what bass/amp to buy?-HELP!!-

Patricide · 26-05-2005 3:32pm #1

Yea so im gonna be working the whole sumemr and if i dont spend any of it i can get myself a pretty decent new bass and amp,
as i play metal i was thinkin of something with a humbucker for the actual bass something along the lines of a warwick vampire or such but i dont mind really as long as i get me a sweet tone.

The bass amp is where the problem lyes really i need something powerfull enough to compete with the 120 watt hughes and ketner vortex and a heavy hitting drummer.

Anyone got any suggestions for a sweet bass and amp that together will cost around 2000 euro?everyones help will be greatly apreciated

Doctor J · 26-05-2005 3:43pm

Forget the Warwick for a start.

You'll need at least 300W from the amp, something along the lines of the Ashdown MAG 300 4x10" combo might not take up too much of your budget. Other brands worth investigating would be Peavey, GK, Fender and Hartke. If you haven't spent at least a grand on the amplification then you're doing something wrong, if you can afford to then spend a lot more.

As for the bass, don't write off single coils, some of the nicest bass tones I've ever heard have come from single coil pickups. Check out Ibanez Soundgear and BTB basses, G&L L2000, definitely Fender Jazz... tbh unless you're into a particular shape I can't think of many basses that won't do the metal thing well. Just try out loads of basses and find the one which suits your playing style best. Perhaps a Spector?

Zapp Brannigan · 26-05-2005 3:43pm

i like Washburn basses, maybe a Hammrhead. Ive heard some great tones form them.
Myself i play a Musicman SUB and i play mainly metal but it can fit in any style. plus it has the MM humbucker.
As for an amp, thats tricky enough. Id say look on Thomann.de for some cheap combo amps.

Karl Hungus · 26-05-2005 5:06pm

Doctor J wrote:

You'll need at least 300W from the amp, something along the lines of the Ashdown MAG 300 4x10" combo might not take up too much of your budget.[/URL]

Don't ignore this man's advice! Ashdown = Sex.

Although I play through a Trace Elliot myself when it comes to Bassism, so a decent 300w Elliot would certainly do the trick.

Zapp Brannigan · 26-05-2005 5:29pm

Karl Hungus wrote:

Although I play through a Trace Elliot myself when it comes to Bassism, so a decent 300w Elliot would certainly do the trick.

thats if ya can find one, i have an Ashdown ABM combo and i loves it

John · 26-05-2005 6:35pm

Ashdown all the way. Better than Trace Elliot in my opinion.

My advice, go into town and do a tour of the music shops trying out as many different basses as possible. Don't just decide you need humbuckers and that's it, try out as many different setups as possible.

Patricide · 27-05-2005 12:30am

yea i was thinking bout getting a gk but then i heard that they brake easily and the customer service was crap,Whats wrong with the warwick by the way?its not that i dont like single coils either its just that i want a big evil bass tone and i dont find single coils big enough although i aint saying they dont sound nice, i recently saw me a behringer ultrabass head and cab for like 550 euro on musicstore any opinions on that?

Doctor J · 27-05-2005 7:30am

You get what you pay for. If I was buying a Warwick, I'd expect to pay at least 2 grand, which kind of makes ****e of your budget.

What sort of tone are you going for? Any examples?

John · 27-05-2005 3:08pm

You can pick up Warwick Streamers (not Warwich Rock Bass Streamers mind you) for a lot cheaper than €2000. They are good basses. But I'm biased because it's what I have.

Doctor J · 27-05-2005 3:10pm

True, but that statement was from my perspective. If I was going to buy a Warwick, I'd not bother unless I was drawing from the cream of their crop.

John · 27-05-2005 3:14pm

And your missus would draw blood

Doctor J · 27-05-2005 3:17pm

Oh yes. The earth would drink much blood that day.

Meh, tis a personal thing. To me, there are more exciting instruments around the same price as the Warwick mid-range. Warwicks only start making my lads jangle when you get into the pricey stuff

John · 27-05-2005 3:27pm

You're making me feel very self conscious about my bass. I'm logging off now to cry a bit. Monster.

It wasn't me! · 27-05-2005 4:28pm

I have a Streamer LX, the bolt-on version, and it is absolutely the dogs bollocks. It has fantastic tone, especially for a bolt-on.

Karl Hungus · 27-05-2005 5:07pm

Doctor J wrote:

True, but that statement was from my perspective. If I was going to buy a Warwick, I'd not bother unless I was drawing from the cream of their crop.

Like this?

Patricide · 27-05-2005 6:12pm

well im really looking for a bass i can get evil tones from while the sound is still clear, i also like to play pop and slap so i need a bass that can do that too, think mudvayne or a mix between in flames and chilli peppers bass sound and you get what im after.

On the whole amp situation i was lookng at the Yamaha BBT 500h head and the Yamaha BBT410S cab,between em it should set me back like 1000 for the ampage so that leaves like 1000 left for the bass.Anyone have any experiance with this amp by the way.I was told it was nice, especially for a digital amp.

Zapp Brannigan · 27-05-2005 6:14pm

Telling ya try a Warwick Hammerhead bass, very nice tone.

Karl Hungus · 27-05-2005 6:15pm

Are you looking for 4-string or 5/6 string?

Maybe this would do the trick?

Doctor J · 28-05-2005 12:59pm

Ernie Ball Stingray bass. Definitely.

Zapp Brannigan · 28-05-2005 1:27pm

stingray and a good amp for under 2000? doubtful.

Maybe a SUB (like i have) and a good amp?

Doctor J · 28-05-2005 1:33pm

Ahhhhh the glass is always half full my friend

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4713&item=7325656066&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4713&item=7325786186&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4713&item=7326291292&rd=1&ssPageName=WD2V

Why buy a Sub when you can have the real thing

Karl Hungus · 28-05-2005 1:41pm

Yeah, that's seriously doubtful. Here's a stingray at €2180! There was a 5 String that was well over €2500 there too, definetly well out of budget methinks. Had a little look around at a few basses, and was suprised at this, the John Myung signiature bass, which isn't really that expensive, comparitavely speaking. Although that is a 6 string, so it might be overkill for some people. Wouldn't mind one myself though.

Zapp Brannigan · 28-05-2005 1:59pm

its been getting bad reviews that myung bass has.

slowhands · 28-05-2005 4:24pm

An epiphone Thunderbird wouldnt be a bad bass to go for,they growl just like the Gibson ones.Bit harder to play tho as they have very heavy necks.music Man Sub basses are also excellent,sound very close to the real thing too!
As for amps,go for an ashdown greta value for money,and theyre designed by the same people as Trace Elliot

Doctor J · 28-05-2005 11:00pm

Yup, Stingrays are nice and expensive and the third one there is Buy It Now at $799.

John · 28-05-2005 11:36pm

slowhands wrote:

An epiphone Thunderbird wouldnt be a bad bass to go for,they growl just like the Gibson ones.Bit harder to play tho as they have very heavy necks.

I know someone who plays very professionally with an Epi Thunderbird. He used to use a Fender Jazz but went for the Epi Thunderbird over it. Sounds very sweet

what bass/amp to buy?-HELP!!-

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