Looking at options for two different basses.

[Duke318]

I have two basses planned, I'll start with the first one.

Bass #1 is going to be a 5-string, Bb standard tuning, looking for a modern metal/rock sound.  I was looking at the Gecko 5 from warmoth for this project.  I don't know a whole lot about woods for bass.  What wood be the best combination for a really heavy sound that cuts through?  I was thinking of going with EMG pickups on this one.  Any other recommendations?  Active preamp?  What body size should I go for with the Gecko shape? Best bridges to use?

Bass #2 is going to be 4-string, in E standard tuning.  This one is going to have a more classic vibe, for jazz, classic rock, and lighter applications.  What wood combo should I go for this one, to make it stand out from the 5 string?  What are the best pickups around for a more classic vibe?

Thanks for the help.

 

[tubby.twins]

If you want a Gecko that has a heavy, cutting tone, you're probably going to get best results with a stiff, exotic wood neck and a moderate body wood.  Wenge works great for Gecko necks.  I recommend a heavy, hard fretboard such as Ebony or Bloodwood for maximum treble clarity and fundamentals.  Don't be tempted by heavy body woods - Alder should work nicely with a Wenge neck.

Warmoth's "Takeuchi" bridges for Gecko are solid and reliable.  If you need more flexibility, consider Hipshot.  Unless you really like narrow bridge spacing or wide nut spacing, I would go with the Gecko "medium" size.

EMG pickups work well for some applications, but many find their tone to be too sterile or forceful.  A common configuration is the EMG 40P5 in the neck position and the EMG 40CS or 40DC in the bridge position. Unless you really need onboard EQ, you can probably get away with passive volume and tone controls, as long as the pots have the correct impedance for active EMG pickups.  (The EMG provided pots work well, and the quick-connect wiring makes it easy to set up.)

In any case, there are many good pickups which use the standard EMG-40 or Bartolini-P2 soapbar shapes.  You will have a lot of options!

 

[line6man]

If you want a Gecko that has a heavy, cutting tone, you're probably going to get best results with a stiff, exotic wood neck and a moderate body wood.  Wenge works great for Gecko necks.  I recommend a heavy, hard fretboard such as Ebony or Bloodwood for maximum treble clarity and fundamentals.  Don't be tempted by heavy body woods - Alder should work nicely with a Wenge neck.

Warmoth's "Takeuchi" bridges for Gecko are solid and reliable.  If you need more flexibility, consider Hipshot.  Unless you really like narrow bridge spacing or wide nut spacing, I would go with the Gecko "medium" size.

EMG pickups work well for some applications, but many find their tone to be too sterile or forceful.  A common configuration is the EMG 40P5 in the neck position and the EMG 40CS or 40DC in the bridge position. Unless you really need onboard EQ, you can probably get away with passive volume and tone controls, as long as the pots have the correct impedance for active EMG pickups.  (The EMG provided pots work well, and the quick-connect wiring makes it easy to set up.)

In any case, there are many good pickups which use the standard EMG-40 or Bartolini-P2 soapbar shapes.  You will have a lot of options!

+1 to all of this.

I was going to say a Wenge neck, as well.

Ebony and Bloodwood are fine choices for fretboards. I would really like to see more Wenge/Bloodwood necks, and Bloodwood is such a cool wood in general. Should make an excellent fretboard, similar in hardness and tonality to Ebony.

 

[Duke318]

So any experience with Black Limba as a bodywood for bass?  I'm looking for something a little more tru-oil friendly than alder (at least aesthetically).

 

[tubby.twins]

So any experience with Black Limba as a bodywood for bass?  I'm looking for something a little more tru-oil friendly than alder (at least aesthetically).

I don't have any experience with Tru-Oil, but I do have one Gecko body in Black Limba (Korina) that was finished by Warmoth.  It sounds nice but has a more mellow round feel, like a warmer version of Mahogany.