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BEST (NEW) BASS UNDER $300

#21
el_Bajo_Verde said:
Hello! Are you looking for a 4-string or a 5-string?

Sterling by MusicMan Ray4 and Ray5 are available. Some Ray5's are on sale for $244 now and the 4-string is $299.

Squier Vintage Modified basses are also very good. They have 4-strings and 5-strings for $299.

Ibanez Talman TMB-300 is a nice 4-string for $299

Jackson has JS2 and JS3 4-strings for under $300 as well.
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none of these basses are quality basses all are kinda crappy with poopie sound
 
#24
david barnes said:
none of these basses are quality basses all are kinda crappy with poopie sound
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Those Squier VM basses are just fine for the price- way better than the stuff in that range when I started.
 
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#26
IME: Yamaha, Squier, and Ibanez. Probably in that order. Play as many as you can, buy the one you like the most. I'd personally stick to passive electronics. There may be other good ones out there, but most stores carry the three I mentioned and they'd be easy to test out.

That said, used bases aren't inherently bad. Just because you had a bad one, it doesn't mean they're all bad or that your next new one won't develop a neck problem over time.
 
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#27
JeffJ2112 said:
The Talmans by Ibanez are a really good value. I was really impressed by both the 100 and the 300.
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I completely agree. I was pretty skeptical of Ibanez in the past, mostly because I prefer classic styled instruments rather than the more modern SG and BTB styles that Ibanez is known for. However, the TMB series blew me away. I've probably played about 2 dozen of these now and I'm consistently impressed with the finish, attention to detail and the tone. I find them to be better than just about any of the similarly priced alternatives, including the Squire's that everyone raves about. I'm also usually quite skeptical about eq on a cheap instrument but the 2 band eq is quite useful.

The TMB100 is only $200 and is probably the single best value in a classic-styled instrument today.

The TMB300 is $300 and is virtually the same instrument with the addition of a split-able humbucker (intead of a single coil) in the bridge position, a matching headstock and block inlays on the neck. The 310 is the same as the 300 but with a metalflake paint.

wohnjalker said:
i should add as a side note that i have been leaning towards one of the new Peavey Milestone basses... there's not much info on them on the internet, but what i have read is very good and Peavey is known for being a good "bang for your buck"... can anyone chime in on these in particular?
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I've not been overly impressed with the few milestone's I've played, but if you find one locally that sounds good I don't think it'd be a bad choice. I've never heard anything bad about the reliability of the milestones, just not always great interms of finish and fretwork.

If I were looking for a modern style'd bass in the under-300 realm I'd still look at Ibanez. The GSR200B packs alot into 200, but the number of high-featured Soundgear basses that are out there for around $300 is kind of amazing if you're willing to go used. Soundgear "SR" is a notable step up from the GSR series.

I'll also throw yamaha out there as a choice. I don't have nearly as much experience with them and they aren't nearly as common as they used to be, but I've never played a yamaha that was not better built than the price would suggest. They make a very good product.

Also, if you decide to dabble in used instruments, the older gloss body Cirrus BXP basses aren't as plentiful as they used to be but they go for around $300 and are surprisingly good instruments. My dad has one and an actual USA Cirrus and while by no means equivalent, the similarities in playabilty and tone are impressive.
 
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#28
It seems to be a hobby of mine purchasing cheap basses. Only to sell them on after ive played them long enough to know if i want to keep it or not.

I owned a peavey milestone and personally was not impressed .

Ibanez soundgear was quite good, nice to play... was impressed with the build quality.

At present im very impressed with Squire, i recently picked up a precision styled bass with jazz pup for just over 2000-nok. What impressed me most is how it reacts to set up changes and tweaks. I've played long enough to know a great bass guitar when i hold it... but again thats only personal preference. Its great for rolling punkish bass lines and funk. Can't recommend it enough. It's a keeper.

But i would hold on to my 300 dollars and save that little bit longer to around $500, and check out MiM Fenders, used or new... or even higher end Squires such as classic vibe or vintage modified! ....

Yamaha RBX's are a great buy also!

Have a look at Thomann.de website! Even their own brand 'harley benton' have some amazing affordable bass guitars.

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing your choice!

image.jpg
 
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#30
el_Bajo_Verde said:
Hello! Are you looking for a 4-string or a 5-string?

Sterling by MusicMan Ray4 and Ray5 are available. Some Ray5's are on sale for $244 now and the 4-string is $299.

Squier Vintage Modified basses are also very good. They have 4-strings and 5-strings for $299.

Ibanez Talman TMB-300 is a nice 4-string for $299

Jackson has JS2 and JS3 4-strings for under $300 as well.
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I was gonna answer , but it would just be the same as above minus the Jackson. Only because I have no experience with those.
 
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#33
Jack Butler said:
I was gonna answer , but it would just be the same as above minus the Jackson. Only because I have no experience with those.
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bassstrangler said:
That's your opinion.

They are fine basses for the money. Please don't be put off of them just because one person has an obvious vulgar opinion of them.
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agreed... it’s not like that comment is supposed to be taken seriously lol
 
#38
Don't let one bad experience with a used bass sour you permanently. Used basses are a much better value, in general. Just make sure to buy from a source that (1) tells you that there's nothing wrong with the bass and (2) has a return policy so you can send it back if they lied. (Or, alternately, get a deal so good that it doesn't even matter.)

For example, I got a used Fender jazz bass on eBay for the price of a new Squier. My favorite two basses are used 1980s Ibanez that I got from Goodwill for $150 and Craigslist for $260, respectively. They're incredible basses with quality and features that you just can't get for that kind of money new. Meanwhile, my first ever bass was a brand new Epiphone and it was a bad decision.

Basses and cars are two things that I've bought new once, and will never buy new again. Just doesn't make sense from a value standpoint (unless it's something that doesn't exist used).
 
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