Thread: Cheap Bass
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Old 07-08-2017, 11:19 AM
FrankHudson FrankHudson is offline
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Location: Minneapolis, MN
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Steve and I seem to have different luck or different expectations with cheap electric guitars/basses, but we agree that new and $100 is low. Used, yes, you can get something that may work for you, but I can't tell you what you'll find available.

My bass gateway drug was short-scale too, though I've now moved over to playing conventional 34" "long scale" slightly more than half the time. The short-scale new model that I bought, played and enjoyed was a Squier SS Jaguar bass, which is still available new for less than $200. I've had two of those Jaguars (one was stolen) and they both worked for me. But I also used an 90s DeArmond short scale with flatwounds (rare, you'll never find one used) and a really crappy old Japanese bass from the 70s that I got from an old band-mate 35 years ago and still had laying around.

Short scale tends to have mushier and less punchy lower E string. I find this less of a problem playing with pieces featuring acoustic guitar than I'd have in a loud rock band context. Flatwounds mask some of this effect, as they have less top end cut in general. Short scale is easier for guitar players to adapt to the stretches and the string tension can be lower.

The inexpensive conventional (long) scale basses I play the most are an Epiphone Jack Casady hollowbody bass, which I bought used and will blow your budget (used more like $400 to $500, new currently $800). I mention this only because it really can work nicely with acoustic guitar (gee, Hot Tuna anyone). I also really like my Squier fretess Jazz bass, which I bought used for less than $200 last year. New they are $300. The fretless does that fretless sound (this model is a cheap nod to the $1800 Fender Jaco Pastorius model) and so if you want to sound like Jaco and Joni on Hejira you can do this (well maybe a few notes will sound like that, as most of us are minus the chops and songwriting genius).

Besides scale length, you'll need to decide on flat-wound vs. round-wound strings. Flats are a more traditional, 1960's sound. The notes have more fundamental and have a softer thud. Round-wound have more harmonic overtones, cut better though the mix or in some live electric band situations, and have a more aggressive edge. I use both playing with acoustic guitar, and in fact have both a short scale and long scale with each on hand when recording. So for example, that fretless Squier Jazz has round wounds for those brighter up the neck Jaco sounds, while the Casady has flats for those more warm thuddy tones. Unless you're lucky in the used market, your cheap bass will come with round-wound strings. If you want to change to flats you may be shocked what a good set of bass strings cost. I like TI flats myself, but I have guitars that cost less than set of them. The good thing is that bass strings last longer for most players than I have left on a life-insurance actuaries' table.

I love playing bass in a recording context, much more than I ever thought I would, and there are times now in a band context when I grab the "bass chair" and let someone else handle all the widdly treble stuff.
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Guitars: 20th Century Seagull S6-12, S6 Folk, Seagull M6; '00 Guild JF30-12, '01 Martin 00-15, '16 Martin 000-17, '07 Parkwood PW510, Epiphone Biscuit resonator, Merlin Dulcimer, and various electric guitars, basses....
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