# Favorite under-rated or below the radar bass



## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

What are your favorite cheaper sleepers?

For me, the original passive Ibanez ATK basses with the single triple coil humbucker in the bridge position. Oddly, I tend to not like bridge pickups on a bass, but this is the main exception. They got a bit popular for a bit in the mid 2000s (came out in 93), especially the active version or the ones with a second J pup, and then faded in to the background again.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

The Yamaha RBX-170s punch well above their weight class - don't get much cheaper than that.


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## grumpyoldman (Jan 31, 2010)

I really like the original Cort Greg Curbow series, particularly the five strings - I've had four of them so far, and still have three (two fretted and a fretless)...Not overly expensive new, and definitely not expensive used.

John
thegrumpyoldman


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I picked up this SX P bass years ago for a song and it has served me well on many home recordings. Had to file the fret edges down.


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## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

My Yamaha TRBX 305 has been a solid workhorse. The preamp is quite flexible.


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

I’ve become a shortscale guy , largely because I bought a Danelectro Longhorn about twenty years ago . Mine still has the factory strings , and they’re dead , however , the Dano possesses one incredible old school woody thump with the dead strings ! It sounds more upright than my upright . After using it for ages I still can’t decide if it’s really cool or butt ugly .
Now for daily practice I like a fuller tone and my little Les Paul DC Jr is just the ticket . Recently picked up a Dano DC shortscale and it’s been getting time too .
And as a sheer guilty pleasure I picked up a Squier Bass VI a little while ago and can’t keep my hands off it . It’s getting expensive because I keep buying pedals for it .


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

@Morrow What is that saying about ugly girls? Fun to play with as long as your friends don't see!


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

SX made some good cheap bases. I had a jazz bass and stingray from them and they were both way nicer than their prices would suggest.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

MarkM said:


> @Morrow What is that saying about ugly girls? Fun to play with as long as your friends don't see!


Except none of his girls be ugly (or under-rated for that matter). Sure Longhorns are weird (and I'm not a fan of the look), but there's always that one popular supermodel / actress that a given dude just isn't into and doesn't get what others are seeing.

What's more concerning is all these other posts for basses with overly suggestive upper horns. There are less Freudian ways to achieve strap balance, gentlemen ;P

I was expecting some Yamaha. The Cort was a bit of a surprise (especially on this side of the pond). Hoping to see more things outside the P/J norm. Remember kids, this isn't about what you own necessarily (I don't have an ATK; regret not getting one 2 decades ago, but I was on a vintage Gibson tip back then), maybe the ones that got away, or you never got around to picking up. Started on etc.

... At the risk of sounding a bit uni-branded, the Ibanez Artcore Vintage hollowbodies were really cool - looked, felt, played, and sounded great; relatively cheap new as well. Bumped into a bunch of those on gear safari in Copenhagen.


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

The fans of the Fender aesthetic are saying pretty good stuff about Sire these days . Never bought one myself as I tend to avoid Fender styled things these days after many , many years as a devoted fanboi .
I do have a couple of Epis that are quite nice , both made in the Unsung Factory in Korea . Quality is about as good as it gets for a production instrument . One is a Flying V , a complete and total guilty pleasure . It’s pretty light and surprisingly well balanced . Some may find the sight of some old geezer in sneakers and jeans playing a V kinda pathetic , doesn’t bother me at all , I’m fine with that .
I thought Yamaha might have more of a response too … and Harley Benton .
Korean quality today seems to be where Japanese quality was in the later 80’s and 90’s . Prices are climbing . The cheaper goods originate in China and Indonesia , but they too are also putting out premium product . 
The cheaper instruments of today are far superior to what they were in the past .


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I really like my Epiphone Thunderbird. I took it as partial payment for a guitar. I expected to sell it. That never happened. It was my only bass for a couple of years. It now lives with my granddaughter but if it comes back to me it won’t be sold. It’ll be a good backup for my Tokai.


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Where to begin...

I picked up several 90s Mex Fender jazz basses back in the early 2000`s for 100-150$ when everyone were dumping them... Added BadAss bridges, new tuners, quarter pounder pups and did full set up. cant tell the difference with an American.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

I agree with Kerry B about the Epi T-bird. Only thing that throws me a bit is the shape. 

Another cheaper Bass that I like a lot is the ESP LTD Viper 54. SG shape, 1 active bridge pup, rosewood neck. It's an older, lowest of the line at the time player that would probably surprise a few people.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I’ve played one Godin or another for the better part of 25 years, 4 or 5 strings, fretless and fretted. My current Godin is a simple Freeway PJ style and it’s great.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

bw66 said:


> The Yamaha RBX-170s punch well above their weight class - don't get much cheaper than that.





Grab n Go said:


> My Yamaha TRBX 305 has been a solid workhorse. The preamp is quite flexible.


I also came in to say Yamaha, the bb series are great, and go back a long time (1977) History of the Yamaha BB Bass – Workhorses That Became Thoroughbreds


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

Something that comes to mind is the Gretsch Junior Jet . Not expensive at all , and I’ve been hearing some rave reviews on them , although I have not picked one up . Short scale .


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

To add to my previous post, most of all my 1970 to 1990`s Japan made basses ... Love all my Vantage, Westone, Yamaha , Ibanez stuff that was snubbed by most musician in the day.


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

guilty


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Frenchy said:


> Ibanez stuff


Loved the fretless Musician that our bassist had in the 80's.
(that's me with the V)


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

laristotle said:


> Loved the fretless Musician that our bassist had in the 80's.
> (that's me with the V)
> View attachment 397222


Nice pic !

All nice instruments and T`s ...

Here is mine, fretted version.


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## StratCat (Dec 30, 2013)

laristotle said:


> Loved the fretless Musician that our bassist had in the 80's.
> (that's me with the V)
> View attachment 397222


Great pic!


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## Patrice Brousseau (Aug 12, 2020)

Mooh said:


> I’ve played one Godin or another for the better part of 25 years, 4 or 5 strings, fretless and fretted. My current Godin is a simple Freeway PJ style and it’s great.


Godin Shifter Classic 4.


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## Patrice Brousseau (Aug 12, 2020)

Morrow said:


> Something that comes to mind is the Gretsch Junior Jet . Not expensive at all , and I’ve been hearing some rave reviews on them , although I have not picked one up . Short scale .


I have one. I’ll have to shield the cavities as the Junior Jet is quite noisy…


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Patrice Brousseau said:


> Godin Shifter Classic 4.


I bought a Peavey XP for $300 and played it in a bar band. Every time I opened the case it earned at least $300. I gave it to my son, when I left the band.

I bought a B-stock Epiphone Viola which looks fantastic (Beatle bass), but it's not very good. It is used as a decoy for thieves when I am away. 

This year I splurged, and spent a grand on the now discontinued Godin Classic 4. It is really nice. Really nice.


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## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

I played one of these in my local music store a few weeks ago and I was impressed.
I almost bought the thing and I really do not need another bass.








Fender Musical Instruments - Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass Guitar, Laurel Fingerboard - 3-Tone Sunburst


Fender Musical Instruments - Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass Guitar, Laurel Fingerboard - 3-Tone Sunburst




www.long-mcquade.com





I like the chunky block inlays & the sunburst body.
The medium scale neck felt great to play.
Nathan


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## audiorep2 (Mar 28, 2009)

Active version of Godin Freeway .


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

They aren't a production model anymore, but you can find them used. A Squier Vintage Modified P. I got one new years ago for like $200 and it's been amazing. I gigged quite a bit with it and recorded with it. It's a soft maple body on it, and it basically just looks like a blonde 70's P. I thought I would end up upgrading it, but I didn't. 

This was my rig for a bit, and I actually swapped the neck on the Classic Vibe 70's P with the Vintage Modified. I swapped them back and sold that 70's P. It was a beautiful bass (and another I'd put on the list). I learned I just don't really like neck binding on basses though.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

Back when Gordon Price/Mother's Music was on Portage, they had Samick basses for $180 to $250 new. They were the lightest basses. I don't know if I ever plugged one in, though.









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## audiorep2 (Mar 28, 2009)

I have been very pleasantly surprised by this 2014 Fender Deluxe Jazz I bought before Christmas . Made in Mexico . Active electronics . Noiseless pickups . Excellent fit and finish . Plays great . Sounds huge .
Active electronics . Plays great . Sounds great .


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## MP952037 (9 mo ago)

I like the 2013-2015 Gibson EB basses. Light weight, well made, great range of tones.


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## basscarter (Mar 11, 2016)

One of the best playing basses I ever owned was a G&L SB-2
Still pretty easy to find for about a grand, I only got rid of mine when I wanted to start playing 6 strings


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

I have two G&L's. Jazz and Legacy (P-bass).
Prefer them over the Fender versions that I had (then sold).


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

Patrice Brousseau said:


> I have one. I’ll have to shield the cavities as the Junior Jet is quite noisy…


Apparently the Jet has single coil pickups . There’s a bit of a flap going on about that .


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Patrice Brousseau said:


> I have one. I’ll have to shield the cavities as the Junior Jet is quite noisy…


I shielded just the pups in my J-bass. 








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Here’s the secret for reducing unwanted hum and noise without losing sparkle and highs.




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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

I love these two , I’ve been trying to naturally deaden the strings on the Dano , they’re getting there , but there’s still some road to go . I like the two octave neck , I get up there farting around practise , not so much on gigs . It’s a very comfortable bass to play . The Gibson Jr is simply a joy . The neck feels wonderful , and it’s one of the best sounding basses I’ve played . Where I’m normally a pretty set flatwound guy , I’ve been keeping relatively fresh rounds on this , and have been sticking with Gibson BriteWire strings . They were the factory strings , and I like ‘em .


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

I'll toss my hat into the ring with my 74 Hagstrom Swede bass, one of the short scale underdogs from the 70's.










TD


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## Lab_Guitar_42 (Mar 31, 2021)

Picked up this Squier Mike Dirnt P bass. Its become my main P-bass, super comfortable to play, great neck, and light. Love the look, get lots of comments on it. Don't see many of them around.


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