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thebassist

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thebassist Experienced

thebassist

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I'm looking at dropping maximum of £3k on a 6 stringer and a Ken Smith Black Tiger that's for sale locally will be my first port of call.

I'm usually very trigger happy and just buy stuff but I'm going to try to fight that urge this time - I'm fully aware that I really need to gain some self control and spend some time to get the right one.

I really want something I can use in almost any situation - something very, very versatile. I'd love and appreciate some recommendations from personal experiences.

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CamdenRob Mentor

CamdenRob

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£3k is a sizeable budget for any bass and you could get pretty much any used sixer you wanted for that outside of Foderas...

I have only ever played one Ken Smith and it was a fiver, wonderful quality instrument that could hold it's own with the best of them. Then again with that sort of budget everything is going to be of the utmost quality. It's a good idea to try everything out you can as there is quite a wide variation between manufacturers.

You could also have an instrument built if nothing out there takes your fancy and you don't mind waiting... UK builders include ACG, Status, Overwater, Wal to name but a few.

Loads of good sixers come up here on BC all the time... there is a lovely Fbass in the marketplace at the moment.

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thebassist Experienced

thebassist

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You've hit the nail on the head RE the Foderas - I really fancy one but don't want to try it because I know what I'm like. I really should stick to my £3k budget.

...I've even considered buying two passive Fender Jazz 5 strings and having one BEADG and the other EADGC. One white and one sunburst so they're instantly recognisable on a dark stage.

Edited by thebassist
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CamdenRob Mentor

CamdenRob

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[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1415274812' post='2598608']
...I've even considered buying two passive Fender Jazz 5 strings and having one BEADG and the other EADGC. One white and one sunburst so they're instantly recognisable on a dark stage.
[/quote]

If I was in the market for a new jazz sixer I'd be looking at this from Xotic... never played one but think it looks great.



To be honest I'd personally try and avoid having two basses instead of a single sixer... I'm trying to get down to carrying as little as possible to gigs. In truth I could get away with a fiver for 90% of what I do with bands, but I do need the high C for a few tunes so I decided that a sixer was the way to go.

My aim is to get down to one fretted sixer and a fretless.

Edited by CamdenRob
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thebassist Experienced

thebassist

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1415275282' post='2598626']
If I was in the market for a new jazz sixer I'd be looking at this from Xotic... never played one but think it looks great.



To be honest I'd personally try and avoid having two basses instead of a single sixer... I'm trying to get down to carrying as little as possible to gigs. In truth I could get away with a fiver for 90% of what I do with bands, but I do need the high C for a few tunes so I decided that a sixer was the way to go.

My aim is to get down to one fretted sixer and a fretless.
[/quote]

Yeah, this is entirely my thinking as well - to get down to carrying just one bass, my Aguilar TH500/SL112 and pedalboard for gigs.
And again like you, I reckon I could get away with a 5 string for 90% of what I do - the difference is that I use the high C a lot and only need the B for a few pieces.

Hmmm....

http://www.thebassgallery.com/product_details.cfm?ID=2716&type=Bass%20Guitar

Edited by thebassist
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Painy Proficient

Painy

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1415275282' post='2598626']


If I was in the market for a new jazz sixer I'd be looking at this from Xotic... never played one but think it looks great.


[/quote]

You need to stop posting pictures of this all over the place or I may sink into deep depression because its not mine!

Edited by Painy
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CamdenRob Mentor

CamdenRob

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[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1415283285' post='2598740']
You need to stop posting pictures of this all over the place or I may sink into deep depression because is not mine!
[/quote]

ha... yeah I posted it somewhere else yesterday I think... Sorry about that.

I found it the other day and have been thinking about it ever since. Fortunately there doesn't appear to be any for sale in this colour anywhere...

Edited by CamdenRob
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eude Veteran

eude

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Bass Direct have one of those Xotic J 6's inside your budget >>
http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Xotic_XJ6_Ash_maple.html

Just sayin' ;)

My only concern with the Ken Smith is that they have a pretty modern sound, which might limit your applications. You might want to consider something a little more versatile?...

Eude

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CamdenRob Mentor

CamdenRob

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[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1415285234' post='2598767']
I'll be going second hand I think.
For two reasons:
1. I turn basses around quite regularly - apart from 2 basses I own, I generally switch every 1 to 2 years.
2. I'll lose less money if/when I do move it on for something else.
[/quote]

Yes there is alot to be said for going secondhand... Especially when you suffer from GAS as much as I do :blink:

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Painy Proficient

Painy

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This is what keeps me up at night but as a 6er rather than a 7. About 1/3 the price of the Xotic though so you could have 3 of them in different colors (although just this one in white would keep me pretty happy).
Only thing is they're only available as an import from the US so a bit tricky to try before you buy.

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CamdenRob Mentor

CamdenRob

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[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1415287942' post='2598815']
This is what keeps me up at night but as a 6er rather than a 7. About 1/3 the price of the Xotic though so you could have 3 of them in different colors (although just this one in white would keep me pretty happy).
Only thing is they're only available as an import from the US so a bit tricky to try before you buy.
[/quote]

I looked into getting one of those a little while ago, a few emails back and forth. Someone off here bought one and I seem to remember the reports were pretty positive.

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thebassist Experienced

thebassist

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[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3][b]
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&section=findpost&pid=2598815"][/url]Painy, on 06 November 2014 - 03:32 PM, said:[/b][/size][/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]

This is what keeps me up at night but as a 6er rather than a 7. About 1/3 the price of the Xotic though so you could have 3 of them in different colors (although just this one in white would keep me pretty happy).[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]Only thing is they're only available as an import from the US so a bit tricky to try before you buy.[/size][/font][/color][quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1415288399' post='2598827']
I looked into getting one of those a little while ago, a few emails back and forth. Someone off here bought one and I seem to remember the reports were pretty positive.
[/quote]

Go on...... buy it.... you know you want to...

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MOSCOWBASS Rising Star

MOSCOWBASS

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1415275282' post='2598626'] If I was in the market for a new jazz sixer I'd be looking at this from Xotic... never played one but think it looks great. To be honest I'd personally try and avoid having two basses instead of a single sixer... I'm trying to get down to carrying as little as possible to gigs. In truth I could get away with a fiver for 90% of what I do with bands, but I do need the high C for a few tunes so I decided that a sixer was the way to go. My aim is to get down to one fretted sixer and a fretless. [/quote]
I have 2 5 string versions and they are best all-round basses i've played. Again subjective to taste....I'd visit bass direct and try one.

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CamdenRob Mentor

CamdenRob

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[quote name='MOSCOWBASS' timestamp='1415289294' post='2598845']
I have 2 5 string versions and they are best all-round basses i've played. Again subjective to taste....I'd visit bass direct and try one.
[/quote]

It looks fantatsic... no bass buying for me for a while though, I'm in selling mode over the next year or so to pay for the pair of Wal sixers I have coming :blink:

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Painy Proficient

Painy

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[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1415295108' post='2598941']
Wow, check this out...

[url="http://www.rondomusic.com/ursa2mn6bk.html"]http://www.rondomusic.com/product6141.html[/url]
[/quote]

I have looked at those and I reckon they'd be a good starting point for a decent bass with a few upgrades. It's the shape of the headstock I struggle with though although there was a thread on talk bass about a guy who's reshaped the headstock on his.

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