Budget basses, anyone else fallen in love with their's?

[Guest MoJo]

I've lost count of the number of basses I've bought, owned then sold over the years. An array of Precision and Jazz basses and their clones, a Squier Katana, a BC Rich Mockingbird, a Guild B302A amongst many, many others. More recently, I fulfilled a lifelong dream, to own a Ric 4003 but right from the start, I knew we weren't going to get on and now it's gone and in it's place stands a Fender Custom Shop Jazz.
.
Sitting in the wings is my Yamaha BB414. This (black) one is my third and I've probably had it for three or four years. Everytime I've had one, I've sold it on, believing I needed something 'better' only to immediately go on the hunt for another. It's perfectly weighted and balances on the strap in the correct playing position for me. The neck fits my hand like a glove and the fretboard is positioned spot-on relative to my body, not too far out or too close. This means I can close my eyes and fret the 12th fret almost unerringly (or 5th, 7th etc).

The tones available may be uninspiring to some but they are solid and sit well in the mix in a band situation.

I honestly believe this (when I bought it) sub £250 bass is the perfect instrument for me.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with their 'budget' bass?

Edited December 20, 2011 by bassman2790

[daz]

Ha! ! My Yin/Yang Victor W00ten Fodera cost all of £7000 and was worth every brass penny. Its high value makes me play to a higher standard.


budget basses PAH! I wouldnt give them room in the coal shed.

Edited December 20, 2011 by daz

[Judo Chop]

What would you class as budget?

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1324361432' post='1473348']
What would you class as budget?
[/quote]

I'd say sub £250, although with the exchange rates as they are the 414's equivalent is a lot more today. I certainly wouldn't class my Stingray as a budget instrument nor the Ric

[Machines]

There are a lot of very good value budget basses (that match the quality of instruments more expensive) but there are also some in this price bracket that are overpriced tripe. I think Yamaha especially don't have a huge reputation (compared to Fender etc) so their prices are not elevated up to try and take advantage of the brand name, so you get more bass for your money ! Other brands that I think share this trait are Peavey and Cort.

As far as being content with a 'cheaper' instrument - I traded an Overwater Progress III Deluxe (£3000 new nowadays) for my G&L L2000 Tribute (£680) and 'Tanglewater' Contemporary J (£600). Neither are quality wise a match for the custom jobby, but i'd rather either of them as a lone instrument. They just seem to have more character and I know they're easily replaceable so am not worried about taking them out etc.

[Musky]

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1324345666' post='1473339']
Ha! ! My Yin/Yang Victor W00en Fodera cost all of £7000 and was worth every brass penny. Its high value makes me play to a higher standard.


budget basses PAH! I wouldnt give them room in the coal shed.
[/quote]

You are Janek Gwizdala and I claim my £5.

[BASainty]

I know how you feel bassman as I feel the same way about my BB414 and also about my RBX374. I dont think it will matter how many "better" basses I will buy I dont think I will be able to let go of either of those.

[Thor]

I can relate to this, I had purchased new what I considered the bass of my dreams about 4 or 5 years ago - a Streamer Stage 1 5 string (£1700) - I'd had a 4 previously which was superb quality and sounded fantastic (should never have moved it on), the 5 in comparison was extremely heavy, sounded very dark and didn't cut through the mix at all well - highs/mids were simply lost!?

I persevered with it and would always start a gig with it - however 5 or 6 songs in and I always found myself reaching for my back up bass - a Squier Jazz Bass, by comparison this sounded amazing - even the guys in the band noticed my fills and commented how good the Squier sounded.

I still have it today and up until recently had always been my back up on stage - I recently sold a Marcus Miller 4 as again I was finding it would be lost in the mix and have since replaced it with a Geddy Lee Jazz - this I would say is on a par with the Squier - perhaps even marginally better.

I'd picked up the Squier used for £130 - so definitely consider it budget.

[Adrenochrome]

Yes, my main gigging bass for the last 4/5 years has been a Peavey Millenium AC bxp. I got it for 199 and I think they're now about 250. It's an absolute monster gigging machine, light, fast neck, ergonomic, works well for lower tunings that we use a lot. The only thing it doesn't do is a vintage sound (which I don't need anyway).

[geoffbyrne]

I have 2 Yamaha BB's. My main bass is a BB415 bought from another member here for £180, which was modded by The Bass Doc to take a John East U-Retro & an 18V battery box. Currently strung with D'Addario Chromes, it is, to my ears, a tone monster. It also fulfills all the points noted above about the BB414 despite being a 5er.

I also have a BBG5A - the smaller body BB with 24 frets bought from a callow yoof off Ebay for £90. It has a wider neck ( this is more like a P bass, the 415 more like a J bass). I have swapped the P-type-in-a-soapbar pickups for the double-spool humbuckers found in the RBX375 & others. Deep, velvety & hammer-like. Amazing pups for recording as they are exceptionally buzz resistant.

Both cheapos and once set up the way I like, play magnificently with oodles of tone.

The BB415's the Guv'nor tho'. Fab bass.

G.

Edited December 20, 2011 by geoffbyrne

[Paul S]

I am a huge fan of Westone basses. I think they are superb quality and unbeatable value for money. The shame of it is that most of them are too heavy for me to wear now I have done a number on my lumbar. I had a wonderful Thunder 1A that I would often pick up in preference to my Fenders.

My one remaining Matsumoku bass is a pimped Westone Thunder Jet (bought for £77) - made of alder so only around 8lbs, and fitted with better pups and a P-retro - that I use regularly. Sounds huge and plays brilliantly. I have a SPB-3 to fit into it when I get around to it - should be a little better still.

Edited December 20, 2011 by Paul S

[daz]

The moral of the story is. Never sell on a favourite 'cheap' bass to get a better one, before you have lived with the new one for a few months. You may well regret it badly.

[neepheid]

Absolutely yes, another Yamaha BB fan here. I obtained a BB614 at a most agreeable price which I intended to be a bass I could permanently station at work for lunchtime noodling/practice. What I found (once all the kinks were ironed out) was a most pleasant instrument to play which sounds good and looks great. I would have no qualms about gigging it. I'm about to take mine home for Christmas holidays and I think I might just wheel it out at my next gig in January

It's not the same as my other basses, but that's not the point is it? It's like a comfy jumper which maybe has a hole or two in it that you only wear at home or around close family/friends. Or in situations where you don't mind if it gets in a mess

Edited December 20, 2011 by neepheid

[dave_bass5]

I wouldnt say ive fallen in love with my Squier's, but i have become more settled with these two basses than i have been over the past 5 years, enough to sell the others and keep the Squier's.

Having no money helped of course.

[razze06]

Almost all my basses are budget (< £250, the fender was a little more expensive at about £500), and I take great pleasure in playing them all.
I leave exotic woods, fancy finishes and subtle details to those who appreciate them.

Edited December 20, 2011 by razze06

[BassBus]

I was just practicing with my Columbus Series 3 last night. Lovely bass. Always liked the neck. Feels just right in my hand and a great sound comes from it. Cost me all of £125 donkeys years ago. Probably worth about a tenner now so why sell it on when I enjoy playing it.

[SebCarr]

I was impressed with my Cort, but I didn't love it and hence sold it. It was my only bass.

Since looking for a replacement I have begun to understand how people can fall for budget basses. Judging by the array of Fenders I've played of late (about a dozen Precisions from £179 to £1200) I can understand people trading down in cash value and getting something they prefer.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1324376940' post='1473479']
The moral of the story is. Never sell on a favourite 'cheap' bass to get a better one, before you have lived with the new one for a few months. You may well regret it badly.
[/quote]

Very wise words Daz, I wonder how many of us have failed to pay heed to this over the years.

[LiamPodmore]

Squier Jazz Deluxe V, cost me £170 for a shop floor model (Which f*cked up and was replaced with a brand spanking new 2010 model), my only complaint is the the B string, which lacks a little power, although i'm sure a good pro setup will sort that out, when i get around to it.

Liam

[Earbrass]

I love the look, sound and feel of my £50 s/h Peavey Milestone III (red). I can't imagine wanting or "needing" another bass.

[garymilitia]

My 6'er I paid £100 for, I haven't played my Fender P Bass since I bought it. The sound isnt even that great, I just enjoy playing it.

[Jerry_B]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1324376863' post='1473476']
I am a huge fan of Westone basses. I think they are superb quality and unbeatable value for money. The shame of it is that most of them are too heavy for me to wear now I have done a number on my lumbar. I had a wonderful Thunder 1A that I would often pick up in preference to my Fenders.[/quote]

I still have a Westone Spectrum DX that I bought from a second-hand shop in 1988. It's still an excellent bass with a huge tone - if only it didn't suffer from neck dive!

99% of basses I've owned has been less than 200 quid, with exception of my T-40. That includes a MIJ Fender Jazz (90 quid + a chunk more to make it playable). I also agree that BB414s are very underrated basses. My only fault with them is the lack of blending option with the pups, but overall they really are great basses.

[mentalextra]

It is turning into an obsession. Hunting down cheap basses and trying to turn a sows ear into a silk purse. I found a Yamaha RBX 200 in need of a rewire and setup for £30. Offered him £20. How could I [i]not[/i] buy it.

[Horizontalste]

I have Machines old Bb614 and I have to say the Stingray will go first.

[L_Bass_Dog85]

An Aria STB Series. Currently in bits as I need to have it re-fretted and a machine head replaced.