Backup 5 String Passive Bass recommendations please

[Pinball]

Hi, just planning ahead for next year and as a musician who plays acoustic guitars, 6 string electrics and bass I'm looking to keep things simple and to avoid having to check instrument battery levels as much as possible. I have already done this with my electric guitars. This is for rock music and I often tune down. I currently have a nice Spector Legend as a back up, which is great but I will probably trade or sell once I get a replacement...anyhow!

My criteria is:

1. Preferably 5 string or 4 and able to detune to D or C
2. Nothing to heavy in weight (Up to 9.5 lb/4.3kg) 
3. Passive! It won't get played much so I don't want to worry about batteries.
4. I don't want to spend a lot on it. I don't want to be worrying where it is when playing at a gig
5. Needs to work in a 5 peice rock band

 

Any thoughts much appreciated

 

Ed

Edited November 16, 2023 by Pinball

[TheLowDown]

Depending on your interpretation of heavy/light, the black version of Harley Benton's MB-5 may be what you're looking for.

Edited November 16, 2023 by TheLowDown

[jrixn1]

What is "too heavy" and "don't want to spend a lot" in kg/sterling?

 

How about https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/484191-fs-cort-gb75-jj-5-string-bass-now-just-%C2%A3250/ at £250 and 4.0kg? 

[asingardenof]

Looks like Harley Benton have a few options that you might consider if you wanted a brand new one.

[PaulThePlug]

Ibby SR 305...  and take the pre-out... re-wire VBT with existing pick-ups...

 

[Pinball]

Thanks, I updated the weight with a figure. What is already apparent is that there seems to be plenty of choice. I really like the Cort but it is active. Also my 1 experience of trying a passive Jazz in the band wasn't the best. I got my but it kind of got lost and although I am sure I could have made it work I want something I can just sub in an emergency. Very impressed with the MB5 if I could get a good one

[Paul S]

Yamaha BB425 would be my choice if I could still handle a 9lb bass.

[redbandit599]

I recently got a Sire Passive P5 5 string and am liking it, especially the neck - prices seem to vary, mine was a good deal as at the time it was the last one in stock at Bax - they seem to drop prices when they get low on stock - after I ordered it the price for the same model on order went up to the market rate.

 

[squire5]

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_mb_5_sb_deluxe_series.htm

 

I have one and find it hard to fault.Except the strings.Change the strings.

[Pinball]

Thanks, a good selection of HB's.

[Al Krow]

On 16/11/2023 at 11:57, Paul S said:

Yamaha BB425 would be my choice if I could still handle a 9lb bass.

 

Good shout.

[Paulhauser]

On 16/11/2023 at 10:39, Pinball said:

 I currently have a nice Spector Legend as a back up, which is great but I will probably trade or sell once I get a replacement...anyhow!

 

Maybe I'm stating the obvious but is there any reason not to make your Spector passive? Most Legends have EMG HZs in them which is a passive pickup design and a simple VVT or VBT wiring bypassing the preamp would be relatively easy. 

I mean if you wanna move it and / or want a new bass I won't talk you out of that, this is Basschat after all 🙂

[Grahambythesea]

I keep recommending the Gibson EB5. Really light, great pickups and USA made. I picked mine up for under £600.

[tom.android]

On 16/11/2023 at 11:07, jrixn1 said:

What is "too heavy" and "don't want to spend a lot" in kg/sterling?

 

How about https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/484191-fs-cort-gb75-jj-5-string-bass-now-just-%C2%A3250/ at £250 and 4.0kg? 

Such a bargain.

[Woodinblack]

22 minutes ago, Grahambythesea said:

I keep recommending the Gibson EB5. Really light, great pickups and USA made. I picked mine up for under £600.

 

I had one too, but only because GAK did a blowout of them very cheap as they weren't selling, probably because they weren't / arent the most attractive things, regardless how they sound, and they do sound good. I loved the sound but the necks were too big and I never did get to love the way it looked, but noticed by the time I sold mine, and gak ran out the prices had gone up by quite a bit (probably the sort of time you got yours maybe?) Now I look they are in the £700-1100 region and seeing as GAK had to put them out at half of that to shift them new and I doubt they are ever going to be collectable, I doubt there is much of a market in them.

However if you can cope with the looks and the neck, then there is quite a lot to like there.

 

[tauzero]

Hohner B2V - headless cricket bat so very compact and easy to tuck away somewhere in the transport, doesn't need a stand to hold it, and the B2AV can be switched to passive if you can't find a B2V or decide that an active with a passive option is even better.

[ead]

On 16/11/2023 at 12:34, redbandit599 said:

I recently got a Sire Passive P5 5 string and am liking it, especially the neck - prices seem to vary, mine was a good deal as at the time it was the last one in stock at Bax - they seem to drop prices when they get low on stock - after I ordered it the price for the same model on order went up to the market rate.

 

 

By all accounts these are excellent and lightweight.

[JohnH89]

I'm going to second the recommendation of a Sire P5R . Light , simple , great sound and not too expensive . I bought mine as a backup to cover all bases , and it now gets played more than most of the others . A truly versatile bass .

[redbandit599]

7 hours ago, JohnH89 said:

I'm going to second the recommendation of a Sire P5R . Light , simple , great sound and not too expensive . I bought mine as a backup to cover all bases , and it now gets played more than most of the others . A truly versatile bass .

I got mine as a bit of an experiment, I've never had a passive P or anything without two pickups. I stuck flats on it too, again something new. It's a different fit in the mix and my band really like it, I miss a bit of 'snarl ' but nobody else seems to 😉 Great bass and I'm gigging it.

[Pinball]

On 19/11/2023 at 02:18, tauzero said:

Hohner B2V - headless cricket bat so very compact and easy to tuck away somewhere in the transport, doesn't need a stand to hold it, and the B2AV can be switched to passive if you can't find a B2V or decide that an active with a passive option is even better.

Thanks, I like headless basses. Good idea. Never had one before. I would worry that it may not have enough thump

Edited November 23, 2023 by Pinball

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, Pinball said:

Thanks, I like headless basses. Good idea. Never had one before. I would worry that it may not have enough thump

 

I've had a B2, a B2V, and now have a B2AV. The active circuit in the B2AV had some fault (can't remember what now, it's a long time ago) and I swapped it out, but the original has an active/passive switch which would answer your issue with batteries while giving the extra flexibility of an active bass.

[Paddy777]

Sire P5 or V5 second hand 4 or 5 string shouldn’t cost you more than £300, both passive and easily as good as a MIM Fender, or if you want to be even cheaper then a Harley Benton of some description is a good call, but I’d definitely stretch to the Sire (even the active V3/P7/V7’s all have an active/passive switch and work in passive mode anyway so any you could get a deal on would probably work and you could just not use the preamp)

[crazycloud]

22 hours ago, Pinball said:

I would worry that it may not have enough thump

Why?

[Pinball]

2 hours ago, crazycloud said:

Why?

Because I have no experience of them and I have had past experiences of guitars not cutting though in the past e.g. Sandberg and Fender Jazz's. I play in a loud and energetic 6 piece rock band. Precisions, Jack Cassidy and EMG powered basses seem to fair better. I used a Yamaha BX1 and that worked fine too.

[Pinball]

I'm going to have a bash at downtuning a 4 I think