Bass recomendations

[usagi]

I've been thinking about getting a bass for some time. I want something that's 5 stringand not too expensive 600 >. I was looking at the SR505. It sounds like a lot of members here have experience with bass. Any recomendations? Mostly playing metal. It will just be for me to play at home.

 

[distressed_romeo]

Peavey make some great, fairly inexpensive fives. Recommend those. I can't remember the exact model of mine, but I brought it second hand from my brother, and I've never had to do anything to it.

 

[7StringofAblicK]

the SR505 is wonderful...plays and sounds amazing...w/bartolini's too. You won't be dissapointed.

 

[bigsethmeister]

I picked up a used Peavey TL-5 a couple years ago for I think $450 or so. Great bass, neck thru, active bartolini's etc.

 

[Shannon]

Most Ibanez Soundgear 5-strings are a phenomenal for the buck.

If you was a seriously nice bass for even cheaper than that, check out an OLP MM3 (they also have a Tony Levin Signature) or the basses at Rondo Music (Home of the Agile Interceptor). I've played one of their Brice 6-string basses and they were top-notch all the way.

 

[bostjan]

Ibanez. Personally I think Ibanez basses are on par with most expensive stuff. The necks are comfortable, the weight is fairly balanced (all basses I know of are neck-heavy, though), and the electronics are usually very versatile. I play Dean basses myself. They are cheaper than Ibanez and they make a 35" six string fretless, which is right up my alley. Dean's electronics are, on average, less reliable than Ibanez's, but the tone is more or equally versatile.

 

[Jason]

Most Ibanez Soundgear 5-strings are a phenomenal for the buck.

If you was a seriously nice bass for even cheaper than that, check out an OLP MM3 (they also have a Tony Levin Signature) or the basses at Rondo Music (Home of the Agile Interceptor). I've played one of their Brice 6-string basses and they were top-notch all the way.

i cannot say enough about rondos stuff i would def get a 5 or 6 string from them

 

[Leon]

there's a great review on the site somewhere of several basses (i think written by No Soul), where he finally found a great G&L bass.

 

[bostjan]

G & L basses are great, but for $600? ?!

 

[usagi]

I'm an Ibanez fan boy so that's my first choice. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Shannon]

^ Yep the Ibanez stuff is excellent. I fell in love with a SR506BM the other day.

 

[Dylan7620]

my friends have had everything from the SR405, SR485, SR885 and SR506. my new bassist is looking at the new 505. we both agree that they are leaps over the sr4*5 series. plus that finsish just makes me drool. if i played bass, this would be my main player.

 

[bostjan]

SR885 Are those still available?

 

[zimbloth]

I have an ESP F-205 that I put active EMG DC40 5-string pickups in. The stock EMG-HZ pickups were a joke. It has a mahogany body, maple neck. Active EQ, etc.

Once I'm done using it to record for my current project, I could sell it to you. I paid $699 for the thing new I believe, then $100 per pickup. Great bass but I have no need for it really anymore, seeing as I'm not a bassist.

 

[bostjan]

What scale length is it? I always liked the style. Reminds me of batman.

 

[zimbloth]

What scale length is it? I always liked the style. Reminds me of batman.

my F-205 has a 35" scale.

 

[Mind Riot]

there's a great review on the site somewhere of several basses (i think written by No Soul), where he finally found a great G&L bass.

Yeah, that was me.

Here's the thread, it has more detailed info than I care to re-type here.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4754

I played a lot of basses in my search, and I can make some solid, strong recommendations. A G&L Tribute L-2500 will easily stomp almost any other sub $1000 bass out there. It's made extremely well, and uses the same Fullerton made pickups as the really expensive US made G&L's. Do some searches on it and you'll see, it's not just me. Everyone that has one raves about them.

I didn't play one Ibanez bass that I liked, and I played about twenty of them. Which really made me sad, because I think they look really cool. But they all sounded thin and cheap and the necks were too thin. Granted, I didn't get into the more expensive ones, but in the under $1000 category, I feel there are a lot better options out there than Ibanez.

 

[bigsethmeister]

Anyone tried a MIM Jazz fretless (or fretted for that matter)?

I need a fretless at some point and I'd just get a used Am Jazz but they seem to be hard to find in a fretless. At least I never seem to come across any at the stores.