After something a touch more modern?

[danbowskill]

Iv'e always been a traditional Passive P bass (etc) type player, but ive got the urge to get my mitts onto something a little more modern.

with my Tax rebate looming i fancy something "new" ... i know "better bang for your buck buying used" etc , and i usually do . but this time i fancy something fresh and new.

Iv'e narrowed it down between these 2

https://www.cortguitars.com/dp/a4-ultra-ash/

 

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/sr1350b_1p_02.html

 

both have glowing reviews and both seem a lot of bass for the money.

just wondering if anyone here has had any hands on either that the can give me a opinion , pros/negs

 

cheers 🙂

 

 

Edited Monday at 20:04 by danbowskill

[PaulThePlug]

Nope, but i likes SR's

[Schnozzalee]

I've owned a Cort A4 and A6 and they're great, but for that price you should go for a used Peavey Cirrus, Carvin Icon, or Ibanez SR5000E - Better timbers that really open up the tone, just short of an Overwater Progress.

 

I have Fishman Fluence pickups in my guitars, but I only use the one voicing.

[HeadlessBassist]

That Cort should be a good bet. I've got the Artisan Space Bass 5 and it's excellent for the money. The Fishman Fluence preamp will be good too.

 

I've got a very nice Ibanez SR 1400 with the Nordstrand pickups for sale at the moment. I must list it on here this evening. Again, great basses for the money.

 

 

 

 

[Mudpup]

I tried out the Cort A4 Ultra with the Fishman pickups a couple of years ago. Absolutely loved the bass itself - the neck was perfect for me (kind of jazzy width but with a flat d profile that felt sublime and instantly comfortable) the bass felt light on a strap and the body shape is really comfortable. Just didn't quite gel with the pickups/preamp though. I thought I would but they seemed to have a bit of a compressed dynamic to them.

 

The sales guy suggested I try the next model down with Bartolinis in it (A4 Plus FMMH) and I ended up buying that one instead. It was an amazing bass and I would have another one like a shot. The sound was really alive and just worked for me - even though people slate the Barts I really liked them in that bass. They seemed to have a more open sound than the Fishmans. Here it is below in action...you'll see what I mean as the bass is quite high in the mix even though it's just camera phone footage in a pub

 

 

Edited Monday at 20:57 by Mudpup

[danbowskill]

50 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

I tried out the Cort A4 Ultra with the Fishman pickups a couple of years ago. Absolutely loved the bass itself - the neck was perfect for me (kind of jazzy width but with a flat d profile that felt sublime and instantly comfortable) the bass felt light on a strap and the body shape is really comfortable. Just didn't quite gel with the pickups/preamp though. I thought I would but they seemed to have a bit of a compressed dynamic to them.

 

The sales guy suggested I try the next model down with Bartolinis in it (A4 Plus FMMH) and I ended up buying that one instead. It was an amazing bass and I would have another one like a shot. The sound was really alive and just worked for me - even though people slate the Barts I really liked them in that bass. They seemed to have a more open sound than the Fishmans. Here it is below in action...you'll see what I mean as the bass is quite high in the mix even though it's just camera phone footage in a pub

 

 

I do absolutely love the look of the ultra ash tbf, but hard finding many fishman  reviews like the nordstrands.

You say they sound a little compressed but did they have a punch to them?

Edited Monday at 21:47 by danbowskill

[tall_martin]

Mudpup

Might just have been phone footage, but that was a storming performance from your band 👍😁

[Mudpup]

9 minutes ago, danbowskill said:

I do absolutely love the look of the ultra ash tbf, but hard finding many fishman  reviews like the nordstrands.

You say they sound a little compressed but did they have a punch to them?

It's hard to describe. If I played harder with a pick they sort of got less dynamic and didnt open out . It was through headphones so the difference was quite pronounced. The Barts through the same phones and played the same way just got bigger and gnarlier. They were less polite I suppose. 

The A4 Plus can be found used for about £400 and is a bargain. The Ultras are still quite pricey used I think. 

[Mudpup]

4 minutes ago, tall_martin said:

Mudpup

Might just have been phone footage, but that was a storming performance from your band 👍😁

Thank you. Susie was a borrowed singer that night and she's awesome. It was the first time we had played the song as well. Just learned at home and hoped for the best at the gig. Worked ok, I'm really quite proud of it 

[Terry M.]

All I can offer is my ear wasn't satisfied with the Fishman pickups the time I played an A5 Ultra in GAK once but I've yet to be disappointed with the sound of the Nordstrand Big Singles in whatever bass they're in. But hey we all know sound is subjective so...

[crazycloud]

On 25/03/2025 at 07:02, danbowskill said:

https://www.cortguitars.com/dp/a4-ultra-ash/

 

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/sr1350b_1p_02.html

I have an A5 UA and several SRs (and owned many more) and based on all I've owned, and the current prices locally (A4 UA - $A1669, $A2539 - SR1340B) I would go for the A4 UA. I love the tone, the looks, the hardware and the fit and finish. And the awesome top and sexy NT construction.

 

As for the compressed sounding comments, I certainly don't hear it, and it's the same thing I've heard about every other active PU since the 80s when I got my XL2. In my mind it's a pejorative that's been repeated a bajillion times and now simply a confirmation bias. Others will disagree* but several tone cork sniffers have complimented me on tones on my older recordings, and never once mentioned this compression even when they've listened to the stems, recorded DI with no FX.

 

I love my SRs, and my SR256B has been my gigging bass since the stupidvirus era, but the 706 will probably overtake that with the A6. However, the Corts are so awesome for the money, they'll most likely get first look for me over the Ibbys if they have something equivalent. If the Nordy BS tone is your preference, then I'd get an older SR and retrofit, especially one with a gloss finish. Even if the factory PUs are a slightly different size and Nordstrand doesn't make one to fit, a rout out to EMG sizes is cheap and easy - my 706 is getting 45DCXs or Alumitones, and the 256 the other (because it's 4.5x1.5 stock).

 

There are a number of A4/5 UA reviews online that I think are pretty representative.

 

 

 

* Not interested in arguing with anyone about this as it's old and I'm over it. @danbowskill should take my comment as another datapoint and make his decisions accordingly.

Edited Thursday at 01:53 by crazycloud

[FugaziBomb]

I own both Cort and Ibanez basses and they're both great.  Every Ibanez I've ever got my hands on all seemed to play great, from cheap to expensive.  The only reason I can't say the same for Cort is that it's rare to come across one on a shop floor.