Beginner Bass Brands! $700 Budget! Advice Needed!

[hermetic]

I have a Cort Action 4 string bass, and I'm amazed at how nice this puppy feels and plays for an inexpensive bass. When I first got it, I went to shield the electronics, and found it already factory (I believe) shielded. I was impressed.

 

[Skeptismo]

I have a tribute m2000, and it's been an excellent instrument for me. I vastly prefer it to the tighter string spacing on the Ibby's and LTD's that I've played. I think you'll find that the sire basses are a step up from the squiers, and Yamahas are kind of ho-hum in this price range in my opinion. I haven't played a dean or cort in years, and the experience that I had with them 10+ years ago wasn't so good.
Good luck!

 

[tpaul]

For $700, you could buy a Fender MIA used. That's what I would do.

I was literally just typing the same thing.

That was my first thought.

 

[TL23NC]

I've been playing Ibanez SR for years, light weight, great for my small hands, fast action, and beautiful smooth tone. I think I paid $500 for it in 2011.

And for $700 you could probably buy a used Premium model. Take advantage of the relatively poor resale value!

 

[rodv66]

If it's a church setting, then cross Dean off the list

 

[LowDownHawkeye]

When I play bass, it is mostly in church but with a few gigs so far backing a show choir. I really liked my Yamaha RBX375. The church has since bought a Squier 4 string P bass and it is awfully nice. (I use the basses that I own but would use and be happy with the Squier if I had to.)

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I have a Sire V7 Vintage and a Squier Classic Vibe 60's Precision.

Guess how I voted .

 

[selowitch]

You can hardly go wrong with the list you've presented. I personally like Sires, Squiers, and Fenders a whole lot.

 

[StudioGC]

Sire V7

 

[prowla]

Gonna keep this short and sweet.

These are the brand finalists I really like.
They all have fabulous basses in my price range, and I tried them all. Curious to see what you guys think!
And yes, I purposefully left out Fender. Don't kill me (-:

Cheers!

Update:
By the way I feel you guys are thinking of American G&L's!

I meant the Tribute series.
It won't let me change the option now.

Buy a used one - you'll effectively double your budget.

(Me, I'd go for a used Fender!)
((Then again, I don't have a Fender, but I do have a partsblaster J-bass with a Warmoth body, Status Graphite neck and John East preamp...))

 

[bfields]

$700 is going to get you more than a beginner instrument.

In fact, you can get perfectly OK basses from those brands for under $200 new. Set your budget to $300 max and save the rest for lessons.

If there's still bass money burning a hole in your pocket this time next year, fine. You'll have a different idea what you want in a bass by then anyway.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Can't vote as Fender hasn't been mentioned in the list ... l

 

[Kmonk]

With a $700 budget you can get a much better quality used bass than you can buying new.

 

[lbbc]

G&L L2000 Tribute is, IMHO, the best bass period! I had one as my only bass for 6 years. Plays great, has a variety of tonal options and looks great (mine was the blueburst with maple neck). I only sold it to offset the price of a custom build. You can't go wrong with G&L!

 

[bassstrangler]

Unless you are planning on buying 2 or 3 Squiers, then there is absolutely no reason to choose a Squier over a Fender. Brand snobbery doesn't make sense in this instance. Actually, it makes no sense at all to me.

With that said if you just absolutely can't buy a Fender then you probably should go Ibanez or G&L (which coincidentally has that Fender history attached to it).

 

[jamro217]

Used Carvin/Kiesel. I voted for Yamaha and Ibanez off of your list. How about a Gibson?

 

[izpak]

Being that I only have experience with owning Yamahas and G&Ls off of your list, I voted for them. Pretty much all of the Yamahas and G&Ls that I've played have had incredible fit and finish with little to no flaws. They also all sounded and felt amazing. And people saying that you might need a P-bass at one point. Both brands make a P-J bass that IMO sound better than the original design P.

 

[DanAdams]

$700 beginner bass???
Dang, $700 buys a pro bass everyday of the week, go used and $400 goes a looong long way.

 

[Baltimore Bass]

Call me a psycho but... I can't put it into words... but I just don't like Fenders.
I'd get a G&L way before I'd get a Fender.

Can I ask why? Purely out of curiosity.

 

[Baltimore Bass]

You left Godin off of your list, but it'd be worth checking some out if you can find a store that carries them. Every time I've played one, I've been really impressed with it. They're made in Canada, but have a reasonable price point for what you're getting.