Basics
Just some amateurish ideas but based upon a lot of experience buying gear and playing and I'm into tone a lot.
I was looking for a P bass cheap. Passed up a new Squire Affinity for 130 at a GC sale and got a nice strat instead, spent more. Passing up the affinity I later regretted because I still had no bass.
I looked around and a guy at a music store/band member that I know had a used '04 affinity P bass in great shape, black that I got for 98 dollars, super great almost mint shape. Plan on replacing the pups with some GFS or SDs. For now it's really great, believe it or not. Not like my Schecter stiletto five elite though. My Schecter is awesome, best sounding bass I've ever played. Sustains for extreme periods of time and coupled with my amps it sounds awesome; even with my small portable amp.
I recently picked up one of the new Marshall MB30, thirty watt practice amps with ten inch speaker, two channels clean and drive, plus a switchable manually adjustable compression control section, eq, three voice section with a voice control knob in addition to the selector switch, boost switch, lots of connectivity. 189 new at a local store using MF price matching and a coupon I had from GC that they matched. Awesome practice amp.
Marshall now has the 450 watt four by ten pro version of the MB series out, same control panel plus more and a fairly big price tag.
You would like my Marshall thirty watt new design amp probably. It handles a five string without distorting, a rarity for small amps by the way. People need to know that. Five strings require special amps that can handle the B string or they sound really really bad. The Marshall handled it with gracefull beauty.
Since then, last week actually, I picked up a new affinity Jazz bass from GC for 179. Super nice item in all respects; beautiful straight grained neck like velvet, rosewood board, great sounding stock pickups amazingly, maybe amps, great controls and tone control. You get a lot more variety of tone out of the Jazz bass. Supposedly those combined PJ basses are not the same. They don't have two J pickups which makes a HUGE difference and they have a different type of tone arrangement; plus I heard the J pickup when turned off sucks tone from the P pups. Seemingly best of both worlds. Heard that one before? Same story. I'd get one or the other.
Also, just me, I used to not like Squires but they are putting out some awesome stuff now. Importantly, Squires fit standard Fender replacement parts to a huge extent. Pickguards and stuff align almost perfectly as well as the locking tuners . When I built my "Black Pearl" affinity free strat I put on a black pearl pickguard and SD high quality pups and Fender locking tuners. Everything went together with little problem and that guitar kicks a&&, big time. Hot rail in the neck, '59 in the mid, and JB Jr in the bridge: unbelievable and its an affinity!
You could get a used affinity bass or a P bass of your choice and put in some GFS hot P pickups or SD hot pups and have an awesome sounding guitar. Maybe have to put a few dollars into a pot or so. This would yield tone city. Get a decent amp and you could be hammering it out for three hundred or less. Amazing what a good set of pups can do to a guitar, plus a few other inexpensive mods. Got to start with a good sounding and playing instrument that feels "right" first though. Brand and price is not as important as it being the "right" bass I don't think.
I didn't think I wanted another J bass. I gave my old Fender J bass to my son. The affinity sounds real good, I'm satisfied but I have a Zoom B2.1u pedal too. But without the pedal it sounds great thru either amp. The pedal just smooths things out, and the whole lineup of things. I like the way I can get a cool smooth bassy low end that is round and full and loud without biting, but you can get it to bite easily, bite real hard. You can pop it real good on the bottom of the neck or between the two J pups or even just above the bridge. Just practice the technique and you'll find a good place on any bass you choose, just might have to replace the pups with some hot ones.
You can do this cheap and get some super results; just make it a goal. You'll be glad. I'll post some pictures when I'm done modding my P bass. I already have a couple ideas for it. Like you it's a matter of cash. I'll work it in though. Probably get the vintage aged light amberish white pearl pickguard but the Fender on I like is 34 dollars but really nice. Bet it would look great against that glossy black body. Then worry about the pups. Maybe try the hot GFS P pups for 32. Tuners are great on that used bass.
Good luck in your quest. I like the Peavey's too and might have gotten one but the used ones were gone by the time I got the cash to get one.
I have three SX guitars that are great, two strats and a special deal; a Gibson LP Special copy with two black P 90 pups, done in a beautiful beautiful antique sunburst, all mahogany including set mahogany neck for 139 new from Rondo. The strats play great, especially the '62 and it's stock. That would be nice with some hot rodded pups, guaranteed.
The J bass looks too old school, possibly for you, I don't know, but I'll tell you it sounds great and has more tonal variety by far than the P bass; but the P bass is cool and I have ALWAYS for thirty years wanted a P bass. I'm lucky enough to have one and it will be really nice when I get thru with it, no buzz, beautiful neck, near mint shape and destined to be a great instrument, if not worth anything to speak of, but it'll be worth something to me. I ain't building it for the next guy. No way.
You are right. Get the "right" bass regardless of brand, try to keep it cheap and get the best amp you can afford. For a four string you won't have to spend two hundred to get a good practice amp with great tone. Those Acoustic twenty watt ones MF is selling are supposed to sound good and they have been selling for as low as 129 and are twenty watts twelve inch speaker. Supposed to be fairly loud for their class. I can see why with that twelve in sensitive speaker.
Just some ideas,
Duff
PS You could get one of those ESP LTD Explorer four string basses. They are cool. So are those reverse Epi Tbird fours. See them for around 150 on clearance at MF. I think they look super great. My son has a Goth one and likes it. Humbuckers. Like Peavey, them ESP LTDs are secrets that a lot of people overlook, probably because they are around the same price as the competition.
Duffy
South Williamsport, Pa.
"So let us stop talking falsely now, the hour's getting late." (as by JH)