I've been playing a Cort Artisan 5 string bass for about a year now semi-professionally, and I can say it's awesome. I've been playing right around 20 years. The bass has a 34" scale, but I have played all the way down in the A' scale with success. My band plays a lot of Meshuggah covers and jazz-based death metal. All our stuff is drop scale. This bass has Bartolini soap bars and the Bartolini pre-amp circuit, and it's sweet. It's neck-thru and has 24 frets. If I wanted to get any better I would have to invest in a Mobius or a Warwick Dolphin. But get this! I paid $365 for mine with a case! This is every-bit as nice as the Tobius basses I've played at around $2500.00. I always get compliments at the end of the show on its looks and tone. If you get a chance to purchase a Cort Artisan bass below $700.00, buy it immediately! To the dudes and chicks at Cort, I want a 35" or 36" scale bass with frets, preferably in 5 – 7 string range, neck-thru, string-thru, large tuner head and huge bridge with bad-ass pickups. If you make it for around $2000, I'll buy it!