How to spend 100?

[lug]

I'm guessing you already have your preferred strings, so I won't suggest mine.
Other that that, $100 doesn't get you much, unless you're a beginner, but $50 more and you can go wireless.
The Xvive U2 system is so good I bought it again.View attachment 4480468

These are great as long as you use a passive bass. I have a set and the only bass I can use it on in active mode is my Jaguar, makes constant noise on my other actives.
or
You can send 1/2 of the hundred here... Amazon.com: Walker & Williams B4B-XL Extra Long 4” Wide Leather Padded Bass Strap Up To 58" : Musical Instruments
Really happy with it.

 

[chris_b]

Headphones, strings, tuner, strap, leads?

 

[luciens]

If you're a gigging player, #1 best investment of 100 big ones burning the hole in the pocket is active hearing protection. You can get a good quality active HP headset for under $100 on Amazon - active being good because it tends to be better at reducing low frequencies than your passive headsets at Walmart, etc.

You'll look a little goofy at gigs, so this is a premium choice only if you already have a girlfriend/boyfriend or wife/husband, etc. But even so, and you're older like me and just don't give a damn in general anymore, I'd still do this as #1 choice.

You might have enough left over to get a good cord also.

L

 

[Yahboy]

Buy a set of Ti flat .....

 

[dalkowski]

Some tort.

 

[iiipopes]

This will be unpopular. Maintenance. Of everything: loose jack on the instrument, loose tuners, loose strap buttons, batteries, cables, cords, clean up, inventory of strings, straps, picks, tuners, FX box maintenance if you are into that, check all the bridge saddles and nuts for wear, burrs, knobs on the amp, DI box integrity, tubes if you're into that, etc. All that gets expensive really, really, quick, especially if it fails during a gig. Just like a car, everybody wants to talk about a new car, or new accessories, but nobody wants to talk about the cost of proper maintenance to keep it looking and driving new. Same way with a gigging bassist. For example, in the middle of the last gig, the EXB control on my bass crapped out. So instead of anything else, the first thing I had to do was not only purchase a replacement, but check all the rest of the gear to do what I could to not have another failure in the middle of a gig. I found a couple of frayed cords that, although they did not contribute to the failure (internal pot wafer crumbled) could have at a subsequent gig. And so on. I have seen too many guitar players that lost a pedal, lost an acoustic guitar pickup, string breakage, etc., all that could have been avoided by good pre-flight check routines. Yes, number one when a person receives a small gift or windfall like that, or the share from the tip jar, is maintenance. No, afterwards there doesn't seem to be anything to show for it but the confidence at the next gig, which is huge. Did I say maintenance?

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I got a $100 birthday check. What bass-related thing(s) should I spend it on? New or used are both OK.

Tuner.

SBL lessons.

 

[matty1039]

I'll second hearing protection, but I'd go with something more discreet than a headset for a gigging musician. I've got a set of small, clear in ears that take the edge off so I won't be deaf in 20 years.

I'd also recommend some gig bag essentials: a multi tool, a DI box, an XLR cable for the DI box, extra strap, strap locks, extra instrument cables. Basically all the good to have stuff.

If you are looking for some fun stuff maybe a used Zoom MS-60B or EHX Bassballs. Maybe even a good OD/fuzz pedal.

 

[gip111]

If you're a gigging player, #1 best investment of 100 big ones burning the hole in the pocket is active hearing protection. You can get a good quality active HP headset for under $100 on Amazon - active being good because it tends to be better at reducing low frequencies than your passive headsets at Walmart, etc.

You'll look a little goofy at gigs, so this is a premium choice only if you already have a girlfriend/boyfriend or wife/husband, etc. But even so, and you're older like me and just don't give a damn in general anymore, I'd still do this as #1 choice.

You might have enough left over to get a good cord also.

L

Wow good advice. Wish I had taken care of my hearing when I was younger, not that I gig but hung out with lots of people that did and I was always there. Once hearing is gone, you can't go back!

 

[matty1039]

This will be unpopular. Maintenance. Of everything: loose jack on the instrument, loose tuners, loose strap buttons, batteries, cables, cords, clean up, inventory of strings, straps, picks, tuners, FX box maintenance if you are into that, check all the bridge saddles and nuts for wear, burrs, knobs on the amp, DI box integrity, tubes if you're into that, etc. All that gets expensive really, really, quick, especially if it fails during a gig. Just like a car, everybody wants to talk about a new car, or new accessories, but nobody wants to talk about the cost of proper maintenance to keep it looking and driving new. Same way with a gigging bassist. For example, in the middle of the last gig, the EXB control on my bass crapped out. So instead of anything else, the first thing I had to do was not only purchase a replacement, but check all the rest of the gear to do what I could to not have another failure in the middle of a gig. I found a couple of frayed cords that, although they did not contribute to the failure (internal pot wafer crumbled) could have at a subsequent gig. And so on. I have seen too many guitar players that lost a pedal, lost an acoustic guitar pickup, string breakage, etc., all that could have been avoided by good pre-flight check routines. Yes, number one when a person receives a small gift or windfall like that, or the share from the tip jar, is maintenance. No, afterwards there doesn't seem to be anything to show for it but the confidence at the next gig, which is huge. Did I say maintenance?

Or even just a pro set up to make sure everything is in good working order.

 

[Killing Floor]

 

[jd56hawk]

These are great as long as you use a passive bass. I have a set and the only bass I can use it on in active mode is my Jaguar, makes constant noise on my other actives.

Yes, that's one reason I keep my L2000s in passive mode.
Other than that, it works with all three of my active Dean Exotica acoustic basses.

 

[Liam Wald]

Take a friend out for a nice dinner.

 

[Cave Puppy]

Invest in your mind - Lessons! Even ONE lesson can make a big difference.

 

[spufman]

A simple looper or Sdrum type thing can make practice much more fun, and set free your creative wanderings.

 

[iiipopes]

Or even just a pro set up to make sure everything is in good working order.

Yes. I didn't mention that. Thanks. I have done my own setups for so many decades, for me checking the setup is simply part of changing strings, listening on an ongoing basses for any fret buzz and taking care of it right then, and always giving the bass a once-over both before and after a gig.

 

[iiipopes]

TI Jazz Flats.

Everyone oughtta have a Fender with those strings in their arsenal.

I respectfully and absolutely disagree. If you are going to have a Fender bass, there are many brands, models, and gauges of strings that bring out all a Fender bass has to offer, including their own 9050 flats.

 

[HolmeBass]

Lots of great suggestions already, with good hearing protection being very good suggestion.

My first thought was save it until you have another $100 to add to it and get a good envelope filter. But that’s me showing my preferences. Maybe a good overdrive?

But I think a very solid useful suggestion is a good passive volume pedal, like the Ernie Ball ones. Then you can run your amp very loud and pull the bass down into the mix with the volume pedal. When the drummer gets excited and the volume goes up, you can keep up.

This presupposes that you have a decent rig that is loud enough already. It probably also presupposes a more complex rig with a pedalboard. For me if I adjust the volume on my bass it will mess with how I have set my compressor and envelope filters. Plus if i stack a bunch of effects together I usually wind up with more gain than I want, the volume pedal at the end of the chain gives me control over all of this.

Also there are songs where I can’t really use my plucking hand to adjust to volume without a noticeable dropout of the bass line. Being able to adjust volume with my foot is often useful.

 

[thetragichero]

I bought a used Squier Affinity P Bass on craigslist for $70, put some new strings on and sold it for $140. Then I bought a Squier Vintage Modified P Bass (with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder in it!) for $150. I figure I could sell the VM for about $400 right now, but honestly it's so sweet and dialed in since I put a set of flats on it (plus it weighs about 7 lbs), I think I'll keep it!

it's a fun game, innit? i turned $110 spent on an ibanez rb630 and epiphone rock bass (along with enough spare parts to assemble a strat copy) plus a bunch of time/elbow grease into a pawnshop bass vi (and hard case) and gibson les paul (purchased the body and neck covered in stickers for cheap)

 

[musicman556]

Buy a set of Ti flat .....

DON'T COMPLETE THAT SENTENCE!!!! YOU WILL BE SHAMED FOR HAVING AN IDEA!!!!!!!

There are a few here who seem to specifically hate this advice to try a very popular (yet relatively expensive) string, hahaha! Nevermind the recommendations to try out a bunch of other things shared with no complaint. Folks seem to wanna single out this one idea to complain about.

It's cool. I had a great time playing my Jazz with TI jazz flats yesterday to an appreciative and mostly awake crowd of 5 senior citizens at a nursing home along with our young adults from church, lol! They're such fun strings to play and very uprighty/thumpy. Goes great with the acoustic-based music and style of songs we were playing.