Hi all. Since I picked up my Vintage V4, I've been having great fun diving back into music jamming along on bass. While I'm trying to learn the start of Testament's "Souls of Black", I'm also revisiting Megadeth, and got me thinking, in general, how difficult it is to play some of those fast thrash metal licks on bass. Sore on the hand!
I used to have a Charvel through neck guitar years ago which has a lovely fast neck.
Quite a few Charvel and Jackson MIJ basses on reverb currently at decent enough prices. Some are hh, some are pj configured.
Are the necks thin on these? Surely, as they're geared towards the metal heads, the necks would have been built for "bass shredding"?
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I absolutely hated it and couldn't get rid of it quick enough - I'd do better on a V4. I've had vintage and Masterbuilt Charvel guitars, but I wouldn't recommend the basses.
The fastest bass I've played was a Cort A4, but Musicman Sterlings, Kubickis and Lightwaves are fast too.
It's strange, as I've always found fat and narrow quicker than the opposite, which is more in-line with Musicman profiles etc.
Something fast and easy for metal would be nice to have on the rack down the line.
I would have given you a heads up on a bargain I saw, but it's now sold out unfortunately. There was also a Dave Ellefson Peavey Scorpio on Basschat that's gone, but they have a rounder, fast neck.
Here's a few nice options in that price range:
https://reverb.com/item/33057209-peavey-millennium-plus-usa-4-string-bass-guitar-tiger-eye
https://reverb.com/item/5831476-used-carvin-pb4-precision-bass
https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/347094-yamaha-black-bb2004-with-hard-case/
HOWEVER, if you do want to go for something Thrash and pointy, I would recommend seeing if 'Cetera' on Basschat has anything from his collection - I think he's Gene Simmons in the No.1 UK KISS tribute band. Has had some crackers like this...
https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/334488-sold-fernandes-ltd-edition-pj60-late-80s-jap-classic/
(I'd still say Cort A or B Series if you like soapbars - Really regret selling my 2).
The stock ceramic pickup was rubbish. (I forget whether I sold it or gave it away.) My example currently sports a DiMarzio DP146 Will Power Middle. (I have, thus far, refrained from routing for a DP145 Will Power Neck 'bucker.) The bass sounded best with an EMG-P pickup wired through volume and VLPF tone controls. Experiments with active EQ proved interesting but detracted from the heads-down-no-nonsense essence of the instrument.
My example has the "F" headstock outline and "toothpaste" logo.
Some of those licks were almost certainly played plectrum style. Alternatively, try the Neil Harris / Andy "PGS" Martin fingernails and callus approach.
I had Yamaha RBX1000 which was really fast neck and was top of the RBX line. Never seen another one. I always preferred PJ config. It gave you the P sound with a difference and I always favored blending in a bit more J and P. Still kind of do.
I always loved the Jackson look specially since Dave Ellefson played them. I never got one and gradually moved into jazz and fusion playing when I started doing my serious studying.
I have thought about getting a pointy head stock bass from that period just for fun but I dont think I would ever play it so I am trying to be sensible.
Another option would be Ibanez EX404 or EX 405 from that period. I always remember them as looking cool (to me) back then.