I need a bass guitar

[peckhart]

I think bassist have it better than guitarist as far as bang for your buck. I tried out several basses here recently then I looked at the price tag and have been floored by how cheap they are. Go to a store if you can and pick some up. The sub 500 market is usually catered to by the big box stores. There were some basses I thought I would love that I hated and vice versa. I would have never guessed without playing but for 3-500 you can get a damn good bass.

Was thinking the same. I've been fairly shocked...could have saved thousands and gotten way more gigs had I chosen bass guitar. Oh well.

 

[Monkey Man]

Another decent yet inexpensive choice are the OLP basses from Music Man, or the SUB series. You can find them dirt cheap and they get the job done.

Exactly what I was going to suggest, mate.

IMHO the MM SUB is the best-value option out there. It's effectively a Stingray on a budget.

 

[cardinal]

I think bassist have it better than guitarist as far as bang for your buck. I tried out several basses here recently then I looked at the price tag and have been floored by how cheap they are. Go to a store if you can and pick some up. The sub 500 market is usually catered to by the big box stores. There were some basses I thought I would love that I hated and vice versa. I would have never guessed without playing but for 3-500 you can get a damn good bass.

Was thinking the same. I've been fairly shocked...could have saved thousands and gotten way more gigs had I chosen bass guitar. Oh well.

I think there are plenty of very inexpensive guitars that play and sound great too. $300-500 will buy a pretty nice guitar, too. When it's not your primary instrument, it's just easier to settle for things. The expensive basses are absolutely insane.

But definitely it's easier to find gigs playing bass.

My problem with playing bass is that while I really enjoy it, it's the most fun when I have a mountain of pedals at my feet. With guitar, just give me an overdrive and a wah, and I'm good. For bass, man I want a wah and an envelope filter and an octave and several dirt boxes and chorus and etc. etc.

 

[///MK]

IMHO the MM SUB is the best-value option out there. It's effectively a Stingray on a budget.[/quote]

^^^what he said

 

[Monkey Man]

 

[PAULYC2]

Used Guild Pilot bass. Great instrument for the money. Usually all over CL... less than 500 bucks.

 

[ClintN667]

It's funny you mentioned the Epiphone Firebird. That was one I was expecting to love that I didnt. The music man and schecter were pretty awesome and Ibanez are usually a sure bet as are fender..

On a related note when I was gigging as a bass player last year I was using a Hartke LH500 with a Hartke 410xl and it nailed that Dave Ellefson sound for $700 total. I sold my amp and was thinking of buying another bass rig until I plugged my bass into the HX Stomp. The HX Stomp is damn good for bass.

 

[BeZo]

Spector.

 

[BeZo]

I think bassist have it better than guitarist as far as bang for your buck. I tried out several basses here recently then I looked at the price tag and have been floored by how cheap they are. Go to a store if you can and pick some up. The sub 500 market is usually catered to by the big box stores. There were some basses I thought I would love that I hated and vice versa. I would have never guessed without playing but for 3-500 you can get a damn good bass.

Was thinking the same. I've been fairly shocked...could have saved thousands and gotten way more gigs had I chosen bass guitar. Oh well.

The discrepancy in quality in basses is equal to that of guitars. For every sweet playing Squire P bass, there is an Ibanez RG that shreds in the same price range. Once you step up to the next level, it's hard to go back. Really, it's not until you play American (and some European) basses, can you tell the difference. Sure, you can get cheap instruments to play and sound great, but the next level will get you there quicker.

Really, if you make the step up to a Spector Euro, you will never need another bass. Their necks are the same as the American custom shops, and they are amazing for the money. Take it from me, I'm a bassist first.

 

[Bob Savage]

MIM Jazz or Precision.... swap the pick-ups if you don't like the stock ones. done. solid basses.

I'm impressed with the MIM P that we've got here. Stock pups are even fine..

 

[ClintN667]

I think bassist have it better than guitarist as far as bang for your buck. I tried out several basses here recently then I looked at the price tag and have been floored by how cheap they are. Go to a store if you can and pick some up. The sub 500 market is usually catered to by the big box stores. There were some basses I thought I would love that I hated and vice versa. I would have never guessed without playing but for 3-500 you can get a damn good bass.

Was thinking the same. I've been fairly shocked...could have saved thousands and gotten way more gigs had I chosen bass guitar. Oh well.

The discrepancy in quality in basses is equal to that of guitars. For every sweet playing Squire P bass, there is an Ibanez RG that shreds in the same price range. Once you step up to the next level, it's hard to go back. Really, it's not until you play American (and some European) basses, can you tell the difference. Sure, you can get cheap instruments to play and sound great, but the next level will get you there quicker.

Really, if you make the step up to a Spector Euro, you will never need another bass. Their necks are the same as the American custom shops, and they are amazing for the money. Take it from me, I'm a bassist first.

I had someone offer me a Spector Legend Classic 5 for my KSR Ceres. I was really tempted to trade.

 

[Thunkful]

Buy the Harley Benton P-bass!

https://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton ... _ebass.htm

You can even get a shorter scale version of it.

https://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton ... _ebass.htm

 

[srommes]

Another decent yet inexpensive choice are the OLP basses from Music Man, or the SUB series. You can find them dirt cheap and they get the job done.

+1

I’m a guitar player and ran into a similar scenario where I needed/wanted a bass for a project. The Sterling by Music Man series are great. The Ray 4 is what I got for around $300 and love it. One passive pick up with an active preamp. Sounds great and the neck is very comfortable.

 

[BeZo]

I think bassist have it better than guitarist as far as bang for your buck. I tried out several basses here recently then I looked at the price tag and have been floored by how cheap they are. Go to a store if you can and pick some up. The sub 500 market is usually catered to by the big box stores. There were some basses I thought I would love that I hated and vice versa. I would have never guessed without playing but for 3-500 you can get a damn good bass.

Was thinking the same. I've been fairly shocked...could have saved thousands and gotten way more gigs had I chosen bass guitar. Oh well.

The discrepancy in quality in basses is equal to that of guitars. For every sweet playing Squire P bass, there is an Ibanez RG that shreds in the same price range. Once you step up to the next level, it's hard to go back. Really, it's not until you play American (and some European) basses, can you tell the difference. Sure, you can get cheap instruments to play and sound great, but the next level will get you there quicker.

Really, if you make the step up to a Spector Euro, you will never need another bass. Their necks are the same as the American custom shops, and they are amazing for the money. Take it from me, I'm a bassist first.

I had someone offer me a Spector Legend Classic 5 for my KSR Ceres. I was really tempted to trade.

I have one of those. They are great for the money. I gigged with a Korean Spector for years before going American. I got to a point where I was comparing my NS2000/4 to really high end basses and going back to the Spector. If you needed a bass, it would have been good.

That's a lot better than most of the offers I get on Craigslist, that's for sure.