H.S. Band Bass

That's easy. A Fender Precision bass.

 

Or, a Fender Jazz Bass... Only seams fitting for a jazz ensemble. Plus, you'll get more range in tone with the pickup placement on the jazz vs. the pickup placement on the Precision. Alot of todays rock bands use Fender Jazz Bands, or at least some type of jazz bass.

~Ryan

 

Pick up a 4 String Fender Jazz.

A few guys around here espouse this one as a particularly nice one for Fender's Mexican line http://www.music123.com/Fender--60s-Classic-Jazz-Bass-i68115.music


Also, Fender's Highway 1 series is quite nice for the money.
http://www.music123.com/Fender-Highway-1-Jazz-Bass-i90256.music

As you probably well know, Fender makes a massive selection. There are also a number of other companies in the same price range that make great basses.

 

Fender Geddy Lee

It's a Fender Jazz bass and then some.

 

where are you a band director?

 

well, i would suggest a standard fender or an SX...nothing expensive in case it gets solen...

 

I would suggest a Fender Jazz or Precision -- preferably a Mexican one. (Caveat: Make sure it is professionally set up before it's used for the first time.)

Besides the fact that they are relatively inexpensive, you are in the business of teaching and preparing students for life "down the road" (professionally and/or in college) as musicians.

These Fenders may not be the most sexy, high-end basses out there but they will provide an excellent foundation and learning platform for a high-school bassist that will serve him/her well going forward.

Don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with a Fender but I think the true value they deliver is the fact that they are such a "standard" in the industry. (Nobody ever got kicked out of a recording studio or an audition by showing up with a Fender Jazz or Precision!)

They also provide the aspiring musician with a baseline of comparison for their next instrument if they choose to buy one. (i.e. "I want a new bass and I want it to have a 'Fender Jazz' tone." or "I want my next bass to have a neck similar to a P-Bass.")

Bottom line: Fender J's and P's are totally "middle-of-the road" ... you really can't go wrong with one.

Just my .02

One last thing - if you are dealing with younger/smaller kids, you may want to choose the Jazz only because it has a thinner neck.

 

What about something from yamaha. They are one of the best budget instrument manufacturers around as well as SX

 

i actually suggest a stingray clone. from ernie ball there is the S.U.B line, or an OLP. I believe in the real world, the musicman pickup cuts through better then the jazz or precision pickup.

also if you have a little bit more money, you can get a real EBMM stingray off ebay under a grand which would be massively superior to anything fender imho could make. quality and sound wise. but even the olp or sub would sound better in band situations to me.

also i was in my highschool's jazz band. i used a p/j combo bass. i seriously didn't like how it blended. the P didn't have enough definition, and the J was to weak, even when i blended the 2 together. i was split on 2 fields of disappointment. the other bassist had a stingray that his parents gave him(lucky punk) for a birthday present. tone wise he completly blew me out the water. even thou i was and still am a better player . the bass just had that right frequency to cut through but not sound weak.

 

P bass. Better tone for jazz than a Jazz. Also great for rock. P basses rock my world.

 

How about Carvin?

 

Why pay more for less?

 

Fender P bass....made in mexico.......takes a licking and will keep on kicking.