TRBboy

Just dropped a few coins in the pot...... I've been meaning to do it for a while TBH! Hope you raise enough quickly, BC rules!

Greg just bought my EHX Mini Q-Tron. Very swift payment, great communication, and seems like a thoroughly nice bloke! Buy/sell from/to with confidence. Thanks again Greg!

+1 to checking the intonation. The description of sharp and flat at the same time suggests to me that the intonation could be a mile out.

Would definitely be good to see someone stocking a good range of Sandberg basses!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1352738967' post='1866794'] Finding a decent five string has been a long term project for me , and it has turned out to be a much longer term project than I ever anticipated. To echo what Shuzznit posts , I have come across very few 5 strings that were any good , regardless of price . I cannot get on with 35 inch scale , so that cuts out about half the market before I start , and an incongruous low B is all too often the final outcome on 34 inch scale fivers , cutting out a whole host more. Music Man do a decent 34 inch scale low B , but the string spacing is too tight for me and , equally significantly , to even achieve that string spacing on a comfortably- dimensioned neck the have to place the top and bottom strings ( B and G) way too close to the edge of the fingerboard , rendering the whole thing useless in my book. Yes , I know you could get the nut recut , but then the already too-close spacing would be even more prohibitive. Fodera do a good 34 inch scale 5 , as do Ken Smith and Sadowsky , but I don't want to spend that much on a bass I probably won't use all the time. So I haven't got a five string. [/quote] Pretty much the same requirements for a 5er as me. You need to try my Sandberg!

Very nice! You must be very pleased with it! Can't wait to get my hands on my new Sandberg........ Dots and blocks are "standard" options, but a chargeable option nevertheless. If you wanted some sort of unusual inlays, that would be a proper custom option. Anything is possible, it just depends how deep your pockets are!

Nice! Not sure that it's brand new though, looks a little battered to me! ;D

I think you're more likely to get a decent 5er if you spend a bit more, but its not a certainty. I've played more expensive 5ers that have disappointed me, and I've played cheaper ones that have impressed me. A case in point is the Yamaha BB605 I picked up recently as a backup bass. It cost pretty much 0% of f-all and has absolutely blown me away! As always, I think its just about finding the right bass for you, one man's Coq Au Vin is another man's chicken in a basket. My first 5er was a Warwick Thumb. Obviously great build quality and sounded great, but in the end I just couldn't get on with the feel of it. A few months ago I played a Lakland Darryl Jones and a 55-64(?), and they just didn't do it for me. Similarly Ibanez SRs, no matter if they're low end or high end, always seem lacking to me. I think people can be a little too focused on the B string when buying a 5er; its just one factor to be considered. As long as the bass fees right for your playing style, and the feel and response of the B suits you that's all that matters. I used to be adamant that the only good 5ers were 35" scale, but I don't really like the increased tension on the other strings (unless you're down tuning). Then I realised that there are some great 34" scale 5ers which have a fantastic B string, and for me feel more comfortable to play. In fact my whole mission this year has been to get my bass as comfortable and easy to play as possible, whilst still having a great sound. I'm really happy with my Sandberg, which is 34" scale, slim neck, low action, and I'm using .040" - .125" gauge strings on it. Sorry for the long reply! Hope it helps

I've made the move to exclusively playing 5ers this year. As others have said, nothing you can play on a 4 that you can't play on a 5, greater positioning flexibility, the low notes, etc. I feel like I'm missing something on a 4 now. I love the fact that I don't have to refine/change bass for songs in drop D now too. I also feel like it allows me to be a bit more creative with fills, runs,etc, and being able to hit 3 octaves in the space of 5 frets is great. Not tempted by a 6 as those higher notes just wouldn't be much use to me. EDIT: I should add that I think it's very important to find the right 5er for you. Try a load and get whatever feels right in your hands. My first 5 was a Warwick Thumb; sounded great but felt like too much hard work to play. Thought I hated 5ers until I realised years later that it was just that bass, the geometry of it just didn't work for me. Now I've found the perfect bass for me, it feels easier and more comfortable to play than most of the 4 strings I've had over the years.

PM is better IMHO. It behaves like a PJ, but the bridge pickup just has a bit more muscle, and doesn't suffer the weaknesses thaa J bridge pup can. What's not to like? Nicer neck, better playability, better build quality, better sound, etc, etc. And they're about the same price aren't they? (or is the 'berg a bit cheaper?). Really can't complain for a hand built bass of this quality.

I owned a California PM4 for a while, and (as with any Sandberg IME) one thing you don't need to worry about I'd it not being gutsy enough! Yes, they can be tamed for jazzy noodling if you so wish, but they do a monster rock sound just great! Snarl, grit, bite, punch whatever you want to call it, it's there. They need to be considered as a PJ on steroids really - you can get a great Duff kinda sound with a pick! The P on its own is perfectly authentic, and when you bypass the pre and use the passive tone control, there's plenty of traditional sounds on offer too. Beats the pants off a USA precision IMO!

Dimarzio Model P would be my choice.