brendan_pinnola

Split the cost of one with my parents as a birthday gift back in 2019. 5 years, 1 band, and 1 modification later, I've never needed to find a new primary instrument. Despite the stock tuners holding up extraordinarily well, I installed the Hipshot USA Ultralite Bass Xtender on the low E for switching to drop tunings. In addition, the satin neck is incredibly smooth and easy to play on, the frets have never poked out on me, and it has the brightest tone of any bass I've ever played which helps it cut through in a mix. The price for these has gone up since 2019, and I'd hesitate to get one at $800 brand new, but if you can find a used one in good condition for no more than $650, I would highly consider it.

This thing is an absolute monster in every regard. The two pickups give it a similar tone to a jbass with the addition of a 3 band EQ, and the active circuitry make it ideal for heavier styles of music. However, it is as heavy physically as it is sonically. After about a half hour it starts to wear down your shoulder, and the fretboard is the widest slab of wood I've ever seen on a stringed instrument. The one I owned also had some wiggling on the tuning machines when unstrung, and the only thing keeping the brass nut in place was string tension, as all the glue had worn out. If you have the physical capability to play this thing without tiring out your shoulder or getting carpal tunnel, it might be an interesting bass to check out.