Budget basses that do a pro job?

[littleal]

My warwick thumb nt6 is off to the gallery (sei bass) tomorrow to have the fingerboard replaced for an ebony fretless one & will take two to three weeks so i will be using my daughters westfield thumb 5 srting copy that cost £149, tried it out through my trace rig & it sounds & play's awsome so i will be using it on a few gigs until i get my warwick back, i'll let you guy's know how it performs in a band situation

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='Earbrass' post='391795' date='Jan 26 2009, 02:24 PM']Peavey Milestone III

[url="http://www.hartnollguitars.co.uk/products.asp?id=748"]http://www.hartnollguitars.co.uk/products.asp?id=748[/url]

For a while I had one of these and a Fender Aerodyne Jazz bass - decided there was nothing to choose between them in sound - except the Peavey was quieter for recording - and actually preferred the feel of the Peavey, so sold the Fender.[/quote]
+1 My first bass and the only 4 string I think I'll ever need.

[doctor_of_the_bass]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='391981' date='Jan 26 2009, 06:14 PM']I just bought the Squier Classic Vibe 60's Precision today in sonic blue. It's cost me £220. Not a lot in bass terms, but why? This thing is the best playing and sounding Precision I've ever played, and that includes the [rather expensive] 08 American Standard I had last year. It has the trad P bass sound with a more modern zing with it & a great slap sound, too. The neck is very close to the average jazz neck thickness & the build quality is utterly stunning!

Rich.[/quote]


+ 1000! I've got the '50s P and it too is superb.

The budget range of Ibanez basses is excellent, and of course, the Yamaha BB range - great value product.

[Delberthot]

I could quite happily take the Pepsi challenge and make any bass playable.

In fact, how about a challenge for one of the bass bashes?


Bring a bass in any condition, as long as the electronics work, If I have a supply of cheap strings and tools I will make any bass play brilliantly.


I'm not an expert, I just have a lot of experience of playing cheap basses and making them gigworthy.

[dudewheresmybass]

i have to add the dean metalman series to this discussion,
i have two currently, along with my other Deans, but i used these exclusively for over a year, and consistently received hugely positive comments about my sound, both from punters and from pros.
they did retail at 199, but now at 219.
i have to say that some of the Dean MM basses i've tried in shops have been in desperate need of a decent setup, but once that is done, away you go!
the pick up in these is so hot i've been accused of using active basses more than once at jam nights, where the guy running it was worried that it might blow his rig up, but the pick up is clear, crisp and powerful.
The shapes echo some of the more expensive models (ML, V, Z), but they are quite simply some of the best instruments i have used - irrelevant of price

[OutToPlayJazz]

Forgot to mention in an earlier post that I also highly recommend the Yamaha BB614 & the Ibanez SR300. Both excellent basses fo the money!

Rich.

[imaccer]

I've got a BB too (414), and they are excellent vfm. Stick some TI flats on and you get a lovely tone.

The lower priced Ibanezs and Corts are also rated well over here.

[WHUFC BASS]

[quote name='The_D' post='391401' date='Jan 26 2009, 07:22 AM']We worry so much about our nuances in tone and even band members sometimes dont notice [/quote]

Wise words indeed and worth remembering if you get too bogged down and anal about how your bass sounds.

[ghoulsfiendclub]

hey guys, my first post here on basschat, so here is my two cents on this thread:

i had a geddy lee, it was the shizzle for me, for real, i just loved it ... then i tried the squier vm jb ... sold the geddy, bought the squier and im super glad of making that decision.

and i got my eyes on the classic vibe edition as well, i just have to try it before making any decision

[rjb]

A VMJ Jazz fretless is on my "to buy" list. Now where's that new job.....

[Mr.T]

+1 for the Squier VM Jazz.

I have been playing a Status Empathy for the past 20 years, and have had many (failed) attempts at liking Fenders over the years.
Anyway... I recently decided that I could really do with a back-up Bass and thought I'd once again try to get on with a Fender.
(I have always liked the look of a natural finish Jazz).
But... After reading so much positive feedback on the Squier VM Jazz, I bought one through the classifieds here.
I didn't expect too much from it, but after playing at home I took it to rehearsal tonight to put it through it's paces.

AND NOBODY NOTICED any difference in my sound!

Ok, it doesn't play quite as easily as the Status.
The sounds available are more limited.
Although in the mix of the band it sat just nice.

But this is a £200 Bass.

I am seriously impressed... Well done Squier!!!!!
I think I have found a second Bass that I can live with.

[rjb]

Another would be the SR500 Ibanez, just on the edge of what you'd call "budget", but very, very capable for the money.

[steve]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='391653' date='Jan 26 2009, 12:47 PM']We spend money on more expensive basses because we want to [/quote]

+1, and also because our wives would only spend the money on haircuts, shoes, new kitchens, cats etc if we didn't

[risingson]

I remember watching a band a couple of years ago, this bass player strolled on and plugged a lovely new Spector into an Eden rig, and sounded awful. The second band that came on after were a reggae band, the bass player pulled out this battered Tanglewood, didn't touch the EQ, and had one of the best bass sounds I've ever heard.

More often than not, it's a good player that makes for a good bass sound. I've heard Peavy Milestone's that sounded great in the hands of a good player. They can equally sound s**t, so it sort of swings in roundabouts.

[NJE]

+1 on all current squiers at the moment, really fantastic basses with a great "vibe".

I have a squier deluxe V and it is superb, build is amazing and the neck and frets are immaculate, I use it in a rock band over my Roscoe Beck and its has a great tone that really cuts through. I think its superb already but by all accounts the addition of a set of Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups make these basses sing.

Definately a pro sound and playability for me and only £150

[Dr.Dave]

I'd happily hawk round for a used squier Jazz with a comfy feeling neck , bung some wizards in it and go do the gig. With the first gig's money I'd get myself a badass for it and never look back.

I don't find a Jazz body that comfy but for the purposes of this thread I should think anyone could do any gig they were asked to with a bass like that.

[MacDaddy]

I used the Korean Mustang again again for Saturday's gig. I went through the same bass rig as the headline bands bassist - didn't even touch his eq settings. He was using one of his +£2k Ricky's.

There was not £2k difference in sound quality.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote]More often than not, it's a good player that makes for a good bass sound. I've heard Peavy Milestone's that sounded great in the hands of a good player. They can equally sound s**t, so it sort of swings in roundabouts.[/quote]

Equally, a decent amp can also be a bigger factor. We've all been in situations where we've had to plug our zillion dollar basses into 5 cents worth of amplifier!

Those who have mentioned the latest Squiers and Fender clones should also consider a Sadowsky outboard preamp before swapping out pickups, etc. Mine sounds huge!

[51m0n]

Another vote for the Ibanez sr300

Got one of these [url="http://www.ibanez.com/BassGuitars/model-SR300M"]Ibanez sr300[/url] for a female friend as her starting bass, and its amazing the tone is fine, the action is great (admit I did have to tweak it abit though), but it weighs nothing, and is so incredibly slim and ergonomically well sorted, its no wonder she's loving playing and really turning into a super bassist. My first bass was utter $@*& in comparison!

[lowrentdiscographer]

[quote name='51m0n' post='398087' date='Feb 2 2009, 05:08 PM']Another vote for the Ibanez sr300

Got one of these [url="http://www.ibanez.com/BassGuitars/model-SR300M"]Ibanez sr300[/url] for a female friend as her starting bass, and its amazing the tone is fine, the action is great (admit I did have to tweak it abit though), but it weighs nothing, and is so incredibly slim and ergonomically well sorted, its no wonder she's loving playing and really turning into a super bassist. My first bass was utter $@*& in comparison![/quote]

Mmm SR300M in pearl white...

I got a Yam RX. It's well ace-ish.

S.

[bassmachine2112]

hiho,here,s my tupence worth.Vintage v4-p-bass style.got mine s/h for a knockabout.
I use a ricky and a musicman.It sounds great through my marshall stack.tweaked the neck,lowered the action,sorted the pick up heights and you have no problems giggin with this bass.imho a real steal especialy if you get one s/h in good condition.

[Kiwi]

I kind of agree with the sentiment in Macdaddy's original post but think it also depends on what you're looking for in an instrument. The biggest difference I've noticed between budget and pro basses is the feel. But I do like low action and no fret buzz. The cheaper instruments are all made (obviously) to a budget but if a player tends to prefer high action then they're less likely to see the difference between good and bad fretwork. Sound doesn't bear a whole lot of relation to price beyond £1200 new I think.

It's all relative.

[ARGH]

Yamaha for me.....

Bit cookiecutter,but they are tough,sound good too,and built ok for what you are getting. Look nice as well,even if it is veneer.

[ZMech]

I think the more you spend on a bass, the less improvement you get for the same increase in cost. So a £400 bassj will be noticibly better quality than a £200, but the difference between £1000 and £1200 is fairly minor. I've often wondered how much of the improvement in tone is purely mental, in that the buyer spent more thinking it will sound better, and so in their mind it does.

There's also the fact that fiddling with the EQ can give you a far more radical change in sound than a new bass could. Same situation with changing the string your using, although i'll admit I'm fairly inexperienced in that field.

[Rogerio Rosario]

Crez5150 , i also played one SX bass (fender precision look) ..its cost 160 euros...!Uau 160 euros , and it have nice finished looks..! and surprise when put it in the Eden combo sound GOOD , for 160€ !!!!

i think if i hide the SX maker in the head..and go play it live..people will think is Fender LOL


Yes cheap guitars/bass..have changed alot
Know Big maker , have to work alot, bacause the small company that sell cheap guitars

that why conterfeit , is a big business for some China companys..they are fake..but ate the same time Good, that why some people cannot se the diference!


Rogerio
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