# Favorite bass brand?



## Swedjent (Oct 5, 2011)

For metal I'd say primarily Warwick and secondly Ibanez. For a not very modern sound I'm a sucker for a Hofner with flats(which I own, coincidence?), and for most other things I prefer a Fender. Jazz or precision. 

How about you guys?


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## BucketheadRules (Oct 5, 2011)

I don't really have a brand preference, but style-wise I always prefer Jazzes. They look cool, are comfortable and sound great for pretty much everything.

I don't even own a bass of my own, the one I play is my dad's.


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## RichIKE (Oct 5, 2011)

Warwick. My warwick is awesome to play and i can always get the right sound for any situation out of it. A close second is fender, just because my jazz is so easy to play and light.


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## MassNecrophagia (Oct 5, 2011)

Right now I prefer Shecter because I have a really nice Riot-6. It's set up the way I like it, and is in the process of getting a new set of pick-ups. I would love a Jackson 6-banger, or maybe an Ltd B-1006, but otherwise, I'm content.


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## AxeHappy (Oct 5, 2011)

Ibanez. I like my necks small.


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## RichIKE (Oct 5, 2011)

AxeHappy said:


> Ibanez. I like my necks small.


I normally do too, but ive rarely found an ibanez bass i like. the "btb" series or whatever is quite good though, everything else was garbage to me.


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## AdAstra2025 (Oct 5, 2011)

As lame as this may seem, I've always LOVED Peavey and Yamaha basses.


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## SirMyghin (Oct 5, 2011)

Not a fan of warwicks, don't like the neck profile typically. Fenders are good utility knives. I have gotten great results out of my Carvin. I am in need of a 6 or 7 banger though, string count depends what I decide I will be doing with it primarily. 

EBMM are superb, with points to the stingray/stingray 5 for having oiled necks. As good or better than my carvin, if so only marginally though. They don't have 19mm string spacing however, which is a few lost points. If there was a stingray 6 I would likely hop in a heartbeat.


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## yingmin (Oct 5, 2011)

AdAstra2025 said:


> As lame as this may seem, I've always LOVED Peavey and Yamaha basses.



The USA Cirrus is a fantastic bass. My last bassist had one, and it played and sounded excellent.

Ever since I got to play a neck-through, fretless Warwick Thumb, every other bass just seems like such a turd.


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## broj15 (Oct 5, 2011)

Fender, Ernie Ball, and G & L. Anyone else see a running theme lol?


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## Thep (Oct 5, 2011)

Just as RG's are my go-to guitar, SR's are my bass of choice (and it doesn't have anything to do with being Ibanez....well, I guess it does)

Hate the necks on Warwick. Love Spectors but for the price, few can beat a Prestige SR. Only problem I have with them is that they are so common that its hard to think of them as special.


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## SirMyghin (Oct 5, 2011)

broj15 said:


> Fender, Ernie Ball, and G & L. Anyone else see a running theme lol?



 G&L basses are quite good indeed. Something about the G&L didn't really speak to me, everything was there but, not sure. Their guitars on the other hand I will almost murder for. Might be something I could alleviate with neck options, but their neck was almost too tiny for me on the L-2500


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## MassNecrophagia (Oct 5, 2011)

RichIKE said:


> I normally do too, but ive rarely found an ibanez bass i like. the "btb" series or whatever is quite good though, everything else was garbage to me.



I share your sentiment. 
Their soundgear line has always felt like a guitar-player's bass to me, no matter what line it is.


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## RichIKE (Oct 5, 2011)

MassNecrophagia said:


> I share your sentiment.
> Their soundgear line has always felt like a guitar-player's bass to me, no matter what line it is.



That's how I would describe it too. No wonder all my guitar exclusive friends buy ibanez basses to record with.


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## HaMMerHeD (Oct 6, 2011)

I've never played a Fender that felt good, and I've never seen one that looked good. They sound OK, but are nothing special in the tone department. Other basses do it as well as Fender or better, for less money.

For feel, sound, and looks I like ESP/LTD, Spector, and Warwick. The higher-end Schecters and Ibanez BTBs are nice, but soundgears hurt my left hand to play. Peavey Cirrus are great, but the excellent USA models are way too expensive.

The best bass I ever played was a Roscoe 5 string. I think it was an SKB, but may have been a Century.


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## Dead Undead (Oct 6, 2011)

Charvel. EBMM.

*Rickenbacker.*


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## cGoEcYk (Oct 6, 2011)

AdAstra2025 said:


> As lame as this may seem, I've always LOVED Peavey and Yamaha basses.


I think the Peavey Cirrus (what I use) and Millennium Plus are amazing values and top of the line basses. I've used mine for B-tuned prog metal mainly but got great tones doing hip hop stuff recently. The Cirrus is more for the hi-fi punch loving people.

I like the way Warwicks sound but feel like I'm handling an oar with 'em. I like flat necks.


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## RichIKE (Oct 6, 2011)

The neck on my Warwick doesn't seen that huge. Especially when compared to my Spector 6er


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## DLG (Oct 6, 2011)

fender


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## Milotts (Oct 6, 2011)

all i have to say is dingwall combustion. WOW


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## Necris (Oct 6, 2011)

Modulus and Dingwall. My modulus bass is the best bass I've ever played.


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## ericsleepless (Oct 6, 2011)

Schecter Stiletto Studio-4 all day.
But if you want something hand made and beautiful, go with a Warwick.


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## simulclass83 (Oct 6, 2011)

Bongo 6


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## yingmin (Oct 7, 2011)

Very yes.

edit: although it's worth pointing out that the bottom one is a string short.


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## simulclass83 (Oct 8, 2011)

yingmin said:


> Very yes.
> 
> edit: although it's worth pointing out that the bottom one is a string short.



True, but there weren't any good pics of the stealth black one yum.


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## yingmin (Oct 8, 2011)

You can have your stealth. Of the finishes they currently offer for it, I'd take tangerine pearl in a heartbeat.


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## Alimination (Oct 8, 2011)

Can't say I've tried a whole lotta bass's but I really love my Schecter Stiletto custom 6 string


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## iron blast (Oct 8, 2011)

Warwick FTW!


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## SirMyghin (Oct 8, 2011)

simulclass83 said:


> True, but there weren't any good pics of the stealth black one yum.



If bongos had an oiled neck I would probably agree with you.


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## orakle (Oct 8, 2011)

I'd say Ibanez

but its cause I tried a GVB1006 Prestige haha


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 8, 2011)

SirMyghin said:


> Not a fan of warwicks, don't like the neck profile typically. Fenders are good utility knives. I have gotten great results out of my Carvin. I am in need of a 6 or 7 banger though, string count depends what I decide I will be doing with it primarily.
> 
> EBMM are superb, with points to the stingray/stingray 5 for having oiled necks. As good or better than my carvin, if so only marginally though. They don't have 19mm string spacing however, which is a few lost points. If there was a stingray 6 I would likely hop in a heartbeat.


 


I will say though, my StingRay 5s DESTROYED my Carvin basses as far as build goes. In fact I'd go as far as saying that EBMM basses are just as good, build wise, as some of the most highly regarded custom stuff I've been able to play by Alembic, Fodera, MTD, and Roscoe.


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## simulclass83 (Oct 8, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I will say though, my StingRay 5s DESTROYED my Carvin basses as far as build goes. In fact I'd go as far as saying that EBMM basses are just as good, build wise, as some of the most highly regarded custom stuff I've been able to play by Alembic, Fodera, MTD, and Roscoe.



This man speaks wise words. Honestly, if I was primarily a bassist, I wouldn't even go custom, I would just get an EBMM.


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## guitarister7321 (Oct 8, 2011)

Although I've never owned a bass from either company, the best playing basses I've played are Ibanez and Fender. The Geddy Lee Jazz Bass is fucking amazing.


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## SirMyghin (Oct 8, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I will say though, my StingRay 5s DESTROYED my Carvin basses as far as build goes. In fact I'd go as far as saying that EBMM basses are just as good, build wise, as some of the most highly regarded custom stuff I've been able to play by Alembic, Fodera, MTD, and Roscoe.



It is entirely possible I got the luck of the draw on construction, I have had good, mediocre, and great carvins pass through my hands. There is a reason I don't deal with them anymore (aside from the constantly fucking up my orders too )

I need a new nut though, G is getting low after 4 years. They need to not cut the damned fret slots too deep then merely filling the excess too. They are bad for that.


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## iron blast (Oct 9, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I will say though, my StingRay 5s DESTROYED my Carvin basses as far as build goes. In fact I'd go as far as saying that EBMM basses are just as good, build wise, as some of the most highly regarded custom stuff I've been able to play by Alembic, Fodera, MTD, and Roscoe.



Max are you smoking some good stuff because every Bongo, Stingray, and Sterling I have played was less than up to par. Granted I haven't got one directly from Ernie Ball's shop either. to be honest my Olp stingray had better qc then any of my buddies EBMM Stingrays. This is just from my experience. I was just wondering if I'm missing something?


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## MikeH (Oct 9, 2011)

Ibanez SR Prestige series are perfect for me, as I like narrow necks on basses. I'm also a fan of nice P-basses as well.


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 9, 2011)

iron blast said:


> Max are you smoking some good stuff because every Bongo, Stingray, and Sterling I have played was less than up to par. Granted I haven't got one directly from Ernie Ball's shop either. to be honest my Olp stingray had better qc then any of my buddies EBMM Stingrays. This is just from my experience. I was just wondering if I'm missing something?



That's really odd. Did he get them new or used? Were they sitting on the sales floor for some time?

I'd say that EBMM has been making the most consistently good basses in that price range since I can remember. 

I've owned four EBMM bass, two Stingrays and two Stingray5s and they all were amazing. One was purchased from Bass Central in FL, one was from the Guitar Center om Hallendale, FL, and two were from MAE in Fort Lauderdale, FL, so it can't really be the shops. 

I have seen and held some less than amazing ones, they can't all be zingers, but for the most part they've really impressed me the most, especially since you can get a used one for fairly cheap. Even new single pickups models are pretty cheap considering the quality of build and materials. 

As for those old OLPs, the predecessors to the Sterling brand, talk about hit or miss. The shop I was doing some overflow work-for for awhile got a few with frozen truss rods, and falling out frets.


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## TemjinStrife (Oct 9, 2011)

Hmm... I think I'd have to split this in terms of price range.

Sub-$400
-Squier. If you play a bunch of them, you can get some absolutely FANTASTIC Vintage Modifieds or Classic Vibes. The VM '77 Jazzes, '70s Jazzes, '70s Jazz Vs, or CV '50s Ps are great instruments.

Sub-$1000:
-Schecter. Consistently great-sounding basses, great necks, solid hardware, good electronics. The Stiletto Studio series are fantastic, and I own an old C-4 Elite that still gets regular playtime alongside my more expensive basses.

$1k-3k
-Rickenbacker. If you get a good one, they're awesome. Incredible rock basses and far more versatile than that if you can stop hammering them with a pick long enough to find out.
-Dingwall. Great necks, light weight, solid construction, incredible hardware, great playability, excellent low Bs. Great sound too, very versatile.

$3k+
-Rob Allen. The Mouse is insanely easy to play and sounds enormous.


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## HaMMerHeD (Oct 10, 2011)

^^ There are some truly filthy things I would do for a Rob Allen.


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## iron blast (Oct 10, 2011)

MaxOfMetal said:


> That's really odd. Did he get them new or used? Were they sitting on the sales floor for some time?
> 
> I'd say that EBMM has been making the most consistently good basses in that price range since I can remember.
> 
> ...



Ah I wasn't thinking about it at the time The ones I played and my freinds have owned where all 90's models some they bought new both 5 and 4s and some used same and the newer ones I have played have all been at chain stores like Guitar Center/ Sam Ash ect. that may be the big difference There qc at that time may have been quite bad back then. As for the Olp's thats sadening all the ones I got to play where jems just goes to show you cant truely judge based of your own experiences alone lol. Im Glad you have had good buys max cause they do soynd te sex. I may have to give these another chance when I get back from my deployment. I might be pleasantly surprised.  cheers for the replies Max


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## Drumzilla (Oct 12, 2011)

Fender and Schecter. I've never played a Warwick though.


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