Good bass for multiple styles?

[gtone]

Being a guitar guy for 30+ yrs, I know jack about the bass. My son started on a Squier short-scale when he was 11, moved up to an Epi Thunderbird IV a couple of years later and now 17, is ready to jump into something a little more advanced. He mostly played rock, jazz standards and the odd blues numbers before, but has gotten into funk slapping, jazz comping, ska, reggae, gospel - you name it.

Given a budget of around $1,500 (new or used), what would you recommend as a good choice for an "all around bass". He's tried and likes Warwick and the Stingray so far, with maybe a J-Bass running a distant third. I have concerns that a Warwick might not be a good choice for rock/blues, but then again...

Any of you bass guys care to weigh in with your thoughts? Any other suggestions for a versatile model he should consider?

Thanks in advance.

[Bevo]

Your a great dad!!

Instead of thinking of the bass model think about the bass.
I think an active EQ with a 5 string in 35 scale is where to start. 2 pickups with the option to go humbucker or single coil is also a great option.

End of the day you can dial in any type of music you want and EQ to your hearts content. The 5 string will give you that "B" and with the 35 scale will ring tight.
The coil option can take you from classic music right up to today with everything in between.

The one negative is that the Pre amp in the bass takes a bit away from its true tone. Music Man or the better basses have the passive option that work well.

What amp are you using?

Hope that helps.

[gtone]

Right now, he's using a Traynor 300 watt combo - not the best setup, but pretty good for his needs/budget at the present time. We're looking at spending the $1,500 for a grad present in the New Year.

Given what you've indicated, do you have a specific model in mind you could recommend?

[james on bass]

I'd stay away from the Warwicks. The high end ones are awesome, but I wouldn't really call their tone versatile. They are versatile to an extent, but they still always "sound like a Warwick".

Stingray's are great basses. I had a pair of them back in the early 90s I wish I had held onto. The new versions with the addition of the single coil would make for really nice versatility.

Have you checked out G&L's? Extremely versatile pickups - comp the jazz, P-bass and humbuckers well. Electronics are a tad noisy (or at least used to be) but it was not something I noticed on a couple I've played. They can be played in passive as well. They are a very solid looking/feeling bass.

I agree that a 5 string is the way to go. I disagree though that it needs to be 35" scale length. A well built bass with 34" scale will have a solid B string.

Active electronics do give you more versatility, but passive electronics are much better (IMO) for recording purposes. Something that could toggle between active/passive would be the best bet.

[Tanqueray]

I don't think there is a perfect answer to your question but a Fender Jazz bass deluxe, G&L L2000 or L2500, Lakland Skyline 55-02 are worth a look if you are looking to purchase a brand new bass.

If you are considering used then a lot of other opportunities open up since there are some really used good deals out there right now

[Fajah]

Originally Posted by gtone

He mostly played rock, jazz standards and the odd blues numbers before, but has gotten into funk slapping, jazz comping, ska, reggae, gospel - you name it.

Given a budget of around $1,500 (new or used), what would you recommend as a good choice for an "all around bass".

Any of you bass guys care to weigh in with your thoughts? Any other suggestions for a versatile model he should consider?

Thanks in advance.

The fact that your son's musical tastes vary so greatly (a great thing IMO), one "versatile" bass won't do it. In fact, I don't know any fellow bass player that relies on one bass to do all things. Rest assured that if he's playing allot, he will own more than one bass.

Having said that, I would split your budget in half. There are some wonderful basses out there both new and used in and around the $750 price range. Get him the bass that's most appropriate for the music he's focusing now and let him go with that for a while. There will come a time and/or musical situation when the need for a second bass will arise. That's when you spend the second $750.

I'm not a "brand" kind of person. Once you've decided on how you want to spend the money, he should be going into stores and playing lots of instruments. It really doesn't matter what the name is on the headstock as long as the bass is set up well, has the sound he's looking for, is comfortable to play, and looks good to him.

Personally, I play allot of jazz and a 5 string fretless jazz bass is my weapon of choice. I'm also in a blues/classic rock band and prefer a 4 string fretted P-Bass. Both my basses are passive as well.

BTW, what type of amp is he playing through? I ask because this brings a whole other factor into the equation. You might have to increase your budget.

[gtone]

Thanks one and all - some good, useful feedback here. Experience definitely has value!

[Vintage_Groove]

I agree with Fajah; as your son plays more he'll find a bass that works for one style, another that works better for others. I have an OLP Musicman that is amazing for slap/pop, a Jazz for other styles and a P-Bass.

With a bit of setup work, you could save a lot of money on the bass(es) and just order what some of us here have, the SX (from Rondo Music). I've had several people try out my Jazz and P-Bass and they were amazed at how well they play and perform. This would leave money better suited to a good amp and cabinet.

[mrmatt1972]

Someone already mentioned the Fender Jazz. I used one for country, rock, blues and funk at one time in my life. You also might consider trying to find a used Ric. They're not exactly conventional sounding but they are very versatile and look very cool.

[Mooh]

I kinda dig the P/J arrangement in my Godin Freeway 5 string, lots of tones. My backup is an OLP/MusicMan/ErnieBall that has a coiltapped humbucker which is okay too. One standout bass I've noticed is a semihollow Lakland 4 string that had lots of tones. In any case, an EQ pedal can help.

Peace, Mooh.