brummie Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 OK, Im thinking of dipping my toe into the murky waters of 5 string, I have a Fender Highway one jazz and and a Squire VM Jazz fretless already, quite like to get into funk and a booming 'B'. I'm only willing to splash out £250 - £300 second hand just in case it doesn't work out & I think I'd like some active magic in the mix. I only want some advise about what to start test driving before I buy, has anyone made this leap recently. I really really know nothing about 5 strings so no sarcastic replies about only wanting somewhere to rest my thumb please. but cheers in advance anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 (edited) I don't know enough about basses to answer your question. But, you have a Squier bass already, two Jazz basses, you want to dip your toe into 5 strings, you don't want to spend too much, and you want active. What's wrong with the Squier DeLuxe Jazz Bass V Active? Not suitable for funk? Just curious, because assuming that you prefer Jazz basses, given my limited knowledge it seems like an obvious choice. Or, is it because with £250-300 to spend second hand, you're looking for a step above the £209 brand new Squier? Or are two Jazz basses enough? I seriously considered the Squier DeLux Jazz Bass V Active when I was looking for a bass, and people who know more than me told me nice things about it. Edited October 16, 2008 by Annoying Twit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry44 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I would recommend looking into ibanezes. my experience of 5 strings came with swapping one of my basses with an ibanez K5, the korn signature model. i found the jump from 4 to 5 to be seamless, although i am not really using the B string too much as we haven't written anything with it in mind. it does get used now and again!! i find it very easy to play. so much so that it has became my main bass. i picked up a 4 the other night and it didn't feel 'right'!! the other good thing about ibanezes right now is that they appear to be going very cheap second hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tempo Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I think you need to go and play as many as you can. One of the main "problems" people have when up-ing the string count is string spacing. There are (not many) that keep the 19-20mm of a four, and quite a lot that go to 16-18mm. Go find what feel good to you on that front. The Squier deluxe 5 is a good cheap intro into 5's though, as are many Ibanez's & Corts. Warwicks seem to be going for a song at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='tempo' post='307611' date='Oct 16 2008, 09:09 AM']I think you need to go and play as many as you can. One of the main "problems" people have when up-ing the string count is string spacing. There are (not many) that keep the 19-20mm of a four, and quite a lot that go to 16-18mm. Go find what feel good to you on that front. The Squier deluxe 5 is a good cheap intro into 5's though, as are many Ibanez's & Corts. Warwicks seem to be going for a song at the moment.[/quote] Yeah, thats good advice. when i went fully to 5 string in 2006 i found that although i did hit the wrong string every now and then for the first few gigs i also found i was missing the stings altogether sometimes. It didnt take long to get used to the space on my 55-01 but it was something that puzzled me at the time. I had a Squier 5 string P bass special and i hated it. The neck seemed so wide that it never left the house and hardly got played. In fact i gave it away after only a few months. Not had any trouble with any other 5 string. I had a Steinberger XT-25 from music Yo just before that and that was lovely, as was a Honer B2A but i just never got on with the Fender. This was about 5 years ago so i dont know if this is the same bass. It has two Jazz pups on it. just my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 I agree about playing as many as you can, however if you find a Status Groove 5 and it feels and sounds OK to you, they're hard to beat for value. Expect to pay 200-300 quid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='Annoying Twit' post='307548' date='Oct 16 2008, 04:50 AM']I don't know enough about basses to answer your question. But, you have a Squier bass already, two Jazz basses, you want to dip your toe into 5 strings, you don't want to spend too much, and you want active. What's wrong with the Squier DeLuxe Jazz Bass V Active? Not suitable for funk? Just curious, because assuming that you prefer Jazz basses, given my limited knowledge it seems like an obvious choice. Or, is it because with £250-300 to spend second hand, you're looking for a step above the £209 brand new Squier? Or are two Jazz basses enough? I seriously considered the Squier DeLux Jazz Bass V Active when I was looking for a bass, and people who know more than me told me nice things about it.[/quote] Hi, I didn't know you could get a Squier Delux Jazz 5 for £209 !! I think I'll do as suggested and test drive as many as I can, It is obvious I like Jazz basses isn't it, but will have to go for tighter string spacing if I want a similar size neck. Cheers for the posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 My tobias is rather nice you could probably get one for around £200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Bassbloke was selling a very nice 3 pup MIJ 5 string that I had for a short while... that would be around 300-350ish... Contact him...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Tobias basses are very nice. I have an OLP Tony Levin at home for messing around on, and that's a great bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Yamaha. You can pick up an RBX765A for next to nothing and they are superb. Nice skinny Jazzish neck, comfortable, sound good, great basses. Yams in general are almost unbeatable VFM in my 'umble 'pinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 How much is a BB615? Very nice basses Yamaha, no question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 There you go: [url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Yamaha-BB615---Pewter~ID~3876.asp"]http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Y...ter~ID~3876.asp[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='brummie' post='307796' date='Oct 16 2008, 12:34 PM']Hi, I didn't know you could get a Squier Delux Jazz 5 for £209 !! I think I'll do as suggested and test drive as many as I can, It is obvious I like Jazz basses isn't it, but will have to go for tighter string spacing if I want a similar size neck. Cheers for the posts.[/quote] This is the bass i mentioned. Strange as they call it a P but it has Jazz pups. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_standard_pbass_special-02.htm?sid=4107bb7f725ac032a55dde96595c89cf"]Fender Squier P V[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GЯДИКФЯ Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='307924' date='Oct 16 2008, 03:02 PM']This is the bass i mentioned. Strange as they call it a P but it has Jazz pups. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_standard_pbass_special-02.htm?sid=4107bb7f725ac032a55dde96595c89cf"]Fender Squier P V[/url][/quote] overpriced get this [url="http://www.dv247.com/invt/38607/product.htm?gdftrk=gdfV2356_a_7c416_a_7c1181_a_7c38607"]http://www.dv247.com/invt/38607/product.ht...c1181_a_7c38607[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 (edited) [quote name='GЯДИК' post='307926' date='Oct 16 2008, 03:11 PM']overpriced get this [url="http://www.dv247.com/invt/38607/product.htm?gdftrk=gdfV2356_a_7c416_a_7c1181_a_7c38607"]http://www.dv247.com/invt/38607/product.ht...c1181_a_7c38607[/url][/quote] No its not. Both are more or less the same price. And as they are different basses i cant see how you can compare them. One s aP ones an active Jazz. IME you get what you pay for. Edited October 16, 2008 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='307924' date='Oct 16 2008, 03:02 PM']This is the bass i mentioned. Strange as they call it a P but it has Jazz pups. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_standard_pbass_special-02.htm?sid=4107bb7f725ac032a55dde96595c89cf"]Fender Squier P V[/url][/quote] Oh, I had one of those, briefly. Anyone who likes Jazz necks would loathe the P special, it's probably even chunkier than modern Warwick necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 [quote name='tauzero' post='307968' date='Oct 16 2008, 04:12 PM']Oh, I had one of those, briefly. Anyone who likes Jazz necks would loathe the P special, it's probably even chunkier than modern Warwick necks.[/quote] Yeah, bloody awful neck IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 one of these ... [attachment=14861:NickBass01.jpg] [attachment=14862:NickBass02.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcbass Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 Maybe this,I was after 280£ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 There's one of the Squier Deluxe active Jazz 5's appeared on the for sale forum today... Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 In alliance with Barry44's post, I gotta say, you should look at Ibanezes... For ~300 you could get great secondhand beauty... Try looking at SR's; SRX's; BTB's; EDB's range... Some great basses out there, just, give serious attention to string spacing neck feel - there are few differences.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Schecters would also be worth a look - they have pretty slim and shallow necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 [quote name='Faithless' post='308456' date='Oct 17 2008, 11:32 AM']In alliance with Barry44's post, I gotta say, you should look at Ibanezes... For ~300 you could get great secondhand beauty... Try looking at SR's; SRX's; BTB's; EDB's range... Some great basses out there, just, give serious attention to string spacing neck feel - there are few differences..[/quote] Plus have a look at the Ibanez ATK 305. Very nice bass for the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutSpoon Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 [quote name='simon1964' post='309115' date='Oct 18 2008, 11:05 AM']Plus have a look at the Ibanez ATK 305. Very nice bass for the money.[/quote] I bought a Yamaha bb615 and I think it's pretty good for the price. Punchy sound, solid b - strings are pretty far apart, much more than my Jazz 5. I love the retro '80's look of the bb bases so I use it as my main workhorse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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