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Can I get some love for the cheap basses!!
- Thread starter Bassmastertim
- Start date
Guilty.
I have a soft spot for the cheapies too.
My favorite is a Washburn Lyon LB40 $75.00 DELIVERED.
I have TWO of them, JUST in case!
One is stock, one I had a set of Lindy Fralin pups installed, and the bass shielded. TOTAL INVESTMENT: $250.00.
24 Frets, Rosewood board, sounds and plays great.
I also have a VM Jazz, and a Peavey Foundation. ALL priced under $200.00 shipped. All well worth it!
I have a soft spot for the cheapies too.
My favorite is a Washburn Lyon LB40 $75.00 DELIVERED.
I have TWO of them, JUST in case!
One is stock, one I had a set of Lindy Fralin pups installed, and the bass shielded. TOTAL INVESTMENT: $250.00.
24 Frets, Rosewood board, sounds and plays great.
I also have a VM Jazz, and a Peavey Foundation. ALL priced under $200.00 shipped. All well worth it!
Here are 2 of the 3 of my main basses. A Peavey Milestone BXP-5 ($100) and a 5 string fretless SX ($89). Picture taken in the studio where I recorded with both basses (Hear the album here). My third bass is a used ($150)Link Removed. I'm having a blast without emptying the pocketbook!
Pic of the Douglas from Rondo:
Nice!...I have the same bass. it's a pretty cool sounding bass. I play this bass with one of the bands that I play in. my band mates nicknamed my douglas web825 5-string bass dougie. they nicknamed the bass dougie mainly because of the brand name. other than that, the douglas web 825 5-string bass sounds pretty cool.
I've recently owned a couple of affordable bass guitars. I've owned a douglas web 825 5-string bass last summer and it sounds awesome. I've also owned a rogue lx200b 4-string bass, an Ibanez grs105ex 5-string bass(a.k.a the Ibanez gio 5-string bass), and an arbor ab410 4-string bass(musicman clone) and all sound awesome. it goes to show that when it comes to buying bass guitars, it really doesn't matter how much it cost, it's the sound quality that matters.
I have the six string version of this bass and I gig with it stock with both of my bands. The only change I have ever made on it is a new set of Ernie Ball strings other than that, I left well enough alone. People are amazed that the bass was $189 new. They say it sounds much more like a $500 bass and that's what I like to hear. The Douglas' are great basses. I may even order another one just for the heck of it. Can't go wrong with Rondo.
I've owned numerous basses over the last 40 years I paid $250 and well under for.
Spending more on a bass never made me a better player or increased my pleasure, though I have owned some high end, high dollar basses.
Over the past few years I enjoyed the heck out of an old Lotus (same as Hondo) P copy from the early 80s I got for $125, a Squire P I scored for $40 and sunk $100 or so into as mods/upgrades...
Also owned a few SX basses I really dug that ran me under $150 each, shipped.
One of my fave El Cheapos was a Jay Turser copy of the '54 single coil P bass I snagged around 2007 for $115. That was a killer bass and I miss it. They no longer make that model and the people who own them never seem to put them up for sale.
Right now my only bass is an Arbor Stingray copy. Only like a Stingray with regards to looks, but it was only $65 and it plays and sounds great
Is there a club for broke bass players or lovers of the cheapos?
Spending more on a bass never made me a better player or increased my pleasure, though I have owned some high end, high dollar basses.
Over the past few years I enjoyed the heck out of an old Lotus (same as Hondo) P copy from the early 80s I got for $125, a Squire P I scored for $40 and sunk $100 or so into as mods/upgrades...
Also owned a few SX basses I really dug that ran me under $150 each, shipped.
One of my fave El Cheapos was a Jay Turser copy of the '54 single coil P bass I snagged around 2007 for $115. That was a killer bass and I miss it. They no longer make that model and the people who own them never seem to put them up for sale.
Right now my only bass is an Arbor Stingray copy. Only like a Stingray with regards to looks, but it was only $65 and it plays and sounds great
Is there a club for broke bass players or lovers of the cheapos?
I have lots of love for cheap basses that,s all I can afford.
7 year old thread resurrected...I'll jump in too! What the heck! Why not?
Cheap and inexpensive are not quite the same thing by the way, especially when dealing with some used lesser known basses. You can get some deals as well as have some things to 'experiment' on.
...Just picked this 35" scale up the other day. Used $99 plus $45 shipping which included a Fender gig bag! I was on Reverb and noticed the seller had it listed wrong so I sent a message telling the seller what it was along with catalog information. He was very appreciative. He asked if I was interested and I said no and that I have quite a few basses currently. Then he made an unsolicited deal and, well, I just had to rationalize that since I didn't have a 35" scale 4 string that this was the time to get one!
This is an Edge 1Q with an Edge 10A 35" scale neck, which has the same offset dot inlays as the Edge 1Q. The Edge 1Q is Passive and was made in smaller numbers compared to the Dean Edge 1, which did not have the Quilt Maple Tiger Eye top available nor the offset dot inlays. The Edge 1Q also has the controls all in a straight line while the Edge 1 does not. This is my 'Franken Dean-ster'! Why should Fender owner's have the monopoly on the 'Franken' jargon? LOL!
Cheap and inexpensive are not quite the same thing by the way, especially when dealing with some used lesser known basses. You can get some deals as well as have some things to 'experiment' on.
...Just picked this 35" scale up the other day. Used $99 plus $45 shipping which included a Fender gig bag! I was on Reverb and noticed the seller had it listed wrong so I sent a message telling the seller what it was along with catalog information. He was very appreciative. He asked if I was interested and I said no and that I have quite a few basses currently. Then he made an unsolicited deal and, well, I just had to rationalize that since I didn't have a 35" scale 4 string that this was the time to get one!
This is an Edge 1Q with an Edge 10A 35" scale neck, which has the same offset dot inlays as the Edge 1Q. The Edge 1Q is Passive and was made in smaller numbers compared to the Dean Edge 1, which did not have the Quilt Maple Tiger Eye top available nor the offset dot inlays. The Edge 1Q also has the controls all in a straight line while the Edge 1 does not. This is my 'Franken Dean-ster'! Why should Fender owner's have the monopoly on the 'Franken' jargon? LOL!
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It looks like an Ibanez ergodyne of some sort. It's got those horns and contouring on the body top.
being a bass hog is an eternal learning experience and I'm becoming totally convinced that my best / most satisfying basses are my least expensive and most under-appreciated (by others) to the point where I don't bother thinking above a $300 price point or 'better' basses when up for another NBD. granted, I may sway on this conviction should I discover something simple that becomes a game changer on my more respected 4 stringers (L2KT, Fender graphite, & T-40) like a different type of strings, but then I haven't swapped strings much on anything despite wanting to. there are just too many fine new or used basses available for chump change to get steamed up over $omething else, and the waiting time is less or you can fit in an extra new toy, plus should a buy turn into major disappointment it's far less painful to set aside or costly to resolve. I've never paid over $400 for a bass and never will... unless the deal is somehow too awesome to pass up, and even then, will it beat out my $200 favorites?
- Dec 28, 2009
- 2,053
- 1,380
- Disclosures
- Endorsed by K.B. Guitars, Nordstrand Audio Pickups, Von York Strings and Gallien-Krueger Amps.
I think it was in 1989, I bought my first brand new bass. It was also the second bass that I owned. My first one was a Cort X bass that was garbage. The next bass that I bought was an Epiphone by Gibson Accubass. Brand new it was only $199.99. For the money, it was a great bass. It was Epiphones version of a Precision bass but had a string through body and matching headstock. In December, I came across one that was a 1992 and almost in new condition, with the exception of one small scratch on the body. The best part was the store selling it only wanted $89.00 for it. When I bought it, the tone pot wasn't working but the store sent me a replacement one for free. I just need to install it now.
My other loves that are inexpensive, are my Ibanez Soundgear basses. My SR 500's sold for $499.99 brand new in 1994 and 1995, when they were purchased. I also bought a 1995 SR 800 that was $799.99 brand new but sold it a few years later to one of my youth kids. I found another one in brand new shape about a month ago for only $300.00 and jumped on it.
Most instruments that I now own are either custom shop American made instruments or are limited run American made instruments. My Soundgear basses and my Epiphone Accubass are my exceptions to the rule. They are not worth a lot of money but I absolutely love them. The SR 800 and Accubass were both bought purely for nostalgia sake and letting me going back to the time in my life when I owned them before. I now only have one inexpensive bass left to buy for nostalgia sake. That bass is a mid to late 80's Charvel 2B in a metallic blue or I think they called it electric blue if I remember correctly, because it is a lighter shade of metallic blue.
Here are pics of my inexpensive basses that I love and the one that I'm still trying to find.
1992 Epiphone Accubass
This is what my Charvel 2B looked like and that I would like to find another one exactly like it someday. I think mine was a 1987 and I believe I bought it in either 1989 or possibly 1990 but don't remember what year for sure?
1994 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear Bass
1995 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear Bass
1995 SR 800 Soundgear Bass
My other loves that are inexpensive, are my Ibanez Soundgear basses. My SR 500's sold for $499.99 brand new in 1994 and 1995, when they were purchased. I also bought a 1995 SR 800 that was $799.99 brand new but sold it a few years later to one of my youth kids. I found another one in brand new shape about a month ago for only $300.00 and jumped on it.
Most instruments that I now own are either custom shop American made instruments or are limited run American made instruments. My Soundgear basses and my Epiphone Accubass are my exceptions to the rule. They are not worth a lot of money but I absolutely love them. The SR 800 and Accubass were both bought purely for nostalgia sake and letting me going back to the time in my life when I owned them before. I now only have one inexpensive bass left to buy for nostalgia sake. That bass is a mid to late 80's Charvel 2B in a metallic blue or I think they called it electric blue if I remember correctly, because it is a lighter shade of metallic blue.
Here are pics of my inexpensive basses that I love and the one that I'm still trying to find.
1992 Epiphone Accubass
This is what my Charvel 2B looked like and that I would like to find another one exactly like it someday. I think mine was a 1987 and I believe I bought it in either 1989 or possibly 1990 but don't remember what year for sure?
1994 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear Bass
1995 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear Bass
1995 SR 800 Soundgear Bass
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I snagged this used 2011 Dean Edge 4 5-string fretless last week for $290 not including shipping
This is in immaculate shape. Not a nick, scratch or ding to be found anywhere. I suck at fretless. I suck at 5 string. But Gawd this thing is pretty! These are sellers pics
This is in immaculate shape. Not a nick, scratch or ding to be found anywhere. I suck at fretless. I suck at 5 string. But Gawd this thing is pretty! These are sellers pics
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Holding at $300 and not including shipping. Picked this up in April of 2017.
This used 2004 Ibanez AGB 140 came with original Ibanez HSC
Very nice shape with super tiny micro scratches on the body that you don't notice until you're right on top of it. Must have been from a dust cloth that wasn't micro-fiber? Also just a tiny bit of oxidation on the pole pieces. Nice long scale player with black nylon flat wounds. These are sellers pics
This used 2004 Ibanez AGB 140 came with original Ibanez HSC
Very nice shape with super tiny micro scratches on the body that you don't notice until you're right on top of it. Must have been from a dust cloth that wasn't micro-fiber? Also just a tiny bit of oxidation on the pole pieces. Nice long scale player with black nylon flat wounds. These are sellers pics
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Again, holding at $300 or less this I picked up this used 2006 Dean Edge Pro in October 2017 for $220 not including shipping. No case or gig bag either. Neck thru, Flame Maple, Bad Ass II bridge, Brass nut and active. Awesome shape too
Sellers pics:
Sellers pics:
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Continuing with a $300 cap I got this used 2008 Dean PBEQA bass back in April 2018
for $200 (not including shipping) which came with a Gator soft style case with rigid foam (not a HSC and not a gig bag)
This is a transition bass from the 32" Performer to the 34" Exotica Quilt Ash
PBEQA stands for Performer Bass Exotica Quilt Ash. It precedes the Exotica Quilt Ash with Aphex. It is very similar, but it has a different non-Aphex pre-amp and it also has additional celluloid binding along either side of the neck.
Sellers pics & my pics:
This is a transition bass from the 32" Performer to the 34" Exotica Quilt Ash
PBEQA stands for Performer Bass Exotica Quilt Ash. It precedes the Exotica Quilt Ash with Aphex. It is very similar, but it has a different non-Aphex pre-amp and it also has additional celluloid binding along either side of the neck.
Sellers pics & my pics:
Keeping under $300 I picked up this used 2007 Dean Sledgehammer Active bass for $270 (not including shipping) with a Dean OHSC included in the price back in December 2017. The PO cannibalized it a bit by taking off the Grover tuners and putting on no-name tuners. In fact, the seller even provided pix with the Grover tuners still on the bass while it was on Reverb! Still a good deal and I found an inexpensive source for the Grover tuners
Obviously inspired by Warwick
Sellers pix
Obviously inspired by Warwick
Sellers pix
Keeping under $300 I picked up this used 2003 Exotica Radiant Bass for $300 (not including shipping) with a Dean OHSC included in the price back in September 2017. This is the 32" ABG similar to the Performers...really just a fancy Performer with the rising sun MOP inlays with Fishman Pre-AMP. Solid Sitka Spruce top with Mahogany back and sides. Easy to play 32" scale and great sounding.
Sellers pix
I obviously have a thing for some of the nicer (IMO) looking Dean's from the 2000's
Sellers pix
I obviously have a thing for some of the nicer (IMO) looking Dean's from the 2000's
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