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In love with a cheap bass

HMZ

HMZ

Dec 21, 2003
3,106
787
60
USA-Mineola
#1
I have had many expensive basses like Modules Musicman and so on. Right now I have an American Fender Jazz and a Musicman Sterling that I love but I also picked up a Mexican Fender jazz.
I have to say I'm really loving the MIM jazz bass. I replaced the stock bridge with a Gotoh and changed the white pickguard to black. I can't believe how great this bass sounds and looks. Its been my go to bass lately. Anyone else in love with a cheap bass?
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#3
So what?!

If you dig the instrument, who cares how much it cost? I think it rocks that you grabbed a good deal! My main gigging bass was "cheap" to me, but I can't get past it. I dig how it plays and how it sounds. As a matter of fact I have put more effort into my backup than my main...

Dig the fact that you got a good deal and now go play the %$^& out of it!

Ox.
 
#5
My #1 gigger is an MTD Artist 5, which I bought used on eBay for $425 ($750 new from MF). It's lightweight, punchy as hell, thin/wide/asymmetrical/flat/fast neck, looks cool, and I don't have to worry about scratching or dinging it up. What's not to like?

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I recently bought a Carvin higher-mass bridge for it, but it's not here yet. It doesn't need the added sustain, but it's a teensy-bit neck heavy, and I'm hoping this will help. If that doesn't do the trick, I'm gonna slap some Hipshot Ultralites on it. Balance is one thing that you don't often see lacking in nicer basses, but is extremely important to me in a gigger. Fortunately, that's not too hard to fix with some very simply mods - move the strap button perhaps, change out tuners & bridge, etc. I originally bought it intending to put a Nordy MM pickup and a nicer preamp in it, but really, it doesn't need it. The 3-band EQ is quiet and has a huge dynamic range that makes it useful for all kinds of gigs. Why, just tonight, I played a gig at a church with an acoustic guitarist/singer and a djembe-player/singer (with me on electric bass). The MTD fit in just fine. The pic above is from me on stage a few weeks ago with my funk-rock band, and it works perfectly for that, too. I love it!

P.S. You can see my PIMA+floating thumb right-hand technique in this photo :)
 
#6
I love this cheapo to pieces. This replaced my vintage Fender as my "workhorse" gig bass about 3 years ago. Lots of miles and shows later, it's still going strong, and I have no plans to move it from it's no.1 slot. As usual, it preformed absolutly flawless tonight, just like it has so many times before. Probably the best $100 I ever spent.

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#7
savit260 said:
I love this cheapo to pieces. This replaced my vintage Fender as my "workhorse" gig bass about 3 years ago. Lots of miles and shows later, it's still going strong, and I have no plans to move it from it's no.1 slot. As usual, it preformed absolutly flawless tonight, just like it has so many times before. Probably the best $100 I ever spent.

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Click to expand...

Where'd you get a tort guard that fits an SXP? I bought one, but it didn't fit, not even close :(
 
#9
superfunk47 said:
Where'd you get a tort guard that fits an SXP? I bought one, but it didn't fit, not even close :(
Click to expand...

That one was custom made by Tony at pickguardian.com

Any standard 13 hole P bass tort guard can be modified in about 5 minutes with a dremel or a file to fit. Basicly all you have to do is open the neck pocket up, and screw the thing on. The screw holes don't line up, but they'll be under the pickguard where you can't see 'em.

Here's my even cheaper back up SX. $65 used with an Allparts tort guard that was modified with a file. This one was used as the template for the custom celluloid tortoise guard on the blue one.
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#10
I got the mim Fender jazz from Musician's Friend for $339.00 new.
At the time they were $489.99 but I got a coupon from them worth $150.00 with free shipping. I have to say that was the best $339.00 dollars I ever spent.
 
#12
Out of many Electra's I owned over the past few years, THIS was the keeper. It's has the original 80's 18v system in it. That took some work to get running again. It sounds like thunder :bassist: The renovation is still in process, it's getting chrome knobs and a chrome Badass bridge.


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This is what it looked like when it arrived. The body was finished in Turd Brown shoe polish :hmm:
 
#15
FL Knifemaker said:
Out of many Electra's I owned over the past few years, THIS was the keeper. It's has the original 80's 18v system in it. That took some work to get running again. It sounds like thunder :bassist: The renovation is still in process, it's getting chrome knobs and a chrome Badass bridge.


electrahotrod1.jpg


electrahotrod2.jpg



This is what it looked like when it arrived. The body was finished in Turd Brown shoe polish :hmm:
Click to expand...

I use a Mark bass amp with Aguilar cabs I have two DB 210 cabs. cabs.
 
#18
Well, I don't have any "expensive" basses, the most expensive bass I own I paid a little over $1000 for. I do have three Peaveys which had original list prices between $900 and $1300 but I didn't pay anything near that for any of them.

Two of my favorite basses these days are my two cheapest ones.

The Brice V2 fretless in my avatar is a wonderful bass. Sounds amazing, looks great, plays like a dream thanks to the best setup I've ever done.
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Cost me $178 new at the old Rondo Store in New Jersey. I would love to install a Piezo bridge, I'll bet this thing would sound wonderful with one, but I can't justify the expense.

My Jay Turser JTB-401 '54 P-bass copy is another keeper. The bridge cover offers a touch of class, whatever JT did with the pickup is absolute bass magic. The tone is fantastic. Plays great, looks classic sounds like a million bucks!
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Paid $150 at a local store "Classic Axe" - I've bought three basses and a practice amp over the years from that place - I love it!
 
#19
My Vintage Modified 70's Jazz for $160 on Craigslist freaking rocks. Love the way it looks, plays and sounds. (I am a Craigslist Ho)

Also, snagged a Spector Performer for $250 it was never played in the case and it is a really nice playing and sounding Bass. Finally, also in the last week or so I snagged an Epihone El Capitan ABG - for insanely little cash - this thing was another Bass that was bought and never played. It sounds great unplugged and it is my Green contribution for practicing. Plugged into my GK Head with an Ampeg Cab - I was shocked at how good this thing sounds and the strings on it are 4 years old. So new strings are coming for it - I am Happy with my Cheapo Basses :bassist:

Note sure how to post pics?
 

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