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I love cheap basses!


Pappabass

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2 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

I've owned many high end basses but was always too precious with them.

Inexpensive basses mean that you don't have to worry about losing £200 off the price when it inevitably gets a knock.

Yes, I get beat down for saying this. But there is not a lot of difference between a $300 (us) and a $1000(us) basses other than the finish. 

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30 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

I've owned many high end basses but was always too precious with them.

Inexpensive basses mean that you don't have to worry about losing £200 off the price when it inevitably gets a knock.

I would agree with this and like to add that my cheaper basses are the ones I've enjoyed the most and have loved modding them it's like a custom bass without the custom price point imo

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41 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

I've owned many high end basses but was always too precious with them.

Inexpensive basses mean that you don't have to worry about losing £200 off the price when it inevitably gets a knock.

I have felt like that about my Thunderbird (through neck and all that). But hey ho, it is meant to be played.

 

Now then, how to get the case in the car 😂

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I bought my Sire V7 completely sight-unseen, on the strength of word-of-mouth alone, and its quality astonished me. Still does. It's not in the same league as my beautiful Shuker, obvs, but it is far better than it has any right be be.

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I think it's partly because of the investment in time or even elbow grease that's often needed (instead of money!). By the time the bass is functioning properly, it's personal. I've sold perfectly good higher end guitars (Sandberg, US Fender) ahead of some old bangers which owe me too much effort.

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Many years ago I overheard a comment about me, it went ‘I can’t understand it, he’s got a catalogue bass playing through a keyboard amp, but it sounds great’.

I no longer have the Hondo P-bass, but the OHM Tramp amp still comes out occasionally at tehearsals

Edited by Baxlin
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8 hours ago, Rich said:

I bought my Sire V7 completely sight-unseen, on the strength of word-of-mouth alone, and its quality astonished me. Still does. It's not in the same league as my beautiful Shuker, obvs, but it is far better than it has any right be be.

You know what, I can't ignore these any more. 

Even though I'm concerned about the weight, I have to get involved.

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The cheapest bass I have ever bought was a Harley Benton Shorty P bass couple of month ago at £80.  The only thing I changed is the scratchplate, all the hardware is fine.  Pickup is great, sounds like a vintage P should.  I find it miraculous that a bass of this quality can be produced for the price of a pedal.  I've only managed one proper gig since Covid arrived and I used this.  Anyone in the market for a short scale should seriously consider one of these.

 

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12 hours ago, Thunderbird said:

I would agree with this and like to add that my cheaper basses are the ones I've enjoyed the most and have loved modding them it's like a custom bass without the custom price point imo

My thoughts exactly.

Before people discovered how great they are and the prices skyrocketed, I loved buying up cheapo Indonesian Squiers and modding them. A few years ago, 50 or 60 quid would buy you a Squier P or J (or if you were lucky, a P/J) in decent nick and with a couple of mods, you'd have a bass you could take on the world with.

You don't need to spend a fortune on instruments, just find one that you love to play.

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13 minutes ago, rushbo said:

My thoughts exactly.

Before people discovered how great they are and the prices skyrocketed, I loved buying up cheapo Indonesian Squiers and modding them. A few years ago, 50 or 60 quid would buy you a Squier P or J (or if you were lucky, a P/J) in decent nick and with a couple of mods, you'd have a bass you could take on the world with.

You don't need to spend a fortune on instruments, just find one that you love to play.

I agree with this very good point 

I had 2 squier mb4 basses that I modded and loved them only sold them on as money was tight at the time really miss those 2 they were immaculate also and uber light nowadays the prices of them are a joke seen a couple on ebay not in great nick for 500 quid 

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I really wish I could get past myself in the thought that I’m not a serious bassist unless my Fenders are US made. As I’ve said the Squiers that I’ve had have been a joy to play and have sounded fine. It’s not even the thought of others judging me, it’s purely this devil on my shoulder telling me they have to be US made.

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14 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I've owned many high end basses but was always too precious with them.

Inexpensive basses mean that you don't have to worry about losing £200 off the price when it inevitably gets a knock.

I've not gone high end as such but I don't get my Stingray out as much as I should for it to be my "main" bass. My early 2000s Kramer that came over imported for less than 250 new is great, I still gig it 18plus years on, it is just comfortable for me. I'm certain to go back to a Sire at some point too because the quality is just so high its crazy. I still love my sound on am old live recording where I was using a very cheap second hand MIM Jazz that I stuck some Bartolinis in. Wish I'd not let that one go sometimes, though it was a bit of a dog by most standards the sound was just what I wanted. 

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4 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I really wish I could get past myself in the thought that I’m not a serious bassist unless my Fenders are US made. As I’ve said the Squiers that I’ve had have been a joy to play and have sounded fine. It’s not even the thought of others judging me, it’s purely this devil on my shoulder telling me they have to be US made.

Go for Fender Japan! More colour choices etc, a lot less money, some say equally good quality. 

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Yup - secondhand Yamaha BB604 I got mainly as a backup about four years ago has turned out to be a hugely versatile and great sounding bit of kit.

Its not as cool as my old Fender or whatever, but whenever I get it out I can’t put it down.

Means I feel free to play the absolutely b@lls off it live without stressing too, which is just how it should be.

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I love a 'quality' bass too, but I sometimes wonder with all the great stuff there is available now for reasonable prices how many of us actually notice / need that bit extra for most of our playing?

I always used to use USA basses - Precisions and Stingrays for decades, but when I had to go for something lightweight I realised that other stuff was virtually as good in quality for significantly less money - MIJ / MIK etc. Country of manufacture mattered very little as the standard of instruments was improving constantly. Now older and (maybe wiser?!!) I have reached the 'age of enlightenmen't where I judge stuff by what it is above anything else, and don't bother if it's not the 'right' brand / model or even colour! 

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