5 String with the most Sizzle on the top end

[AJC08]

Hey all,

 

My sincere apologies for the stupid title, it's difficult to describe hahaha!!

 

I'm curious to know what is the brightest bass you've owned/played with the most sizzle on the top end? While still retaining good low end. Ideally a 5 string but not essential. I'm basically in the market for a new 5er with about £1k-1.5 budget.

 

Thanks as always!!

 

Aj

[Woodinblack]

For me, any active 5 string bass with the treble turned up and new strings. The bongo is pretty good, but they all are really until the strings go dull

[Pinball]

I was going to say Stingray lol

The Anaconda basses have great pups, not sure if that qualifies as sissle though. 

[dub_junkie]

G&L L1505? If it's the same as the 4 string L1500 then it will be like drawing squeaking chalk down a blackboard. They've got more bite than Luis Suarez

[Killerfridge]

I think my most "sizzly" bass is my Warwick Thumb with EMGs and John East UniPre

[Bass Direct]

MTD, Spector

[Chris2112]

Spector with EMG's and a Tonepump or EMG preamp. Musicman anything also a good call. Status Graphite Series II, Stealth and Modulus basses with EMG pickups can also be very bright when the strings are fresh. 

[BigRedX]

All my basses have plenty of sizzle if I turn up the treble somewhere in my signal chain.

[Mrbigstuff]

I would have said Fodera but might be a struggle budget wise 😅 i always associated Ibanez basses to have lots of top end but then I was never keen on the low end of their sound. 

[gjones]

The G&L L2000 or L2500 has a little 'sizzle' switch, which gives extra, high frequency, top end if you need it.

 

Bats love them.

Edited Tuesday at 14:11 by gjones

[Woodinblack]

49 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

i always associated Ibanez basses to have lots of top end but then I was never keen on the low end of their sound. 

 

One of the nordstrand Ibanezes has a lot of top end with the treble turned up

 

 

[Terry M.]

6 hours ago, AJC08 said:

I'm curious to know what is the brightest bass you've owned/played with the most sizzle on the top end? While still retaining good low end. 

While still retaining good low end? If you can find a Sadowsky in your budget give it a spin. I have a Sad preamp in my 5 string Fender Jazz and the sizzle and low end live happily side by side to my ears.

[Schnozzalee]

Carvin SB, Kiesel JB, Peavey Cirrus, Lightwave VL in that price range. I had a Kubicki Key Factor but they're silly money now. 

 

All lively preamps with a strong B, but the Cirrus doesn't have a passive option (would need a mod) and even the 4 strings tend to be 35" scale.

[Supernaut]

I usually play my Jazz nowadays but for that top end sizzle? Just add a skillet. 🥩 

[AJC08]

Thanks for all of the suggestions folks! Definitely considering trying some of the suggested if I can find any. I have to say I played a spector euro 5lx years ago and absolutely loved it! May have to wait and see if anyone is parting ways with one!!

[LeftyJ]

21 hours ago, dub_junkie said:

G&L L1505? If it's the same as the 4 string L1500 

 

Still confuses the hell out of me that a 5-string version of the L2000 is called the L2500, but the 5-string version of the L1000 is an L1005 and the L1500 is an L1000 with the pickup moved towards the bridge position 

[Russ]

The brightest basses I've ever played... well, one would be my old GB (now owned by @meesterbassman)- Bernie makes a point of his basses having a very extended top end, he always called it the "high-tech sound". It was also all ash and maple, so it was a very bright, trebly bass to begin with. 

 

Others would be pretty much any Status - the top end you can dial in on those is crazy. And MTD - those custom Bartolinis they use are super-crisp, and they'll definitely shred some tweeters with the treble control dialled right up. Also, pretty much any bass fitted with a John East U-Retro or Uni-Pre- the high end boost you get when you pull up the treble control is very sharp. 

 

On 20/05/2025 at 06:42, Woodinblack said:

The bongo is pretty good, but they all are really until the strings go dull

 

I've owned several Bongos, and still have one. They can go pretty high, but not "pingy" - their character is mostly in the high-mids rather than super-high treble. 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Russ

[HeadlessBassist]

Any Status with clean strings. The 30X preamps were set up with very carefully chosen frequencies so you can play them with full treble and bass without any of the usual hiss or harshness.

 

A Spector with tone pump and EMGs.

 

A Warwick ’Double Buck’ bass. Another astonishingly sizzly bass.

 

A slightly more budget friendly choice: The Cort Artisan Space Bass 4/5. Very clean sound, again with very friendly and clear top end.

 

Also, if you can find one, a HH Fender Dimension Deluxe/Elite. I still miss mine.