Best sub $550 P-style bass.

Save up 30$ more and get one of the pre-06 Highway Ones. Awsome basses they are. The best you can do for sub-600$ Fenders, IMHO.

Another option would be a standard MIM that you can mod, new Pup, CTS Pots, BadAss bridge. All together would add up to about 550 after its all said and done.

 

check out the japanese fenders, the above mentioned old highway ones, or if you troll around a bit you might be able to find a used american p-bass for about 600.

 

Get an old USA Peavey Fury. They are very well made and sound great. They are well under $550. There is one for sale on TB right now for $200. I feel these are equal to MIA P-basses or Skyline Glaub basses except they have sweet, thin jazz style necks, usually with nice maple fingerboards.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Jazz-Bas...ryZ64400QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Here's another.. I dig these.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Precisio...ryZ64401QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

used MIA precision. I think I picked mine up in near perfect shape for ~$450.

 

so whats the deal with the upgrade 06 highway 1's? I played an old one and they freaking rule! do the new upgrades not make much of a difference?

 

+1

My thoughts exactly!

I would check and see if you could nab up a good 62 MIJ RI man... those are mighty fine basses and they have that old school neck which I personally love! It's not too chunky but its so wide and fast. It's always a good idea to check this seller on ebay, check him out... he always has "new" MIJ/CIJ guitars and basses for sale... shipping will be on the very high side because you are getting them direct from Japan though!

My MIJ Jazz 70's jazz bass is the best sounding/playing "Fender" I have ever put my hands on, even before my re-fret, strings, and setup... now it's butta, I mean better! Unless a MIA counterpart knocked my socks after playing one I would buy a CIJ/MIJ Fender bass sight unseen anyday!

Good luck with the hunt.

Peace,

 

Easy: used 51 Precision reissue...

 

used MIA p or used Highway One P.

 

It seems so obvious. A MIM Fender P-Bass. The new ones are shielded and have a nicer finish quality on the neck. QC is much improved and they are about $450.00 retail.

 

+1 on the Japanese Fenders. I'm very happy with the '62 reissue P-bass that I bought 2 months ago from Ishibashi.

 

Realistically, it will be hard to go wrong. If the "lowest" you set your sights are the MIM P-bass, you're still coming away with a kick-ass instrument that is very giggable. With all of the suggestions above, I would say it's just a matter of finding the model that fits your personal preferences and finish requirements.

Personally, I own a Highway 1 P (the pre-06), and it rocks my world. They probably only made them better this year by adding the Badass bridge and something else, but those go for pretty cheap used and I think are an excellent value. The only drawback (which isn't a big deal to some) is that the raw finish that scratches easily.