I never really "got" Dingwalls...especially since I play primarily fretless.

As others have said, depends on style, sound, etc. 4 string or 5? (I'd recommend 4 actually). 34" or 35" scale? J or P? Bolt-on or neck through? Sound great, less filling?

Hard to go wrong with a Fender Jazz bass. I like Ernie Ball as well, but prefer the Sterling to the Sting Ray. I had a Warwick fretless for awhile and if you dig it they are fine. The wenge can be an acquired taste though.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1235358601.jpg


This is my exact bass. Little did I know the bassist from Korn used the bass for a tour back in the mid 90's.

Speedy:)

I prefer 4 string, Although I cant explain why I have always preferred a maple fretboard over rosewood, I prefer bolt on necks over neck-through.

Get something that sounds good both through an amp and more importantly Direct. If you are going to record, you will be going direct into a DI most of the time and it is vital that your bass sounds good direct.

Two or three kinds of Basses
 

Lots of good opinions/suggestions here already. It comes down to style and taste. As a producer, I always ask the bass player to bring:

a) Fender Precision
b) Fender Jazz

Failing that, we make do with whatever he has. But sometimes my MiniMoog's the best bass for the track!

Play a bunch and pick (no pun) the one you like.

-e.

My response would be:

a) no way
b) sorry don't have one

We'd then plug my Zon Lightwave fretless into a decent DI box and you'd forget all about a) and b) ;)

That would be OK. :) I have often heard a) and b). That's when we'd do as you suggest and yes, forget all about it. I don't think I've ever heard a Zon Lightwave. I'm sure it's a great bass if you have one! But as much as I love a fretless, it doesn't always give us what we need. You're the player, so I'm open to your ideas. If they don't work, there's always the Mini..:eek:

Of course if it were your music, we'd do it your way, no question! (I'm assuming the OP here is a novice or he wouldn't be asking which bass to buy, so I would think a fretless might not be the best choice for him.)

Cheers
-e.

I know exactly what I would get if money were no object. I am just making conversation.

Fair enough. The bass is incredibly "neutral" for lack of a better term. And I've played on tracks with it where people didn't realize it was a fretless.

That said, there is a reason I have a Zon fretted as well. There are some songs that require a bit more bite and percussion. This track actually has both - fretless during the song and fretted on the solo.

In general though, I find very few songs that don't work with this fretless and in fact I'm usually 95% on the fretless. I find it more expressive while still being able to work the pocket. And you can slap fretless, it just is a different thing. There are are a few things you can't really get out of it though...and it frustrates the crap out of many players.

http://gmjazzcollective.com/sites/de..._0.preview.jpg

nostaic actually brings up a great idea slakjaw. Do you have a fretless? If you think it's just the same thing without frets, you couldn't be more wrong. Hitting the same notes on a fretless IS easy, but actually PLAYING a fretless is something all together different. It's the difference between the Tin Lizzie ride at Six Flags, and actually driving a car.

I've been playing for over 20 years, with the last 2 or 3 learning to play fretless and it's quite humbling, frustrating, and rewarding at the same time. I HIGHLY recommend it.

If you happen to see a Natural, Pre CBS Fender P with a maple neck, and EMG's with a serial # of 501999 let me know, it's mine, and stolen.

It's funny, as I have had producers even specify that they wanted me to bring a Fender to a certain session. I guess it was just the "sound" they wanted for a certain jingle/track. On many small causual combo gigs, I carry around an old Jazz bass that was modified back in the '70's to accept the Novatone "Switchboard" fingerboard system. Some people dismissed this as a "gimmick", but properly set up I can switch between 4 different fretted/fretless fingerboards in about 5 seconds (and no, there is no "shift" as you're playing). Sure makes it nice when I need a fretted & a fretless on the same gig, and with this rig, I can make a nice, easy 1-trip load-in/out. I've rebodied this one, as the original body was approaching "relic status";)

If I HAD to take just 1 fretless to a job, it would be my Pedulla Pentabuzz. Probably the nicest fretless (electric) I've ever owned (even above my old Alembics and Smiths), and great value for the $$$.

You can't go wrong with a properly set-up P or J. (I prefer the P's neck to the taper of a standard J, however). I'd call them the "Crown Vic Police Interceptors" of the bass world: Not too expensive, plenty of punch, they'll last forever, tons to choose from, easy to work on.;)

lm6y, congrats on learning fretless. It will develop your ear quite well and make you a "singer" rather than just a "bottom feeder". It was quite the opposite for me as I learned on upright double bass over 40 years ago. Frets were hard for me to get used to.

picks are for pussies.

I've always liked my Ibanez Sound Gear. But I would have to go with a Warwick if I ever replaced it. I have a Fender Musicmaster that is pretty nice to play, but it belonged to someone famous who is dead now, so it's being preserved.

+1!!!!

(Man, am I glad that the cover band I play with does not do "Roundabout" anymore...Had to schlep around the Ric AND a damned pick for that one)!:D

OK, I have had nuerous basses over the years....Spector NS2, Kubicki Ex-Factor, Jazz Bass, Matt Pulcinella, Alembic, Ibanez....

Without a doubt, 100% fisrt choice.....Tobias. I have a Killer B 4 string and I will be buried with it. If I could come up with the cash I would go with a MTD but 4K+ for a bass right now would bring about testicular mayhem from the wife.

A Tobias Killer B, no matter if you get 4, 5, or 6 will come with Bartolini pickups and 18volt preamp. It has a 2 truss rods to facilitate the most amazing action on the planet. I can press my fingers to the fretboard and it rings out like a bell. There is a simply sick amount of tones that are easily dialed in, and the neck is nice and slim for ease of fretting hand movement.

Oh yeah, I've been playing for about 25 years now. My band is called SPEECHLESS and we are here in Atlanta. Our debut album was really well received esp in the progressive rock world where we even had Mr Alex Lifeson tell us how much he was diggin on our tunes. In addition our tune STELLA on our CD was named the Best Instrumental Rock song for 2008 for an independent band by the Progressive Rock Hall of Fame and the CD itself was #27 on top Prog albums of 2008.

BUT, mostly, go shopping and put on every bass you can find, and also make sure to see if you can use the same Amp and speaker combo you have. Hell, if I were to go get a new bass and some store expected me to spend anywhere near $1500 or more if they did not have my rig there I would bring mine to the store. Screw em, it's a tough economy and they will say come on in. If they are *****y you can always try out a bass, find the one you like, and then go buy it elsewhere and then email the store manager about how you would have bought it there except that you were given crappy service.

Lastly, if it were me, I would also absolutely make them tune the bass to your playing needs BEFORE you buy it. You are screwed if you buy it with the intention of getting it setup for your playing style and then find that you need to recess the bridge or the nut grooves are too low or high.

Again, you ever get any shiat, get the manager, calmly tell him that kind of stuff and remind him that you would like to get it here all nice and awesome but set ip up or you'll buy somewhere else and he runs the risk of getting the douchnozzle stamp.

Paulie - - - - - - - - - http://www.myspace.com/speechlesstheband

FWIW, I play a Fender USA Jazz bass through an old Peavey Mk. IV, suits everything i do fine. I'm certianly not a professional musician, but it works fine at keeping the groove when I play.

Tell that to John Paul Jones.

;)

Hey John...picks are for pussies.

I have been a bass player for 44 years from garage to pro...never have I used a pick. But then I can't play guitar either. However my old arthritic fingers are starting to slow me down.

The first band I was ever in was a heavy metal band. We used to play a lot with this band called Juror 13, Their bass player has a Tobias 5 and that thing sounded pretty freakin sweet. I have a 1969 Ampeg B-15 "fliptop" and about 4 years ago I modded the Aria with Bartolini pickups. Thanks for the link you guys sound pretty good!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1235437182.jpg

well, I picked up one of these over my lunch hour today. HAHA I always thought these things were cool.. its fun anyways.

Kyle