Best bass under $3,000?

[gorneyg]

https://www.wilkinsguitars.com/
Welcome to Valenti Basses
Sadowsky NYC aren't in that price range unless you buy used.

 

[nilorius]

Maybe you in the USA have shops where are lots of 3000$ basses available to try out, but there in Europa doesn't. So, before you order something standart for 3000$ it is kind of risky. I think luthier work in 3000$ is more respectable. I did it and win.

 

[Bass Viking]

High end bass story: I was at a guitar show and here was this stage full of high end basses! I mean Drozd, Ritter and things of that ilk. And there was this dude there who could REALLY play checking out all these high end basses one by one. Naturally this attracted a big crowd of us standing around gawking. And after doing the rounds of all those basses putting on an amazing show he picks up a plain old Factory Fender Jazz bass and I tell you it sounded as good as or better than all the rest. We all just stood around looking at each other with our mouths open. So clearly for THAT guy and his way of playing etc. the "best" bass for him was some factory Fender. Go figure.

I saw Stanley Clarke (Alembic), Victor Wooten (Fodera), and Marcus Miller (Fender) in concert and I liked Marcus’s tone the best, even though I’d sooner own a Fodera or Alembic.

My vote goes for Sadowsky but I’ll echo what others have said and suggest travelling to a high end bass store.

 

[neddyrow]

i'm sure there are music stores in LA, Austin, even Vegas. Can't you guys drive like a hundred mph out there? you'll be there in no time.

 

[TimeBombJohnny]

I knew that, it was my attempt at humor, but even a 1K budget leaves me scratching my head at what someone requires other than a good bass cos to me the more you spend the easier it is to get away from great 'pure' tone. pro players tend to have needs beyond tone when cutting thru in a band mix, etc., and I got too many basses that do this but maybe that's your situation. so I felt the Torzal Twist would be the best of all worlds for you since you could customize it to taste in tones and have (maybe) the most playable bass around. I want one, but would rather have a 2-7K EB-0 if I'm gonna spend stupid money, and I have a go fund me for that end lol meanwhile my $100-$200 sweethearts do wonders for my tastes even tho I have more 'acceptable' basses. other than that the $500+ field is so vast it's crazy to even go down that rabbit hole for someone else's wants without knowing their needs, and you've got a few basses in that range, it's all part of the journey to find that few that really click and cover all the bases. have we helped you narrow it down?

Gotcha. Yes, this has been a huge help, brought me back down to earth a bit too. I’m even more excited to get out and look for new basses than I was before, and starting to realize I can find something great for less than my max. I’ll definitely give some used basses a chance also

 

[crabbybassman]

I found after playing bass after bass for so long that I think the best bass for me is the Gibson SG Bass.....The journey began with a '63 EB0 that I paid like $50 for. It got knocked over and well that ended that long steady relationship. Then a year goes by on a Usa Fender P Bass that I paid $600 for...that thing was just a tank to haul around so at tax time I went and bought the new reissue Gibson SG bass for $1199.99...man that beast kills. Then while surfing the net during lunch I run across a Silverburst Gibson SG bass for $799....snag...bought it. Best playing bass I ever have had. I have bad OCD and got a nick on it at a gig ( won't mention the colparit ) and went digging around til I ran across a Tobaccoburst Gibson SG bass ( 120th anniversary edition none the less) for hold on......$450 with bridge swap already done !!!! Been tearing that beast up daily. So for under $3k I have managed to buy alot of stuff besides basses I guess...my best bass under $3k is a Gibson SG bass.

 

[groooooove]

for rock/punk stuff, i don't think you need to spend that much if you don't want to.

any high end jazz bass with two single coils would be my move. there is NO best. especially in that price range. it's like asking for the best meal under a certain price range - tastes are quite individual at a certain point.

a nice USA G&L may be a good idea. Maybe a cool modulus jazz bass with a graphite neck, why not?

enjoy shopping - the obvious answer is go play a bunch of stuff and see what excites you. also at that price range you can think about a custom commission if you wanted.

 

[bearhart74]

3k Budget in the used market goes a long way.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I’m in the market for a new bass, I have $3,000 to spend but could spend more if I find the right one. I live in an area with a very limited bass selection, but I travel for work almost every week so have been visiting bass stores hoping to get my hands on upper end basses to try out with limited success. So far, I have my eye on Sandberg, Mayones, and G&L. I’ve only owned lower end basses, so looking for recommendations if y’all wanna pitch in. I play rock and punk mainly and dabble around other styles for practice. Thanks!

Truth, Aerodyne with quarter pounders.

 

[Eminor3rd]

If I had $3,000 to spend I would go custom. You can guarantee the quality you seek by choosing a reputable builder. Tons of great independent ones that can give you something amazing in that price range. I did it once, and chose Cliff Bordwell (Home - CB Basses), and could not be happier with the product (came in just under $3,000).

However, for rock/punk, in that range, I'd probably buy something from Serek: Welcome to Serek Basses

 

[Crash 56]

If you are considering G&L, the L2000, and L2500 are perfect for rock and punk. Aggressive and in your face, and you can get one any way you want..

 

[Kilgore777]

EBMM Bongos or stinrays special , I've tried boutique basses but I always like the musicman basses the best!

I would agree, especially about the Specials, but he said active/passive.

 

[Sparkl]

I’m in the market for a new bass, I have $3,000 to spend but could spend more if I find the right one. I live in an area with a very limited bass selection, but I travel for work almost every week so have been visiting bass stores hoping to get my hands on upper end basses to try out with limited success. So far, I have my eye on Sandberg, Mayones, and G&L. I’ve only owned lower end basses, so looking for recommendations if y’all wanna pitch in. I play rock and punk mainly and dabble around other styles for practice. Thanks!

Not to be disrespectful or anything, but if you are asking that question you are either not ready to spend the 3000usd on a guitar or you don't really need one to start with. I do understand though that you have the money to spend and want to buy a high priced guitar because you can.

Usually people decide to invest into a high priced instrument because:

a) they have played bass guitar for a long time and know exactly what they are searching for and desire a finely tuned instrument so they feel as comfortable as they can playing it

or

b) they just buy one because it is supposedly top notch and 150% better than anything else below that price point

Usually the main reason to buy such an instrument is option b), a category which represent people who have a high income from other jobs, spent 6 months playing guitar and decided they need a sadowsky to satisfy their needs while in reality, they mostly aren't able to utilize 20% of what that instrument can offer.

Obviously it is not my intent to point fingers at anybody (or giving a lecture on how to spend money) but maybe this post can save someone some money to rather invest into something that will actually bring better results rather than just spending big money on something you aren't even sure about and spent 3000usd on a piece of equipment that was advised to you and wasn't even your personal choice to begin with.

You said you mainly play punk/rock and most sincerely and honestly, these genres gain 0 benefit from playing a sadowsky or some fodera because it is not a genre where there is enough space in the mix for the bass character to come out in full glory anyways. What does matter though is a proper amp and cab choice, complemented by a finely selected pedalboard machinery (for ex. overdrives, compressors etc.) which will in turn make a much more noticeable difference.

Summa sum: Don't buy a high priced instrument just because you feel you need to and have the money to, unless you know what you are buying it for.

YMMV ofc, these are my 50 cents on this topic.

 

[Shlabotnik]

IMO, there's no need to lecture the OP as to whether or not he/she should be doing what they're asking about. Fact is, for whatever reason, they would like to invest in a nice instrument (maybe they'll want to branch out into other genres later... who knows??) and people should just help out, not preach. Let's face it... most people on here who talk about GAS (major or minor forms) don't actually buy gear because they *need* it. They buy it because they want it. If every thread was solely only based on what people need, this site wouldn't even exist.

 

[kmon]

Punk and rock right? For 3k you could easily get a used USA Jazz, a USA P, AND a USA Stingray. Fender, G&L, whatever. Use the rest of the money for a box of picks and set ups by the best luthier you can find.

You could also get half a dozen very, very nice used basses that would get the job done just as well.

BTW I'll have to check the rule book, but I don't think shiny new Sadowskys are actually permitted in punk bands.

 

[Relayer71]

Gotta stand up for my brand. Not saying there aren't ugly Spectors out there but...

I guess beauty is subjective.

I have to agree. One man's ugly is another man's gorgeous.

 

[tradernick]

I hope to spend less if I can.

This is the most important part of what you've said so far.

If you actually hope to spend less if you can, be assured that you can. You can spend less and get almost all the way to the type of build quality, fit and finish and playability that you will get from most $3K+ basses, for $2K or maybe less. Some people have said that there are lots of small indie builders making great basses. That's very true. You can support those builders and that ethos but you sometimes need to spend a bit more because their cost basis is higher due to an inability to produce in bulk.

One of my main players cost a lot more than $3K. The other one cost about $700 after replacing the pickups. I gig both of them and love them.

 

[Geddy Claypool]

I would think that US Classic Laklands would be very strong contenders in the sub-$3k market.

 

[bassdude51]

You can get your $3,000 bass right here on TalkBass in the classified section and you can easily save about $1,000 to $1,500 off of the 3 Gs.

Each person is probably gonna recommend a different kind of bass for you. So, that's not a good guide.

Ya after a 4 or 5 banger?

For punk and rock............endless choices.

Perhaps a USA MusicMan Sterling 4 HH or 5 HH. Super nice bass and pretty much does it all.

 

[Bassic Needs]

If I was asking the question the OP asked then it might be to work backwards from 3K. If you have an understanding of what people think is a great bass for that price point then you have a comparable and then can work backwards into lower priced basses to get the best bang for your buck. At least that would be my rationale.

But really, feel free to spend whatever you are comfortable with. It's your money.