Suggested basses in the £300-350 price range?

[JohnDeacon]

I have a tanglewood rebel 4k bass which i dont like, and I want a new bass.

Im looking to spend £350 max.

I dont mind going second hand.

What should I be looking out for? Any reccomendations from you guys?

Cheers
David

 

[hrn]

Try to get a used American made Fender Precision with a rosewood neck if you want heavy sound or one with a maple neck if you like a more bright sound.

In Sweden I bought my rosewood neck -75 for about 350 Dollars...The actual price in stores for this bass are much higher though, I bought it private.

Musicman basses are also great, can be expensive.

Yamaha BB1000 is a real great bass, quite thick neck and heavy, but a fantastic sound.

My favourites are Fender Precision and Rickenbacker 4001 70's. I also own a five string Charvel with active electronic....

Keep away from active electronics. It's like driving a car without feeling the ground.

Hans,
www.hagen.nu

 

[DeadPoet]

350pounds is about €550

Mexican Fenders can be found new for that price (bought a Mex 5str two years ago for about €600, sold it for my MM fretless + Fenders' active electronics aren't all that).

OLP (seems to stand for Original Licensed Product ) is an ok MusicMan copy, active, maple or rosewood, 4 or 5 string.

Yamaha BB G4A/G5A, BB405, BB G5S, ... all basses in your price range.. depends on your musical taste + playing style.
Ibanez ATK series, Warwick RockBass series, .. there's a big market out there.

"Keep away from active electronics. It's like driving a car without feeling the ground."
Yes and no, cheap bass=cheap electronics..

"rosewood neck if you want heavy sound or one with a maple neck if you like a more bright sound"
Maple is a harder type of wood so it will sound harder, more mid, sharper highs, while rosewood being softer will sound rounder ("warmer" anyone ? ), deeper bass,...

Herwig
personal favorites: musicman 5 fretted&fretless, ken smith 6

 

[christiaan]

OLP basses seems to be pretty solid indeed. I tried one once and I wasn't disappointed. Deadpoet, FYI: They are passive. Nothing wrong with that but they are.
Personally I've been a happy Ibanez user for years now. I got my Ibanez ATK 305 in July '97 for 1350 guilders (€613), got no urges to upgrade, used it for both gigging and recording and I've seen the newer version (the 405) for less. 4-string versions should be even cheaper and within your range.
The looks: You either love or hate it.

 

[DeadPoet]

Christiaan, sorry, thought they were active. Actually someone told me the electronics are the exact same as in the MM basses

I remember ATK being pretty close to "that MM sound".

 

[christiaan]

I remember ATK being pretty close to "that MM sound".

True. It has that single humbucker like the MMs. It's a pretty good alternative for anyone who doesn't have the dough for the real thing.

 

[JohnDeacon]

An american made fender precision is what I really want but the chances of getting one for £350 second hand are non existant I would have thought....

 

[christiaan]

An american made fender precision is what I really want but the chances of getting one for £350 second hand are non existant I would have thought....

I'm afraid you're right about that.