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what of these basses should i get?

S

shookiedookiema

Mar 27, 2013
66
0
#1
Hi, i've been playing bass for 3 1/2 years now and i feel i need an upgrade. My budget is 750 max, and although i am mainly a metal player, i want something very versatile for stuff like punk and jazz to. Whatever i get i do not want to have to do any major upgrading. I've narrowed my options down to these:
Squier classic vibe jazz bass

Fender classic 50s precision

Squier CV 60s precision

Warwick rockbass corvette

Squier VM precision (either agathis or maple body)

Squier Modified jazz (maple or 1977 agathis body version)

Fender deluxe active p/j bass special

Used Fender mike dirnt precision

Under the following surcumstances which one should i get?
 
#3
Get the bass that you love and play the crap out of it. If it's outside of your price range keep saving.

Asking a bunch of bass players which bass to buy is like asking a roomful of strangers what your preference in woman (or men) is.

Get out there and start dating! Try out a bunch of basses, and don't just buy one because you can afford it right now.
 
#4
Phalex said:
...don't just buy one because you can afford it right now.
Click to expand...

Exactly, the next day you could end up GASing for something completely different or find a better solution to the tone you are seeking. I.E. - I love the feel of Ibanez SRs but the electronics on the cheaper ones suck. Bought an SR305 and will be gutting the electronic for ones better than the stock ones in the more expensive SR's! $580 total will get me a bass FAR better than the SR500 at the bottom of the barrel! Plus my bass will look cheaper so nobody will want to steal it ;)
 
#6
umm.. just noticing that most of those are p-basses. based on that it appears you know what kind of tone you want. so try a few out paying attention to what makes them different in terms of playing.
-neck shape and style (radius/"c" shape/jazz neck on a p body)
-string spacing,
- # of frets (I had a bad experience going for a high F to find out the bass only had a high Eb)
- pick-up placement. closer to neck/bridge.

I like having two pick ups for some versatility so I'm tempted to recommend the p-bass special but those suckers tend to get some brutal humming form the single coil. If you are ok with that then it's not a consideration, but if it bothers you, you might have to do some upgrades to get rid of it.

another thing is they are mostly fenders. you could check out the G&L tributes and the EBMM sterling bass too as they are in your price range.
 
#7
Go out and play them all (preferably through the same amp) and see which one you like best.

Also: what was your first bass? What did you like/not like about it? If you get an idea for your preferences the decision will be easier. For example, I started off on a Squier P Bass, and decided I wasn't a big fan of the neck. My next bass had a Jazz profile, and now I lean more towards thinner neck profiles like that.
 
#8
Go and play as many as you can because ultimately it will be you playing the instrument, not any of us (unfortunately lol) That said I've heard great things about the Squier Matt Freeman Signature P Bass. The one I tried was absolutely stellar but I didn't, and still don't, have the money to spare right now. It's basically a 60's CV precision with a vintage looking tint on maple neck and board. The pickups were good and it sounded great, after all, its a p bass. P basses tend to fit nicely into any genre you can play.

If you don't like the neck, I've heard, but haven't had much experience with, the Fender Classic 70's Precision, the neck is supposed to be thinner. The same thing can be said by the American Special Precision, but are close to your budget and nicely within if you buy used. That being said. Figure out what bass you want regardless of price and save+buy used.
 
#9
Your right. and for the record my 1st bass was (and still is for the moment unfortunatly) a cheap ibanez shortscale bass. What i didn't like about that one mostly had to do with the pickups sounding almost virtually the same, and also i perfer lightly glossed maple necks/fretboards, but i'd settle with a rosewood fretboard (the one the ibanez has). As for your squier bass, i'm guessing it was an affinity series?
 
#13
Oh, and also to JCheung. I do remember trying out a Cv p bass and liking it alot, but all 3 guitar centers i've been to i haven't seen one in almost a year, and i've heard rumors of fender/squiers' inconsistency with quality so i refuse to take any chances by ordering online.
 
#14
Some online stores have great return policies if you get a dud, but I totally understand your reservations about it. How about a Sterling by Musicman Ray34? They are priced close to most MiM Fenders and typically are around $650 new. These basses are assembled off-shore but are all inspected and set up in the States. The ray was the last bass I bought online and arrived with great action, straight neck, almost no set required. I slapped on new strings and was ready to go.
 
#15
Every musicman i tried out i do admit had some good treblly tones, but that was as far as it went for me. I want something that sounds superb with both trebly and low tones alike. The musicman sounded good only really for super trebly demanding music in my opinion
 
#17
shookiedookiema said:
Your right. and for the record my 1st bass was (and still is for the moment unfortunatly) a cheap ibanez shortscale bass. What i didn't like about that one mostly had to do with the pickups sounding almost virtually the same, and also i perfer lightly glossed maple necks/fretboards, but i'd settle with a rosewood fretboard (the one the ibanez has). As for your squier bass, i'm guessing it was an affinity series?
Click to expand...

Ah, a Mikro? You can always try to slap some new pickups in it and see if it improves the sound (which would cost less than $750). If you hate everything about the bass (which it seems like you do) then that's obviously not an option.

Some of the higher quality Ibanez basses (SR500 and up) are apparently really great (I'm searching for one myself). They have active preamps and 3 Band EQs, which is good for shaping your sound. I've never played a Spector, but apparently the Legend (Spector's cheaper model) is good as well.

And my starter bass was an Affinity; not a terrible bass to learn on, but lame in the long run.

Happy bass hunting! :bassist:
 
#18
shookiedookiema said:
thanks for the good advice, and one question what does pickup spacing have to do with the sound? And for the record humming doesn't bother me as long as any buzzing is hardly noticible
Click to expand...

sting spacing has to do with how close the strings are. off the top of my head a p bass has 18mm and a jazz bass has 17mm has nothing really to do with sound just how easy it is to play.

pick up placement is where the pick up is located on the body. close to the fretboard or closer to the bridge produce different tonal qualities. same as where you pluck.
 
#19
i've tried some higher end basses, i agree that they're good, and i can see why you like them because they have a good round blues sound, but the tone just didn't click to my brain. and also i want to stay away from those confusing controls in the wierd configurment patterns.
 

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