I need a new cheap bass for jazz. Recommendations?

[Bass4lyf]

I am actually a metal guy, and my main bass guitar is setup in drop c tuning. I have joined my school jazz band and we do practise once a week. I have been using my old crappy ibanez p-bass that i bought second hand and it isnt doing the best for jazz so I want to buy a new cheap bass. My price limit is around $400aud.

These are the basses im looking into:

Squire california series J bass - $320aud
Squire affinity series J bass - $355aud
Squire affinity series 5 string j bass - $435aud
Axl badwater p or j bass - $330aud
Cort gb34a - $400
Yamaha rbx170 - $365aud
Yamaha rbx270j - $400aud
Olp mm2 - $450aud (kinda pushing it, but if its worth it i may go this high)

Which bass do you recommend??

 

[mattcampbell]

Why don't you go to the closest shop to you and try them out for yourself?

Having said that, I highly recommend the squire.

 

[Bass4lyf]

i wish i could go to my local guitar shop and try them out, but i just got home from hospital today as i had surgery on my leg yesterday, therefore i cant walk. As soon as i can walk, ill be straight to a guitar shop, but until that day comes, i just want to know what everyone thinks.

I actually like the squire probably the most at the moment, people say that the squires sound almost identical to the actuall fenders, but then other people say that the yamaha rbx170 sounds sooo much better than the squire, so im left wondering.

 

[Anesthesia]

i have a yamaha and its the bees knees. put a set of flats on and enjoy.

 

[GeoffByrne]

Squiers are good at the mo.. Having said that I played a bunch of Corts while visiting a pal in Abu Dhabi and was well impressed by the quality of the Korean-built models (better than the Phillipino-built, which are fine, but Korean is excellent).

I played a *great* 6 string.

 

[jim_bass]

Hi I have a yamaha RBX374 (active humbuckers), but I/ve also played the 270. It's really nice bass to play and worth the few extra pounds (or dollars in your case?) that the 170 - I think it has a different neck (different wood) and better quality pickups - the 270 also comes in a rather sexy natural wood colour.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I have to say that I recently played an Squire Affinity Jazz V, and I was totally blown away. That will be my next acquisition.

 

[(b)Assman]

Go with one of the squiers. Maybe a deluxe active V? Or, get an SX and mod it to exactly what you want. (what I did) came out under 300 new pickups/pickguard/pots. If you're looking for a more modern jazzyness maybe a Yamaha rbx a2?

 

[ThierryA]

They're closing out and discontinuing Yamaha RBXA2s on musiciansfriend.com, zzounds.com, ebay.com etc. It outclasses all of the basses you mentioned and is probably cheaper at $250usd. At about 80% off, you better hurry.