Buying a new bass need help

[jezzaboy]

The Sterling Sub basses are great bits of kit apart from the "hot" pre amp that is a problem for some people, myself included. If you want a Jazz, a second hand Mexican could be a good buy especially one of the post 09 models. If that is too much cash, a VM or Classic Vibe is generally considered a good buy.

I had a black and maple VM77 and it was a cracker with no issues whatsoever. But it is a mass produced instrument and they can vary quality wise, especially Squier/Fenders.

But imo, the best bit of kit in the £300 - £350 range is the Yamaha BB 424. At the price, whats not to like.

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_bb424_b.htm?ref=search_rslt_yamaha+bb+bass_313031_11"]http://www.thomann.d...+bass_313031_11[/url]

Edited July 22, 2016 by jezzaboy

[bh2]

I was lucky enough to find a used Fender Precision on Ebay £250... bit of a gamble but turned out to be a cracker.

[Grangur]

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469208314' post='3096718']
The ones that were in the shops i visited in town today were around £300, i found a second hand one for £280 but it was buzzing all over the place.

Id on't know if they are USA ones or whoever. This is the problem I have; I don't know all this secret manufacturer stuff and I don't want to commit to something without being 100% sure
[/quote]

That's anoying when the bass is buzzing. It's probably nothing more than being in need of a setup, but without doing that for them there's no way of knowing.

The secret to the origin of these basses is usually in the serial number. I'm on a mobile phone right now. Maybe someone else can tell you more about that.

[Harryburke14]

I'll throw my hat into the ring and say that the best sub-£300 bass I've played is the B-stock Sire M3 which is my current gigging bass.

Aside from that I'd further what the majority of people here have said. Go to your local music shop (or shops if you're lucky enough to not live in Birmingham and have but one shop within 15 miles of your house). Play anything and everything there and see what you do and don't like, it will help you loads in deciding what to get. I for one had always wanted a Les Paul Bass until I played one at PMT and thought it wasn't as special as I had hoped. On the other hand I now really want the 63 Dakota Red Jazz that was in there the same day. Definitely go and play a few.

[wishface]

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1469212740' post='3096766']
The Sterling Sub basses are great bits of kit apart from the "hot" pre amp that is a problem for some people, myself included. If you want a Jazz, a second hand Mexican could be a good buy especially one of the post 09 models. If that is too much cash, a VM or Classic Vibe is generally considered a good buy.

I had a black and maple VM77 and it was a cracker with no issues whatsoever. But it is a mass produced instrument and they can vary quality wise, especially Squier/Fenders.

But imo, the best bit of kit in the £300 - £350 range is the Yamaha BB 424. At the price, whats not to like.

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_bb424_b.htm?ref=search_rslt_yamaha+bb+bass_313031_11"]http://www.thomann.d...+bass_313031_11[/url]
[/quote]Thanks, but that's sort of the point i'm making: "at the price". I'm not looking to compromise. If something decent is out of my means then that's too bad for me, but I don't just want something that's good for the price. I want something that's good.

[Marvin]

Sire Marcus Miller V7 Jazz.
Brand new £325, imo better than the MIM Fender equivalent Jazz...which will set you back about £50ish more even s/h.

[wishface]

[quote name='bh2' timestamp='1469214670' post='3096782']
I was lucky enough to find a used Fender Precision on Ebay £250... bit of a gamble but turned out to be a cracker.
[/quote]My congratulations. I vaguely know someone that has a p bass that was, last i checked, for sale. I think he wanted £400 at the time. Might see if I can get hold of him and see if he'll go down on the price.

[wishface]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1469218891' post='3096827']
Sire Marcus Miller V7 Jazz.
Brand new £325, imo better than the MIM Fender equivalent Jazz...which will set you back about £50ish more even s/h.
[/quote]

this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marcus-Miller-sire-electric-bass-V7-Swamp-Ash-4-NT-Gigbag-/222187858556?hash=item33bb6daa7c:g:CFMAAOSwtnpXiTmC

[jezzaboy]

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469217590' post='3096810']
Thanks, but that's sort of the point i'm making: "at the price". I'm not looking to compromise. If something decent is out of my means then that's too bad for me, but I don't just want something that's good for the price. I want something that's good.
[/quote]

You have "a few hundred pounds" to spend on a bass. Any bass you buy will be a compromise: what you can afford versus what you actually want to buy. You are being very vague on what you are looking for and as soon as someone offers a suggestion, you seem to go out of your way to dismiss it.

Top tip. Go to guitarguitar or similar and try lots of basses in your budget.

Edited July 23, 2016 by jezzaboy

[Oopsdabassist]

here's another tip, give us a clue as to where you are located, there are many friendly basschatters who may be up for a meet so you can try their stuff and get a feel for what you want

[Grangur]

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1469269025' post='3097040']


You have "a few hundred pounds" to spend on a bass. Any bass you buy will be a compromise: what you can afford versus what you actually what you want to buy. You are being very vague on what you are looking for and as soon as someone offers a suggestion, you seem to go out of your way to dismiss it.

Top tip. Go to guitarguitar or similar and try lots of basses in your budget.
[/quote]

Very true the OP isn't giving any idea of the sound he wants. After all, Tone should be the first consideration when choosing as it points to what pickup configuration to look at.

This thread is a waste of time.

[wishface]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1469270891' post='3097058']


Very true the OP isn't giving any idea of the sound he wants. After all, Tone should be the first consideration when choosing as it points to what pickup configuration to look at.

This thread is a waste of time.
[/quote]

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/288764-buying-a-new-bass-need-help/page__view__findpost__p__3096736

That was an answer to a q you yourself had asked.

[wishface]

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1469270163' post='3097050']
here's another tip, give us a clue as to where you are located, there are many friendly basschatters who may be up for a meet so you can try their stuff and get a feel for what you want
[/quote]I live in north somerset

[wishface]

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1469269025' post='3097040']
You have "a few hundred pounds" to spend on a bass. Any bass you buy will be a compromise: what you can afford versus what you actually want to buy. You are being very vague on what you are looking for and as soon as someone offers a suggestion, you seem to go out of your way to dismiss it.

Top tip. Go to guitarguitar or similar and try lots of basses in your budget.
[/quote]I have dismissed nothing. In fact I repeatedly said that if I cannot get something good within my budget then I'm happy not to get anything at all. Again, what I do not want is to settle for buying something for the sake of buying a new instrument. I want a quality instrument, if that is not possible then fair enough.

I don't know of guitarguitar, there's no such shop here. The biggest shops are PMT and then Mickleburg in Bristol. The former isn't hugely impressive. The latter is decent but has a small range (some nice instruments, but out of my price range, like a thousand quid rickenbacker )

[skidder652003]

could you get to Exeter? Mansons have quite a few basses you could try, and a good number of used ones too.

[Marvin]

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469220355' post='3096842']


this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marcus-Miller-sire-electric-bass-V7-Swamp-Ash-4-NT-Gigbag-/222187858556?hash=item33bb6daa7c:g:CFMAAOSwtnpXiTmC
[/quote]

That's the one. The ones with a rosewood fretboard are only £25 more brand, 3 year warranty, send it back if you don't like it from Thomann. The maple board ones are around £360 now i think.

[Grangur]

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469209923' post='3096736']
I'm not judging cheap basses per se, just that I want something that's good all round, not just good for it's value. It's time I had an instrument that lets me do what I want to do without having to fight it or having a crappy tone.

Can't remember what i've had, but what I got currently is a Revelation RBJ67 that i brought for £165 from Rikaxxe in Bristol. He specialises in cheap stuff and these kinds of brands. Seems like a nice guy with experience in the industry, but I have no way to verify that and this bass isn't working out great. A couple of dead spots, intonation never seems to stay and it just feels oddly weighted - like it's too small and too big at the same time. It's a Jazz style instrument. If i pick over the neck pickup the instrument feels really short and my hand is awkward. It's kinda hard to explain. The varnished fingerboard is nice (and easy to clean), but higher up it's hard to get to the lower strings (my hands aren't weirdly small either).

Tonally it's ok. Nothing earth shattering. Some fret buzz on the low E, which feels very flappy.

The sound I like is a rounded tone, that's why I like the music man tone. But i like the Jazz tone. Geddy's tone (less the overdrive) is nice too, punchy but not overly trebly.
[/quote]

OK, I'm on a PC now, so it's easier to answer a long message.

The Revelation RBJ67 is a jazz bass style. That should give a good rounded sound. It has a variable sound by adjusting the volume of the pickups.

The Neck pickup will give a more rounded tone. The Bridge pickup will give a tighter more treble (to my ears), punchy tone.

Other pickup configurations will also give other tones:

P-bass, or Precision: This pup is positioned in, about the same position as the jazz-bass Neck pup. Because this pup has more coils and so the induction in the coil is greater, the tone is similar to the jazz-bass neck pup, but it's got more umph, heft, or punch/thump to the tone.



The bass on the far left above is a Musicman. This has one pup in the "Bridge" position. This is a double-coil pup, so the punch will be similar to a Precision twin-coil pup, but being in a bridge position, the output is more punchy. The actual tone you get will be dependent on the strings as well, but with a more rounded sounding string this will give a punchy burpy kind of sound or a trebley punch, This is not soft and round at all.

The tone of a bass can also be changed by the playing position - play near the neck and it will be more rounded, as the string has more ability to move. Play near the bridge and the sound will be more punchy and clipped.

In any case ALL pups work most effectively when you play with your hand plucking the strings above the pup.

You said:
[i][b]"The sound I like is a rounded tone, that's why I like the music man tone. But i like the Jazz tone. Geddy's tone (less the overdrive) is nice too, punchy but not overly trebly.[/b][/i]

Then I'd stick with a jazz if I were you. The MM would be wrong.

Buying a bass: If you are in the market for a bass in the price range under £400, then I'd definitely look at used instruments - you'll get far more bang for your buck.

Here's some in your area:
https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/fender-mexican-jazz-bass-with-hard-case/1179555499

https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/fender-squier-silver-series-made-in-japan-jazz-bass-1993-1994/1176315198

Go play and see what you think of them.

[timhiggins]

I'm another sire v7 advocate nothing touches them for quality and available tones they are every bit the equal of my 1000 plus instruments
and they will enable you to pursue whatever you choose to learn without restriction.

[Grangur]

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469209923' post='3096736']
Can't remember what i've had, but what I got currently is a Revelation RBJ67 that i brought for £165 from Rikaxxe in Bristol. He specialises in cheap stuff and these kinds of brands. Seems like a nice guy with experience in the industry, but I have no way to verify that and this bass isn't working out great. A couple of dead spots, intonation never seems to stay and it just feels oddly weighted - like it's too small and too big at the same time. It's a Jazz style instrument. If i pick over the neck pickup the instrument feels really short and my hand is awkward. It's kinda hard to explain. The varnished fingerboard is nice (and easy to clean), but higher up it's hard to get to the lower strings (my hands aren't weirdly small either).

Tonally it's ok. Nothing earth shattering. Some fret buzz on the low E, which feels very flappy.

[/quote]
If you're not happy with the weight, then the neck and tuners are probably too heavy for the body - sell it.

Dead-spots; most basses have spots that may not be as powerful as others. You can even have that on some more expensive basses.

Intonation shouldn't move. If it's set right, it should be set for life, or at least the life of the strings - you could change the bridge to fix this.

Varnished fingerboards are generally what you get with a maple board. No fingerboard should get very dirty though. It's best to wash your hands before you play.

Access to the E-string at the dusty end - this is near impossible on a lot of basses. But playing up here is the sign of a sick mind and it's only put there by luthiers as a tormentation.

Flappy E-string - I don't know if you've ever changed the strings. But cheap strings can give some interesting results. I even bought a cheap bass once that had 2 A strings - one was fitted as a D string, so the tension was really high - to make it go up a few notes. Maybe you've got a dodgy E string.

Go play some basses. If PMT only have expensive basses, still play them. OK you won't buy, but who cares? They chose to put them up there. It's a choice they make. And by trying them you'll get a feel for what you would get at the top end. You never know you might find the result surprising. Maybe what you're cursing in a cheap instrument is still there in some top-end basses? Maybe you'll find other things you don't like?

Edited July 24, 2016 by Grangur

[Woodinblack]

North somerset, you near bristol? PMT actually have quite a good bass range, so maybe you could get an idea of the sort of thing you wanted. If I was playing metal, which I am not, I would want something more 'modern' than a fender style instrument (no good for metal see? ), and probably a 5 string if your metal is a bit doomy. More ibanez / yamaha style etc.

Truth to tell you can do all styles of music on all instruments, but the real thing you can't work out from a forum is what they feel like. I am a long term Ibanez SR player, and recently got a BTB as I always liked the look. Turns out it is no good for me so I will sell it, the neck is too wide / deep. You only find that sort of thing by playing them.

[Woodinblack]

Oh I missed you already said about PMT. They have a good range in there, try to see what you like if you can. Never found them that friendly but have played a few in there. Would have bought a SRFF705 in there, but they only had the 6.

[JTUK]

Quality shows up in the wood, and build and hardware.
Personally I don't think you'll find it in a cheap bass
but if you can reconcile what you are happy with for the money you are able, or want to pay, then only you can answer that question.
Revelation look OK for the money..

[wishface]

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1469350713' post='3097509'] could you get to Exeter? Mansons have quite a few basses you could try, and a good number of used ones too. [/quote]Not really I'm afraid. I don't live near the trains and they are so expensive now (almost 25 quid!). Bristol's about as far as I get.

[wishface]

[quote name='timhiggins' timestamp='1469354164' post='3097554'] I'm another sire v7 advocate nothing touches them for quality and available tones they are every bit the equal of my 1000 plus instruments and they will enable you to pursue whatever you choose to learn without restriction. [/quote]Is there a shop that sells them? I'd rather that than deal with ebay, frankly.

[wishface]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1469358418' post='3097615'] Quality shows up in the wood, and build and hardware. Personally I don't think you'll find it in a cheap bass but if you can reconcile what you are happy with for the money you are able, or want to pay, then only you can answer that question. Revelation look OK for the money.. [/quote]Define ok, though. That's my point. I want something that is objectively good, not just good-for-the-price.

I thought the Revelation was ok and I don't regret buying it. But I find it uncomfortable. It feels too big and too small simultaneously, I can't dequately explain it.

Edited July 24, 2016 by wishface