mcnach

I rarely take a back up, but when we have gone places where there's no PA support for the bass (our band PA is small and mostly just vocals and brass) I like to take another small head, but I don't always do it. However, there are some really tiny ones these days. I got a TC Electronic BAM200 which just fits in the gigbag so it is not hard to carry. I'd prefer something more powerful, sure, but my reasoning is I'd rather have this tiny amplifier than nothing, which is what would likely happen in most situations. The band will still be alright even if the bass is not as strong as I'd like, but it would be positively rubbish without bass at all. And it only cost around £120, so it's hard to find reasons not to, for me. Incidentally, it's become my home amplifier, it doesn't sound half bad.

This. I'm a recent convert to 5 string, I admit. It happened by accident, I just found a bass that felt good and as I don't have any gigs or anything and I won't for quite some time I figured why not 'relearning'. I rarely use the lower notes I now have at my disposal, perhaps down to D, but what REALLY feels good to me is the ability to play a lot more across the strings. It's actually easier than a 4 string in the same way that a 4 string will feel easier than a bass with only 2 strings. There are pedals that can be handy, as mentioned earlier, and the Hipshot Bass X-tender (often called D-tuner) is pretty handy too (in fact I wouldn't rule out installing it even on a 5-string, simply for those drop-D tunes when you want to bounce around that open D string, but that's another story), but a 5-string is a really nice tool that would make your life much easier in the long run. I wouldn't rule it out, but I wouldn't buy without trying. I owned many 5-string basses over the years and I didn't gel with any of them... until the right one (for me) just happened to come along.

Once upon a time I had become a bit of a 'collector' of Jazz basses, which is weird as it's not by far my favourite kind, but that's another story. I had three different Japanese Fenders, 75RI, a Roadworn, and various others of different qualities and prices. I think I had about 8 of them. When I came to my senses and I decided to 'thin the herd', I kept one and only one. It had the best neck, felt great and sounded fantastic. It is a '94 Korean Squier that has a plywood body, as I found out when I went to put some nice pickups on after I bought it. So what? If it feels and sounds good, it could be made of cheese for all I care. Wood type alone is not a good indicator of how an electric instrument will turn out to be.

Honestly, that sounds like a load of B... Like you say, Sandberg (and others) show there's no problem. It does sound like a big departure on the way they make things so that's probably the reason. Making necks with a different profile, or different pickup routes etc, easy, but that's a different way of making the necks and I can understand he may not consider it worth the investment. Just my thoughts. What don't you like about the angled headstock? They're solid, if that was a concern.

I don't find the extra width much of a hindrance, it's the combination of that plus the neck depth/profile. The G&L L2500 I used to have was narrower at the nut than the Lakland 5502, but the Lakland felt really easy probably because it was shallower in profile. I think looking at any one parameter on its own is not going to give you an accurate picture, it can help, but you may miss on the right one for you. Of course these days it's reall hard to get out and try many different basses.

Yeah, mine is very narrow spacing, which in the past has been a no-no, but for some reason I liked this bass enough to make me push through and now I don't really mind. One thing that brings a smile to my face is when I'm playing something I used to do on a 4-string and realise that I can sometimes go one octave lower, and I sometimes go there, others I don't, and on the whole it makes even simple basslines sound a lot more dynamic.

I've been playing 5 string exclusively for just over a month. By now I find it quite comfortable as long as I am playing something new. The minute I try to play songs that I already knew 'on autopilot'... it's like I haven't played in years, arghhh!!! I intend to keep using the 5 string exclusively until I'm equally comfortable. I thought I was getting pretty good, my muting is not yet perfect but I would get away with it if I had to use it live now and even slap is not great but ok, I don't miss the strings half the time like I used to But last night I went through a bunch of songs from my band, songs I have played a million times and I made those basslines... and I just kept losing myself. I think part of the problem is I was trying to think too much, because at the end I just decided to play whatever felt right, and it started sounding ok again. Funny thing, that extra string eh?

Or... they hate them, drag them behind their cars and throw them into a swamp... only to find out that next morning... they're back in their guitar rack! Stephen King, feel free to PM me.

I think some of it gets lost in translation, Polish language tends to be a bit more direct without implying rudeness. When I wanted a wider nut than his usual for one of my Jakes he also responded with something that at first came across as a bit impolite, saying no. But as we were discussing a couple other things, I added in my reply that I happened to really like it and want it a bit wider at 43mm (at the time I was enjoying the Fender Classic 50 Precision at 44.5mm). And that's just what I got. If that's what you want, insist.

Yup, I plan to use it in every gig... oh...

... and it arrived yesterday. Not bad, considering all the issues with transport etc! Now I just need some time to really get to play around with it, probably not until the weekend...

Nice! They don't do the Stingray sound (which is great, as you can still justify getting one, not that any justification is ever needed ) but they're awesome basses, and THAT one in particular, what a looker!!! I'm a little envious

They don't seem to have a history of that. Look at their Caprice and new Cutlass models, for example. They looked very attractive, a Precision style bass with the MusicMan build quality? I could be persuaded... erm, how much? rather than adjusting their prices they concluded there was not enough interest and discontinued it, preferring instead to bring yet more colours, with glitter! yay!, of their usual models. I suspect, if anything, they'd restrict their options even more by offering just a handful of colours/combinations. A used SR5 looks like a very good alternative to buying new now, and if I want a specific colour I can get it refinished and still have a LOT of cash in my pocket.

we must be listening to different clips, there's tons of growl!

Postage is £8, no handling charges if you keep the total under £135, and VAT of course but we're talking about sets of strings that cost less than singles of the types I usually go for Buying just one set doesn't seem that economic, even if it's still cheaper than D'Addario nickels and I like them better. Of course you may not like them at all, who knows?

That's the thing, if you don't put it on very tight right at the nut you still get reasonable sustain on open strings, but there is an audible effect on any fretted note too. It's subtle, it sounds like a bunch of higher harmonics are removed/toned down. Now, depending on what sound you go for this may not be a great idea but I don't like a very bright tone. On passive basses I'm always rolling the tone control somewhat. Adding that fretwrap at the nut just seemed to make it sound a bit tighter. I was not expecting it but it was there and very reproducibly so, it wasn't that I just happened to hit the right spot. It's not something that stands out in the mix, but you feel it when playing, if you know what I mean.

£6.50 + VAT for a 5 string set, or £3.60 for a 4 string. Normally it would not interest me much as I know what I like and don't stray just to save a few quid (I don't change strings that often), but I got a Harley Benton MB-5 SBK a few weeks ago and presumably these are the strings on it... and I really like them! I ordered a set from Newtone already, but once the strings the bass came on lost the initial 'new zing' a bit I'm really liking them... so much that I am hesitant whether to try the Newtone ones or stay with the HB sets. Delivery is £8, so if you just buy one set you're not saving all that much but if you're already buying something else and stay under the 'magic' £135 limit, it may be worth adding a set or two of these to the order. https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_strings_for_electric_bass.html

It seems that all the best stuff is

That's nice! I have a soft spot for natural/maple (like my SR4)...

I don't think the cost of wood or any of the basic materials is a significant factor.

I thought the same, but even placed over the nut where it barely affects sustain it does affect the sound (which you can easily test by removing it), and of course you can adjust how tightly it sits. Is it necessary? For the most part no, but you may like what it does. Or not. I wouldn't say, 'though, that people buy this under some kind of delusion, just because it's not for me. Personally, I don't think I need one, but I liked the effect it had when I tried them. The effect, as far as I could tell, is much more substantial than... rosewood vs maple fingerboards, or high mass bidges vs BBOT, or a few other things that people consider when buying an instrument. Is it an improvement? That's for you to decide.

Yup. I think when I'm ready for a SR5 I'll probably end up with Sandberg (or even Maruszczyk) if I can't find the right one used. And that way I'll be sure the G string doesn't fall off the edge too

Oh I see! I'm sure @TheGreek was careful and no kittens or basses were harmed in the process 'though.

Ouch, £3000? That's my wish for a new SR5 gone, used market for me then. I thought £2000-2300 was already pushing it but I could go for it knowing I'd specify colour etc, but £3000? that's quite a mark-up in so little time. It makes me like my stealth Harley Benton MB-5 a lot more suddenly.

Eh?