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What would you buy?


Sandy 5
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Hello everyone! I'm after some opinions. I've recently sold off a lot if old gear with the intent of replacing it. I need a more compact gigging amp, and a bass that's going to cut the mustard for all my bass needs, as well as looking decent. Duh.

I've got a few ideas to try out, and I'm thinking high end basses. I want to try out Dingwall, maybe Warwick and Musicman again. Amp wise, Hartke do some great stuff, and the Mark Bass gear looks interesting. Beyond that I'll be playing it by ear (ba dum tsh) so if anyone has any strong opinions about high end gear, I'd love some more perspectives. Thanks!

 

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I'll kick things off.

My dream setup would be my fretless Overwater Jazz, a Ken Smith Black Tiger 5, and a vintage Fender Jazz. Amp wise I love my Markbass combo but the Aguilar DB751 through a DB810 is something else.

I've had Hartke for while and didn't rate it anywhere near the warmth and definition from the Markbass and Aguilar amps. Bass wise my Fender P bass covers most stuff but I also have a Sire V7 that is fantastic. I've had both Warwicks and Musicman Stingrays before and sold them both on fairly quickly.

The problem is that once you get to high end it's all personal taste as the differences can be quite minimal.

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Thanks dude. See, Aguilar are a make I would have forgotten about! Fair enough, I'm off the ilk that doesn't really get on with Fender and I've loved the Musicman and Warwick I've owned. Main reason for change was they weren't really "me" any more.

Thanks for that though, Aguilar are going on the list!

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A bit of a blank canvas this one and some of the stuff you have suggested I wouldn't class as high end. It also depends on what you plan to use your gear for.

I've just joined an amazing 50's/60's cover band and bought all new gear. I got a Fender American Jazz 75 Vintage Reissue, a Markbass Little Mark 3 and 2 x New York 112 cabs. Its sounds amazing although I'm not 100% set on the speakers. I have a Stingray which is great but doesn't really work tonally with the band. I have a gorgeous Precision as well but it's not happy working with my Markbass rig. I just bought a Fender Rumble V3 100w combo and the Precision sounds amazing through it.

So the point is it really depends on what you are going to use your gear for. 

 

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It needs to be tonally versatile, and comfortable to play different techniques on. Most good basses have that. I'm aiming to get into a regular function band, and hopefully get some original projects going aswell. I've not been playing bass seriously since about four years ago, and intend to get back into it as a regular thing. However I'm stumped for space now so need a good little rig that doesn't take up much room. What I'm asking really, is what makes other bassists like to go for. I know my usual go to's, but I was curious to see if there we're any I'd overlook. Oliver mentioned Aguilar, who I would otherwise have forgotten about!

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Try AER, Bergantino, Demeter, Glockenklang, Kemper, Vanderkley and the likes if you want to be in the high end amps.

Look at Alembic, Elrick, F-Bass, Fodera, Ken Lawrence, Leduc, LeFay, Mike Lull, MTD, Overwater, Ritter, Roscoe, Sadowsky, Sei, STR, Wal, Warrior, Wyn, Xotic, Zon and the likes if you want to be in the top class basses.

By the way, how many strings : 4, 5, 6, 7 or more, or less ?

Fretted or fretless ?

But be ready to spend a small fortune.

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I got a small fortune from selling my old gear! Enough for a good quality bass and amp anyway. I'll go for a five string probably. Fretted, I have an EUB I can use for fretless work...

That's a few names I'd not even heard of! Brilliant, thank you

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If I was looking for a 5 string to cover multiple situations and had a few pounds for a more ‘boutique’ bass I would be looking at the following brands:

lakland USA (although the skylines are excellent too for a lot less), GB basses Spitfire 5, Moollon 5 string Jazz, Sei Jazz 5, Overwater Basses and Sadowsky. I have had experience with all but the Moollon and you won’t go wrong with any of them it just depends on personal preference. 

If I had a massive budget I would be trying to find a Tom Stenback or a Fodera to try out but your talking big bucks.

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28 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

This is good starting point : 

For the bass, take a look in the sale section, there are plenty of them.

I've been checking the sale pages, nothing's quite tickled my fancy yet. Thank you though 😊

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19 hours ago, Sandy 5 said:

Dingwall, maybe Warwick and Musicman

What would I buy? Definitely a Dingwall, if I didn't own one already. ;) Extremely well built instruments, lightweight and easy to play. High end in every respect.

As for high end amplification: I play my Dingwall through a Glockenklang Bass Art Classic. Since you're looking for a compact gigging amp, I suggest the Glockenklang Steamhammer or one of the "Blue" series amps rather than the Bass Art Classic.

https://www.glockenklang.de/en/products/products_bass.htm

Edited by Tweedledum
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Some thoughts --

As for the bass, they each have a character. No one can tell you what you're going to like the most. That's up to you. 

I like the MarkBass heads. They're small, powerful and uncolored. They produce the sound of the bass you're playing. 

I mix speakers,  (which everyone says is a no-no) but it works for me. After going through dozens of options I settled on a two 10" Hartke and a one 12'  Bergantino.  I f i need any more than that, I go through the P.A. 

 

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If you got on with MusicMan then check out G&L! L2500 and M2500 are awesome basses.

Depending on how big your gigs are, you don't need to spend loads to get a good high-end setup. A Barefaced Super Compact with a decent head is more than enough for most situations before you go into the PA anyway.

I'd concentrate on getting an amp that sounds great rather than having a big power output. I very rarely gig nowadays without going into a PA - but when I do the odd pub gig then my Aguilar Tone Hammer and BF Compact is more than enough. 

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I'm not asking for you to tell me what I'll like, I'm asking what you guys like because that will include a few things that I never thought about and should really be investigated! Excellent, I've been recommended G+L ago I'll check them out. I'm not interested in overly powerful amps, as you say we're usually DI'd, but one that will cut through a rehearsal out gig when needed. The Aguilar looks decent, as does some of the lightweight Warwick stuff.

Also the Markbass stuff, again looks like its worth checking out I've been impressed on the few occasions I've heard them. I used to mix amps as well as speakers...honestly a fun experiment but only worth repeating with better gear 😂

Thanks guys

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On 07/03/2018 at 20:03, Sandy 5 said:

It needs to be tonally versatile, and comfortable to play different techniques on. Most good basses have that. I'm aiming to get into a regular function band, and hopefully get some original projects going aswell. I've not been playing bass seriously since about four years ago, and intend to get back into it as a regular thing. However I'm stumped for space now so need a good little rig that doesn't take up much room. What I'm asking really, is what makes other bassists like to go for. I know my usual go to's, but I was curious to see if there we're any I'd overlook. Oliver mentioned Aguilar, who I would otherwise have forgotten about!

Pick a bass you like the sound of and comfortable to play for long periods. Then pick an amp & cab / combo that you like the sound of. That's really it.

I've played in wedding/function bands for 23 years and in that time I've had 100+ basses, all of which I've gigged in those kind of bands. 4, 5, 6 & 8 strings, fretted, fretless & semi acoustic - ranging from ones I got for free to £3,000+  Examples would be - Epiphone Thunderbird, Yamaha TRB6 fretless, Modulus Flea, Warwick Thumb NT5, Shine 8 string, Squier VM Jazz fretted & fretless & Fender '51 reissue Precision as completely polar examples.

I'm using the most compact rig I have ever used. At one time I was running Trace 2x15" and 4x12" V-type cabs, 2 Ashdown MAG 4x10"s with Gallien Krueger, Hartke, Trace etc amps.

In a function band the audience are generally (but not always) not there to see you, they are there to be at a wedding, get drunk, dance around, catch up with old friends and so on so as long as you like what you are playing and it fits in with the rest of the band then pick whatever you like the most.

There's a lot of choice out there - have fun :)

Edited by Delberthot
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Sounds like good advice, thanks. I've depped a few times so get what you mean. I've been looking at the Bareface cabs, they seem like a solid investment but I'd like to try one out. As for basses...I'll be going hunting soon...!

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If I had the cash, I'd probably go for a Tech21 VT500, and a good 2x10, or a Helix, or something else.

Bass-wise, it'd be a 4003 and/or  T'bird with a wide neck.

Unfortunately, I'm skint.

Edited by Skybone
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Bass wise, I think what we like differs but nice one for the amp, I'll have a little look see at that!

 

* five minutes later *

If I can find that amp to try then that might be a strong contender! Thanks Skybone

Edited by Sandy 5
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