It's about time I got myself a bass.

[Carbohydrates]

But which? I want something nice but not TOO expensive (around $500 or below, I guess). Also, what tonal differences are there between single / split coils and humbuckers on a bass? I haven't messed around with em enough to notice much of a difference or anything. Finally, would I need a bass amp or can I just use my guitar amp until I save up enough for a bass one?

[phingerboard]

Right up your alley: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7333550670&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT :D

[Carbohydrates]

...Right when I'd forgotten all about those guys. Thanks, Phing (Is it alright if I call ya Phing?), I'll consider 'em.

[t_shirtsnjeans]

Go with a Peavey bass and a Minx 110 bass amp. The amp has an external speaker out that lets you run to a cab as well as use the built in speaker. I have one and it is a very nice amp for the money. I gave $89 for it at a pawn shop but they go for around $250 or so new.
But DO NOT use your guitar amp for the bass, you'll blow stuff that you can't afford to fix without buying a new amp and then you'll have to buy a bass amp anyway.

[phingerboard]

Is it alright if I call ya Phing?),

Just so long as it's not preceded by an "S". :eek:

[tcook]

I just bought a Washburn T24. They go for around $300. I lreally like the way it plays and looks. I am questioning rather I should of went with active pickups though, but that would probably put you over $500 for a decent one. I played a Chinese bass with active pickups, don't remember the brand, that was under $350, but I didn't like the way it played at all.

[Carbohydrates]

Well, I picked out my bass. After some quality time in the guitar store I found that J is my favorite style, and I'm going with this guy (I love SX guitars, I already own 3):

http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/bass/vjb62ct3ts5a.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/vjb62ct.html

Now I need an amp. Since the bass will only be $140, I have a lot of room to move, so go nuts with the suggestions. I'm not looking for a huge stack or anything, just a nice combo.

[Peaceful]

Having played classical guitar in the '70s and '80s and having bought a strat and a Fender Frontman 15 amp to play it through I switched to bass. I love it! What fun! I bought an Ibanez Gio and a Fender Rumble 100 amp. Both seem fine so far. The amp is small enough to practise at home, yet big enough for a small gig. It needs wheels, though, I am off to Lowes to buy a set of castors.

This question is a bit like saying whom should I choose for a spouse? Each of us will have a different preference. Still, it is fun to see the results.

[Carbohydrates]

Cool, I'll check (the Rumble 100) out. Thanks! I'm drawn to Orange bass amps right now as well.

[gamma_function]

arguably, the most versatile budget bass made is the fender mexican jazz bass. the electronics are passive and it comes equipped with 2 single coil pickups. the fender jazz is the hardest working bass in the music industry. they are used for ALL styles of music that use electric bass. they generally sound very nice. they have a quick attack, are not too boomy and have a very broad range of possible tones (pley with the different knob settings and finger positions for optimum results). the only downfall to the fender jazz is its size. it sports one of the largest body sizes i have every played and if you are short (like me) holding one all night or getting your arms around it can be a chore.

as far as different types of pickups go - singles (j-type) are a bit brighter and have a lower output than humbuckers (p-type). i prefer the PJ combination (a j in the bridge and a P in the neck) with a standard jazz setup as a second choice. a singe p-type pickup is not typically versatile enough to give a varied range of tones. a third alternative is the MM type pickup found on musicman basses. this humbucker p/u is positioned in the "sweetspot" of the bass body seems to be a very good (and popular) single pickup bass style.

i recommend avoiding active basses under $500 as their circuitry is usually poorly voiced and can be very noisy (particularly if the bass is not properly shielded).

if you need more range than a fender jazz bass' 20 frets, i really like the schecter stiletto custom 4. the finish is not very durable, but the tone and playability are butter for a budget bass. the circuitry and pickups are EMG, but are of very high quality for a bass in this price range.

if you like the sound of the MM, look into their SUB line of basses. very nice instruments. if you look used you should be able to find one under 5 bills.

if you havent bought the bass already, i really suggest you play it before you buy it. the quality control on bargain-basement instruments is very much suspect. if you have the money for a nicer instrument, you should at least entertain the possibility of one as workmanship, tone, and adjustability are usually dramatically improved in basses in the $300-500 range vs. the $150 range mentioned above.