Mega Cheap Bass Heroes

[Bassman1974]

So,

 

After buying a cheap Jazz many years ago, it's still one of the best basses I own. I can't find a great deal of info on Le Marquis online, and it seems they have been defunct for a while now. I have done a few things to it: luminous markers, plastic control knobs, vinyl coated pickguard, Fender flats and a full setup, and it plays every bit as good as my high end stuff. It's reliable, comfortable, sounds absoloutly killer and gets positive reactions at gigs. It cost me £50, including a hardcase.

 

I'm curious to hear about your own mega cheap heroes that have totally suprised you 

[kodiakblair]

6 hours ago, Bassman1974 said:

I'm curious to hear about your own mega cheap heroes that have totally suprised you

One on the left.

Harley Benton PB-50, cost £78 split new from Thomann back in 2014. Just a simple P-bass but it does it's job very well.

Bought a few more to mod but that remains stock, everything works grand so no point in change for change sake 👍

 

[crazycloud]

Ibanez SR256

[smithy]

Got a Harley Benton P bass kit ( 99Euro IIRC ) and it has a fantastic neck. Frets were absolutely level right out of the box, neck relief 0,2mm , string height at 17th fret 2mm with no buzz (TI flats and being a light touch player). Truss rod didn´t need any tweaks over the last 4 years (though we have humidity changes going from 35% up to 75%)- never had that on one of my other basses. It´s 3,4 kg and a real joy to play (even with stock pickups).

Edited August 4, 2023 by smithy

[NancyJohnson]

As detailed elsewhere here, I was lucky enough to pick up an Aria Pro II Primary Bass via Gumtree about ten years ago.  It was part of a job lot of three guitars and a practice amp.  £50.

 

The bass was non-functioning and bits were broken/missing, so I'll admit I threw a little bit of swag at it to get it up and running.  New bridge, used Delano pickup, I had pots and an old black scratch plate.  The finish on the back of the neck was was very unpleasant and sticky, so I sanded that back.  Every time I take her out, I put a new ding in her.

 

Here she is in all her beauty.  

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by NancyJohnson

[theyellowcar]

I had a 70’s Columbus Jazz Bass in my younger years - my uncle picked it up for next to nothing, needed all new electronics but it turned into a bit of a machine! Coincidentally my cousin recently bought one and fixed it up - he cleaned it up nicely

[NancyJohnson]

2 hours ago, theyellowcar said:

I had a 70’s Columbus Jazz Bass in my younger years - my uncle picked it up for next to nothing, needed all new electronics but it turned into a bit of a machine! Coincidentally my cousin recently bought one and fixed it up - he cleaned it up nicely

 

I had a sunburst one.  £65.00 Adam Music, Staines.  1978.  Nothing but happy memories. 

 

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

My lowly but very much beloved just 28.6" scale Ibanez GSRM20 body + GSRM20B neck Mikro Bass, with the stock pickups ripped out and an EMG Geezer Butler P pickup installed instead, wired directly to the output jack socket, which has been installed in on of the redundant pot holes on the front, with the stock side mounted barrel type jack socket ripped out.

 

Extraordinarily light weight mahogany body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard.

 

At the moment I have it strung with gauge .062 - .046 - .036- .026 Elixir Nanoweb guitar strings and tuned to B standard tuning, that is same as 4 bottom strings of a 5 string, just 1 octave above, so kind of like a 4 string baritone guitar, or 2 half steps higher than tenor bass tuning, but otherwise has it tuned to F# standard tuning, 2 half steps higher than regular 4 string bass E standard tuning, and I am properly going to end up having it tuned to A standard tuning, that is like the 4 upper strings of a  string bass, also known as tenor bass tuning, which Stanley Clarke utilizes a lot.

 

Named "Dud Bottomfeeder" :

(the knob nearest to the neck is now red)

 

 

My Halley Benton GuitarBass, which is a take on the Fender Bass VI concept, tuned to F# standard tuning, is pretty amazing too.

 

Sunkai (somewhat similar to ash) body, Maple neck, and bound Purple Heart fretboard.

 

Named "The Noodle VI" :

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Franticsmurf]

8 hours ago, theyellowcar said:

I had a 70’s Columbus Jazz Bass in my younger years - my uncle picked it up for next to nothing, needed all new electronics but it turned into a bit of a machine! Coincidentally my cousin recently bought one and fixed it up - he cleaned it up nicely

+1 for the Columbus. I got it second hand but so long ago I forget what I paid. I was a guitarist at the time and needed it for recording demos. I found an old photo the other day of me playing it at a gig - I'd forgotten about that too but with the band I was in at the time I played guitar most of the time and the singer played bass, but occasionally I'd pick up the bass to give him a break. Great guitar - mine was sunburst.