzzie

[Al Krow]

Obviously folk are entitled make there own mind up - personally I'm steering very clear of Paulownia wood basses!

[Cuzzie]

If anyone is interested in Paulownia, here is a website.

https://worldpaulownia.com/technical/
 

It’s used in structural beams, clogs, ships, furniture, is quick growing and probably therefore decent for the environment in replacing it.

I always say, never say never until you’ve had some experience with it, but we make our own choices in our own ways.

@Raslee option for doing a bitsa to your specs?

[Cuzzie]

If the shell of the bass is decent, why not gut it and pop new electrics?

[dannybuoy]

Gibson EB5 is well worth a look. They seem very underrated, and sold with massive price cuts when they bring out a different spec/colour each year. I’ve heard they are usually around 7.5lb. There’s one here new for £629, you can ask the shop to weigh it:

https://www.expressmusic.co.uk/products.asp?code=263566&name=gibson-eb-t-5-string-bass-2017-satin-vintage-sunburst-clearance

[Paul S]

The Hohner 5 string clan have pretty tight string spacing, which might not necessarily be a deal breaker but worth a pause for thought.

Another contender I had completely forgotten about until just now - I had a Fender MB-5 for a short while.  7lbs, real live MIJ Fender that can be bought second hand for £300 - £350 because they were never popular.  Passive Jazz in tone but different shape.

[M@23]

4 hours ago, jrixn1 said:

I was in the same position last year - searching for a significantly-lightweight five-string on a modest budget.  I didn't find one.  In the end I changed approach and sold three of my existing basses to increase my budget, and got a Sandberg SL TT5, which is 7.2lb.  I do  miss in particular the Yamaha BB735A I sold, but very happy overall that I made the switch.  For my musical situation at the end of the day I don't really need a collection of basses - one is enough. and there's nothing I need to do but can't on the Sandberg.  Your situation might be different of course.
 

I could have written this myself. Sold a Yamaha BB that I really, really liked and bought a TT5 SL, which has turned out better than I'd even hoped. They are reasonably expensive I guess, the 5 string jazz market covers all budgets! But if your health demands it, I'd reccomend investing. The Sandberg is my only bass as well and I use it on all sorts of gigs, it's very versatile and looks great. 

I'm also interested in one of the Headless Ibanez when they come out, I'm hopefully expecting them to weigh close to 7lbs, given they're chambered, have that tapered body shape, and are minus a headstock.