4 Grand..What Bass??

[Gunsfreddy2003]

GB Rumour/Spitfire every time! You might have to find a bit more cash if you want all of the toys on it though!

My advice would be to buy British every time though.

Mark

[spiritchaser]

[quote name='chris_b' post='490312' date='May 17 2009, 03:05 AM']There's a guy in Germany selling a 6 string Wal. You should have enough change to get some Bergantino cabs as well![/quote]

Yes, that's me - and the WAL is still here

[TDM]

With that amount of money I see no reason not to go custom.

Based on the "in stock" prices of Shuker, Overwater and the likes I'd say you could almost get one of each!

Edited May 17, 2009 by thedonutman

[yorks5stringer]

RE a Vintage bass

I would happily act as middleman to help you acquire any of the following for a small % of your £4k...

[url="http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html"]http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html[/url]

[molan]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='489898' date='May 16 2009, 04:15 PM']You're not a member of Parliament are you, by any chance.....?[/quote]

Now there's a thought - how about a custom build Bootsy Collins Space Bass

I think Larry Pless is still around (builder of the original Space Bass) and Manny Salvador built the latest Star Bass.

If it comes in less than £4K you can spend the balance on some Bootzilla sun glasses & a set of wicked rhinestone platform boots

[GreeneKing]

If I was spending £4k on a bass it would have to be a custom bass. I also wouldn't pay that much for a Fender that had been put together in a mysterious way

I'd work out what I wanted 1st, thinking about all the bits I'd really appreciated from my previous basses and what they lacked. I'd then find a luthier that didn't mind spending a lot of time going through all the options (after all it IS a lot of money) and discussing it all in detail. I'd then be a bass that's a little different and suits my purpose. Sod the resale value if that's at the expense of getting what really suits you and you anticipate the bass being a keeper.

Personally I find that Alan at ACG is brilliant at communication and working with the customer. The realism and every day congruence of the bloke perhaps detracts somewhat from the 'mythical' aura that surrounds some other bass builders but I reckon his products stand comparison with basses costing 1 1/2 to 2 times the price.

With the change you could always donate it to my benevolent fund?

[12stringbassist]

ALEMBIC.

[lozbass]

[quote name='12stringbassist' post='490480' date='May 17 2009, 12:43 PM']ALEMBIC.[/quote]
+1

I have to agree and don't know how I missed this from my earlier post. These things tend to divide opinion (massively) but with the money your considering spending, it's certainly worth a look at Alembic. You can get a higher end Alembic in mint to excellent condition for between £3-4K if you're willing to wait and look around (an absolutely beautiful example was advertised on BC around 3 or 4 months ago). Of course, Alembic may not be to your taste - I'd have to say of the top five basses I've owned and played (and I know this is all personal and highly subjective), two of them have been Alembics. In my opinion and experience, high-end Alembics play and sound like nothing else (and you either like this difference or you don't).

[Faithless]

A few thoughts and suggestions from me..

As a few have already mentioned this, I don't actually see a point in getting one-more bass, in your case.

It's not about the number of basses that you have (well, anyway, that's [i]quite [/i]a few, though..), it's about the [i]aim[/i], why [i]you [/i]need other bass - as far, as I'm reading this thread, I couldn't find it anywhere, though, even a few people already asked the same..

Are you looking for specific sound (doesn't look so, as you prefer Celinder, or whatever-one, just because of [i]what-people say[/i] (nice to play, blah blah..), right?)

[Which bass for 4k is [i]not [/i]nice to play, in the end, eh? ]


Or do you have impertinent producer, who's asking for that sound? (I get that feeling about it from the huge range of basses you have..)

Are you happy with your current basses? (from what you said, I think, you're not - you said, that only Ostinato matches all your needs - so, why aren't you selling the rest of your axes, if you ain't totally happy with 'em? Jokin'. )


I could give a lot more questions like these, but I'm not about this..

Is a bass for you a [i]must [/i]at the moment? If you're so tempted to spend that money, you could go not exactly for a bass, but for a bass related-thingies, like serious bass-studies course in summer, or whatever-when..

It could improve your knowledge about music, bass, rigs, [b]sound [/b](which, in my opinion, you should slightly improve your knowledge in..) and so on.. A new bass won't give you this, right?

And maybe, after this (studies course), you could find THAT in your current basses, what you think, you've missed in them before..

And, in the end, maybe this wouldn't cost you 4 grand, eh?




Oh, and don't take this post as a very serious one....


But, what's seriously, in my op, I don't think, that you are ready for a new bass.

Eh, it's not about me being jealous or whatever-like, I just hope, that these ironic thoughts would help you to actually choose, [i]what [/i]you want, no matter, how big the cash is.

Cheers,
Faith.

Edited May 17, 2009 by Faithless

[bubinga5]

Like is said, i may not spend 4k on a bass, i know i can get a great bass for way less than that...

[TimmyC]

For jazz basses I'd be looking at vintage Fenders (which also has investment potential), Celinder and NYC Sadowskys.

[Toasted]

[quote name='mcc' post='490308' date='May 17 2009, 01:47 AM']Just how much can a bass improve over £800.[/quote]

Massively, in almost every single way.

[ARGH]

(Steps up to the plate,asbestos suit clad in....)


JIM FLEETING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[url="http://luthiery.co.uk/"]http://luthiery.co.uk/[/url]
Why bother anyone else?......If you have to cross the waters try [url="http://www.aries-basses.com/"]http://www.aries-basses.com/[/url] if you seek the total one off,and never before seen.

Failing that..Get a sh*t hot rig....You can get the Complete Bass art Glockenklang rig for that wedge...
Or get a Jazz,and just mod it.....its your money..dont just hurl it at anyones pocket..think real hard....sleep a month on it.

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='mcc' post='490308' date='May 17 2009, 01:47 AM']Man, I cant even imagine spending 4k on a bass.... imagine hitting it against something in a gig.... you are planing on giggin it, right? Just how much can a bass improve over £800. From your list of gear you are probably fairly aware on what all those basses do and don't do for you, so just try as many instruments as you can without looking at the price tag and get the one that fulfills your requirements.... who knows, maybe it is an old battered squire and you will have about £3800 to spare.[/quote]
That's like the story about Geddy Lee... His favourite bass, in amongst the hundreds he has, is a $200 J-bass that he bought in a pawn shop somewhere in the States.. And apparently, he even tried to knock the dealer down on price for that!

[rjb]

[quote]Like is said, i may not spend 4k on a bass, i know i can get a great bass for way less than that...[/quote]

New Celinders and Sadowskys go for alot less don't they?

[Golchen]

Well, I like my custom shop Fender jazz Reggie Hamilton 5 string a lot. It's passive/active, has a jazz pup and a precision pup so ticks a lot of boxes!

Other than that, Martin Sims Enfield basses are superbly constructed and full of ideas. Martin gave me a tour of the bass when I was down there and they are extremely good. The only thing that puts me off is the shape, which I'm not too keen on personally, oh yes, and they are more than I could afford!

[7string]

The more money you have the more difficult the choices.

There are some great choices to be made and I wish you the best in your search. Remember to come back and tell us all what you bought and what made you buy it.

[mcgraham]

Some great advice given in this thread.

I eventually bought a custom because I realised I was being limited by my previous workhorse, in terms of range, features, feel, sound, versatility, etc. I then made a list of things I felt were lacking, and things I'd like to carry over into a custom. Looks were important, but secondary to function. Fortunately for me the Wood&tronics I found really spoke to me and really had everything I needed, plus took some minor points in a different direction for me.

As money is practically no object to your situation, I'd suggest considering (in this order):
- Features - what do you work well with? what don't you work well with? what do you long for? what do you avoid? why are you being pushed towards a bass other than the one you presently use? this will have some sway in the company you choose, as a more traditional feeling bass may lead you towards Sadowsky, Celinder, Bacchus, Overwater J, Sei J, Shuker J, etc. Or if you want something more contemporary in its feature set it may lead you towards Fodera, Alembic, Wood&tronics, etc.
- Sound - what are you hoping to achieve with this new bass sonically? what is the 'design brief' so to speak? what is the goal? there's nothing wrong with wanting substantially the same sound you presently have but with better playability or the like (as a result of the features). Again, traditional may lead you to the trad. style luthiers/basses, whilst more contemporary may lead you elsewhere.
- Aesthetics - what do you like the look of? that will have a huge bearing on the luthier/bass you choose, as certain luthier's have very distinctive looking styles that are their 'own'.

Either way it's an exciting position to be in, but don't rush things, take it easy, and ask yourself what you really need or want.

Mark

[Rich]

[i]*too envious to reply properly*[/i]

[JPAC]

Haven't got an exact model to suggest but I remember watching an interview with Billy Sheehan, when he went through what he wanted from a bass with a Yamaha custom shop technician, the pros and cons of various necks and materials. I think there was something to do with carbon fibre and de-tuner but I can't find a link now.

It's been interesting reading what people want though. (Might have a nice little RBX170 if you really cant decide).

Good luck.

[maxrossell]

I'll echo a couple of sentiments, here

Your four grand gives you almost unlimited buying power on the commercial market, however you may find that the bass you want costs half that or less.

Not that I've ever spend four grand on any instrument, but I will say this: Over a certain price, virtually anything you do to a bass will become a matter of taste.

Is the £1,500 Gibson Les Paul Classic better than the £500 Epiphone Les Paul Standard? Unequivocally yes, in virtually every respect. But is the £3,500 Les Paul '59 RI Standard better than the £1,500 Gibson Les Paul Classic? Some would say yes, and I suppose they'd be right. But I'd say no, and I'm not wrong, either. And when it comes down to it, personally I'd sooner put the money down on a £600 Les Paul Junior and have a lot of change.

What I'm trying to say is that of course four grand will obviously get you an amazing bass, but there are amazing basses out there for a grand, and then you'd have an amazing bass and three grand left over. And that's three grand that would get you a bunch of other great basses, or one or two really amazing amps, or a pile of effects, or a mind-blowing home studio, or God knows what else.

Worth thinking about.

For my money, if I [i]had[/i] to spend 4k on a bass, I'd be looking at a real 60s Fender Jazz, because I could buy it, own it, and then if needed sell it on a few years down the line for a tidy profit.

[EBS_freak]

Personally, I'd put your money away.

You'll come across the right instrument in time... and then you'll have the wedge to buy it straight off.

At the moment, you are looking to buy something because you have the wedge. Utlimately, you will come across something you wish you could afford, but can't - because you bought something with your money which you thought was good at the time but once the honeymoon period is over, it's not *quite* right.

You'll come across the right instrument in time. That's the time to drop the cash.

Having a custom instrument built for you is probably the wrong thing to do... because it doesn't sound like you know what you want.

[risingson]

Just having a look at your signature... bloody hell mate, that's quite a collection! Why don't you leave it for a while and not let the money burn a hole in your pocket? There is SO much more you can get with £4000 than just a bass. Not to say that you shouldn't get what you want of course, I just think that with the impressive gear you've already got, can there be much that is missing that you REALLY need still?

Just my thoughts of course. If you were determined to get a new axe, then get a Sadowsky NYC or a Celinder

[Linus27]

Blimey, £4K on a bass. I can't imagine spending that on a bass. You aleady own my dream bass which is your Fender American 1975 re-issue. I would not want anything else after that.

[Rayman]

I guess if it was me I'd be looking for vintage Fenders, a good example that plays and sounds nice, but will hold it's value too. However, I suppose I'd be looking at Fodera and Overwater too.