Bassist on a budget $250.

[RealSolomonLusk]

As the title says, I am looking for a used bass for $250. I am a big fan of the Ibanez SR650 but that's obviously out of my price range. I like Ibanez for the necks and tonal flexibility. I found this bass but i'm of course, a little wary considering I haven't played it. Ibanez SR 480 Soundgear 4 String Bass Wood Finish

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Anything Ibanez 300 series and up is a serious bass. They get better more or less proportionally to the ascending number series. I’d get the highest series number you can find in your budget used. The SR500 is a great bass with a crappy finish, so sometimes you can find a beat up one cheap. The “brown mahogany” finish literally peels off them, but it’s a solid mahogany body that’s easily refinished with Danish Oil or TruOil if you have the will and the time, both stupid easy wipe on/wipe off finishes. The 480 you found looks like it may have been a refin. The $150 price is good, but the additional $150 shipping is ridiculous. Ask the seller for actual shipping cost, that’s just blatant price padding unless it’s NY to CA, and even then seems high.
Cost to ship a bass nowadays?

 

[RealSolomonLusk]

1992 Ibanez SR800 Bass - Black Finish - Active Electronics - Made in Japan
I also found this. I wouldn't mind a vintage instrument like this. I'm pretty sure not all of the necks have the same feel as the 650 I love. Seems to be in good condition.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I don’t know about the older ones, I love the really skinny necks on the newer ones. There is a Soundgear Club here:
The Soundgear Club
324 pages of nothing but Ibanez Soundgear! Post your link and ask them about specifics, somebody will know. The $60 shipping listed sounds a lot more reasonable.

 

[RealSolomonLusk]

Thanks!

 

[tindrum]

1992 Ibanez SR800 Bass - Black Finish - Active Electronics - Made in Japan
I also found this. I wouldn't mind a vintage instrument like this. I'm pretty sure not all of the necks have the same feel as the 650 I love. Seems to be in good condition.

That's a good bass. I gigged with a fretless one in the 90's. The neck is thin and I remember it feeling very similar to more recent Soundgear models.

 

[RealSolomonLusk]

Those are OK, but I'd be looking at SR eXtreme (SRX) for $250 or less:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]



I'm not a fan of those DX pickups in the SR480 & the SR800 I tried also didn't impress me. I was expecting big things with that variable mids control, but alas...

IMHO the PFR (Passive Full-Range) pickups in the SRX are the best OEM pickups Ibanez has used. By that I mean, not branded Bartolini or Nordstrand.
One downside however, they only have two wires, so you can't wire them series/parallel.

 

[RealSolomonLusk]

To be honest, I have to agree with him.

 

[MCF]

Anything Ibanez 300 series and up is a serious bass. They get better more or less proportionally to the ascending number series. I’d get the highest series number you can find in your budget used. The SR500 is a great bass with a crappy finish, so sometimes you can find a beat up one cheap. The “brown mahogany” finish literally peels off them, but it’s a solid mahogany body that’s easily refinished with Danish Oil or TruOil if you have the will and the time, both stupid easy wipe on/wipe off finishes. The 480 you found looks like it may have been a refin. The $150 price is good, but the additional $150 shipping is ridiculous. Ask the seller for actual shipping cost, that’s just blatant price padding unless it’s NY to CA, and even then seems high.
Cost to ship a bass nowadays?

FYI, I bought a Thunderbird in a hard case from a shop in NY off Reverb a couple weeks ago. $75 shipped to CA via UPS.

 

[RealSolomonLusk]

I'm more of a "generic guitar shape" kinda guy.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

I think the standard answer in that price range is Squier.
Do not overlook PVs either.
Maybe even a MIM Fender.
A lot depends on condition and preference.

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

Buy a Peavey Fury USA for $150 - $200.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

As the title says, I am looking for a used bass for $250. I am a big fan of the Ibanez SR650 but that's obviously out of my price range. I like Ibanez for the necks and tonal flexibility. I found this bass but i'm of course, a little wary considering I haven't played it. Ibanez SR 480 Soundgear 4 String Bass Wood Finish

I had a 605, that was before they made them PJs and called them 650s. It was a good bass. For $250, you can pick up a pretty darn decent GSR brand new. Or, check out the 500s.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Glarry?

 

[ajkula66]

SR800 in decent shape is hard to beat in that price range, especially if you prefer active electronics.

My other recommendation would be Peavey Foundation, and there's no shortage of them.

Happy shopping.

 

[MattZilla]

I'm more of a "generic guitar shape" kinda guy.

he was using the model to illustrate a particularly heavy piece of freight being shipped and the cost to him for it to be shipped. Thunderbirds typically weigh 1.5-2.5 times what a soundgear weighs.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

Your best bet is second hand. You’ll get a whole lot of bass for $250 if you keep your eyes peeled for anything made in Japan during the 70’s/80’s.

 

[GreyBeard]

A few years back I used one of those for my marching band. We parked the amp on the sideline and had the player go wireless marching with the rest of the band. It worked flawlessly and I can not fault that bass in any way.

 

[bassliner50]

Start here: Squier, Vintage Modified or Classic Vibe. Within your budget. Easy to set up, sell if you need to (everyone knows it and respects it inside and out) , parts are available everywhere. I would certainly buy used. These come up often.

 

[Cowboy in Latvia]

Buy a Peavey Fury USA for $150 - $200.

I agree but a Peavey Foundation will come closer to the Ibanez vibe. Still can be found in that price range. One of our members even has a Peavey Foundation 2000 in the classifieds for 370-ish if the OP can scrape together another 100.