Best new or used bass for ~$100

For $100 you ain't goin to get much, I'm afraid to say. If we're talking new, your only real option is a Rogue, which is up to you whether or not you want to go that route. Do a search on that particular brand and you'll get varying opinions. For about $185-$200, you could get an Epiphone Accu-Bass. It's a knockoff of a P-Bass (Get it, P-Precision, Accu-Accuracy... yeah, never mind), and rock-solid bass for that money. Squires are in the same price range... Many players in like school jazz bands have the "school bass" which is usually a Squire, so they can't be all that bad.

Used, it's whatever you can find. You might find a MIM Fender somewhere for around $200, maybe, I'm not to keen on the used market right now.

Good luck!

 

I've never tried any of these, but they have several that seem to be around your price range:
http://www.rondomusic.bigstep.com/category.html?UCIDs=940496

 

$100??

Go used of course. Any Squier, Yamaha or Ibanez you can get your hands on.

Hey, if you're teaching why are you asking US? Don't your students ever ask you these questions? What are THEY playing?

 

Squier Affinity Precision

De Armond Pilot 4

Your options would more than triple if you were willing to double your budget.

 

The Squier is what you want, IMHO, for a student bass. It's got a smaller scale, a nice feel, and it sounds halfway decent. You don't want to take the risk that you'll turn off students with a hard to play instrument. There's a good chance you'll find a used one for $100; hit the yard sales and read the PennySaver. Otherwise, you can get a new one for $150 at www.musiciansfriend.com.

Good luck.

 

I tried to post last night but was rejected by the "too busy" server.

The Dearmond Pilot standard is being closed out at $99 my Musicians Friend and that's probably the best new $99 bass you are going to find. I have one of the Pros (nicer features) that was about twice that on closeout (those are all gone).

The Fender/Squier line seems decent. My drummer has a Squier P-bass that is OK, I'll use it if I don't have a bass with me and we do practice on short notice. I wouldn't buy one for myself but for a beater/beginner type bass it's a decent value. There's nothing wrong with the feel/playability or sound that would make it unpleasant or a problem to play, it's just not as nice as a lot of other instruments (albeit ones that cost more).

If you were really going all out there may still be some MTD Beasts available at $450. Another discontinued line that is being blown out. I have one and it's a very nice bass, particularly for the money.

I'm selling my Pilot Pro and Beast but they are both beyond your $100 desired limit. If I had $100, wanted a 4-string and wanted it new I'd get the Dearmond Pilot standard.

 

Yeah, there don't seem to be very many good $100 basses, although I did get a Yamaha RBX250 on eBay for $55. For that kind of money, I can't really complain. Otherwise, the DeArmond is probably it.