Best Cheap Electric Bass

[emulatorloo]

I'm looking for a bass to record w at home. I'll go direct to my mixer, or use one of those amp simulator thingys.

My main instrument is keyboard. I can play guitar too. I have a Mexican strat I am real happy with, a danelectro for surf tunes, and a Dearmond M-75 which I like too. This is my first time picking up the bass though.

I got to play a Fender Deluxe Precision Bass Special today - was it ever nice! Active electronics, cool controls, real clean. But maybe too rich for my blood.

As seen here at Musicians Fiend:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=bass/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/515201/

Maybe a regular Fender Standard P bass would do the trick for me.

OTOH how horrible is this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=bass/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/516001/

User reviews seem decent. . . .what do you think?

Or am I missing another brand model I ought to look at. . .(I have a prejudice against squire)

Thanks in advance for all advice.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. My Friend Has The Mexican P-Bass

It's outstanding. Quite a lot of gain and a nice round sound. I use a 5 string Jazz, with Vintage Noiseless pickups. It's not as high gain, compared to my friend's P-Bass. I think he only paid about $360 for it, and it only a couple years back.

Washburn also makes some affordable basses. They look nice, but i'm ignorant of how they sound.

If you want to go really cheap, the Squire series of basses are pretty good. They won't last forever, but we've set another friend's up and it hasn't lost intonation and the action has been stable for at least 2 years. I think he only paid about $180, new.

Hope some of this helps.
The Professor

[emulatorloo]

2. THnx - the Mexican P-bass did sound and feel good . . . today I tried

an Epiphone Hofner copy at another store. . . I felt really comfortable with it - and strangely it was much easier for me to play than the P-bass I tried yesterday.

However still more than I want to spend (just under 600), but I am seeing good user reviews of the Rogue Hofner copy, which seems to go for around 250-300 User Reviews here:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Bass/Data4/Rogue/VB100-Violin-Bass-01.html

[Jamastiene]

4. Fender Mexican Standard P-Bass

I'm a guitarist primarily, but I have a Fender Precision (Mexican Standard) to goof off with every now and again. It's a good one. Even if I decided to switch to bass, I'd just get the same thing in a different color as a backup.

[XNASA]

3. I just bought a bass today for doing the same thing.

Ibanez SR300DX

Active EQ, perfect workmanship, thin neck, sounds fantastic. About $279

Thank you, BatBoy!!!!

BTW, I would highly recommend this model.

[emulatorloo]

5. I played that one today! It puts out some pretty sweet tones

and there was a lot of variety in the sounds you could get. . .thanks for recommending. It is now on my list, and I wouldn't have tried it w/o you posting about it.

[toddzilla]

6. don't get the rogue..

it's complete crap.

[emulatorloo]

7. How about the Turser Hofner Copy -- that's what I'm looking at now

Have you heard anything about it or played it

Seems as if people really like it. . .consistently good reviews on the net. Some reviews say it is better than Epiphone Hofner copy which I got to play and loved.

HC reviews:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Bass/Data4/Jay_Turser/JTB_2B_Violin_Beatle_Bass-01.html

Jay Turser Web Page for JTB2B

http://www.jayturser.com/bass-guitars1.htm