Best 4 string for £350 - 400

[stoatsbrother]

Ok - cannot see an answer to this on doing a forum search - and I'd be very interested in the views of others.

I have a 14 year old son who plays a Yamaha RBX 170, but is ready to move on. Playing a mix of stuff, and needs a bass with a wide tonal range, relatively narrow finger board, yet is active and slappable.

Probable get quite a lot more s/h I guess.

He has a brilliant PRS SE 6 string guitar - and I guess he might be looking for the equivalent in basses, a high quality instrument at the bottom end of the range of a great maker. And he doesn't need a 5 string, or a fretless (because he can borrow mine...!)

[BASainty]

[quote name='stoatsbrother' post='981183' date='Oct 8 2010, 07:51 AM']Ok - cannot see an answer to this on doing a forum search - and I'd be very interested in the views of others.

I have a 14 year old son who plays a Yamaha RBX 170, but is ready to move on. Playing a mix of stuff, and needs a bass with a wide tonal range, relatively narrow finger board, yet is active and slappable.

Probable get quite a lot more s/h I guess.

He has a brilliant PRS SE 6 string guitar - and I guess he might be looking for the equivalent in basses, a high quality instrument at the bottom end of the range of a great maker. And he doesn't need a 5 string, or a fretless (because he can borrow mine...!)[/quote]

Yamaha basses are amazing the Yamaha RBX A2 has amazing tonal range and can be used for any style of playing.
[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/71780"]RBX A2[/url]

For the price its an amazing bass, plus it has lights in it =D

[Spoombung]

Try the [url="http://www.bassguitarmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=37:bassguitars&id=219:ibanez-sr300-4-string-bass-issue-36"]Ibanez SR300[/url] for round £250

Or the [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/peavey-cirrus-bxp-4-darkwood-to/67076"]Peavey Cirrus BXP[/url] for around £400

Both have slim comfy necks and active EQ

[yorick]

The Yamaha BB614...

[url="http://www.yamaha.com/guitars/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=62224&CTID=5067500"]http://www.yamaha.com/guitars/products/pro...mp;CTID=5067500[/url]

[mcnach]

[quote name='stoatsbrother' post='981183' date='Oct 8 2010, 07:51 AM']Ok - cannot see an answer to this on doing a forum search - and I'd be very interested in the views of others.

I have a 14 year old son who plays a Yamaha RBX 170, but is ready to move on. Playing a mix of stuff, and needs a bass with a wide tonal range, relatively narrow finger board, yet is active and slappable.

Probable get quite a lot more s/h I guess.

He has a brilliant PRS SE 6 string guitar - and I guess he might be looking for the equivalent in basses, a high quality instrument at the bottom end of the range of a great maker. And he doesn't need a 5 string, or a fretless (because he can borrow mine...!)[/quote]


MusicMan SUB4 Stingray active bass, used.
No, it doesn't have a narrow neck like a Jazz... but they're GREAT basses and despite being single pickup basses, the preamp will give you a wide variety of sounds. I have the 5 string version and I love it. There's a beautiful white one on eBay right now that I'd buy if I didn't have a 4-string Stingray already (or had some extra money). The pickguard is ugly, but easy to replace.
Versatile and... slappable you say? Till the cows come home, but it does eevrything else too.

Edited October 8, 2010 by mcnach

[Bigwan]

Ibanez ATK300. I bought an ATK700 (with a few cosmetic issues and a dodgy switch and jack socket) last week for £150. Bargain I say... BARGAIN!!!

[observer]

Not to sure if you want new only or second hand. For that kind of money you can get second hand G&L tribute. I've seen recently one L-2000 for sale on forum.

Edited October 8, 2010 by observer

[waltsdog]

[quote name='observer' post='981214' date='Oct 8 2010, 08:43 AM']Not to sure if you want new only or second hand. For that kind of money you can get second hand G&L tribute. I've seen recently one L-2000 for sale on forum.[/quote]


+1

The L2000 tribute is really good and comes with a jazz or P size neck i believe.

[charic]

Fender/Warwick

You should get something good for your money at that pricepoint

[dougal]

You could try a 'vintage'.

[url="http://www.jhs.co.uk/reviews/V1004DXGTR1207.pdf"]Review[/url]



Seems about right, [url="http://www.dv247.com/guitars/vintage-v1004dx-bass-guitar-natural--64677"]price wise[/url]?

Edited October 8, 2010 by dougal

[Ou7shined]

G&L L-2000 Tribute. You/he won't regret it.

[charic]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='981349' date='Oct 8 2010, 10:44 AM']G&L L-2000 Tribute. You/he won't regret it.[/quote]

I would. Never found one I liked.. At ALL!

Then again I can be a tad picky

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='charic' post='981387' date='Oct 8 2010, 11:07 AM']I would. Never found one I liked.. At ALL!

Then again I can be a tad picky[/quote]
Best bang for your buck by a million miles in the sub £400 range with a huge varietry in tones. How can you go wrong?

[OliverBlackman]

i too was going to say musicman sub, or a used MIM 70's classic jazz bass

[charic]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='981394' date='Oct 8 2010, 11:15 AM']Best bang for your buck by a million miles in the sub £400 range with a huge varietry in tones. How can you go wrong?

[/quote]

Because I didn't like the neck or sound?

Plus I picked up my MIM P Bass shortly after for £350 new.

I'd go 2nd hand warwick in this price range I think. Probably a Corvette

[Lozz196]

For actives/slim neck at the budget available, I`d definately look at the Yamaha BB614. Yammys are of very good quality. I had an equivalent model in the late 80s, the BB1100S, and must have done 500+ gigs with it, no backup bass, no problems at all.

[essexbasscat]

Chinese CV Jazz or P. Both punch well above their weight. Keep the change.

[Bigwan]

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='981526' date='Oct 8 2010, 01:06 PM']Chinese CV Jazz or P. Both punch well above their weight. Keep the change.[/quote]

+1. Or a used Warwick Corvette (my previous ATK recommendation might not suit as the neck's pretty chunky!).

[Ian Savage]

Some very good suggestions, and I'd like to add to the mix a Japanese Bass Collection of some sort - mine has one of the slimmest necks I've ever laid hands on, fully active and eminently slappable.

There's a girlfriend joke in there somewhere...

[stoatsbrother]

Thanks very much for the suggestions so far - they have given me and my son a lot to think about

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='stoatsbrother' post='981979' date='Oct 8 2010, 08:24 PM']Thanks very much for the suggestions so far - they have given me and my son a lot to think about[/quote]

No probs . I would probably say the peavey as well. Great basses.

[Mikeg]

i got a used ibanez btb670 for 400, fantastic bass, slim neck, realy good ative eq

[Delberthot]

Until you said active I would've said Epiphone Thunderbird - slappable, tappable, fingerstyle or with a plectrum. The Goth model has 1.5" nut width same as a Jazz bass.

If active is your thing then the [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_thunderbird_pro_iv_nabundle.htm"]Epiphone Thunderbird Pro[/url] would cover everything.

7 piece neckthrough, active pickups, 1.5" nut width. £318 delivered from Thomann with gig bag.

If I can't find a non-reverse Epiphone Thunderbird 5 then I may invest in the 5 string version

[tom1946]

+ another one on the G&L Tribute. I recently bought one off here and can't put it down (only when asleep

Great mix of sounds, not too heavy and a great neck for not so big hands.
I own some expensive kit and am VERY picky but this really floats me boat!

[cocco]

G&L, OLP, Sub, Sterling Ray 34, CIJ fender, westone thunder or any other matsumoku built bass would be my choice second hand. If he wants something new I don't think much will stack up to the squier CV or VM range.