Entry Level Bass Help

[JamieIsOnline]

I am looking for an entry level bass in the £0-£200/$ range I play rock music mainly im looking for something with a chunky pickup something like a musicman stingray if possible

I was wondering if anyone could make any recommendations

thanks

- Jamie

 

[Ibanez Bassist]

Your best bet for getting quality for cheap money might be a used bass from a local music store, Craigs List or ebay .. If your not into the used thing then personally I started out with the Ibanez and Squire Line and that worked well for me.. playing Classic Rock and Rock..

 

[whisper14072]

I started off on a Yamaha RBX170... it has a PJ pick up... but it is pretty good... I know not Musicman style... but good just the same. Check ebay for a brand called OLP, they don't make them any more so used is all you can find now.. but they are EBMM copies and they are really good!!

 

[KCLRbass]

Your best bet for getting quality for cheap money might be a used bass from a local music store, Craigs List or ebay .. If your not into the used thing then personally I started out with the Ibanez and Squire Line and that worked well for me.. playing Classic Rock and Rock..

Agree with all of the above. I have a Squier Precision special that I use *almost* as much as my hand-crafted axes. Great sound, great feel. I bought it used for about $250 Canadian, but would definitely buy one new. Check it out if you're interested:

Heart Shaped Box (Nirvana funky house cover) by KC Roberts and the Live Revolution - YouTube

 

[SoVeryTired]

I'm guessing you're from the UK, based onthe use of £ - in which case, take the advice above but replace Craigs List with Gumtree. I got my first bass, a Yamaha, for £50 (just sold it for £80).

You won't get a particularly good Stingray copy in that price range but I've seen MM Subs go for as little as £350 second hand. These are proper US-made Musicman basses but without the body contours or fancy paint finishes of the Stingray - now discontinued, as the cost of manufacturing was too high to make a profit.

One option if you want to buy new is the Squier Jaguar HB -a single bridge humbucker like a Stingray, but for £200 brand new.

 

[SteveHeissner]

1st choice: Squier J or P-bass. 2nd choice: Epiphone Thunderbird. Decent quality at a low price. Good entry level instrument but also good enough to play at any gig.

 

[AltGrendel]

One option if you want to buy new is the Squier Jaguar HB -a single bridge humbucker like a Stingray, but for £200 brand new.

This.

Squier has gotten pretty good lately for quality, but I'd still "try before you buy" if possible.

Edit:

Oh and since it's so cheap (relatively speaking) modding it won't affect the price much.

 

[JamieIsOnline]

Ive just seen a Tanglewood Canyon with hard case for £185 is that any good ?

 

[davidjackson]

I know this is repeating some of what others have said but my advice would be to go for a Squier P or J bass (or a Jaguar if that floats your boat and you can find one). If you don't fancy those you can't go wrong with a Yamaha. I play a BB bass and for me it beats the Mexican or even the USA Fender instruments but the RBX is a good entry level range. Fantastic build quality on all of the Yamaha range.

I'd also say don't get too hung up on the "chunky" pick-up thing. A decent P bass sound will give you a flexible and powerful rock sound. If I was playing rock now I would go for something with a P bass thump.