WHAT BASS I SHOULD GET

[AboutSweetSue]

Shoot, type in jazz bass and start shopping with the filter set to your price range. Squier is mostly a good option and has my vote.

I checked EBay just now and found some Glarrys, Huntington and a few Squiers in your price range...

 

[Jackcrow]

I have 2 Glarrys and they are bit rough around the edges but are perfectly serviceable if you need a bass. $150 is not going to get you much otherwise. I put a little time into my Glarry Jazz and it really turned out nice (I reshaped the neck and dressed the frets, among other things).

 

[bassrique]

An Ibanez Talman TMB100 can be purchased used for ~$150. I have a base model TMB100 and the big brother TMB605.

P bass in forward and J in bridge. The TMB100 is one of the "best kept secrets" of the bass world.

 

[Maxdusty]

I am a high school jazz guitarist and I do a lot of covers and one-man bands. I am planning to buy an electric bass so I can play them on my music covers.

I like the sound of Jaco so I prefer the jazz bass over p bass.

My budget is under 150$. I don't care if the bass is new or used. Any suggestion on which bass I should buy on which website? It will be GREAT if you guys can help me!!

First off, where do you live? Reason why I'm asking is that often dictates what the used market is like in your area. For that budget, you're looking at a used bass unless you want to take a chance on a Glarry on Ebay that may likely require a little bit of work to get it up to par. I probably wouldn't recommend it unless you're comfortable with doing set ups on your own and perhaps modifying the bass with replacement parts, that all adds to the cost.
What I do recommend is checking the used market in your area, FB Marketplace, Craigslist and even pawn shops (don't overlook them, with a little bit of negotiating, you can get a pretty decent bass for that little money).
I just got this bass two days ago for exactly $150 at a pawn shop in my area and as you can see, it's in pretty much close to mint condition - it's a Yamaha TRBX304.

So it's a little bit of luck, a little bit of where you live and what stores stock in your area. There's a lot of junk out there, but also some gems, it's being able to recognize the decent ones from the crap that's going to be the key, so knowing what to watch out for in terms of condition and warning signs (bowed neck, damage to body, defective electronics) comes with looking at used instruments. In my area, it seems like for every jazz bass you see in the market, you see five P bass style bass, Squier, Fender or clone.
Some brands of used jazz basses to keep an eye out for and are generally within your price range
Jazz bass style (2 single coils)...Squier Affinity, Peavey Millenium, Lotus, Samick Fairlane.

PJ basses (not going to sound like a true Jazz bass, but with more versatility than a P Bass): Ibanez Talman TMB100, Ibanez GIO GSR190, Squier Affinity PJ, Yamaha RBX, 170, 174,

 

[nilorius]

Try to look for some used Squire.

 

[Edward Davis]

I have a fender, a guild and some others. I bought a $79 Glarry Jazz to mess around with and was surprised by the fact the neck was straight, good action and passable pickups. Fit and finish was not bad. The chord jack was loose and had too much play but that is fixable with a screw driver. You could buy one of them, and have $70 left....... maybe update the strings down the road and look for used pickups ....there are used fender jazz pickups online for $25. I have owned some expensive basses and I like the Squire Classic Vibes. Mark on talking bass has axes worth thousands and he uses a Squire CV 5 string bass and describes them as "tremendous value." If you can get up to $229 you can get the Squire Affinity. I know a lot of HS kids who own them. I'd buy it from a shop so if there is a quality control issue you have fall back.

 

[Spectre Gunner]

You mention you the Jaco sound. Are you aware that while Jaco did in fact use a Jazz, mostly played near the bridge and played a fretless Jazz bass?

I bought a used Affinity that was already de-fretted for $80 from my local guitar store (Replay in Tampa, Fl). I put about $400 into upgrades to include all new electronics, pickups, luthier neck reconditioning, setup and relocated the side markers. It is now a fine bass and I likely won't recoup my expenses but that was never my intent. But for $80 it was actually a pretty decent bass to begin with.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

You need a Fodera Imperial or at the very least a Master built Fender Custom Shop! Of course, that is if you can’t find a pristine 1960 Fender Jazz bass in a custom color and all original components. And also one that is fretless!

 

[elberon]

If you're patient and check craigslist in your area (and be ready to drive a little) you can find something decent enough to fill your needs. Keep an eye out for basses selling in the $200 range and then offer $150 and see what the person says. Be nice and prepare to wait for something to pop up and then jump on it. I'd advise you differently if you were a bass player first though.

 

[elberon]

Oh, also check shopgoodwill online, I've seen basses go for less than $100 because of no, or few bids. You'd be taking a little risk but for $150 that comes with the territory. Pawn shops are also an option obviously. I picked up a Japanese Fender precision a few years ago for $100. When plugged in at the store in it didn't work, took it home and reversed the pickup magnets and hello, problem solved.

 

[red_rhino]

In that price range, there is NO contest. Ibanez GSR PJ.

ABSOLUTELY!!!

My wife has a GSR200 (passive) that she bought before we met. She lets me play it (because I think that was in the marriage vows somewhere; at least I'm pretty sure the phrase "to have and to hold" referred to her bass ).

This thing kills, and holds its own alongside my much more expensive basses. I would proudly rock that bass on any gig, and I never hesitate to recommend them. No knock against Squier, Glarry, or any of the others mentioned, but don't overlook Ibanez, that model in particular.

 

[eddododo]

ABSOLUTELY!!!

My wife has a GSR200 (passive) that she bought before we met. She lets me play it (because I think that was in the marriage vows somewhere; at least I'm pretty sure the phrase "to have and to hold" referred to her bass ).

This thing kills, and holds its own alongside my much more expensive basses. I would proudly rock that bass on any gig, and I never hesitate to recommend them. No knock against Squier, Glarry, or any of the others mentioned, but don't overlook Ibanez, that model in particular.

See, you know what I mean!
Like I said, the only thing I dislike about them is that the looks are extremely plain , and it’s generically a ‘modern’ look, as opposed to something more fender’y or old school.. There’s a pretty good thread in the luthier’s corner where somebody, among other things, adds a pickguard that really classes up the look.

 

[B-Mac]

Is it free shipping? and do u get the full refund when you return the bass?

They charge shipping on used basses sent to your address.

They charge much less shipping ($20) if it is sent to a Guitar Center near you where you can go and pick it up in person.

What is nice about doing this is that you can open the box at the store and look it over. If it’s damaged or not as described you can get your refund right then and there.

I’ve purchased several basses from GC this way as the office where I work is 10 minutes away. Of course this doesn’t help you if you don’t have a GC nearby.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

I like the sound of Jaco so I prefer the jazz bass over p bass.

Aside from tone being in the fingers, much of Jaco's comes from the fretless. However, I would also suggest the Squier VM Jazz for what you seem to be going for -- far better than an Affinity, and you can find a used one for much less than a Classic Vibe and still get all of the quality.

 

[red_rhino]

See, you know what I mean!
Like I said, the only thing I dislike about them is that the looks are extremely plain , and it’s generically a ‘modern’ look, as opposed to something more fender’y or old school.. There’s a pretty good thread in the luthier’s corner where somebody, among other things, adds a pickguard that really classes up the look.

Thanks, I'll go see if I can find that. Otherwise, I like its more modern profile. It's definitely not old school, but neither is the sound. I have a set of Fender med gauge rounds on it (nickel or steel, can't remember), and I tend to favor the bridge pickup slightly. Thru my LA-1A it sounds like Iron Man punching you in the gut! Great passive tone, and does a very persuasive rock P-bass sound with the neck pickup solo'd.

 

[Aceman]

I'm gonna say hold out/save up for the cheapest Squire Vintage Mod Jazz bass you can find.

 

[BarfanyShart]

A lot of people here like the Squire Jazz bass. Any Ibanez model you can find in your price range with a P/J setup will also serve you well. A new Mikro is $200, and would be pretty fun for a guitar player, being very short scale. I would avoid any Chinese bass listing for under $100, as tempting as that is ...

 

[LeFunk Machine]

A Fender Precision or Jazz bass guitar

 

[ejaggers]

You mention you the Jaco sound. Are you aware that while Jaco did in fact use a Jazz, mostly played near the bridge and played a fretless Jazz bass?

I bought a used Affinity that was already de-fretted for $80 from my local guitar store (Replay in Tampa, Fl). I put about $400 into upgrades to include all new electronics, pickups, luthier neck reconditioning, setup and relocated the side markers. It is now a fine bass and I likely won't recoup my expenses but that was never my intent. But for $80 it was actually a pretty decent bass to begin with.

Gunner,
I agree with you 157.3 per cent!!!
My Affinity P cost $60 and was like new.

I guess dad bought it for his kid who didn't want it.
I modded the Holy-Crap out of it, now it's one of my best playing basses.

I never sell anyway so I not concerned about all the $$$ I threw at it.
Some TBers are down on Affinity, but fortunately I cannot relate......057912

 

[eddododo]

A lot of people here like the Squire Jazz bass. Any Ibanez model you can find in your price range with a P/J setup will also serve you well. A new Mikro is $200, and would be pretty fun for a guitar player, being very short scale. I would avoid any Chinese bass listing for under $100, as tempting as that is ...

As I mentioned briefly in my giant comment, I bought a mikro 5er for a project- the project was a high tuned ‘alto’ bass, but I WILL SAY that the low-B on the instrument before I I frankensteined it was really surprisingly fat and usable, and like most short scales, all of the low notes in general had this punchy fatness and a great sounding roundness.