This might get into a few different bass-related topics. I started playing six-string electric guitar 2 years ago, and I’ve been doing a lot of gigs since then (Did my first gig at 14, I’m now 16). I got into bass about a year ago because we already had a guitarist and we needed a bassist. I had a cheap bass at home (A Rogue LX205B II, which is pretty awesome in terms of quality), and I started learning bass technique. Although It wa a 5 string, I play it like a 4 string by taking the low B string off.
I’ve been thinking about getting a new bass for a few months now, and I haven’t really made any decisions yet. I’m a metalhead who loves listening to and playing rock and metal, but I never get to play any of that stuff on stage during gigs. I always end up playing country and a little bit of rock, seeing that my area seems to like Brooks & Dunn more than Black Sabbath.
So what’s a cheap bass that looks nice and has good quality? Does anyone have really good recommendations? I’ve been thinking about getting a Sterling StingRay Ray4 bass, as I’ve heard some really good things about it. I do a lot of modifications to my bass, so is it easy to find parts for Stingray and Music Man basses?
You can’t go wrong with a Ray4. The new Ray4 Plus was just released which has a selector switch to change the mode of the pickup between single coil, parallel, and series wiring. Gives it some additional tones, plus a headstock that matches the body. A regular Ray4 is also nice (I have a Ray4 that’s been defretted, and a Ray5HH). Many aftermarket brands make MM (MusicMan) style pickups that will work also. One of the most common mods for a Sterling (SBMM) Ray4 is to change the pickup wiring from series to parallel to be more like the more expensive Ernie Ball MusicMan (EBMM) StingRays. Sometimes including a switch to go back and forth, which is pretty much what the Plus model does, if you don’t want to mess with soldering.
Overall, great tone, very versatile, and will fit in all your genres nicely.
As far as new goes. I’d start by looking at Yamaha, Sire, Sterling, Ibanez, Harley Benton (If you’re in Europe), Squier, Schecter as starting points. Then find a shape / design you like and narrow it down from there.
The CNC machine doesn’t know what country it’s in. So as long as the QC is good, basses made in China, Indonesia etc are hands down the best value.
When you’ve tightened up your search, maybe come back with a list of possibles. Although as with everything you’ll get a huge range of opinions.
Dollar for dollar Yamaha and Sire are pretty hard to beat for consistent quality.
Taking a G string off for the most part is ok and little harm could come to the neck but taking the B string off on a permanent basis, I’d advise against that, it’s the fastest way to twist the neck.
Sounded like you ate in the States, so I’d look for a used OLP. It’s almost the same as the EBMM Stingray I believe right down to the Parallel pickup wiring. I have both SUB series and the OLP. I swapped the neck out to OLP neck for the full width stingray neck.
I’m very pleased with the two short scale Ibanez bass guitars I have that were on the inexpensive side of the budget line. I’m sure full scale Ibanez bass models are also good value and good quality.
I have not not played a Ray4, but I do have a Ray34 and an OLP. Both are excellent basses. The 34 has an immediacy and kick to the tone that I really love. The OLP is a bit mellower (the 34 is series and the OLP parallel, which partly accounts for the tone difference) but is also excellent, given the money I paid for it. The MM style basses also look fantastic!
Something else to consider is Squier Affinity. They are also very good - I have gigged an Affinity P bass and was very happy with how the bass felt and sounded.
And @Barney speaks no word of a lie, second hand is where it’s at, as far as I am concerned. I have not yet bought a new bass! Given that you’ve played guitar for a couple of years, I assume that you know what to look for in a guitar-shaped object - is the neck twisted, are the frets OK, do the electronics work etc. [If you’re a bit unsure, there are plenty on the forum that will give you some advice]. The thing about second hand is that you can pick up some real bargains! I once bought a Squier Affinity P for £40, and last week bought an Ibanez GSR205 for £60. I like cleaning basses up, playing them for a bit, then selling them on My point is, that you can get decent kit for not a lot. OK, you need to be prepared to change strings, maybe sort scratchy pots and set the bass up … but I enjoy that kind of thing.
So many great basses available. Go to a store with a large selection and play a bunch. Note what you like then look on FB, Reverb, etc and see if you can pick up a used one to save some dough. Good luck!
Indonesia in particular. @DaveHamilton, Cort, Sire and Yamaha are all making instruments there that are up to or exceed the level of US brands, and Cort is making instruments for the US brands there, for most of the big makers. Cort manufactures instruments in Indonesia (and China) for Fender (and by extension, Squier), Gibson (Epiphone), G&L (the Tribute line), PRS (the SE line), Gretsch, and several other US brands.
Basically, if you have an instrument marked “Made in Indonesia” and not from Yamaha or Sire, it’s highly likely it’s made by Cort, and high quality. They make great stuff.
I have owned many Yamaha instruments from Indonesia. Fender USA does not make a consistently better instrument than the midrange Yamaha BB’s, Pacifica Standards, or Revstar Standards until you get to the custom shop. Same goes for Sire, they punch way above their price.
They are legit. Hence the name Officially Licensed Products it’s decent while made in a less prestige location, China. It’s a great platform to mod because of the neck geometry and spec.
The Ray4 has narrow Jazz neck profile 38mm at the nut. Compare to the EBMM Stingray at 43mm. For reference P bass is 41.3mm. Sure EBMM offers 38mm on their special and the Sterling model as well as all of the Joe Darts but those are special models.
If you are sensitive to width and spacing especially the first 5 frets then you’ll find that the generous spacing of Stingray is awesome.
My point is, that you can get decent kit for not a lot. OK, you need to be prepared to change strings, maybe sort scratchy pots and set the bass up … but I enjoy that kind of thing.
