ESP LTD F-104 Bass

[Deathroll]

I'm gonna buy a new bass soon but im not sure which one to get. Has anyone any experience with the LTD F-104 Bass. Is it good in that price range? Does it have a decent sound?

I hope that somebody can help me!

[ESPVIPERCAMO]

get the 200 series or 400 series for optimum quality, these basses play great and are good for dropped tunings

[B1ackD3at4]

Id say save up for the 200 or 400 series. I have a 254 and it plays and sounds great. Id also suggest the ebony F model thats supposed to come out, it costs around the same as the 254 too I believe.

[Metahead]

haha, this guy is just like me, "i want a mh 250" then everyone is like "get a 400"

welcome

[max_power]

I dont know about the 104, but I've got a 254 and the thing sounds and plays bad ass. I can heartily reccommend that model.

[Gil]

haha, this guy is just like me, "i want a mh 250" then everyone is like "get a 400"

welcome

we're just looking out for you bro! we want the best for you!

[moosemeister]

well i know most guys have said buy a 200-400 series. i did save and im quite happy about it.

however, i love the 104 series. i played one in phoenix when i was up there, because it was the only LTD that looked appealing to me. i loved the feeling of it, and the pick ups that come standard are ok seeming how there are many horrible ones out there.

like any one on this board, i would say get a 200 or 400 series. but if youre starting out with bass or looking for a back up instrument, the 104 is a good choice.

i, myself am going to buy a 104 (or any of the new ones from 08) so i can practice switching pick ups.

[Deathroll]

Thx all for your relpies. But i just dont got so much money, and secondly i hate those see-thru colours! xD ( i love the white on the 104 ). But if i buy the 104 im gonna change the pickups anyway. Maybe ill wait till that ebony model comes out. See what it looks like.

[moosemeister]

Thx all for your relpies. But i just dont got so much money, and secondly i hate those see-thru colours! xD ( i love the white on the 104 ). But if i buy the 104 im gonna change the pickups anyway. Maybe ill wait till that ebony model comes out. See what it looks like.

I for one think the ebony F's are fucking horrible looking. If you dont like the see thru, you will probably not like the ebony.

I have a see thru black F-255. And it looks black more than see thru black. You only get the see thu look if the lighting hits it right. Unless mine was produced wrong. haha.

I like the white F-104 too! but im into the black basses.

[Iroc]

Yeah I would save up for a 404. I just got mine and it is awesome! I was playing on this Ibanez and it was ok. When I plugged in this 404 it cut straight through the mix and came out with thundering loud lows. (active pickups help) And I play with a full band and you can hear every note, unlike the ibanez where you hear more mids and twang sound. I would definitely save up for the 404, but if it's not in the budget then go ahead with the 104, I'm sure it will blow away the competition of similarly priced bases. I have an ax-400 guitar as well and it is pristine! My brother just got the f-100 and it is a really good guitar. The 400 has a better sound but the 100 creeps in close. There is one problem with the AX style bass. You WILL NOT FIND A CASE FOR IT!!! I'm still hunting for one myself. The bass is HUGE. I believe the CC-325-W Coffin case will fit because it's made for a Warlock bass. Also the Dean Metalman Case looks like it will because it is a 53" case. If your going to buy a case for it, make sure you look at the dimensions of the case first!

[Deathroll]

Thank you all. I'll go for the 104 now then. Btw i play a ibanez now too ( BTB-205) and im not happy with the sound at all.

[Rex Rocker]

the F-104 is alright... plays okay, sounds okay... I think it's a good buy for the money...

[Deathroll]

the F-104 is alright... plays okay, sounds okay... I think it's a good buy for the money...

k thx. Ill order it now!

[Ryan 2%]

i know of two people that have F 200 series, and i hate both of them. i wanted a F series for a while, and there's something about the construction or the wood their made out of that makes them sound terrible after a year or so. anyone know why?

[Rex Rocker]

^dude, that is simply not possible... maybe you've heard defective basses, but I doubt there would be any change in tone...

I have an F-205 and it sounds pretty the much the same as the day I got it...

[Deathroll]

Can anyone tell me what strings fit the F-104 if i want to use the DGCF tuning or the CGCF?

[Ryan 2%]

no, it's definately possible, the tone of wood changes as it gets older, thats why vintage guitars (for the most part) are so sought after. likewise, some guitars start sounding just plain bad. maybe i just dont like the tone, who knows.

[Rex Rocker]

^I agree dude, and I'm not trying to be a dick or anything, but that is a process that happens over decades, not just after a year or so...

newer F-254's and F-255's are made of Agathis wood, as opposed to my F-205 made of mahogany (not the highest quality, of course, but mahogany nonetheless), but not even my 1-year-old B-155 made of agathis has had a change in tone, it just seems ilogical that the shape would affect the process the wood ages...

maybe what you're hearing is the bass needing new strings or something, there are people who just don't change the strings on their basses, for some reason...

[Ryan 2%]

oh no dude, by construction I didn't mean the shape, i meant how it's actually put together, haha. Maybe it's just an isolated case or they don't know how to run their gear well.

[Deathroll]

Can anyone tell me what strings fit the F-104 if i want to use the DGCF tuning or the CGCF?

?

[Ryan 2%]

well that depends on what tuning you want to play in. Pretty much any gauge will fit any bass, but you want to choose the gauge according to the style of music you'll be playing. I'm assuming since you're getting a f model bass, you'll be playing metal of some kind, so go for a lower gauge string set. I'm in a band with some friends and we play in Drop A (it's not as ridiculous as it sounds; there are bands that play in F#) so I have the lowest gauge that I could find.

If you get a set that is too thick for the tuning you're playing, you can risk serious damage to the neck of your guitar.

But if your question is merely between cgcf or dgcf you won't really need a different gauge just for one step.

[Deathroll]

Drop A is not that ridiculous. In Flames uses A#. Thx for the answer

[Skin N. Bones]

Did you buy the F-104?

[Deathroll]

no im waiting for your review on the EX-104 if it sucks im getting the F 404 or the 405.

[Skin N. Bones]

I hear you

[Rex Rocker]

well... if you can afford the F-404, then go for it... its on a totally different league than the 100 series, no doubt...

[Deathroll]

I cant afford it atm but soon. Very soon. To bad the EX isnt in a 400 version.

[Skin N. Bones]

Did you make a decision yet?

[Deathroll]

yes i did. I'm going for the F- 404 in red. Caus i want a bass with a higher quality then a 104 series. If the EX would be in a 400 version i would buy that one.

[Skin N. Bones]

I went had a look at it. That is nice and it isn't black. It isn't as nice as the F-4E. That is a very nice looking bass. Good luck with your purchase.

[Deathroll]

I would have gone with F-4E if it was completly that dark brown wood i dont like the lighter wood colour in the middle.

[Skin N. Bones]

Are you getting the one with the tribal inlays or the one without?

[Deathroll]

without. I dont like big inlays. I would rather have no inlays at all just something at the 12th fret. Im going to order it next week btw together with an new amp, caus i want to do some recording.

[Deathroll]

Big Edit: I have been wrong the whole time i am not going to buy the 404, i am going to go for the F-254FM. which is half the price xD. Sorry guys.

[Skin N. Bones]

Looks nice. Who are you buying the bass and amp from? Looks like that bass is sold out at a lot of places. What kind of amp are you buying?

[Deathroll]

Well the site i was going to buy it from just removed it which sucks. Since i live in Europe i mostly use a very good german site which delivers very fast and has never given me any problems (www.thomann.de) But since they dont have it anymore im stuck again between loads of basses i want. But anyway i'll order the amp and i will be looking for a new bass to GAS for. The amp is a Ampeg BA-115. I needed a new practice amp.

[Skin N. Bones]

You may end up getting the EX-104 after-all or save up for the f-404. Decisions, decisions. What basses do you currently own?

[Deathroll]

i own 1 bass atm an ibanez BTB 205 IPF i just sold my first bass.

[Ryan 2%]

i would still be careful about the F series for real, my viper (thats a 2003 model) just blew both a stingray and an F254 out of the water at my friend's recording studio. I think its the difference between having a set or bolt on neck.

[Deathroll]

You also have the F-series with a set neck....

[Ryan 2%]

Well yea, and its a viper so I think it's a different wood type too. I'm just saying I think that the tone problem comes from the bolt-on construction, although I could just be insane. But if you do save up for a higher series like everyone suggested it shouldnt be a problem