1st bass guitar?

FlipperThePriest

I am contemplating buying a half decent bass (my 1st) for home recording.

I play guitar, keys and will have no prob picking it up so I'm not really into buying a total piece of crap just cuz it's my 1st. I might go 2nd hand if this means I can a better quality bass for cheaper....Unfortunately, I'm left-handed (bane of my life :pac:) and this is why I post; sometimes the better options are less available in the shops!

Any suggestions much appreciated, or anyone that knows a good place to buy 2nd hand lefties; I reckon my budget to be around the 200 mark give or take a few bucks..

Passenger

Give ebay a gander for cheap second-hand bargains. You would indeed get a better quality bass second-hand if your budget is low and especially if it's your first.

OK-Cancel-Apply

If it's just for recording, then I suppose tuning stability would be less of an issue. I would look into a used Fender Mex, or you could get a Squier and replace the bridge for better sustain.

Or you could go the thomann budget route. I actually own one of these:

http://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_hbb200bk_ebass.htm

Tuning stability is good, and it sounds excellent for the price. The biggest issue with it for me though is that it's quite neck-heavy, and the wood is cheap, which means it sucks the sustain out.

EDIT: Oh yeah sry - forgot you weren't looking for a cheapo one.

Doctor J

For recording? Get the best Jazz bass you can afford, there isn't any style of music you can't nail with a Jazz bass. If you're gonna stick to 200 quid, try pick up a second hand SX in buy and sell or ebay and spend the rest on upgrading as you feel is required.

Rigsby

I would suggest going to some music shops and trying as many within your budget as you can. What feels right to one, may not to another. Having said that some fairly good brands would be : SX - These are well made and good value IMO, and you could always upgrade it. There's a lefty SX for sale here ;

http://www.buyandsell.ie/browse.php?quicksearch=bass%20guitar&textopt=all&o=0 They have a few SX leftys in Waltons.

Others to watch for are Fender MIM (made in Mexico), Aria, Yamaha and Ibanez. Also keep an eye on "adverts" section here.

FlipperThePriest

cheers lads, the sx seems like a sensible option, I did spot that harley benton on thomann and it seems kinda cheapy alright! I flicked through ebay, I must check again, thing is with duty and shipping would it be worth my while paying 200 for a bass that'll cost the guts of another hundred more to ship?

thanks for the help!

Patricide

Id advise a trip to ebay man, you have no idea the bargains you get going second hand. Espeically if its just gonne be for home recording. As the good doctor already said a jazz bass suits pretty much all music styles so id recommend a second hand fender jazz. If you can fork out the bucks id go for a us one, if your already playing other instruments you know your not going to not use it(sorry for the double negitive). Plus you get somthing cheap now and your gonna have to buy somthing better, with the dollar being so weak and the second hand market also being so weak you could easily pick one up for around the 500 euro mark, even possibly delivered.