My perfect bass, does anyone know it?

[wambamalubop]

OK, some background is that I'm happy with my Marcus Miller Jazz style copy (the old not the V version) but for a couple of things. So I'm not too demanding.

• 1. Unlined fretless bass with dot markers on the side, not mini lines etc. 
• 2. 24 fret equivalent scale, so need a shape with good access on the G string. 
• 3. 4 string
• 4. Plain wood body, natural, one wood, simple walnut or something dark like that, at a push natural ash. 
• 5. Ebony fingerboard.

Kinda like a Wal model 2 but for under £2000.00

Soundwise like a Jazz bass, so pickups and electronics as per. 

Seems like this should be possible off the shelf but nothing quite hits these specs. Some of the Sandbergs seem to come close but I'm not sure about the sound.  The Wal 2 would be perfect and I could imagine stretching to £3k for a S/H one but my hens have more teeth. 

Maybe a Sandberg with a particular pickup configuration or maybe even swapping out the stock ones for some others? 

 

Edited January 25, 2020 by wambamalubop

[Pea Turgh]

Contact Alpher instruments.  Job done!

[Drax]

Maruszczyk built me v similar spec (24 unlined, swamp ash / ebony, Aguilar JJ ) for under £2k.

Their configurator is addictive but they’ll also meet other requests not listed. 

 

*Alpher look great, been admiring them for a while. British too 

Edited January 25, 2020 by Drax

[ead]

@skelf made me this one; ticks all five of your specification

[Cuzzie]

Sandberg

[wambamalubop]

On 25/01/2020 at 10:52, Drax said:

Maruszczyk built me v similar spec (24 unlined, swamp ash / ebony, Aguilar JJ ) for under £2k.

Their configurator is addictive but they’ll also meet other requests not listed. 

 

*Alpher look great, been admiring them for a while. British too 

I did like the look of those. 

[Mrbigstuff]

Overwater can do that for around £2k. 

[wateroftyne]

Something like this from Maruszcyk for about 1500EUR?*

*Disclaimer - I know nowt about anything that isn't a J or a P

 

[CamdenRob]

If you’re looking for something to sound like a Wal nothing else will... Get one ordered up. It’ll take so long to build that you’ll have saved up by the time it’s ready 👍 

[wambamalubop]

9 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

Something like this from Maruszcyk for about 1500EUR?*

*Disclaimer - I know nowt about anything that isn't a J or a P

 

That looks very tasty

[donkelley]

"My perfect bass, does anyone know it?"

I don't know, can you hum a few bars?

[Hellzero]

Try to find a second hand Leduc MP428SF or MP431SF (or HMP428SF or HMP431SF if you like headless basses). These are the best Jazz Bass like fretless you'll find, and certainly the only one where you'll hear the fundamental of each and every note. Once you've played a Leduc in a band, you'll understand why. Especially when your drummer will tell you this : Wow, that's the first time I'm hearing you and very well !

Try to find one with the EL-5 preamp and dummy coil (like Alembic) if you want to have a 2 bands preamp and a mid switch acting very cleverly.

Here is an MP428SF, passive :

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by Hellzero
Spelling

[warwickhunt]

[eude]

On 25/01/2020 at 19:55, ead said:

@skelf made me this one; ticks all five of your specification

@ead beat me to it. @skelf and his amazing ACGs would be my only stop, especially with your kind of spec in mind!

[Defo]

Mayones?

[eude]

On 25/01/2020 at 10:34, wambamalubop said:

Kinda like a Wal model 2 but for under £2000.00

Soundwise like a Jazz bass, so pickups and electronics as per. 

Oh, I should add, a Wal won't sound like a Jazz bass, and you won't even get close to that Jazz Bass tone with Wal Pickups and electronics, so bear that in mind!

[TheGreek]

£2,000 gives you a lot of choice - puts you in Custom Bass territory and there are loads that satisfy your requirements.

If you're not in too much of a hurry you could check out what's in your price range at the forthcoming Bass Show.

There's a thread in the "Events" folder.