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need 'bar bass'

#21
Fair Warning said:
Cant go wrong with the MIM Fender Basses.
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Absatootly. As previously noted, a pre-owned ‘50s Classic P or Standard P can be had rather inexpensively. Or a Squier CV will do the trick, too. Lots of great choices out there that won’t have you crying inconsolably should it disappear unexpectedly. (Plus you can easily install a hidden “zap” switch to charge the strings at 120v AC during breaks. Helps to reduce the risk of theft. But you didn’t hear that from me.)
 
#22
I have, I think a Classic Vibe Squier P-bass??

looks like a '51 or '52, Tele-style sunburst with a 'humbucker style' p/u in neck position...

and it's simply amazing. It's a fabulous instrument for the $$.

EDIT : not trying to hawk my stuff, but I do have a super nice modded MIM J-bass for sale in Classifieds.

DOUBLE EDIT : It's NOT a 'Classic Vibe', but a 'Vintage Modified' - this one :

Link Removed

Mine plays and sounds amazing, that pickup is boobies.
for $300, you can't beat it.
 
#23
+1 to the Peavey suggestion.

Other than Peavey's I would strongly suggest looking at used off-brands such as Hondo, Galveston, or SX if you can actually play one and find a neck that FEELS LIKE your old Fenders. Any of the above can be had for low $ and you won't have to worry about it getting "borrowed" or beat up.

Example: my main bass is a FAME/Hondo that came with a factory Kahler, Seymour Duncans(previous owner), and internal shielding(previous owner). Bought it for about $250. It is beat to heck but plays great and sounds great AND all Hondos of that era/design(P-clone) have the same necks so I bought a couple more Hondo P-clones for about $100 each for spares. They have 80's Dimarzio P pickups from the factory.

PS: also in my 50's and down-sized a lot of older basses prior to 2005(son goes to college funding). I also could not imagine bringing a 63 Gibson T-Bird(sold) to an unknown club gig. Cheapos and beaters can be made to work just fine.
 
#25
Lots of good suggestions here. Whatever you do I would not bring 60's basses to a bar. They now run anywhere between $5 to $15K depending on condition so that a lot of money at risk. Here is another angle, you should be able to find a late 70's early 80's bass made in Japan from some of the Japanese brands (Yamaha, Westone, Ibanez) would be on the top of my list. These instruments often have quality wood that is now aged and just need a good pickup to become these ferocious tone machines. On the plus side since you're used to older wood, you should feel pretty at ease with such instrument. Ad a good P pickup (Lollar, Aguilar, Fralin, Seymour Duncan...) and for a total of $300 to $400 you have a great bass nobody will steal and that can take a beer splash.
 
#26
I'd look for a used Classic '50s P. You should be able to get one for $500.00. Made in Mexico, but a good, quality workhorse bass with great tone. A used Roadworn would also be excellent, but would probably cost a bit more than the Classic '50s.
 
#28
Get a relic'd P-bass. No worries about dings, the look of your '64, and not as valuable. Better yet, get a recent used one and relic it yourself. I don't care for relic'd basses - I think they're for posers, but since your would be substituting for the real thing that you own, I wouldn't lose any respect for you.
 
#30
1stnamebassist said:
The current Squiers that I have played sounded and played great and the build quality is excellent. Its not like the squiers from the past. I'll be picking up my new VM Telecaster bass special tomorrow, which is worth looking at also. Plays like butter and sounds killer!
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my Squier VM P-bass has been a fabulous bass, and I doubt I will ever part with it.

it's a player, man.

here's a terrible pic of me, but the bass looks good so...

(taken around 18 mo. ago)
 

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#33
Disclaimer- the small shop at which I work for hourly while in school sells Squier.

I play the cv's and vm's every minute that I'm not dealing with customers or doing tech work. I won't say that they compare to my Fender Jazz (out of pride really), but gosh do they feel close to some of the 60's/70's attic-finds I've come across over the years, and really, for the bar, they sound better than good enough. My money, Squier over any Fender for dives. Why? A thief is going to be a thief, thiefs go to bars, I'd rather be out $300-400 than $500-1K when the inevitable happens. And hell, maybe you're lucky and the night(s) you share a room with a thief, it happens to be a smart+lazy thief who checks that little sticker first and decides not to bother. Hooray, no money lost!
 
#35
Vintagefiend said:
my Squier VM P-bass has been a fabulous bass, and I doubt I will ever part with it.

it's a player, man.

here's a terrible pic of me, but the bass looks good so...

(taken around 18 mo. ago)
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Oh man! I didn't know they were even making those! The boss tells me nothing, and I have better things to do than look at fender's site. I love it! I have a feeling it would work better than my eb for what I'm using it for. Any idea if a darkstar pup would settle in in there, or if it is a unique to the bass pup?
 
#36
MattZilla said:
Oh man! I didn't know they were even making those! The boss tells me nothing, and I have better things to do than look at fender's site. I love it! I have a feeling it would work better than my eb for what I'm using it for. Any idea if a darkstar pup would settle in in there, or if it is a unique to the bass pup?
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idk if a DS would fit or not - I love the pickup that's in it. Thick, muddy, super hot output (it's easily louder than any other bass I currently own and have in my possession)

It was going to be a 'stop-gap' until I picked up a new saddle for my T-bird bridge, and I went to Music-Go-Round and traded some random stuff I had laying around for the VM and a Crybaby Bass Wah. Changed the strings, set it up - oh and I slapped some new tuners on it (I pull, tug, and slam the strigs) and called it good.

and I've played over 200 shows with it since.
 
#38
If you are worried about theft, I would get an SX or VM Squier. If you are just worried about dings, the Roadworn.


Munjibunga said:
... I don't care for relic'd basses - I think they're for posers, but since your would be substituting for the real thing that you own, I wouldn't lose any respect for you.
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:rollno: I think that new shiny basses are for posers, I mean they are evidently not being played enough, right? :rollno:

I love how relic haters say the same crap in every thread, even if it really has nothing to do with relics...I don't troll threads that mention boutique basses and explain that I think that some are overpriced coffee tables, but that's just me.
 
#39
Take the '64 and have your guitar player watch your gear while you take a piss. Why own two amazing old basses and not take them to work? Hey, you asked. If it were me I would rock the '64 all night. Of course, I would probably turn down the gig at a bar that sleazy. If they will walk off with your bass during a set break in front of everyone, they will cut you from crotch to chin in the parking lot too. Are you not going to take your internal organs to the gig? Maybe take your Chinese made spare kidney?
 

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