My advice, several years ago, would have been buy the best you can afford but then after spending time on Basschat with the huge range of experience and knowledge available I would now advise, as many people have previously on this thread, buying one of the many excellent £300-£500 price range basses available in order to begin the (possibly life long) search for the type of bass that really suits you. Thing is the quality is so good now that there are plenty of basses in this price range that may just end up as your go to bass. Most of us have one or two (some have loads) boutique basses that we play at home but no one wants to take a Fodera to the Dog & Vasectomy only to have bitter thrown over it by a 50yr old who still hasn't come to terms with his inner mod. I've worked my way through all sorts of basses and ended up with two ACGs one of which I'd gig with but I'd still be mortified if it was damaged or stolen as it is custom and therefore unique. I am very seriously considering simply buying two Sires for gigging, that way if they get knocked about or damaged then so what. Basses are, after all, tools of work. Why spend loads now when you have no idea what you'll end up with in a few years time. I'm lucky in that I've found my GAS killing fretless but my search for my GAS killer fretted bass continues and I have a sneaky feeling that when I find it it'll be in that £300-500 range.