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I plan on staring to play bass and was wondering what instrument you would reccomend? I have been playing guitar for four years and wanted to pick up another instrument. My price range is anywhere from 0$ to 700$, I'm looking for a reasonable quality bass but mothing too fancy. Think between Squier and Musicman.

Thanks!
-RATM

Update: I bought a MIM Jazz Bass in Electron Blue, I immediately regretted not getting Arctic White.

A lot of people are really fond of the Epiphone Thunderbird basses. Supposedly even some professional musicians take them on tour. They're only $300 USD, so it's a good value I think.

Isn't the Jaguar bass $650?

TheodorJ wrote: Isn't the Jaguar bass $650?

+1  Top notch bass, and you can find them for under $600 if you look.  And they look the business too.
-J

jetset wrote:

TheodorJ wrote: Isn't the Jaguar bass $650?

+1  Top notch bass, and you can find them for under $600 if you look.  And they look the business too.
-J

+2  Hot Rod Red with matching headstock is 

I've seen a couple with mint pickguards, too. 

The Squire Vintage Modified series basses are insanely good for the money.  I got the fretless Jazz Bass and it's a fantastic instrument.

I had the headstock refinished and put a Badass II bridge on it. 

yeah a squier Jazz bass would be my first pick  (if $$$ were a big factor)

i've always been happy with used mexican jazz or p basses.. you can usually find them for $200-300

they're solid as is for the money and even better with an inexpensive electronics upgrade

i like everything about the jaguar bass aside from two things.. the crap yellowed inlay and the active electronics. if there were a more basic version for a little bit less money i'd probably buy it

Isn't the Jaguar bass $650?

+1  Top notch bass, and you can find them for under $600 if you look.  And they look the business too.
-J

Not only that, they do everything a Jazz Bass does and has an active circuit option and Jag controls.
For the money I cant see a better guitar.

IMHO the Mustang bass is the BEEEEEEEST BASSSSS EVAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR!

The Jaguar basses are amazing ones for the money, and really have a great tonal range.  They do have the thinner neck profile of the Geddy Lee Jazz Bass though, so make sure that fits your hand well and doesn't cramp you up before you buy one.  I had to return mine due to that issue, but I loved its tone and everything else besides the neck profile.

The Thunderbird basses are great sounding as well, but they tend to neck dive like crazy and even moving the strap pins only slightly fixes this issue.

Ibanez ATK basses are pretty nice, and have a neat tone selector that reminds me of an Esquire guitar.

The Squier Vintage Modified Series is great, I've liked all their models so far, and the Squier Mike Dirnt bass is a good 50's/modern P-bass hybrid.  There is also the new classic series that Squier has which includes a proper early 50's style tele bass if you like the look of that.  Just make sure to play before you buy, I've found that with basses, the little things are a lot more noticable than on guitars.

(also check any 34" scale Fender style bolt-on necked bass for wolf tones and dead spots on the G string from frets 3-9 and the D string from the 10-15 range.  There's a weird issue there with notes that either have zero sustain (dead) or do a weird octave jump where the fundamental note is almost entirely replaced by the first overtone.  To verify the presence of one of these if you suspect you've found one, try pressing the headstock top firmly against an unpowered bass cabinet or other firm surface and playing the same note.  If the note is normal with the pressing and not without, (all while unplugged) then you've got the dead spot issue in that particular bass.  It seems to be an instrument specific thing in my experience, not a model specific one.  I imagine its just the densities of the neck and body wood happening to add up in an unfortunate manner for the vibrating string length's nodes and antinodes.  Neck swapping tends to remove the problem IME)


Sorry if that is stuff you already knew (and/or off topic), its just how I'd evaluate the quality control issues I've seen with the stuff at my local GC. 

aen wrote: IMHO the Mustang bass is the BEEEEEEEST BASSSSS EVAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR!

I agree, Im not a bass player, but the Mustang Bass I thought about buying... and then teach myself.
The shorter scale just suits me better with my small hands.

I dont think you can go wrong on the P-Bass, Jazz Bass, Jaguar Bass, or the Mustang...

but if price is the factor, ebay usually sells them between 300-500$.

You can't go wrong with a Fender P-Bass or J-Bass are great! If money is a factor then the Squier's series offer great bang-for-the-buck value! My daughter has a Squier P-Bass and it was really well-made for the money it cost. It sounded and played good, but it was just too big for her to handle. She now has a vintage Mustang and she and I are in love with it!

I love the look of the Jaguar Bass, I saw a Hot Rod Red on the other day and it was awesome! They are very versatile. I don't really know how well built the new Mustangs are, but  the vintage ones are super!

Regan

How do the MIM P or J Basses compare to the American made? My friend has a Squier P-Bass, I like the feel of the neck but overall it was junk. I know the Squier guitars vary in quality but is it the same with the basses? I'm not entierly opposed to Squier but wouldn't mind a MIM bass as a compromize between American and Squier.

How about a nice, oly white Jag bass...