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What to do - £800


BassApprentice
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So I need would like a new bass.
 

Once some gear goes I'll have roughly £800 and I've kind-of-maybe narrowed it down to 3 options.

Cheapest - Sire V5 or V7. They just get so much good press that it's hard to ignore

Middle - The lovely P body with barts that @Aero71 is selling with a Status Neck

Top - A Reverend Mercalli 4

Three very different options, and I know these threads never actually help but it's just easier to have somewhere to drop your thoughts when your partner doesn't care what you do 😅

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Sires are excellent basses, can't go wrong. But I'd go for the P with Status neck. I've not seen it, don't know the cost, but it's just different and I bet a carbon fibre neck sounds and feels great. You'll always be able to get hold of a Sire. Or a Rev. Get the weird thing! 

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Get a status neck and IMHO get the jazz one unless you like chunky-it’s without doubt made from unicorn horns and is probably the best thing I have played. Follow the instructions to install and drill etc and everything will be fine and you can have something like this - but better in your case.

3FE3E61A-9C4B-4856-BBDC-5F675CCD8CE4.thumb.jpeg.71b82a0b439ae8cff5de3ffd1b25a6e0.jpeg

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What have you got already? Personally I'd prefer to have the one that's most different in tone/feel to what I already have. Well, as long as it's not headless 😂

 

I've played around on a Sire V7 Vintage and it's a lot of bass for the money - great preamp and lots of tones available. If you're looking at a Jazz I'd also chuck in the G&L JB Tribute. They've gone up a bit in price recently but over the past 8 months I've seen them for £320-350, so if you're not in any hurry it could be worth hanging on to see if any sales pop up before xmas or in Jan?

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44 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

What have you got already? Personally I'd prefer to have the one that's most different in tone/feel to what I already have. Well, as long as it's not headless 😂

Well, after things have moved on, I'll have my Bronco and a Fretless Squier Jazz. So looking for something versatile (a Lakland would suit) but I am always looking for the different things, hence the Rev and I've just seen a MTD Kingston Super 5 on Reverb with a Nordstrand in it which is also tempting. 

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I live Aero’s Precision body but it’s a leap of faith to assume that adding a Status neck will give you more than you could get for the same money in an intact bass. Graphite necks really work on some basses and not on others. 
 

it would look bloody good for sure :)

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Ohh yeah, just checked out that P body for sale and it would look deliciously mean with a status neck! 

How about a Musicman USA Sub? 

Or..... You could get an Epiphone Jack Casady AND some sort of pro thunderbird and still have change from £800. 

There are some nice Japanese Precisions kicking around in the classifieds too. 

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2 hours ago, Jonesy said:

Ohh yeah, just checked out that P body for sale and it would look deliciously mean with a status neck! 

How about a Musicman USA Sub? 

Or..... You could get an Epiphone Jack Casady AND some sort of pro thunderbird and still have change from £800. 

There are some nice Japanese Precisions kicking around in the classifieds too. 

I second this. The USA SUB is unrivalled for quality and value for money. I love mine to bits! 

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17 hours ago, BassApprentice said:

Three very different options,

Quite - what kinda sound are you actually looking for? 
 

there’s two valid reasons I think for buying a bass-

1) Gas - you just want it, you don’t know why but you just do. Whether a colour combination, or a specific model you want have one to try out and cross something off the Bucket list. 
 

2) a specific sound, useage or tone you want. 
 

I’ve no idea which way you are going with your short list - but my advice is get your bucket list out and follow the GAS! 
 

 

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3 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

Quite - what kinda sound are you actually looking for? 
 

there’s two valid reasons I think for buying a bass-

1) Gas - you just want it, you don’t know why but you just do. Whether a colour combination, or a specific model you want have one to try out and cross something off the Bucket list. 
 

2) Gas. - you just want it, you don’t know why but you just do. Whether a colour combination, or a specific model you want have one to try out and cross something off the Bucket list. 

I’ve no idea which way you are going with your short list - but my advice is get your bucket list out and follow the GAS! 
 

 

Fixed it for you Luke :)

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Addressing some points raised - the USA Sub, the finish is just a no for me. I appreciate it can be taken off and refinished but I'm not feeling the want to do that.

Yes, the Status neck not working is a risk and then you are left with a neck and the body, but it is loaded with Barts and is ready for a preamp so it has all the factors to work.

What I want - Just now I'm moving on a P type bass as whilst it plays great, I am a two pickup bass type of guy and I being a bedroom bassist I can't justify having a bass that doesn't do quite what I want. Just need more variety, especially a humbucker at the bridge - which is why the Reverend and the Super 5 are in the mix.

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OK, so we're looking for a new bass rather than used and preferably 2 pups?

In which case, I would look at.......

Musicman Sterling Sub, or whatever they're called. I've never played one so can't say anything about it, but it does seem to fit what you're after.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/sterling-by-music-man-sub-ray4-4-string-bass-in-olive

 

Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro. I have a Classic Pro and it's a marvellous bass, I haven't played this new line, but I have heard them and they sound great.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/epiphone-thunderbird-vintage-pro-bass-in-alpine-white

 

G&L Tribute L2000. The Tribute's seem to have gone up a bit in price recently and I could have sworn these were around the £450 mark back in March - so either hold out for a sale or pick one up before they go up even further. You have tonal variety for days with one of these.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/g-l-tribute-l-2000-bass-in-3-tone-sunburst-clear-satin-neck-brazilian-cherry-fingerboard-pti-l20-120r20r00-1

 

Gibson Les Paul DC JNR. This would be my choice - mostly because I really want one myself! It does only have the one pup, but with the coil tap you get a good range of tones to play with. Again, i've seen these in and out of sales over the past year, so if you're patient one might pop up at a decent price - £629 I think is the cheapest I've seen.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/gibson-usa-les-paul-junior-tribute-dc-bass-blue-stain-chrome-hardware

 

Spending other people's money is fun!

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