suggestions for cheap J bass?

All instruments that aren't guitars (or bass guitars).
User avatar
øøøøøøø
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 5984
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:26 pm
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by øøøøøøø » Sun Jan 23, 2022 12:28 pm

Just popped for this.

https://reverb.com/item/40711301-fender ... -1999-2002

Shipping was a bit of an expense from Japan, but the price was otherwise right so it kind of offset. I like that it's bog-standard traditional jazz bass vibes. I also like that (based on the serial number) it was made in the Tokai Gakki factory. My P bass is an actual Tokai-branded Tokai (though from the mid-80s) and I like it quite a bit.

I also weirdly like this color of 80s/90s not-quite-LPB that nobody else seems to like. I know this will sound insane but I actually think this garish blue needs a pearloid pickguard (not normally my vibe at all) to complete the look, so I'll kick that around.

User avatar
stevejamsecono
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 4552
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by stevejamsecono » Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:11 pm

MIM Standard J-Bass should more than keep you happy here. I have yet to play any examples from the 90s/early 2000s that weren't perfectly useful instruments. Maybe less cool than a lawsuit copy but for 3-4 times I year I think more than worthwhile.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam

Resident Yamaha Fanboy

COYS

User avatar
øøøøøøø
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 5984
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:26 pm
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by øøøøøøø » Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:25 pm

This one is MIJ, but I suspect it’ll still fit the bill

User avatar
Larry Mal
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 19673
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
Location: Saint Louis, MO

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by Larry Mal » Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:04 pm

This was a good choice.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

User avatar
Scout
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 962
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2020 3:26 pm
Location: Phillyish

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by Scout » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:41 am

I bought a 20 yo Squier JB on a whim and can’t believe how good it is . It was all of $125. With gigbag.

Aside from that you can’t beat a G&L Tribute for value.

User avatar
cestlamort
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 5176
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:01 am
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by cestlamort » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:57 am

stevejamsecono wrote:
Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:11 pm
MIM Standard J-Bass should more than keep you happy here. I have yet to play any examples from the 90s/early 2000s that weren't perfectly useful instruments. Maybe less cool than a lawsuit copy but for 3-4 times I year I think more than worthwhile.
One thing to keep an eye out for is that some of the 90s MIM jazz basses (such as our 1995 one) had non-standard pickup routes (either for two neck pickups or two bridge pickups, I don't remember which). Not a huge deal, but an unexpected surprise when I starting thinking about upgrading the pickups. Fine bass otherwise.

User avatar
hexes
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 793
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 3:59 pm

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by hexes » Fri Feb 04, 2022 9:51 pm

Scout wrote:
Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:41 am
I bought a 20 yo Squier JB on a whim and can’t believe how good it is . It was all of $125. With gigbag.

Aside from that you can’t beat a G&L Tribute for value.
i had a squier bass early on in the 90s that was incredible. i want one of these g&h tribute p basses though. looks like a nice hefty bridge.

User avatar
BTL
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1450
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:24 pm
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by BTL » Fri Feb 04, 2022 10:05 pm

$1,200 MIJ J is not what I'd call "cheap", but it's a ROCK SOLID choice. A G&L bass on SDOTD qualifies as rock solid AND cheap.
Owner, Lowe Custom Guitars

User avatar
øøøøøøø
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 5984
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:26 pm
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by øøøøøøø » Fri Feb 04, 2022 10:56 pm

The one I got was $473.

It still hasn't arrived (slow shipping from Japan right now), but I have some Lollar pickups already waiting to go in it, plus all new electronics (CTS + orange drop) that I've pre-soldered on a cardboard template, ready to slide right in.

Debating whether to get a vintage style bridge with grooved saddles. I probably will.

User avatar
sookwinder
Mods
Mods
Posts: 11179
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by sookwinder » Sun Feb 13, 2022 6:12 am

Plus it has a neck plate ;)
relaxing alternative to doing actual work ...

User avatar
øøøøøøø
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 5984
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:26 pm
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by øøøøøøø » Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:58 am

Shipping delays from Japan mean that I still don’t have this bass in my hands.

An upcoming tour means it’ll probably be a couple more weeks at best

User avatar
Arthon
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1839
Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 2:33 pm
Location: Montréal, Québec

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by Arthon » Thu Feb 17, 2022 9:18 am

stevejamsecono wrote:
Sun Jan 23, 2022 4:11 pm
MIM Standard J-Bass should more than keep you happy here. I have yet to play any examples from the 90s/early 2000s that weren't perfectly useful instruments. Maybe less cool than a lawsuit copy but for 3-4 times I year I think more than worthwhile.
Exactly my thoughts. The Standard/Player series are so underated, especially for Strat/Tele/PBass/JBass.
The Blues Cartographer
(sorry for the spelling, I speak french)

User avatar
øøøøøøø
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 5984
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:26 pm
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by øøøøøøø » Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:03 pm

90s MIM basses aren’t exactly as cheap as they once were.

Still waiting on my purchase to leave Japan…

User avatar
MattK
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3569
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:51 pm
Location: Hobart, Australia

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by MattK » Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:58 pm

I'm loving the SX Vintage Series I bought used a few weeks back. Plays great, sounds great, well made, no apology needed. Looks pretty good too.
Image
They're $350 brand new but I paid a fair bit less http://www.sx-guitar.com/index.php/Prod ... /25/id/284

User avatar
CorporateDisguise
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 777
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:56 am
Location: NY

Re: suggestions for cheap J bass?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Sat Feb 19, 2022 4:57 am

The Sire stuff is worth a shout. I picked up a V7 a while back, and it’s pretty great. Easily on par with my old Japanese Jaguar bass. I don’t really use the active electronics, so I probably should have gone with a V5, but they don’t come in cool colors like the V7…

Post Reply