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Can't decide which bass to purchase

F

Fela

May 28, 2011
78
19
#1
Will be community owned.. kind of like a church bass but it's not a church, but will face mild to heavy use. Needs to be passive (the jackson has a bypass switch so it was included).

I have picked these out (feel free to add your own suggestions) but i'm still indecisive since I want one that will have the least hardware and structural issues. If there is a passive bass with laminated neck within this price range, that would be splendid

1) Cort Action PJ

2) Ibanez GSR 180

3) Jackson JS2

4) Squier Affinity P

5) Harley Benton PB-20 SBK (how do the stock pickups sound.. Will not be able to replace pickups)
 
#2
I can only speak for the Harley Benton, while not owning a PB20 myself I have 3 other HB basses.I've heard good things about the PB20. https://www.talkbass.com/threads/i-own-a-harley-benton-club.1123735/page-781#post-27958852
Every HB bass I have the pickups have been excellent. I changed the bridge pup on my RB-414 just for some extra whoomf but it was fine in it's stock configuration. I don't think you'll hear many complaints about pups from HB owners.
Hope this helps.
 
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#6
Interesting selection.

It's a tough choice between the Squier and the Harley Benton.

Squiers are a pretty good work horse and parts are endless.

If the HB was readily available (we dont see them around this neck of the woods that often) and in satin black then that's what I'd be going with.
 
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#7
Fela said:
Will be community owned.. kind of like a church bass but it's not a church, but will face mild to heavy use. Needs to be passive (the jackson has a bypass switch so it was included).

I have picked these out (feel free to add your own suggestions) but i'm still indecisive since I want one that will have the least hardware and structural issues. If there is a passive bass with laminated neck within this price range, that would be splendid

1) Cort Action PJ

2) Ibanez GSR 180

3) Jackson JS2

4) Squier Affinity P

5) Harley Benton PB-20 SBK (how do the stock pickups sound.. Will not be able to replace pickups)
Click to expand...
Ibanez SR300E has a laminated neck. I bypassed the active EQ on mine the threeway pickup tap switch gives some difference in tone.
 
#8
Fela said:
Will be community owned.. kind of like a church bass but it's not a church, but will face mild to heavy use. Needs to be passive (the jackson has a bypass switch so it was included).

I have picked these out (feel free to add your own suggestions) but i'm still indecisive since I want one that will have the least hardware and structural issues. If there is a passive bass with laminated neck within this price range, that would be splendid

1) Cort Action PJ

2) Ibanez GSR 180

3) Jackson JS2

4) Squier Affinity P

5) Harley Benton PB-20 SBK (how do the stock pickups sound.. Will not be able to replace pickups)
Click to expand...
Now $299: make an offer (I have no affiliation with seller): https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sq...gold-edition-jazz-bass.1618251/#post-27842251
 
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#14
I recently bought a used Squier P bass from a coworker for $100 and it came with a gig bag, strap, distortion pedal and a 10 watt practice amp. Put TI flats on it just for kicks and I absolutely love it. It’s light, the neck feels great and it sounds like….a Pbass.
 
#18
I only have experience with the Cort and the Squier. Of course, both are low-price instruments, so the hardware is cheap, but I've not had any problems with setting them up to be nicely playing instruments.

Here is the difference I see. The Squier Affinity is the physically larger of the two, being the same size and dimensions as any other Squier/Fender Precision, although the body is a little thinner. The Cort Action, while still a 34" scale, is physically smaller. The body is smaller and the neck is a slim Jazz-sized 1-1/2" width. If any of your potential players are kids or guitarists moving to bass, the Cort might be a little more comfortable to them. Cort is the actual builder of many other-branded instruments. I grabbed a hardly-used Cort Action off of Facebook Marketplace, just because the price was attractive and I am a sucker for inexpensive instruments. It is a nice bass for the price.
 
#19
bigdaddybass12 said:
Squier. Go to guitar center and hand pick one. Check the neck for straightness and no knots or weird grain pattern.
Click to expand...

Is there any material I can refer to to be good at this.. I have alwyas relied on laminated necks but lately I realised I have to get basses with solid necks (both this community owned bass and for my personal use in the near future) but not enough budgets for ones with quartersawn neck, so have to get flat-sawn ones.
 

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