Poll: Which Bass should I get?

[General Ken8]

Do we have any Bass guitar players on the Escapist? I've personally been playing for about 5 years, and currently own two basses

Spoiler: Fender Precision from 1980

Looks like this one, except it has a black pickguard

Spoiler: ESP LTD F155DX

I've been looking at getting myself one of these two basses, but I can't decide which one

Spoiler: Ibanez ICB300ex

Spoiler: Gibson or Epiphone Thunderbird

Does anyone have any advice on which one to buy? I've heard great things about both of them all around, but it's a tough decision
If you have any opinions about other basses you've bought that you think would be better, feel free to post them

EDIT: I should probably add what genres I like to play:
Punk, and most sub-genres of punk
Metal, usually stuff like Lamb of God, System of a Down, and Children of Bodom
Techno, mostly Daft Punk sort of stuff

 

[Shirokurou]

I have an Ibanez guitar (not bass) and it serves me very well.
So I can vouch for their quality.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I'd get the Ibanez. They always feel much nicer than they actually are (I've got a 5 string acoustic Ibanez), and Gibson's build quality is a bit squiffy these days, and they like putting annoying sticky gloss finishes on the neck. Besides, I reckon the Ibanez looks better.

 

[Outright Villainy]

I'd probably pick Ibanez, just because I love their regular guitars. I wouldn't know anything about bass though. I like playing it sure, but I've kept the same one since the beginning.

[sub]I haven't even changed strings.[/sub]

 

[PureChaos]

Seabass, mackerel is better though. oh guitar....i agree with ^

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

If price aint an issue, get a Warwick.
If it is, I'd go with a Gibson

 

[Da Joz]

I will say the ibanez. I have had several Ibanez's in the past and they are of good quality and long durability. Also the shape is bad-ass.

 

[Ophiuchus]

Standard answer that I give every single time this topic happens:

1. ignore whatever suggestions people make
2. find a guitar shop
3. test out as many as you want, using your own amp if possible
4. get the one you like best

It's absolutely the only way. Asking other people will just result in what THEY like, not what you like.

...oh, and the sound is far more important than the look. I can't believe how many people get an instrument that sounds like shit just because "it looks kewl!!!!1".

 

[Hashime]

I have always been partial to small-mouth, but I have heard good things about sea-bass.
On topic, try before you buy. We cannot tell you how it will feel in your hands.

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

first and foremost the ibanez and the thunderbird will suffer from neck dive issues due to the light weight of the bodies

that out of the way, go with what this guy said

Standard answer that I give every single time this topic happens:

1. ignore whatever suggestions people make
2. find a guitar shop
3. test out as many as you want, using your own amp if possible
4. get the one you like best

It's absolutely the only way. Asking other people will just result in what THEY like, not what you like.

...oh, and the sound is far more important than the look. I can't believe how many people get an instrument that sounds like shit just because "it looks kewl!!!!1".

btw the image for the thunderbird ain't working

 

[The Afrodactyl]

Out of the two, I'd go for the Ibanez.

I ignore the big brands altogether though, two of mine are knock-offs (left-most and right-most), and the third is home-made (the unpainted one).

Spoiler: And the one in the middle is a knock-off strat

 

[General Ken8]

Standard answer that I give every single time this topic happens:

1. ignore whatever suggestions people make
2. find a guitar shop
3. test out as many as you want, using your own amp if possible
4. get the one you like best

It's absolutely the only way. Asking other people will just result in what THEY like, not what you like.

...oh, and the sound is far more important than the look. I can't believe how many people get an instrument that sounds like shit just because "it looks kewl!!!!1".

Yeah, I've personally tried them both, and I love how they sound (I used to mostly be concerned with looks, but now I don't really care) but I was hoping someone who owned one might be able to give me their opinion too

 

[A Raging Emo]

I myself play the bass guitar, and own an AXL 4 String Bass; I can vouch for AXL's quality; they're really good in my experience.

 

[EvilPicnic]

Of those two I would get the Thunderbird.

I like the Iceman shape, but prefer guitar and bari versions to the bass. Also, it has a dark sound which is quite distinctive, but not that versatile - it can't really pull off punk for example.

Your p-bass covers that clicky 'fender' sound, and your ESP has metal sorted; the thunderbird would fit right in with a smoother classic sound. It would round out your collection better imho.


But then my main bass is a Danelectro 63, so wtf do I know...

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

If price aint an issue, get a Warwick.
If it is, I'd go with a Gibson

Oh, definitly. My brother had a Warwick, it was so beautiful that I was afraid to play it with any vigour. Smooth sound, no buzz. Quality instruments.

Out of the 2, I'd get the Gibson. I've never been an Ibanez fan...