Hi guys,
I have been looking for a bass for almost a year, and I'm having no luck finding it. I'm starting to lose my mind over this. Any insight, advice, leads etc. are most welcome.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
Are you sitting down? Because apparently this is a tall order:
• 5 string
• Left handed
• A classic, full round body shape (like Gibson, Airline, Gretsch and ESP guitars)
• Black or some other simple (metal band appropriate) color
WHAT ELSE?
That's it! Used or new, brand, f-holes, neck length, pick guard, etc. all lovely but doesn't matter.
I recently tried to buy a Warwick Star Bass from Germany (which fit the criteria, and is the 1st bass in the pic below) only to find out that they won't ship to the USA. So I started contacting people in Mexico so I could send it to them, and then have them mail it again to Seattle. So that should give you an indication of where my head is at. I also wrote to Diamond guitars, who used to make the DBZ (the second bass in the pic) only to find out that they have a 5-string, and a lefty, but haven't made a 5 string lefty but one year.
![Image](http://obolband.com/images/roundlefty5string.jpg)
WHY ROUND BODY SHAPE
See the image for more. There are a ton of jazz bass /strat /sadowsky shaped basses out there, and I … do not like them. No offense to anyone, they're obviously incredibly popular. Schecter and Ibanez come close with the shape of some of their basses, but they always have 1 flat edge so it looks more angular like the round lady is sitting down, if you follow the metaphor. I want the full, round body in a bass guitar... if it exists.
WHY 5 STRING?
I am able to find round basses in 4 string or right handed, but 5 string lefty seems to eliminate them. Most of the songs in my prog metal project make use of the low B string. I tend to make more mistakes on a 6-string, especially live or when I'm singing, so I appreciate the relative spacing/ease of a 5-string.
I know some of you guys have been searching for longer than I have, so I thought you might have a lead or two. Thanks in advance for the help!
-Bar