Best bass for the money (back into after 25 years out)

[uk66fastback]

Early 80s and I was playing bass occasionally - only ever in one band and not then for any length of time. Wasn't even much good at it - but enjoyed learning it and playing at home for fun mostly.

Sold my bass/amp in about 1986 - it was a Fender Precision fretless (not the best to learn on I have to say!). Regretted it ever since. Never played one since then. Had a bass lesson yesterday and it came flooding back (in parts).

So now looking for something of reasonable quality to buy and use occasionally - but won't break the bank ...

Was thinking Ebay really for something of better quality or buying a cheaper one new - any thoughts? Yamaha's RBX range looks decent value RBX170/270 etc - £200ish. Ibanez GBR200 about the same price.

Or do I blow £500?

Would like an Alembic but wouldn't we all.

Prices of 70s/80s US Fender Precisions were a shock, wish I'd kept it - sold it for £250 (which was a lot in 1986).

Any pointers for someone trying to get back into it?

Cheers

Stanley Clarke

[singlecoil]

If you like the Fender type of thing, and you don't want to spend too much at this stage, then I would have thought one of the Squier range would do nicely. Once the woodwork and the hardware is there, (which it would be) and you've changed the strings and set it up properly, then when you want to upgrade, decent pickups will take you pretty much to where you would be with a US model.

[chevy-stu]

I reckon the new Peavey Zodiac or Millenium basses play and sound best for the money in that price range...

After that, the better Ibanez sgr or Yamaha rbx range... avoid Epiphone and Squier

[singlecoil]

chevy-stu said:

avoid Epiphone and Squier

Not a lot of help unless you provide a valid reason.

[darreni]

Try here:

http://basschat.co.uk/forum/19-for-sale-basses/

I've bought & sold a few on here over the years, there are some great buys to be had for reasonable money.

Got my honeyburst stingray from here a couple of years ago.

[jains15]

Epiphone Thunderbird, I'm absolutely in love with mine

[AdeTuono]

singlecoil said:

chevy-stu said:

avoid Epiphone and Squier

Not a lot of help unless you provide a valid reason.

This ^^...please expand. I've got/had many Epiphones over the years. Some of them have been as good, if not better in some cases, as the Gibson equivalent. And Squires are routinely touted as being excellent entry-level guitars, which is basically what the OP was requesting.

[chevy-stu]

AdeTuono said:

singlecoil said:

chevy-stu said:

avoid Epiphone and Squier

Not a lot of help unless you provide a valid reason.

This ^^...please expand. I've got/had many Epiphones over the years. Some of them have been as good, if not better in some cases, as the Gibson equivalent. And Squires are routinely touted as being excellent entry-level guitars, which is basically what the OP was requesting.

As you say, some Epiphones have been better than Gibson. Any Epiphone or Squier (and even Fender) bass I've picked up in the last 10 - 15 years at either shops, music shows, friends or students instruments etc.. have all been wildly different in quality and construction.
The Yamaha, Ibanez, and Peavey do not suffer anything like as badly in the construction and quality control, they generally are all the same, less rough fret edges, dodgy string spacing, crackly loose pots and set up nicely, and sound like they should.

Unless the OP is an experienced player and wants to trudge round the shops trying them out to find the good one, I'd to get something that's more likely to be good out the box, than take a chance on 'it might be ok'... regardless of the brand kudos.

[gbbird]

I purchased an LTD B50 bass guitar many years ago for a few hundred quid. Occasional use only, but its very good and does exactly what it says on the tin

[Justin Cyder]

I recently bought a 60's strat & it was a small fortune. Didn't keep it but that's another story. In the course of the search, I noticed that there's no shortage of late fifties, early sixties Fender basses around for the asking at about £2k-3k. I would consider that astonishing value for a proper pre CBS Fender instrument that would likely have had Tadeo Gomez's eye run over it.

[Davidos]

Very pleased with My Fender Jazz Modern player (£400)

[uk66fastback]

Thanks guys for the comments - current favourite is an Ibanez SR300 in pearl white - but might stretch to the SR500 - better pick ups - in the mahogany!

I'll keep you posted ...

Any owners of the above on here? Or knowledge of them? The Ibanez has a thinner neck than the Yamaha range which'll be better for me

[rswift]

Just seen this,

For what it's worth I make a living playing bass;

So my €'s worth.

Make/model/year fairly irrelevant . Squier/Yamaha/etc etc all good, solid, half decent electrics etc. The important bit is the set up, but the most important bit is your ability, ear & open mindness !

I would happily do a gig for a fairly major name on a £100 quid bass, if it had a decent set of strings, didn't buzz and was in tune along the neck. So my advice, don't get sidetracked by models, specs etc. Find a bass that is comfortable to play, Neck width etc, balances nicely when you play it .. the rest of your budget, find a good local teacher !

Now I'm quite old school when it comes to learning an instrument, and I don't teach by choice, or luck !. My view is; learn to read, learn your scales/chords. feel ... you have it or you don't ... learn the basics and the rest will fall into place. You will never be good enough, there will always be a 12 year old boy who you hear and will make you want to sell your gear !

For what is is worth I have toured the world on a regular basis, and played in the UK with everyone from Max Bygraves to Blur on a Fender Jazz, bought for £200 with Paper Round money circa 1982. I have a regular rather well paid gig on which I use a very old Yamaha SB1000, with a good set up and decent strings... it really doesn't bother me.

I have my action quite high (distance from the bass to the bottom of the string), but then I also play Double Bass ... a whole new can of expensive worms !

[uk66fastback]

Thanks for the advice Russell, very sound. Nabbed a little Laney amp on Ebay last night so at least the *equipment gathering* has started ...

[Baryonyx]

darreni said:

Try here:

http://basschat.co.uk/forum/19-for-sale-basses/

I've bought & sold a few on here over the years, there are some great buys to be had for reasonable money.

Got my honeyburst stingray from here a couple of years ago.

Yes, I have bought and sold many basses there. The best deals I've had are probably £600 for an Alembic Epic fretless, £590 for a Warwick Thumb 4 string BO, £1000 for a Status Series II and £950 for my ACG Harlot.

[uk66fastback]

Signed up on basschat - gawd, there are some lovely ones for sale - bitten the bullet though and bought myself a new Ibanez SR500 ... read virtually every review on the whole internet about the Inanez range. It was either that or the SR300 ... the 500 got it because of the better pick ups, the mahogany finish etc and although it was at the top of the price range for me, sounds like it's the best bass out there in its class for the money bar none.

If I had a decent shop within 100 miles (and the time to go view) I'd have gnoe and had a look at a few but I didn't want one (a crap one) that I knew I'd be looking to sell on in a few months after I've learnt a bit so in at the deep end - thin neck (like most Ibanez's) which will be ideal for me ... this'll be a keeper for sure.

Some of the Yamahas were nice but Ibanesz have come a long way and the VFM is excellent and short of an Alembic or a WAL (no chance of either) the Ibanez it is.

Alembic for £600 and fretless as well, - you jammy &*^%$ !!

[Baryonyx]

uk66fastback said:

Alembic for £600 and fretless as well, - you jammy &*^%$ !!

I sold it for the same amount on the boards to, to a bloke called Stefano from London. Drove all the way to Newcastle for it. I figured since I got a good deal I should return the favour. It's that sort of spirit that keeps Basschat's sales section good. Make yourself a feedback thread in the feedback section. Get a bit of a feedback behind you and people will know they can deal with you in confidence.

Here are a few of the basses I got on the site, including the Alembuic:

Zon Sonus USA



Status Stealth (made of woven carbon fibre!)











had a lend of this off another user...










And my current bass (I also had a 4 string one of these, can't find any pics at the moment)

[chevy-stu]

Baryonyx said:

I sold it for the same amount on the boards to, to a bloke called Stefano from London.

I'm pretty sure I know Stefano, and have played that bass a few months back at his flat... If it's the same guy, I know he recently sold or swapped it..

[Baryonyx]

I think he was Bulgarian. About 6ft, shaven head, was driving a green Nissan Primera when he came to buy the bass off me. He also had a couple of Stingray 5 Strings (he offered one to me in part exchange). Nice bloke and a great player. I think he was gigging in London. His old band in Bulgaria had done some decent sized shows.

[chevy-stu]

Baryonyx said:

I think he was Bulgarian. About 6ft, shaven head, was driving a green Nissan Primera when he came to buy the bass off me. He also had a couple of Stingray 5 Strings (he offered one to me in part exchange). Nice bloke and a great player. I think he was gigging in London. His old band in Bulgaria had done some decent sized shows.

Yep, that's him... Well known Bulgarian session bassist. Indeed, great player, we do lots of the same London gigs.
I think he sold the fretless Alembic to fund a '76 Jazz bass purchase a couple of months ago.. I know he's still got the Stingray 5 as well.. (he's sold the green Nissan though)