andruca

I haven't off of eBay, but I've bought the cheapest 20 fret neck and (basswod) JB body I could find on AliExpress for 51€ BOTH delivered home in 2019. So mine is probably bottom of the bottom quality. Neck (23€ IIRC) is decent, if a little on the thick side for a JB. It already came with a Fender headstock shape. It adjusts perfectly, just had minimal sharp fret ends I easily filed. No issues whatsoever in 5 years. Since then the offer has blossomed and prices haven't gone too far up. You can get really nice necks for 50-100€. And judging by what can be read around, quality has gone up. My rat rod JB (with all other parts from a donor wreckage I got for 38€ more) came out great. I even recorded a couple of my band's tunes with it.

I've never owned a 6 string and have only played a few. I don't know what I'd do with one. And still it IS tempting for the Jazz Bass lover in me. I think it sounds way better in the video from Empire Music (clearer and more detailed high end) then in Lobster's (harsher highs). Despite what Anthony (EM) claims, I really like how the neck pickup sounds soloed, at least the way he plays it 👍

I wonder how the neck profile on those feels (graphite reinforced slim C, as per specs).

So, this is how my EHB1005MS ended. You might find this radical. I couldn't stand the new EXPENSIVE Bartolinis either, no matter how I coil tapped them (dead sounding, exactly as the factory BH2s and every other Bartolini I've ever owned/played). Not dumping any more dough on them, they're going to the black list, to make DEADlano company, sorry to all fanboys, SPECIALLY FRUSTRATED (and out a lot of money) with both brands. Got a set of alnico Wilkinsons (WBJ5 model) for 54€ delivered home (P452Js, my 4th Bartolini set, were little under 500€ new from the US after delivery and customs). Simply put my EHB has never sounded better, difference is abysmal. Now, let me describe DEAD as in no damm punch, no articulation, no responsiveness to touch, no mids/hi-mids at all, resulting in the annihilation of the zone where tone personality lives. Bartolinis have systematically made any bass I've ever played/owned with them into bland and generic sound. And no, it's not bass humbuckers I have a problem with. My main basses are Musicman and I own and play P basses a lot. Guess when we talk bass humbuckers Leo got that right first time too (twice, 50 and 70 years ago). Not only that, his designs have been copied to exhaustion, with all kinds of diverging or plain cheap specs, without them sounding dead, so no excuse really for dead sounding bass humbuckers, no matter how many "pros" and "boutique" basses equip Bartolinis, that's argumentun ad verecundiam, so not an argument at all. I've had them precariously installed for a couple weeks, testing different positions, and yesterday it was time to 3D print some covers for them. My brother did 99% of it really (CAD work, also owns the printer). My 1% contribution was just fitting. First tried with the Wilkinson covers on. But I wanted the pickups as further from the bridge as possible, so I ended up using the bare pickups under the new covers. Pickups are held with pieces of EVA here and there to keep them centered and pushed towards the neck inside the covers. Didn't want to go all in with a hot glue gun, so I'm able to disassemble them if I wanna make any change. They perfectly keep the ramp in place too (which the P452Js, same size according to Bartolini, didn't, thanx to "crappy tolerances, by Bartolini"). Most important, I have owned and own many Jazz Bass pickups, these Wilkinson WBJ5s (some 20€ more expensive than the usually seen/used ceramic ones) sound GREAT, real open, punchy, articulated, balanced across the whole spectrum, lively and responsive. I'll definitely use them again in the future, I see no need to spend more on Jazz pickups. I only have photos of the first fitting, with Wilkinsons' covers (just a few tiny rolls of double sided EVA tape stategically holding them in place and centered lengthwise). Fitting without the Wilkinson covers looks a little more ghetto (more EVA basically) but is as effective and secure. More foam at the bottom of cavities pushes pickups up. A clip of them, before 3D printed covers (just had some foam "frames" to keep stuff/dirt from getting in the cavities).

Bart pickups = hardest pass for me. As somebody else already said, better to look for Nordstrand equipped models.

A couple songs from iconic Argentinean bands, with my new Yammie SuperBass ❤️

SO easy to get there. Low setup helps. And this one has a substantial neck, the SBV sounds like this (just a tad less basss heavy, but as punchy and barking) and does indeed have a Geddy sig style skinny neck too. It's "easy Geddy 101" the moment I put any of these 2 Yammies on my lap. They just ask for it. Still, too cautious/insecure to attempt Rush covers 😅

And one more song, this time full open Jazz tone...

Quick song, on neck pickup...

Hi everyone 😘 Several weeks ago I've been dealing with a very frustrating guy some 500km away from me, who wouldn't sell me the only Yamaha SB500S I've ever seen offered here in Spain (highly cromagnon dude who wouldn't accept any platforms or mail options -all very protective of the selling party-). Left it for impossible. Then some weeks later a very cheap one from Japan showed up on Reverb and I pulled the trigger early last week. All in all little over 500€, shipping and import taxes included. The bass I got is a black body one in great condition. Not only superb for a 43 y/o bass, just superb overall. I was fearful of the neck profile (some reviews said too thick) but it wasn't. After minimal setup (needed to lose some relief, also lowered the bridge saddles) it plays fast and comfortable. And THAN TONE 🤑 I already own an SBV-500 (flying samurai) and I consider this its "sonic brother". Sounds very similar (utterly punchy and aggressive Jazz Bass style) but, unlike the flying samurai, the neck pickup soloed sounds more Precision than Jazz neck. I don't know what it is about these pickups that sounds so awesome, I'd like to have these pickups on all my basses, that's how much I like them. The SuperBass being precursor to the BroadBass (BB) series, I'm indeed disapointed (after owning several Yammie BBs) that they've gone more generic sounding with each new series. Just don't get it. At least they've used standard shape/size pickups, which you can change, for their last genereation. Without further ado, here's some pics... And here's my two loud barking Yamaha "Jazzes"... Doing some sound samples ASAP, will keep you posted. Cheers! 🍺

IME a BDI21 is redundant if you already own an MS-60B. I own a SansAmp RBI and don't use it anymore except for the studio. The MS-60B emulates it OK, and that's what I use for any home recording and live needs. Compression and a dirty "preamp" is 99% of what I do with my Zooms.

The Stingray5 was originally a Sterling really. AFAIK it was born with the same sharp C neck profile (and narrow nut), and also had a ceramic 3 coil pickup (except for the first couple years, when it was still switchable, but alnico, I have only read this, have never seen one of those). EBMM made up their mind for coherence around 2008 and changed the pickup in Stingray5s to alnico (as 4 string Rays, 2 coil), while retaining the coil tap switch, and started offering the Sterling5 (ceramic 3 coil as the 4 string Sterling always was). That was also the time they started offering HHs and HSs of everything. The Stingray5 retained the thin neck profile tho'. Still, there's Stingray5s with a thicker, more Stingray neck profile, and those are the Classic Stingray5 editions. They are easily recognizable because they have the traditional (not weirded out) pickguard, same as the 4 string, and don't have a coil tap switch (AFAIK it's only offered as a single H configuration, hardwired in parallel, same as the 4 string). Also this (thicker profiled) neck in the Classic has a glossy finish, while other Stingray5s are "unfinished".

I like the looks and the tone of the pickups individually, just not together, can't stand the nasality of pickups too close together.

I have put self adhesive rubber cornering (the one I use in strategic furniture parts at home for kids not to get killed) as an "armrest" in my Star Bass. Not terrible looking IMO, not terrible to remove, and it makes a world of difference to my plucking forearm when playing seated. The Star Bass is de facto a solid body really (all center is solid maple, sounds like a fat JB), so it doesn't affect sound. Might not be your case, the GB5 being an ABG with a piezo pickup, a way more acoustic animal. NICE bass BTW 👍

Ive played all 3, own 2 Stingray5s and have owned a Sire V3 5er (same neck profile as the V5/V7 5ers). The neck in the Sandberg is the thickest of them 3, and I particularly hate big pole Dead-lano pickups so for me the Sandberg is the worst option. The Stingray5 neck is a super comfortable slim C (20mm@fret 1). The Sires' profile is fine but not as thin and the nut is a little wider. Now, if you're planning on going 5 string Jazz, the best one I've owned (and still own) is the MarkBass Gloxy Val GV5. Blows any Jazz 5er I've ever played out of the water. Neck is a SKINNY sharp C (thinner than Sires) and the sound is AWESOME, way more barking/growly than any Sire or Sandberg, those MarkBass pickups are amazing and the preamp, even tho' its mids are not semiparametic (as in Sires), is way superior. I've got my GV5 for 450€ used in like nwe condition, totally unbeatable. Only bad thing I can say about it is knobs are PLACED WRONG if you want to play with a pick (which I often do), they're too close to the strings. I've taken care of that in mine (invasively). Other than that it's the best 5 string Jazz I've owned and/or played. Gives so many (i.e. "expensive" Metro Expresses), a run for their money.

I used to own a Rockbag dual bag. It was cumbersome and FRAGILE, as in seams breaking. Good padding tho'. Only recently I've relapsed, got a Gear4Music house brand dual bag. Marginally less cumbersome, more solid all around, as good a padding (yet stiffer/more structurally fit) and 80 something € + shipping. This was 3 years ago. For around the same dough there's a light Gator bag (4G series, cheapest dual they offer for bass) which is what I'd get now (might get it and sell mine). Still, I have yet to see a dual bass gig bag that's "comfortable" to backpack around for more than 15min. No surprise, you're carrying 2 bass guitars. Dual bags are only practical if you have decent cargo space when gigging. I even have sort of a fixation about carrying as few pieces of luggage as possible. But in cramped/small vans it's better to separate basses in 2 regular bags, for Tetris' flexibility. Lately I'm taking an Ibanez EHB to gigs as my multi purpose backup bass, takes up less space than guitars, so it's a no brainer, and the dual bag stays home.

I own a (half rack space) Boss TU-50. Coolest one by far, blinding LEDs that work as a VUmeter when disengaged 🤘, visible from a mile away.

After some 20 years without playing any serious slap (except for generic crappy licks) I spent the last week doing some slap fitness, both excercises and also "testing" progress with an intro from a '90s song I like. The song is upwards of 180BPM. I'm no slapper, at all. A week ago I could barely play it at 140BPM. This is 170BPM and was the best I could do yesterday afternoon (unedited), on my SBV-500 (best sounding and easiest Jazz Bass for slapping). The original song is called "Dr. Feel", from Argentinean band Zona Púrpura (Guillermo Vadalá -Mark Anthony, Alejandro Sanz, etc.- on bass). I took classes with him for some months back in '93. The man himself briefs us on this intro in a vid from his YT channel.

Wasn't planning on pulling the trigger on one of these anytime soon (own MANY previous gens Zooms) but after hearing the "clear over preamp" (Zoom's own) it might happen sooner than I expected. NICE 👍

Oh, BTW, I got the chance to play one of the yellow P basses at a Guitar Center in Las Vegas in late June. It was OK, thin neck, light, overall nice. Wasn't in love with the tone, average, but it wouldn't be fair to judge that too harshly as the strings it had on were quite dead. Still, I think it lacks a more barking midrange character. I in fact ended up getting a mint 2nd hand (2021, MII) Squier CV '70s P once I got back to Spain. That's the type of mids I like in a Precision, the punkest kind 🤣 Still totally in love with my Gloxy 5 string ❤️

This is my EHB1005MS, recently equipped with Bartolini P452J squared pickups (quad coils, like 2 humcancelling Jazz pickups in each capsule) and a couple coil tap DPDT switches for single/series/single. Using outer coils here, pretty Jazz Bass'ish. Some Black Stone Cherry for y'all...

Finally pulled the trigger on some Bartolini P452J squared (cuad coils, as in 2 split coil Jazz pickups stuck together). My intention was to get P45Js but there was a LONG wait on those (made to order) and BestBassGear had these in stock for a few bucks more. Glad I got these as I managed to add 2 DPDT coil tap switches, with real good results. Really liking these pickups. Comparison with BH2s before coil tap added (hard wired neck-side inline pair of coils for each pickup)... After coil tap switches installed, samples of some combinations...

I own a GV 5-string. It's the best Jazz 5er I've owned. Absolutely LOVE the classic Jazz tone, love how it plays, the skinny neck and how little you need to dig in for it to growl like mad. Aggressive sounding definitely. My only gripe is the top row of knobs is too damm close to the strings. They get TOO in the way if I'm picking. So far I've removed the knobs so I have just the 3 bare pot shafts in the top row (at least I don't have leverage to move them if I run into them while playing). I don't discard restructuring pot positions in the future, as much as control cavity allows. Point for the "Leo got it right first time" crowd, I guess, at least with Precisions and Stingrays.

I was going to suggest Stingray5 the moment I read the thread title. For me it's the absolute best 5 string bass ever (also with a skinny neck BTW). That aside, taking your preferences into account... I'm a skinny neck freak myself too. I haven't owned that many Jazz 5ers, but I've played MANY. My Jazz 5er nowadays is a MarkBass Gloxy Val GV 5. Skinniest neck in a Jazz 5er I've ever played. Also best sounding Jazz I've owned ('70s spacing kinda' barking tone). Also VERY responsive, It starts growling with less diggin' in than any other Jazz I've played. Superb preamp with a passive switch too if you prefer passive. WAY below your budget, I know, still an AWESOME 5 string Jazz. I prefer this one over almost any Jazz Bass style 5er I've owned. Only thinner necked 5ers I've played are Schecters. There's the Schecter Diamond J 5 string model. It just sounds like a more "normal" Jazz Bass (much less "in your face" than the MarkBass). I have only played 2 German Sadowsky Metros (and 1 Chinese Metro Express), all nice skinny necks. The Gloxy plays as nice, but sounds way better for my taste. Maruszczyk Elwood is another great option. I've seen them go for as low as 700€ used here (for a 5er). Neck is a modern C shape, it's fine, just not as skinny as the MarkBass Gloxy. Just avoid the big pole Delano pickups (really hated those on a Maruszczyk Jake 5a+ I owned, and every single Sandberg I play with them, dark, huge EQ dip around 600hz, damm DEADlanos), choose something different.

My main axe has been Stingray5 since forever. But lately I can't get my hands off my Ps (and my BC feed off P related threads). A month ago I just owned a Harley Benton PB20, upgraded with a beat up but functional '90s Korean Samick neck (skinny profile, P width tho'). All super cheap, but still real nice playing and sounding. Now, 2 top GAS inducing Ps of mine happened to show up in 2nd hand sites over the last few weeks (cheap, but not as cheap as the "hybrid"). Well, I'm stuck with 3 of them Ps since a few days ago. Ideally I need to let one of the "expensive" ones go. Like them all (all skinny neck profiles too, that's a pet peeve of mine, as I said, too many years playing Stingray5s). i've been using Precisions more and more in the last few years. Always loved them (from John Deacon's to Jay Bentley's), just didn't get involved with them myself (except for a brief stint with a friend's American Deluxe P5, which I didnt like). I never took the time to understand the ways they like to be played. Wasn't prepared, I guess. I always totally got the Jazz Bass, started playing bass on one in fact. But it took me 'till the latest decade (my punkest) to learn to feel comfortable and somewhat (barely) competent with a Precision in my hands. Totally my fault. 1 month ago... Now...