Currently, I'm using an Ibanez SR500 and all I get out of it is smooth, smooth, smooth. I've heard some really cool and aggressive tones out of the SR series, but I can't for the life of me get anything other than a smooth, boomy tone out of it. New strings, super heavy picking, etc. - Nothing. Obviously, I can process it to get close, but I still feel like my bass is the most lacking part of my recordings, because there's just nothing exciting about it. I'm running through a SansAmp RBI with a split DI, or just complete DI through my Focusrite ISA 428 and processing ITB.
My original idea was to get a Squier Vintage Modified J-Bass, just because I tried one at GC the other day and was blown away by how well it stacked up against basses 5 times is price... but I actually didn't even think about trying the real Fenders, because I was on a tight budget then, and I just wanted to see how it stacked up to the most expensive basses they had (all they had Fender Jazz wise were the MIMs). My budget then was around $250 ish, but now I'm willing to go up to double that... maybe even more, if it's really worth it. Will getting a MIM Fender be a step up, or would I just be paying twice as much for "Fender" on the headstock? Spectors have really piqued my interest as well, but no one around here seems to carry them, so trying first might be a problem. All the Music Mans I've tried were kinda boring and I wasn't too into them.
I really dig the Jazz Bass tone, it's aggressive, with just the right amount of lowend, but I haven't really tried enough basses (through amps) to know what else sounds similar. I really like the feel of the Ibanez BTB 5 strings, but I've only ever played them acoustically and don't want to drop the cash if it's not going to work for what I want (I also don't really need a 5 string). Tone-wise, I usually go for a slightly distorted tone, but nothing over the top (I'm honestly not sure how you guys make bass work with them having as much gain as the guitar, never seem to work well for me
). I'm actually really digging this bass tone I heard on Seven String a few days ago:
http://soundcloud.com/clems6belio/ibanez-sr605-5-string-bass-axe
It's a little heavier on the distortion than I'd usually go, but I think if I could get anywhere close to that with my SR500 now, I'd be SUPER happy with the lowend in my mixes (oddly enough, he's using an SR605...). I was getting a REALLY similar tone to this one out of the Squier when I was playing it through the Mesa M6 Carbine at Guitar Center, but I don't want to regret buying it, if I could've bought something significantly better with the budget I have now.
tldr;
P.S. The SR500 belongs to a friend (he left it here like 2 years ago and hasn't come back to get it yet ), so no - I can't sell it to add to my budget.
My original idea was to get a Squier Vintage Modified J-Bass, just because I tried one at GC the other day and was blown away by how well it stacked up against basses 5 times is price... but I actually didn't even think about trying the real Fenders, because I was on a tight budget then, and I just wanted to see how it stacked up to the most expensive basses they had (all they had Fender Jazz wise were the MIMs). My budget then was around $250 ish, but now I'm willing to go up to double that... maybe even more, if it's really worth it. Will getting a MIM Fender be a step up, or would I just be paying twice as much for "Fender" on the headstock? Spectors have really piqued my interest as well, but no one around here seems to carry them, so trying first might be a problem. All the Music Mans I've tried were kinda boring and I wasn't too into them.
I really dig the Jazz Bass tone, it's aggressive, with just the right amount of lowend, but I haven't really tried enough basses (through amps) to know what else sounds similar. I really like the feel of the Ibanez BTB 5 strings, but I've only ever played them acoustically and don't want to drop the cash if it's not going to work for what I want (I also don't really need a 5 string). Tone-wise, I usually go for a slightly distorted tone, but nothing over the top (I'm honestly not sure how you guys make bass work with them having as much gain as the guitar, never seem to work well for me
). I'm actually really digging this bass tone I heard on Seven String a few days ago:http://soundcloud.com/clems6belio/ibanez-sr605-5-string-bass-axe
It's a little heavier on the distortion than I'd usually go, but I think if I could get anywhere close to that with my SR500 now, I'd be SUPER happy with the lowend in my mixes (oddly enough, he's using an SR605...). I was getting a REALLY similar tone to this one out of the Squier when I was playing it through the Mesa M6 Carbine at Guitar Center, but I don't want to regret buying it, if I could've bought something significantly better with the budget I have now.
tldr;
- Need new bass - Currently have SR500, too smooth, not aggressive enough
- Dig Jazz Bass sound, not sure what else I should be looking at
- Needs lots of growl
- Budget - I'd like to keep it around $500, but can go higher, if it's worth it (buying used)
- 4 string, MAYBE 5 string
P.S. The SR500 belongs to a friend (he left it here like 2 years ago and hasn't come back to get it yet
), so no - I can't sell it to add to my budget.
