Semi hollow body bass - suggestions please!

[Al Krow]

I'm in a 50s / 60s covers band and looking for something that looks the part (and is an electric rather than a upright DB) but is also an excellent bass to play. I'll be combining with a good set of flats to get that 'woody' 50s / 60s tone.

What are you guys playing that you would be able to highly recommend?

Please feel free to upload both pics of your basses and clips of you playing it with your bands. My budget is in the £750 to £1,500 range but not set in stone - if I can get something that fits the bill second hand for less that'll be great but equally if I need to go a little higher at the top end I'll definitely be willing to consider. I'm very much hoping that this bass will be a keeper.

If I can stick to a 34" (rather than 32") scale that would be preferable but I am, however, flexible on either 4 or 5 strings.

Look forward to hearing your suggestions - thanks in advance!

[Happy Jack]

Shortscale:

Hofner 500/1 Violin (either original vintage or the CT model)

Hofner 500/7 Verithin (originals are rare, probably a re-issue)

Longscale:

Gretsch 6070 (frequently, and incorrectly, called a Country Gentleman)

 

 

[TheGreek]

I'm thinking that you mean a Jack Casady / Chowny type thing. You can pick up both within your budget.

[TheRev]

I have an Italia Rimini that does the 60s thing very well.

https://www.italiaguitarsusa.com/product/rimini-4-bass/

It looks the part as well, I think.

Feel wise, it's a very different beast to my Musicman Sterling and if I was to use it regularly in a band I'd probably update the electronics to something a bit less on/off.

[pete.young]

When I saw Imelda last year, Al Gare was playing an Italia Mondial Classic. Has a piezo as well as a  conventional pickup and is 34" scale.

[Al Krow]

Wow - some great suggestions already, thank you!

Must admit I'd not really come across the Italia brand before, but the Mondial does look lovely as does the Jack Casady. I suspect the Gretsch 6070 is going to be a bit of a rarity to find (and, maybe just me, but I'm always a bit nervous about gear that is > a decade old)

My only hesitation with the JC is that it is Epiphone i.e. an affordable Gibson; and Gibson's reputation for quality has taken a complete nosedive over the past decade, which is a real shame (my first proper electric 6 string was a Gibson SG).

Pete - you saw Imelda too?! I did a 120 mile round trip to pick up a couple of last minute Imelda May tickets to see her play at the Palladium. Loved it! I wasn't close enough to the stage to make out what basses Al Gare was playing - but if the Mondial is good enough for him, well it should more than merit my having a look into it further! If you've got any clips of him playing this please feel free to upload.

[neepheid]

+1 for the Epiphone Jack Casady.  I'm on my second, after selling the first one then regretting it.  On your point about quality - Gibson's woes have nothing to do with Epiphone - being made in China/Korea and far away from the USA.  Also bear in mind that the Jack Casady is arguably Epiphone's top of the line bass, so they want to impress you, they want them to be the best that they put out.  Worth pointing out that Jack Casady himself uses stock basses straight from the factory ("no ringers" as he put it in an interview) - it would be a real shame if the knuckleheads in America who seem hell bent on grinding the company into dust put you off this excellent bass.

Bear in mind that the JC is almost completely hollow, no centre block.  It's super light and will feedback, if you want it to.  But stay a respectful distance away from your amp and you'll be fine

[ezbass]

Gibson quality has taken a dive in many areas, however, Epiphone quality has remained top notch and punches well above the price point. I think the Casady looks awesome in black.

[EssentialTension]

Peerless Retromatic B2 ... 34" scale, available in six colours, and also sounds great:

[dannybuoy]

First choice I would make would be the pickups. Quite a difference in tone between one central pickup (Jack Casady) and two pickups (nearly everything else). I would lean towards the JC, and put a Hipshot or Babicz bridge on to replace the stock 3 point one.

[dannybuoy]

Oh and don’t just discount Epiphone based on your perception of the brand, the JC is good enough for these guys:

http://cheapthunder.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Epiphone

[Al Krow]

15 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

First choice I would make would be the pickups. Quite a difference in tone between one central pickup (Jack Casady) and two pickups (nearly everything else). I would lean towards the JC, and put a Hipshot or Babicz bridge on to replace the stock 3 point one.

In terms of single pups as well as the JC, the following also have single pups 

- Italia Mondial Classic

- Peerless Retromatic B1

(and the Gretsch 6070)

But not sure why you'd want to go for a single pup in preference to two pups, particularly if one of the pups on a twin pup bass is in the same position as the single pup equivalent?

 

[alyctes]

Yamaha BEX 4 if you can find one.  Piezo and magnetic pup.  They are Mine were worth every penny.

Edited May 24, 2018 by alyctes

[yorks5stringer]

Warwick Star Basses are very nice 

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, alyctes said:

Yamaha BEX 4 if you can find one.  Piezo and magnetic pup.  They are worth every penny.

This? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-bex-4-hollow-body-bass-guitar-/152848038036

Just now, yorks5stringer said:

Warwick Star Basses are very nice 

Yes they do look great, I'll have to agree.

[alyctes]

Yes, that's a BEX 4.  Rotten pictures, the last is the only decent one.  I'm reckoning £350 is about the most you should pay for one, personally.  But I'm notoriously cheap.

(That's not mine, I'm not selling!)

Edited May 24, 2018 by alyctes

[dannybuoy]

17 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

In terms of single pups as well as the JC, the following also have single pups 

- Italia Mondial Classic

- Peerless Retromatic B1

(and the Gretsch 6070)

But not sure why you'd want to go for a single pup in preference to two pups, particularly if one of the pups on a twin pup bass is in the same position as the single pup equivalent?

 

Sure, if the twin pickup bass has one in the same position as the equivalent single pickup bass, it’s a no brainer to go for the two pickups. But for me, most twin pickup basses have one pickup too far up and the other too far down. They might sound great blended together, but that results in a very different tone to a single pickup in between those spots. Like a P Bass vs  a J Bass with both pickups up full, both very good but very different.

Not a semi hollow, but it’s the reason I bought a single pickup Sandberg Basic over the TM4 version for example! 

[Bass V]

I'm interested in the Surf Green version of this Dean

http://www.deanguitars.com/stylist_cabbie_bass.php

[Frank Blank]

This bass looks super fabulous to me and it’s a one-off colour wise.

Edited May 25, 2018 by Frank Blank

[uk_lefty]

There's Eastwood's walnut country bass, whatever that's called. Also D'angelico basses were going half price recently. All the lefties have gone but don't know the right handed situation.

[Al Krow]

3 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

This bass looks super fabulous to me and it’s a one-off colour wise.

Does look nice (although not my colour choice - but that's just a personal pref thing). Chownys would definitely be on my radar if they weren't shorter scale. 

9 hours ago, dannybuoy said:

Sure, if the twin pickup bass has one in the same position as the equivalent single pickup bass, it’s a no brainer to go for the two pickups. But for me, most twin pickup basses have one pickup too far up and the other too far down. They might sound great blended together, but that results in a very different tone to a single pickup in between those spots. Like a P Bass vs  a J Bass with both pickups up full, both very good but very different.

Not a semi hollow, but it’s the reason I bought a single pickup Sandberg Basic over the TM4 version for example! 

Your point about going for something with a P pup position is a good one - and the JC has this, as you say.

(Off topic - in your case you should've gone the whole hog and gone for a VM4 or 5; huge amount of love being shown for that bass!)

[Chownybass]

5 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Does look nice (although not my colour choice - but that's just a personal pref thing). Chownys would definitely be on my radar if they weren't shorter scale. 

We do a 30.7" Scale (CHB-1) and a 33" Scale (CHB-2) - just FYI

[Al Krow]

5 minutes ago, Chownybass said:

We do a 30.7" Scale (CHB-1) and a 33" Scale (CHB-2) - just FYI

Thanks for jumping in. I'd best check out the CHB-2 then! Out of interest, if you're doing a 33" why not 34"?

Actually, just checked your website...

"The CHB-2 is a new 34″ scale semi-hollow bass that builds on the success of the CHB-1." 

Edited May 25, 2018 by Al Krow

[Chownybass]

Outdated information. Thanks for the heads up. I'll correct it to 33" 

For the following reasons : 

1. It allows better placement of the bridge, while still using the same body as the CHB-1. The 34" had the bridge pushed back towards the tailpiece more than I was comfortable with.

2. 33" feels comfortable and familiar if you play 34", but still leaves the strings under slightly less tension for good semi-hollow bass tone

3. No tippy-tippy neck dive.

4. Nobody else makes them at 33". Nice to do something different.

[dannybuoy]

23 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

(Off topic - in your case you should've gone the whole hog and gone for a VM4 or 5; huge amount of love being shown for that bass!)

My reason for not wanting a TM4/VM4 - I love the Stingray sound, the standard Basic is similar but with the pickup slightly further towards the neck, which for a flatwound funk bass I think is a good thing. I certainly wouldn't want that MM pup to sound any thinner by moving it towards the bridge, also I've never heard a sound I liked from a MM pickup blended with any other pickup - always sounded too scooped for my liking. Sometimes less is more!

(back to your chosen topic - although waffling about pickup preferences is surely semi relevant in any 'what bass should I get' thread! :D)