As many have said before me, the Sires are incredible VFM but weight seems to vary considerably so try one first. You can pick one up for under £200 - you would have killed for a bass this good for £200 when you started playing.
I've always felt Fender basses didn't always live up to expectations but I started playing in the 80s when the build quality at Fender was abysmal. Most of those would have had their issues addressed by now but I can't get past my early bias.
My Squier Standard PJ is a lot of bass for your buck and they appear on eBay weekly.