If you could build a custom bass (need help with design)

[GabeFry]

Hey guys, I had a local luthier offer a custom bass for my Roland TD-12. I was curious, as I am not a bass player, would would be your suggestions for a fast bass catered towards metal, and downtuning. I don't personally tune to anything below C# but I have some bands come in that tune to A, B, sometimes G. I'd like a bass that could handle these applications well, with a fast neck, and that could sit well in a mix. Suggestions?

Thanks!

-Gabe

 

[FIXXXER]

-somewhat jazz bass like
-swamp ash body
-maple neck
-maple fretboard
-active electronics/pickups
-single monorail bridge
-hipshot tuners with d-tuner
-5-string+multiscale (if possible)
-natural satin oil finish

that's what i'd go for...

 

[GabeFry]

-somewhat jazz bass like
-swamp ash body
-maple neck
-maple fretboard
-active electronics/pickups
-single monorail bridge
-hipshot tuners with d-tuner
-5-string+multiscale (if possible)
-natural satin oil finish

that's what i'd go for...

Awesome! I really appreciate your reply. Would you go with EMG pickups? Or is there a better alternative these days? I guess I will say that I do do some songwriting for hire, which isn't always metal, and so I don't know if some alternative pickups would give the bass a bit more tonal variety. I guess I'm curious how the EMG's would do with some lighter music.

Thanks!

-Gabe

 

[FIXXXER]

EMG's are just fine, i guess. i had the passive ones (with active tonme control) in my scecter bass installed
and they were OK, i didn't like the sound in general though.

i recently ordered a custom bass with some "house own" passive pickups.
i like it simple, so it's a typical jazz bass, zwo single coils with vol, vol, tone electronics setup.
i also often record different types of music that's why i picked the passive pickups.

EDIT:
just a note, i am absolutely going for optics when it comes to wood on electric instruments.
i''d never try to shape the sound of the instrument by wood choice, i think that 95%
of the sound is in the electronic parts of the instrument.
construction, pickup placement and setup is important too but lies more in the "playability" and "comfort" area.

 

[Terminus]

That is a tough call because I've played some great basses of all kinds but really, a Precision Bass, Fender with passives (Bartolini, maybe) or if you want to get extravagant go with a 5 string Alembic custom. I knew a guy with a fretless 5 string Alembic and it was so well made, just awesome. This was 20 years ago though.

 

[egan.]

All of my basses have barts or nordstrands but if you like the EMG sound there is no competition. If it were me and I was doing a 4 banger, I'd go EMG PJ, 35" maple neck with Ebony board, Alder or maple body.

 

[~BURNY~]

Actually I've been digging active humbuckers a lot lately. Not too keen on ash personally. So... Alder for me, a pair of splittable Musicman style Delano pickups and the 35" maple neck with ebony board I'd steal from egan.

 

[HCL]

alder 35" EMG humbucker bridge position with an evertune bridge when they come out

 

[GabeFry]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I don't know much about bass pickups, and am surprised at how many models there are per brand. I am looking for a really smooth low end a nice growl. It gets a bit tough as I have found a low end that sits really well with most of my mixes through Trillian. The Patitucci Rocker patch seems to be a great compliment with anything I use rock wise. I'm not sure if anyone knows any details of that patch as there aren't any on Trillian it's self. If I could get the low end from that, and the growl from the P-bass patch I would be pretty stoked.