bass tone (horses for courses)

[Monz]

OK here is the deal... Looking to get a second bass and have narrowed it down to a select few

1) Bongo 5 HH - Have played one and was totally blown away by the tone (and spectrum of) as well as the neck/action

2) Status S2 Classic - Not played one yet but everyone I've spoken to rates them highly although all the vids or audio has them being slapped... do they only do that tone?

3) Overwater / GB / F bass - Not tried these yet but I will have done within the next week apart from a GB

My problem is having limied experience of bass guitars (Only own a Warwick) I would like some advice from the masses / Font of all knowledge. Our band is a covers / function band covering most of the musical genres so I need something tonally versatile.

Any advice welcome

[The Burpster]

Get the one that produces the tone your after and you're happy to use..... Dont get too focused on who makes it..!

FWIW.....

[Doctor J]

Something like a Lakland 55-02 or a G&L L2500 would be worth checking out too, both very versatile basses.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='Doctor J' post='256881' date='Aug 7 2008, 08:15 AM']Something like a Lakland 55-02 or a G&L L2500 would be worth checking out too, both very versatile basses.[/quote]
+1

Very versatile basses the G&L L2500s and good for a covers/function band I would have thought.. But every bass mentioned in the OP is a quality instrument so i would try as much as possible to try each one out first hand if you can..

Then it gets down to such personal issues doesn't it; what the neck feels like, weight & balance, looks even... Good luck with it!

[stingrayfan]

What about one of the discount Spectors going cheap at Reverb (Sound Control)? Very similar to your Warwick I would have thought.

[bass_ferret]

Whats your budget and are you thinking of a new custom build to your specs? A Bongo 5HH is gonna be a lot cheaper than the other options.

[Monz]

Thanks for the replies so far...

Not really hung up on who makes them, just interested in what you guys think of them at the moment. I really like the look of the Status but as I said I'm not sure whether it is an "all rounder" as all I ever hear played on them is slap lines, does anyone on here use them for say mowtown / soul tunes and if so is it hard to get the tone right?

Re: spectors, have tried them in Reverb Sheffield and never has my under been so whelmed... the low B was rubbish on them all, not a patch on the warwick IMHO

(Puts Lakland and G&L on to try list)

To be honest I am after something with a smaller profile neck than the Warwick and greater diversity of tones

[Adrenochrome]

The ONLY basses that have blown me away when watching other bands live in the last couple of years have been by Status. One was a 5 and the other was a 4 tuned BEAD. Both were very articulate & balanced all over the fretboard and had well defined bottoms (oo err missus). Neither bass was slapped and were being used for rock/metal.

I've never been able to afford a bass like that so it's a good job I never had a go on either of 'em!

[bass_ferret]

Status are capable of far more than slapping - The Ox never slapped! Best thing is to try as much as you can and if you are still not satisfied then maybe a custom would be best - there is a well known luthier in Yorkshire.

[Captain Bassman]

My main gigging basses for the last 9 years have been a GB IV and Warwick Streamer Stage I 5 string.

I primarily play in a functions band doing 60's, 70's and 80's stuff and every tone I've ever needed can be got from these two basses. So. a big +1 for GB!

Try one if you can. They're fantastic all-round instruments, great range of sounds, beautifully built and have excellent weight/balance. The IV (or Spitfire as they're now called) looks great too for any genre of music - a contemporary modern take on the Jazz bass design.

[Flanker]

Don't discount the FBass - they are top notch with great tone.

There is (at least) one for sale in the forum right now for a very good price.

[bnt]

[quote name='Monz' post='256849' date='Aug 7 2008, 01:32 AM']2) Status S2 Classic - Not played one yet but everyone I've spoken to rates them highly although all the vids or audio has them being slapped... do they only do that tone?[/quote]
[url="http://www.rhinosrevenge.com/"]"Rhino" Edwards[/url] from Status Quo has been playing them for at least as long as he's been in t'Quo... not much slap, pop & tap in the average Quo track! He's playing the [url="http://bulldogbash.eu/"]Bulldog Bash[/url] today with his own band, Woodedz. (Wood Heads?)

[EBS_freak]

GB. Easy.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Monz' post='256849' date='Aug 7 2008, 01:32 AM']....My problem is having limied experience of bass guitars (Only own a Warwick).... band is a covers / function band covering most of the musical genres so I need something tonally versatile....[/quote]
If you've got a Warwick do you really need anything else? How about finding a really nice playing Fender Precision or Jazz and then improve the electrics (East) and pickups(EMG, Bartolini, Lindy Fralin)? There are also a couple of nice Laklands for sale here on BC. Then spend what you've saved on a better amp or cab.

[mathewsanchez]

[size=6]Bongo HH [/size] [i][size=5]or [/size][/i] [size=6]G&L L2500[/size]

Edited August 7, 2008 by mathewsanchez

[Monz]

I love my corvette 5 to bits but really need a second bass for gigging and rather than get a cheapo as a backup I'm going to get something nice AND different to give me more options.

Don't you think MarkBass CMD 151P's are good enough then? lol


[quote name='chris_b' post='257063' date='Aug 7 2008, 11:35 AM']If you've got a Warwick do you really need anything else? How about finding a really nice playing Fender Precision or Jazz and then improve the electrics (East) and pickups(EMG, Bartolini, Lindy Fralin)? There are also a couple of nice Laklands for sale here on BC. Then spend what you've saved on a better amp or cab.[/quote]

[EBS_freak]

You got PM.

[OutToPlayJazz]

LOL! No, you definitely don't need "better" amplification

You've picked three belting choices of bass there. The Bongo as people say is truly biblical sounding, as is the S2 Classic. If you look on the ForSale forum on here you'll find a rather nice S2 being sold by JohnGH. It's only £100 more than a brand new bolt on that you'd have to wait three-four months for! The Status is capable of almost any sound you can dream up. Extremely versatile and very easy & fast to play with a distinctive tone as well. GB is in the same ballpark as Status. Great engineering & fantastic attention to detail & another seriously huge tone pallette.

Sounds like you need to do a tour of the country trying these things out and see which you like best.

Best of luck on your quest, young knight!

[chris_b]

[quote name='Monz' post='257096' date='Aug 7 2008, 12:15 PM']....Don't you think MarkBass CMD 151P's are good enough then?....[/quote]
Not my cup of tea, but.... I would definitely add another cab, a 1x15 or a 2x10, which would improve headroom, tone and volume.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Monz' post='257096' date='Aug 7 2008, 12:15 PM']....I'm going to get something nice AND different to give me more options....[/quote]
Right now there are 2 quality 5 string basses for sale on BC; a US Lakland and an NYC Sadowsky. Look no further!!

[Monz]

I sit the Markbass 1x15 on top of an ashdown 1x15 so effectivley 500W through 2x15

Having said that I am just about to get a Markbass 4x10 to replace the ashdown 1x15



[quote name='chris_b' post='257175' date='Aug 7 2008, 01:29 PM']Not my cup of tea, but.... I would definitely add another cab, a 1x15 or a 2x10, which would improve headroom, tone and volume.[/quote]

Edited August 7, 2008 by Monz

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='Monz' post='257202' date='Aug 7 2008, 01:52 PM']I sit the Markbass 1x15 on top of an ashdown 1x15 so effectivley 500W through 2x15

Having said that I am just about to get a Markbass 4x10 to replace the ashdown 1x15[/quote]
I would try the 151 extension cab first - putting the 151 together with a 4x10 could produce unpredictable results.

[chris_b]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='257851' date='Aug 8 2008, 10:12 AM']....putting the 151 together with a 4x10 could produce unpredictable results....[/quote]
....but it has a better chance of sounding great.

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='257851' date='Aug 8 2008, 10:12 AM']I would try the 151 extension cab first - putting the 151 together with a 4x10 could produce unpredictable results.[/quote]

[quote name='chris_b' post='257971' date='Aug 8 2008, 11:57 AM']....but it has a better chance of sounding great.[/quote]
What makes you say that?

[lozbass]

I'd certainly try a Status S2 - they do have a characteristic Status sound but they're extremely versatile, incredibly fast and very well balanced. I have an old Series II that was my main gigging bass for years - I used it in everything from rock, soul/funk, pop through to functions bands - it really can do anything (with aplomb) and is extremely reliable.