I want a new bass…. Going round in circles

[Big J]

Just a general chat really, I’ve played bass for years, I’m not that good but I love playing to chill out. I have nice jazz and a bitsa P with flats on and I fancy a new bass now that I’ve sold all my 6 string guitars and upgraded to one “do it all” guitar for me… so I have space in the rack.

 

I browsed the fretless options to try something new because I like the mellow sound but then I wandered into short scales after a mate who plays swears by them…. Then before I knew what was going on I was looking at a 5 string fan fret Dingwall. 
 

I’ve never played a 5er or a fan fret… am I just attracted by the glittery finish of an unknown toy, or should I just go for it 
of course…now I’m looking at fan fret 4’s and standard 5ers too… lol.

 

what’s your thought?

I play a variety of stuff from mellow to rock, I detune for the occasional song. I don’t “ need” anything… I just fancy something to try that’s new on the bass.

Black Friday discount and 0% finance is calling me for £1500 ish but cash on £600 is the other option for new or used toys to satisfy my GAS.

Jason

[Mudpup]

Similar to me.....been playing for donkeys years on 4 strings and currently doing about 40+ gigs a year in a covers band. I use a detuner on a few songs and thought a 5er might work a bit better a few years back. Traded for one on here, tried to get my head around it for about a month, did a gig with it. Lasted about 6 songs and i had to switch back. Sold it....

 

Fast forward to a couple of months ago and I inadvertently tried a 5er in a music store. It was actually a £1500 fan fret headless 5er. Loved it and actually found it a lot easier to play than my previous attempt a few years back. I don't really know why but i can only think that it was SO different to my previous one that my brain was treating it as a different instrument rather than trying to adjust to something sort of familiar. 

 

So I now have a lower spec used version of the same bass bought from Basschat for a third of the cost of a new one residing in the rack. It's a no pressure situation and I'm treating it as a project over the next few months and having a noodle when i feel like it. I'm not rushing into any gigs with it. If i get on with it confidently I'll introduce it into the band or i can just have some fun at home. Or flip it of course.

Edited November 26, 2023 by Mudpup

[Big J]

21 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

Similar to me.....been playing for donkeys years on 4 strings and currently doing about 40+ gigs a year in a covers band. I use a detuner on a few songs and thought a 5er might work a bit better a few years back. Traded for one on here, tried to get my head around it for about a month, did a gig with it. Lasted about 6 songs and i had to switch back. Sold it....

 

Fast forward to a couple of months ago and I inadvertently tried a 5er in a music store. It was actually a £1500 fan fret headless 5er. Loved it and actually found it a lot easier to play than my previous attempt a few years back. I don't really know why but i can only think that it was SO different to my previous one that my brain was treating it as a different instrument rather than trying to adjust to something sort of familiar. 

 

So I now have a lower spec used version of the same bass bought from Basschat for a third of the cost of a new one residing in the rack. It's a no pressure situation and I'm treating it as a project over the next few months and having a noodle when i feel like it. I'm not rushing into any gigs with it. If i get on with it confidently I'll introduce it into the band or i can just have some fun at home. Or flip it of course.

Similar thought process. I like traditional fenders, but I’m leaning to something that feels and looks totally different as bizarre as it sounds, I think I’ll approach it from a different perspective when I pick it up

 

[ezbass]

Short scale, fan fret, five string, unusual shape - https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/201102363661025--ibanez-ehb1005sms-emerald-green-metallic-matte-short-scale-bass

 

[Big J]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

Short scale, fan fret, five string, unusual shape - https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/201102363661025--ibanez-ehb1005sms-emerald-green-metallic-matte-short-scale-bass

 

Interesting, I’m going to check out the reviews on this. Cheers mate 👍🏻

[ezbass]

9 minutes ago, Big J said:

Interesting, I’m going to check out the reviews on this. Cheers mate 👍🏻

Check out the short scale thread, IIRC, there is one of our number demoing one.

[ezbass]

Just saw one on the FS pages 

 

[TheGreek]

It took me about 5 ventures into 5 string before I actually found my way.

Persistence is an important factor IMO. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

You mentioned you looked at short scales, how about a JMJ mustang? They're great little basses that get a lot of praise — I like 'em so much I own three of them and out of all my basses they're the only ones that get taken to rehearsals & gigs.

[tobiewharton]

On 26/11/2023 at 14:38, ezbass said:

Short scale, fan fret, five string, unusual shape - https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/201102363661025--ibanez-ehb1005sms-emerald-green-metallic-matte-short-scale-bass

 

On 27/11/2023 at 01:21, ezbass said:

Just saw one on the FS pages 

 

 

Keep in mind that the first example is actually a medium-scale ff and the second is an extra long-scale ff

[Big J]

Thought long and hard about that Ibanez but the lack of a head puts me off it a bit…. A bit shallow I know, but no point buying a bass that doesn’t catch my eye

[ezbass]

50 minutes ago, Big J said:

no point buying a bass that doesn’t catch my eye

You’ve got to want to pick it up. Solid logic in my book.

[Bigwan]

I go through similar periods of indecisive GAS... 

 

Having owned a fan fret Dingwall AB1 5 string (and an ABZ 4 string) they don't hold the same appeal as they once did. I own a better sounding standard scale 5 string now.

 

I've recently been playing my "son's" Mustang bass a lot. Feels great, weighs next to nothing... it's got me thinking about a quality, dual-pickup short scale like a Spector Bantam or a Sandberg Lionel VT, although they're like hen's teeth!

[MJJS]

If you want to really add something different and new, have a think about an inexpensive EUB to play with for a while. If that takes your fancy, I’d recommend the Discover Double Bass starter course to help you get going as the hand technique at the start is important.

[Lfalex v1.1]

On 26/11/2023 at 11:34, Big J said:

Similar thought process. I like traditional fenders, but I’m leaning to something that feels and looks totally different as bizarre as it sounds, I think I’ll approach it from a different perspective when I pick it up

 

 

Works for me. 

Except I don't own any Fenders or Squiers...

Virtually all of the basses I own make me adjust my approach at least a bit.

I find it helps to keep things fresh and appreciate the strengths/ shortcomings of each design. 

It also means whatever I buy next has to be quite different/ special just to get a look in!

[Norris]

If you want to play a 5-string after playing 4's for some time then you really need to "take the plunge". I bought myself a lovely Sire P7-5 back in January (I wanted an affordable 5-string "P") and have played it exclusively since. It probably took 2-3 months to feel properly comfortable on it, and took a fair change of technique in my plucking hand. Gone is the "hard anchor" thumb on the P pup and I'm now a lot more fluid, using a lot of floating thumb too. It's a lovely bass btw.

 

Be nice to your band mates though - just because you can play a low B now doesn't mean you need to spend all of the gig down there

[OliverBlackman]

On 26/11/2023 at 09:56, Big J said:

Just a general chat really, I’ve played bass for years, I’m not that good but I love playing to chill out. I have nice jazz and a bitsa P with flats on and I fancy a new bass now that I’ve sold all my 6 string guitars and upgraded to one “do it all” guitar for me… so I have space in the rack.

 

I browsed the fretless options to try something new because I like the mellow sound but then I wandered into short scales after a mate who plays swears by them…. Then before I knew what was going on I was looking at a 5 string fan fret Dingwall. 
 

I’ve never played a 5er or a fan fret… am I just attracted by the glittery finish of an unknown toy, or should I just go for it 
of course…now I’m looking at fan fret 4’s and standard 5ers too… lol.

 

what’s your thought?

I play a variety of stuff from mellow to rock, I detune for the occasional song. I don’t “ need” anything… I just fancy something to try that’s new on the bass.

Black Friday discount and 0% finance is calling me for £1500 ish but cash on £600 is the other option for new or used toys to satisfy my GAS.

Jason

Get yourself to bass direct

[JoeEvans]

If you can spare the cash, you can be pretty casual about buying secondhand - pick up something interesting and if it doesn't work for you, sell it again for what you paid for it. Good secondhand gear is basically almost free in the long run.

[Maude]

3 hours ago, JoeEvans said:

If you can spare the cash, you can be pretty casual about buying secondhand - pick up something interesting and if it doesn't work for you, sell it again for what you paid for it. Good secondhand gear is basically almost free in the long run.

This is sound advice. 

 

 

I'd suggest getting a fretless. It can be played as per your 'regular' basses but can also open up a whole new world of bass. 

If you buy the right one second hand but don't get on with it then simply move it to on. 

[ezbass]

Given the suggestion for second hand and short scale, I just noticed this in the FS threads 

 

[tauzero]

I think if I hadn't got another 5-string just after I bought a Squier V (which was P-bodied but J-pickuped, can't remember the name of the model now) then I probably wouldn't have switched. The other one, a Vietnamese Antoniotsai, had an excellent neck which I really got on with - the Squier didn't, and got moved on soon afterwards. the 4-string that these were competing with was a 1987 Warwick Thumb with a very slender neck, the nicest 4-string I've ever played, so any putative 5-string replacement also had to be very playable. Since then, I've bought a couple of Seis which also have really nice necks, and a couple of Ibanezes which are almost as good. The point I am laboriously getting to is that if you are contemplating a move to a 5-string, get one that you find really comfortable to play.

[Big J]

Well, slight change in plan! 
I have just had surgery at short notice, so any chances of leaving the house for a week or two are slim😂

Ive been browsing the sales and I’m still bouncing around :

1: buy a cheap 5 er (Harley Benton or similar) and see how I fair with 5 strings before I drop and decent cash on one. just £100 to try it so I can do that without much issue.

2: buy a “modern” iby/yam/lesser known type 4 string with more tonal options to compliment my traditional p &J bases.Seems some decent stuff at the bass centre under £1k (MTD used?)

3: buy a short scale just for the hell of it, night be easier to noodle on as I sit in front of the tv… 

4: still keep looking for a fender 50s roadworn MIM P …that I once had then sold for £450 because I’m a fool. But that’s an ongoing search. 
 

thanks for all the replies guys, genuinely helped me realise that I’m buying more than one bass😂

jas

[tauzero]

58 minutes ago, Big J said:

Well, slight change in plan! 
I have just had surgery at short notice, so any chances of leaving the house for a week or two are slim😂

Ive been browsing the sales and I’m still bouncing around :

1: buy a cheap 5 er (Harley Benton or similar) and see how I fair with 5 strings before I drop and decent cash on one. just £100 to try it so I can do that without much issue.

2: buy a “modern” iby/yam/lesser known type 4 string with more tonal options to compliment my traditional p &J bases.Seems some decent stuff at the bass centre under £1k (MTD used?)

3: buy a short scale just for the hell of it, night be easier to noodle on as I sit in front of the tv… 

4: still keep looking for a fender 50s roadworn MIM P …that I once had then sold for £450 because I’m a fool. But that’s an ongoing search. 
 

thanks for all the replies guys, genuinely helped me realise that I’m buying more than one bass😂

jas

 

That seems a reasonable list of four basses to start with.

[Rich]

1 hour ago, Big J said:

Well, slight change in plan! 
I have just had surgery at short notice, so any chances of leaving the house for a week or two are slim😂

Ive been browsing the sales and I’m still bouncing around :

1: buy a cheap 5 er (Harley Benton or similar) and see how I fair with 5 strings before I drop and decent cash on one. just £100 to try it so I can do that without much issue.

2: buy a “modern” iby/yam/lesser known type 4 string with more tonal options to compliment my traditional p &J bases.Seems some decent stuff at the bass centre under £1k (MTD used?)

3: buy a short scale just for the hell of it, night be easier to noodle on as I sit in front of the tv… 

4: still keep looking for a fender 50s roadworn MIM P …that I once had then sold for £450 because I’m a fool. But that’s an ongoing search. 
 

thanks for all the replies guys, genuinely helped me realise that I’m buying more than one bass😂

jas

Option 1 is definitely a good idea. The Harley Barley basses are excellent (albeit on the heavy side) and would be a great way of finding out if fivers are for you, for a piddly little cash outlay. In fact, you could do options 1 and 3...

[ead]

I want a new bass…. Going round in circles

 

Probably the singular most dangerous phrase to post on a bass players forum