Bass/Amp recommendations

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dean111musicdean111music Frets: 278
Hello

I'm after a good lightweight bass. I do love a good Fender Jazz but i guess i need to go and try lots out to pick out the light ones. 

What is a good average weight for a bass? 

Any recommendations? 

I do like a satin feel to the neck.

My budget for the bass is looking around £300-£400

Amp wise £200. Home practice, Aux and headphone would be a needed.  Obviously if i can get cheaper that would be great. 

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Comments

  • dean111musicdean111music Frets: 278
    I was looking a Fender Rumble amps and Sire or fender or Ibanez basses
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    Amp wise, I have a minty Gallien-Krueger MB108 that I’m going to depart with soon if interested, it was by far the best of the bedroom bass amps I tried and cracking value even new. Just don’t need it as I always plug into my recording interface and headphones.
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  • thermionicthermionic Frets: 9499
    Squier CV or VM, but they have gloss necks. CVs are basswood and can be quite light.

    £200 (or just over half that) will get you a lot of amp - Ampeg, Fender Rumble, or Orange.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Got to agree with CV series - excellent for the money. 

    So are some of the Yamaha and Ibanez choices. Every time I’ve been out with a mate looking for a cheap bass for them I’ve always been really impressed with the Ibanez offerings..
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  • dean111musicdean111music Frets: 278
    dindude said:
    Amp wise, I have a minty Gallien-Krueger MB108 that I’m going to depart with soon if interested, it was by far the best of the bedroom bass amps I tried and cracking value even new. Just don’t need it as I always plug into my recording interface and headphones.
    please pm when you are looking to sell
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  • dean111musicdean111music Frets: 278
    which models did you like?
    Got to agree with CV series - excellent for the money. 

    So are some of the Yamaha and Ibanez choices. Every time I’ve been out with a mate looking for a cheap bass for them I’ve always been really impressed with the Ibanez offerings..

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    which models did you like?
    Got to agree with CV series - excellent for the money. 

    So are some of the Yamaha and Ibanez choices. Every time I’ve been out with a mate looking for a cheap bass for them I’ve always been really impressed with the Ibanez offerings..

    There was one that @darthed1981 tried which was cracking for the money - two single coils and a Jazz like neck which was peanuts and made some £1k fenders look and sound poor - which one was that Ed?

    I have an Ibanez SRH500 which I gig regularly. It’s a bit left field, but it’s flipping stunning for the money. I am a typical snob bass player - my #1 bass is a pre-CBS 1964 Precision, and I have a 74 precision as well as some tasty custom made jobs - but the Ibanez I have holds its own in that company admirably. 

    If if I pick it up after playing a bass worth 10x the money I don’t think “hmmm cheap” I think “crikey, this is bloody good”.


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  • dean111musicdean111music Frets: 278
    which models did you like?
    Got to agree with CV series - excellent for the money. 

    So are some of the Yamaha and Ibanez choices. Every time I’ve been out with a mate looking for a cheap bass for them I’ve always been really impressed with the Ibanez offerings..

    There was one that @darthed1981 tried which was cracking for the money - two single coils and a Jazz like neck which was peanuts and made some £1k fenders look and sound poor - which one was that Ed?

    I have an Ibanez SRH500 which I gig regularly. It’s a bit left field, but it’s flipping stunning for the money. I am a typical snob bass player - my #1 bass is a pre-CBS 1964 Precision, and I have a 74 precision as well as some tasty custom made jobs - but the Ibanez I have holds its own in that company admirably. 

    If if I pick it up after playing a bass worth 10x the money I don’t think “hmmm cheap” I think “crikey, this is bloody good”.


    Ibanez Talman?
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    which models did you like?
    Got to agree with CV series - excellent for the money. 

    So are some of the Yamaha and Ibanez choices. Every time I’ve been out with a mate looking for a cheap bass for them I’ve always been really impressed with the Ibanez offerings..

    There was one that @darthed1981 tried which was cracking for the money - two single coils and a Jazz like neck which was peanuts and made some £1k fenders look and sound poor - which one was that Ed?

    I have an Ibanez SRH500 which I gig regularly. It’s a bit left field, but it’s flipping stunning for the money. I am a typical snob bass player - my #1 bass is a pre-CBS 1964 Precision, and I have a 74 precision as well as some tasty custom made jobs - but the Ibanez I have holds its own in that company admirably. 

    If if I pick it up after playing a bass worth 10x the money I don’t think “hmmm cheap” I think “crikey, this is bloody good”.


    Ibanez Talman?
    Might have been a gsr 180 actually - certainly was one of these in the mix when we tried a load. It was really cheap as it was on sale as well. 

    I reckon the Ibanez offerings around the £400 mark are properly stunning for the cash. 


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  • darthed1981darthed1981 Frets: 11676
    which models did you like?
    Got to agree with CV series - excellent for the money. 

    So are some of the Yamaha and Ibanez choices. Every time I’ve been out with a mate looking for a cheap bass for them I’ve always been really impressed with the Ibanez offerings..

    There was one that @darthed1981 tried which was cracking for the money - two single coils and a Jazz like neck which was peanuts and made some £1k fenders look and sound poor - which one was that Ed?

    I have an Ibanez SRH500 which I gig regularly. It’s a bit left field, but it’s flipping stunning for the money. I am a typical snob bass player - my #1 bass is a pre-CBS 1964 Precision, and I have a 74 precision as well as some tasty custom made jobs - but the Ibanez I have holds its own in that company admirably. 

    If if I pick it up after playing a bass worth 10x the money I don’t think “hmmm cheap” I think “crikey, this is bloody good”.



    I think it was that one.  A while ago now!

    When I was in Andertons again I tried a couple of Ibanez' against the Sire basses they are always banging on about and found the Ibanez' far nicer to play (in my ignorant guitarist way) though a far superior factory setup helps!

    We have to be so very careful, what we believe in...
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  • valevale Frets: 1052
    edited June 2018
    the thing you have to bear in mind with bass weight is that the balance factor involved is far more significant with a long necked bass than a shorter necked guitar. so the further away from you that maple plank gets, the heavier the block that you attach the pickups to has to be, to counter-balance it.

    so an easy way to cutting down significantly on weight is shortscale. shorter neck means lighter body (generally). there are pos & negs re shortscale but a bass is a bass, great players have made both sing, so the most important thing is what you are comfortable with. which means trying lots.

    as for recommendations, that's a taste thing, which shapes appeal to you? which don't?

    going by your wishlist so far, fender jazz-ish (jazz pickup position & thinner than average neck), a satin neck finish, lighter than average, i would suggest you try the fender-squier shortscale jaguars.

    i used to have the squier jaguar SS bass. the neck was super-slender with a fine satin finish & the shortscale jaguar bass body is smaller than the jaguar guitar body, so the ensemble was very easy to wear & guitarish fast to play. nice clippy PJ tones (jazz pickup option, so ticks that box).
    as for reservations? the pickups could be bolder & fatter if you are super fussy, but it's not a huge deal. i let them be & instead eq'd (mxr pedal) for max chunky & dialed top off on ampsim. but if you wanted you could upgrade (£200 bass + posh £pickups upgrade = £300 ish).

    bass amps i have no idea about really (beyond cheapies & make-do-s). i can't afford two good amps so my modest amp funds are all in my guitar amp. but someone like @ICBM ;;; @Funkfingers or @Bridgehouse (the resident bass ninjas, among many!) can better advise you there.

    you have plenty enough funds so best advice is to try lots before you buy anything.
    hofner hussie & hayman harpie. what she said...
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    That’s the chap @darthed1981 !!

    I reckon you are right about setup - the Ibanez are consistently good. Not played one I didn’t get on with. 


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  • darthed1981darthed1981 Frets: 11676
    That’s the chap @darthed1981 !!

    I reckon you are right about setup - the Ibanez are consistently good. Not played one I didn’t get on with. 


    I believe you also tried this amp as did I and you had a positive opinion @Bridgehouse

    I thought it seemed tremendous fun if someone (like I was/am considering) wanted a first bass rig that inspired them to play:


    Got £35 cheaper since we tried it as well.

    We have to be so very careful, what we believe in...
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    @vale gives sound advice. Try lots indeed.

    For amps, I really like the fender rumbles as small amps. I also really like the smaller markbass but they are more money. 

    The mb108 is a good amp - but I really really like the Ebs session 60

    Other than that, it can often come down to size and weight.. so again, try lots!
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  • valevale Frets: 1052
    sorry for the paging after you had already landed here bridgehouse, no one had replied when i started writing. i'm slow typing tonight thanks to migraine brain!
    hofner hussie & hayman harpie. what she said...
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    That’s the chap @darthed1981 !!

    I reckon you are right about setup - the Ibanez are consistently good. Not played one I didn’t get on with. 


    I believe you also tried this amp as did I and you had a positive opinion @Bridgehouse

    I thought it seemed tremendous fun if someone (like I was/am considering) wanted a first bass rig that inspired them to play:


    Got £35 cheaper since we tried it as well.

    Yep - that was a cracking modelling amp and made some really decent authentic sounds.
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  • dean111musicdean111music Frets: 278
    so the fender rumble studio 40 is better than the normal rumble amp? im going to go try loads i think :)

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    so the fender rumble studio 40 is better than the normal rumble amp? im going to go try loads i think :)

    The studio 40 does modelling and you can make it sound like a range of different bass amps. I tried it in PMT in Cambridge on a Fretboard jolly Boys day out.

    Before trying I thought it would be gimmicky shite. Within 10 mins I’d decided it was an excellent at-home amp for trying a range of different styles. Loved it for the money and it was really really bloody lightweight
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  • dean111musicdean111music Frets: 278
    so the fender rumble studio 40 is better than the normal rumble amp? im going to go try loads i think :)

    The studio 40 does modelling and you can make it sound like a range of different bass amps. I tried it in PMT in Cambridge on a Fretboard jolly Boys day out.

    Before trying I thought it would be gimmicky shite. Within 10 mins I’d decided it was an excellent at-home amp for trying a range of different styles. Loved it for the money and it was really really bloody lightweight
    nice! will give that a try for sure.

    I have Andertons, Guitar Guitar (Epsom) and GAK near me. Any other places worth travelling to? 
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