Paul W. Frields

The best sounding J I've ever played -- although mine came with a custom-wound set of Lindy Fralin pickups the original owner installed (and he also gave me the stock pickups). I dropped a John East DJ-Retro preamp into mine and it is now my #1 beast for on stage. The sweepable mid in the DJ-Retro makes it tunable for every room so it always sounds amazing. And it feels great to play, too!

My 2008 American Standard has a set of Fender Custom Shop 1962 spec pickups. One of the best sounding instruments I own. It only does one trick, but it's a GREAT one.

The 4003 may not have the vintage panache of an original 4001 but it is eminently more usable for the modern player. In late 2019 the original bridge design (seriously wanting in many ways) was finally dropped in favor of a more modern, useful version that carries most of the features of the Hipshot drop-in replacement, meaning Ricky fans could finally properly intonate (and palm mute risk-free if desired). The pull-circuit for the vintage capacitance may drop too much low end for today's use, but when you use it and crank up along with some classic Yes tunes you'll know why it's there.

One of the best sounding electric upright basses you'll find, but comes at a dear price. Incredible sound, with an active preamp and 2-band (bass/treble) boost and cut controls, plus volume. This instrument feels best with the optional extension on the upper bout, since it makes it broader and allows it to lean against you in a more authentic posture. There is nothing about this instrument that feels cheap or as if the designers "settled." It's quality through and through, from the fit and finish through to the sound. An absolute keeper.

The one bass in my arsenal that can play a convincing P, a convincing J, and a convincing MM in one package. Mine has some beautiful chrome knobs and a pearloid pickguard from the previous owner. Even if you find yourself unable to pull those tones, there's also an adjustable mid frequency switch set in the preamp box, which you can use to tune to your liking. This bass will stay in my keeping forever!

This bass is a superb example of how a short-scaler can be so much more than the ubiquitous Fender Mustang. Not only more pleasing to the eye, but it's a tone monster as well. The variety of sounds that can be coaxed from this instrument, with separate volume/tone for each pickup and a three way selector, guarantee something to please everyone. There's even a master volume for ultimate flexibility -- such as not having a mute switch in your rig, or leaving a little room for a clean solo. With flats, the Starfire II oozes vintage cool. With rounds, you can get close to (though not quite, sorry!) a semi-Rickenbacker level of bite and growl. Like many semi-hollowbody basses, it ends up a little neck heavy, but nothing worse than expected. It's a huge step up from the Starfire IV Bass, which shares its looks but nowhere near the versatility.

The SR5 has its own special charm. It doesn't sound like anything else, but it cuts through a mix on stage like nothing else. It also has an absolutely unbeatable neck, with a distinctive gunstock oil finish that makes it superfast and comfortable. I picked up my 1998 model, which is a 3-color vintage sunburst with rosewood fretboard, as a consignment, for about $900. It hadn't been touched by the original owner since purchase, and now new models cost almost double that. One of the best value purchases I ever made.

The Sire basses cut corners on some hardware to meet an insane price point (I paid $599 + shipping; currently these are $699 including shipping). But they stand up to the road, the fit and finish of the neck and body is first rate, and the sound is very, VERY good for the price. And at this price you can afford to trick them out with new pickups or other goodies and still pay less than other comparable imports or even an American made instrument. There's a reason so many working players are snapping these up. Originally intended as a beginner's instrument, you could use one of these for your entire career from novice to professional. Don't dither, just buy one.

For the price, a great instrument for anyone from a student to a professional. My daughter has mine at the moment, but I used it for years on stage. Mine's a 2002 from a pretty good year at the Fender Japan factory. I hear the Killers' bassist has about a half dozen of these for their tours because they're so dependable and consistent.

I got this for a song ($550) because the idiots at Guitar Center had no idea what kind of instrument this was. Oh, and there was a tiny chip in the headstock paint. Because as we all know, that causes a huge problem with your sound, right? Anyway, the sound on this instrument is a little more growly than a standard Fender P, and it cuts through on stage really nicely. Plus, it has a slim J-style neck like Duck himself preferred in his later years. Wonderful instrument!

The bridge has a limited range of adjustment. Tuners can be a bit dodgy especially in temperature changing situations. But the sound is absolutely unbeatable, especially with flatwound strings -- a beautiful, round, vintage tone with fantastic range in the tone control. With a pick, you can get pretty close to an early Beatles tone.

It may not have the tonal quality of more modern Precision basses, but it has its charm. The neck is more of the vintage "baseball bat" feel, so small handed players may be a bit daunted. Mine has a custom wound Lindy Fralin pickup in place of the notoriously weak stock unit. Its mellow sound is great both on recordings and for use in smaller gigs or those demanding big bottom without the growl.

The features and flexibility of this unit are unmatched at the price point. I use this to go from studio to rehearsal to stage with absolutely no compromises on sound. I've built out of this world sounds that make a bass sound like an orchestra, and simple patches that let the instrument be itself. (Yes, it works incredibly well for bass players.) Completely editable by hand, but can also be paired with the HX Edit app on the computer for point and click ease. And it fits in a gig bag with plenty of room to spare. What could be better?