Davo-London Posted June 20, 2011 Posted June 20, 2011 Folks a friend has asked me for recommendations for sub £200 basses. I know Yamaha do one, but do any of you guys recommend any? Cheers Davo Quote
OliverBlackman Posted June 20, 2011 Posted June 20, 2011 [quote name='Davo-London' post='1276551' date='Jun 20 2011, 11:06 PM']Folks a friend has asked me for recommendations for sub £200 basses. I know Yamaha do one, but do any of you guys recommend any? Cheers Davo[/quote] Squire VM or CV. Worth buying second hand. I used to have a jim deacon which was also good and cost me £120 new i think Quote
Delberthot Posted June 20, 2011 Posted June 20, 2011 Thankfully there are less and less bad basses being made these days compared to the olden days. I would recommend [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=142028"]this[/url] obviously cos its mine and I'm selling it or an Epiphone, although the shapes aren't for everyone Quote
Davo-London Posted June 20, 2011 Author Posted June 20, 2011 Eg Dean Edge 1 £159 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/dean-edge-1-trans-amberburst/28892"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/dean-edge-1-trans-amberburst/28892[/url] ESP LTD EC54 £205 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/esp-ltd-ec54/23241"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/esp-ltd-ec54/23241[/url] ESP LTD Viper 54 £205 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/esp-ltd-viper-54/23313"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/esp-ltd-viper-54/23313[/url] Ibanez GAT K20 £175 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/ibanez-gatk20-black/45311"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/ibanez-gatk20-black/45311[/url] Luna Gypsy Series pre £169 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/luna-gypsy-series-pre-satin-natural/28113"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/luna-gypsy-series-...n-natural/28113[/url] Peavey Millenium 4 BXP £209 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/peavey-millenium-4-bxp-trans-blue/17480"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/peavey-millenium-4...rans-blue/17480[/url] Squier Affinity Jazz Bass £191 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/squier-affinity-jazz-bass-metallic-red/20712"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/squier-affinity-ja...allic-red/20712[/url] Vintage V80 passive [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/vintage-v800-passive-bass/7262"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/vintage-v800-passive-bass/7262[/url] Washburn T14 (£149) [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/washburn-t14q-transparent-sunburst/29087"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/washburn-t14q-tran...-sunburst/29087[/url] Yamaha RBX170 [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/yamaha-rbx170-red-metallic/16486"]http://www.gak.co.uk/en/yamaha-rbx170-red-metallic/16486[/url] Any others??? I need to know if they are any good so any comments welcome. Cheers Davo Quote
dc2009 Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 What does your friend want the bass for? Is it a backup or a first time learner, etc etc? I have a top of the range edge and they are very nice basses, but the neck is super thin! IMO it's nice to play, but I'm glad I didnt start learning on it or I'd never be able to play anything else! Personally I think any ibanez is decent, same with yamaha. I can't speak much for ESPs that cheap but their high end stuff is good, the peavey is also a solid choice. Quote
BASainty Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 You can pick up a Yamaha BB 414 second hand for under £200 they are great basses and they cover any style they will want to play. As mentioned before Ibanez and Peavey are decent choices too. Quote
TRBboy Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 (edited) Definitely a Yamaha RBX270 IMHO. Better construction quality and playability than Squiers and pretty much anything else in this price range (and some more expensive instruments!). Easy to modify (see mine [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=121667&hl=best+%A3200+bass+ever"]Best £200 bass ever![/url]). You can get a brand new one for about £180 (last time I looked) and a decent used one for comfortably under £100. Great value! The 270 is definitely better than the 170; solid alder body and better tuners. Edited June 21, 2011 by TRBboy Quote
merello Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 [quote name='4StringFortress' post='1276676' date='Jun 21 2011, 09:20 AM']You can pick up a Yamaha BB 414 second hand for under £200 they are great basses and they cover any style they will want to play. As mentioned before Ibanez and Peavey are decent choices too.[/quote] x 2 Quote
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 I played a Squier VM short scale jaguar in candyapple red yesterday. They are about £190ish (except in Denmark street). If I had any money, I'd get one. Quote
Bigwan Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 (edited) In the past year I've bought 2 cracking used basses for under £200 - Ibanez ATK700 (albeit with finish cracking) for £150 which I'd put up against any modern Stingray, and a well used 1983 Squier SQ series Precision for very little (just on Saturday past), which is on a par or better than the 70's reissue Fender Japanese Precision I owned previously. Keep an eye on your local gumtree or music frums. There are bargains to be had! New I'd second the Squier Jaguar suggestion. They look like excellent value, although I haven't tried one yet. Edited September 20, 2011 by Bigwan Quote
Paul S Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 Westone Thunder 1A or SGC Nanyo Bass Collection, depending upon what style is preferred and how strong your mate's back is. Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 [url="http://musical-instruments.shop.ebay.co.uk/Bass-/4713/i.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A4906&rt=nc&_dmpt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=10&_sc=1"]This is a link to newly listed basses on ebay.[/url] check it often, grab something Buy it Now. Quote
Andyjr1515 Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 Any Yamaha; any Squier The great thing about companies who market v expensive models is that they simply cannot risk their reputation with a rubbish entry-level models. Within that, I have to say that Squiers are sometimes built to a budget but I have yet to play ANY Yamaha (acoustic 6; semi-6 ; electric 6; bass; soprano sax; alto sax; even a bloody keyboard!) that hasn't sounded, looked and felt like something hundreds of £ more expensive. Andy Quote
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 21, 2011 Posted June 21, 2011 [quote name='Paul S' post='1277036' date='Jun 21 2011, 01:39 PM']Westone Thunder 1A or SGC Nanyo Bass Collection, depending upon what style is preferred and how strong your mate's back is.[/quote] +1 secondhand bass collection is better than all those listed earlier in this thread, An SB320 was £749 at one point, I sold mine a year ago for £250 lesser models are almost as good and in budget. Must be a proper sgc nanyo though not a new nothing to do with the old version. Quote
muttley Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 There's a nice bass [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=142040"]for sale in the classifieds[/url]. Lots of bass for £200 IMO. Quote
fatboyslimfast Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 I picked up my near-mint Squier VM Jazz '77 (that's as in '77 style, not actually 1977) for £175. Plays lovely, feels lovely, sounds lovely. Rather like the Yamahas as well though - see if you can play both and see which "fits" better. Quote
Ancient Mariner Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 The Ryders are good (if you can find one) but will require setting up and new strings to be OK. Quote
dc2009 Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 Yamaha's are solid but IMO the sound is always a bit flat and weak, Bass Collection and Ibanez are solid choices. I will also plug a 4 string Epiphone Thunderbird, and if you don't mind it, you can upgrade to a pro-IV second hand for £200 or thereabouts. Quote
Jerry_B Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1280983' date='Jun 24 2011, 01:47 PM']Yamaha's are solid but IMO the sound is always a bit flat and weak, [...][/quote] Really? I'd say the 'problem' (if you can call it that) I have with my BB414 is that the pickups are very hot and quite barky. I have to tame it down tone-wise a little to control it In general I'd say the BB414 is probably one of the better made, cheaper basses. Squiers are okay if you get a good one but the fit and finish of the BB414 is [i]waaaaay[/i] ahead of them IMHO. Quote
BASainty Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Jerry_B' post='1281006' date='Jun 24 2011, 02:05 PM']Really? I'd say the 'problem' (if you can call it that) I have with my BB414 is that the pickups are very hot and quite barky. I have to tame it down tone-wise a little to control it In general I'd say the BB414 is probably one of the better made, cheaper basses. Squiers are okay if you get a good one but the fit and finish of the BB414 is [i]waaaaay[/i] ahead of them IMHO.[/quote] +1 BB414 pickups are very hot, I have flats on mine and i get a lovely warm (but precise) punch with tone rolled off and a real hot crisp stab with tones all the way on. Its my go to bass for most things I need to play. I got to be honest once (a long time ago in a galaxy far far away ) I was drawn away from my BB414 to the VM and CV Squires but after trying one they were great basses.... but imo they still couldn't compete with my Yammies. Edited June 24, 2011 by 4StringFortress Quote
Jerry_B Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 I use flats on mine too. I sometimes wonder whether the bass was designed more for finger rather than plectrum playing. As I favour the latter, the BB414 can sound very full-on. That's okay for some situations, but not others. But maybe that's because I've never been sold on it's tone control, which doesn't seem very smooth in it's transitions. That said, it's still one of the better cheap basses. The fit and finish and overall build quality is very very good indeed. Quote
iconic Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 BB414, obscene value for money, Orange ones look the part too Quote
merello Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 [quote name='iconic' post='1281786' date='Jun 25 2011, 07:03 AM']BB414, obscene value for money, Orange ones look the part too [/quote] Agreed - P have the black pearlescent 414 with matching headstock. Great black strings and a growling sound. I would love an orange one though! Quote
Tait Posted June 26, 2011 Posted June 26, 2011 Out of all the one's on GAK, personally I think I'd go for this - [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/squier-vintage-modified-jaguar-bass-special-black/44284"]Squier Jaguar Bass[/url] (I didn't realise the Jaguar basses were so cheap! That's tempting!) But I'd also definitely check the for sale forum on here and ebay, they'd be my first stop. Quote
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