Worth getting any of these three bassguitars? Ebay auction ending in 12h.

ForHerDeadEyes

ForHerDeadEyes

Señor Member
Jan 24, 2011
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Sweden
I've got a shitty bass guitar at the moment, and I was planning on using it for recording.
But I found an ebay auction that ends in 12 hours.

From left to right (auction descriptions):
J&D Brothers
yagh 3601 EMG mics

Hondo De Luxe
series 830

Vantage X-99
Made In Japan

They all cost 100€ each.
Is anyone of them worth it?

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What bass do you have at the moment, and what do you think is wrong with it?
 
I have an Ibanez Soundgear that I got off of "eBay" for 30€ that didn't have pickups or knobs. I have a Harley Benton B-200 that cost 70€ new (didn't like it), I took the mics from that one and had to use a multitool to open up the pockets in the Ibanez since the pups were a tad too big.
And I've also switched out the magnets in the pickups.

There are of course other new basses in the same price range as the ones in this auction, but it would be nice to get something more "normal" if they're good.
 
Didn't take a chance on any of the basses, though only one got sold..
Though I did win a no name (I assume) guitar with a no name amp for only 20€.

Maybe they'll show up again, I do think I need a new bass.
 
The thing with cheap basses (and cheap instruments in general of course) is to setup them properly. A ~100€ plywood-body bass will sound great with brand new strings, properly intonated and tuned - not forgetting the neck setup either. That is if the pickups aren't absolute crap.
 
Yeah, definitely. The pickups aren't that great.
I could get a Cort Action-JJ black, here for $195 (1700kr), new.

Or maybe a Ibanez GSR180 for 2000kr, but that's on order here.
Or I could order something off of Thomann. I dunno.
 
ForHerDeadEyes said:
Yeah, definitely. The pickups aren't that great.
I could get a Cort Action-JJ black, here for $195 (1700kr), new.

Or maybe a Ibanez GSR180 for 2000kr, but that's on order here.
Or I could order something off of Thomann. I dunno.
Click to expand...
I really don't recommend getting the GSR180, I own one and while it's totally ok bass for the price the pickups really aren't that great (at least if clank is what you want). I bought this one http://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton_b_450_white_progressive_series.htm from Thomann a while a ago, and after some customization and proper setup it's much better sounding bass than my Ibanez and probably plays as well as basses that are twice as expensive or over.

The main problems were the finish (or lack of it really :lol:), for example the tuning pegs weren't tightened properly and moved around a bit, the neck had a shitty feeling finish that I sanded off with a #400 grit sandpaper in less than five minutes. Other than that there were some sharp fret-ends but some filing or sanding took care of that. After I refinished the neck with gunstock oil (really easy thing to do, almost idiotproof and the feel is so great, the best thing is that it doesn't get really sticky even if your hands get a bit sweaty) and restringed it with some proper strings and filed the fret ends it sounds really good (the clank is real) and is also really nice to play too.

If you can handle those issues with yourself I definitely recommend getting that one and if not, get something better used than the GSR180. I can also share some audio clips if you want.
 
Vihaleipä said:
I really don't recommend getting the GSR180, I own one and while it's totally ok bass for the price the pickups really aren't that great (at least if clank is what you want). I bought this one http://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton_b_450_white_progressive_series.htm from Thomann a while a ago, and after some customization and proper setup it's much better sounding bass than my Ibanez and probably plays as well as basses that are twice as expensive or over.

The main problems were the finish (or lack of it really :lol:), for example the tuning pegs weren't tightened properly and moved around a bit, the neck had a shitty feeling finish that I sanded off with a #400 grit sandpaper in less than five minutes. Other than that there were some sharp fret-ends but some filing or sanding took care of that. After I refinished the neck with gunstock oil (really easy thing to do, almost idiotproof and the feel is so great, the best thing is that it doesn't get really sticky even if your hands get a bit sweaty) and restringed it with some proper strings and filed the fret ends it sounds really good (the clank is real) and is also really nice to play too.

If you can handle those issues with yourself I definitely recommend getting that one and if not, get something better used than the GSR180. I can also share some audio clips if you want.
Click to expand...

That's a nice price for my bottom of the barrel budget.. :D
I do have a Harley Benton B-200, but the neck quickly became wonky and the pickups aren't that great, it was around half the price of the one you linked to now.

But if you recommend it, I might go for it..
I'm not super handy with setting up gear myself, I can (though I am a bit rusty at the moment) intonate a guitar, and I think I intonated the B-200 but it was a mess to get right.
 
ForHerDeadEyes said:
That's a nice price for my bottom of the barrel budget.. :D
I do have a Harley Benton B-200, but the neck quickly became wonky and the pickups aren't that great, it was around half the price of the one you linked to now.

But if you recommend it, I might go for it..
I'm not super handy with setting up gear myself, I can (though I am a bit rusty at the moment) intonate a guitar, and I think I intonated the B-200 but it was a mess to get right.
Click to expand...
One of my friends used to have one of those B-200's and it was a piece of shit too, with really cheap guitars you'll get what you paid for usually :lol: . I'm not too handy myself and the gunstock oil refinish job was super easy to do (it's quite forgiving stuff and basically really hard to fuck up even if done badly, and even then you can just sand it off and do it again making it also easy to repair if needed). That isn't a necessity though if you don't hate the stock finishing that the neck had as much as I did :).

I managed to record some really quick sound clips, I included a raw DI and a quickly processed version (TSE BOD into a free Ampeg TLM 170 bass cab impulse rided with Waves Bass Rider). There are some clicks in the audio for some reason, but those should do (that may be because maybe a bit low action that the bass currently has, I should maybe adjust it more). https://copy.com/lCOrcgG7GNXyDx2o
 
Vihaleipä said:
One of my friends used to have one of those B-200's and it was a piece of shit too, with really cheap guitars you'll get what you paid for usually :lol: . I'm not too handy myself and the gunstock oil refinish job was super easy to do (it's quite forgiving stuff and basically really hard to fuck up even if done badly, and even then you can just sand it off and do it again making it also easy to repair if needed). That isn't a necessity though if you don't hate the stock finishing that the neck had as much as I did :).

I managed to record some really quick sound clips, I included a raw DI and a quickly processed version (TSE BOD into a free Ampeg TLM 170 bass cab impulse rided with Waves Bass Rider). There are some clicks in the audio for some reason, but those should do (that may be because maybe a bit low action that the bass currently has, I should maybe adjust it more). https://copy.com/lCOrcgG7GNXyDx2o
Click to expand...

Thanks, cool of you to record some examples. I didn't realize it was active pickups; haven't played with that on a bass before.
It does sound good though. And I can't argue with the price. :)
Not sure what gunstock oil is here in Sweden and how much it costs. (if I go for it)
 
ForHerDeadEyes said:
Thanks, cool of you to record some examples. I didn't realize it was active pickups; haven't played with that on a bass before.
It does sound good though. And I can't argue with the price. :)
Not sure what gunstock oil is here in Sweden and how much it costs. (if I go for it)
Click to expand...

Gunstock oil is pretty cheap usually, I bought a 75ml bottle of Scherell's gunstock oil and it costed something like 9 euros IRC, Birchwood Casey Tru Oil is probably the most common one and also little more expensive as well, hardware stores and gun/hunting shops surely have some (I ordered mine from a Finnish supermarket, I'm sure you'll be able to find some for pretty cheap).

Like you said, I recommend trying the bass first (if you go for that one) and deciding after that if it needs refinishing or not. And you can bypass the active/preamp circuit with the push-pull volume pot, I for myself prefer sound of the preamp over the passive sound though but it's cool thing to have.
 
I'm looking at the Ibanez I've got, and maybe it isn't horrible.. :D
Though I will look at gunstock oil and see if I can find something equivalent or the real deal..
The J&D Brothers bass is up for auction again, but at a lower price..

I was curious with active mics on the Harley Benton..
Though I might invest in new bass mics or switch out the magnets in the ones I got..

And the no name guitar I got was nice (haven't tried the little amp)..
 
I just looked up some information on that Jack & Danny bass (that one seems to be the 150 Special Bat Mark that's 129 euros on Musicstore.de), I expected the stock one to be more expensive honestly, but if it has genuine EMG pickups and you could get it for less than 100 euros, it could be well worth it. At least I've heard mostly good things about the J&D instruments (It's Musicstore's own brand).
 
It's up for 86€ now, might grab it.. I have the B-200 and I might try the gunstock oil thing on that one.. or test some laquer (or whatever it's called).. or on a leftover neck from a strat copy..
 
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