Hellzero

Or this mega rare bass which doesn't tick all the boxes, but is quite interesting : https://www.bassic.de/kleinanzeigen/tokai-talbo-bass-rarietaet-from-outa-space.12875/

This Yamaha BB1100S is a terrific bass too : https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/dispannonce.php?annonce=1566658

For your price tag, this is a real luthier bass with original 80's Seymour Duncan PJ, a slim and fast neck through, ebony fingerboard and quite original look. And really built to last ! https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/dispannonce.php?annonce=1470083

Ugliest headstock I've ever seen !

A few weeks ago, I "bought" a second hand KRK/Lyngdorf processor at, for once, a decent price. The guy was in Germany, so I wrote him in German (not a problem as I've learnt it) asking if he would accept to deliver in Belgium and accept PayPal, and I didn't even haggle the price. He answered me that it was ok and gave me his PayPal address for the payment. I made the payment immediately using "Friends and Family" option to avoid any fee for him. You know what ? He refunded me in the next hour !?! I asked why he did that and never got any answer. The funniest part is that it was still for sale a few days ago... People are strange sometimes.

Where is the "bass" pickup on your bass and where are the lower notes ? To me, it's quite logical to have bass, mid, treble. I know that you drive on the wrong side of the road in the UK, so this must explain why Status and the likes are putting the tone controls the wrong way too. 😝

It's easier to tweak the sound on the bass then on the amp...

Audere preamps are terrific, but a bit hi-fi sounding for some people. The Z options is a great idea. Had this preamp on a few basses and have never been disappointed.

They do ! 😊

EBS P2 2 bands (not made anymore, but very transparent and cleverly made with that mid switch). Aries home made 3 bands (the best chosen frequencies, never aggressive and always musical). Mike Pope Flexcore 4 bands (transparent and way more versatile than the Fodera 3 bands). Bazzz Haz Labs Ken Smith / Fodera 3 bands clone (absolutely not transparent, but what a growl).

https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/dispannonce.php?annonce=1570716

Try this, Anthony Jackson is a bit more on the front as Steve Smith is a bit more "discreet" than Simon Phillips or Steve Gadd. Hiromi is the same, terrific and exuberant at the same time :

Sorry, but Marcus Miller doesn't sound the same with a Squier, a Sire or his Signature Fender, which, by the way, is more a Sadowsky than a Fender. If you've heard and seen him live, he is fighting with his Sire to get a decent sound and doesn't feel at home until he picks up his "Fender" bass. That said, you can ask Fodera to put the output jack in the headstock, they will do it as long as you pay for it. What you don't seem to understand is the "philosophy" behind Signatures : people buying them want the exact same instrument, which is an heresy, for sure. I've been playing luthiers basses for years and, again, sorry, but I really can't play mass production instruments anymore. But again, the best bass is the one you like, be it a Squier or a Fodera. That said, except the AJ6, I don't like Fodera's at all : way far too expensive for what they really are. My main basses are Leduc's because they are just what I'm looking for. And take the time to listen to Anthony Jackson.

Being a Signature model, it's made the way the player intended it, so you have to accept it, just like for each and every Signature model. Real Signature models are supposed to have been thought down to every single detail. If you play sitted, the side jack mounted is a pity, so a front mounting one makes big sense. I had an exact clone of #9 AJ6 made by Polish luthier Langowski and it was a killer bass, can't imagine the sound of the original... Or yes, I can by simply listening to Anthony Jackson (try anything with Hiromi and you'll understand what mastering an instrument and music means). My recently ordered Leduc U-Basse 6 strings fretless will be passive with only a balance for the original Q-Tuner first version pickups and nothing else. It will have the Leduc rear mounted output jack, which is the best place to put it, playing sitted or jumping everywhere. And Hugues is a great seller too !

That's indeed ugly.

Sorry, but some Gibson's basses are way more uglier than this. And what about some BC Rich and Burns ? Ugly, certainly, but not the all time winners. Think Ovation basses : those are the winners for sure...

Pick up the one you want : https://www.thomann.de/gb/fretless_basses.html?oa=pra

Just look here : http://www.gallistrings.com/en/strings/bass/exposed-core