What are some good alternatives to the Precision, with more versatility (and bang for the buck) and available in LH ?

[brikus]

I'm in the process of getting myself a good bass to record my songs, and after trying a few of them, I found myself liking the PB sound quite a bit. So at this point you could tell me "get yourself a PB and be done with it". Except that I think the price is a bit steep for a one-sound instrument. If I go for that route, I'd get myself a Tokai Hard Puncher, that I have tried and nails the PB sound just as well, is available in LH and costs about 60% of the price of a US PB.

 

I've also tried the Gibson SG bass, which sounded pretty similar IMO, except the 2 pickups added some versatility. Plus the shorter scale felt good in my little paws... BUT it's no longer available in lefty. Bummer.

 

Living close to Germany, I went there and tried a Sandberg: made in Germany, and their policy is a bit like that of Carvin: a range of customizable models and priced very reasonably. And lefty-friendly. In their range they have a few active basses with pickup combinations including a PB. Quite tempting...so I've tried a few of them. Really nice instruments, spotless build quality, nice sounds and a huge palette of them BUT they have a more modern edge to their sound and therefore do not really nail the PB classic tone, be it in passive or active mode. Bummer x2.

 

Which brings us to my initial question, given I'm originally a 6-stringer and therefore do not know much about the bass market: where should I look if I want a nice, reasonably-priced bass, that can give me the PB sound I'm after and a nice range of other tones so I can have a certain palette at hand? Oh and available lefty, of course...

 

Thanks for the tips, guys!

[DeepEnd]

Depending on your budget, my first thought is Squier. A Squier P-Bass will sound like a P-Bass because it is a P-Bass. You might also consider a P/J bass, with one P-Bass pickup and one J-Bass pickup. The G&L SB-2 is one such option but probably more than you want to spend.

[onelife]

I went shopping for a bass for my studio and, after trying out quite a few of them, I settled on a low end Yamaha Fender style with P/J pickup configuration. Serious bang for the buck.

 

The thing that set the Yamaha apart from the other basses I tried was the evenness of the notes on different strings and in different positions on the neck when it was played acoustically.

 

The only issue I have with it is that the J pickup is not hum cancelling. I intended to replace the pickup but never got around to it because, even though I like the sound of both pickups together, the sounds available from the P pickup alone have served the purpose.

 

I also plyaed a Yamaha BBN5, which I believe is the Nathan East model, and found it to be a superb instrument but it was beyond my budget at the time.

 

When I was shopping, I found the low end Fenders looked the part but did not deliver like some of the other manufacturer's low end instruments.

[brikus]

Depending on your budget' date=' my first thought is Squier. A Squier P-Bass will sound like a P-Bass because it [b']is[/b] a P-Bass. You might also consider a P/J bass, with one P-Bass pickup and one J-Bass pickup. The G&L SB-2 is one such option but probably more than you want to spend.

 

For a Squier, well...I'm not that cheap...

For the G&L, thanks...that being said, in my case the question is more where I can find one...in Europe the dealers are harder to find...

 

@ Onelife : I've heard good stuff about Yams, but the availability in LH is not granted with them, as far as I can remember...

[Mikeo]

Maybe the Musicman String Ray would work

 

I have a Fender Jazz Deluxe which has active pups and sounds deep like the P Bass, but you can eq it for a Jazz bass tone. They have a narrower neck than even the Jazz, so it works well for this guitar player when I need to record some bass lines. It's like best of the Jazz and the P bass, plus more

 

I'd do a Duesenberg Starplayer Bass, just for the cool factor.

 

http://www.themusiczoo.com/product/2939/Duesenberg-Starplayer-Bass-Mike-Campbell/

 

 

 

[brikus]

I checked and G&L really is a pain in the butt to get over here...

[Mikeo]

I would do a Hofner Club bass, or maybe even a Hofner Beatle bass.

Not that same as a Fender P, but the cool factor is up there.

 

 

[brikus]

Yeah, but I want the PB sound...and then some.

[Mikeo]

Yeah' date=' but I want the PB sound...and then some. [/quote']

 

 

If you can get the Fender stuff

 

comes in s a 4 string and 5 string

 

[video=youtube;vEpeudRc88Y]

[Bassbob]

Man I hate P basses. I have given more of those things away then I can count. It's like playing a baseball bat. I have a really great American Deluxe J with active pickups that pretty faithfully does the P bass thing if you want it to. Hell, put flats on ANY bass and it will be close enough.

 

My Spector, even with rounds, can be coaxed into P bass territory too. As well as anything from AIC to Victor Wooten.

 

 

 

[DeepEnd]

I checked and G&L really is a pain in the butt to get over here...

The Tribute (Asian made) L-2000 left handed is available from Thomann.de: http://www.thomann.de/intl/gl_tribute_l_2000_lefthand_ng.htm. It's capable of producing a variety of sounds (passive, active, optional treble boost, pickups in series, pickups in parallel) but it's closer to a J-Bass than a P-bass and I can't say whether it can come close enough to a P-Bass for your needs. If you don't mind experimenting it might be a good investment.

[brikus]

@ Mikeo & DeepEnd : I've tried a few JBs and I'm not really into the JB sound. I'm more into the low-middy kind of tone the PB delivers.

I really have to check out where I can find G&Ls here in Europe. I need to try an SB2...if it is available in LH...

[Mikeo]

@ Mikeo & DeepEnd : I've tried a few JBs and I'm not really into the JB sound. I'm more into the low-middy kind of tone the PB delivers.

I really have to check out where I can find G&Ls here in Europe. I need to try an SB2...if it is available in LH...

 

 

 

The JB Deluxe is not the standard JB . I have a standard JB and the JB Deluxe.

 

If you can find one give it a whirl, as it has active pups and thunders

 

They changed the activity pups system somewhere along the way, but mine is older (early 2000 something) Mine is also in a see through white that I have not really seen in a long time, rose wood with dot inlays.

 

There's the color of mine it's called white blonde

[DeepEnd]

@ Mikeo & DeepEnd : I've tried a few JBs and I'm not really into the JB sound. I'm more into the low-middy kind of tone the PB delivers.

I really have to check out where I can find G&Ls here in Europe. I need to try an SB2...if it is available in LH...

You should try a G&L Tribute L-2000 if you get a chance. They can do a variety of sounds and you might like one. Plus they're a whole lot cheaper than an SB2, being Asian made. I'm at work or I'd embed a YouTube vid but you should be able to find one yourself if you're of a mind.

[brikus]

Actually the idea of the SB2 is kind of growing on me... I'll be going to Paris in a few weeks, so if there are not a couple of G&L dealers there, I don't know where I could find some... So I'll check that out, so I can know where to go, so as to try one. A few years ago, I tried another G&L, but that was a guitar that time (an ASAT Special, with the big sc pickups, just like this one), and I was impressed by its sound, especially the neck pickup, absolutely awesome: deep, full, defined, lots of dynamics...

 

So the brand has left me with a very good impression...hence the idea of giving a proper SB2 (not a Tribute one, as I can afford the real deal) a shot...

[WRGKMC]

I have the Hofner club and a Precision. The precision is a one trick pony for recording. I do have a series parallel switch in my precision and it makes for a little variety but it doesn't come close to having two pickups.

 

For tonal variety, the Hofner blows the doors off a precision. Its also a short scale with a slim neck which makes it a joy to play for a guitarist. The only drawback is the floating bridge which you have to tweak intonation by moving the bridge itself but once its set you don't have to touch it again till you change strings.

 

The mid tones you can get on the bass are incredible. You cant get those tones from a solid body.

You can dial up some convincing upright bass tones too.

 

With round wound strings you can get slap tones but its not the same as a Precision slap tones which are unique. The slap tones are closer to an upright bass I suppose. The body resonance is felt too, much like an acoustic bass.

 

Precision bases produces allot of mid tones in comparison. I played the precision I have for a good 20 years of an on in bands. I cant wear the thing for more then a song any more. The thing mist weight a good 13 lbs. or so. I still use it for recording occasionally but the Hofner has so many cool tones to work with. The club isn't neck heavy like the Beatle bases are either. I can wear that one all night long and not be bothered by the weight. It does take time getting used to it though. Hollow bases have a different kind of attack and dynamics compared to a solid which is much more compressed.

[DeepEnd]

Here's the contact info for the G&L distributor in France: http://www.glguitars.com/distributors/France.asp. It might be worthwhile to check with them and see if there's a dealer in or near Paris.

[brikus]

Here's the contact info for the G&L distributor in France: http://www.glguitars.com/distributors/France.asp. It might be worthwhile to check with them and see if there's a dealer in or near Paris.

 

Thanks mang !

 

Actually, there's an area in Paris called Pigalle, famous for its whores, strip clubs, and...music stores, including one only dedicated to lefties!!

I'm also pretty sure in one of these I'll be able to get a hold of a G&L or of some other high end bass that offers what I'm after...

[*BLEEP*]

I'm in the process of getting myself a good bass to record my songs' date=' and after trying a few of them, I found myself liking the PB sound quite a bit. [/quote']

 

 

 

As for the Sandberg you mentioned, I played a couple of Sandberg guitars once at a shop in the Netherlands. They were definitely nice and not terribly expensive, but they were also definitely not what I would call "very affordable."

 

Otherwise, I don't believe a left-handed version of the Yamaha TRBX174EW exists, but, it offers more bass for the money than anything I've encountered. The passive vintage voiced P+J pickups and electronics are great, the substantial neck is of excellent quality without dead spots, fretwork is excellent, hardware is excellent, and the finishes they offer for its alder body are quite nice. Test drive a TRBX174 and compare with any Squier and you'll find the TRBX174 a much better bass regardless of price. If you want more, there are more expensive models with large humbuckers, active electronics, and five strings.

 

 

http://www.thomann.de/de/search_dir.html?bf=&sw=TRBX174

 

http://www.thomann.de/de/search_dir.html?oa=pra&sw=TRBX

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brikus]

Thanks for the tip, Bleep, I know that Yam does offer a great bang for the buck...but I also know they're not really lefty-friendly (I browsed through the links you gave on Thomann, and no LH indeed...). But if it's available lefty, a vintage-voiced PJ bass with a great playability (sleek body, easy access to the upper frets...) and great looks (I do like 'em as far as I'm concerned) for a reasonable price sure sounds like a great alternative. Gotta find if it's available in LH and if so, gotta try one!

 

Regarding Yamaha, I also heard good stuff about their BB line...do you have any experience with those?

 

As far as Sandberg is concerned, well...I never said they were cheap...we're talking about instruments fully built in Germany, so we're not really about cheap labour here... But because they have a fairly similar business model to Carvin's, they're able to offer some "custom", high quality instruments for the price of a standard US Fender. And although they're more modern-voiced (at least with the stock Delano pickups...I heard you can also have Häussel pickups that are more vintage-voiced), their build quality is spotless and the palette of tones, both active and passive, is huge. However, I've never found one with Häussel pickups, so I couldn't try to hear how it sounds...

[brikus]

I asked Yamaha yesterday about the availability of a LH 5-stringer, and they replied today to tell me there's no such instrument in their range...

I've replied to ask about 4-stringers...but honestly with little hope...

 

Seriously, why a make like Yamaha, with a powerful infrastructure and big sales volumes, wouldn't offer lefties is beyond me...

[Mikeo]

How bout something like dis

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DJ5PlusIv5

 

 

 

You got me interested in grabbing another bass myself

 

You've got a bright future in sales my friend, thank you much.

 

[video=youtube;aw3WY94is38]

 

[brikus]

I'm not after a JB... But Schecter is another big name in the business, that being said...gotta check out what they have and how it is possible to try them over here... Thanks for the tip.

[Mikeo]

I'm not after a JB... But Schecter is another big name in the business' date=' that being said...gotta check out what they have and how it is possible to try them over here... Thanks for the tip. [/quote']

 

That Schecter has active pups so I would imagine it has a deep thump like aP Bass and more.

 

It seems very similar to my Fender Deluxe Jazz, which also has active pups. After purchasing the Deluxe Jazz I sold my P bass.

 

I'm not sure where exactly you are near Germany

 

Here's the distributor's address and number

 

 

[h=3]GERMANY[/h] MUSIK MEYER GmbH

Industriestrasse 20

35041 Marburg

+49 (0) 6421 - 989-0

 

info@musik-meyer.de

 

http://www.musik-meyer.de/marken/gitarre-bass/schecter.html

 

I actually don't see the Bass I posted before on the German site

 

 

On that note when I bought my Ashdown Bass amp, the Ashdown company was just getting off the ground. I did purchase the amp through Bass Central in Florida, but the USA distributor at the time was very helpful when the first amp I ordered was damaged.

 

Can't hurt to email or call.

 

[DeepEnd]

I'm not after a JB... But Schecter is another big name in the business' date=' that being said...gotta check out what they have and how it is possible to try them over here... Thanks for the tip. [/quote']

Schecter doesn't have dealers outside North America so you're out of luck. Warwick makes lefties and they're available in Europe but I doubt you'll get a P-Bass sound from one.

Edit: The Warwick Pro Series does include P/J models including the GPS Streamer LX 4: http://www.warwickbass.com/en/Warwick---Products--Instruments--Pro-Serie---Teambuilt--Pro-Serie---Teambuilt--Streamer--Streamer-LX--4-string--Features.html and GPS Streamer Stage I 4: http://www.warwickbass.com/en/Warwick---Products--Instruments--Pro-Serie---Teambuilt--Pro-Serie---Teambuilt--Streamer--Streamer-Stage-I--4-string--Features.html. No clue if either is available left handed but you could contact them: http://shop.warwick.de/infocenter.htm. However, they're not cheap, US$2000-3000. The Chinese made Rockbass models might be worth a look.