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6 string budget basses
- Thread starter Scopey
- Start date
Ibanez SR506. By far the best bargain for a 6er I've ever seen. I've been playing mine for years and is my 2nd choice bass (right behind my USA P bass)
GC Usually has them for around $400
GC Usually has them for around $400
LTD b206sm's are readily available for around $400, plays nice sounds great. A bit heavy though, and apparently there are 34" and 35" scale versions. I'd pick up another one over an Ibanez but the Ibby would def be lighter
- Apr 2, 2014
- 485
- 390
- 47
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Conklin Basses, Ashdown Amplifiers, Morley Pedals
Used is the best value if you can find one ... I'd just make sure you actually play a few and see which one feels best ... the scale length , neck radius , neck width/depth and string spacing are not the same from one to the next ... that said , the Ibanez SR type necks are usually pretty slim and comfy ... but if you have big hands .. ?? whatever fits best ... !! if you're young , you'll adapt fairly quickly ... I'm older , so the pain of those types of neck changes lingers a bit longer .. !!
Yup! Hey I own them ALL! And they ALL are just killer for the cash:
ESP LTD B206-sm - MAJOR looker! Great modern active tone. Killer fit and finish. Best factory neck I ever played. A tad heavy. Saw it at Sam Ash and HAD to own it! Paid a bit over $400 new.
Ibanez SoundGear - I have GSR206 and SR506- got each used for about $200. Simply killer 6 strings with light thin Ibby feel and fat killer Ibby tone. So hard to go wrong here! 506 is 24 fret, 206 is not. A range of SR numbers to fit your budget.
SX Jazz clone 6 string. About $200 shipped with case new! This is THE bass for anyone wanting that passive old school single coil tone in a 6 string. May need a couple of tweaks like shielding and string trees but basically everything you need in an old school bass without a Steve Bailey price! I have three: Flats, rounds, and fretless conversion (in avatar).
Hi.
One of the many occasions when it really pays to disclose ones location
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And to also use the currency that's in use at that location
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I'd suggest Thomann's HB line, I have the now discontinued HBB600 and HBB6000 (BO and NT respectively), and could not be any happier with the price/quality ratio.
Especially the first should be available as used everywhere in Europe, they sold craploads of those for 162€ IIRC.
The headstock is butt-ugly (IMO) though, glad they got rid of that.
There was also a bridge lift problem due to too short and skinny screws, but longer and heftier screws takes care of that.
The latter was probably too close to name brands in price, didn't sell well and was discontinued pretty quickly, but it's much better instrument with mono-rail bridges, narrower neck and overall better feel.
The more recent eqvivalent ones would probably be the B-650 and BZ-6000.
Invalid Link Removed
Regards
Sam
One of the many occasions when it really pays to disclose ones location
.And to also use the currency that's in use at that location
.I'd suggest Thomann's HB line, I have the now discontinued HBB600 and HBB6000 (BO and NT respectively), and could not be any happier with the price/quality ratio.
Especially the first should be available as used everywhere in Europe, they sold craploads of those for 162€ IIRC.
The headstock is butt-ugly (IMO) though, glad they got rid of that.
There was also a bridge lift problem due to too short and skinny screws, but longer and heftier screws takes care of that.
The latter was probably too close to name brands in price, didn't sell well and was discontinued pretty quickly, but it's much better instrument with mono-rail bridges, narrower neck and overall better feel.
The more recent eqvivalent ones would probably be the B-650 and BZ-6000.
Invalid Link Removed
Regards
Sam
Last edited:
I would avoid the peavey grind. They look really good, but peavey really skimped in the electronics and pickups
Hi.
The beauty is in the eye of the beholder....
The only thing I dislike in my HBB6000 is the fact that it bears a recemblance to Peavey Grind.
As opposed to what Peavey product excactly?
Both the PU's and electronics are usually the first ones to be swapped out on a budget instrument of any make or model though, so IMO no biggie if Peavey otherwise rocks someones boat.
Regards
Sam
The beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
.The only thing I dislike in my HBB6000 is the fact that it bears a recemblance to Peavey Grind.
As opposed to what Peavey product excactly?
Both the PU's and electronics are usually the first ones to be swapped out on a budget instrument of any make or model though, so IMO no biggie if Peavey otherwise rocks someones boat.
Regards
Sam
I was actually checking Thomann.de They seem to have decent prices. Are Harley Benton's Thomann's own line? I saw them on the website but never considered them. THey are by far the cheapest there is
I might have to do some research on themNever heard of the SX basses before, how are their quality compared to Ibanez or Ltd? Also are they good for metal?
Hi.
The prices are only a part of their appeal (to me anyway), ecxellent customer service and unbelievable quality control on even the cheapest of the cheap products.
On top of that, they have a 3 year pretty much unconditional warranty that's really hard to beat.
I have used it only once, and everything went smoothly.
Yes, a generic far east instrument line built to their specs.
If You don't expect miracles for a few hundred Euros, you'll be pleasantly surprised I can guarantee that.
Regards
Sam
The prices are only a part of their appeal (to me anyway), ecxellent customer service and unbelievable quality control on even the cheapest of the cheap products.
On top of that, they have a 3 year pretty much unconditional warranty that's really hard to beat.
I have used it only once, and everything went smoothly.
Are Harley Benton's Thomann's own line? I saw them on the website but never considered them. THey are by far the cheapest there is
Yes, a generic far east instrument line built to their specs.
If You don't expect miracles for a few hundred Euros, you'll be pleasantly surprised I can guarantee that.
Regards
Sam
+1 for the SR506. After an easy setup, it plays like buttah, and sounds great across all strings. It's pretty light also, but there is a bit of neck dive - nothing that a wide strap can't fix though.
I personally like the sleeker look of Ibanez compared to ESPs
I personally like the sleeker look of Ibanez compared to ESPs
SX are chinese sold in many countries world wide. They are cheap but made of excellent tone wood usually work decently. Generally they are Clones of Fender Jazz basses (especially the 6 string in question) I'd say they might need a bit more tweaking (shielding, string trees, occasional fret filing) than an Ibanez. Not the point. Ibby is a very modern fat toned bass (as someone said on TB they go from "Modern" to "more modern". And LTD also has a modern active tone though not as fat (I'd call it the standard active tone) as an Ibanez. A Jazz clone is well, sort of a jazz bass. As for metal? Well a jazz clone isn't very "pointy"!
