Suggest a low cost decent P Bass

Rocker

Our band has called it a day, the band that I played bass in.  I have a USA made Fender Precision which is a good instrument but too good to leave in its case. So I plan on selling it and buying a cheaper P bass, something to play if and when the urge presents itself.  I hope to get an instrument that is a good bass but not too expensive.

All suggestions welcome and thanks in advance.

MrTee

Classic vibe P bass

louis_LLM

MrTee said:

Classic vibe P bass

+1 for this

ICBM

Keep it, unless you really need the money. You’ll regret selling it and buying something less good, even if it’s very nearly as good.

I could easily sell my Rickenbacker 4001 and keep my backup Washburn, which is at least 95% as good for 5% of the value, pocket £2K and be able to make exactly the same music.

But the Washburn isn’t as good, and it would always remind me that it isn’t every time I play it.

That’s not the only expensive instrument I have which I can’t justify keeping on a purely use-based level, but I’m not selling any of them. It’s just nice to have nice things.

Schnozz

I had a Korean Dean that I upgraded and its on sale at Bass Bros for £250.

Lindy Fralin pickup, Gotoh Japan bridge, USA pots and Switchcraft jack.

Canadian maple and American alder with quality frets, unlike Squier CV.

hollywoodrox

I had a Vintage brand one that was really nice & the bass player out of Saxon supposedly plays them 
  

fretmeister

Keep it.

Whatever you buy cheap won't hold it's value like a US Fender either.

KDS

If you like it, as other have said keep it, particularly when you factor in time spent selling that and buying a 'lesser' instrument 

Buy a decent stand and leave it out, that will get you playing it more

pt22

Another keep it vote here.

bandmaster188

Keep it, or a Sire… but keep it.

Rocker

Thanks guys for your contributions.  The reality is that I have turned seventy recently and have no wish to continue playing bass in the band.  The other band members agreed that we would finish up at the end of 2025.  I feel badly that a €1K+ bass is standing on a stand and is unlikely to be played seriously again.  I love bass but I find it almost impossible to practice 'bass moves' in isolation.  I don't and never have noodled with a bass or guitar, my bass practice was and is by playing along to music on my hi-fi system.  I have no problem with a €400 bass standing on the stand but a decent Fender Precision deserves and needs to be played.

The guy who setup a few of my guitars suggested I check out SX or Jet basses.  I have a Jet Telecaster and it is a very good guitar, Jet basses sell for around €400 give or take.  The SX is around half that price but benefits greatly from a setup so it remains an option.  There are a few music shops in Dublin and over the next few months I will check out their cheaper basses.

CarbonCopy

I don't agree that a musical instrument deserves or needs anything (the exception perhaps being something rare or culturally significant). Your only motive seems to be that you feel that an instrument of a certain calibre has to be played regularly for a defined purpose for you to be worthy of its presence. 

If you don't need the money, I'm not sure what the point is of downgrading your bass to something that's inferior. It seems like hassle (and an element of self-flagellation) for the sake of it.

If you want to spend the money on something else, fair enough. But you haven't said that so not sure why you would want to sell something you like. 

crunchman

There was an Indonesian made Squier P Bass special (probably early 2000s) that was very good if you can find one.

Rocker

CarbonCopy said:

I don't agree that a musical instrument deserves or needs anything (the exception perhaps being something rare or culturally significant). Your only motive seems to be that you feel that an instrument of a certain calibre has to be played regularly for a defined purpose for you to be worthy of its presence. 

If you don't need the money, I'm not sure what the point is of downgrading your bass to something that's inferior. It seems like hassle (and an element of self-flagellation) for the sake of it.

If you want to spend the money on something else, fair enough. But you haven't said that so not sure why you would want to sell something you like. 

Interesting comment my friend and a very reasonable question at the end.

I have reached the end of my 'career' as a gigging bassist.  It is just too much hassle, setting up, taking down kit and transporting it to and from venues etc.  And another late night to boot.  Gigging is for the younger fellows, those aged less than sixty, and as I am well past that number I decided to call it a day.  Coincidentally the drummer in our band felt exactly the same way as I did and he gave up playing too.

In addition to this, my wife and I are on the lookout for a much smaller property, downsizing as we are unable to keep our present home as we would like to keep it.  So far any properties we have looked at have been unsuitable but hope springs eternal...

With downsizing in mind, I have already moved on a Taylor 310, a Gibson Melody Maker and a USA Fender Telecaster.  I bought a Jet Telecaster to replace the Fender as there is something in the sound of a Tele....  Actually my most played instruments are all budget guitars - the aforementioned Jet Telecaster, a Squier Starcaster and my much modified Epi Les Paul.  My USA Fender Precision bass is next to go as it won't ever get played seriously by me again.  If I can get a decent lower priced replacement, I will likely buy it but if not, the bass and a Markbass combo amp will go as space is likely to be at a premium in our next home.  One thing I had not considered when moving guitars on is that their cases go too, thus freeing up more space in our music room.

The money received from the sale of instruments might well be needed as some modifications to our new home are likely to be needed.  But it is largely down to having too much musical equipment and wondering where it will all fit in our new dwelling.

Stratavarious

I’m a +1 on keep it unless pressing financial need but if it must go, get one without a case and hang it on a wall in reach.  Ibanez and Yamaha do good quality P style basses. Sire is popular.

Are there any family who might inherit it one day or discover a love of music to pass it on to?

Zoonyboy

Most recent Squiers seem really good. Well built and good frets and playability. I'd go to a shop that specialises in second hand and just ask what they have on the cheaper end. There's still one in most towns. Or a guitar show. A couple of hundred should get something quite nice. I have a 64 P Bass but gigged on a brand new £190 Squier Jaguar bass for a while. It did a great job.

OilCityPickups

Rocker said:

CarbonCopy said:

I don't agree that a musical instrument deserves or needs anything (the exception perhaps being something rare or culturally significant). Your only motive seems to be that you feel that an instrument of a certain calibre has to be played regularly for a defined purpose for you to be worthy of its presence. 

If you don't need the money, I'm not sure what the point is of downgrading your bass to something that's inferior. It seems like hassle (and an element of self-flagellation) for the sake of it.

If you want to spend the money on something else, fair enough. But you haven't said that so not sure why you would want to sell something you like. 

Interesting comment my friend and a very reasonable question at the end.

I have reached the end of my 'career' as a gigging bassist.  It is just too much hassle, setting up, taking down kit and transporting it to and from venues etc.  And another late night to boot.  Gigging is for the younger fellows, those aged less than sixty, and as I am well past that number I decided to call it a day.  Coincidentally the drummer in our band felt exactly the same way as I did and he gave up playing too.

In addition to this, my wife and I are on the lookout for a much smaller property, downsizing as we are unable to keep our present home as we would like to keep it.  So far any properties we have looked at have been unsuitable but hope springs eternal...

With downsizing in mind, I have already moved on a Taylor 310, a Gibson Melody Maker and a USA Fender Telecaster.  I bought a Jet Telecaster to replace the Fender as there is something in the sound of a Tele....  Actually my most played instruments are all budget guitars - the aforementioned Jet Telecaster, a Squier Starcaster and my much modified Epi Les Paul.  My USA Fender Precision bass is next to go as it won't ever get played seriously by me again.  If I can get a decent lower priced replacement, I will likely buy it but if not, the bass and a Markbass combo amp will go as space is likely to be at a premium in our next home.  One thing I had not considered when moving guitars on is that their cases go too, thus freeing up more space in our music room.

The money received from the sale of instruments might well be needed as some modifications to our new home are likely to be needed.  But it is largely down to having too much musical equipment and wondering where it will all fit in our new dwelling.

I'm 66 and cart a double bass and amp to use in one band and guitar and amps for my other high energy punk band. 
Sorry but gigging is for the younger fellows is just rubbish. If you have no health issues then age has nothing to do with it. Perhaps it's more that what you are doing musically isn't sufficiently stimulating to keep you wanting to gig.
If it's more about downsizing then one bass is as small as another ... 
Age is a number , and the less stuff we do the faster we get older. Sorry if this sound unsympathetic, but when we give up we conk out ... seen it dozens of times.  


PS the drummer in our Rockabilly band The Cobras is 80 this year ... and one of the best damn drummers I have ever played with ... he also drums in a big band ... 

ToneControl

if you sell, then need one again, you'll be taking a risk on what you get, and will need to have it set up properly etc

Keep it unless you are very skint.

duotone

I would go for a Squier Precision: https://uk.fender.com/collections/squier-precision-bass whichever one takes your fancy. 

Rocker

@OilCityPickups, I appreciate your comments and understand where you are coming from but things are different for the members of our old band. Every member has a significant but different medical problem or issue as it is referred to these days. 

I am heartened that an 80 year old is still playing. That is great. None of us had any problems actually playing on stage. Or learning new songs. That was the easy bit. Our main problem is everything else associated with gigging - travel, transporting our kit, setup, takedown etc. Each gig took a good chunk of the afternoon and resulted in another late night. 

As regards to selling my bass, I am uneasy at the thought of an expensive bass just standing there on the guitar stand. I felt similar about expensive guitars - they are gone and replaced by much less expensive instruments. I still get enjoyment from these cheaper guitars and, if I get a decent cheap bass, I expect a similar result. 

Good for you to keep on playing and gigging. Keep on doing it for as long as you enjoy the experience. 

fretmeister

The cheapest basses that I've ever played that are way better than their cost are the Jim Deacon basses - these days usually badged as "SX".

I have two of their shortscale P basses. I got them used for under £150 each (IIRC one was only about £100).

They do need a few component swaps but the basic construction is so good that it is more than worth it. I swapped the tuners to solve neck dive (might not be an issue on full size versions), the pickups and the wiring loom.

The pickup swaps were personal preference - one of the basses is now EMG and the other an Aguilar. The loom was because the controls were very on/off instead of a smooth sweep. But that's only a few minutes work with a soldering iron and some good pots.

The EMG equipped bass has Elixir nickel rounds and the Aguilar one has La Bella flats. Between them they cover everything I need from P bass.

So if you really want to sell that Fender, keep an eye out for one of the Jim Deacon / SX basses to try.