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School Bass ($600)

C

casanova2416

Mar 25, 2008
30
0
#1
My high school has a VERY strong music program. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you view it) I'm the only electric bassist who's in the program, so they don't have an electric bass (at least one they'll show to me). I've been kind enough to bring my own gear to school (safely locked up) for the past three years, but eventually they got nervous about all of it, and finally budgeted $600 towards an electric bass. Anybody have any suggestions? I've directed them towards SX (getting a jazz and a p), and then modding them and getting them set up, but I was wondering if there were any other better options.

thanks,
 
#3
For $600 you can do better than modding an SX, friend.

If it's up to you to pick one out or recommend an instrument to them, you should go to your local music store and play. There are so many good basses in that price range that it would do you better to find one you like than get a hundred suggestions of good basses for that amount of money.

If it's 600 for a bass and an amplifier, that's a different story.
 
#7
i am also the sole bassist at my school... it rotates whenever someone graduates... i'm lucky enough to have had the spot for 2-3 years...

the bass there is the schools... MIM fender jazz that i put a BAII and some DRs on and took it to a friend to get set up... it works very nice for what its used for.

but definitely go somewhere and check out what you can find
 
#11
fenderhutz said:
Find a local dealer offering a school discount and get a decent setup locally since this will probably be a purchase order type situation. If they give you a GOOD discount just thank them at performances and in the yearbook.

Local dealers are suckers for that stuff and cheap advertisement.
Click to expand...


+1. When I was in high school we had a MIM fender jazz and ampeg BA115 that the music director got from the local music store. He got the stuff at cost and all he did was add a thank you to the bottom of each concert program.
 
#12
there's no amp attached. Last year, they budgeted $600 towards an amp, and got a GK Backline 600 with a goldline 410. It's definitely powerful enough, and the school doesn't need another one.

Is it better to get the LTD rather than buying the stock bass and upgrading it with other purchased part?
 
#14
Id go with the Squier Jazz and a Squier Precision. They are tough, good basses that I think would work fine in a school setting. They would both fall well within the $600 with enough left over for better strings at least. Just my 2 cents for what its worth.
 
#19
+1 on one squier P and one squier J. The VM basses are good and would fall in the price range. Could even string the P with flats and keep rounds on the J depending on what kind of sound the director/player wants. Hell, maybe even get one 4 string P and one 5 string jazz or something; never know when kids might need that low b!

And hardshell cases sound good, because you might take good care of them but some kids in the future might not.

If it's just one bass i'd get a MIM P or J. Look around used though, maybe you can luck out on a MIA fender.
 

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