Look for something that, while it'll work for most any genre, is still different than what you current own. Diversity within your herd is a good thing. One day, you'll pick up your Scheter, and it'll sound...uninspiring - happens to all (or at least most) of us sooner or later. Something that sounds and feels different is exactly what you need that day - inspiration!
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So you're not really looking for a backup bass. You want a 2nd bass that is a contrast to your first bass. And that's OK.
If you wanted a true backup bass, you'd get the same bass you already have.
If you wanted a true backup bass, you'd get the same bass you already have.
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There's some great answers here, and you can take each one with a grain of salt.
I do believe, your current bass has a fast, narrow, thin neck. The SR line from Ibanez will be similar in feel...and tone. I've owned the opposite (Ibanez SR 5-sting and Schecter Stiletto 4-string). Great if you want your backup to be just a backup. I do like the feel of these.
You mention string spacing, but a Precision style neck is going to feel like a baseball bat. I doubt you'll ever love a P-style neck if you like your Schecter.
Okay, with all that, my vote is with the PJ crowd. And if you really want different tone, look for a passive PJ with jazz shaped neck.
I do believe, your current bass has a fast, narrow, thin neck. The SR line from Ibanez will be similar in feel...and tone. I've owned the opposite (Ibanez SR 5-sting and Schecter Stiletto 4-string). Great if you want your backup to be just a backup. I do like the feel of these.
You mention string spacing, but a Precision style neck is going to feel like a baseball bat. I doubt you'll ever love a P-style neck if you like your Schecter.
Okay, with all that, my vote is with the PJ crowd. And if you really want different tone, look for a passive PJ with jazz shaped neck.
I want a backup for the tones that i cannot get with my main bass. I want a bass where if i just don’t like the sound when trying to do a cover- I can switch to and find the sound i want, or to have in a different tuning so I can just grab and play whether it’s for practice or for a showconfused why you would want a backup bass that is different. me-thinks you just want another bass. lets call a spade a spade
that being said, if you are digging the schecter, I have been jonesin for one of these beauts.
Bass : CV-4
simply great passive tone layout. mix of modern and traditional. and would imagine the build would be great as expected from schecter. comes in 5-string as well, and very affordable.
i think it will sound worlds different from your studio.
Just note that while I'm not a Fender fanboy, every one I've played at GC has felt like absolute dog poop and needed a good setup. Whereas Schecters tend to be setup and play well right out the box. Something to keep in mind if the feel and not the sound of a Fender is holding you back.
Where a good P won't be lacking is in the mix, live and in the studio, in pretty much any genre. So while they might not get you too excited on their own, you simply can't go wrong having one in your arsenal - they just work.
I can't believe no one has said "Get one with a tort pickguard" yet! In all seriousness, I'd get something a little different, but similar, if that makes any sense. Thin, narrow, fast neck? I'd hunt me down a used Peavey Foundation or a non-2Tek Hamer Cruise (a good US or Korean model). Neither will break the bank, both sound great and are as versatile as any other 2 p/u 3 knob passive bass.
BurningSkies
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I reject the notion that your backup bass should have a 'different tone'.
In fact, I've rejected basses for back ups because their tone wasn't similar enough. Think about it for a moment...if your bass is in fact a backup, when your main instrument is down, out, out of tune, stolen by thugs or whatever, you want something that allows you to replicate fairly closely what your original bass does. That's why it's backup. Different tonal palate, output level, etc. also changes your signal chain, which affects any pedals you're using and what you're sending to FOH. I have at least one soundman who rolls his eyes if you're not playing your 'regular' instrument...he's got to start from scratch rather than loading a preset or working from his knowledge of your 'standard' setup.
I understand wanting other basses for aesthetics or for having different tonal palates to work with but not as a backup for a 'main' instrument.
Something to maybe think about:
If this is truly a backup bass—meaning a backup to your main in case #1 melts down live—you might want to consider a bass that has similar output and tone as your main.
I know that sounds boring, but if sh*t goes south and you have to switch between two different sounding basses in the middle of a song, it could be an issue. Like if you switch from a passive pickup bass to your active one, and now you’re blaring out of the PA really fing loud.
But if that’s not its main purpose—Say if it’s more of an alternate bass than a backup—there is a whole world of awesome options out there!
I guess you could say it's an alternate bass, by what everyone is saying. I play my main bass for everything and if for one song it matches the original tone - great. If it doesn't but still sounds good with the group I'm with and our sound - great. I want to have another bass for when I don't like any of the sounds I'm getting- switch to that one, but it's not to target specific music to only play on that one (if that makes sense). For example: I play a bit of AC/DC with my band and I like how my bass sounds, but every so often there's a song where I want a different tone. I don't want to replace all of the music by AC/DC with this new bass, but only the songs I don't like my sound on. Thank You all so much for your suggestions so far
Why would there be anything different about criteria for a backup bass compared to a non-backup bass??!! Does it work, sound good, feel good? If so, it's a bass. there aren't any basses that are manufactured/sold/marketed as "backup basses" and basses sold as "non-backup basses".
I haven’t noticed active basses being louder than passive basses in the last 10 years. I don’t think that needs to be a concern these days.
If I like Schecter basses, and I do, myself, I’d want the second bass to be able to cover some vintage style tones while being similarly built to what I like. Schecter makes some basses that work in that regard: CV, Stiletto Vintage, Stiletto Stealth. Of these, I think the Stiletto Stealth would offer the most amount of usable variation from a Studio. Can’t beat a P pickup for utility.
You have to like it at least slightly less than your primary bass or it won’t be your backup for long. That’s my only backup bass wisdom.
because two basses with drastically different tone or output levels, for example, can be a problem if you have to do a quick swap live.
Have you considered swapping out your pickups for active EMG's? You already have passive EMGs in your bass, it's a very easy solderless swap.
I'm a thunderbird guy, and I have a backup thunderbird just in case, but that's just because I love Thunderbirds. But if I was giving advice to anyone else, like yourself, I would straight away direct them to the P-Bass, Fender or Squier, as long as they are set up good, they both do the job well in my experience with them.
The P-bass is probably the best all rounder bass out there. It can do pretty much any genre of music without sounding out of place. Plus, it's as simple as a bass can be, with one pickup and a couple of controls, so no fiddling if you need to change a faulty bass on the fly onstage. Great choice as a back up, or your main bass.
The P-bass is probably the best all rounder bass out there. It can do pretty much any genre of music without sounding out of place. Plus, it's as simple as a bass can be, with one pickup and a couple of controls, so no fiddling if you need to change a faulty bass on the fly onstage. Great choice as a back up, or your main bass.