HeadlessBassist

I'm going to go left field with my usual reasonably priced choice. Slightly radical looks, great build quality, excellent balance, lovely clean sounding preamp, seven piece laminate neck, roasted maple fingerboard and serious playability for the money - Cort Artisan Space Bass 4. I've had both the 5 and the 4 now, and the 4-string version is still blowing me away with it's speedy neck'd playability and portability. Oh, and you can have a brand new one for just over £600. What's not to like?

What usually happens when you take three years off is you play like the aliens came in the night and surgically swapped your hands for somebody else's!

I noticed over the last few weeks that when you go to select 'Series' on the Fender site, American Performer isn't in the list anymore, but the basses are still listed as available at around the £1400 mark. I hope they carry on, as they're great basses, especially if my American Performer Mustang is anything to go by.

Continuing from what the OP was saying [eight pages ago], I'm the opposite. I've owned countless Jazz basses and quite a few Precisions, from Squier Classic Vibes, MIM Standards, American Standards, American Professional to American Vintage. The only one that I took to was the American Professional with the Alnico 5 in one side of the split coil, and Alnico 2 in the other. It was the perfect blend of clear highs and thick lows. I also loved the 63 neck shape. Suited me down to the ground. Sadly, I sold it a couple of years ago, as leaving one pro band left it parked in my music room for over a year not being played. And if it's not being played, it's not earning money and has to go. (Hard and fast personal rule.) My general problem with the Precision is that it gets buried in the mix. The Jazz bass somewhat less so, as it has the rich and toneful bottom end, flat-ish mids and the clear and sparkly top end, so can still punch it's way through a little more. So professionally, I mainly play Jazzes. (American Original 60s and FSR hand-stained American Standard.) They just do the job really well. Oh, and as others have said, it doesn't matter a jot what other band members think to your sound. You're the bass player, and it's you that has to be happy with your sound. When quizzed about your bass sound, most non bass players tend to say, "Yeah, it sounds like a bass." I rest my case, your honour.

Ah, I've seen that in a Scott's Bass Lessons video interview with [I think] Nicole Row (Incubus' bass player). I seem to recall that her luthier in LA put it in one of her basses.

Lovely little haul you got there, Jack - and the best part is they didn't cost you the best part of £2800 each. I've looked at some Chinese Fakenbackers and they always look very convincing on the Google, but I'm still not convinced enough to risk over £300 for one. Ricks are something I'm sure many would say every pro bass player needs in their arsenal, but I've never had one, basically because I've never had the need to get one. Yet. Doesn't stop me looking, though.

They look rather bendable, yes. Have a listen to Pino Palladino in the John Mayer Trio. He uses Thomastik Flats on his early 60s Precision. Great sound. https://youtu.be/go3vGKdKBqk?si=563scCQueIPoOHus

I'd agree with all the above, except G4M's base offerings. I've had several pupils turn up with them, and the bodies usually weigh so much that they generate their own gravity & I end up spending about half an hour setting them up to make them even half playable. Not recommended.

That's a very cool 80's-esque look you have going on there. Are you auditioning for a Depeche Mode reboot?

No, you're not talking nonsense at all. Whenever you play either a headless bass, or an instrument with a small/thin headstock, you really do feel the lack of mass going through your left hand/wrist compared to other basses. And the centre of gravity really does shift significantly. I find these days that even my light weight ash Jazz seems to neck dive a little. It also makes you fly around the neck a littler faster. But maybe that's a myth too

Who makes the "Stellartone" tone pot? Sounds as if it does the same thing as the Fender "Greasebucket" in my American Performer Mustang.

The Scott Whitley basses are short scale. The LaBellas for short scales are usually strung through the body, as most higher spec Mustangs can only be strung that way.

Love that Sonic P. At a distance at a gig you'd think it was a £1000 Fender 50's model. Enjoy!

Agreed with several others on here, with these cheap Chinese wholesalers you never quite know what's going to arrive. (Often not what you ordered!) No need to go expensive, Graham - Keep an eye on the classifieds on here - There are often bargains to be had. A lot of us recently bought the hell out of the SoloKing basses from Andertons, which they discounted to £150 from £300. They were a lot of bass for the money. There are several really nice cheap instruments on the classifieds if you have a dig. For instance, I've got a nice Ibanez BTB on there for £350 (negotiable). There are often instruments available in the classifieds for under £200. If you're after seriously cheap, have a look at the Harley Benton range on Thomann.co.uk. They always offer great playability for practically no money. Hope that helps

These are lovely basses. I played a few of them back in the 80s. Not the most interesting thing to look at, but a fantastic sounding and slick to play instrument. Congrats

Cellists and Double Bass players read Bass Clef, Tenor Clef and Treble Clef. So, maybe the T-shirt is for those who play at the dusty end? As for the three string bass with five tuners... Damn those creative artists!

That looks lovely. Congratulations! The FSR Jazzes are usually very special. I've got a hand stained Ash 2012 FSR Jazz which is also definitely a keeper. They're often mistaken for Guitar Center specials etc, but there's always something about a good FSR instrument. Dark Night finish is my favourite on the American Professional II as well. Enjoy your new Bass

My preference has always been the Thomastik Jazz Flats of the 43-100 variety. I like the low tension, as you can actually bend them and play dynamically. They feel a quite similar tension to the Elixir 40-95 set I have on the American Performer Mustang. I just put the Thomastik set on my Vintera II Mustang, as the previous owner had put the usual LaBella DTFs on, which just killed all of its character and sound - the LaBella E-string was previously sending the tone into a deep pit of durge and despair!

I thought Pino always used Thomastik Jazz Flats? (which are expensive enough as it is!)

Very nice. Len. I saw this had sold on the classifieds. They're great basses for a relatively bargain price. Congrats

Congrats Mark. Having held this bass and played it a little (albeit in a supermarket car park!), I can attest to it being a beauty. These are getting very rare now and are a special part of 90's British Bass Making history. Enjoy!

Right. I think I've figured out what these are now. The base instruments were by BaCH in the Czech Republic. Ox Bird is a luthier from Poland who specialises in customising basses.

Thinking about it, I also bought my first two basses there - A Columbus Charvel copy and then a Hohner Jack Professional while I was at college.