What is the most versatile bass under $1000?

[REAPER52]

Jazz Passive gets my vote

 

[johndough247]

As you have probably read here many times, Leo Fender perfected the bass guitar in the 1950s. So yes, decades-old answers to this question will always be relevant. Even factoring for inflation.

/sarcasm

Look, I just see this stuff when I log on, click it, and go "Ow." It's like poking a sore tooth I guess. My biggest complaint with these threads is not really that someone seeks knowledge (that's great), it's that they (naively, not knowingly) set up a divisive situation by asking stuff like, "What's the BEST thing?" (there's no best) or "Do X basses totally rock/totally suck?" (depends on who you are). In this case, "most versatile" is, I'm sorry, a false notion. There is no "most versatile" bass in any category I'm aware of. It's all a spectrum of tradeoffs, the basses that market themselves as extraordinarily versatile seem to have less and less character in my experience, and on the other hand a Precision Bass could be called versatile because it has a very useable tone.

Here's one answer that never loses relevance: "Try before you buy, and try lots." There's really nothing more helpful any of us can say, in my opinion.

I get what you're saying...but you just answered his question with the p-bass comparison...and I don't think the point of these threads are to definitely name a "best" whatever (as u said, we know it doesn't exist, just like there's no "sexiest girl" alive, but there is the "girl that is sexiest to most people who happen to be around when asked in a poll" alive )

I believe the point is more or less to find out what other people are using, what works for them...and in doing so, gain a small idea of how others objectively hear music by determining why it works for them. All i'm saying is don't take these threads so seriously, some might say the P-bass's tone sucks and therefore has no 'useable' tone...and as a result, is not versatile at all in their opinion. So by "most versatile" i think it means "can stand on its own two feet (no external EQ, effects) and hang with most stereotypical genres without those in the know raising an eyebrow after hearing it"...as such, the P and the J is versatile, but partly IMO because we've been hearing P's and J's for 50+ years ...It's like how some of us believe our mother is/was the best cook ever...some times it's true, other times it's conditioning...most times it's hard to tell which one.

And while I understand the "try before you buy" theory, in practice this is either A) next to impossible to most or B) freakishly expensive...I mean, how many of us have the access/money to take a bass home (without paying), do a couple recording sessions/live gigs in various genres, come back to the store a month later and say "hmmm not meaty enough for country...can I try that P over there instead?"

/sarcasm

As always, IMO, IME, etc

 

[Mark4]

P/J

 

[willsellout]

+1 on the L-2000 - amazing range of tones from that bass.

For under 1K, the tribute L2K is the most versatile bass available. There is no other answer.

 

[funk generator]

used skyline 55-02