Budget sub £200 if possible – we already have the amp.
What you got?

A short-scale Harley Benton and Squier Vintage Modified Jazz. The Harley is remarkable for the cash, I may have been lucky given some less than enthusiastic feedback but it’s delight to play, the pick up is feeble but sounds P-bass. The Squier has excellent pick ups but we should have perhaps paid for a Classic Vibe version as the build quality is OK rather than great. There are cracks around the skunk on the neck after a year of use, I had to put glue on the saddle screws to stop them coming undone, the action needs to be higher than I’d like to stop buzzing – junior loves it for slap.

The Jazz bass is on all the tracks on here. No pedals in use so that’s how it sounds clean. I like the way it rumbles on Adolescent Blues. Edit: perhaps better on “Don’t Smoke too much”

Washburn t14

the Harley Benton Hb-60 seems to be well regarded. From a look on YouTube it’s got a fantastic range of tones on offer.

Always Yamaha for cheap instruments.

the action needs to be higher than I’d like to stop buzzing – junior loves it for slap.

My strings are set up lower than a snake’s belly and there is no buzz.
Just needs to be set up right.

Yamaha +1

I used to get on very well with an RBX170 – very easy to play and a good sound – but I don’t think they make them any more. Not sure if there’s a newer equivalent.

There’s a few RBX170s eBay – ridiculously good for the kind of money they seem to go for IMO.

Yamaha, or Peavey Milestone. You have to try some really…

Just needs to be set up right.

I’d like to be able to. When the truss rod is slackened the neck doesn’t bend evenly along it’s length, it bends around the 7-9 frets. This means the action has to be slightly higher than it would be if the neck had a nice curve.

I started with a Squier, but to be honest I don’t think it matters too much.
As long as it’s comfortable to hold, can move around the fretboard easily enough.
Starting out I never really thought about what range of tone or build quality, it was just can I play it loud in the garage with my mates. I guess it depends on the music taste and what not, but I doubt a beginner is going to jump straight into the studio with it?
I toured extensively with a CIJ Fender PBass and a Squier Jazz Bass for back up. I nearly always played the Squier.

Yamaha +4

I’ve still got my rbx170 from 1996.

Still dead playable, light and sounds good.

Bass Player since 1977, with a 19 year old Son who now gigs with an Ibanez Roadstar I had in 1981. He plays a variety of basses now, but learnt on an RBX170 off Friday Ad, and now my partner’s daughter is learning on that too. Nice neck and action and pickups.

Edukator – Troll

Just needs to be set up right.

I’d like to be able to. When the truss rod is slackened the neck doesn’t bend evenly along it’s length, it bends around the 7-9 frets. This means the action has to be slightly higher than it would be if the neck had a nice curve.

That’s fixable.
Surely everyone has a bass playing luthier at the end of the street that does work for a few pints?
No?
Just me then. 😆

I’d recommend buying something used on Gumtree or cash converters. Then you can always flog it for almost no loss if it doesn’t work out.

I’d recommend Yamaha, Squier or Peavey since they tend to be easy to resell.

I’d go to a shop and play whatever’s within budget and buy the one that sounds best (and probably loudest) when unplugged, assuming the neck is decently playable. Try not to be fooled by set-up minutiae!

Pickups are cheap and easy to change. Action/truss-rod are adjustable. Frets can be stoned. But you can’t fix bad wood!

I started on an Ibanez GSR180 which did me rightly.

Yamaha are the safest bet ime, pound for pound. Not the best, but you’re not likely to get an outright duffer. Ibanez I like but they had iffier quality control. Though I’m pretty out of date now to be fair!

Squier Vintage Modified series I’ve found to be excellent but the price has crept up too. I like the looks of the PJ, though I’ve not played one- it’s basically the modern version of my old Squier Precision Special, the combo of P-bass shape (which is the best shape, obviously) and the extra jazz pickup for flexibility was really nice. When you’re starting out you want access to a lot of sounds and, well, things to play with.

Full size? Depending on hand size and arm length, a full 34″ scale length can be a bit of a stretch for some. There are some shorter scale instruments about – Gibson and hence Epiphone usually tend to be 32″ scale, and some of the “student” model Fenders (e.g. Mustang) are 30″. Slightly “out there” suggestion, but if scale length is an issue, a 5-string might be worth a look (play everything one string further down but 5 frets higher up).

Also consider neck shape. As a general rule, a Fender P-bass (Precision Bass) tends to be a not very deep front to back but wide side to side (which can be handy if you tend towards the sausage-fingered), whereas Fender J-bass (Jazz Bass) tends to be comparatively deep front to back but noticeably narrower side to side (strings closer together, so encourages accurate fingering). It’s a personal preference, but I generally prefer a deeper narrower neck on a bass.

The right instrument is the one that the player feels most at home with, as it’s the instrument that’ll get picked up most frequently. So go into a store, try a bunch and see what you get on with.

if the basses are on a par with the guitars I wouldn’t recommend the affinity squiers, the build quality isn’t that great

Thanks guys – lots to think about there.