Help on deciding on a Rockbass

[contractkiller]

Hey there, I wonder if I can get some opinion's and/or advice on choosing a rockbass over another option. I am currently looking at a streamer standard in almondburst finish, with the passive MEC's. I also have another option of a custom guitar workshops bass guitar from australia, with active pup's plus a maple and walnut topped body. The thing is the other bass is a korean made model and I need to know if the quality of the rockbasses is a lot better than most of those korean nightmares, also even though the pup's are passive on the streamer, how loud is the output taking into mind I play mostly hard rock and metal (manson, metallica, deep purple, megadeth etc) I currently own an epiphone embassy standard (with bugger all output) and I have owned a yamaha bb415, a fender jazz mexi model, an epi thunderbird, a jackson fusion V, and about 6 or 7 korean copies. In the past 6 months I have traded up my basses 9 times and I am getting sick of the lack of quality even though I have a lack of cashflow atm, bassicaly I need something that will be a keeper, an I am looking at the rockbass because I'll prob be investing in a corvette $$ next year.. this is just to tie me and my band over till then.. any help with this would be great. cheers.

 

[Grgzilla]

Hey mate,the Rockbass is good value for money,.There's 5 other Rockbass models all with active pups & eq except the Corvette Basic which has optional active/passive pups & eq.They're all worth checking out.Compare the price against a used Warwick Corvette,you might get one for similar cost.The Streamer Standard body is Carolena & the other models are Alder or Swamp Ash.A good bass for a rock band?definatly.

 

[saxonbass]

Hi Contractkiller

I can only give my opinion on the Rockbasses I've got. The passive Streamer definitely has a low output - but I've got a fretless with flatwounds, which obviously doesn't help. Once I've boosted the output through my compressor and bass exciter (or any off-board prea-amp) it sounds fine.

The active Rockbass Corvette is really good value for money. The active output is much hotter and there's a great range of tones.

The Streamer has two good tones (based on the two pickups) with a bit of adjustment in between.

Having said all that... I'm thinking of selling one (to help finance another Warwick) - I've decided to sell the Corvette and keep the Streamer as a back-up! Partly because the Streamer is passive and I don't have to worry about batteries in my back-up bass, partly because I'll get more money by selling the corvette - but mainly because this particular Streamer is just so damn confortable and easy to play... I don't know why... but I just want to keep picking it up! I suspect not all Rockbasses will be the same though... maybe the guy in the Chinese factory just had a good day!

 

[contractkiller]

cheers, for the help guys. Both basses are being offered to me by a friend, and the streamer is going at $440 (about $250 USA) so I was just checking to see if it was worth the $ or if there was something amiss with general streamer quality. I think I'll grab it while I have the chance.
cheers.

 

[2tone]

I would go for the Corvette Special Edition. I picked up a used 5 string for $500.00. The 5 string model goes for $939.00 new at Musicians Friend and the 4 string goes for $700.00. The SE's are probably as close to a Warwick as you are going to get without actually buying one. I actually gig with my Rockbass and leave my Warwick at home......

Good Luck,

Tom