Jonesy64 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I'm just sat here mulling over some options before the party starts and I get stuck into the drink..... I have a Fender Jazz and a Precision that I like equally as much. I will likely be swapping them around now and again as my gigging bass for next year. What I don't want to do is take them both with me....mostly as precaution against theft and damage. I think a good idea would be another, cheap bass that would be equipped to be the back up to either one of them. Budget is strictly no more than £200, second hand being my best route I guess. I think I'll get a few BB suggestions but are there others? Have a great evening everyone whatever it is you might be up to :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagsieblue Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) I realise this is over your budget but this rosewood Farida Jazz has a pull switch on the tone control to pull the pups into series. This gives a P bass sound as well as J bass - versatility with the best of both worlds. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/225538-twins-2-x-farida-fjb-20-jazz-bass-for-sale-rosewood-or-maple/page__p__2319212__hl__farida__fromsearch__1#entry2319212"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry2319212[/url] Edited December 31, 2013 by bagsieblue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I'm in exactly the same position, have Fender Jazz and Precision basses and take whichever I fancy when I gig. I also take a Squier Precision as back-up. At ever gig, I tune it and leave it close to me, but it never gets used! I use it at rehearsals sometimes just so it doesn't feel left out. I paid £250 for the Squier, including a decent Fender gig bag, it is one of the vintage modified series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 How about a Squier P/J or one of the Overwater Classic Jazz's (also a P/J and a fantastic sounding instrument)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Horton Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 For your budget , I would look out for a second hand classic vibe precision or jazz. They are wicked instruments for the money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I had just one P bass for ages and never had any problems with it, though having a spare was always at the back of my mind. I finally relented this year and bought a Jazz, which I enjoy playing more, so it's now my main bass and I usually take my P along as a spare. I've never worried about stuff being stolen, but maybe I don't play in real dives? But if I did, then I'd still be pretty pissed at having even a £200 bass stolen, so I don't think that's a particularly good solution. Just a waste of £200 really. How about a locking hardcase/flightcase and a bike-lock through the handle and around a radiator/pipework/stage supports etc? That would surely prevent any opportunist thief and there should be enough people milling around to notice anyone having a go with tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I don't carry a spare in case of theft (never really considered it happening) but in case of string break or other failure. Years ago I had a decent US Precision which would cut out intermittently on stage (but never in rehearsal!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) Fender Silver Squire basses, are superior Squier Jazz and Precision basses, made in Japan. They were manufactured between 92 and 94 and are very good quality. The nut size is wider than a jazz but narrower than a precision. They get universally good reviews. If you find one for sale on ebay or basschat I recommend you buy it. They usually go for around the £200 mark. They make excellent spare basses. There's a few on ebay at the moment. I personally wouldn't offer more than £200 though. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Squier-Precision-P-Bass-1994-5-Made-In-Japan-MIJ-Silver-Series-Vintage-/231124988814"]http://www.ebay.co.u...e-/231124988814[/url] Edited January 2, 2014 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I ended up with a Steinberger Spirit XT-2 as my backup, which has the major benefit of being 34" scale but only about 4" longer than that in total. Ok, the strings it comes with aren't great and replacements aren't cheap, the bag it comes with isn't really much more than a dust cover so the Warwick RockBag is another advisable extra and it does take a bit of getting used to playing it if you don't already play headless basses. But on the other hand it's tiny, lightweight, built like a tank, can ape precision and jazz tones to a reasonable standard, the new ones are passive so there's not much to go wrong with it if it sits in the bag for a while like a good backup should, and if you end up on the bus to a gig or a jam session it's a perfectly capable main bass if it needs to be. They're only £299 new, so your budget should get you there second hand if you fancied the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I don`t take a backup along, and now have just 2 US Standard Precisions (well will have once my MIJ Precision goes). I like Eds suggestion of the XT-2 - the size and portability, plus easy to keep onstage as well in even tiny venues makes real sense and something I`ve considered for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alembic63 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 [quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1388519385' post='2323080'] For your budget , I would look out for a second hand classic vibe precision or jazz. They are wicked instruments for the money [/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 (edited) [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1388527800' post='2323191'] Fender Silver Squire basses, are superior Squier Jazz and Precision basses, made in Japan. They were manufactured between 92 and 94 and are very good quality. The nut size is wider than a jazz but narrower than a precision. They get univerally good reviews. If you find one for sale on ebay or basschat I recommend you buy it. They usually go for around the £200 mark. They make excellent spare basses. There's a few on ebay at the moment. I personally wouldn't offer more than £200 though. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Squier-Precision-P-Bass-1994-5-Made-In-Japan-MIJ-Silver-Series-Vintage-/231124988814"]http://www.ebay.co.u...e-/231124988814[/url] [/quote] Mine will be up for sale very soon, I will be asking £180. *Very* scruffy (or is that lots of mojo?) but very little wear. Edit. Another one going along the Steinberger route here, I always take my Hohner B2A along as back up. It doesn't sound a great deal like a Jazz bass but you can get a passable P-Bass sound out of it. Plus, on more than one occasion, the band have been crammed into such a small space that I ended up using the Hohner anyway. But these small bodied, headless basses have inherent problems when switching between normal bodied/headed basses as they can play mind games that take a while to get used to. Edited January 1, 2014 by Paul S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1388568338' post='2323427'] But these small bodied, headless basses have inherent problems when switching between normal bodied/headed basses as they can play mind games that take a while to get used to. [/quote] Yeah, I have to watch myself for being a fret too high when I first switch to the XT-2. Not sure if it's a visual thing where out of the corner of my eye I'm thinking the first fret is the nut, or if it's just that the bass hangs a bit 'further away' because of where the strap buttons can physically be without one of those extension hook thingies. Either way, I make myself play a full rehearsal on it at least once a month so it's not alien to me if it needs to come out at a gig. I guess that's still a good idea even if your backup is functionally identical to your main instrument, though, just to make sure it's in good working order etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 [quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1388571018' post='2323446'] Either way, I make myself play a full rehearsal on it at least once a month so it's not alien to me if it needs to come out at a gig. [/quote] That is an extremely good idea. At the moment I don't use it routinely but that would certainly go some way to remove the 'latency' I get when switching between them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfie Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Has anyone ever needed a backup bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 [quote name='Alfie' timestamp='1388574835' post='2323473'] Has anyone ever needed a backup bass? [/quote] I have at a rehearsal where I don't routinely take one, but not at a gig where I do if at all possible. Thus proving that having one is working! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 [quote name='Alfie' timestamp='1388574835' post='2323473'] Has anyone ever needed a backup bass? [/quote] One of my basses decided to upgrade an input jack fault from 'dodgy' to 'terminal' at the sound check one time. So I switched to my trusty B2A. And I broke a string at a rehearsal once, which raises the possibility of doing it at a gig. For me it is quicker to change basses than to change strings. I am sure this will prompt an avalanche of posts from those dextrous souls who can change strings in the blink of an eye, but I am not one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 [quote name='Alfie' timestamp='1388574835' post='2323473'] Has anyone ever needed a backup bass? [/quote] Yes, but at the time I didn't have one. US P. decided to start cutting out mid-gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 (edited) Some of the squire silver basses are bodied from MDF , so examine what you buy. They play OK but once you take a screw out, it's not going back in ! They did do a Squire deluxe Precision in the Late 90's/ 00's with PJ pick ups and they were very well made with nice hot pick ups, they had the old 70's sweeping precision bass logo. These will be the next Squires to go up as they were very well made for a squire. Edited January 1, 2014 by spacey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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