Okay, as none of you know, I'm pretty strapped for guitar cash. Also, I've wanted to pick up bass for quite a while. HERE is my dilemma: I have about $300 stored up, and I'm stuck. My current amp is blown, so I want to get a nice Line 6 or Spider. On the other hand, I've found an off-brand Hofner-ish bass similar to a certain Liverpudlian's. On the mysterious third hand, I'm considering saying, "F*&% it", and buying one of those bass start-up kits that Squier does. Weigh in?

Can't play either one with a blown amp.............

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

+1

Prioritize!

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Check on line there's lots of amps for sale chp. and localy so you can check them out before you buy. make sure you click on sort by closist first and you probably will find something good within 20 miles or so. Good luck with your shoping list.

So you have $150 for a used amp and $150 for a used bass. I've seen lots of used bass' on my local Kijiiji site (online buy and sell) for 100-150 same for amps. good luck

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Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancin'

If the starter kit includes the small amp AND bass, (okay yes - it does!) I'd go with that.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--SQU301670

Good luck!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

The thing is in buying used you're getting a pig-in-a-poke but when you buy the starter kit you're getting new gear with a warranty to fall back on.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

slinger makes a good point, and yes it has the bass AND amp.

Although a warranty is nice, I would still go used
If you're patient, you can grab a decent bass for $100 and an amp for about the same.
I snagged up a Squier J Bass for $50 once (in near mint condition) and used small practice amps can be found for $50..... again if you are patient
If you need it now get the kit
Heck try to find someone selling a kit. Summer usually leads to sales of unused Christmas gifts like starter guitar/bass packs

Once upon a time...

I can't play bass for toffee but I wanted one just for recording simple lines on my multitracker. Money was an issue so I started off looking at el-cheapo Aria STB basses. Essentially, Fender copies at rock bottom prices. But... meh: just didn't seem right. For a few dollars more I could buy a Squier.

But back then we didn't have Classic Vibe Squiers and in the end I kinda got silly and decided I wanted something with an F at the front of the logo. So for a few dollars more I could move up to a MIM P-bass. And for a few dollars more than that I could go for a Jazz Bass. Nice.

However, at that point you couldn't get a MIM bass with a maple fingerboard. Shame. Just a few (hundred) dollars more would buy me an American Standard. Big swallow: OK.

And then I got to thinking that if there is one thing that looks more stylish than a Jazz Bass with a maple 'board it's one with a natural body, a bound neck and block inlays. Like the Marcus Miller JB: take me home, daddy-o!

So I went along to my friendly neighborhood Fender dealer and demanded: "Hand me a Marcus Miller bass immediately, my good man."

To which the sales assistant replied: "You mean the one with that horrid shaped pickguard? Ew - rather you than me." (I'd kinda talked myself into thinking I could live with that pickguard for the sake of the neck, but I admit it had been a stumbling block.) However, he went on: "But look over here, sir. We have this nice CIJ Reissue '75 Jazz Bass with a natural finish ash body, off-white neck binding and pearl block inlays on the maple 'board. All for only a little more than the Marcus Miller. Heck, we'll even throw in a leather strap and a couple of silly vintage metal covers that will get in your way for ever more but look great."

I could not say no. Done deal.

And that's how I went shopping for a hundred dollar bass and came home with a '75 JB. Which I can't play. Neat.

So let this be a terrible (beautiful) warning to you, Mr Shamrock. After all: you have a lucky username.

Oh, that's Dave Gilmour's houseboat/recording studio, The Aurora, in the background, by the way.



Cheers - C (happy retail therapy victim)

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one word:
craigslist

Okay, you're all making very good points...I love this forum, is that so wrong? However, the listings in my neck of the woods are dismal at best. But I'm sure I can find something nearer to the Windy City.