Bass Recommendations for Guitar Players

Last week a customer popped into the shop with a really nice MIJ Fender Mustang bass, in fiesta red, similar to this one:
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=47391

Aside from the annoyance of having to remove the bloody neck to adjust the truss rod, it was a lovely little instrument with a short scale, thin frets, and narrow neck. Very comfortable for a guitar player to mess around on.

Today, I noticed forum member Clive Shakedown's signature, "Bass, the final frontier.." and it reminded me of the Mustang. Then I started musing about other basses that would be a good fit for a guitar player who'd like to dabble. Not for gigging out, but for a change and for a little variety.

The other two which come to mind for me are the Epiphone "Beatle bass" and the Danelectro Longhorn both of which I found fun to play. And light weight!

Recommendations?

Concord 1 I guess. 
Hondo H1030 short scale 
Vantage vs600,similar to the hondo/ epi eb0

Futurama short scale 60's bass:- lightweight, short scale, lovely neck and with deep classic tones (originally made apparently for the numerous guitar players in the sixties who couldn't get a gig on guitar so flipped to a bass to get the work)

http://www.ampguy.co.uk/futurama.html

You can still pick them up for a few hundred pounds or less. highly recommended.

The Futurama is a Hagstrom made bass.Nice.

Acquired a new Hofner Ignition Club bass for my good buddy last week. £200. new including shipping to Bath uk.

Took it away to set it up and change the knobs.
Very nice short scale 30"nice neck, nice light weight with a pretty good sound.

Here it is next to an original.


The handy thing is you can play them acoustically being hollow.

Nice figured back.

Very nice Damian.
Pete, I have seen the odd Vantage VS695B for sale locally and they look interesting. I have a few Avenger guitars and they are very comfy designs.

I had/have no trouble at all transitioning onto my Spectrum GTBass, so unsure why a short scale bass is desirable for guitarists wanting to double up?!

Any of the Spectrum or Electra Phoenix models Basses are great players

Barry wrote:Very nice Damian.
Pete, I have seen the odd Vantage VS695B for sale locally and they look interesting. I have a few Avenger guitars and they are very comfy designs.

Look out for these same scale, very comfy.

I was tempted to go for one of those X88 recently but one or two members on the Mats forum said the bridge could be a weak point and was prone to rising. As it was an internet unseen purchase I decided to pass on it as the guy said the bridge was not sitting flush to the body. Could have just been a one off, never took it further.

Loving that Hofner Club reissue, classic look and vibe.

The bridges crack because they're made of crappy pot metal.Good old Mats...

Here's an easy fix.
http://forum.westoneguitars.net/t2131-westbury-track-ii-bass

Meadows wrote:I was tempted to go for one of those X88 recently but one or two members on the Mats forum said the bridge could be a weak point and was prone to rising...

I'm surprised they didn't mention the Epi bridge replacement to you as Damian has also pointed out.
That's been a fairly common complaint on those boards with this simple remedy offered more than once.

Cheaper than the Epi bridge is
THIS
more akin to the original Mats poor quality pot metal, but I've used these twice now and no problems after a year.

Thanks guys, good to know for next time one comes along

Sgt. Vimes wrote:Cheaper than the Epi bridge is
THIS
more akin to the original Mats poor quality pot metal, but I've used these twice now and no problems after a year.

Pot metal breaks down over time.
Kinda self decomposing.

At those prices buy two, last you a lifetime.

I did