A leap into 5er-land?

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1355487290' post='1899004']
Clues in the MOT exempt (not too new to need one)
[/quote]

Hmm... that's a bit of a puzzler then. MOT's in northern ireland are different from in england. G-wizz?

[stingrayPete1977]

Everything here has to be MOT'd after 3 years but not if the car is pre 1960

[Truckstop]

I'd hardly call an RBX775 a substandard instrument! How would you know anyway? You've never played one! I would much rather own a 775 (even a 375) than a Jazz 5. Better built, lighter, more frets, more flexible pre-amp and, IMO, better necks. You're considering buying a new Fender 5 string Jazz without ever having played one and despite Fender 5 strings being amongst the poorest in mass production these days. I don't know anyone that owns one, and I know plenty of bassists that use 5ers. Just get out there and try as many as possible!

Even if you don't want something "substandard", for your budget, you could get a second hand Warwick, Roscoe (if you're lucky), Sadowsky Tokyo, Goodfellow or Shuker. All much much better in my opinion.

I'm just saying, diving in at the deep end doesn't always end well. Worst case scenario, you buy a new Fender 5 string and you end up hating it/not using it and end up losing £500 off it. At least maybe try a second hand Fender first?

Truckstop

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1355487393' post='1899007']
I don't have a massive budget. I am hoping to return to work by april/may time, then work until september. Most of the money i get shall be spent on musical goodies to make up for lost time and earnings I don't want to faff about too much with below par second hand instruments because it's a real heartache, and nearly put me off bass altogether at one point! Yamaha is a no go for bass or guitar beyond a budget option IMO.
[/quote]

The Nathan East Yamaha is probably the best bass I have ever played build quality wise, I find the problem with Yamaha is people presume cheap as the models are confusing, £2.5K isnt really a budget bass!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1355488560' post='1899037']
I'd hardly call an RBX775 a substandard instrument! How would you know anyway? You've never played one! I would much rather own a 775 (even a 375) than a Jazz 5. Better built, lighter, more frets, more flexible pre-amp and, IMO, better necks. You're considering buying a new Fender 5 string Jazz without ever having played one and despite Fender 5 strings being amongst the poorest in mass production these days. I don't know anyone that owns one, and I know plenty of bassists that use 5ers. Just get out there and try as many as possible!

Even if you don't want something "substandard", for your budget, you could get a second hand Warwick, Roscoe (if you're lucky), Sadowsky Tokyo, Goodfellow or Shuker. All much much better in my opinion.

I'm just saying, diving in at the deep end doesn't always end well. Worst case scenario, you buy a new Fender 5 string and you end up hating it/not using it and end up losing £500 off it. At least maybe try a second hand Fender first?

Truckstop
[/quote]

I agree on all counts

[Lee Carter]

When I was considering 5 string I bought pretty much the cheapest Squire 5 I could fine. This was my second trip to 5-er land, needless to say I came back to 4.

No idea why I've never really got on with a 5 but I would heed the advise given, start on a second-hand or cheaper instrument and when you are sure it's right for you, then spend the big bucks. I know have yet another unused bass in the garage.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1355488560' post='1899037']
I'd hardly call an RBX775 a substandard instrument! How would you know anyway? You've never played one!
[/quote]

I wasn't saying that they were substandard. But you can never really be sure what you are getting second hand.


[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1355488560' post='1899037']
You're considering buying a new Fender 5 string Jazz without ever having played one and despite Fender 5 strings being amongst the poorest in mass production these days.
[/quote]

That is your opinion, friend.


[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1355488560' post='1899037']
I'm just saying, diving in at the deep end doesn't always end well. Worst case scenario, you buy a new Fender 5 string and you end up hating it/not using it and end up losing £500 off it. At least maybe try a second hand Fender first?

Truckstop
[/quote]

Had every intention of doing just that, as i have said twice.

Thanks

[Musicman20]

I think saying that Fender 5 strings are very unpopular and poor is out of date. Their latest models are fantastic. I don't own one, so I have no dog in this fight!

I don't like buying second hand that much either. Sometimes it doesn't work out buying second hand. The best way is to test test test, then if you are decided, save and order.

[chris_b]

The OP wants a Fender.

I don't know if this applies across the whole range or just to their more expensive basses but, from reviews and comments on Talkbass it seems that Fender are building much better basses these days, so I'd have fewer worries about QC on basses built in the last few years.

My concern is that if the OP is tight on budget then a good used bass leaves him less exposed to depreciation if he decides to go back to 4 strings.
[font=Arial][size=2] [/size][/font]

[stingrayPete1977]

The Fender 5s I have tried were built well enough its just the actual design of them, I am not the first person to describe them as 4 plus a B and I can see where that comes from.
Once the gas comes for something you either have to hope it passes or buy the item and see what happens, I dont have the patience to research properly so end up buying on a whim!

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1355489394' post='1899062']
The OP wants a Fender.

I don't know if this applies across the whole range or just to their more expensive basses but, from reviews and comments on Talkbass it seems that Fender are building much better basses these days, so I'd have fewer worries about QC on basses built in the last few years.

My concern is that if the OP is tight on budget then a good used bass leaves him less exposed to depreciation if he decides to go back to 4 strings.

[/quote]

Thank you. I don't know what it is about people attacking my tastes and interests today

[BigRedX]

At least the bass you linked to in your OP is in the right budget territory for a decent 5-string bass.

IME nothing puts a person off 5-string basses as quickly as a budget one that simply has no hope of delivering. There's a lot more to making a decent 5-string bass than simply widening the neck to accommodate the extra string and adding the appropriate number of pole-pieces to the pickups and saddles to the bridge. Neck construction needs to be completely re-examined, and in the case of bolt-on necks the joint needs to be perfectly made and rock-solid - something that no 5-string bass under £1000 that I've come across manages to do.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1355491582' post='1899122']
At least the bass you linked to in your OP is in the right budget territory for a decent 5-string bass.

IME nothing puts a person off 5-string basses as quickly as a budget one that simply has no hope of delivering. There's a lot more to making a decent 5-string bass than simply widening the neck to accommodate the extra string and adding the appropriate number of pole-pieces to the pickups and saddles to the bridge. Neck construction needs to be completely re-examined, and in the case of bolt-on necks the joint needs to be perfectly made and rock-solid - something that no 5-string bass under £1000 that I've come across manages to do.
[/quote]

I noticed also that they have shaped the heel for better ergonomics in the higher frets. That's something i like. My jazz could do with that because i like to play well up there sometimes.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1355491998' post='1899137']
I noticed also that they have shaped the heel for better ergonomics in the higher frets. That's something i like. My jazz could do with that because i like to play well up there sometimes.
[/quote]

IMO the Fender style neck joint makes it nearly impossible to play easily beyond the 15th fret. Plus I have never come across a 5-string bass with that kind of a neck joint that can deliver authoritative sounding B string.

[mr zed]

[size=6][sup]This [url="http://www.fairdealmusic.co.uk/yamaha-trb5pii-bv.html"]http://www.fairdealmusic.co.uk/yamaha-trb5pii-bv.html[/url][/sup][/size]
[size=6][sup]Top quality bass and because they're now discontinued, a real bargain. I had one as my first 5'er and used it as my only bass before I came back to 4 strings. [/sup][/size]

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1355492449' post='1899150']
IMO the Fender style neck joint makes it nearly impossible to play easily beyond the 15th fret. Plus I have never come across a 5-string bass with that kind of a neck joint that can deliver authoritative sounding B string.
[/quote]

ooff, are you really saying that the shape of a neck joint changes the characteristics of the B string?

Seriously?

[LiamPodmore]

One of the best 5 strings i've ever played was a Yamaha TRB 5'er. Just get something used and spend a few months with it, see what you like about it, what you don't, then if you decide you like 5 strings, go and hunt down the perfect one. You may do what i did and discover that a 4 string is where you should be sticking, though i do still have the 5 and use it often, as well as wanting another one.

Liam

[stingrayPete1977]

In all honesty the Squier ones have been nicer to play than the USA IME, bag a nice Squier Jazz V and play only that bass no matter how important the gig for a month or two before playing a four again and your all set

[chris_b]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1355492746' post='1899158']
...are you really saying that the shape of a neck joint changes the characteristics of the B string?....
[/quote]

I don't know about the shape, but Roger Sadowsky is pretty certain that the neck joint is responsible for a lot of the tone, and his basses are 34" and sound great.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1355498299' post='1899277']
I don't know about the shape, but Roger Sadowsky is pretty certain that the neck joint is responsible for a lot of the tone, and his basses are 34" and sound great.
[/quote]

I wouldn't dispute that, but you can't point to the neck joint and claim that is the only reason why his basses sound great?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1355498502' post='1899284']
I wouldn't dispute that, but you can't point to the neck joint and claim that is the only reason why his basses sound great?
[/quote]

But considering that in most respects his basses are essentially Fender copies, the differences in construction between a Fender and Sadowsky must count for something. And having actually played a selection of the NYC basses, although there were other aspects of the instruments that I couldn't get on with, the sound and feel of the B string wasn't one of them.

[Jellyfish]

Don't know if this helps your hunt at all, but I work at a music shop and we recently got in a 5 string Yamaha BB. One word = wow.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1355503637' post='1899404']
Don't know if this helps your hunt at all, but I work at a music shop and we recently got in a 5 string Yamaha BB. One word = wow.
[/quote]

I see.

My gripe with yamaha is that they get some things fantastically right with the cheap models, and then other things horribly wrong, and it's just an emotional roller coaster for the first day or 2. and i'm not ready to go through that again

[Jellyfish]

I know exactly what you mean. Their RBX 5 strings are quite lackluster, but the shop I work in primarily stocks Yamaha and so I can only vouch for their 5 strings and the 5 strings that I've played, but the 35" scale on the BB and TRB range really make a nice difference if you can get on with the extra inch. And of course, the BB is a great alternative to a Fender.

I've also owned a G&L and Ibanez 5 string, the G&L being slightly cheaper, and they were both 34" scale and brilliant. If you're willing to buy used then you won't ever buy a bad 5 string with that budget, but it is hard to find the right one.

[Ghost_Bass]

I can't believe that nobody has mentioned this yet but here it goes!
I always wanted a good 5 string Precision bass but Fender never did nothing good enough for the money they were asking so i bought a Sandberg! Cheaper and way better than any Fender i've come across. And you can have one done exactly the way you want it to be. Playing around the configurator i've knocked something close to the one you posted:


Lovely basses, for around £1200 you can have one and save the rest of the money of the Deluxe for a new amp/cab


Regarding the Yamahas, they are excelent pieces of gear, there isn't a single model that wont outplay most of the competition being sold on the same price range. I have a TRB5PII and i won't sell it even though the Sanberg gets out more nowadays. It's too good to let go.