Looking to purchase first Bass.

[neutrino]

Hello,

I decided to join today after about 3 to 4 months of just browsing around. I currently play guitar, but really not at all happy with it. I have always loved a deep driving bassline. So... I have decided to ebay my guitar and take up playing the bass.

I was wondering if you all could assist me in helping decide what bass to purchase? I've been focusing on musicman basses simply because they seem to have the reputation of a quality product and they also find themselves in the hands of many pros. But I am not completely married to the company either, so suggestions are welcome.

I just don't know which model would be suit me. I will be playing mostly Rock music - Bands that really influence me are: Tool, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Live, Dave Matthews Band, etc. I like everything from jam based to metal I guess, and I need something that will help me grow as a musician and get me reasonably close to the sounds that are in my head.

As for budget - I would like to stay below $1600US if possible. At the moment I'm really digging the Bongos, but I'm uncertain.

Thanks,
N

 

[adouglas]

Well, this won't surprise you, but you're going to get unanimous advice to buy a MM from this crowd.

The Bongo certainly is extremely versatile and you really can't spend more than $1600 for one on the street even if you option it to the max. Unless, that is, you hire the Dude and/or bovinehost to pull a commando raid on the factory to steal the one and only Open House mahogany Bongo.

 

[neutrino]

I totally new that posting here would result in a biased opinion, but at the end of the day I'm the one forking over the cash so I want to be as well informed from both sides of the camp as possible.

It's my understanding that the new dual pickup stingrays will be coming soon, but I don't know if I really want to wait that long for one. Nevertheless, I'm sure I will be happy no matter my decision.

 

[Psycho Ward]

I have lots of other basses and I'm not biased at all, but my EBMM are simply the best ones.

I think it’s safe to say no one ever got fired for bringing an EBMM bass to a gig.

 

[Mobay45]

I totally new that posting here would result in a biased opinion, but at the end of the day I'm the one forking over the cash so I want to be as well informed from both sides of the camp as possible.

It's my understanding that the new dual pickup stingrays will be coming soon, but I don't know if I really want to wait that long for one. Nevertheless, I'm sure I will be happy no matter my decision.

Mmmmmmmmmmm! HH SR5!

 

[bassmonkey]

I've been playing for over 20 years. Never ever tried a MM bass in all that time. Recently bought a fretless Stingray because one of my heroes(Pino Palladino) played one. I feel sad and frustrated that I wasted all that time playing other basses. I am now on the lookout for a fretted Stingray. Buy a Musicman, any model, you won't be disappointed. Even if you are(highly unlikely) they seem to hold their price, so you wouldn't lose much if you sold it on.

 

[JB1]

Afriad I AM biaised.

I've had a few Fenders, plus a few others.

I can honestly say that my 2 SR4's are just the shiznit. They are just so versatile and durable you really can't go wrong. Customer service (not that I've ever needed it) is A1.

I think the only real question left is which model/config.

I'm currently after a 4 string Bongo, and deciding on pup config, but I'm leaning towards HS.

 

[shamus63]

Neutrino - Welcome to the club! I've owned more basses in 26 years than most people have a right to, and a great many of them (they'll remain nameless here) were great basses in structure/tone/playability/reliability.

But, in all sincerity, none of them had that solid "Ernie Ball Feel". The EBMM basses share all the above-mentioned qualities of my other basses, but you really can't describe the feel until you get one in your hands!

Now, as far as which EBMM Bass to get (if you go that route), you can't go wrong with any of them; be it 4 or 5-string (I haven't tried the Baritone 6-string version yet).

Yeah, we're rabid fans around here, but it's for a damn-good reason!

 

[Golem]

........ I currently play guitar, but really not at all happy with it. I have always loved a deep driving bassline. ...... ebay my guitar and take up playing the bass.

....... been focusing on musicman basses simply because they seem to have the reputation of a quality product and they also find themselves in the hands of many pros. But I am not completely married to the company either.......

I just don't know which model would be suit me. I will be playing mostly Rock .......... I like everything from jam based to metal I guess, and I need something that will help me grow as a musician and get me reasonably close to the sounds that are in my head.

......I would like to stay below $1600US if possible. At the moment I'm really digging the Bongos, but I'm uncertain. Thanks, N

You can't really go wrong with a MM. You can get just about any version if your $1600 limit is just for the ax. If it includes the rig, get an SUB or used Stingray4 and put the rest into a new or used rig. The playing you describe above calls for a few hundred watts RMS just to do small or medium venues. A larger venue should mic or DI you anyway. In case you didn't know yet, bass wattages and speaker costs are waaaay above guitar, to play in the same band at the same venues.

If you have the whole $1600 just for the ax, and you lean toward the Bongo, you will get some change back to pay for half [or less] of your rig. I just got my Bongo HH5 about 10 days ago, had it out several nights since then, and it will play the music you describe as well or better than any bass on the planet. Reasons to buy other than the Bongo would not be about the sound [is it too heavy, too big and ugly, not a vintage Fender or Gibson, or maybe you need a bass that fits in the overhead in an airliner, or want a superfancy top wood...]

[you could quit reading now, but...]
This being the MM site, I risk lynching but.... here's a great way to decide and get it all over with. I think there'd be general agreement that the closest cousin to the sound of a Bongo is the sound of a Spector ReBop [Czech bolt-on] or their NSJH [USA bolt-on]. Play them together and see if you agree. [Guitar Ctr sells both, MM and Spector prices are similar]. If you agree about the sound, you are there with the two king-sh*ts of that sound for an A-B comparison, so just see which one screams 'Take Me Home' [or which one screams it the loudest].

[you could've quit reading earlier, this is your second and final warning...]
Just in case you get that Vintage Fender Virus, about having a True Classic and of course, being *seen* with it, here's a clue: My non-Bongo MM's are both clear finish over swamp ash with black pickguards. One is beat to sh*t and the other is super clean, but EITHER of these reliably and unfailingly brings oohs & ahhhs and sincere admiration [in their eyes, screw their words] from any and all bass players regardless of their personal favorites. You could blow $12,000 on an Ultra Vintage Fender [or Gibson, etc] but you'll get only about $16 more in Coolness Factor than you'll get with a natural ash MM and black pickguard [and what about the paranoia when you're playing out with a museum relic?]. Keep the change and buy me dinner next time you're in town. I know where's the best ribs...

 

[neutrino]

very good information...

The only problem with the rig suggestions is that I currently live in an apartment complex so I can't crank it too much. But, I will be graduating in may, so hopefully i will have a place where I can rock out.

 

[phatduckk]

my best advice w/ MM basses is to pick the one that feels the best to you. Many folks here are in love with on particular bass: Stringray 4, Stingray 5, Sterling, Bongo or Bongo 4 (HH, H or HS) ... even the SUB bass and the SUB Sterling.

All the instruments are built very, very well and all sound great - sure different - just different versions of great. I love the Stingray but I really, really love the Sterling; to me its due to the Sterling having a neck that, to me, is perfect.

So I say get your hands on one of each and see which feels the best. Good luck dude - you'll love whichever one you buy

 

[Moondog]

I just don't know which model would be suit me. I will be playing mostly Rock music - Bands that really influence me are: Tool, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Live, Dave Matthews Band, etc. I like everything from jam based to metal I guess, and I need something that will help me grow as a musician and get me reasonably close to the sounds that are in my head.As for budget - I would like to stay below $1600US if possible. At the moment I'm really digging the Bongos, but I'm uncertain.
Thanks,N

You need not look further than a StingRay 4 (but feel free)
extremely beautiful, powerful, and simple.

for $1600, you might be able to pick up 2 pre-owned Rays
in great shape.

 

[neutrino]

Tonally, how do the bongo HH, HS, H compare to each other? Which one would be better suited to my needs?

 

[maddog]

Tonally, how do the bongo HH, HS, H compare to each other? Which one would be better suited to my needs?

HH gives you more grunt, HS is more refined. Haven't heard the H but everybody that has had one says they are great rock 'n roll specific basses. I want a single H next go 'round. Probably the HH would fit your needs.

 

[Lazybite]

If your looking to play rock - from my experience and from what of tried - no need to look any further than the MM........ they've really got such a good tone for rocking.... I use mine for my prog rock band, my industrial band and my blues/funk band.... so pretty versatile as well..!!!

 

[neutrino]

Does anyone have any bongo sound clips or know where I can listen to some?

 

[Golem]

HH gives you more grunt, HS is more refined. Haven't heard the H but everybody that has had one says they are great rock 'n roll specific basses. ...... ....... ......

Those are the facts. No one would deny it.

For rocky stuff, I just discovered something during my lunchtime practice that suggests that while the single H sound is a great rock n roll sound, there's an odd reason to get the HH.

I was just practicing on a non-MM with a single 8-pole hummer in the sweet spot and, on a whim, I had recently raised that PU up to the limit [in terms of string clearance for finger style]. Talkin bout distorsionnn... sounds like a tube head wide open with a Bongo cranked into the unpadded jack, a very useful rock n roll voice, but [a big but] you can't get back to normal without a screwdriver.

So an HH Bongo has one H near the sweet spot, and one at the bridge. If you can get all the normal voicing rock n roll ever needs from the bridge H [same as a single H Bongo or Ray], the other H can be jacked up so close to the strings it acts like my practice ax that I just played. With a Bongo, you'd have the blend knob to mix as much distorted PU as needed into the normal PU voice [or run 100% distorted on the distorted PU].

The practice ax is a simple 2-knob passive. I'll have to get home and mess with the Bongo to see if it will distort either PU like that. Possibly the Bongo's super electronics package will defeat this effort. More later.

 

[neutrino]

any further details?