[Keith Alan]

Played an Ibanez 4-string deep hollowbody acoustic/electric bass today and the neck profile was slim and sweet, the action was almost perfect, and the TONE! was as good as it gets.
Sounded like a piano with loooong sustain, and maybe a touch of Chris Squire.
A freaking steal at $500, but my recent DSLR purchase meant no sale.
They had another one just like it for only $378 and I know why--it was a dog.
Dead and dull.

Surprisingly, a red Fender Squier Jazz Bass ($299, $250 elsewhere for bad ones) had almost the exact same tone as that Incredible Ibanez.
Bad action but I'm skilled with truss rods and bridge pieces and intonation.
I want a bass that rings and sings, and twice got teased hard today (yesterday? I haven't slept yet).

Never played bass professionally but started with a 1962 Fender Precision (and RotoSound strings!) in 1976.
The tedium and minutia of pedals and their power supplies and batteries and balancing whammy bars and mic'ing several cabs has led me to desire a change--something new/old.
Bass with perfect tone.

The instruments are out there--I don't know if it was luck or skill that led me straight to the best basses in that store (and all of San Antonio) but it re-affirmed my optimism.

Wishing for a Christmas Miracle...

[NT73]

73 Fender Precision, US assembled. Offers over £500.... ......Only been out of the box twice since around 1990. But it is a long way's to the good old UK.
I used Rotosound, partly cos of the ring and partly cos they were cheap. Fender strings were over priced and maybe overrated.

[shuttertalk]

Sounds nice! Well, hang out a giant stocking, and hope Santa gets the hint!!

[Keith Alan]

A giant bass-shaped stocking

Last night was a huge coincidence because the 2 guys I know who own tone+++ Fender Jazz Basses were at our show.
One has a Squier but he's the better player and runs through a SansAmp active bass preamp/direct box that really delivers the goods, plus whatever is laying about for actually hearing something onstage.

[Zig]

Go on Keith!
Some stonking basses out there for peanuts secondhand at the moment; a really good time to buy and for it to still hold up its resale value. Those Squiers can mod up really well and would save going through a pile of dearer Fender dogs to get a decent one..mind you those CIJs are worth a look too. I love the Sansamp bass DI; dependable and solid for recording, PA-ing and all else.
Funnily enough, I "crossgraded" basses this week(I'd better post a pic, hadn't I!)