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Best beginer bass under 200$

#2
With all basses you get what you pay for. The best beginner basses cost more than $200. If you want a bass that will crap out on you within a month or two of buying it then go for something that cheap. I've been told that SX(aka Essex) makes pretty good basses and they cost in the $100-$200 range. My first bass was an acoustic/electric from Sky and it became unusable in less than a month. My second bass cost $235 and performs just like a name brand guitar even though it's not. I bought it from my local music store earlier in the year. It's from a company named Tanara. This is the name of the website but I don't know where all the dealers are so you're going to have to ask your local music shops if the have em. They don't need any upgrades or new strings when you buy em either! They only come in two colors, but are very good looking in either color, they look a lot better in person than they do in the pictures. They're light weight and slender and are sculpted to be more comfortable to play sitting or standing.
www.tanaraguitars.com
 
#3
Will_White said:
So I want to learn bass but in order to do so I need a bass so what's the best bass under 200$ I plan on upgrading the the electronics later but until then I will have to make do.
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With $200 to spend, your options are somewhat limited, especially considering that you'll also want an amp.

You can get a new SX J or P or Jaguar bass from Link Removed. They also have bass packages, but I'm not sure about the quality of the amp and accessories.

Musician's Friend is selling the Squier Affinity series P and J basses at $179. The Squier Bronco is $149. The new Jaguar Special short scale is $169.

There are also a handful of Dean basses out there under your price point, like the Dean Edge 10 and Edge 1. Check this link for a list of other basses currently selling under or around $200.

Your best bet would be to go to your nearest Guitar Center or Musician's Friend and try out a bunch of basses in your price range, to see what fits you best (not what looks the coolest on a web pic).

You could also buy used. Check the TB classifieds. If you're going to look at your local craigslist, make sure you have someone who is familiar with instruments go with you to check things out BEFORE you buy.

Good luck.
 
#5
With all basses you get what you pay for.
Click to expand...
This is only true when purchasing traveler's checks. Otherwise, there would be no such thing as a good deal or a rip-off.

I recommend an SX bass, if you have a knowledgeable friend who can help you set it up properly. For beginners, the brand and I would dare say even the sound are less important than playability. If the instrument is difficult or painful to play, a beginner will usually give up.
 
#8
Definitely get a used Squier Classic Vibe (CV) or Vintage Modified (VM) bass. You can pick up a used one for $150 - 200. I bought a VM fretless jazz for $150 on craigslist, and a Squier Deluxe Jazz Active V thru Guitar Center Used Gear for $190 including shipping. GC charged me for a gig bag to protect it during shipping, which I then returned at my local GC for a refund.

Pros gig with these (with a few modifications).

For younger folks that are not fully grown, there is a VM Jaguar short scale, and there is a VM Mustang short scale coming out.

These are basses that you'll want to keep as you become more experienced ...
 
#11
Does your $250 budget include getting an amp? An amp is half the instrument. SX is good and cheap, I think they have packages with practice amp and the accessories (strap, cord, tuner) for $140 or 150. The guitar-store companies like Epiphone, Ibanez, Squier, etc. will have similar packs, I think generally around $300. If that budget is just the guitar and you have separate money for amp and accessories, you might also think of the Peavey Millenium BXP, I think they're $199-239 depending on the finish you get. A lot of these you can find used on craigslist, which is what I would recommend. There are a lot of folks who bought an instrument, never learned it, and are putting it out to sell on CL a year later.
 
#13
go on the classifieds.

Here is a bass that i noticed this week. You won't get something even close new for $200.00. I am resisting buying this myself since the last thing that I need is another bass. If you search on this forum you will find a lot of love for older Peavey MIA basses. Some of the best deals on the used market.

The price is a later post in this thread.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/ft-peavey-fury-mia-783028/
 
#14
There are some decent new basses that are available new for under $200:
Yamaha RBX170, Peavey Millenium BXP (not the quilt top model), ESP B50, and Ibanez make a couple of models.

If you need an amp too...you will definitely have to go used.
 
#17
If your budget is for bass only, Id +1 the Ibanez and +2 the CV Squiers. Both are brilliant basses for the money and you wont get to the point where you simply grow out od them, quality wise. Either way, TRY THEM FIRST! you neverknow what you might find or like! I went into the shop nearest me looking for a fretless Jazz Bass, ended p asking them to put an Ibanez to one side. Ill be buying it ASAP and I expectit could bemy go-to bass!
 
#18
Grab an SX. Upgradable down the line if you want to do so. And if you get a dog, send it back and they'll send you another one. Can't beat them for the money or customer service. Squiers are a good choice for the money also, at least those you can try at a store before you buy one.
 

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