My Ibanez BTB745 is scratching my five-string active bass itch so well right now that I’ve begun to look at the Warwick differently. Now, it’s my rock bass, with its big passive humbuckers. But in that regard it’s kind of “metal” and not very retro. I want a simple rocker that I can just grab-and-Geddy, something I would have felt completely at home with when I was 17. Is the Warwick that bass?
No. I need an instrument like the ones played by Jack Casady, Larry Graham, Greg Lake, Jaco Pastorius, John Paul Jones, Sting, Geddy Lee, Flea, Adam Clayton, and Verdine White. I need a Jazz Bass.
There’s just one problem. I don’t like Fender.
I mean, sure. I have tremendous respect for what Leo Fender and his classic designs have done for modern music, especially bass guitar. But I don’t like to buy instruments with their name on the headstock because you always seem to get less for your money than when you buy the competition. Like, if you buy a Fender for $500, you’re taking home an $350 guitar and a $150 logo. This annoys me.
So get a Squier! It’s Fender’s budget brand and many of their higher end instruments are quite good. This is true, but there’s two issues. First, even though they’re a budget brand, somehow they seem to have the same problem as Fender: they never seem to be trying as hard as the competition. Second, I will never shake the perception that the Squier logo means “unprofessional,” as it did when I was first learning to play in the 80s.
So what do I get? Sire. Specifically the Sire Marcus Miller V5. Four strings, no batteries, natural finish, roasted maple neck and block inlays. Problem is, you can’t find them. Anywhere. New or used. They’re out of stock at Reverb, Sweetwater, Chicago Music Exchange, Guitar Center…they’re even out of stock at Sire! I think everyone recognized that they’re great instruments for a great price and snatched them up quick. Sire’s a small company. They can only make so many guitars.
But then I found a few in stock over at Thomann in Germany. Bing, bang, boom–it’ll be here on Wednesday. And after I flip the Warwick, I’ll pocket a couple hundred bucks out of the deal.
🤘🏼