Question Best EB 5 string and best EB fretless

[Movielife]

I am an EB and Fender fanatic.

I wanted to get a 5 string soon.

Not sure whether to get a Jazz-type 5 string, (Lakland etc) or go for another EB. If so, which one? What will an EB hold over other 5 stringers?

Also, what 4 string fretless basses would you recommend by EB?

At moment I have two EB MM Stingray 4 String basses, 1 H, one maple (natural), one rosewood (black), both 3 band eqs.

I fancy a 5 string, but not sure how to go about it!

Recommend pls! With pics

 

[bassmonkey]

Horses for courses, really.

No-one can tell you what is best for you, except you.

Best advice is try them out.

For EBMM is build quality, classic tone, lots of options, very useable and great customer service.

I have a 3 band single H SR4 fretless. You can see me playing it on one of my youtube videos. A lovely sounding bass.

 

[five7]

I owned two sub 5s, one fretless and one with frets and they were incredible instruments for the money. If I had the money I would get a dd2 big al fretless and a dd2 bongo 5. That would be the ultimate setup. I have played laklands and didn't get the right vibe from them. Once you get hooked on MM there are no other instruments.

 

[adouglas]

You know what I'm going to say, but I'll say it anyway.

Bongo. If you're a 7ender fanatic you may not be able to get past the appearance, but seriously....

... just try one.

For fretless, definitely go for the piezo option. Mwah for days and days.

 

[jlepre]

You have a PM

 

[adouglas]

OP says he's looking for 4 in a fretless, John.

 

[jlepre]

OP says he's looking for 4 in a fretless, John.

I know that... What's one more string?? That's one more BETTER!

 

[shakinbacon]

my take

I've owned an SR5HH and an Bongo5HHp

The B string sounds a little different to me on each, which could be due to many factors.

I'm gonna give you the classic "try both and see" response because I found each to have attributes I liked.

If I had to choose I'd say the Bongo fits my needs a little better. To me, it sounded more "focused" - not better, not worse just different. Hard for me to describe this.

I will say that the B string on Musicman instruments blows away anything I've tried, certainly in the price range. This includes instruments with 35" scale. The designers did their homework on the B string.

I do recommend getting an HH though, it seems to help bring out the range of tones on the B string imho (its rare for me to use either pickup solo'd. I use a combination of the two pickups 95% of the time)

 

[laneline]

Since it's a 5 banger you're considering, imho it's a no brainer: any Music Man
model. From my experience I've never played a better B string, again any model in the line and any configuration. adouglas is 100% right on, go play a Bongo, or combine the 2 and check out jlepre's Bongo, smokin deal, any Bongo
will blow you away. Good luck in your quest.

 

[rizzo9247]

+1 to the all the above comments.

As I own/owned the 5 string varieties for each company, and I'll try to be objective here, but I can honestly give the nod to EBMM. Iv'e gone through several 5's and my Stingray has remained in my stable for 2 simple reasons, feel, and quality. EBMM's has a superior feeling neck IMO, and the construction of the instrument makes it feel as if it was built just for you. I never got that feeling with a Fender.

The tone/sound of the two basses are tough to compare because they are quite different. If this is the number 1 factor going into buying a bass, then go with whatever one suits your musical needs at the moment.

 

[MrMusashi]

20th sr5 are very nice instruments.. sr4 body shape, mahogany toneblock and a caramel burst finish that will make you want something sweet instantly!

oh.. oh.. almost forgot: its got the b string to match the thunder of gods! actually, i think thunder of gods are made with 20th basses

check ed friedlands (p)review here:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ULm6_Y-fU"]YouTube - Bass Guitar Magazine -Sneak Preview SR5 20th Anniversary[/ame]

MrM

 

[maddog]

The best for me?

BAM!

 

[laneline]

Always great to see that vid, that got me into the fold, I bought one the next day in Dec .'07 and haven't looked back.

 

[syciprider]

The best EB fretless is sitting right here next to me in my office.

Sig

 

[bizmarckie]

I've played a few different brand of fivers, and I can say big +1000000 to EBMM's having the best low B string around. It amazes me every time I play it, that's for sure! I have an SR5, but I'm sure you can find one that will work between the Bongo, Sterling 5, and other special runs! (I think I need to hunt down a Bongo to try...)

 

[oli@bass]

If you're serious about the fretless four string, I'd consider getting a DD2 StingRay or Big Al, with unlined fretboard... they're ebony, and ebony rocks for fretless!

 

[Christianmetal]

IMHO, the stingray 5HH is the best bass for live playing that i've ever heard. Perfect for everything from Chris Tomlin to Cannibal Corpse. Also, the pickups are really comfortable for finger style.

 

[barginkov]

a couple of years ago , maybe 7 or 9, i used to own 2 tobias ,one was a pre Gibson, 1mtd ,2 pedullas, 2 laklands, 1 modulus, and a MUsicman ,all 5 strings.they all sounded good, and i played them out a lot, evrytime i used my MM, every soundman thought it sounded awsome, and i knew it blew away the other ones and it was the cheapest (pricewise) that i owned,when i used the other ones i felt they were missing somethin,,all those basses are gone now ,my MM is on its stand next to me, for my taste and style, it is perfect for me

 

[Basscake]

I can tell you what i like about my Stingray5 and I try to be objective and honest.

Generally it feels rather compact for a 5string
The neck feels great. To me that is. Rather slim for a 5s but I dig that.
I know quite a lot of players who are looking for a stringspacing similar to a 4S on their 5string. If you are one of them I urge you to try it first. It takes a bit of getting used to the narrower spacing.
I rather have a slimer neckshape, closer to a 4string. This comes naturally with a narrower stringspacing. It contributes to a pretty fast neck. Speaking in 5-String standards of course.
I love it as it is, but I can see that the SR5 can't be everybodys favourite.
Well. They don't know what they are missing, do they

I also like the fact that it's a 34" scale. It makes the transition between basses easier.
A lot of people think that a LowB string needs a 35" scale. Well. There are many 34" 5s out there that are living proof that it isn't so. EBMM, Sadowsky etc...
With a decent set of strings you get a great lowB out of any EBMM. The Slinkys are a real good match here and give you a pretty even sound over all strings.

35" LowB's may tend to have a bit more of the "Piano-string-sound", but I found out that the rest of the strings sound rather harsh then. And any bass should be more that its lowest string imho....

 

[MingusBASS]

Perfect for everything from Chris Tomlin to Cannibal Corpse.

Didn't they tour together?