The £500 Bass Challenge

[Prime_BASS]

I have found something rather special..........

Edited March 28, 2012 by Prime_BASS

[fatboyslimfast]

Are you thinking new or secondhand? If new, I think you are going to struggle with those constraints, namely the location of manufacture vs cost.

[LiamPodmore]

My Jap P (Candy Apple Red & Maple) was £380, so i'd expect £400-£450 to be a rough benchmark for a Japanese Fender.

Liam

Edited March 22, 2012 by LiamPodmore

[Sean]

For my recent £200 challenge I had a deadline, is there one in this case?

I like the whole challenge with strict parameters thing, it's like solving a puzzle. I was really lucky and have scored a superb instrument that was an instant keeper for me.

Good luck and I hope you end up falling I love with whatever you get :-)

[Sean]

For my recent £200 challenge I had a deadline, is there one in this case?

I like the whole challenge with strict parameters thing, it's like solving a puzzle. I was really lucky and have scored a superb instrument that was an instant keeper for me.

Good luck and I hope you end up falling I love with whatever you get :-)

[Prime_BASS]

No strict deadline as such, although sooner the better. He would happily wait for the right one to turn up.

New or used, or totally broken, he and me arn't fussed (all though it's mostly his cash).

Those small set of parameters in the OP are just what it needs.

For example there is a nice S1 jazz on ebay in the US but after postage and duty it would nearly be £700.

Really has to be £500 or less. It's going to be a beater but has to play, feel and sound quality.

[Sean]

If you're very clever you can get an outstanding piece of Jap stuff for under £300, spend some money on upgrades and end up with a monster keeper.
I'm a sucker for a certain kind of Jap bass and they are peanuts compared to what's out there from US manufacturers second hand and either equal or better in playability.

[brensabre79]

[url="http://www.rondomusic.com/URS2MNPROCAR.HTML"]SX?[/url]

[Doddy]

Don't get hung up on being US or Jap made. The quality of Korean and other eastern made instruments right
now is brilliant...especially around that price range.

[clauster]

You could buy 6 of my used Japan made Ibanez RB950 for £500 (if you could find them)

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1332438028' post='1588431']
Don't get hung up on being US or Jap made. The quality of Korean and other eastern made instruments right
now is brilliant...especially around that price range.
[/quote]

Not hung up at all. It's just past experience tells me it's easy to find a good one from the US and Japanese builders. I've had tonnes of basses made from, korea, indonesia and mexico, and actually didn't rate anyof them. Ive also had a fair few MIJ AND MIA basses and guitars and not one has been 'bad' uncomfortable yes but not bad in anyway. People tend to highlight the bad ones from the markets you don't expect to find a bad one in, if you follow.
We actually discussed what the bass should be a lot and it was more his decision than mine. I tell anyone looking for a starter bass who turns their nose up at a Squier, that a good one will set them up for life.

[quote name='clauster' timestamp='1332438192' post='1588434']
You could buy 6 of my used Japan made Ibanez RB950 for £500 (if you could find them)
[/quote]

We actually found an old RB series which had been modded with a MM pickup, but missed out. He currently has an ATK aswell.

[nottswarwick]

Well you are missing out on some fine basses with the location thing....

[Prime_BASS]

My past experience says otherwise, unless you can find me some good examples.

I've had German and Korean before and ideally a roadworn jazz would do the trick but find one in the price bracket is slim!

[nottswarwick]

aren't gandl tributes Korean?

these daysI think that where something is made is frankly irrelevant - and this extends way beyond the musical world. China etc can make stuff a damn site better than a lot of the countries we might perceive as the champions of quality.

Edited March 23, 2012 by nottswarwick

[GregBass]

If you are prepared to go European, I have just bought two German Warwicks second hand for this type of budget. A Corvette Standard passive, boyught on here and in blue, cost 260. A Corvette Standard active in honey cost 500 off ebay.

[LukeFRC]

not being funny... but isn't this challenge "can we find a decent jazz or jazz copy for £500" to which the answer is yes.
I don't get what the challenge is.

[LukeFRC]

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/167113-fender-mij-non-export-62ri-jazz-premium-model-l500/page__p__1586287__hl__jazz__fromsearch__1#entry1586287

[Sean]

This challenge needs a load of rules, strict parameters and a timescale otherwise it's not a challenge. The £500 budget alone takes a lot of the challenging aspects out of the challenge! If this really is a game, cut the budget in half for a start.

[Townes1992]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1332428525' post='1588242']
[url="http://www.rondomusic.com/URS2MNPROCAR.HTML"]SX?[/url]
[/quote]

Do they sell SX basses in the UK? I had a little search a while back and didnt find a thing!

[Townes1992]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1332438028' post='1588431']
Don't get hung up on being US or Jap made. The quality of Korean and other eastern made instruments right
now is brilliant...especially around that price range.
[/quote]

Indeed, i've heard great things about Squier's CV and VM range....maybe somebody with experience of one could shed some more insight.....

[brensabre79]

SX are US only I think so you'd have to add shipping and taxes to that price!
I'd rather go with a Squier VM any day though, its only a matter of time before Fender pull these and then stick a Fender badge on and charge £200 more...

[fatboyslimfast]

I can vouch for the Indonesian-built Squiers - the VM range at any rate..

My VMJ '77 is excellent - well put together, finished extremely well, plays beautifully and sounds great with the SD-Designed pickups. It isn't the lightest thing in the world though.

Also, they are available new for around half your budget.

[brensabre79]

That should leave you enough to have it refinished in transparent red

[discreet]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1332700163' post='1591849']
...its only a matter of time before Fender pull these and then stick a Fender badge on and charge £200 more...
[/quote]

You may be right, there. I've got an IBTL feeling about that, too.
Particularly taking into account F's 2012 price hike.

[lettsguitars]

Sorry but i have to pipe in for this one. I think you'll struggle to find a bass with an 'alber' body as this is very hard to come by in my experience.