Looking for a $3-400 bass

[Megas3300]

Hey all.
First let me state that I am new to the bass, but not to music. I have been playing saxophone in all types of groups for 8-9 years now. Bass has always been a favorite instrument of mine but I never had the chance to pick it up.

Well a few weeks ago a friend of mine came to me needing a computer badly (I build them for a hobby/living) All he had to offer me was a Fretless Jay-turser P-bass. So I took the trade. Being an EE/CE student I just hand built a practice amp but I quickly found out that starting out on a fretless is like buying a unicycle wanting to learn how to ride a bike! But I am hooked on learning the instrument.

So enough about the past.

I am looking for a good all-around bass to play on. Some more string-oriented friends of mine took me to Guitar Center and I was able to try out several.

I am liking the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz bass now, but I wanted to get more opinions. What do you think, comments/suggestions/rantings?

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[zachoff]

Squier VM is great, but I'd look used & not at Guitar Center. Go there and play everything to see what you like, but buy used... Especially if you're in the "trying out the instrument" phase.

 

[tangentmusic]

Gotta agree with zachoff. The VM Jazz is very nice for the $. Go play as many as you can for choice's sake. Brand new $300. Used obviously less.

 

[okcrum]

If you buy used you can get a better instrument. You can easily get Standard Fenders, G&L Tributes, or MM Sterlings if you look around.

 

[kellyrojo]

400 hundred will get you a used GL tribute which will be about the most bang for the buck in this price range. You are just trying out instruments though and you probably will not see any used tribbys that you can get your hands on though and try out (that will be more of an online thing) so head to local music stores and try stuff out...feel what you like. Good luck.

 

[ghostdog93]

This is a very commonly asked question.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/buying-first-bass-guitar-766519/

Best basses under 0

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/squire-cv-vs-vm-764277/

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/little-guidance-761022/

Need help! Good bass 0

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/buying-my-first-bass-tomorrow-advice-please-756598/

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/cheap-bass-754612/

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/favorite-cheap-bass-753276/

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/squier-vm-cv-fender-752525/

I could go on, but you get the idea.

Short answer: The recent VM and CV Squiers that are coming from the Indonesian factories are really solid instruments.

That being said, the right bass for you is the one that feels and plays the best in your hands. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, or thinks. I love the hell out of the VM series Squiers and G&L SB-2s, but that doesn't mean those basses are going to be right for you.

I'll echo the advice given previously. Go out and play a bunch of different basses. See which ones you like. See which ones fit into your price range. And then make whatever choice is best for you, your hands, your ears and your wallet.

 

[pocketgroove]

I wouldn't argue that the standard MIM Fenders are better than the Squier VM basses. If you like the Vintage Modified Jazz Bass, by all means get it and don't torture yourself with a million different options. Follow your intuition.

+1 to not buying at GC though. I'm planning on picking one of those soon also, to add a Jazz to my arsenal, and I'm going to buy it from a local business that I trust, plus I know they do good set-up work