Best Bass Guitar??

[Nitrous604]

Im looking at buying an Electric Bass Guitar in the next few days, but really know nothing about them. Fender is the first name that comes to mind... I want to spend about $500.00

It will be used mainly for Hip-Hop production. Someone told me to look at a single Pickup... Is that a good idea? If so, why?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Brentley Womac]

If you can find a dealer... Cort makes a great instrument for a very good price. I have a Cort 5 string, it plays & sounds wonderful.

[Headz51230]

For studio only you can't go wrong with an old peavey T-40. It ways an ancor so I never played it live but when I quit gigging I sold my stingray and kept the T-40 because it more versatile. They go for around $250.

Sent from my PG06100 using Gearslutz.com

[dMiurge]

$500 can buy you a whole lotta bass if you scour craigslist for deals. There is absolutely no reason to buy a bass new when there are so many great deals on pristine used instruments right now. You can probably find a used Fender American Precision bass for that price if you hunt around. The Fender P-bass is pretty much the closest thing to a standard for hip-hop and reggae.

[E.rOk.stA]

Listen, I know that the P-bass and J-bass get mad respect and rightfully so, however I've played alot of different basses and honestly, the ones that really blew me away was the Marcus Miller edition of the J-bass and Ibanez's SR-505 and SR-755. They had the best variety and knobs to dial in the right tone for whatever. You could get sounds from vintage to modern.

[G. Kaye]

Originally Posted by dMiurge

$500 can buy you a whole lotta bass if you scour craigslist for deals. There is absolutely no reason to buy a bass new when there are so many great deals on pristine used instruments right now. You can probably find a used Fender American Precision bass for that price if you hunt around. The Fender P-bass is pretty much the closest thing to a standard for hip-hop and reggae.

Agreed. For $500 you should be able to find a used american pbass somewhere. There's other good basses like siggested here, but I'd say if you can afford it, an american pbass would be the best first bass. Then go with some others for your next bass if you decide to want a different tone later. American pbass is probably the most used bass sound on records for the past 50 yrs, sounds great on any style of music. ie start with basics, then go to other more exotic basses. Cant go wrong with a pbass and american is the best one.

If you must have new, then go with a Mexican, which is like a step below american but still great basses and can be had new for under $500.. But I always think when it comes to guitars that used are actually better, as long as well kept. They kind of get "broken in" like a pair of shoes and the sound gets sweeter the more its been used. Unlike a synth, where they sound the same old/new, but electronics issues are involved with old ones, a guitar can sound better with age and no electronic issues to deal with.