Electric Basses

I can't believe my eyes, or hands, or ears! The major instrument manufacturers had better reconsider their approach - and prices. I received this Marcus Miller/Sire bass (maple neck) a few days ago, thinking I'd have to get it adjusted, customized... Well, there'll be no need for either: this bass is perfect and was even shipped perfectly adjusted and almost tuned. The wood is awesome, the neck is perfect with relatively low strings that don't sizzle, very good tuners and a beautiful, sturdy bridge with two possibilities as to how to install the strings (on the bridge or through the body). the white paint is slightly transparent, leaving the veins of the wood apparent - it's quite original but I like that. It's really nice to play (finger and slap), very reactive, you don't have to do too much to immediately get a good sound, and it allows all kinds of styles thanks to its surprising and versatile electronics. Pickups are really good, I won't switch for DiMarzios or Seymour Duncans, I don't want to change anything. Its 9.5 lbs weight is quite bearable for long playing hours standing (swamp ash model with maple neck). Yet, I already have a 1966 Fender Jazz Bass (I had the frets removed Pasto-style long years ago ans I keep it more for emotional reasons than anything else), I sold a (too heavy) '77 JB last year, I own an Ibanez Premium SR 1200... But... Now, I know this Marcus Miller is the one bass that'll come with me everywhere, it really looks great and perfectly meets my musical expectations. As for its price... I still can't believe it. I'm very satisfied and happy, thank you Marcus Miller, you really are a good man ;-)

A beautiful, well-crafted Mexican-made bass. Very high price for a remote "signature" model. Indeed, Steve Harris uses a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop SPB1 (500€ in 2002)… On this model, Fender offers the commercial Steve Harris signature model, which xosts approximately 100 bucks and is nothing but a mere classic SPB1 with slightly enhanced mids. Harris also uses a Badass II bridge, while this model features a Fender Himass… with a very average sustain! As for the West Ham model (Harris owns two – one with black/blue/black binding, the other with red/blue/red). This is important as only that with the red binding features the Fender Precision Bass logo. The other one (with the blue binding) has nothing written on the head. So, that Fender “replica” is only an average-crafted Mexican bass that they sell at an indecent price so as to make believe it is a perfect replica. In a word, if you’re a big fan of Harris, do what I did and go for the older Harris signature model, which is closer to “the real thing” with its Badass bridge and SPB3 pickup.

Made in Indonesia, not in China, which is enough for me. The features can be read in previous reviews. Overall, it looks and feels nice. No rough edges on the wood, no glue drips or any other such blunders that you usually expect on an instrument at this price point. In short, it has that German look. USE Short and adjustable neck. When you are used to classic basses, it's a bit surprising because the bearings are a bit different, but after a while switching back the other way around is disturbing. It's easy to get used to its ergonomic design. In terms of weight, it's so light that it's a bit disconcerting. I had a Rick 4001 and I had always the impression of lugging around a concrete block. SOUND The sound is what I've been looking for 25 years. Although forking out 2000 euros isn't that alluring. It's round, warm and without too much sustain. I took up the pick again, yes, I did, don't laugh. That's the way it sounds best! I play an old Roland Cube 100 or a 350W Fender Bassman TV (it's not mine, I don't have that kind of money). Or connected directly to the console, for recording, with several plug-ins. Its THE sound I wanted and now I have it. What should I complain about? What about for slap? Well, no, it's to play bass, you know, that round and deep sound you can hear on rock and roll and many pop songs. OVERALL OPINION I've been playing it since February 2012. I put my other bass aside and now this one has become my favorite one. First of all because it's beautiful. And because, frankly speaking, for this price, I keep saying myself that in the worst case scenario, I could hang it on the wall as decoration, but no, it's incredibly easy to play and it sounds fine. I love it. I often find myself just playing it softly, unplugged, caressing it. It's addictive. The original strings are useless. I replaced them with Höfner flatwound and there's no comparison. They are very expensive, but they are really worth it. I also changed the pots, to replace the hideous original black ones. And I removed the pickguard, unfortunately the small screw holes are visible. Although you can't see them 6ft away. The tuners seem a bit cheap and they don't inspire much confidence. That said, the guitar stays in tune, but I plan to replace them with some Höfner, even if I have to do a bit of drilling. It's obviously a must have for Beatles fans. It's a looker onstage. I know what I'm talking about: When I play guitar I use a Rickenbacker 330 and a 350, and it's similar, the nods are unmistakable. And the sound... Sigh. I'll keep it. In a moment of madness, I'd buy another one, in black. To have a couple. Just take a look at the pictures, guys.

I bought this bass without even knowing what a Spector is... Pure chance, among a series of used bass guitars. Not even the seller seemed to know what it was, so I was lucky to get it for a third of its normal used price – let alone the fact it actually has the active tone setting option! I’ve tried a bunch of basses, Warwicks to Fender to many Ibanez, Rickenbaker, Cort and many more. This is THE ONE which suited me. A real crush!! No wonder, this bas sis a beast !!! The neck is just perfect – round, thick but not too much, regular, slightly lacqueredto make it slide without leaving sweat marks… And there’s ground for sweating, this bass will allow just everything – absolutely everything. Impressive! Both the covered EMG jazz pickups are awesome with their warm and powerful sounds, while retaining incredible subtlety and sound color. Nothing seems to get lost with them! All for a very clear and powerful sound! The (optional) active tone control is also wonderful, upgrading the whole with a great clarity – and how great it is to work on your sound!! From a big, slappy sound clearer than anything for slap, to a low, heavy sound with maximal growl, plus clear-sounding arpeggios in the lower neck, so congrats to Aguilar for this OBP-3!! Lows and highs are provided with a very wide midrange, allowing to work on them as you please on the preamp or through amps/pedals. It’s a bass you have to live up to as it’s really full of punch. Don’t go after sounds that will gently bounce, and I really love Jazz Basses (both for their touch a nd sound – a US-made American Standard Jazz Bass I mean, of course), but the Spector sounds “fuller”, more straight-to-the-point, harder sometimes but still precise. It provides a big sound, round and still less versatile and fat compared with an American Standard JB, it provides attack, low end, highs and lots of mids!!! Just what you need to put your groove, once you’ve tamed it soundwise. On a small combo (a 35W, neighbour-friendly model), it already shows its rich and diverse tones compared with other common basses, but when used with a 200/300W amp such as a Markbass… well, just HANG ON TO WHATEVER YOU CAN! I personally play in almost all styles, with a large preference for everything groovy – funk, disco but also rock, jazz and even classical and baroque, even a little pop, you know, you don’t always do what you like in a band (lol!). Its sound capacities are such that every style works. Quick and precise left hand play are more than possible, and the instrument’s sustain il quite interesting. Now, the preamp: an Aguilar OBP-3 It comes with 4 pots that feel sturdy and heavy, made of metal and no easily-breakable plastic things that will break, unsolder, cause loose wires or other such problems as with many basses: - Master - Bass cut/boost - High Medium boost / Low Medium Boost - High cut/boost The bass is a real lightweight, much lighter than, say, Ibanez’s SR1600. What I most like with it’s ergonomy is its curved body shape which perfectly fits your hip and/or belly, depending on everyone’s morphology. Perfectly wedged and light – in for a good time. The body is un-lacquered and very small, hence fragile and everything is likely to leave a stain on it, especially when slapping… Even well-cut nails will slowly leave traces. But hey, an instrument is supposed to be alive, ain’t it? No need to retune it except if you transport it with too little care – tuning won’t move, even when you play it daily. But its biggest asset is its fingerboard… Almost straight, barely curved, it’s wonderfully precise! You can play heavy or fat but also lightly and subtly, anything goes. The neck’s width is perfectly suited to the fingerboard, with fingers finding naturally their place above the strings. By the way, the string-neck alignment excels everywhere even at the lowest setting, with incurved areas here and there where they’re needed. I’d say the E is 2 to 3mm away from the fingerboard with no fretbuzz. Welcome quickness – and precision too! The bridge is made of steel (or is it brass?), it’s heavy and sturdy, it won’t ever move, vibrate, buzz or anything. The brass saddle is made of brass, and is sturdy too. The massive, closed-type tuners can be set to feel more or less “hard” and won’t move either if you don’t want them to. All this was made to last for a very, very long time! This bass is already 18 years old, and in perfect shape (yeah, agewise it’s reached its majority now, but I still won’t let it go out alone ;-) ). Of course, everything was hand-made and assembled. Each piece is unique. For the record, mine is a US model that came out from Stuart Spector’s famed shop in Woodstock, NYC. It sports the #60 and was made on november 11th, 1998 (handsigned on the back of the head by luthier/builder Stuart Spector, with number and date, even the address is on it!). In case you’d have an opportunity to get a US Spector… Give it a try!!!! And I’m sure you’ll buy it. Plus, there are plenty of Fenders everywhere, you can still buy one in the future, one or even ten years from now. Fact is – I’ll never sell my Spector. Never, ever!!!! That’s one less on the market… Mine is from a very limited series of NS-2J (with the J standing for “jazz”), with only 80 to 100 ever produced worldwide. And them being so rare comes from the fact that once you get one, you keep it!!! If the Spector NS-2J Limited Edition was an animal, it would be a lion: powerful, strong and warm! Now, choose your side! :-p PS: I’m adding a few things to my original review after going through “surprising” discussions with a few, rare guitar professionals. There are a certain number of clichés going round about those rare bass models, and I wanted to straighten some of these points through reliable information so that no lucky owner of such great instruments get swindled out of it for a low price: - “NS2s were made in the Czech Republic then assembled in the US”: FALSE!! Mine for instance was made before the European factories even opened… Go to the official website, everything’s written for all dates: http://www.spectorbass.com/NSBoltOnSeries - - "I’ll give you 1,100 euros for it, it’s not worth more than that” -> Ahah!! A look at Ebay and you’ll know better: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2053587.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xspector+ns2+usa.TRS0&_nkw=spector+ns2+usa&_sacat=0 But it’s not only ebay (which ain’t that much of a reliable source, i know, I’ve promised better;-) ), on other sites you’ll have plenty to choose from, but not under the 3 to 4k€ mark for a US NS2: http://www.basscentral.com/spector/usa_th.shtml http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Spector_NS4_Satin_black.html This one is 2,600£ – which is approximately 3,500 euros. - Another cliché: "Spector ain’t for funk"... -> FALSE!!! It sure provides a radical – well, “typical” let’s say – sound, but just have a look at the biography of a man named Bernard Edwards (no less : who can claim to be funkier?) shows us he actually has played Spector NSs: http://grooveshark.im/artist/Bernard-Edwards Even Wikipedia mentions it...: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Edwards And so on : I haven’t gone through every website there is but I’ve heard such things… I couldn’t help it and put things back into place. Don’t forget that this site’s blue book value seems oddly out of touch, which after all seems normal considering how difficult it is to find and estimate such a bass, with all US models being customized from the start – including the wood, neck/top, pickups, color, lacquer and various options (detailed at spectorbass.com), with so many series, models and so on. So all these basses are basically different from any other, hence unique! This blue book value is also only based on the last years on this very website, so it includes many European series (LX, Legend, Forte…) Spector basses, which quality differs largely from US models. A bit like Fender, which Mexican versions vs US Custom shop ones. For the record, also note that NS2-Js (for EMG Jazz) are the same except for different pickups compared with the NS4(+H2 for humbuckers, e.g.). I don’t want to be a preacher, but I insist on being fait to this manufacturer and his work with such wonderful basses – plus it’s hard for me not to say anything when I feel like I’m being made a fool of. Hopefully, these details will help you not being duped on the real quality of what tou own! Hereby included is a pic of Spector’s 2010 catalog, and you’ll see the price range ain’t the same either – which is quite normal, considering the quality… ;-)

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Hi, being a beginning bass player, please consider this review as mostly suited to beginners like me. After I bought a used Mexican Fender Jazz Bass, I spent quite a lot of time setting it up and finding the right settings for the way I like to play – which includes all my mistakes. It provided me with an acceptable sound, but I still wasn’t satisfied by it (even after installing a Gotoh string-thru bridge) . For the price I managed to sell it, I bought this alder V7 in two-tone sunburst finish which features a rosewood fretboard. The finish is fine and flawless – and believe me, I’m a rather picky one! Contact with the instrument differs from the MIM Fender JB. This bass is lighter and seems less cumbersome, easier to manipulate, you feel more at ease – at least that’s what I feel. The same goes for the neck once it was set to my taste. The inlays are cleanly and well done, I love how the neck looks. Then, the electronics. I use an Ampeg Micro-CL amp. In passive mode, it sounds a bit like the JB, the sound may seem “softer” but the settings are efficient (good balance between the pickups, efficient tone). However, in active mode, it soon shows how powerful it is, and the settings are even more efficient too especially with the three-band EQ with adjustable mid frequencies – a real asset. Of course, there’s a slight volume difference between the active and passive modes but nothing too disturbing and you easily find the sound you’re after. The bass came with no softcase (in spite of what Sire’s website announced) but with a set of Allen wrenches and a chrome cover for the neck pickup. The guitar wasn’t set properly (buzzy even when playing open strings), but anyway… Also, one of the two included 9V batteries had a broken snap connector – not a real problem though. Pros: finish, electronics, affordability. Cons: the active/passive switch could have been easier to access, the bad factory setting and the lack of a softcase when buying from Thomann… When I bought it, I had hesitated between this model and an SR300, but I’m definitely attracted to the sound and look of a Jazz Bass. I’ll say the V7 is the ideal bass for me as a beginner, and when I’m grown up I’ll get an American Deluxe Jazzbass Ash in natural maple finish...

So far, i only have little hindsight on this beast of a bass but that’s far from being the first I’ve owned, far from that. By the way, I’ve even owned several Ibanez in the past: EDB605, SRX595, Musician, RB500. When talking about bass players, the stereotype which generally comes to minds is that of a beanpole with huge hands: as far as I’m concerned, I’m rather tall indeed but I have small hands – you can think I’m strangely made, but since my shoe size is not monstrous either I can live with it. So, a bass player is supposed to be a guy who can use a pickaxe handle to go dum-dum. But in the 80s, when your average rocker was rather a thin guy wearing jeans and a fluo outfit, Ibanez had the brilliant idea to make very thin instruments: the Sabre and RG series for guitarists, and the SoundGear models for bassists – they’re most often referred to as the "SR", or "SDGR". Endowed with a thin, narrow and ultra-fast neck, these basses are real jewels in finesse and ergonomics. These are “technical”, “modern”, “fusion” instruments – which for those not fluent in marketing speak means they were “designed with a great care for ergonomics”, “equipped with active electronics” and “able to respond to both a classic finger play than to slap”. The SR-800 LE was made in Japan, here are its specs: - Massive Tilia wood body - Painted (back and head) maple neck with a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard - Two Regulated Lo-Z pickups - Omni-Adjust bridge - Self-lubricated tuners - Controls: Volume / Balance / EQ boost-cut for the Lows / EQ boost-cut for the Highs A few words on workmanship Some will regret that the body is made of tilia: I consider they’re wrong. Indeed, many a high-end instrument is made of tilia, including the great MusicMan guitars for instance. There are several reasons for choosing tilia. Soundwise, it does is part as we have a “modern-sounding” instrument with nice mids, and tilia has a part in it. But ergonomical questions make it even more appreciated, as it is easier to work on than ash and lighter than mahogany, allowing to make refined shape guitars like this SR. The neck is a real masterpiece, even compared to two basses which can be considered high-end instruments: a Japanese Fender JB Marcus Miller (almost industrially produced) and a Neuser Crusade Signature (handmade by a luthier). These two beautiful instruments have reference necks both in terms of comfort and stability, and now I’m considering this SR800LE up to par with them in that regard due to its neck which is thin, narrow and stands up very straight. The wood is a beautiful solid maple with a quality rosewood fingerboard. Back to the body now: with tilia being a rather soft wood, it shows marks from a few bumps it has taken over time. On the pictures, you can see what looks like a “bite” on the upper body. This to me is the main cons of using this type of wood, though it is very efficient sonically. Hardware and electronics When it comes to Made in Japan instruments, Ibanez is very careful. No soft alloys and speckled iron, it’s all massive and sturdy. The tuners look like Gotoh (though they’re not), the bridge is perfect and so is the fretwork, so in the end a great MIJ Ibanez, as all bass lovers know and like it. I’m less enthusiastic as to the electronics. The Regulated Lo-Z pickups are quite peculiar, their output level is not awful and the 2-band preamp allows to glue the sound smoothly. Let’s start with the best part – the (inverted) P-pickup. It delivers all that you’d expect from a modern P-Style model, and it alone nearly suffices for all playing techniques. With the balance at half (P+J), the result is also very good. Big sound for slap, for instance. Using the Jazz pickup alone is, in my opinion, useless. Not much mojo, too sensitive to hits to play very close to the bridge, plus the sound lacks roundness. The P alone and P+J combination are really what makes this bass shine – and overall it really does. It works well in every styles, but really gives it all with percussive playing techniques . Where do we plug it? So far, I’ve tried two combinations. First, into a Hiwatt B60 and its 12” cab: the result is nice, but you can’t say this is the most modern-sounding amp around and you’re far from a 90s Hartke with its aluminium cones. Adding a more vintage grain to this bass is pleasant and tends to moderate its “modern-fusion” spirit. I’ve also tried it using amp simulations (Amplitube 3/Fender/SVX), and it’s really fine within the range of expectations you can have from such pieces of software. If you aim for a “studio” mix, it’s very coherent. I expect to try it with two other amps in the near future: a Trace Elliot GP12SMX and a Hartke Kickback 15, both made within the same period of time as the SR800LE. I’m not too fond of the Markbass sound so I’ll avoid trying this, however I expect to try a Gallien-Krueger stack soon. In the end... Clearly, this is a good bass. The workmanship and ergonomics are perfect, and the sound is rather versatile with a typical Ibanez touch. It’s all the opposite from a lumberjack’s bass and far from the standards of fat-sounding rock – closer in mind to the spirit of rather expensive “technical” basses. A great occasion to taste of a dream neck for a guy with small hands like me. This bass is very easy to play and sounds immediately good, which is nice with me. The one I own is in a Candy Apple Red finish – a nice metal red, well nice provided you like red of course. I’ve always wanted a bass in that color and I was happy as this was given to me by a friend who no longer used it – needless to say value-for-money can only be exceptional. What’s even more curious, I had been several times on the verge of buying one in the past years and finally delayed the purchase. This bass is clearly as good as comparable new models, it’s up to par with the high-end Tune. When holding it, you can feel that it’s not just another low-end Asian-made bass, but a real fine and racy Japanese instrument.

- Which amps or effects do you use this bass with ? Pedalboard with a Korg Pitchblack, Carl Martin Quattro (Chorus), Isp Technologies Decimator and Boss BF-3 Flanger into a Markbass CMD 102P - For which kind of music/playing style ? In our band's original songs, my style is close to those of Cure or New Orders, I first wanted to buy the Simon Gallup signature model but I considered it too expensive for features similar to a Classic's. Regarding covers, we play 1970s to 2000s rock but I haven't used it with a band yet, I think it'll be less versatile than my Guild B301 which sounds quite neutral. - What do you think of the instrument's wood and construction quality, electronics and finish? The guitar's finish is fine, it's a well-balanced instrument compared with a Thunderbird which tends to nose-dive. The pickups are not so punchy (compared with my Guild) and tend to distort rather easily. The BIG disappointment is the knobs which are plain useless from 0 to 8, the shopkeeper told me it was a question of speed (I'm not really convinced). In a way it suits me as it allows to quickly get from a pickup to the other, but I would have preferred a switch. The tone knob is just the same, all in all I believe these are just low-grade parts... - Does the bass stay in tune? Strangely, it does, I didn't expect it to behave that good, no intonation difference at the 12th fret. - Do its neck, fingerboard and shape suit your playing style? It suits me perfectly for our original songs and I still have to wait to use in on cover songs, but I feel it's not going to be easy, the neck is really thin near the head. - Do the sounds suit you in the different pickup combinations? The sounds are really near those of a Gibson Thunderbird but it's quite logical as this model was originally made for Simon Gallup who essentially played on a Thunderbird (but since Schecter has endorsed The Cure for a few years now, the bass player was the only one left still without a signature instrument...). Used together, the pickups sound really good, the neck pickup alone is really good (it sounds as if you were switching from left to right with the mids, the position of your wrist between the bridge and neck will influence the tone too and the distance is important and appreciable. The neck pickup alone will take more time for me to appreciate it, as of now I feel like all the lows are getting lost. - Is the sound well-balanced ? The low E string sounds different from all the other strings. - What are the instrument's pros and cons ? THE PROS = its shape, weight, balance, very straight neck, and sound. THE CONS = the pickups that lack accuracy, he cheap knobs, the price. I got it for €700 and for that price it's OK, but for its MSRP of €1,000 it's a bit expensive, let alone the (way too costly) €1,300 signature model...

Some say Fender is overrated, but I really wanted THE ONE bass sound I could hear on the rock records that I listened to as a kid. Plus, I wanted a bass that was not needlessly complicated to use with a crazy preamp and an infinite number of pickup split options. You can’t make simpler than this one, and it sounds every time – just adjust the tone knob depending on the sound you’re after and here you go. Finally, I wanted a good-looking instrument and clearly, this one looks like it survived touring with a punk band for a while – apart from the fact it doesn’t smell of beer. The relic-ing process is pretty well done, it’s a question of taste of course but I really like it, plus it’s less stressful when you hit something with it! Played with a strap, it feels very comfortable, light and balanced. Of course the neck is thicker and less prone to fast playing compared with a jazz, but you soon get used to it and string spacing is not excessive. High notes are easy to access. Soundwise, no surprise, it’s the precision sound – round, hot, warm, with beautiful medium tones that ensure presence in the mix. The highs sound mellow. The sound bears a vintage spirit, so for a more modern Precision sound you’d be better off in the New American standard range. Slap lovers will have to do with an old school, Larry Graham-ish sound (which is also nice). For comparing both model (stabdard American and Mexican) I found more mojo from that Mexican one, with richer medium tones and mellower, thicker lows. In a band, this bass works well in different genres (heavy rock, stoner, grunge, punk rock, works for metal too). The only flaw I found was a small, nearly imperceptible vibration due to the bridge setting springs (well, I mean the piece of metal that is used as a bridge). Otherwise, nothing else to add except for the fact that soundwise this one doesn’t pale to an American model. Regarding its manufacturing quality and aging, we’ll see with time. So far, after a year of use, I only have good things to say about it.

Precision Bass kit put together and highly modded by PMC guitars. Specs: -Bolt on Mighty Mite Jazz Bass replacement neck, 20 frets all maple, with walnut skunk stripe. -2-piece ash body produced by a fellow luthier of PMC. -Warwick tuners. -Hipshot Model A Bridge with string through. -Precision type Delano PMVC4 FE/M2 in neck. -MusicMan type Delano MC4 FE bridge. -Active Delano Sonar 2 electronics: on/off by push / pull on the volume knob, master volume, blend, low boost / cut , treble boost / cut. -3 way switch for the MM pickup coils: series / split / parallel. -flushmount Straplok Dunlop. -Battery clip on the back of the bass. -Satin finish neck, body tainted in voodoo finish! gray and black, highlighting the wood grain. <a>See the thread on its construction </a> (ok, it’s in French…) UTILIZATION Good grip, like any Precision with a Jazz Bass neck :o). A big body, not too heavy, the bass is well balanced (certainly thanks to the massive headstock). High frets access is alright,; not outstanding (it's still a Precision). But it's better than a Fender, thanks to the highly sculpted heel. Still, for the very scarce moment I need to reach the 20th fret, it suits me perfectly. The neck, typical Jazz Bass is fine. Far more pleasant than usual PB log. In short, it's still a super Precision with a great Jazz Bass neck, and a hybrid between the PB and a Warwick (pickups and woods). SOUNDS Plugged in a Ampeg SVP-Pro preamp, a cab simulator (Torpedo PI, awesome), a Firepod and Cubase. Now plugged in my Fractal Axe-FX Ultra with a few great sims!. This Meanie is a happy compromise between a Precision that would have more guts and ... a Warwick! Yep, it&rsquo;s more punchy, than my Corvette $ $! Perfect, I love these sounds! It has way punch enough for big rock and metal! And it&rsquo;s still rather versatile for more styles, from bluesy to jazzy stuff, and slap, etc. Still with a good character (I hate bland basses like Ibanez, they can handle any style, but desperately bland in all styles). It is still quite versatile, with a beautiful personality, a look that I love, a real in your face sound. OVERALL OPINION It&rsquo;s just a very simple parts mutt, still, it goes beyond what was expected of her! Very enjoyable to play, a real character and punch, and a look that I like The finish is excellent, flawless assembly (well, it's still a Mighty Mite neck, not ultra high end stuff). Slight criticism only for the looks, the tuners that are ridiculously small compared to the size of the headstock. But I wanted modern tuners, not those awful dust friendly tuners you still find on any Fender. Apart from that, now I want a 100% PMC made bass! I can't wait to see his Blast bass that should be unleashed within a few months!

Hi all, I'm here to give you my review on the 5-string Fender MP... I'm back to playing the 5-string but more as a secondary bass beside my awesome '89 Precision Plus... I tried to gather information on this Chinese-made Fender where I live, and was often directed towards the 5-string Ibanez Sr 505, more or less in the same price range: fine, it seems either no one knows or wants to talk about the Modern Player... I delayed my purchase and finally found one at a shop I knew. And it literally blew my mind - and no, this wasn't due to the shop's amp I tried it on. The Fender sound is here - a big, really heavy sound!!! Perfect finish, two humbuckers , a five-position switch, the instrument was well set-up but I wanted more and asked for a setting more adapted to my fingers, which the shopkeeper arranged on the spot for me - enhancing my playing accuracy. I finally bought the bass and I'm totally crazy about it! Frankly, a real Fender for this price with such a finish is not something you'd want to miss!! To be bought with blind faith - well, as long as you're not deaf. Love, John.

Everything has been written in previous reviews. Mine has a rosewood fingerboard. UTILIZATION See other reviews. It is indeed quite heavy, you need a good strap. But it is perfectly comfortable to play with. The neck is thicker and rounder than the one on my Luthman, but you get used to it. SOUNDS The sound: powerful, brilliant, particularly rich in mids but the lows rock as well, the amp always asks for mercy. Imagine playing a bass equipped with the strings of a grand piano or a Hammond B3 (the real one, not a clone) ─ that's the T-40, more or less. A very full sound, very vibrant, percussive and rich in harmonics. But also very versatile, depending on the settings: With the neck pickup and a bit of EQ you easily get a huge but very muffled sound, like Jah Wobble. You can watch on Youtube a video showcasing the different sound possibilities this bass provides, and how to use it to imitate a Precision, MusicMan or Rickenbacker. That's all very interesting, but this bass always has a particular sound. That said, I don't intend to sound like Chris Squire playing with a pick, but with the "Rick" setting you come pretty darn close! I have a somewhat run-down 4*10 cab with a speaker that crackles if you play a bit loud, at least with other basses, but not with the Peavey, even at the same volume. Always that harmonic richness, I think. OVERALL OPINION I bought it right after a Yes concert where I was blown away by the sound of Chris Squire with his Rickenbacker. It had more mids and harmonics than with his other basses. Reading different forums I discovered this bass, which seems to be the closest to a Rickenbacker and it is highly praised (although there are people who don't like it...). The word "awesome" is a bit trite these days but there is no other way to define this bass. Big, beautiful, heavy, dense; the output level, the sustain and the sound: It's awesome. Compared to my Luthman Jazzette, it's like driving a Land Rover and a sport coupe. You can find it easily on Ebay, it's a great American vintage bass at the price of a secondhand Fender MIJ. The cherry on the cake: You won't go unnoticed on stage. I love my T-40!

A bold title yes but one I'll stick with. Having played bass for over 30 years this was my 1st purchase from Thomann and a fine one in my opinion. I'd recently joined the UK BassChat forum and saw the retailer mentioned plenty.On visiting the site I liked the look of the PB-50. The spec was good, long scale,maple neck and fretboard,light Basswood body,D'Addario strings and a Wilkinson pickup.Now the strings and pickup would cost 50 euro alone,the PB-50 was less than 100 euro.Worth a gamble I thought (since then I now know there is 30 days return) In 2.5 days the bass was delivered from Germany to Scotland and the fun began.Out the box I was struck by how well constructed the bass was,good finish,no sharp or high frets,playable action.Surely this was a fluke,basses this affordable shouldn't be this good. No fluke, another was bought as I'd strung the 1st with nylon tapes and it is equally good.I was so pleased with the PB-50 I started a thread on TalkBass and soon heard from other players similarly impressed. A word about the Wilkinson pickup,one of the posters to my TalkBass thread works in Kenya and after 6 months bought one from a fella in England( Thomann don't deliver to Kenya).His arrived with a Seymour Duncan pickup fitted and he was intrigued by how the Wilkinson would have sounded,as I planned on trying either a toaster or mudbucker in one I sent him my Wilkinson pickup.Both pickups had the same range and clarity,in fact they both sounded the same.Only the Wilkinson is LOUDER. Seriously this is a great bass for under 100 euro and I'm hard pressed to see how the Squier CV equivalent costs 5 times as much.So where are costs cut ? well it has a basswood body but so do many other basses.The finish is a FotoFlame under the gloss though this only matters if you want to relic it. A great 1st bass,a great back up bass,a great bass for the classic look and tone. Do yourself a favour and get one and remember Thomann offer 30 days return if the QC isn't 100% and 3 years warranty as standard. You really have nothing to lose:bravo: