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Best budget recording bass? Under $500 used.

Squier VM precision or jazz. These basses are passive and record very well. I personally prefer to post process the bass and most if not all bass plugin's were designed using either a p and or j bass. So, I know that this kind of goes against what you are looking for which is something active but, it is a lot easier to tweak the tone in post processing.
 
Another vote for the G&L L2000.
Half a dozen at Guitar Center right now for $500 or less…one in walnut, which you don't see that often.
I bought a new one last year for $525. Sold it when I bought my USA-made L2000.
Someone got a great deal on it.
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Look around for a G&L L-2000. Lots of fun to be had with those knobs and switches. A tribute could be had for about $400/500. If you're lucky, a USA could be had for about the same.

Another vote for the G&L L2000.
Half a dozen at Guitar Center right now for $500 or less…one in walnut, which you don't see that often.
I bought a new one last year for $525. Sold it when I bought my USA-made L2000.
Someone got a great deal on it.
My thoughts exactly, great sounding basses and very approachable price-wise. I've got a tribute and it sounds fantastic, they have the same pickups as the US made models.
 
My thoughts exactly, great sounding basses and very approachable price-wise. I've got a tribute and it sounds fantastic, they have the same pickups as the US made models.
Half a dozen on reverb for $500 and under...one I'd buy right now if I wasn't currently paying off my USA-made one.
I will more than likely buy another L2000 this year, though.
 
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inexpensive P-type bass that has a neck you like - put in a Seymour Duncan SPB-1 pickup, some flats and a foam mute... use some of the extra money for a good setup.

Or skip the setup ... and smear pizza grease on the strings and loosen the truss rod so the neck bows and the strings are really high. Worked out well for this guy:
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