I’ve got an Overdrive button built into my Ampeg amp which gives quite a nice sound, and I’ve also got a Behringer Bass Overdrive pedal if i need it.
I’m beginning to realise that it’s more down to what you can afford/like the look of rather than the instrument itself.
Think I’ll stick with my ~£30 bass until I’ve saved up my pennies and then look around for my forever bass. I’ve been known to suffer from GAS with various hobbies over the years, but having a car to finish and no budget should stop me this time!
Well this may be controversial, but for most audiences, they are not going to notice your bass tone that much when playing live and probably most of that sound will be determined by the amp. It’ll stand out more when recording. I say if your P bass feels good then go with it.
I don’t think I’ll ever play to an audience. No-one wants to see an old fart like me playing rock/metal! It’s just for an audience of one and maybe some jamming with my youngest, who is currently learning guitar.
One thing you will see over time is that the original tone of an instrument is so easy to modify, especially for heavy genres, that the original bass tone actually doesn’t matter that much.
What really matters is playability. For many subtypes of metal you will want a bass you can get comfortable with fast playing.
As for the specific type of bass, I wouldn’t worry so much; while it is true that a stereotype of modern metal is made with modern double humbuckers like Dingwalls, going in to Darkglass preamps, that’s not a rule, just a trend - and it’s likely not as prevalent as the internet would have you believe. The punchiness of a P-Bass works just fine too, and I know of a lot of post-metal made with J-Basses.
I would recommend trending brighter/more mids-focused. While some bassists have made metal work just fine with flatwounds, for example, this is by far the exception and not the rule. You want to have enough high mids harmonics to help cut through the mix. Metal accumulates a lot of mud down in the low end and so a lot of that will be EQ’d away in the long run. You want to be strong across a more broad tonal spectrum than with, say, Motown.
A good ceramic pickup with balanced tone will serve you better than a new bass. It’s a reason EMG is popular in the metal scene. DiMarzio Model P pickups may be the best value on the market. EMG Ceramic Steel pickups are also a good deal, and super easy to install yourself without soldering.
Your never too old. I am 54 and about to try to start up a Funeral Doom band myself. More for fun but who knows we might try to play some shows locally if we work up enough material. Besides, us 80 metal heads can definitely teach the young uns a thing or two.
You mentioned that you didn’t want to spend the money for a premium bass. I get where you’re coming from as money is tight, but I suggest you save up and get a quality instrument.
Just remember it is a lifetime purchase that you will be playing for hour upon hour. It’s worth it to get a good, solid, premium instrument.
If you like older metal vibes, or more modern bands that harken back to the more Iron Maiden, Sabbath, Judas Priest era of metal, a P bass is your best friend.
If you like the more modern metal stuff - newer Metallica, Pantera, Meshuggah, Gojira, Amon Amarth etc - bands where the sound is a bit more polished, a bit brighter and tighter, then a J bass, or some bass where there are two pickup options, and the pickups are closer to the bridge would be good (or - in the case of the Ernie Ball - one giant pickup in the sweet spot closer to the bridge).
There are too many brands and models to choose from in each of these very general categories, but this would be a good first step to decide on general approach. Then you can find something that fits your budget inside of either category.
You may rely on it