Help choosing a second bass

Thanks for your opinion.

On the one hand I think that might be interesting on the other hand I really want to hold it in my hand before I buy it. It would be okay if I tested the model but otherwise I gotta say after trying out a few I feel the need to have physically touched it before buying.
As already mentioned I will keep in mind to also ask for B-ware/returns in the shop. For that purpose the bigger less personal store might be better. I think they got overall more throughput of instruments and a better working online shop so it would make sense for them to have more returned instruments.

About the weight - the Cort had a solid wood body. I don’t remember the type of wood. It made it heavier than I would have liked and at the same time it felt good and sturdy and looked amazing IMO. So not sure what to think about that.

About the balance - Hum. I never even considered this an issue. Thanks for bringing it up. I should bring my strap next time and test it that way. I played it while sitting down so my judgement about both weight and balance might be off here. I always play standing up with a strap at home.

Yes. I already decided that the number of frets will only be a deciding factor if I can’t decide between two models. I also noticed that the Cort Action I had in my hands was easier to play on the higher frets than my current bass. It was just easier to reach. And usually I play in the <12 fret range but I don’t want to limit myself to that with my choice of bass.

Maybe it has gone unnoticed with all the other stuff I have been talking about but a thing I would like opinions about is the “clacking” of the Cort Action I mentioned. With your experience with different basses: Are those clacking noises while fretting something that mainly depends on the action and strings or might the bass itself also play into that? The Action on it was pretty high compared to the setup I have at home.

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Sounds like action and maybe technique to me. I find myself clanky when I am playing too fast for my current skill.

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I would say the clacking is setup - esp with a heavy right hand - odd that it was high and clacking - truss rod adjustment possibly…or similar to Stingrays - thats “their thing”.

I also agree - play as many as you can - then have a look around once you’ve nailed it down to a couple. I’ve sold more than i care to admit (lol) because of that exact reason - however ive been lucky and not lost much money doing so.

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Well I don’t think my skill changed while I switched out the bass. The result from the amp also sounded good. It was just a very noticable difference compared to even the cheaper models so I started wondering about it.

Oh. Right hand. No - I am not talking about the right hand. Sorry - I should have made that clearer. The sound I hear from the strings and fretboard when putting the fingers of my left hand down to fret. This sound was louder than on the other basses. I thought it might be because of the high action but I am not sure. The sound the string creates when getting pushed down on the fret and touches the fret bar.

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This reminded me of this video - around the 25 sec mark - was this kind of the sound you heard?

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Can’t tell what you mean from the video. There are a lot of sounds but right around the 25 mark she is counting and doing nothing!?
Anyway I made a video to make it more transparent what I am talking about:

It’s not plugged in to an amp, but it doesn’t need to for the sound I am talking about. So at first I try to just produce the clacking by itself and it only half works.
Then for contrast I do hammer-ons or at least I try to and the clacking is still there with every hammer on but it’s not the note. It’s the metal on metal (?) string on fretbar.

Sorry for hiding my fingers behind the mic. I could re-record it but I think isolating the sound here should be enough!?

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That clack is:

partially string height related
partially string type related

Almost all left-hand technique related.

There will always be a sound of the finger attacking the string.
It is mitigated by a solid, perfect-amount-of-force-and-pressure attack in the Left Hand.
It is mitigated by left hand muting

Hammer-ons and tapping will be clacky.

The worst clack sounds will happen in the way you demonstrated - one finger aggressively attacking the string with no mutes, and no sustaining pressure (not keeping your finger on the fret to get sound).

I just tried it on my basses, and I can make it clack badly on all of them by attacking with one finger, no muting, and quick release.

It gets better when:
I mute with my left hand, and attack the strings with middle, ring or pinky keeping my index as a mute.
I sustain the note a bit after I tap.
I hit the fret right behind the fret marker

The other weird noise you hear without being plugged in while tapping is the sound generated by the string vibrating between your finger and the nut, rather than your finger and the bridge (which is what we hear through the pickup).
To eliminate that extra tone, left hand muting! (that index finger resting on the strings.

Hope this helps.
Holler with any more details or further questions.

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Thanks for the information.
So It is highly unlikely that it was the bass itself but just the setup with high action and possibly the type of strings. That in combination with me not being used to the high action probably resulted in a different attack than someone who is comfortable with that action height.
Makes sense.

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Hmmm.
I’m a ‘consider-every-possibility’ relativist when it comes to these things.

It could be the bass. Some basses are clackier than others.
There are differences in fret wire, resonance, and - sometimes - defects like warped necks that make certain basses have terrible issue above and beyond normal basses.

Because you have ears and fingers that are sensitive to this issue, and since you have (what sounds like ) a pretty decent music store person to help out, I’d recommend playing lots of basses - including basses nowhere near your price range.
Try the clacky thing on all of them, and you’ll start to hear what part of it is the bass, vs what part is just the physics of your fingers, and metal strings on metal wires.

THEN! With all data collected, hopefully the question will be easier to answer.

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There’s a reason why I chose the wording “highly unlikely” instead of making it a definite statement. I planned on doing exactly what you described! Can’t wait to try out the models coming in next week.

As said the music store person is not a man of many words. To a degree he offers insight but overall he just lets me do my thing after setting me up to play. I like it that way. I sat there, played for an hour and didn’t even notice.

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As you may know, I have a Cort Action. And you’ve even heard it – the last cover I posted was played on the Action.
I can reproduce what you’re demonstrating, but I have to consciously hammer on to do it.

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I knew some people here have a Cort Action.
What model is it exactly? Also do you at least roughly know your action height?

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I have a PJ, but as far as I have figured out, all Cort Action models are mechanically equal.
My action is “as low as I could get it without getting string buzz”. Let me see if I can measure it for you.

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I can just fit an SDHC card between the string and the 12th fret wire. I’ll measure that up with a micrometer when I get downstairs later.

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Mh. Then it must be the action/me being used to low action.
I had another Cort Action in my hands with lower action and it didn’t have the clacking.

No need. “Low af” is all I needed to hear.

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Too late – I did it anyway. 2.2mm at the 12th fret on the E-string.

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Did I mention that the Cort Action PJ is passive? And did I say that, within the limits of what you can get from a passive bass, I can get it to sound the way I want it to sound without touching amp or pedal settings?

And did I say that I paid 20 euros for it? :wink:

(Admittedly, when I got it, the setup was screwed and the strings were shot, but still. Five euros for a set of strings, and a couple hours work to get it set up to what it is now. It’s a steal.)

One thing that puzzles me is that you find it heavier than you like. The body is poplar, and it’s quite thinnish. My Gregg Bennett Jazz is about a metric ton heavier. The Cort is the lightest bass I’ve owned, with the possible exception of the Hondo Mistake short scale I bought when I was 15, but I’ve succeeded to forget that bass. The balance, due to the tiny head stock and the thin neck, is excellent. It’s definitely in Ibanez territory in terms of weight and balance.

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Yes. I liked the thin body. It’s probably because I am not used to the better quality basses. This was the first solid wood bass I had in my hands so it makes sense that it’s heavier than I’m used to even though it’s a sleek design.

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How heavy are we talking here? Anything under 4kgs is light, IMO. I saw one person say it was 3.3kg, which is very light, even lighter than my Warwick (though barely).

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Pretty sure you heard it right. My bass chose me. I love him to shreds…:joy:

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