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Post subject: need help finding a new bass to buy.
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:05 am
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Roadie
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Location: denver, co
so hey all i need some advice, and yes i plan to go to the store and try anything out before i get it, but i'm look for a new bass, i've got a little extra moneys and i'd like to treat myself to a not a squier product... and i am looking outside the world of fender, so i'm seeing if any of you have ever played anything like

ESP LTD
ibanez
gretsch

or anything else, i'm really looking at that LTD the f series, and i'm wondering if it's a good buy. my LIMIT is the $500.00 range, but i mean if it comes down to it i'll just grab myself a mexican j or p bass that should work out. :D

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Post subject: Re: need help finding a new bass to buy.
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:24 am
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Go with the ESP for sure!

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Post subject: Re: need help finding a new bass to buy.
Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 3:06 pm
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There are so many cool used basses for under $500 it isn't funny! Here's a few of my favorite used basses to run across.

Ibanez SRX700 (5 string version is SRX705.) I've owned both versions but kept the 4 string. The SRX705 has the distinction of being the last 5 string bass I'll ever own. I'm here to tell you that the SRX700 was the bass bargain of it's day. These things were neck through design Stingray killers and I've never seen a bad copy. Quiet out of the box and other than changing strings and batteries I've never done a single thing to either of them. The SRX700/705 is discontinued. You can often find them for $350 to $400! A very solid stable instrument and I highly recommend them. They were built in Korea by Cort for Ibanez. In the day they were the top of the SRX line and one of the best basses Cort ever turned out.

Laguna Ocean TB. Very similar to the SRX700 and it is also discontinued but the Ocean is much rarer and the finish is different and richer. Plus it has Bartolini pickups instead of the MM type pups on the Ibanez SRX700. Often going for just under 500 used. A treasure type bass people rarely trade or sell. Probably the best bass for around $500 and I've been looking for the "RIGHT" one for about 3 years with no luck as they are just so dang scarce.

2006-2008 Fender P-Bass Special MIM. Often these can be had for about $450. I consider them even new to be possibly the most significant value in the Fender bass line period. The only reason I haven't kept one is I found the Ibanez SRX700 and it is the ONLY active bass I need right now. I've had four active P-Bass Specials over the years.

1994-1995 Fender ACTIVE P-Bass Special. These are the ones referred to as COWPOKES. Often you can find them for $350 used. They have many features of the Stu Hamm sig basses for far fewer Pesos. A very unique looking Fender.

1990-1992 Fender JP90. Awesome playing and sounding yet the most oddball looking Made In USA Fender bass ever. PASSIVE! Poplar body is the ONLY thing I could possibly criticize. I loved my JP90's control setup and the electronics were outstanding. I loved that it was passive. But I had to get that active Cowpoke so it went Bye-Bye. JP90's are wicked versatile tonally for a passive bass. Whoever cooked them up was some kind of prophet.

CIJ Fender Precision Bass Lyte. An excellent playing, sounding, looking bass that for some reason only brings about half what they should be worth. I would never hesitate to buy one that was just right.

Whatever you do during this quest, do NOT play a new Squier Jaguar Special. I mean the 34 inch NON-humbucker one. If you do then you will have to buy it and then you will NOT get a higher end bass. I have tried out at least 10 of these and they all sounded totally fantastic. $180? Really? Of the 10, one was totally ready to take to a gig, one needed some setup work and 8 I'd pass on. But for $180, I mean....come on. How can they do that? This bass is so much better than any other bass in the price class it is downright scary. Blowing even more expensive basses away. I keep running into them and sooner or later I just won't be able to resist. It was really hard when I found that one that was nearly flawless. I had to keep telling myself, "It's a Squier, don't do it!"

Usually in the ESP line at this price point you are talking LTD series and I don't like any of them much. I played several. I actually prefer a Jackson to the LTD ESP because the Jacksons are better players and seem sturdier.

Good luck finding any Gretsch for $500 except the offshore stuff. Would I play a White Falcon Bass? Sure! And I'd drive it to the gig in my white Ferrari while Drew Barrymore (my girlfriend in this fantasy) cradled my White Falcon carefully in her arms.

Carvin basses used are a good made in USA buy for under $500, but sort of hard to find as people who have them made hardly ever sell them, and when they do sell them they get hardly half what they paid. I've played several and they are aces. Maybe one of the best kept secrets in Bassland.

One more used bass I keep running into and liking about every single time for dang near 30 years is the Peavey USA made basses. Wonderfully crafted necks. If you ever run across a T40 give it a go. You'll see.


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Post subject: Re: need help finding a new bass to buy.
Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:05 pm
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Location: metro Chicago USA
Give an Epiphone Thunderbird a try.


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Post subject: Re: need help finding a new bass to buy.
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:15 am
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JSJH wrote:
Give an Epiphone Thunderbird a try.


The newer PRO one is way better than the basic version.


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Post subject: Re: need help finding a new bass to buy.
Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 5:52 pm
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Hey Josey!!

What Dave said there...I like the ESP, the LTD is kinda like getting a Squier, which we all know I have no problem with. The Ibby SR series are great, get anything above the 500 model and it's an awesome bass. Usually tho, you pay more $500 for the SR500. They are great quality bass tho. Either way, good luck searching.

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