best cheap bass

tsw · Post by **tsw** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:51 am

I know I'm gonna get slammed for not digging this up on a search (yes, I tried), but I bet a few of you will give some good info.

Simple question: What's the best cheap bass to buy? Will use it for lots of recording (mostly DI) and probably some gigging. Pop/rock type stuff, nothing too tricky.

Thanks,
andy

sthslvrcnfsn · Post by **sthslvrcnfsn** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 12:07 pm

a guy i lived with randomly came home from work with a brand new generic black ibanez bass one time. he said it cost $175 or something ridiculous at mother fuc ... i mean musician's frie ... i mean guitar center. i love ric's and jazz basses, but for the money, and because our house didn't have a bass in it, it worked well.

especially through my 50w solid-state marshall amp, haha.

jim!

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:01 pm

Danelectro. Great tone, incredibly cheap (especially used).

Besides, if it's good enough for Jack Bruce (check out any of the photos from the Disraeli Gears recording sessions) and Dan Pearson (American Music Club), it's good enough for me!

weatherbox · Post by **weatherbox** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:04 pm

I've had pretty good luck with taking cheaper instruments that I like the feel of (and have decent resonance) and stripping out the electronics. New pickups, new pots - makes a world of difference. I get pickups cheap on ebay, buy pots from a friendly local store, and open the window to avoid solder-stink headaches.

Electro-Voice 664 · Post by **Electro-Voice 664** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:49 pm

Teisco Del Rey

curtiswyant · Post by **curtiswyant** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:22 pm

Fender Mexican p-bass or jazz...your choice.

Sine Wave · Post by **Sine Wave** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:56 pm

For some reason, people always piss on Ibanez. They make some really great products that are relatively inexpensive.

My example: the srx400, or maybe its 4000, I forget. Compared to most ibanez basses, this one looks pretty cool (psuedo-vintage pickguard), it has a decent sounding humbucker, 24 frets, a really thin neck, and it only cost me $200. With light bass strings I've gotten great sounds from this bass. I've had this bass for 1.5 years and I've been moving it from Texas heat to Indiana snow (college) and its been fine. The only thing that has worried me has been the really thin, long neck. I'm paranoid it might break, but it hasn't.

Its up to you though, because each person has a different sound they want. This was just my 2 cents.

tonewoods · Post by **tonewoods** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:57 pm

Well, they're not so cheap anymore because the cat is out of the bag, but the Harmony H22 is on my short list of "most useful studio tools"....

They are great recording basses for my taste, which leans towards a bass that thunks a note with great tone, and gets out of the way.
Think Beatles/Hofner or The Band...
It can do a great Jamerson kind of tone as well....

The pickup has two useful settings, one very bassy and rich, and the other a bit more trebley...

I recently picked one up for under 100 bucks, so they are still out there....
But they do ebay for as much as 500 bucks...

They are just killer through an Ampeg B15....

Every studio should have one, IMHO.

konabuzz · Post by **konabuzz** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 3:17 pm

Ok, I know I'll be inviting chortles and guffaws here, but I actually reeeally like my:

Musician's Friend special Rogue Hofner copy for I think $199......

It's only got one sound, basically.....yes, it has a rhythm/lead switch and supposedly, tone and volume controls, but it only sounds good with everything full on anyway.

But, hey....feed it through a good DI, and yep, it's got that Hofner kind of percussive, dare I say....Macca-esque...sound. Although, 99% of Paul's sound came from his fingers to be fair. Still.....especially with flatwounds....uber deep, full woody tone.

For growl I still use my cheapo Mex P-bass......

tonewoods · Post by **tonewoods** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 3:25 pm

"Although, 99% of Paul's sound came from his fingers to be fair"

Well, there's a huge difference between the Hofner and Ricky although the fingers are the same...

tsw · Post by **tsw** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 4:32 pm

curtiswyant wrote:Fender Mexican p-bass or jazz...your choice.

thanks for all the replies. Just wondering...the "Mexican" is what they call the "standard," right? If so, proabably about $400? Does that sound right?

John Jeffers · Post by **John Jeffers** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 4:44 pm

Ibanez basses are kinda like Behringer products IMO...they sound OK, but the build quality can be bad. You might get lucky and find one that sounds good and lasts a long time, but more typically you'll end up with something that sounds somewhere between mediocre and very good, but will probably fall apart in a couple years if you use it a lot. Still, they're a decent value for the money.

Personally, I've never found an inexpensive bass that made me happy.

kingnimrod · Post by **kingnimrod** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:10 pm

keep your eyes open for used stuff. Patience can pay off. I picked up an 83 usa p-bass locally thru classifieds a few months ago for $200, with the original hardshell case. The guy had no idea what he was selling. i've come across numerous deals like this.

theenvycorps · Post by **theenvycorps** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:18 pm

I actually was really impressed by those Danelectro DC basses...definitely a retro look for cheap if that's what you're into.

There are plenty of decent Mexican P-Basses out there for the finding, keep your eyes open locally.

I also played one of those Rondo Music P-Basses once and it actually felt better to me than many Mexi's...they are insanely cheap and are probably work a look.

iamredarrow · Post by **iamredarrow** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:25 pm

Down here Mexi Jazz and P's go for 150 or so in pawn shops- two hours of lovin setup and that's a sweet bass.

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