While I love the sound of my Warwick, The need for a traditional, old-school sounding bass is on the horizon. I have a new loaf project in the works and I've been dabbling in some country band auditions recently.
I used to have an early 70's Fender P-bass. I remember liking the bass but there were a few dead spots on the neck that kept it from being my main bass. I sold it with the Ibanez to get the Warwick in the early 90s.
 Early 1970's Fender P-bass |  Mid 1980's Ibanez Musician bass |
Through the years, the P-bass has caught my eye a few times and I like the simple, passive, plug in and go working aspect of it. However, every time I pick up a 5 string P-bass at a GuitarCenter or other music shop, that jumbo, fat Fender neck pushes me away. With 20+ years using the small string spacing of the Warwick Thumb, the 5 lane freeway style of the Fender neck feels too big - especially up around the 12th fret.
A click through of the Fender site shows both Fender and Squier P-basses - although only a single one each for the 5 string version. Both pictured, in red, below.
A click through of the Fender site shows both Fender and Squier P-basses - although only a single one each for the 5 string version. Both pictured, in red, below.
I've never had an issue with the active circuitry on my Warwick or Warmoth basses. The battery in both bases lasts a long time and I've never had an incident where a dead battery negatively affected a gig. Plus, the extra headroom on the Warmoth caused by the 18 volt (two 9 volt batteries) is nice. It sounds thick with multiple colored overtones. So, I am used to and like active basses. However, there is something to be said for a plug in and forget it bass. A bass where you always know what its going to sound like without having to sculpt the tone with a heavy EQ.
I just need to find a way to get one with a thinner neck. Either that or mix and match parts, or, build my own.
The Squier can be had for a few hundred dollars and sounds like the better buy to test out if I like the feel - or even to make it a Frankenstein bass. Maybe a few weeks trolling CraigsList will turn up a good deal.
More on this as it develops...
I just need to find a way to get one with a thinner neck. Either that or mix and match parts, or, build my own.
The Squier can be had for a few hundred dollars and sounds like the better buy to test out if I like the feel - or even to make it a Frankenstein bass. Maybe a few weeks trolling CraigsList will turn up a good deal.
More on this as it develops...
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