Need a Punk Rock bass!

[MMatFoCBass]

P-Bass played with a plectrum,

Tube Pre-Amp/Solid State head on top of a 4x12 Cab; Gallien-Krueger Cabs are sweet.

Depending on the band's guitar sound, it will really shape how you want your tone; guitarists don't always like to change how THEY play for YOUR tone.

You'll want to get a decent bass before going for a rig.

Don't just go with the P-Bass because other people/me tell you to, you'll want your decision in the instrument. How you feel playing the bass in terms of comfortability and feel playing on the neck will determine what's best for you.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Whatever bass you have is the bass for punk.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Having seen punk happen (yes, it 'happened') in London in 1976, the music was an offshoot of the movement - not the other way around. Punks played whatever bass they could beg, borrow, or steal. It didn't matter what it was.

Play what you have. Make it yours.

 

[BassmanM]

 

[lolmont]

P bass
Stingray
SG bass

 

[Scottkarch]

I vote for a thunderbird. Epiphones are very reasonable. I think the look would fit the classic punk look. To me it has an attitude. Partly because its a relatively unique shape. I like the the tobacco sunburst better than all black for a classic look.

 

[billiam5billion]

I think you're over-budgeted. Get a Hondo P copy for 50 bucks and you'll have enough left over for a crappy 80's Peavey combo. Don't forget to take off the Peavey logo and turn it upside-down.

 

[JohnnyChatter]

I have owned most of the basses mentioned. I actually still own a few. Stingrays sound great. The necks kill me. Epipone t-birds do not have enough bite but do have good low end. Fat Mike plays Danelectro. I owned a longhorn and loved it for what it was but meh. Rics are amazing.... But not what i would settle on. I dont understand the need to stay away from fender. Personally when playing punk i have my old mim jazz which is nice... But my two aerodynes get the job done great. If you really dont want a fender look at some old ibanez fender rip off basses. Great bang for the buck and wow do they sound amazing. Honestly a good amp and a good cab is more important. I dont play ampeg now but honestly a decent fender style bass and an ampeg full stack is what most punk bands use.

 

[Stevorebob]

Anything. If you think about it too much it aint punk.

Says it all.

 

[Joe Nerve]

The idea that you're searching for a "punk" bass immediately makes any bass you get NOT a "punk" bass. If you don't or can't understand that, then you need to educate yourself a little more on punk. Use whatever bass you want and stop caring what anyone else thinks about it. That's the bass for punk.

 

[Fresh Eddie]

I cant help but wonder how much time Dee Dee Ramone or Sid Vicious put in to making sure they had just the right "punk" bass.

Everything I ever read about Dee Dee's gear preference mentioned it didn't matter what P-bass he played as long as he could get a hold of the kind of pickguard he liked. The "red ones" if I remember correctly? (Tort? Although I have seen pics of him with black quite often, too.)

Sid wanted a bass like Dee Dee's. Hahaha.

In response to the original question, go to Craigslist and search for bass... call up whatever grabs your attention and you can afford. I do agree that nothing cuts like a Stingray or a P-bass, though!

 

[mpdd]

i always played any bass and amp that was cheap at the time(early 90s)
gibson grabber and a vox clubman as a backup
sunn 2000s through a marshall ibs 115

 

[Tooned]

P=Punk Bass

Yup. P is for for punk.

But seriously, anything is good as long as you can be heard over the noisy vocals, guitar and drummer.

 

[MoeTown1986]

this thread is awesome! i'm gonna go ahead and agree that any bass will work for punk. But, most of my favorite punk bassists use P's or stingrays.

 

[mpdd]

exactly, more recently a highway one p and an sb-2, but those weren't options in college

 

[Mark Nye]

I already know that a lot of people would say, buy a Fender P Bass...

Yep. And there's a reason for that.

As an aside, nothing is less punk than trying to be punk. Just get whatever you can afford/beg/borrow/steal that YOU like and eff all the rest.

 

[Gasman]

The idea that you're searching for a "punk" bass immediately makes any bass you get NOT a "punk" bass. If you don't or can't understand that, then you need to educate yourself a little more on punk. Use whatever bass you want and stop caring what anyone else thinks about it. That's the bass for punk.

I agree. Go to your closest guitar store, pick up a couple that are in your price range and look good to you. Play each one, and the one that sounds best to YOU is your bass.

 

[tomydacat]

look into SCHECTER MODEL T's great for PUNK and ROCK

 

[Bassbubble11]

Any bass can be used for punk. The fact that you need
to ask makes you very un-punk. Just sayin'

 

[xUptheIronsx]

Anything. If you think about it too much it aint punk.

that's the first thing I thought....

...but, there is a difference between "dumb" punk, and "smart" punk. A smart punk will find something that will stretch the small budget. Something that will make it so that when you spend the little money you have, it will stand the test of time...hence, the many P-bass references.