I'm a seasoned (IE - OLD) professional bass player and I gig at least 3 weekends a month and have been for YEARS. I've owned everything from Ibanez to American Fenders, to American G&Ls to German Warwick to Modulus to Alembic. I've owned all the "status" basses and now I've decided there's more "status" in good bang for the buck instruments. IMO the best bang for the buck quality instruments out there right now are Sterling by Musicman basses and Carvin basses. SBMM basses are so close in sound, look and quality to the American EBMM basses it's silly. One of my main gigging basses right now is a SBMM Ray34 that i bought used but like new for $399 from the Guitar Center and I JUST ordered a used SBMM Ray35 from the GC for $499. IMO these are AMAZING basses for the money, almost like buying an American Musicman but at a fraction of the price. Also you can get a Carvin bass used for low money, perhaps a little more than the used SBMM basses. Those are amazing instruments for the money too, where else can you order a CUSTOM AMERICAN made instrument for not much over a grand? Used they are cheap, I don't know why but it makes them a great used value. So i highlt recommend both brands, as a matter of fact when my recently ordered SBMM Ray35 comes in I'll own two of them and two Carvins. So i put my money where my OPINION is.
), thanks!
