what electric bass

[jdsowa]

Of course the bass on Dilla records was basically just a low passed sawtooth wave.

If you want a bass that sounds like the bass from the records he might've sampled from then: Precision bass with flatwounds for a 68-72 kind of sound. Mute it with felt. Play with fingers for a Marvin "What's Going On" sound or play with a heavy pick for a Carol Kaye/Axelrod/Gainsbourgh sound. Music Man Stingray with flatwounds for a mid-late 70s (Chic).

[DAH]

any bass with flatwounds, DI I guess

[Alxi]

Being playing bass for a few years now ( 5 to be precise )

And when it comes to Dilla type beats ( with a real bass ) to me it seems that P/J bass have that scoop low mid and heavier lows that just fits the bill. Of course with a P/J you can also get the P sound so it's kind of the best of both world.

I generally prefer used roundwounds strings with the tone roll all the way off over flatwounds. Flatwounds are just a to smooth whereas roundwounds are a bit more agressive.

Of course YMMV

[xanax]

good info here.. especially jdsowa, those are the exact eras & tones i'm looking for! i'll admit i know little about electric basses but would like to pick one up. i also love vintage instruments, especially their tone...is there a particular era i should be looking for with these models? (within reason, i'm not looking to drop $10K on a pre-CBS or nothing )

[jdsowa]

Originally Posted by xanax

good info here.. especially jdsowa, those are the exact eras & tones i'm looking for! i'll admit i know little about electric basses but would like to pick one up. i also love vintage instruments, especially their tone...is there a particular era i should be looking for with these models? (within reason, i'm not looking to drop $10K on a pre-CBS or nothing )

Also, forgot to mention that if you want the Carol Kaye sound you will need to buy a bass amp (any brand will do) and mic it. For all other tones you can just DI.

I would just buy a Squier (avoid Squier Affinity) in the $230-400 range or a used Made In Mexico. The vintage of the instrument is of very little importance when it comes to tone. One little 4db boost or cut in EQ will have a far more pronounced effect, for example.

[xanax]

Originally Posted by jdsowa

I would just buy a Squier (avoid Squier Affinity) in the $230-400 range or a used Made In Mexico. The vintage of the instrument is of very little importance when it comes to tone. One little 4db boost or cut in EQ will have a far more pronounced effect, for example.

a Squier?!! isn't that like saying don't get a moog, any casio keyboard at wal-mart will do the trick?!!

as i said i know little of electric basses, but i do know a bit about electric guitars and just like anything analog, the older the better... now perhaps a vintage bass is less important in tone then a vintage guitar as the scale range is so low but still i'm a little bit dubious over this..please expand?

[jdsowa]

Originally Posted by xanax

a Squier?!! isn't that like saying don't get a moog, any casio keyboard at wal-mart will do the trick?!!

as i said i know little of electric basses, but i do know a bit about electric guitars and just like anything analog, the older the better... now perhaps a vintage bass is less important in tone then a vintage guitar as the scale range is so low but still i'm a little bit dubious over this..please expand?

This is like any other debate (ITB vs. OTB, VA vs. analog, etc). Some people think they can hear a difference. Others can't. Even if you assume that a vintage bass will get you closer to your desired vintage tone, you are still tracking into a computer with a usb/firewire interface with plug-in processing. Your recording chain is hardly faithful to what would've originally been used.

I've owned various things old and new. My personal experience is that vintage doesn't matter all that much.

[Loflyinjett]

As an owner of multiple Squier and Fender basses I've learned that the difference in price isn't so much the tone. It's more in the overall quallity of the instrument. I've got a modded Squier P-Bass that I use for every recording. A Squier and a Sans-Amp will get you places.

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[beyondat]

Remember that bassists in the 60-70's were not playing vintage instruments, their basses were new. Get a used fender p bass
and call it a day.

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[xanax]

^ they're basses we're new but the pick ups, tube amps etc gave a different sound.. which brings me to jd's point that modern recording equipment defeats the purpose of using vintage instruments which i only can partly agree with. In deed to get the same exact sound as those old records you'd have to respect the whole recording chain they used back then, however modern converters are pretty transparent which means although the digital recording might sound cleaner & more sterile, the instruments tone is still captured. anyways getting back to basses, I also agree that country of origin, era and fender vs squier line mostly has to do with quality of construction and parts... I will check out the different recommendations though, thanks to all

[beyondat]

Originally Posted by xanax

^ they're basses we're new but the pick ups, tube amps etc gave a different sound.. which brings me to jd's point that modern recording equipment defeats the purpose of using vintage instruments which i only can partly agree with. In deed to get the same exact sound as those old records you'd have to respect the whole recording chain they used back then, however modern converters are pretty transparent which means although the digital recording might sound cleaner & more sterile, the instruments tone is still captured. anyways getting back to basses, I also agree that country of origin, era and fender vs squier line mostly has to do with quality of construction and parts... I will check out the different recommendations though, thanks to all

I wouldn't buy a squier personally because I can afford not to. wood is wood and you can always swap out the pickups for exact replicas of the original fender bass pickup for around $65 new.

[loaf]

not being a bass player, I'd used a few cheaper basses to record with - ibanez, westone, squier and it was always a terrible pain to get anything acceptable. Got a US P bass, all problems solved

[Alxi]

I don't know.
I have a 500$ yamaha 424x. Use to have a fender p-bass made in mexico, a ibanez, a schecter, a squier modified jazz bass and i sold them all to keep the Yamaha.

I think you should start with a passive p bass or a passive p/j. Put good strings on it and buy something like a used Line 6 bass pod. Try a few basses at the store. Evaluate the neck, how it feel in your hand, the weight of the bass, is it well balance or is it too heavy, is the neck heavier then the body causing the bass to fall from your lap all the time? Then plug it in and see if you like the sound of the pick ups. Bring a set of headphone that you are very familiar with to do this.

If you're not sure, go with a friend that knows a thing or two about basses and PLEASE, don't go spending 1000$ on a bass if you don't know how to play yet and if you are not commited to learning it.. It's not worth it.

[Ward Boss]

Basses are like guitars; they tend to vary a lot even among the same model. The Squier line has been around a long time and has been made in several different factories, from Japan to Indonesia so there's even more variation. Some of them are nearly as nice as the Fender branded ones, while some are embarassing. You really gotta sit down and play them one by one and pick out a good example. I will say, though, I have tried a few of the Affinity Series Squier PBasses and found them to be surprisingly bad for Fender products. On the other hand, I picked up (and bought) a Squier Vista Series Musicmaster Bass (made in China 1996-97) and was surprised how nice it is.

Generally though I favor a Japanese 57 Reissue PBass with Rotosound Flatwounds plugged into an amp and miked with a Beta 52 for hip hop. Regular DI seems grainy and lacking in low end. I would love to try a Sansamp Bass Driver DI or something else like that.

I'm also a fan of the James Jamerson mute technique mentioned earlier, although I have subbed in a piece of rolled up tshirt under the strings because I didn't have any felt.

[Brb]

Wobble boss

[Jesse381]

Get a used american standard p bass or P/J. You can find them at guitar center online for around $500. Definitely much better investment than a squier or mexican. Which are also good basses, but for a couple hundred more you can get a USA made, so makse more sense to me, if you have the money.

[Dayl]

Mexi P-Bass.. use the spare change to get a set of SD Antiquity or Quarter pounder pups, flat wounds and you're on fire.

The difference between the Mexi and US products in terms of tone is negligible as far a bass guitars are concerned.

Like always, all guitars, bass or otherwise, are not created equal, even if they came off the same production line.

Play it first whenever you get the chance, this applies more to the Mexi than the US.

I've loved Warwick basses.. but for the sake of OP.. the answer is above, as validated by many others here.

Chur.

[jdsowa]

It's funny that people look down on Made in Korea instruments. Korea, in a lot of ways, is more advanced than the US. Certainly more so than Mexico.

[Jesse381]

I think Korea made guitars are actually considered a step above Mexican by a lot of guitarists.

I think its like China,Indonesia, Mexican, Korean, Japan, USA, as far as typical order of standards go. But like Dayl said in the end it all comes down to the individual instrument.

The PRS SE line are made in Korea and are great guitars.

[Dayl]

Originally Posted by jdsowa

It's funny that people look down on Made in Korea instruments. Korea, in a lot of ways, is more advanced than the US. Certainly more so than Mexico.

Advanced means more to a smartphone than it does a guitar. Korean made guitars are a mixed bag. The Cort factory struggles over pitiful working conditions (seriously..slavery) have been well documented, and have produce4d terrible guitars.. but at the same time, some of mid range Ibanez to come out of the factory are great and then there are the Protone Squire Strats.... suburb.. many consider them to be better than the real thing. Like I said.. mixed bag.

Most of the time.. you cant go wrong with older MIJ guitars/basses. Fujigen and Matsomoku factories made some amazing gear that easily rivalled the US and still do (hence the lawsuits).

I would look at 1970's-1990's MIJ as a cheap but effective alternative. The 1980's MIJ Squires are coveted also.

Indo made? meh... no thanks imo

[beyondat]

The Korean Laklands are nice.

[manuel alejandro]

Would any of you guys recommend this bass?

http://www.amazon.com/Squier-Fender-...fied+jazz+bass

I am a begineer, looking to start playing my own basslines in tracks.

please let me know your thoughts on this bass.

[beyondat]

Originally Posted by manuel alejandro

Would any of you guys recommend this bass?

http://www.amazon.com/Squier-Fender-...fied+jazz+bass

I am a begineer, looking to start playing my own basslines in tracks.

please let me know your thoughts on this bass.

The thing is there are some well built squier basses and some not so well built ones but you wont know until you actually play it. I bought a new cheap bass as my starter bass and i wish i had spent that money on a better used bass. For that price you could get a nice used MIM fender jazz bass.

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[Alxi]

Used to own a Squier Vintage Modified 70's bass and the one i had was a good bass.
It's a good place to start. You can probably get a used one for about 200-230 on kijiji or craigslist. But like beyondat said,at this price point you have to try before you buy or you might end up with bad surprises.

[mrwonderful]

Originally Posted by Dayl

Advanced means more to a smartphone than it does a guitar. Korean made guitars are a mixed bag. The Cort factory struggles over pitiful working conditions (seriously..slavery) have been well documented, and have produce4d terrible guitars.. but at the same time, some of mid range Ibanez to come out of the factory are great and then there are the Protone Squire Strats.... suburb.. many consider them to be better than the real thing. Like I said.. mixed bag.

Most of the time.. you cant go wrong with older MIJ guitars/basses. Fujigen and Matsomoku factories made some amazing gear that easily rivalled the US and still do (hence the lawsuits).

I would look at 1970's-1990's MIJ as a cheap but effective alternative. The 1980's MIJ Squires are coveted also.

Indo made? meh... no thanks imo

By chance do you have links too information of slavery known guitar manufactures ?

That's one of the whole reason I don't eat mainstream chocolate due to sex slavery workers.

Just like too stay informed.

[Dayl]

Originally Posted by mrwonderful

By chance do you have links too information of slavery known guitar manufactures ?

That's one of the whole reason I don't eat mainstream chocolate due to sex slavery workers.

Just like too stay informed.

Hi, I cant link from my phone, but it's very well documented. You should be able to catch a lead by searching 'Korean Cort factory' or 'Fort factory workers ' it was pretty bad and I'm not sure much has changed. Many brands are made there too.

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[Jesse381]

Sex slaves making our chocolate? Was that guy serious?

[Mannas]

Originally Posted by manuel alejandro

Would any of you guys recommend this bass?

Amazon.com: Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Jazz Bass 70'S, Natural: Musical Instruments

I am a begineer, looking to start playing my own basslines in tracks.

please let me know your thoughts on this bass.

The Squier Vintage Modified Basses are nice. Much better than the Affinity series. Check out the VM Jaguar Special. It is a P/J setup so it will get you some good variety in sound.