Nice telecaster shaped bass (a la G&L ASAT) for not much money...

[mcnach]

This one here:

Shine SBA724, new, on eBay

 

I have one. I bought it about 8 years ago I think, then sold it, then regretted it, then my girlfriend bought it back from me (thank you @alyctes  )

It's a hell of a bass, and at £149... I'd buy it again if I didn't have one already

Mine is very light. However, that comes with a caveat: it's light, and because of the body shape with the very low strap button, it does have some neck dive. It's the one thing I don't like about it, but I live with it. Lots of people play Gibson/Epiphone EB series and Thunderbirds... this will be on the same territory with regards to ergonomics, but a lot lighter than a Thunderbird.

It sounds great. The pickups are beasts. The tone control actually works, unlike in many cheap basses where it just goes from bright to mud... here it is well coupled to the pickups.

Anyway... I thought maybe someone would find this attractive.

 

 

Edited October 6, 2019 by mcnach

[Mickeyboro]

Curiously it states £129.99 in the description! The higher price plus 9.99 postage elsewhere...

[mcnach]

9 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

Curiously it states £129.99 in the description! The higher price plus 9.99 postage elsewhere...

 

I paid around £200 originally, if I recall correctly. It's a pretty well built bass, good value, especially at the new price.

[prowla]

It says RRP £399 - nobody would pay that for a Shine.

£149 might be worth a punt.

They're sub £100 instruments used.

[mcnach]

2 hours ago, prowla said:

It says RRP £399 - nobody would pay that for a Shine.

£149 might be worth a punt.

They're sub £100 instruments used.

 

£399 is silly indeed, I doubt it ever sold at that price. I paid around £200 (I want to say £229, but can't be sure, it was years ago). I've own this and another Shine bass that looked a bit like a Warwick Thumb with a longer horn. Build quality on both was more than adequate, certainly not very different from what you would expect on a Squier VM series.

Like with any brand not among the popular ones, used prices are quite low, that's not surprising and not necessarily a reflection on quality. For example, the nut is the usual run-of-the-mill plastic affair you find in budget instruments, but it's cut well, very well in fact, and fretwork is good... essentially all you need for a good set up is some basic tools to adjust truss rod and saddles. My only 'issue' with them is the design: lacking a top horn, they're never going to balance as well as another bass shaped like a Precision, but this is the same issue I found with the G&L ASAT design. No, it is not a good an instrument as a G&L like a Squier is not as good as a USA Fender, generally. But for someone liking that design and not wanting to spent too much, it's a hell of a bass. It sounds really good, it's very light, it looks nice (like I said build and finish on mine are very good).

Trust me on this one, it's not a Sue Ryder bass

[yorks5stringer]

I had one years and years ago, it was the start of my infatuation with Telecaster style Basses.....

[alyctes]

I liked it.  It did what it said on the tin, looked good, played well, decently built given the cost.  Neck dive, yes, but that goes with the territory.  I just wasn't using it.  I'm glad it went (back) to a good home

[la bam]

I had one as a backup.

Looked lovely. Sounded good. Impossible to play. Horrendous neck dive. Absolutely terrible. If buying, but a thick suede strap to have a hope of keeping in place.

[mcnach]

18 hours ago, la bam said:

I had one as a backup.

Looked lovely. Sounded good. Impossible to play. Horrendous neck dive. Absolutely terrible. If buying, but a thick suede strap to have a hope of keeping in place.

 

The suede strap didn't do it for me... it just pulls my t-shirt and makes me look like I've been wrestling, and possibly losing.

Having said that, it's no worse than an Epiphone EB3 or a Thunderbird. But it sounds a lot better. The neck is just the right profile for my liking too.