Found a cheap bass guitar on amazon, can you tell me wither if it's good or not?

#41
Pawn shops I’d avoid unless you were a gear expert - knowing the value of each brand/model, and being able to tell the condition of the bass, and if its a fake or not. Pawn shops also buy basses off ebay/Amazon for $60, then toss them on their wall as a used bass for $200. If you see 2 or more of the same brand on the wall that you haven’t heard of, this is likely what they are doing.

Go to a music store, buy a Fender Squier or something like that. You can look up the prices online and know exactly what to pay - but buying local can usually include a free setup, which could be $30-50 right there. Plus any issues, you walk in with it and they can take care of you - instead of involving spending $40-50 shipping it back someplace.
 
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#42
BBA56823-A814-4FB4-827C-C06F017A899F.png
spintop90 said:
Its a Safstar Electric Bass Guitar
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N148UUO/?coliid=I30F8T2K6B3H8Q&colid=3F6TIVB0JMTLH&psc=0
Click to expand...
Squier Affinity PJ Precision Bass
 
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#43
There's probably 25 Squier p-basses on Facebook marketplace for between $50-100 bucks. Get something used and see if the bass is something that's going to stick for you.
If you know an experienced player--even better--have them help you pick something out. Used is the best bang for your buck.
 
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#45
When I was starting out I would have taken about anything in my price range just to get something - anything... Try to avoid that feeling. A lot of good guys with a lot of experience have laid out some solid advice and some great choices. There is a reason Squier, Yamaha, Ibanez, etc... come up over and over again in these kind of threads.

The last thing you want to do is buy the first thing you can afford just because you want to have something. In the long run you could just end up frustrated and chucking the whole experience... then you'll be back in 30 years with a story about how you gave it up and want to be serious this time :laugh:
 
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#46
Check out the Guitar Center used site. Their entire inventory of used instruments in all their stores is on there. You can have it shipped to your house or your local GC. Return policy is 45 days, 100% money back, basically no questions asked as long as you return it in the same condition as when you bought it. Great way to check out a bass with little risk. There are a number of cheap basses on there, but I would stay away from the < $100 crowd. The first one on there that looked like it might meet your needs is this one: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Squier/Precision-Bass-Electric-Bass-Guitar-114047585.gc

For a bit more, this one looks bad ass: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Yamaha/BB404-Electric-Bass-Guitar-113953306.gc

You can also get a cheap bass amp on the same site. Something like this: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Fender/Rumble-100-1x15-100W-Bass-Combo-Amp-114053636.gc. An amp that puts out 100 watts is loud enough to use in band rehearsals with a live drummer (when you get to that point).
 
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#50
Yeah, bought the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz off of Musician’s Friend and have been so very VERY pleased by the instrument. Great feel on the neck and fretboard, gorgeous maple body and some killer Alnico pickups with a great jazz growl.

I own several Gibson CS & Memphis guitars as well as vintage instruments, handmade luthier guitars. Martins and Taylor’s, Ernie Ball basses, loaded with boutique pickups, and everything in between. I was genuinely happy and love this bass. Can’t find a flaw and I can’t stop playing it. Did change the chrome knobs out though.

On a side note, my first electric guitar was the MIJ Squier “Wayne’s World” Olympic White 60’s Strat. Ppl I hung out with and respected — much older and more talented musicians (at the time) were on the Ibanez RG, Floyd Rose, DiMarzio and JEM kick. They called my Christmas present, which I was really in love with, a “piece of ____” to others, right in front of me. That was kind of rough at the time, so don’t let what others say about your new rig make you feel bad. Remember that it’s your talent and dedication to learning your instrument and less “the gear” or the brand name or where it’s made, if you’re a player you’ll find a way to make it sound good... so long as it’s not absolute junk.

Point being, take everyone’s advice and play a bass (or ten), in-store if you can, go to a few shops and take your time... or take GC up on their used returns offer, and buy something inexpensive (but still quality enough to start on) off them online. But after considering quality and getting something built well/solidly, get something that’s comfortable and that looks and feels and sounds like you want it to. Have some patience too, dig through listings and look daily as new stuff gets listed all the time.

Also, if you can borrow or play someone else’s (for a while like I did for years with the 30lb RD bass) until your bday or Xmas or Hanukkah, then do that and get something that’ll last you.

Here’s the VM Squier 70’s JB for reference.

image.jpg
 
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#53
sludgetail said:
Yeah, bought the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz off of Musician’s Friend and have been so very VERY pleased by the instrument. Great feel on the neck and fretboard, gorgeous maple body and some killer Alnico pickups with a great jazz growl.

I own several Gibson CS & Memphis guitars as well as vintage instruments, handmade luthier guitars. Martins and Taylor’s, Ernie Ball basses, loaded with boutique pickups, and everything in between. I was genuinely happy and love this bass. Can’t find a flaw and I can’t stop playing it. Did change the chrome knobs out though.

On a side note, my first electric guitar was the MIJ Squier “Wayne’s World” Olympic White 60’s Strat. Ppl I hung out with and respected — much older and more talented musicians (at the time) were on the Ibanez RG, Floyd Rose, DiMarzio and JEM kick. They called my Christmas present, which I was really in love with, a “piece of ____” to others, right in front of me. That was kind of rough at the time, so don’t let what others say about your new rig make you feel bad. Remember that it’s your talent and dedication to learning your instrument and less “the gear” or the brand name or where it’s made, if you’re a player you’ll find a way to make it sound good... so long as it’s not absolute junk.

Point being, take everyone’s advice and play a bass (or ten), in-store if you can, go to a few shops and take your time... or take GC up on their used returns offer, and buy something inexpensive (but still quality enough to start on) off them online. But after considering quality and getting something built well/solidly, get something that’s comfortable and that looks and feels and sounds like you want it to. Have some patience too, dig through listings and look daily as new stuff gets listed all the time.

Also, if you can borrow or play someone else’s (for a while like I did for years with the 30lb RD bass) until your bday or Xmas or Hanukkah, then do that and get something that’ll last you.

Here’s the VM Squier 70’s JB for reference.

View attachment 2936382
Click to expand...
Beautiful
 
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#56
sludgetail said:
Thanks brother, right back at’cha!! What a set!
Click to expand...
Thanks Man:thumbsup: l love my red Squier I’ve owned the classic vibe 4 of them two Jazz and 2 Pbasses. I can’t say enough about how well this plays it’s so amazing how great it sounds. I do a lot of modding but not on this one sounds fantastic your bass looks great super great almost pulled the trigger on that one too but I walked into guitar center and found this one just put out on the stand and couldn’t leave it there. BTW I’ve Owned many many American Precisions over the last 54 years. Anyway...thank you and have a good evening my bass playing brother. :thumbsup:
 
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#60
Ampslut said:
To be honest, I doubt if anyone on this forum has ever played one of these so any opinions would be just conjecture. I do know that the entry level offerings from Squier, Ibanez, and Yamaha are well worth looking at.
Click to expand...

At least one person on this forum has played them and found them consistently to be light, resonant, deadspot free, and totally devoid of resale value; so mod to your heart's content. These are the 21st century equivalents of the import beginner basses of the 1960s, only much better in all aspects. And generally cheaper, too.

I am not going to try to twist OP's arm into getting one of these, nor anyone else's either. But it's late, and as I type this I can do a credible impersonation of at least three of the Seven Dwarfs, and I have reached a saturation point with something that occurs far too frequently on these forums: people stating strong opinions based on no evidence. Every unidentified vintage import bass must be a Matsumoku product, because Matsumoku has more cachet, doncherknow; saying no ABG can compete with two acoustic guitars when the opinion is based on a player's perspective from behind the bass (why don't we ask the guitar players what they hear?); issuing blanket condemnations of an entire class of basses which most of us have never even been in the same room with.

There; I've stoked the flames. Think I'll noodle for a bit on one of my import cheapies -- probably the redburst -- and call it a night. I will have a hard day tomorrow.
 
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