Four string acoustic bass's for £350-£400

[Ned Gaine]

Hello,

I'm looking to buy my first acoustic bass for a project i'm going to be working on. I can afford at a max of £400 and not really a penny more.
I have considered the Hofner HA-B03 [url="http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/bass_guitars_detail.asp?stock=10012110020429"][b][color=#3b5998]Takamine EGB2S-N[/color][/b][/url] and the Warwic Alien (basic)

Any other good bass's worth looking at for that money? Can anyone recomend ? I alsio have to be able to buy it so obsolite models arent much good at the moment.....

Thanks

Ned

Edited November 5, 2012 by Ned Gaine

[mart]

I'm pretty sure there are a few acoustic basses in the classifieds on here for under £400, and second hand will, of course, get you more bass for your money than buying new.

[Ned Gaine]

Cheers Mart, good idea. Unfortunately I still don't know whats good and whats not though!

[mart]

Yes, I couldn't really help you on that. A long time ago I had a Kramer Ferrington, which was quite trendy at the time, but had a weird headstock that pulled the nut sideways off the neck. Much more recently I got a Warwick Alien (not the Rockbass one, because I was fairly flush at the time); and it's quite good but some way from your budget. Mind you, since the W branded ones are made in Asia, like the RB ones, maybe the RB ones might not be very different in quality, just with a different shape of cutaway. So you could take that as a roundabout recommendation of the Alien

Edited to compensate for the auto-correct inflicted typos.

Edited November 5, 2012 by mart

[Cumbo]

I picked up a new Ibanez AEB5E a couple of years ago. Reduced in the store from $180 to $140. Not sure what it would cost in the UK, but it is very playable, has a good neck and tone. Not the flasiest instrument, but it works for me.

[moonbass]

I have the Takamine. Tried three of the same model in Guitar Guitar and all sounded quite different, so try before you buy if you can. I'm very happy with mine. Good build quality. I'm not a massive fan of the plugged in sound, but it's ok at low volumes.

[lee650]

I've got a Washburn AB10, that's about £350 ish new, and going second hand for about £200 ish, great bass for the money, tuners are a bit cheap, but a lovely skim neck and the pre/piezo sound good plugged in, slim body too, but needs an amp, I have black nylon labellas on mIne and it sounds great or indeed the much nicer AB 20/30 sometimes come up on here.

[Roland Rock]

I once had an Epiphone El Capitan which played and sounded lovely. Around £280. My only criticism was that is was not particularly loud unplugged.

[winterfire666]

i have a washburn AB20, going cheap if you are interested, pm sent.