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Good Bass for $800 or less

C

CygnusX

May 27, 2012
22
0
#1
Hello all. First time post on talkbass.

I've been playing a cheap Squire J Bass for the past year and I feel like I'm ready for a good quality bass.

That in mind, the Schecter Stargazer 4 and the Schecter Blackjack ATX C-4 have caught my eye. There's no where in town I can go play them (small town, not a lot of options).

Has anyone played these, and how are they?

Next question.
My friend owns a local music shop that is exclusively a Dean dealer. He says he can get me any Dean bass for pretty cheap (but not dirt cheap, just like $50 bucks off). I've read a mixed bag of good and bad things about Dean basses. I've read a lot more good things about Schecter than Dean.

Next question.
Bass amps. I'm totally clueless on what a good bass amp is. I'd like a monster of a bass amp. I'm willing to go up to $400, but I'd like to pay less if I could.

Thank you in advance for any insight.
 
#2
If you start to consider used, your whole world will open up with all kinds of great choices in that price range. Just to give you some examples:

Stingray
Sterling
MIA P
MIA J
AVRI P
AVRI J
Older Spector/SSD era
G&L
And plenty more

A "monster" bass amp for $400? You can find nice stuff that's lower in price, but that's going to be tough. If you spent $1200 total, but split it evenly to give you $600 for a bass amp, I'd go for a GK 800RB/700 RBII and some sort of 4X10. The GK's can be found for $300ish, which leaves you $300ish for a cab.
 
#5
CygnusX said:
I've been playing a cheap Squire J Bass for the past year and I feel like I'm ready for a good quality bass.
Click to expand...

I like you already dude! You will understand what I mean by that once you have been here for a while. I would definitely go used as many here have suggested. More bang for the buck. You may also want to consider a used CIJ Geddy Lee Signature bass. Awesome bass for the money. A used MarkBass LM III is in your price range for just the head though (No Cab).
 
#7
With a budget of $800, you could get a nice used Lakland as mentioned above or a G&L which when it comes to tone options, you have them all there. Or if you're feeling especially frisky, get that Fender Deluxe Precision that Guitar Centre was plugging for under $800 as somehere on TB got for Memorial Day:

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As far as amps go, I'd say the Gallien Krueger MB112 might be up your alley. Its light enough at approx. 12.5kg (lighter than my current Roland Bass Cube) but has 200 watts at your disposal. I'm getting one soon and can't wait for it. Should be in around $300 for that.
 
#8
I agree. Looking in Craigslist you can find a nice AM STD Fender of either flavor, or a G&L -similar pedigree bass. Plenty of options, and you can just shop till you find one you like. If you are patient, you can find some nice used instruments out there. I paid $600 for a mint 04 American Precision, nice bass.
 
#10
If you are asking about Dean basses....IF you buy a USA DEAN it IS worth the price. Dealers can get a decent price on a Hillsboro....the USA Deans are very underrated, the imports (some) are a mixed bag. Good luck with choice.
 
#11
since you've allready been playing the squier jazz you should look into the new squier jazz basses (vintage modified or classiv vibe) they have great reviews and are a nice upgrade from probabaly what you have now,these basses are awesome the quality blows away the MIM fenders,I know I recently scored a vintage modified p bass and its my player now even tho I have higher end basses even a 61 fender P. as for an amp consider a GK mb combo as soon as i get my new GK combo mb 112 which I ordered in march I'll be in 578.00 bass and amp now thats a budget minded deal if I ever heard of one!!
 
#12
+1 for the GK MB combos. Nice amps. Lightweight and great sound.

Definitely look used for basses. Much better deals there. US Fenders, Lakland Skylines, Musicman, and many more can be had in that price range if you look around. The classifieds here are a great place to start. Better and safer than dealing on CL or FeeBay, IMO.
 
#13
as mentioned above for $800, your door is wide open to what is available to you. You can get, used of course, allot of choices search around and play allot at your music stores in your area, then come back to TB and start searching the classifieds someone here will soon post something your interested in, the after you buy it another couple with pop up in the classifieds that you liked as well and the GAS will soon begin!
 
#19
Lots of good used basses in your range like Lakland Skylines, Fender MIA, MM Stingrays, G+L’s….
If used doesn’t float your boat, the new Sterling Ray basses from Music Man are outstanding. I just bought the RAY34CA (Classic Active) and rocks! Perfect setup too.
Another great bass around 700 bucks is the Carvin B40. They upgraded the pickups on them (SB single coils) and the hardware, everything about them is better.

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:bassist:
 
#20
First time I've been able to join in due to being technologically challenged....anyway, to weigh in here... Sounds to me like you want lots of VOLUME for $400 in an amp, which to me says"Peavey".but be aware, Peaveys are like dating lazy girls...kinda fun at first, but soon ya just want to DO SOMETHING! ...like discover tone. I think I more agree with the " less money on the bass, more money on the rig" scenario.A good used mim jazz can be had for $400 with finageling, and SWR or gk with a 4x10
 

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