andruca

Here's some quick samples I recorded. Clean fingerstyle (both pickups, neck pickup, bridge pickup) and pick+OD (borh pickups, neck pickup).

The flame maple burst would have been my second choice. Not a big fan of burst finishes, except for a few that look "right" to me, and that's definitely one of them. Big Lee Sklar fan here (and follower, everywhere). His opinion had a lot to do with me turning my head to the Star Bass many years ago. He swore by its versatility. And I can confirm, this bass can do anything, from funky fingerstyle to picked overdriven punk. Fat and juicy.

Hi all! After a decade craving for one I've finally pulled the trigger on a gorgeous 2011 Star Bass 5 WPS in black (my fave "regular" finish, my absolute fave is the metallic grey with blue racing strips but those only came as a chinese RockBass model and only for a short time). The bass' condition is undistinguishable from one out of a box, virtually new, not the slightest scratch, mark or wear, and it came with a nicely padded gig bag (appropriate for holding it's big body -won't fit in your usual solid body gig bags-). For reference the current chinese RockBass version (which I tried and think is very decent) doesn't come up in ads for less than 700€ used 'round here (Spain). The moment I saw this one for 600€ (handcrafted in Korea, no RockBass) I pulled the trigger. Never been a Warwick fan, not too much into their tones nor playability. But the Star Bass has always been THE exception (sounds nothing like most Warwicks). I also don't care at all for the old Framus Star Bass, hate the tone, the looks, etc. The neck is bit thicker than I'd like (prefer them skinny A/F) but I was expecting that, it's a price I'm willing to pay. Still 20.7mm thick front to back @ fret 1 according to my caliber, less than 1mm deeper than my Stingray5s depth, still feels substantially beefier due to the round, sorta' D profile I guess (the SR5 profile is a very sharp C, real thin, more like a parethesis). Anyway, easier to get used to that than the "Les Paul mark" I get from resting my forearm when playing sitting (it HURTS, but I'll work it out). Now the sound on this is simply AWESOME. I starter re-using some Zoom B1X Four patches I usually have for my Stingrays (mostly preamp -either clean or dirty- plus some compression, boosting lows a little) and I ended up going almost bypass as the sound comes "mastered" to the perfect roundness I like with my amp EQ flat. These MEC pickups are astonishing. Timbre is like a very warm fat Jazz Bass, yet sporting delicate and detailed highs, never hissy or clanky even when seriously digging in. Best passive tone I've had. It also has a very curious and INSANE SUSTAIN, the low end keeps pushing for a LONG time, you can feel it exciting the preamp. Only thing "hollow" about this bass is it's loud when unplugged. Other than that I don't think it'll record nor perform too differently than a solid body Jazz Bass with these pickups on. No microphonics or feedback at all. Setup was easy despite the multiple gadgets. I prefer simple bridges, was skeptical about the 3D bridge, but I really like it. Adjusted spacing to the widest possible setting and it doesn't go any further than 17mm (home enough for me, 17-17.5mm is my zone). And the Just-a-nut III is the nut every bass should come with (I've lowered the nut on probably 80% of basses I've owned, they very often come too high, shouldn't be higher than a fret, I care more about how it ruins playability for me than low register intonation). Seriously considering equipping my Stingray5s with them. All in all a gorgeous high quality bass that's even suitable for some punk/metal duties if need be (used to do it with an Epiphone Viola I just sold, so, this is definitely going there too). I'll follow the rules and drop some photos now... I'll post some samples when I get to record it (still probably not too interesting). Sounds almost exactly like this Andy Irvine vid (this is the current chinese RockBass version pickups are the same)...

This is my second "build" (assembly, might I say). First was a thomann P-style kit I got as a gift in 2016. Suffered intense metamorphosis, up to its present self, a fretless reverse P+J 5er. This time it's a Jazz I've built. Thing is almost 2 years ago I got a "horrible bass" (ad stated that clearly, guy begged for somebody to take it away), for just 38€ (and a 15min ride, included was an un padded gig bag). Body was like a badly cut version of a Jazz and neck was bananas (literally, beyond repair, truss rod would do nothing for it), but (no brand) hardware seemed decent, solid bridge, precise tuners, and pickups/electronics were all in working order (origin/brand still a mistery). Had a black J pickguard home, from some other Frankenstein I planned but never came to be. So I got the cheapest neck & (basswood) body I could get from AliExpress for 50€ total. Funny, it all summed up to 88€ , which is what thomann charges for their (really decent) kits. I opted for a black "distressed" finish (easy, and looks "used"/"player's" -and sorta' ghetto-). I'm a big fan of a black guard on a black Jazz Bass. I added a Hipshot D-tuner I've had lying around for some years (my main players are 5 strings, and it's not that useful or needed for the low B as they're on a 4 string for drop dealings). Neck is a little thicker than I'd like (still normal, I'm just an unusually picky skinny neck freak) but it plays great, frets are surprisingly level (can be setup ridiculously low) and, as soon as I set it up and plugged it in thru' my usual presets it just... WOW! First some photos... A ramp is mandatory for me on every 2 pickup bass, I'm used to Stingrays5s playing position (the exact punch, depth and stiffness I like), and feeling the pickup underneath helps my fingers not to travel too far/sink too deep, keeps me plucking with the very tips, alla' Geddy. Family photo, joining the aforementioned previous build... NOW ONTO THE SAMPLES. What you hear here is: FINGERSTYLE: both pickups, then neck, then bridge PICKED/SANSAMPED: both pickups, then neck PICKED/SANSAMPED DROP-D: both pickups, then neck This was recorded direct into a Zoom R24 (inserting its built in SansAmp emulation -low gain- and compression) for the clean fingerstyle tones, and thru' a Zoom MS-60B (a more crunchy SansAmp + 166 comp. emulation) for the picked dirty stuff (no inserts on the recorder). In all honesty, after owning 2 MIJ Jazz Basses in the '90s/early '00s and having played MANY Jazzes and clones from all walks of life thru' the years, only one I'd probably like better is a MIJ Geddy sig.

Sloppiest thing I've heard/seen in a while.

GHS has a BEAD tuned string set offering. But they cost more than their 5 string set, containing those same lower 4 strings plus the high G. How stoopid is that? (or how easy is it to rip off snobs) Get a 5er set, as others suggested. Been doing it for years in the (few) 4 strings I've lately owned. There's also the Beefy Slinky's from Ernie Ball and I think it's DR who also make another low tuning 4 string set.

I like how they sound. And after playing MANY thru' the years that's all the good things I can say about them. Don't like how they play, hate their bridges, dual truss rod crap (and many other terrible design decisions), and also hate how little R&D they put into it. Not only it's about time they start changing that abominable highly obsolete bridge, in general, it's about time they improve products throughout their lifetime (not frantically, simply fix what you do wrong and gets proven wrong with time, because there's many a thing). Yes, I know, the new 4003/S5 has a decent bridge, but also has these b/s triangular pickups, incompatible to anything. I'll probably never own a RIC (if you've held, say, a Musicman and a RIC side by side you will never be able pay more for a RIC than a Musicman, I mean, the RIC feels CHEAP). But hey, people keep buying them, so no need for Rickenbacker to evolve a thing. And, contrary to the latest overhyped "woke" tendencies these days, I still think a free market to be a good idea and telling others how to buy feels both pointless and authoritarian to me, so to each their own, even tho' I think Dave's got it 100% right here...

Painful to hear. Not because of the pick itself (I'm sure you can do decent stuff with a pick on a fretless too), but because of the lack of... everything.

I could not solo the P pickup on any Lakland 5er I've tried with decent results. Might be different on the USA models, all I've tried is Skylines. Not that reversing would make a world of difference, of course. I've done it on a (cheap) bass and the before/after was really noticeable.

I've had 2 BBs (425X and 615) and you're right, it wasn't as noticeable as on a Fender P or some other "clonic" stuff, but the low B of them was not the greatest all in all (much less soloing the P pickup). I've got a highly modded P kit build that really benefitted from the reverse P move.

The reverse P is a big advantage in that Dave Ellefson model (gorgeous!). IME reverse P > P, but when it comes to P there's simply no question, regular P position under a low B is useless 90% of the time. Reversing doesn't move the low notes coil that far but that <1" makes a noticeable difference on low notes (plus the other coil moving towards the neck fattens high strings, making it all more balanced).

I'm familiar with Model Ts (and a total FAN) and this is the same kinda' quality, same neck as the Model T Session 5, just not the usual EMGs + active EQ but these J-bucker pickups in passive (in fact the same that come in the Apocalypse variant of both the Model T and the C4/5, SUPER GAINY even in parallel). Top notch instruments, quality matches that of my SLO/CA Musicmen, doesn't feel one penny cheaper played side by side with those (2x the value used), it's THAT good. I'm not into the more "modern" Schecter basses, there's a certain "genericness" to many of their sounds I don't like, but the classic/"fender'ish" kind are rocking. Same feeling I get from ESP/LTD instruments BTW, not into their modern/metalesque stuff, but their "Fender killer" range is surprisingly good, tremendous bang for the buck (plus real QC and consistency, you know, I'd never buy a Fender/Squier sight unseen -a 4 string because I'd never get a Fender 5er-, but I've done it with Ernie Ball Music Man, some Ibanezes, some Fernandes and I'd definitely do it with Schecter as I did with this CV-5, had played a dozen Schecter basses before, not a single bad thing on any of them, and always incredibly setup from factory).

I'm a Stingray5 guy who's been wanting to add an alternative/more "chamaleonic" 2 pickup 5er for years but couldn't find anything that both could do some P and J stuff and also would play like my Stingray 5ers, have as serious a low B and had also this wild "in-your-face-ness" to its tone (playing Musicman basses for so long has made pretty much anything else sound TAME). I've been thru: 1) FENDER AMERICAN DELUXE P 5: HORRIBLE BASS, doesn't play up to Ray 5ers, sounds dull, awful low B, crafting isn't even acceptable for the price. 2) MARUSZCZYK JAKE 5A+: NICE, light, comfortable, just couldn't stand the DEAD big pole Delanos. Appreciate the same thing on any Sandberg I've played, can be made to sound decent, but that doesn't avoid the disapointment any time I'd plug my Ray 5 after the Maru, it'd sound like someone removed a heavy blanket from over the amp. Could have changed the pickups (even on the cheap, I even prefer Wilkinsons to those Delanos) but decided to sell the bass and move on. 3) YAMAHA BB425X (passive): left me half in love about a lot, just decent, but the 5 piece neck shape has some "shoulders" to it I didn't like (sorta' D shaped). 4) YAMAHA BB615 (active): same as the 425, sounded "average", better neck than the 425, still failed to love it, not brilliant in any aspect really. 5) IBANEZ ATK305: not a P+J, but a MM+J (a very punchy and fat J that can do the P great): overall tame, VERY comfortable and light (early 2000s, MIK, mahogany body). 6) FERNANDES GRAVITY DELUXE 5: again, not a P+J but can do P amazingly well: had 2 for years, light and comfy, but in the end didn't have the needed heft to their tone. 7) EBMM STERLING 5 HS: the neck pickup is too close to the neck and even the more "jazzy" combinations don't sound J at all, couldn't move on with it (even tho' I loved how it played and felt) because of that and the modern preamp which sounded noticeably thinner than my Stingray5s (both pre-2008, 3-coil ceramic) and also sorta' "shy" on the EQ (in my Rays, just a little off the center detent of the EQ knobs goes a long way, with modern Musicman preamps you have to really mean it). A note on what I've learned about pickup placing and combinations: a neck humbucker is more useless the further it's located from the Musicman spot towards the bridge (it can even be great moved the other way, even at the P spot, but useless if moved towards the bridge too past the MM point). Now, all these basses have been blown out of the water since last February, when I got what's definitely my keeper fender'ish "impersonator" 5er, the SCHECTER CV-5 (Diamond Series). No PJ I've ever played can even touch this bass. Best 35" neck I've ever played (I luv'em SKINNY), 2 J-bucker pickups that look like guitar pickups but are really like 2 Jazz pickups together, both can be switched independently for single-parallel-series wiring. It comes with a 3-way pickup selector, which I swapped for the appropriate taper blend pot for extending its already wide tone palette. Can do SEVERAL FLAVORS of J, P and some more stuff. It's comfortable, not that light for today's standards (~9.5lb), and it packs both some serious balls for a passive bass (WAY more gain than my Stingrays) but also serious tone shaping options for a passive bass as the coil tapping of each pickup (if you know what to expect from series -thick and meaty-, parallel --more hi-fi- or single coil and the combination of both pickups -more of a timbrical tuning-), you can literally boost/cut bass, mid or treble with the flip of a switch. I've owned a Peavey T40, which had the nicest passive electronics I had played, but even then you had to mess with cutting back the tone controls to make pickups go from single to humbucking, this is so much straightforward, sort of like a poor man's Roscoe Beck V (with a way more comfortable neck -same 22 frets- and a 17mm string spacing @bridge I much prefer -used to my Rays 17.5mm, so no problem-). It's got light tuners and carbon neck reinforcements, things you usually don't see in this price range (this cost me little over 600€ new, got it from the USA -shipping and customs included-). Made in Indonesia, but better construction and overall perceived quality than a (also Indonesian) Sterling by Musicman Ray35 I just sold (little higher price range new, mine went for 550€ second hand). Here's a cool review of the CV-4 which shows some of the many tones this bass can do. And here's a quick demo of my CV-5 over some drums and the whole "band". Bass is recorded on a Zoom R24 recorder using just a built-in SansAmp emulation in has. This is neck pickup in single coil (uses bridge side coil) and bridge pickup in parallel, playing with a pick (sorry for that, here's me playing some Billy Talent with my fingers on it -same settings-, phone sound but you can really appreciate the thickness, punch and overall aggressiveness).

I don't see this as a matter of it "being worth the effort" (which indeed isn't much really if you're smart and choose a skinny fast neck), but a question of how you need it and how willing are you to explore the 5 string bass and let it change you as a performer. I own and play exclusively 5ers (save for an Epiphone Viola I don't use at all and am about to sell) and the good thing is I let the 5 string bass change me starting 25 years ago. Made me a "low" bassist, I too use the low B more than the hi G, and could probably get away with a 4 banger strung BEAD for all the rock stuff I do.

Another Stingray5 guy here. I own 2, from the ceramic era (circa 1997 & 2003). The Stingray5 has been my #1 choice since 2001. - It plays like no other 5er (absolutely love thin sharp C necks, mine are 20mm thick @fret1, also 17.5mm spacing is where it's at for me) - It has an aggressive personality I love to its sound (much prefer ceramic to alnico SR5s, too hi-fi'ish/"tame" for me in comparison) - It cuts in a mix like no other instrument (thanks to some notorious "prrrrrrrrr" magic in the lo-mids) - Has a really serious low B, top stuff amongst 34" scale basses Been looking for a 2 pickup timbrically Fender'ish bass with those 4 features for the occasional need. I've settled on a Schecter CV 5. The neck's even thinner (so is the spacing at 17mm, not even remotely problematic to me) and it's so comfortable to play I can't even tell the extra 1" in scale length. Very versatile twin switchable humbucker configuration, sounds all sorts of Fender, but with that "in-your-face-ness", punch, cutting ability and playability I love about my Stingray5s. As a reference, I've owned many other 5ers including: - Ibanez CT-5 - Ibanez SR-505 - Ibanez ATK-305 - Ibanez ATK-405 (2 pickups) - Fernandes APB-5 - Fernandes Gravity Deluxe 5 - Maruszczyk Jake 5a+ - EBMM Sterling5 HS - Cort Curbow 5 (Mighty Mite pickup version) - Yamaha BB-615 - Yamaha BB-425X

Only bass I really hated amongst those I owned was a USA G&L L-1505. Bought it for a steal in 2003 ($700, new). By that time I'd already had my first Stingray5 for a couple years. I'd read it was like a "logical evolution" to a SR5, and I would've been satisfied with it at least being a viable backup, but it wasn't even that. WAY harder to play than a Stingray5 (thick neck, nothing like modern Kiloton5 or JB-5 necks, old L range neck), sounded real tame compared to a SR5 (I had a whole year to A/B them, no contest), and the onboard EQ of the L line is simply flawed (hissy a/f -even after thoroughly shielding all cavities, made ZERO difference- and orthopaedic, virtually just a treble boost -something an L-1505 doesn't need really-). HATED the damm thing. Second to that bass in my frustration ranking was a Maruszczyk Jake 5a+, totally ruined by those DEAD MC/PMVC Delanos. TBH the bass played great, was light and comfortable and superb quality all in all, just a terrible pickup choice. Not only it sounded obviously dead compared to the real thing (Musicman) but even plugging in an 88€ Thomann P style kit bass felt like somebody had lifted a blanket from upon any amp I'd use and boosted the mids, I'd take that no brand P pickup over the Delano PMVC all day long (surprisingly good P pickup, BTW, also liked it better than a Bill Lawrence P-46 I tried in that kit build).

I've done that exact same repair to a friend's beat up guitar. It involved Titebond III and some clamps and wedges and hard (but adapting) foam to make the clamps press tight and really perpendicular to the crack. My skills end WAY LONG before luthier level, most skilled woodworking I do is press and shape some longskate decks from time to time, but the crack was fixed OK and the guy didn't even need (nor want) any refinishing as the guitar was in terrible cosmetic shape and was his intention to keep it like that (or worse).

I prefer Classic Vibe '70s P bass (spec'd the same as the former Matt Freeman sig. model) to any other P besides a friend's Custom Shop. Thin neck, lovely playability and the right Precision clonk for my taste. I agree the CVs are superior to the VMs, build and finish feels and look better IME and I like the offered models better too.

You're meaning a TRIBUTE, are you? That's what I was referring to. There's the USA Kiloton5, which I've in fact tried, and loved ❤️

Great score! Kilotons are lots of bass for the money, moreso Tributes. G&L always has me wishing they made Tribute Kiloton5 and JB5 versions. IIRC their only 5er offer is the L2500, and I don't like L 5ers at all (had a 1505, played lots of 2500s, not for me, hate the unintuitive yet noisy electronics and also prefer the K5/JB5 thinner neck profile).

IDK what Sterlings have you tried but it's not just the nut width, it's also front to back sharpness (20mm @ fret 1 for the 4 string MM Sterling). That's Ibanez SDGR thin and much sharper than Fender's sharpest of C profiles (except for the aforementioned Geddy). I'm a thin (front to back) neck freak, I got all the freakish data about neck dimensions (more so on 5ers, which are really my thing). Sterling 4 and 5 string basses (and the Stingray5 too) have a much thinner profile than most Fender Jazzes.

So, you've been looking for a Musicman Sterling bass 😉 IME thinner than any Jazz Bass neck I've ever played, maybe besides the jap Geddy Lee Fender Jazz's. I know a Sterling doesn't sound exactly like a Stingray, with the ceramic pickup and 3 position switch it sounds even better.

The only Caprice I ever tried was way superior to any Fender I've played (no matter the range, even CS) in both feel AND sound. I was hoping they'd come up with a 5 string version eventually. I've been seeing this coming in TalkBass for months, sad.

The only boutique basses I'd ever own (in the highly fictional case I could afford any) are a Wal MK3 5er and a couple Pedulla 5ers (17.5mm spaced Pentabuzz and MVP5). All else, from Ritters thru' Jerzys to Foderas say nothing to me. So it's a sad day for me, if I can't afford a Pedulla now it'll get further and further in the future. Even tho' I can see why Mike's so personal about basses carrying his name on them I still think Wal in fact is a perfect example of a craft that's been passed on from founders while retaining the highest quality standards, and demand (and wait times) definitely confirm this. I'm sure Mike Pedulla has mentored many great artisans (even the people in his payroll) who could license some sort of brand extension ("Pedulla Legacy"?) and continue with their work. Also a good way for Pedulla to keep cashing on his (wait for it)... LEGACY 👍

Cheap Warwick Reds, just not the usually seen rough steel version but the NICKEL ones (only available from thomann AFAIK), the lower 4 strings of a .045-.135 set.