What Bass Next?

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lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
My son plays a Squier Jaguar SS and it is a superb little bass.  Plays great, sounds good and has proved a great platform to begin his journey.

He is 13 and has been playing for about 18 months.  At some point in the near future I would like to buy him a full sized bass, but I am not sure where to start.  It would probably be used and around the £300 mark. 

So looking for recommendations.  Stick with Fender or are there better makes out there in that price range? Nothing notoriously heavy as he is still a slip ;)


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  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    If he likes the Fender vibe you could pick up a used Fender MIM for that price and the newer the better IMO, many of the most recent ones I've played have been good instruments.

    Does he have a favourite bass tone?  What does his favourite bassist play?
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    The target figure of three hundred Pounds is almost enough for another brand new Squier from their Vintage Modified series or a pre-owned example from their Classic Vibe series. A little more money would land a Sterling SUB Ray 4.

    Pre-owned is the way to get the most for your money. Brands like Yamaha, Cort, Schecter, Ibanez/Soundgear and Epiphone can be found via the usual Internet selling channels. Trawling the boot sales might dredge up a bargain American-made instrument but only if HarrySeven does not beat you to it.




    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    By full size do you mean 34” scale?
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    As opposed to an orchestral contrabass. ;)
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    As opposed to an orchestral contrabass. ;)
    Hah! I was just checking it was scale length rather than body size/shape ;)


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  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
    If he likes the Fender vibe you could pick up a used Fender MIM for that price and the newer the better IMO, many of the most recent ones I've played have been good instruments.

    Does he have a favourite bass tone?  What does his favourite bassist play?
    Not sure he knows his tone yet, but he likes RHCP, Royal Blood, Muse etc..  Was thinking along the lines of a MIM bass. Not sure to go precision or jazz tho.. I guess I need to get him out to try a few
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  • ash96ash96 Frets: 61
    Check out the Sire basses. cheaper than the MIM fenders and considerably better. I know a bunch of professional players who have these either as a 5 string, or as a back up / different bass.

    I had a 5 string Mexican jazz bass, sold it for about £300, bought the sire 5 string jazz for about £180 with a hard case (2nd hand) and it blew the jazz out of the water. Miles better pickups, nice playability, and passive and active circuits in it.
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  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
    @Bridgehouse ;
    Yes full scale/length 34"
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  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
    The target figure of three hundred Pounds is almost enough for another brand new Squier from their Vintage Modified series or a pre-owned example from their Classic Vibe series. A little more money would land a Sterling SUB Ray 4.

    Pre-owned is the way to get the most for your money. Brands like Yamaha, Cort, Schecter, Ibanez/Soundgear and Epiphone can be found via the usual Internet selling channels. Trawling the boot sales might dredge up a bargain American-made instrument but only if HarrySeven does not beat you to it.




    Nice one @Funkfingers ;)
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  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
    ash96 said:
    Check out the Sire basses. cheaper than the MIM fenders and considerably better. I know a bunch of professional players who have these either as a 5 string, or as a back up / different bass.

    I had a 5 string Mexican jazz bass, sold it for about £300, bought the sire 5 string jazz for about £180 with a hard case (2nd hand) and it blew the jazz out of the water. Miles better pickups, nice playability, and passive and active circuits in it.
    Thanks I'll check them out!
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    @Bridgehouse ;
    Yes full scale/length 34"
    The Sterling Subs are worth a look - as are the CV Squiers or MiM if you can get one for the budget. 

    Also think the Ibanez range are fantastic value for money. Watch Epiphone etc as they are often short scale
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  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
    Great stuff thanks! We are popping into London on Sat - taking kids to theatre - so a detour to demark street could be in order to try some basses out!  Not sure wife will agree ;)
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Great stuff thanks! We are popping into London on Sat - taking kids to theatre - so a detour to demark street could be in order to try some basses out!  Not sure wife will agree ;)
    Hah! Have a good look about and don’t rush into anything. 

    For a First full scale I don’t think you can go wrong with a decent Precision - but I’m biased! 

    Given your lads experience with a Jaguar, it’s worth taking a bit of time to work out if he prefers narrow or wide but widths - a Jazz is 38mm, but my 64 Precision is 45mm - makes a big difference.

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  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
    Great stuff thanks! We are popping into London on Sat - taking kids to theatre - so a detour to demark street could be in order to try some basses out!  Not sure wife will agree ;)
    Hah! Have a good look about and don’t rush into anything. 

    For a First full scale I don’t think you can go wrong with a decent Precision - but I’m biased! 

    Given your lads experience with a Jaguar, it’s worth taking a bit of time to work out if he prefers narrow or wide but widths - a Jazz is 38mm, but my 64 Precision is 45mm - makes a big difference.

    :+1: 

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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Mexican Jazz Bass.

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Bridgehouse said:
    For a first full scale, I don’t think you can go wrong with a decent Precision - but I’m biased! 
    Like it or not, P Bass + flatwound strings is a reference sound. There will always be a use for it.


    Be seeing you.
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  • meltedbuzzboxmeltedbuzzbox Frets: 10337
    Im a big fan of the musicman stingray, in whatever guise it comes
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Nice one, Funkfingers ;)
    I steal all my best ideas from Bridgehouse. The skill is in stealing them BEFORE he posts them.


    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Nice one, Funkfingers ;)
    I steal all my best ideas from Bridgehouse. The skill is in stealing them BEFORE he posts them.


    Tea leaf
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    I knew that you were going to post that. :-p
    Be seeing you.
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