Help! Looking for a budget bass

I am looking to buy my first bass and just fell in love with the sound of the fender precision 62 reissue bass with the flatwound strings that Josh Fossgreen uses in his video’s. (specificcaly at 4:18 Fix #3 - Learn String Basics of the 6 Bass Tone Fixes video)

Off course that bass is way more expensive than my budget of around 250/300 dollar. Do you guys by any chance know a P-bass that I can buy to get that sounds simular even though my budget is small? (My genre is Soul, Funk and HipHop.)

Thank you!

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Hi @Fons,

the P-bass is probably one of the most copied bass models out there, so I think you should be able to get a version fitting almost any budget. And many of these copies are really solid, nice basses.

The Squire line is Fender’s own “budget” line and many people in here in the forum play one - it seems an obvious choice for a beginner. Personally, I got my beginner (P-)bass from a UK manufacturer with the clever (but also quite confusing (for internet searches)) name of “Vintage Basses”, namely the Vintage Reissued V4 - it cost about 400 dollars:
https://www.jhs.co.uk/brands/vintage/vintage-basses/vintage-reissued-v4-bass-sunset-sunburst
I can’t really say anything bad about it - it is a really solid bass, plays well (as far as I can tell as a beginner of 6 months) and has a great sound.

I am sure there are other P-bass copies out there that would fit your budget, and the collective knowledge of the people in this forum should be able to point you in the right direction :grinning:

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Hello @Fons, and welcome to the Forums . . . :slight_smile:

The bass that Josh is using in that video is the same one I have: a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass 70s which costs ~$350 USD. Those are now discontinued, but you still might be able to find one at Guitar Center:

www.guitarcenter.com/Squier/Vintage-Modified-Jazz-Bass-70s.gc

Squier makes several other models at lower prices. Do a Google search and you’ll see what I mean.

Good luck and all best, Joe

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Hey @Fons, welcome to the forum! I love that bass too - although a lot of people complained on that video that they couldn’t pick out the sound of the bass very well, and I’m guessing it was because of the classic dark tone of a P bass with flats. Oops. :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

I don’t know Squier’s P Basses personally, but I’d hazard a guess that if you find one you like in a music store and slap some LaBella flatwounds on it, it’ll sound close enough for your liking. Or any other P Bass, or even a PJ setup, like the Yamaha Broad Bass, or a Squier PJ.

One thing I’m learning over the years as I buy and sell gear - you never really know how much you’ll like a bass until you play it a bit. I bought a 5 string version of my Peavey Cirrus thinking I’d love it just as much, but turns out the tone just isn’t the same, even on the 4 strings they share. Seemed like a safe buy based on how similar they looked, but seems don’t make it so. (but seams do make it sew)

And Joe @Jazzbass19, I think Fons was referring to the sunburst P bass, not the white J bass. :slight_smile:

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OK, got it @JoshFossgreen

I thought he was looking at the bass he mentioned at “4:18” :slight_smile:

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I was going to recommend a Yamaha BB234. Great P/J bass and the BB line is a classic. It is kind of at the top of the price range quoted but it is a solid choice.

The BB was the first bass I ever played and was a serious contender for my first purchase. If I were specifically looking for a P/J it is very likely what I would get.

That said, grain of salt - I am a total Yamaha fanboy :slight_smile:

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Agreed it’s a solid choice, @howard . . . :+1:

Even though it’s at the top of @Fons price range, I wouldn’t spend any less than $250-300.

All best, Joe

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That’s another really good point. A few minutes in a guitar store may not necessarily be enough, either! . . . I guess I lucked out with mine . . . :slight_smile:

More words of wisdom, @JoshFossgreen . . . :laughing:

All best, Joe

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@howard and @JoshFossgreen How do you think this Yamaha model compares to the Yamaha TRBX304 which was the overall winner on the blind folded test that Josh conducted? I have the Yamaha TRBX304 on order, but it’s back-ordered until September so I still have time to cancel it if I change my mind.
Thanks,

Pam

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Josh can speak with much more experience here but I can give you a beginner’s opinion.

I own a TRBX304 and love it. You made an excellent choice in my opinion. Especially if you bought the red one :slight_smile:

Quality-wise they are both about the same. Mostly it depends on what you want. The BB is a classic, passive P/J bass. The TRBX is a more modern sounding active bass with more tone options. The BB has the more classic sound.

There’s a lot of good things to say about both instruments. My bandmate in college had a BB and it was the first bass I ever played. I loved that thing. My favorite bassist (Peter Hook from Joy Division) has famously played primarily BB’s for decades.

On the other hand the TRBX plays great, has a lot more tone options with its active electronics and EQ, and I don’t regret choosing it at all.

Basically I doubt you could go wrong with either.

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Thanks a lot guys, you are awesome. I am gonna dive into your answers :slight_smile:

And yes, definately want to try those la bella flatwound strings. Looking for that James Jamerson sound!!

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@PamPurrs, I agree with everything @howard said, particularly

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The strings help a lot! These are them - https://www.labella.com/products/0760m-deep-talkin-bass-1954/

Thanks Josh! Great tip.

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Little late to the party, but I have a squier “Bullet” Made in Korea I think early 90’s. It’s really, really nice with a great neck, not plywood, nickel plated hardware, and smaller “vintage” frets. It’s better than mim fenders imho.

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Welcome aboard, @santino . . . :slight_smile:

Some of the Squier basses are surprisingly good quality :+1:

All best and see you around the Forums, Joe

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Thanks for the welcome! I got here by way of watching Josh’s lessons on yt. Everyone here is so cool and supportive; I just had to join.

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even a Squier Affinity (the low-cost range of the low-cost Fender brand :slight_smile: ) is cool. the current Squier range is really amazing !

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No doubt, I was thinking I could help the op find a solid bass for less money. I bought the bullet bass at a swap meet for 40 bucks American a while back. Turns out, it may be a 1987 (E7 serial number). Looking online today, it seems they go for $300 and quickly. Still, it may be an option. Flat wounds for sure, as Josh suggested would get to that sound.

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I teach in a music store during the week. I can confirm this hazardous guess as being accurate.
The Squier P-Basses can be dynamite. You should play them though to find one you like.

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