Decision making help

[JoshL]

Hey, for about 5 years now I have still been playing a squire affinity p bass that I got when I firt started playing in a starter pack however I now want to upgrade to something a bit better.

I have a budget of between £500-£600 to spend and I think I have narrowed it down to 3 now:
The g and l2000 tribute
The sterling by musicman ray34
The lakland skyline 44-01
What I was womdering was if any of you had had any experience with these basses and what you think of them but also if there are any other basses in this sort of price range that you would recomend.

Thanks for your help in advance

Josh

[2x18]

[quote name='JoshL' post='1278156' date='Jun 22 2011, 09:31 AM']Hey, for about 5 years now I have still been playing a squire affinity p bass that I got when I firt started playing in a starter pack however I now want to upgrade to something a bit better.

I have a budget of between £500-£600 to spend and I think I have narrowed it down to 3 now:
The g and l2000 tribute
The sterling by musicman ray34
The lakland skyline 44-01
What I was womdering was if any of you had had any experience with these basses and what you think of them but also if there are any other basses in this sort of price range that you would recomend.

Thanks for your help in advance

Josh[/quote]
All good basses but different soundwise and feel!
Strongly suggest you try them first if possible -- I am sure if you ask nicely any Basschatter local to you that has one would let you try them out!

Will.

[Clarky]

If you don't have a problem with buying a used bass you will get a hell of a lot for that sort of money. On the BassChat for sale forum there are loads of great basses for sub £600, eg, there's a Silver US Stingray for £580, several G&L's for way within your budget etc. We have Feedback on the site to give you extra comfort about the seller too.

[Hamster]

[quote name='2x18' post='1278174' date='Jun 22 2011, 09:46 AM']All good basses but different soundwise and feel!
Strongly suggest you try them first if possible -- I am sure if you ask nicely any Basschatter local to you that has one would let you try them out!

Will.[/quote]

Yep, get down to a bass shop or local basschatter and try them. They will sound different as well because of the acoustics in the shop and the rig you play them through. If you're undecided on which 'sound' you want I'd choose the one which felt right / the most comfortable in your hands to play - Happy Shopping!

[JoshL]

Thanks guys, I have been looking arround the for sale section and he silver stingray really tempted me, the problem is cash at the momemt, it is going to be an 18th birthday present so I have to wait until september until I have the cash so it would depend what is arround used at that time. I hav tried out the g and l and the SBMM back to back and they both had a nice feel and sound, the g and l was just a fair bit more versatile than the SBMM because of all of the adjustability. Still yet to find a shop locally that stocks the lakland yet though and in order to try the other 2 back to back I ended up trying them in bristol when I was looking at uni's over there.

[neepheid]

All three should be fine basses (probably the top three in this price bracket) and I don't think you'll be disappointed with any of them. I am not ashamed to express my slight bias towards the G&L (I have a Tribute L-2000). Stingrays are fine instruments whatever their country of origin and well screwed together, well respected pieces of kit (I've had a shottie of a couple). I haven't had a go of the Lakland so I can't help you there.

+1 for looking at the second hand market - you'll find a lot of options at that budget and pick up stuff that would be beyond you at new prices.

[spongebob]

I love the look of the G&L, but after owning and dumping a Jaguar a couple of years ago, and quite worried that it does too much for my brain!

[stingrayPete1977]

The Lakland for me is the nicest in that bracket, I nearly had the five instead of my ray as it was very well made and sounded bang on. I would wait and get a second hand Ray though you can't miss at that money and there will be one around in September I'm sure

[mcnach]

[quote name='JoshL' post='1278156' date='Jun 22 2011, 09:31 AM']Hey, for about 5 years now I have still been playing a squire affinity p bass that I got when I firt started playing in a starter pack however I now want to upgrade to something a bit better.

I have a budget of between £500-£600 to spend and I think I have narrowed it down to 3 now:
The g and l2000 tribute
The sterling by musicman ray34
The lakland skyline 44-01
What I was womdering was if any of you had had any experience with these basses and what you think of them but also if there are any other basses in this sort of price range that you would recomend.

Thanks for your help in advance

Josh[/quote]


Nice selection.

G&L L2000 is a great bass. I have the 5-string version (L2500)... Very versatile. Controls seem a bit overcomplicated at first, but they quickly make sense.
It does not sound like a Stingray, however, if that's what you're trying to get close to (judging by the other two choices), it rather approximates better Jazz and Precision sounds, but it's still not that, it's its own thing. Excellent bass.

Ray34. Wait to get another £100 and buy a used MusicMan Stingray, 2 or 3-band EQ.
Or buy a MusicMan SUB (around £400 used).

Lakland 44-01. I have no experience whatsoever with these, but they seem very interesting. I am keeping an eye out for a 55-02 as I want a Stingray-esque 5-stringer with wide string spacing...

I'd say, if you are after a Stingray sound. Save an extra £100 and go for a used MM Stingray. Or if you absolutely must not go above £600, get a SUB. You'll have enough change to replace the hideous pickguards in those models
If you don't need the Stingray sound... then a G&L L2000 may be just the thing, a great bass, very versatile, mellow when you want it, a beast when you let it...

[JoshL]

Thanks for the suggestions and sorry for all the typos in the first post, it was early and my i pod seemed to have a mind of its own with the predictive text! I am vering slightly towards the g and l as it is probably the most versatile of the 2 i've tried so far although I'm reserving judgement on the lakland until i have tried it out. The only thing I'd be slightly worried about picking up a second hand stingray is wether I'd be brave enough to use it as I do the majority of my playing in college bands and have to take it on busess and leave it in store cupboard's ect and wouldn't want anything to get damaged on it but I'll see how things go.