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5 string P bass options?


fretmeister
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I know that Fender recently got round to making a 5 string P bass - but who else is making good ones?

I really need 5 strings for orchestra use, but I'm loving the sound of my CIJ P at the mo and I'd like to see what is out there.

Not fussed about budget limits at the moment, just looking for ideas.

ta

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You can look at Lull, Sadowsky, Lakland, Sandberg and many others, but if you're happy with your Fender I'd start trying their 5ers out.

I'd also look at the FS section. There are good Fender Jazz and Lakland basses at the moment.

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I'd suggest a Lakland (Skyline). They make five string P-basses with their own "digit-combination-names". They used to be called Bob Glaub and Duck Dunn models before. The thing I like with Lakies is the familiar feel of the Fender string spacing, regardless of number of strings. 19 mm (3/4") at the bridge on the fivers. You don't have to adapt to another spacing and feel, just play...

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[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1375484369' post='2162263']
To me, the P is pretty much a P...no matter what. Cheap, expensive, boutique, churned out factory versions, they all sound pretty similar. Aesthestics, weight and necks can differ.

A Fender P5 would be my choice. No need for anything else unless you want fancy options.
[/quote]

This. I may be biased, but if I were looking for a Precision (4 or 5) I`d check out Fender.

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I A/B'ed a Squier P5 (£350-ish) with a Fender Std P5 (£650-ish, would this be MIM?) in a local shop. Neither set up was great but the Squier won hands down for feel and playability.

I didn't plug them in but I wouldn't be worried about the stock pickups. Replacement pickups will usually sound better than the units supplied on a production line instrument.

I wouldn't be tempted to sell the Lull but it was an interesting afternoon. I don't often play basses from this price point and the Squier was a real eye-opener.

Also, I know that Dave Swift is very happy with his new Fender US Std P5.

Edited by chris_b
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  • 3 weeks later...

I think the US P5 is definitely a 'try before you buy' bass. I can't quite understand why but Fender 5's, especially P's seem to have a bit more tonal variation than their 4's.

I've tried a couple of nice Fender US 5's but also heard quite a few that were very bland sounding :(

I quite like some of the 5 string PJ options out there. The J can add some nice bite to a meaty P pickup :)

I've played this one a few times and the configuration works really well:

http://www.bassgear.co.uk/product/5-string-bass-guitars-po/shuker-custom-p5/

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I have a Korean MTD which I love to play acoustically but I have never been happy with the tone (and believe me I tried so many different options) I had Aaron Armstrong wind me a P5 pickup and now I could not be happier. I would love it to look like a P as well but other than that I cannot fault it. Any 5er you like with a P5 in a pickup shape you can drop in will do the job.

Sadly I now have a redundant second pickup rout as well as two spare control holes in my MTD. You live and learn. Eventually.

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