So some of you might know Im about to exchange Mustang for mystery bass, and that should happen tomorrow. If that goes well Ill be selling my two remaining basses, not the P.
So I was thinking about getting a fiver, something with soapbars/humbuckers with some darker tone. Since this would be my first fiver, id like to ask for your suggestions what should I be on a lookout for?
Good looks are plus. Also easier neck to play would be good thing.
I love my Stream 1005, which they still make. ESP LTD B205 is a great choice, solid bass, ash body, affordable. I have a B204 and B206, and they’re wokhorses.
Schecter makes some nice 5ers which you can get discounted if you catch it right.
I played a LOT of 5ers on my journey to my perfect one.
Lakland (for me a 55-02).
J pickup in front, humbucker in back you can split to front or back coil or play full on.
The tone on that Lakland pickup is awesome.
The thing that nailed it for me was that, and the amazing sound of the B string (which after all, is why you are buying a 5er, no?
Yamaha TRBX 505 or 605, Sire M series (I have an M7), Cort also has several nice 5 string models. I’d love to get one of their single cut basses, either the A5 plus SC or their A4 Beyond multiscale model; but that’s just me
Yeah as they mentioned ESP makes a bunch of models that are good bets, and the Ibanez SR line are great too, especially the SR Premium which frequently come with Aguilar or Nordstrand pickups.
Yamaha’s alnico humbuckers are fantastic pickups too, my TRBX is one bass I have kept through several others.
I have a Schecter Stiletto Extreme 4 in that finish. It looks really good imo.
I also have a Stiletto Studio 5; similar pickups (EMG HZ vs Schecter Diamond in the Extreme series), etc. It plays wonderfully and I’m using it for the course (unless I finally get my butt to start Module 13 and it kicks my butt lol). It definitely sounds rounder/warmer/darker as a whole than my C-5 GT with EMG active humbuckers.
The Extreme is a mid-range instrument, but mine came with a better setup, intonation, and fret ends than more expensive instruments. The neck (and all the rest of it) on my Stiletto 5 is amazing to me, I love how it feels in my hand. The neck joint on the bolt-on Extreme I’ve found to be very stable and solid, too.