Lookin' for a cheap bass and amp

[Mr. Boston]

Hey Y'all,

I'm not a bass player- but I write a lot of songs. Anyway my bass player is new to the instrument, and we live 60 miles away from each other. It'd save me a lot of time in our practices to show up with SOME idea for bass parts to the riffs I'm writing on guitar.

Plus I know how to play Pink Floyd's "Money" on bass, and that's always fun, never gets old.

So I want to get a bass and little amp, purely as a song-writing tool- just so I can hear what the raw new riffs would sound like on bass. I want to spend less than $400. I've seen "Bass Packs" advertised, should I go with one of these? If so, what brand?

[Strat Kid]

Get a Washburn bass.

The one that I really liked that I played today was $275 US

[ModestCargo]

Yeah, Washburns are good value for the money. And maybe for the amp try a little Kustom or something.

Buy used if you can.

[de la mocha]

Go with the squire starter pack and move on to a billion dollar bass after you become competant on that.....

[Rogue Axel]

yeah, a cheap squire is probably good

[Hofnerguy]

Doesn't Epiphone have a starter pack too? The EB bass is headstock heavy though.

[Rock n' Blues]

Mr. Boston,

How ya' doin?

I would go to the Rondo website and take a serious look at their SX Fender copies.

Look at the specs...I think it is hard to match them for the money.

I'm learning to play bass on a MIM Fender Jazz...but it was not cheap. I only bought it because Guitar Center gave me one year with no interest, no payments on the Jazz and a 100 watt Crate bass amp.

If it weren't for that I probably would have gotten an SX...I'm sure the other recommendations on Washburns are good also.

[RockinIt]

yeap......SX or fender/squier is the way to go. probably a P bass or if you have small hands a J bass

[Mr. Boston]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I've played cheap Washburns before and found them to be satisfactory. I'm sure good enough for what I want.