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Favorite bargain basses lately

#22
About three months ago, I walked into Guitar Center just to look around, and ended up walking out with a new bass. I've NEVER done that before.

It was one of those Fender Player Jazz Bass Plus Top Limited Edition, normally at $879, that was sale priced at $649. The green striped maple called to me, and I took it down. I couldn't believe how great it played unplugged, and it sounded equally great plugged in.

I can't remember the last time I bought a "new" bass, as almost all my arsenal has always come from the used market. But I just couldn't believe how good this bass felt and sounded. And after maybe 30 minutes of set up fine-tuning when I got home. it was even better.

(stock photo)
L75293000002000-00-2000x2000.jpg
 
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#23
alex1fly said:
What are y'alls favorite bargain basses lately? Assuming online purchases in the USA... I don't mind doing fret and electronics work but a shielded cavity would be nice.
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We talking brand spanking new including not so spanking NOS or are we also talking used for something that was higher priced when new?

Asking as these bargain threads become completely useless when everything gets jumbled together.

For example a lightly used year old Gretsch Thunder jet 6128 for $950 is an incredible bargain. Which happened to me!

Or are we talking Glarry stuff brand new (sub $150) or mid level stuff that is used and a few years old now selling for $300 and less but sold for $400 to $700 when new.

‘Bargain’ is a relative term and should be defined up front. Just sayin’:whistle:
 
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#24
Y
alex1fly said:
That looks very close to the Dean Zone bass that this new bass will be replacing. Single pickup, gnarly neon green, terrible hardware but somehow felt and played like a dream while it lasted.

I called it "The Lean Mean Green Dean Machine"
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Yea, the only thing I hated in the Zone is the green fingerboard lol. At least on this Jackson the hardware is top notch. They're using the same bridge on their higher end models too.
 
#26
alex1fly said:
Dig it. This is my idea of a bargain. Sub $200 for sure. I'm okay with rounding off some fret ends, shaping a neck, putting my own wiring harness in, doing a setup etc. What I can't fix are things like bowed necks, weak truss rods, poorly spaced frets, soft wood, etc. Would be buying new and online and (perhaps foolishly) want a "sure thing" that's good enough for home recording. I figure with all the praise that offshore CNC instruments are getting I could go this route and save $$$ rather than my normal route of playing instruments in stores.
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Stretch your budget about forty bucks and get a Yamaha TRBX174. $249 at Sweetwater. I used to work in a music store. We carried all kinds of brands. Every brand from Lakland to Febder to Ken Smith to Ibanez had good basses and bad basses I'm every model. Every Yamaha of the same model felt exactly the same every time. Period. You want a sure thing? Get an inexpensive Yanaha. You won't have to do a thing to it. If you want you can swap out the electronics. But they're even fine.
 
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#27
+1 on Ibanez, even the low end models are very well made, where they cut corners for lower price is on hardware and electronics,.all upgradeable. The level of fit and finish and sophistication more or less follows the number series, a 500 series being better than 200 series, for example. Anything SR300 series and up is fully giggable right off the shelf, but even the base model SR 200 is worth upgrading with better pots and pickups.
 
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#29
Ive owned a few Ibanez’s and was happy with all but one. I just picked up (used but spotless) a Squire P for $100. Neck is fine, frets are fine. Gonna slap some flats on it and see if the pickup stays or goes. For all the talk of prices going through the roof, it’s pretty stupid what can be picked up used for $100-$500. There is an immaculate L2K tribute on my local Craigslist for $500.
 
#30
alex1fly said:
Very helpful lol. What are your favorite $6000+ bargain instruments lately? :D
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I used to play a gig with a pianist (on a $50Kish grand piano), and a harpist (her instrument cost even more). Occasionally, we'd have a cellist (same general ballpark). If you offered any of them a quality instrument for $10K, they'd jump at the chance to get a bargain like that. Bass guitars are cheap. We laugh about a $6k "budget" instrument; to them that's not a joke. We need to sometimes take a step back, and realize how good we have it.

In the context of professional grade musical instruments, there really are no expensive bass guitars - there are reasonably priced ones, bargains, and absolute steals.
 
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#31
two fingers said:
Stretch your budget about forty bucks and get a Yamaha TRBX174. $249 at Sweetwater. I used to work in a music store. We carried all kinds of brands. Every brand from Lakland to Febder to Ken Smith to Ibanez had good basses and bad basses I'm every model. Every Yamaha of the same model felt exactly the same every time. Period. You want a sure thing? Get an inexpensive Yanaha. You won't have to do a thing to it. If you want you can swap out the electronics. But they're even fine.
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The Japanese made Yamaha instruments are awesome and more expensive.

Yamaha instruments made elsewhere have had problems from what I’ve heard.
 
#32
two fingers said:
Stretch your budget about forty bucks and get a Yamaha TRBX174. $249 at Sweetwater. I used to work in a music store. We carried all kinds of brands. Every brand from Lakland to Febder to Ken Smith to Ibanez had good basses and bad basses I'm every model. Every Yamaha of the same model felt exactly the same every time. Period. You want a sure thing? Get an inexpensive Yanaha. You won't have to do a thing to it. If you want you can swap out the electronics. But they're even fine.
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My experience with Yamaha is more limited, but I have to concur based on the three I have and every other one I ever played.
 
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#33
B-Mac said:
Yamaha instruments made elsewhere have had problems from what I’ve heard.
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I hear all kinds of things about all kinds of things. How many Yamaha instruments made in Taiwan or Indonesia have you actually had in your hands? I doubt I’ve had as many as @two fingers but I’ve had enough actual experience with them that I own three of them, and sold off instruments from “it” manufacturers to fund their acquisitions.
 
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#36
Riff Ranger said:
I hear all kinds of things about all kinds of things. How many Yamaha instruments made in Taiwan or Indonesia have you actually had in your hands? I doubt I’ve had as many as @two fingers but I’ve had enough actual experience with them that I own three of them, and sold off instruments from “it” manufacturers to find their acquisitions.
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Notta one. That’s why I said ‘heard’.

Been interested in the TRBX 604 in satin natural for a while but looking for a used one at a ‘bargain’ price.
 
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#38
Mike Mulligan said:
+1 on the Sterling. Grabbed this thing from GC, did a quick set-up (didn't need much), haven't put it down since.

Amazing quality, playability and tone for under $400...

View attachment 4833876
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SBMM what?
Ray 5 HH
Ray 25 HH
Ray 35 HH

The nomenclature for MM basses is confusing enough.

Must have been used for under $400
 
#39
I've stated in other similar threads before that IMO this is indeed the golden age for inexpensive bass guitars. All of the above suggestions are solid and it really boils down to what you find "cheap", what speaks to you visually and tonally once you try them out, and how much or how little you want to spend. I have Squiers and Epiphones that I gig with regularly in rotation with my pricier basses and I've never gotten anything but kudos for their sound and looks. Those were just the ones I found smoking deals on, I'd play a Yamaha, Ibanez etc as well had I found those first (I have too many now...). If it sounds good and plays well who cares what anyone else's opinion of them is.

lark_z said:
Whatever is nearby at a steal on CL.
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As others have stated there are some really great deals to be found on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace if you're patient and shop around. Last year I picked up a barely used LTD B204 for $175 (current new retail $599) that absolutely blew me away on what a great and versatile instrument it is. I see Ibanez 200 - 500 series basses all the time for $150 - 300. I have a Cort A5 Artisan 5-string I got a couple years ago for $500, sells new for $1300 m/l. Probably one of the best built basses I own (neck through, Hipshot hardware, Bartolini pups and pre). Deals are out there and it's not hard to get a really good player grade bass at a smoking low price if you're patient and shop around.
 

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