Choose a 5 string bass for £500 (ish)

[Cornwall Steve]

Christmas out of the way, bank account seriously depleted, winter energy bills just arrived, tax man to settle up with by the 31st, but hey we all need to treat ourselves from time to time and sod the GAS issue. Winter's dreary and something to cheer us up wouldn't go amiss.

However, the piggy bank isn't what you'd call overflowing - you can just about rustle up 500 quid or so.

The brief is 5 string, a minimum 18mm spacing, new or used.

What would you go for ?

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Mmmm…Headed or Headless ? ‘All right now ‘ or ‘Reign in  blood ?’ Slap , pick , fingers or all ?🤔🙂

[Jakester]

Ahem. 

*Coughs in Yamaha*

 

 

[SumOne]

I have found that 4 string basses can sound decent at almost any price point, 5 string less so. I guess it needs good stability, pickups etc for a decent B string and that tends to cost.

 

The Cort Space 5 is decent if you are okay with a headless bass.  I assume their things like the GB range are good too. 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Dare]

10 minutes ago, SumOne said:

I have found that 4 string basses can sound decent at almost any price point, 5 string less so. I guess it needs good stability, pickups etc for a decent B string and that tends to cost.

 

This. I reckon a 5 needs a longer scale length for the B to work well, too. The best sounding 5 for not too much money I've come across was a Lakland Skyline. Lakland 5s have a 35" scale, which does seem to make a difference. They can be had used for less than a grand. I'd save up a bit more, rather than going for something at the moment when you don't have a lot of spare cash.

Edited 6 hours ago by Dan Dare

[Gizmo]

13 hours ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Christmas out of the way, bank account seriously depleted, winter energy bills just arrived, tax man to settle up with by the 31st, but hey we all need to treat ourselves from time to time and sod the GAS issue. Winter's dreary and something to cheer us up wouldn't go amiss.

However, the piggy bank isn't what you'd call overflowing - you can just about rustle up 500 quid or so.

The brief is 5 string, a minimum 18mm spacing, new or used.

What would you go for ?

 

I had much the same question earlier this month... n my case after a lot of YT review watching i grabbed a Sire Z7 5 string at just under £400 (b-stock) from Thomann....Lovely neck, a very versatile and great sounding Pup/Preamp set up, Quality hardware and finish that felt way above it's price tag...setup was dog doo but might have been due to changes made by the first buyer...

 

all that said it's boxed up waiting to be collected by DHL for return because it's boat anchor heavy, not that i was expecting a Light bass due to the alder body, but the shortness of the lower horn makes it impossible to play while sitting because it either slips off you leg or neck dives.

 

Id say Jakester's Yamaha above is a total bargain, id have taken it myself but 17mm is my max tolerance for spacing these days I've found.

 

GL

[Cornwall Steve]

3 hours ago, Jakester said:

Ahem. 

*Coughs in Yamaha*

 

 

I like Yammies. I own five (2 RBX, 3 older BB). All five string. I've deliberated long and hard on a Broad Bass. I even journeyed the 600 mile round trip to Yamaha in London a couple of years ago to try out a 435 (which they said was in stock but when I got there it wasn't). I came away with a TRBX605 which I wanted to get on with but couldn't so moved it on six months later. The 735 puzzles me. On line reviews (Lobster, Johnny Dibble) praise the build quality but otherwise don't appear to give it too much credit. The 435 seems to attract more accolade. Doesn't seem to be much in the secondhand price between a Broadbass 435 and a 735, much the same story with the TRBX 505 and the 605. Still pondering 🤔

[Cornwall Steve]

2 hours ago, Gizmo said:

 

I had much the same question earlier this month... n my case after a lot of YT review watching i grabbed a Sire Z7 5 string at just under £400 (b-stock) from Thomann....Lovely neck, a very versatile and great sounding Pup/Preamp set up, Quality hardware and finish that felt way above it's price tag...setup was dog doo but might have been due to changes made by the first buyer...

 

all that said it's boxed up waiting to be collected by DHL for return because it's boat anchor heavy, not that i was expecting a Light bass due to the alder body, but the shortness of the lower horn makes it impossible to play while sitting because it either slips off you leg or neck dives.

 

Id say Jakester's Yamaha above is a total bargain, id have taken it myself but 17mm is my max tolerance for spacing these days I've found.

 

GL

Many thanks for your comments, especially your observations on the Z7. I was about to pull the trigger on a secondhand 5 advertised near where I live when someone else pointed out they were exceptionally heavy. That in itself isn't too much for a deal breaker for me because I always play sitting down but I've gotten myself mighty frustrated over the years with short horned basses sliding of my knee!

Perhaps an Ibanez BTB might do it for me - it's just locating one in budget that hasn't been hammered or isn't one of the earlier ones.

Thanks also for the heads up on Jakesters Yammy. I replied to him separately on that 👍

[PaulThePlug]

I'd say Second hand Ibby SR305 and save some cash... but 16.5mm - Son has an SR306.

Edited 3 hours ago by PaulThePlug

[Cornwall Steve]

2 hours ago, SumOne said:

I have found that 4 string basses can sound decent at almost any price point, 5 string less so. I guess it needs good stability, pickups etc for a decent B string and that tends to cost.

 

The Cort Space 5 is decent if you are okay with a headless bass.  I assume their things like the GB range are good too. 

 

 

 

 

Actually I really, really like headless basses. I'd shortlisted the Cort Space against the new Sire M6. I even posted a thread on BC appealing for comments for anyone who'd played both but no joy.

[Cornwall Steve]

2 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

I'd say Second hand Ibby SR305 and save some cash... but 16.5mm - Son has an SR306.

I used to have a SR300 a couple of years ago but moved it on and replaced it with a Spector Legend. I felt the 300 was pretty to look at but a bit mediocre sounding and feel. Perhaps a 505/705 maybe?

I do still have an Ibby EDC 4 string ergodyne which is a beast 😱

Thank you for the suggestion though. 

[SumOne]

5 minutes ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Actually I really, really like headless basses. I'd shortlisted the Cort Space against the new Sire M6. I even posted a thread on BC appealing for comments for anyone who'd played both but no joy.

 

I don't know about the M6, but I owned a Space 5 and really liked it: Lightweight, well balanced, good neck, decent enough preamp and pickups, looks good. If I was to be picky (which I am!) I'd say the non-rounded edges to the body aren't the most erganomic, and I'd say some Basses you hear and think 'that sounds like a P Bass/J Bass/Stingray/ Ric etc', as they have  a specific character to the sound or way you'd tend to play them, the  Space 5 is 'that sounds like a modern Bass'. 

[Grooverjr]

Re the slipping when sitting down issue, I found drum stool and playing with legs in full manspreading position with a strap set just right means you can have the bass sitting between the legs with the curve sitting mostly on the left leg (right handed player) but also some weight on the shoulder. That way I can even play my 70s Kramer which I think weighs over 5kg without slippage or dive issues. 

[Geek99]

Sire v7/5

Tight string spacing 👍

[Gizmo]

41 minutes ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Actually I really, really like headless basses. I'd shortlisted the Cort Space against the new Sire M6. I even posted a thread on BC appealing for comments for anyone who'd played both but no joy.

 

@BaggyMan Has a space 5 up here @BC  at what seems like a great price, I tried one at fairdeal in bham last year, it seemed like it was a solidly built  "modern" vibe bass with good smooth tunning headless hardware, might have been because it was hanging in an AC'ed show room but the neck was bone dry and im not a fan of the openpore satin finish type...had a few basses with it before and I found if you look at them they get marks/dents.....i pref a nice 80's lolipop highgloss  

 

 

[Cornwall Steve]

Thank you very much for your reply. Your comments are very interesting.  especially as you've been lucky enough to try a Space. There are a lot of 'em for sale - new and used and the secondhand prices are slowly coming down. This is a little worrying. Has the market become flooded with them or is there another reason there are so many for sale less than a year old. Personally, I think Cort haven't done themselves many favours by producing the bass in just two colours. And me? I'm also a sucker for a gloss finish or a natural wood - especially spalted - I prefer a maple fretboard too.

[Cornwall Steve]

3 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 

This. I reckon a 5 needs a longer scale length for the B to work well, too. The best sounding 5 for not too much money I've come across was a Lakland Skyline. Lakland 5s have a 35" scale, which does seem to make a difference. They can be had used for less than a grand. I'd save up a bit more, rather than going for something at the moment when you don't have a lot of spare cash.

A five string Skyline 55-01 or 55-02 were always top of my list and more recently a G+L Tribute 2500 but that desire belongs to another earlier Post I put here on BC.

For now it's finding a cheaper 5 to keep me going.

[Cornwall Steve]

1 hour ago, Grooverjr said:

Re the slipping when sitting down issue, I found drum stool and playing with legs in full manspreading position with a strap set just right means you can have the bass sitting between the legs with the curve sitting mostly on the left leg (right handed player) but also some weight on the shoulder. That way I can even play my 70s Kramer which I think weighs over 5kg without slippage or dive issues. 

Yep, I've tried that position but just couldn't get on with it personally. Still, for anyone else they should give it a go. Might work for them 🤔

[Terry M.]

4 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 

This. I reckon a 5 needs a longer scale length for the B to work well, too. The best sounding 5 for not too much money I've come across was a Lakland Skyline. Lakland 5s have a 35" scale, which does seem to make a difference. They can be had used for less than a grand. I'd save up a bit more, rather than going for something at the moment when you don't have a lot of spare cash.

Based on German Warwicks (I have two) and EBMM SR5's (I've had a few) I really wouldn't pay too much attention to the scale length. I tried a Lakland Skyline 55-02 in Guitar Guitar recently and the B string on that example sounded awful to my ear. There are good and bad B strings in every scale length. I personally believe it's for mainly for marketing purposes.

[tauzero]

26 minutes ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Thank you very much for your reply. Your comments are very interesting.  especially as you've been lucky enough to try a Space. There are a lot of 'em for sale - new and used and the secondhand prices are slowly coming down. This is a little worrying. Has the market become flooded with them or is there another reason there are so many for sale less than a year old. Personally, I think Cort haven't done themselves many favours by producing the bass in just two colours. And me? I'm also a sucker for a gloss finish or a natural wood - especially spalted - I prefer a maple fretboard too.

 

They went flying off the shelves when they first came out and not everyone will get on with 5 strings and/or headlesses. Or they may find the neck profile not entirely to their liking, or the sound.

[tauzero]

4 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

This. I reckon a 5 needs a longer scale length for the B to work well, too. The best sounding 5 for not too much money I've come across was a Lakland Skyline. Lakland 5s have a 35" scale, which does seem to make a difference. They can be had used for less than a grand. I'd save up a bit more, rather than going for something at the moment when you don't have a lot of spare cash.

 

All of my 5s are 34" scale length and they seem fine.

[crazycloud]

4 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

I reckon a 5 needs a longer scale length for the B to work well, too.

I don't. I have a 33" that sounds great. It's more about construction and the string.

 

All of my 34" are fine too.

 

I'd look for a second hand Ibanez SR or BTB. There are a ton of them out there in various finishes and even some PU configs beyond Barts and Nordy soapbars like my SR655 if you want a PJ.

Edited 1 hour ago by crazycloud

[TheLowDown]

Sire M5 is decent. very lightweight, lots of tonal options, active/passive, 35 inch scale(I don't think it matters but some people do), and 2 attractive finishes.