I finally found a perfect bass for me. As the beginner, I spent 4 months searching for a good bass, that would combine a good price ($200-$300) and good sounds and COMFORT of playing.
Why I say comfort? Beginners like me, we lack precise control of our fingers with fretting hand. Most of us. Playing Iron Maiden Gallop with picking hand is fairly easy. Even with 3 fingers on right hand. Playing the solo from "The Trooper" or the famous repeating trioles in "Children of the grave" is much harder. Hence minor things, that would make NO difference to people like my dad, who been playing jazz fro 30+ years. Make HUGE difference to me. My dad - he can play on the broom and make it sound good. To me, minor differences in the way guitar is made and set up - make a whole difference between actually PLAYING the part or messing it up. Same day, two different guitars. On one guitar - 15 times out of 15. On another guitar, same day, same tune - 10 times out of 15. Yes, makes difference. And so, here is the list of guitars I tried and my opinion on them, as the BEGINNER.
1. Jackson JS3. This guitar scores an A+ in comfort. Very flat fretboard and VERY nice neck. It has decent sounds, and if you can get one that actually works - you need to look no further. The two I got had warped neck or messed up graphic equalizier. I gave up on JS3, though I LOVED how comfy it is.
2. Jackson C4A. I can say same thing as JS3. Very little difference between them. C4A that I tried had problems with bridge pickup (It was just not working all the time).
3. Schecter Omen. While I liked the neck, the pickups on it are VERY hot. It is NOT a forgiving guitar. It will show you EACH AND EVERY mistake you make, very helpful and VERY frustrating.
4. IBanez SR300. It is decent in comfort. It is no Jackson, but it is okay. The pickups are more forgiving than Omen, however, it sounds... too electronic. It sounds like a keyboard which is set to play a "distortion bass guitar".
5. Epiphone Thunderbird. This surprised the hell out of me. Easily as comfy as Jackson JS3. Sounds almost as good. Only 21 frets though. However if you are not 6'3" and 250 lbs by all means pick it up.
6. Fender Dimension bass. GREAT SOUNDING BASS in the whole set. Outside of my price range, but, by all means, if you can afford it - GET IT. You will NOT regret it.
7. ESP LTD B-304. This is a superb sounding bass. Has a nice growl, easily a match for Fender Dimension sound wise. Those EMG HZ pickups do make HUGE difference., However, the fretboard has quite a curve in it. Making "barre" (when you press 2+ strings on same fret with same finger" very not easy to play. For someone advanced it would NOT make a problem, for beginner like me - every little thing counts.
8. Squier Jaguar Modified. Another nice bass. Better than Thunderbird, still only 21 frets. Comfy and nice sounding.
9. Another UTTER SURPRISE. Mitchel MB300 Rockbass. Very good sound, very comfortable neck. Easily a match for Jackson JS3 in comfort and cheaper by about $80. Basically, this is a TIE for my first choice for a beginner bass. I tried it AFTER I bought the bass which became my choice. Otherwise I would have picked MB300 as my best beginner bass (NEW).
10. Squire Dimension. Not bad. But, about as good as Thunderbird. I however, like to rest my thumb on a pickup and move from bridge to neck pick ups. Can't do it if there is only one pick up
11. Sterling Ray 4. Not really bad. But not at the level of Epiphone Thunderbird or Squier Dimension.
12. SUPER IMPRESSIVE. Washburn XB800. Those STATUS pickups are something. VERY flat fretboard. Nice slim neck. Very precise and responsive. Basically a top pick. To call it "incredible" is to say nothing.
13. Specter Performer. Very comfy. Jackson/Mitchel comfy. However the one I tried sounded very very dull.
14. Winner and the Bass that became my CHOICE bass: PEAVEY GRIND. I got one for $200 in near mint condition. It is EASILY as comfortable as Jackson and Mitchell. Has very very good sound, very precise. A little bit of growl, just enough so you can play either Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath or King diamond. Because it is PASSIVE it is not as "bright" as active basses. However, nothing that a $100 pre-amp or cranking up volume of your amp wont fix. It lacks comprehensive GE, but you got one on your amp. As I said, Washburn XB800 is a tie, but it was $100 more.
15 P.S. weird surprise. Some obscure little bass named RED ROCK Montrose 200. VERY decent sounding bass, very very very comfy.
So, in the end. If you want a new bass: get Mitchel 300, JACKSON JS3 (if you can get one that works). Tier 2 new are Squier Dimension, Squier Jaguar Modified and Epiphone Thunderbird. If you want a used one - get Peavey Grind of Washburn XB800.
This has been the results of MY search. And I am writing from the point of view of the BEGINNER. Your may not agree with my choices. There are many bass guitars I did not find used. I would LOVE to try them:
ESP LTD B204
ESP LTD B154
WAshburn T24
Washburn T12
Washburn XB400
Washburn XB120
Peavey Cirrus
Peavey FURY
Rockbass Corvette
ESP D-4
Why I say comfort? Beginners like me, we lack precise control of our fingers with fretting hand. Most of us. Playing Iron Maiden Gallop with picking hand is fairly easy. Even with 3 fingers on right hand. Playing the solo from "The Trooper" or the famous repeating trioles in "Children of the grave" is much harder. Hence minor things, that would make NO difference to people like my dad, who been playing jazz fro 30+ years. Make HUGE difference to me. My dad - he can play on the broom and make it sound good. To me, minor differences in the way guitar is made and set up - make a whole difference between actually PLAYING the part or messing it up. Same day, two different guitars. On one guitar - 15 times out of 15. On another guitar, same day, same tune - 10 times out of 15. Yes, makes difference. And so, here is the list of guitars I tried and my opinion on them, as the BEGINNER.
1. Jackson JS3. This guitar scores an A+ in comfort. Very flat fretboard and VERY nice neck. It has decent sounds, and if you can get one that actually works - you need to look no further. The two I got had warped neck or messed up graphic equalizier. I gave up on JS3, though I LOVED how comfy it is.
2. Jackson C4A. I can say same thing as JS3. Very little difference between them. C4A that I tried had problems with bridge pickup (It was just not working all the time).
3. Schecter Omen. While I liked the neck, the pickups on it are VERY hot. It is NOT a forgiving guitar. It will show you EACH AND EVERY mistake you make, very helpful and VERY frustrating.
4. IBanez SR300. It is decent in comfort. It is no Jackson, but it is okay. The pickups are more forgiving than Omen, however, it sounds... too electronic. It sounds like a keyboard which is set to play a "distortion bass guitar".
5. Epiphone Thunderbird. This surprised the hell out of me. Easily as comfy as Jackson JS3. Sounds almost as good. Only 21 frets though. However if you are not 6'3" and 250 lbs by all means pick it up.
6. Fender Dimension bass. GREAT SOUNDING BASS in the whole set. Outside of my price range, but, by all means, if you can afford it - GET IT. You will NOT regret it.
7. ESP LTD B-304. This is a superb sounding bass. Has a nice growl, easily a match for Fender Dimension sound wise. Those EMG HZ pickups do make HUGE difference., However, the fretboard has quite a curve in it. Making "barre" (when you press 2+ strings on same fret with same finger" very not easy to play. For someone advanced it would NOT make a problem, for beginner like me - every little thing counts.
8. Squier Jaguar Modified. Another nice bass. Better than Thunderbird, still only 21 frets. Comfy and nice sounding.
9. Another UTTER SURPRISE. Mitchel MB300 Rockbass. Very good sound, very comfortable neck. Easily a match for Jackson JS3 in comfort and cheaper by about $80. Basically, this is a TIE for my first choice for a beginner bass. I tried it AFTER I bought the bass which became my choice. Otherwise I would have picked MB300 as my best beginner bass (NEW).
10. Squire Dimension. Not bad. But, about as good as Thunderbird. I however, like to rest my thumb on a pickup and move from bridge to neck pick ups. Can't do it if there is only one pick up
11. Sterling Ray 4. Not really bad. But not at the level of Epiphone Thunderbird or Squier Dimension.
12. SUPER IMPRESSIVE. Washburn XB800. Those STATUS pickups are something. VERY flat fretboard. Nice slim neck. Very precise and responsive. Basically a top pick. To call it "incredible" is to say nothing.
13. Specter Performer. Very comfy. Jackson/Mitchel comfy. However the one I tried sounded very very dull.
14. Winner and the Bass that became my CHOICE bass: PEAVEY GRIND. I got one for $200 in near mint condition. It is EASILY as comfortable as Jackson and Mitchell. Has very very good sound, very precise. A little bit of growl, just enough so you can play either Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath or King diamond. Because it is PASSIVE it is not as "bright" as active basses. However, nothing that a $100 pre-amp or cranking up volume of your amp wont fix. It lacks comprehensive GE, but you got one on your amp. As I said, Washburn XB800 is a tie, but it was $100 more.
15 P.S. weird surprise. Some obscure little bass named RED ROCK Montrose 200. VERY decent sounding bass, very very very comfy.
So, in the end. If you want a new bass: get Mitchel 300, JACKSON JS3 (if you can get one that works). Tier 2 new are Squier Dimension, Squier Jaguar Modified and Epiphone Thunderbird. If you want a used one - get Peavey Grind of Washburn XB800.
This has been the results of MY search. And I am writing from the point of view of the BEGINNER. Your may not agree with my choices. There are many bass guitars I did not find used. I would LOVE to try them:
ESP LTD B204
ESP LTD B154
WAshburn T24
Washburn T12
Washburn XB400
Washburn XB120
Peavey Cirrus
Peavey FURY
Rockbass Corvette
ESP D-4
