JB-75MN NA Vintage Series : Good solid bass.

The first thing to take into account with this particular instrument is that it costs €122, so whichever way we look at it, it's a bargain. I recently decided to start seriously learning the bass. As a professional guitarist all my other instruments are of high value and cost around ten times the amount of this bass, but they're certainly not ten times as good! As I lifted the bass out of the box when it delivered, the first thing that struck me was the quality of the woods. Yes the neck is made with a capped fretboard and yes the body is made from multiple bits of wood, but generally the factory has done a very good job at matching the grains, so unless you're looking very closely you can't see the joins. Further to that, the general fit and finish of the bass is very good, close to that of my much more expensive guitars. The only comment I would make is that the bass was poorly setup straight out of the box. However viewing this as a budget instrument, it would be perfect for a beginner, and after a little bit of setup work makes a very good working man's bass. In my opinion this is one of the best basses under £500!