Need help picking a new bass!!

Whenever the "what bass should I buy" question comes up, Fender is always the answer.

 

I would recommend the Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass. I also like the Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass.

It's best to try before you buy. Good luck!

 

Try a fender standard Jazz..its within your budget. Or maybe a used American Jazz! Good luck!

 

Whew! At least you didn't add metal to that list.

 

My Korean Lakland Skyline 55-60 is the best bass I've ever owned. I got it off EvilBay for $800 shipped. If you stick to the used market you'll get a VERY good bass for that kind of $.

 

Used:
G&L JB/JB2
Lakland Skyline 44/60 or DJ4
Fender AM STD Jazz
New:
Fender MIM or Am Special Jazz

 

road word fender? they seem to be a love/hate kinda bass.

 

For that range you could order a brand new Carvin B40 in the color you like, with the hardware you like, made from the wood you like. For a little more you could get a quilt top or other options as well. Their build quality is nothing short of superb.

 

Is your modern player for sale?

 

Are you tired of playing your current bass or just tired of its sound? Have you ever had it professionally set up? Have you looked into swapping out the pickups? These might be things to try if you haven't already.

If you are not wedded to the idea of having jazz pickups, in your price range, you might want to look into either a used Stingray or one of the Sterling by Music Man Ray 34 basses, especially one with classic (two band) tone controls. They are pretty flexible basses and can cover a lot of musical territory.

 

Can't go wrong with a standard jazz bass... Or if you're into the P/J setup, the Deluxe Active P Bass is a nice choice. Best of both worlds with an onboard 3-band eq. It'd probably be the most versatile. But if you're doing funk, I'd also recommend to try out some MusicMan Sterlings. MM pickups are awesome when it comes to funk. So try those 3 if you can. I play a standard Jazz and it can do just about any sound fine.

 

Mad Love for the Aerodyne! It may not be as "boomy" as some, but the P/J config lends itself to a lot of versatility.

A more "outside the box" suggestion would be a Blacktop Jazz (doubled Precision pickups). But be warned, it can be super-aggressive, especially with the bridge pickup dialed up. To put it simply, soloing the neck pickup gives a classic P-bass sound, but when you start bringing up the bridge, it really starts to roar quite mightily…very deep with a bit o' bite (which I personally dig!). There are a few threads here and there about it and at least one has a very good sound sample using a pick. Damn fine sustain!

FYI, Fender's doing their "Summer Sonic Boom" sale from now to September 2nd, taking $50 to $100 off certain models.

http://www.fender.com/sonicboom/basses

 

What is it you dislike about the Modern Player? That may help with the recommendations.

 

You're ready for the
REVEREND DECISION!