Help me buy a bass.

Alter-Ego

Hey.

So afaik these threads are allowed, if not, sorry.

I'm looking into a buying a new bass for some recording and gigging during the summer. Sadly being as impoverished as i am,:rolleyes: my budget is about €800.

I'd prefer a new bass but if i can get a good price on a second hand bass i'd take it. I play mostly blues/hard rock with a bit of metal thrown in for good measure. 4 string.

I was looking at the Fender Highway 1 Jazz Bass for €777 on thomann. Good/bad idea?

Anybody have any recommendations?:)

Rigsby

On your budget you could afford a G+L 2000 Tribute. For the price it is one of the most versatile sounding basses.

It wasn't me!

Check Chris's site for Japanese Fenders. I think he had a lovely 75 with a Geddy Lee neck for 700 or so at some point, and that was a beauty, caused me much heartache.

Patricide

If you can get a g&l id say go for it. Also before doc j jumps in here, check out Bacchus(sp?) there on ishibashi and are suposedly the bees knees.

judas101

*prepares for doc j's rant about bacchus*

feylya

Keep an eye on Ishibashi tbh. There's 5 string Bacchus' for far less than your budget. There will be 4 strings one. Trust me, they are fantastic instruments.

Alter-Ego

Was just looking at chris's site and a few caught my eye..

The 75 It Wasn't Me! Mentioned

Lovely areodyne japanese jazz bass

and...

A schecter c-4

Opinions?

Mongo

What kinda music you play?I can vouch for those 75 basses.I've played one many times and they are fantastic.Funk machines

Alter-Ego

Play lots of Lizzy, GnR, Metallica right up to QOTSA and Kyuss. Tbh i dabble in a bit of everything but i'm looking for a bass with lots of low end growl.

I'm a huge fan of the feel of a jazz bass but i'm not sure if it can deliver what i want?

Also, whats average shipping cost with chris?

feylya

Are you absolutely stuck on 4 string basses cos, tbh, a 5 string Bacchus is right up your street and within budget.

Alter-Ego

Can i get a link to the bacchus please? I can't seem to find any mention of them on ishibashi.

TelePaul

Alter-Ego wrote:

I was looking at the Fender Highway 1 Jazz Bass for €777 on thomann. Good/bad idea?

Good idea. Very good idea. I'm amazed at how good the Highway One series is. It's a fender, it's made in America, if a time were to come when you had to sell it on, you could no problem. If you want a four string bass, get a four string bass. If you want a 5 string bass, get a 5 string bass. Different beasts altogether, I wouldn't choose one over the other for conveniences sake.

Doctor J

The Highway 1 is a good bass but, for that money, you could get way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better. As mentioned, Bacchus are the best basses I've ever played (and I've played a lot over the last 18 years) and you should also consider keeping an eye one ebay for a Lakland Skyline 44-01 or 44-02. Very versatile basses, excellent build quality, really superb value for money. You're also in range of a second hand Stingray which, again, knock the **** out of the Highway 1.

feylya

Oooh, the Lakland is a nice suggestion...

Doctor J

For example, this plus about $100 shipping comes in at about €635 excluding import duties and in full, well under your budget. Great bass, leagues above the Highway1.

Alter-Ego

Ok ya have me interested in the bacchus basses but there seems to be very little info on them. Apart from some good reviews on harmony central. Any links?

The lakeland, i'm not convinced on tbh. Maybe i'm just being difficult.:P

Doctor J

Lakland made it onto my "keep" list, which is as good a compliment as I can give, where Fenders and Rickenbackers didn't come up to scratch and got sold on. The Lakland is a serious high quality instrument for a stupidly good price, make no mistake.

http://www.talkbass.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/111/cat/13

As for Bacchus... they're not distributed outside of Japan, so there isn't that much information on them. I have two. After I bought the first one my outlook on basses changed. Here's a review from a punter who bought a second hand Bacchus 51 style P for about $650, I think it was, off ebay.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306346

The thing is, don't gauge quality on the price of American made instruments, they're over-inflated and there are other brands which offer superior features with at least equal build quality for less, othen a lot less.

judas101

Doctor J wrote:

Rickenbackers didn't come up to scratch and got sold on.

oh no you didn't!

Patricide

Not a fan of ricenbackers myself, they seem very ovverated to me, but hey thats OT.

If your looking for low end growl, theres no real better place to look than a warwick, there like growl monstors. However there necks are tree trunk thick and are annoying if yor not used to them at the start.

TelePaul

i'd try before you buy whatever you get.

It wasn't me!

Ah, I really am in love with that Jazz, photos brought back memories... To be honest, I think the thickness of Warwick necks is exaggerated, and I own a lovely Streamer Standard. Where are you based? I might be able to give you a spin on it, and yeah, they're absolutely growl monsters, as has been stated above. I think a Jazz might be up your street as well, but the Warwick does growl more in the low end, damn snarly beasts, but not cheap.

Patricide

Yup not cheap at all, but im sure you can find a second hand corvette of some kind for your budget.