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Recommendations for a versatile bass

WarriorJoe7

WarriorJoe7

Inactive
Mar 12, 2004
6,316
95
Syracuse, NY
www.myspace.com
#1
Edit: To be clear, I would prefer recommendations on a bass you can go out and buy new from a store, I didn't ay this initially but that rules out the t-40, some other out of production models, and custom basses. When I mentioned custom basses for versatility he shook his head no.

OK so I have this professor who asked me about this and I would know what to recommend for certain styles but I couldn't really think of a bass for a wide variety. He said he wants to keep it under $2000 and not be a custom.

For instance I would have reccomended the following:

Hard Rock/Metal: Warwick, Stingray
Pop Rock: Fender, G&L
Classic Rock: Fender, Rickenbacker, Stingray
Jazz: a fretless fender bass
Folk: a Hollowbody bass
etc.

He was asking about Hofner but I said based on my experience with Violin basses this would be fine for simpler classic rock and maybe jazz but might get lost in any heavier modern rock. It is also not very versatile from my experience with a violin bass.

The only thing I could come up with when he asked me is an American Fender Jazz bass because it would be among the most commonly used bass for recording (other than a p bass which is less versatile.)

So I am seeing if anyone has any better reccomendation for $1200 or less than an American Jazz bass.

Actually, I just thought of this, but I am thinking of recommending a G&L Tribute model which runs around $500 new or If he is interested I could sell him a like new USA G&L for around $700 if he was interested. I since acquired an older beat up G&L so the new one doesn't get played. A few years ago I would have said G&L is probably the most versatile for a decent amount of money but let's here your take with all the recent developments. There is probably something really versatile that I don't know about yet.

I also referred him to this forum to do searches on any specific instruments. Hopefully his sone will come and join us once he gets into playing.

Thanks,
Joe
 
#5
SirCanealot said:
Replace all of the above with Musicman Bongo? :D

Just remember to wear a paper bag over your head so your friends don't know it's you playing the bass that looks like the crapper :hiding:
Click to expand...

well 2 things. This is a serious question and I was hoping for a serious answer, not some trite smart*** funny guy answer. and 2nd, the joke about the way a bongo looks is really old and not funny anymore. Go stir up arguments in someone's elses thread and stay out of here.
 
#7
Jim Carr said:
Fender New American Standard Jazz bass: ~$1150.

IMHO it is one of the best instruments Fender has made in a long time.
Click to expand...

Yeah this was my very first reccomendation. I think the G&L might be better as far as versatility though and on par with the quality and basic concept (somewhere between a fender and a stingray.)

I was wondering though if anyone had any other/better ideas.
 
#9
SERPENT865 said:
peavey cirrus
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A fantastic bass but not really that versatile unless you get the millenium preamp put into it. This guy is not a bass player (but he does play guitar.) I don't think he is interested in doing modifications.

But I have a Cirrus and it is fantastic. Also for a beginner I don't know if I would recommend the 35 inch scale either. That extra inch does make a difference. I bought a cirrus as a beginner (given it was fretless) and got rid of it immediately. A few years later I got a fretted.
 

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