Cheap bass, I need one, thoughts?

Whizzinby

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TGF Recording Artist
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I need a new instrument like a hole in the head, but tracking bass with a guitar is disgusting. Thinking of grabbing a super cheap bass just for recording.

I’m assuming something like a Squire Precision bass is logical for this purpose, but just curious if there is another cheap bass worth considering that can cover most genres.
 
There’s some Sterlings in the $300-$400 range I played a couple years ago that I almost bought. I ended up getting a cheaper Warwick and almost immediately regretted it, but I wouldn’t admit it and fought with it for months.
 
Squire P Bass?

I was looking at this for like $250

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Just need something that can hold tune, and be good enough to run with some plugins in 30 second bursts. lol
 

Yep. I would definitely play as many as you can before buying one as some felt like you’d expect but there were definitely some good ones in there. I just saw the Warwick and since I got a bass chubby for Ryan Martini I went with it. It was mostly exposed fret ends I’d run into on them as far as the bad ones. Or the neck needed to be straightened out a lot.
 
I would definitely recommend going to a store and playing a bunch. I did that a few years back and ended up with a Squier "Vintage Modified" Jaguar bass, which is has P/J pickups. It's not amazing but it played well, sounded fine, and was built okay.

A good P-bass is never a bad choice. You can do anything with it especially on the rock side of the world. The P/J pickup configuration is pretty nice too, punchy on one and clear on the other.

If I were buying a new bass I'd also strongly consider a short scale. I think that would be easier to play and more fun compared to the full 34" scale bass. For part time anyway.

I bought a cheap Yamaha well over a decade ago for under $100 used at Guitar Center and that thing was killer. Unfortunately I gave it to my ex. But I'd strongly look at those Yamahas as well.
 
I was looking at this for like $250

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Just need something that can hold tune, and be good enough to run with some plugins in 30 second bursts. lol
I’m not bassist but have messed with a few for the same reason as you. I ended up with a Squier and it felt, played, and sounded like a more expensive bass. Been great for my purposes.

Lots of other good suggestions. Yamaha is a good one but I found that people were pretty proud of their used ones and couldn’t find one cheap enough for my budget at the time. (In good condition).
 
My PJ Talman was $200 in 2017. They're +$50 now. Sounded and played better than any of the Squire Affinity PJ Basses next to it at GC. Active preamp with a bass and treble control, Thicker neck than a J bass down at the nut which is nice for my caveman hands.

I bought it for recording but ended up using it at a few jams too.

I like the P/J idea especially if you're not looking to buy two basses
 
Affinity is like Squire x 2. As if Squier needed its own budget brand since Squire is not budget brand enough.
 
Affinity is like Squire x 2. As if Squier needed its own budget brand since Squire is not budget brand enough.

I didn’t realize Affinity was another brand by Squier, I just assumed it was a model type within their line.

I sorta like the idea of the P/J configuration (I noticed they don’t offer a PJ config on the non-Affinity Squiers) for multiple classic tones but I’d imagine with a $250 bass those pickups ain’t all that. Then again my needs are so modest to begin with it’s probably a hell of a lot better than using my guitar for bass. :ROFLMAO:
 
Keep in mind there is just as much variation between different basses as there is between different guitars.

A P bass is totally different from a Stingray.

It’s worth playing a few and getting a sense for what you like.

Squier Classic Vibe, Sterling, Yamaha, Sire, and Ibanez are all solid options depending on what sounds and feels best to you
 
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