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First Electric Bass - opinions

A

albertojonas

Sep 28, 2006
8
2
Faro Portugal
Disclosures
musician: alberto jonas
#1
Hello everyone,
After a few years on double bass, i am going electric now.
I need to decide between 5 fretted basses and need your insights. All in the same price range.
Yamaha bb234
Yamaha trbx204
Sire V3
Cort Action dlx
Fender squier vintage modified jazz bass

thank you for your help
 
#3
I’m a traditionalist I guess, so, among those, I’d go with the Squire.

Passive, classic looks, classic platform...what’s not to like?

The other passive in your list is the BB204, and I like the PJ setup, and the looks are in the traditional-type range, but personally the looks don’t quite do it for me. Just personal taste, YMMV. Also, I’m not big on ceramic pickups, which the specs I just read say this has.

As for the others, I personally wouldn’t buy an active bass, but I fully recognize that many other people would only buy active basses. It’s merely opinion and taste - either active or passive can surely work - but, that’s my opinion. I don’t like the jump in volumes, the need for batteries, the battery box in the back, the active tone...i mean, when I’ve played one no disaster happened or anything, but funds are limited and that isn’t how I’d spend my money. I want an instrument to respond like a passive instrument does. YMMV

The looks of the Yamaha trbx actually appealed to me a bit somehow, especially one I saw in orange. I wouldn’t buy it myself (i don’t need it), but I did think it looked kinda cool.

The Sire looks like a Jazz, and a nice one at that, but like i said, I’d only want a passive bass. Too many knobs

The Cort Action dlx — I’ve already forgotten what it looked like after looking up these bass models just now, and anyway I’d hesitate to buy any instrument called "Action"

Of course, that’s just me. Go with whatever appeals to you. They all have the same scale and about the same number of notes (frets), I believe. So, if they’re all in the same price range and have the same availability. it largely comes down to looks, tone and ergonomics. Get the one that’s calling to you and learn on it/play it for a while. You’ll eventually see what you like and don’t like about it. Assuming it’s not a complete turd, no big deal if you later head in a different direction.
 
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#5
I like the squier. I tried the Yamaha trbx but I didn’t like anything about unfortunately.
Check out the Ibanez sr300e.. really great basses and with the coil tap they sound just like a passive jazz in my opinion..
Really great sounding pickups.
 
#7
albertojonas said:
I just tried the ibanez sr300. didn't feel right for me. it is very light in a good way. it was the cheapest bass at the store. did not manage to figure out what the knobs did. =(
Click to expand...
In that case you might want to avoid the Cort action and the Yamaha trbx..
Basses with active preamps and eqs aren’t for everybody.

The Yamaha trbx has a 2 band eq and a five way preshape eq curve switch.

You may just look towards the simple volume, tone of a passive p bass. I love and own both active and passive basses.
 
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#8
albertojonas said:
I just tried the ibanez sr300. didn't feel right for me. it is very light in a good way...did not manage to figure out what the knobs did. =(
Click to expand...

Ha ha, that was pretty much my exact experience the first few times I tried one! What the hell do these friggin’ knobs do?!! I’d only add that the look wasn’t for me, but the neck was actually a bit of an eye-opener (I can see why people like their Ibanezes). Tone was acceptable.

Eventually got a handle on the knobs, and we had some good jams down in my friend’s basement practice room with it as the house bass, so it’s not like I hate the sr300 or anything. However, I started bringing my Mustang bass for my own turns on bass.

"did not manage to figure out what the knobs did" - do yourself a favor and get a passive bass. Personally, I’d suggest a Precision. The Jazz bass is slightly more complicated, but you can simplify things by just leaving everything on full.
 
#10
I admit I have never played a Sire.

So, with that said, I did work at a musoc store and was able to play all kinds of basses. Yamaha quality control at every price point is unmatched in my view.

The BB series bass you mentioned would be my choice. A P/J pickup configuration is very versatile as well.
 
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#11
Take your original post.

Cut each bass into a strip of paper.

Fold them all up.

Throw them in a hat.

Pick one.

It really REALLY doesn't make a difference.

Either that, or choose the one you looks of best :).

I've owned at least one of all the mentioned bass brands and have things I disliked about each of them. Sire was heavy, Squier has a stigma attached, Cort I got a lemon (couldn't get decent buzz free action on one I owned, even with shimming it), Yamaha, I owned their cheapest fretlesss and hated it on every level.

Something not on you list that you might want to consider is an Ibanez TMB. Most bang you'll get for your buck IMHO.
 
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#12
I'd go with the Squier (or find a mim Fender Standard in the classifieds). I started on electric as a kid, but played pretty much only upright in college. After my focus came back to electric, I really gravitated to simpler basses, and it has stayed that way. With upright, you are used to getting different tones from your hands as opposed to dialing in different settings on the bass. I find that the "limitations" imposed by passive basses keep me focused on that. That's NOT to say that players who prefer active basses with complicated effects chains don't vary tone with their hands, but I find adding knobs does tend to feel further removed from upright.
 
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#13
of the ones on your list, i'd go with the squier vintage modified jazz bass.

albertojonas said:
I just tried the ibanez sr300. didn't feel right for me. it is very light in a good way. it was the cheapest bass at the store. did not manage to figure out what the knobs did. =(
Click to expand...

the SR300 is often my favorite lower end bass in the store. you can figure out what the knobs do or ask and find out.

i also love the squier bronco bass. it's a fun, lightweight short scale.
 
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#14
albertojonas said:
Hello everyone,
After a few years on double bass, i am going electric now.
I need to decide between 5 fretted basses and need your insights. All in the same price range.
Yamaha bb234
Yamaha trbx204
Sire V3
Cort Action dlx
Fender squier vintage modified jazz bass

thank you for your help
Click to expand...
Yamaha bb for sure
 
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#17
In my opinion only, the quality of your amplification matters more at this price range - if your amp is decent you can get any of these to work.

With that being said, from your list I would buy either the Yamaha BB234 or the best Ibanez you can afford. BB234 if you prefer a passive tone, Ibanez if you want tone scuplting options on the bass itself. These are generalities of course. If you can A/B them out of the same amp and amp settings that would be ideal.
 
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#18
Dan_reeves said:
In my opinion only, the quality of your amplification matters more at this price range - if your amp is decent you can get any of these to work.

With that being said, from your list I would buy either the Yamaha BB234 or the best Ibanez you can afford. BB234 if you prefer a passive tone, Ibanez if you want tone scuplting options on the bass itself. These are generalities of course. If you can A/B them out of the same amp and amp settings that would be ideal.
Click to expand...


Also, and this might be saying the obvious - make sure the one you pick looks cool in your opinion. I bought a bass once that checked all the boxes but how it looked bugged me. It bugged me enough that I eventually sold it. You may not be as superficial as me, but I just say this to help you avoid a mistake I made. Best of luck!
 
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