Travel Bass - Van and Boat!

[roblpm]

Hi,

 

I have read a lot of threads on travel basses but I have a slight twist! I am a very average bassist but soon will be spending part of the year first in a campervan and then a boat! Airplanes are not a problem.
 

My main bass is a great Frankenstein put together by Beedster of this parish. It’s a fender mashup and is in a decent massive square fender case! Definitely too big for easy storage in a limited storage setup!

 

Anyway have looked at the stick options but I will be sitting down to practice obviously and as long as it all fits in a small gig bag it should be fine! I think headless is the way forward.
 

So there is hohner jack cheap on ebay, new cort space 4 for maybe £600, all the stick options new Steinberger, second hand Hohner thing, Yamaha something. Or more expensive?!! Which is crazy. Ibanez and the ultimate which is Boden 4!! Looks great and is perfect weight and ergonomics!! Actually there is Marcus Miller M6.

 

Having said all that I just think stick ones not so good for sitting down and not wearing a strap?

 

Need small and light though! I’m abroad at the moment so haven’t tried any! Need to go to a shop in uk and try modern Steinberger and Cort?

 

I hate sensible options!!

[Mottlefeeder]

If you haven't already found out, most cricket bat style headless bases have a hinged metal flap that mimics the lower horn when you use them seated. 

 

David

[roblpm]

12 minutes ago, Mottlefeeder said:

If you haven't already found out, most cricket bat style headless bases have a hinged metal flap that mimics the lower horn when you use them seated. 

 

David

Aha I did see that! Thanks. Any experiences of whether that is a satisfactory experience? Or is a small body a better solution?!

 

I think I can probably test the modern Steinberger and Cort Space 4 quite easily in London to compare.

Edited 20 hours ago by roblpm

[Mottlefeeder]

2 minutes ago, roblpm said:

Aha I did see that! Thanks. Any experiences of whether that is a satisfactory experience? Or is a small body a better solution?!

It is a workable solution, and the bass can be used in normal situations. Things like the Yamaha silent bass, or the traveller bass 

https://www.bandtmusic.co.uk/guitars/bass-guitars/travel-basses/traveler-guitar-ultra-light-bass-maple.html

are sufficiently odd looking that they might detract from your performance.

 

David

[lemmywinks]

There the full bodied Hohner The Jack if you don't want a cricket bat bass, cheap one here if you're able to collect:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/744174308542887/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A5cb0d2fb-bb0e-4e47-bece-69066429a03c

 

 

Also grab one of these if you are going the licensed Steinberger route, assume they'll fit but check first:

 

Edited 20 hours ago by lemmywinks

[Reggaebass]

The mini precision and jazz doesn’t take up much space 

[Mottlefeeder]

4 minutes ago, lemmywinks said:

...Also grab one of these if you are going the licensed Steinberger route, assume they'll fit but check first:

 

I think these are intended to be fitted to the end of the neck, replacing the existing metalwork, so you would need to check neck profile, string spacing and trussrod access. A string clamp that works with the existing metalwork might be an easier option.

David

[Mottlefeeder]

When are you back in the UK, and where will you be based? I'd be happy for you to check out my Hohner if you are anywhere near Warrington / Manchester.

David

[itu]

There's an Ibanez Axstar and a Yahaya Motion here for sale that would fit your specs. Iba even has a 34" scale. Check them first. 

 

I have a partsbass with a Status neck. Because the neck is so stable, I detach it and pack it with the body to hand luggage. No one has asked about the neck coming out from the bag. 

[roblpm]

4 minutes ago, Mottlefeeder said:

When are you back in the UK, and where will you be based? I'd be happy for you to check out my Hohner if you are anywhere near Warrington / Manchester.

David

Aha still a month! But I will be coming through Manchester. Kind offer! You could demonstrate as my bass knowledge far outweighs my proficiency! Is it a B2A? 

[itu]

 

[roblpm]

1 minute ago, itu said:

There's an Ibanez Axstar and a Yahaya Motion here for sale that would fit your specs. Iba even has a 34" scale. Check them first. 

 

I have a partsbass with a Status neck. Because the neck is so stable, I detach it and pack it with the body to hand luggage. No one has asked about the neck coming out from the bag. 

Here? Basschat? I am losing my grip. I thought I had been through the adverts!! Off to look now!

[Burns-bass]

16 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

The mini precision and jazz doesn’t take up much space 

I agree. Big risk of travelling with a bass is theft.

 

I travel with a Bronco bass. Once set up it’s a capable little thing and the whole outfit cost me less than £200, including headphone amp and good headphones.

[manol]

Traveler Guitar TB-4P Bass SBT – Thomann UK

https://www.thomann.co.uk/traveler_guitar_tb_4p_bass_sbt.htm

 

I travel a lot for work, and I've had one of these for years. They're built extremely tough and it's small enough that you can put it in overhead luggage on any commercial flight and no one blinks an eye. 

I love mine.

[Reggaebass]

Very cool little thing, and they do come up for sale now and again on reverb 

[itu]

11 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Very cool little thing, and they do come up for sale now and again on reverb 

...with a maxi headstock! I just like longer scale. 

[pete.young]

Tanglewood Elf, these come up second-hand in the classifieds occasionally. Or maybe a Uke bass?

[JoeEvans]

The Axstar is a great bass, really well built and fantastic sound - lots of 80s slap character or plectrum attack with round wounds on, or huge fat dub sound with massive sustain with flats. I had one for a while but sold it to buy an ACG medium scale headless (Border Reiver) which is kind of the ultimate for small basses in my mind but costs a fair bit more...

[warwickhunt]

You can take the tubular wings out of these Aria basses and they pack down pretty small but you are always going to be limited to the 34" scale length of a bass.  An alternative is a Kala U bass but they are an acquired taste.

 

 

[naxos10]

As pete.young says look at a uke bass either acoustic or solid body.