Reccomend a bass! £350

[jackhammer]

Hi! So the time has come to fund a bass, £350 to spend! And obviously I want the best I can get, no restrictions really, just to add, I want to buy brand new, which I know makes it hard!!

[paul_5]

what sort of stuff is it for, and what do you already have?

[Truckstop]

Why spend £350 on a new bass when you could spend £350 on a second hand one that cost twice that much new?

With £350 you could look at Yamaha TRB's, G&L Tributes or even a proper german Warwick if you're lucky! These are all 'worth' £600+ new.

Truckstop

[jackhammer]

I have a Fleabass and an ibanez at the moment, it's mainly for light rock music I suppose!
I just prefer buying new to be honest, someone has to after all!

[TRBboy]

Can't think of much that uses up your whole budget new, but an Ibanez SR300 would be a good shout. I guess some of the Squier VM or CV sort of stuff might be around the right price too?

[Panamonte]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1334359519' post='1615315']
Why spend £350 on a new bass when you could spend £350 on a second hand one that cost twice that much ?
[/quote]

+1 Just have a look at the For Sale section - you could get something really good (and probably as good as new) for £350 - I got an immaculate G&L Tribute L2000 for around that money last week.

If you really have to have something brand new I'd echo the recommendation for the Squier CV line. But IMO you'd be a lot better off getting something previously loved by a fellow BassChatter. I believe there are some nice Ric copies around ;-)

[brensabre79]

If you insist on buing new, I would go for a Squier VM or CV and spend the change on upgrading the pickups and/or a decent setup (I mean a proper one, not the basic one the music shop does to get it playable). These Squiers are so good that they are going for about the same money secondhand - that should tell you something!

I would second what everyone has said about going secondhand. No VAT, its probably had any niggles sorted and a reasonable setup done. You can get a lot of bass for £350 on the secondhand market. If you spend £350 on a new one then £70 of that has gone down the drain the moment you leave the shop.

[LiamPodmore]

Used Japanese Fender, or if it has to be new, Squier CV or VM, like previously mentioned.

Liam

[Bloc Riff Nut]

Hi JackH,

I think the majority of BC'ers will tell you the same thing, "...if it has to be new, go for a Squier Classic Vibe or one of their other incarnations".

Personally I'd buy a secondhand Fender CIJ.

Good luck,
Phil

[Lozz196]

Yep, if it has to be new, Squier CV, then if the pickups are found to not be to your liking, contact Wizzard and ask them to provide what you`re after.

[jackhammer]

Thanks for all your help! Going to check out some of the reccomended ones today! What are these musicman subs like??

Edited April 14, 2012 by jackhammer

[GregBass]

Just to highlight the difference between new and secondhnad prices, I bought a German Warwick Corvette on here just a few weeks ago for 260. Go secondhand, my boy, you won't regret it

[Lozz196]

Gotta admit, 2nd hand is the way - you get sooo much more for your money.

[TRBboy]

Second hand is definitely the way to go, especially in the current climate. It's only really worth going new if you want something special which you won't find second hand.

[discreet]

Well here's a £300 MIJ Fender P bass, already:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173553-sunburst-mij-fender-p-and-brand-new-so-not-30-years-old-fireglow-rockinbetter/page__pid__1615702#entry1615702"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/173553-sunburst-mij-fender-p-and-brand-new-so-not-30-years-old-fireglow-rockinbetter/page__pid__1615702#entry1615702[/url]

[Prime_BASS]

If I had that kind of cash going spare I may take a punt on the new Epiphone thunderbirds with US pickups, that's if I didn't already know how terribly balanced they are.

[jackhammer]

Ok so This morning a mate called and said he needed a new amp, so i agreed to go with him!

Off we went to andertons and obviously I left him to it and went to check out the few basses I could afford...
was pretty sold on a squier vintage modified, sounded nice, action was way too high but nothing that couldn't be sorted. I also compared it to an American made jazz bass, and I wasn't overly impressed, they felt pretty darn similar in my eyes! And fingers of course.

As I was standing around waiting for him to buy some 6 string rubbish... And I thought " I know, let's try out a musicman sterling " oh my god!! bad move, now I'm in love with a bass I can't afford and will do anything to get it, so let's change the thread, suggestions on how to raise £650

[GregBass]

Sell your mate?

[neepheid]

Another vote for a second hand G&L Tribute L-2000

[tom1946]

+1, you can buy a new G&L-L2000 for £381 at Musik Produktiv, absolute bargin.

[leschirons]

Try and find a secondhand MM SUB. Great bass for the money if you don't mind a mat finish.

[vax2002]

If its off the Peg, a squire vintage modified Jazz bass with its duncans will always impress.
They are shipped with the rod half a turn loose, so get the shop to set the bass back up.
It often amazes me how many shops just unbox basses and stick them on the wall with action you could unicycle under.

Shopping around will also open up your choice as some have great grain in the wood.

All in for a new bass they take some beating.

[jackhammer]

Do I go sterling ray34 or save up and get a Stingray? That is the question

[TheGreek]

If you do consider going S/H why not try a Tanglewood/Overwater - probably a little over your budget but not by much.

[Townes1992]

You should try a Westfield mate. Only £120 hahaha!!!!! But really, i have one with a great maple neck, there's nothing wrong with saving money right .
Some of the Yamaha BB series I've played are nice and around £350ish if you're still open to suggestions.

Good luck with the search

Edited April 16, 2012 by Townes1992