I'd suggest 4 string... that said I have a hipshot drop D tuner ?
Look out for the same things as a sixer: no major defects, playability (weight is an issue if you're gigging) and do you like it! I prefer J-bass over P because the two pups give more flexibility. Actives will give you a nice boost but I prefer passive vibe. You'll want one that has a comforatable place to rest your plucking thumb, at least until you're up to speed. This will likely be a pup.
Ibanez will probably give you the best quality at intro levels but since you're not a trad shape fan, keep an eye open for Warwicks - particularly 2nd hand.
There is another brand that does very good intro level basses, not common and can't find the name on the web now!? Marshall stocks them... Interesting shapes, good electronics and a groove that runs along the length of the body. Will post when I remember what they are!
You're not going to find a MusicMan or Rickenbacker in your price range...
It's a lot of fun and improves guitar rhythm a lot ?

Edit: I have an Ibanez Roadstar II bass that belonged to Mango Groove bassist and Kalahari Surfers bassist that I gigged a lot but don't use as much anymore. It's for sale-ish, with shaped hard case. Well within your price range. PM if you're interested!

There are so many... ?

Best thing to do is go into a store and look at a few first, get an idea of what appeals to you looks and sound-wise, so you have a firm idea of what to look out for here and on Gumtree. I can understand if you don't like the Fender "look", but Ibanez and Cort both do good basses that might appeal to your aesthetic sensibilities.

Four strings is enough. Five is nice for the added low end, but far from being essential. Look at any list of great bass players - the majority will usually be 4-stringers (aside from the jazz guys where soloing is more de rigeur). I leave the weedely-wee stuff to the guitar player if I'm playing bass. The bass holds down the low end and helps create the groove - that's its job.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you can't do it on a P-Bass (or something similar), you probably can't do it. Added advantage to the P-Bass (and copies) is that they are simple machines, so they offer a lot of quality for your money and there are a lot of subtle variants around.

Bass tone is more about touch, rather than pickups. A P-J pickup combo (P-bass at the neck, J-bass at the bridge) extends on that and covers all the ground you will likely want short of the clarity of actives. Coming back to actives - stay away from active tones on a first instrument - learn to get the tones you need from your fingers and then if/when you start looking at actives, you'll just be extending your range of tones. If you do look at actives, set the controls to centre detent (where they click in the middle - flat EQ) and play like that first - if the bass sounds flat without EQing, run away...

Thanks!

Jack Flash Jr wrote: I'd suggest 4 string... that said I have a hipshot drop D tuner ?

A what-what?

Jack Flash Jr wrote: I prefer J-bass over P because the two pups give more flexibility.

What's that?

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Actives will give you a nice boost but I prefer passive vibe. You'll want one that has a comforatable place to rest your plucking thumb, at least until you're up to speed. This will likely be a pup.

Okay ?

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Ibanez will probably give you the best quality at intro levels but since you're not a trad shape fan, keep an eye open for Warwicks - particularly 2nd hand.
There is another brand that does very good intro level basses, not common and can't find the name on the web now!? Marshall stocks them... Interesting shapes, good electronics and a groove that runs along the length of the body. Will post when I remember what they are!

Groovy, thanks ?

Jack Flash Jr wrote: You're not going to find a MusicMan or Rickenbacker in your price range...

That won't be a problem for now, methinks.

Jack Flash Jr wrote: It's a lot of fun and improves guitar rhythm a lot ?

Awesome! Ja what little bass I've played (using bass sims) has been SERIOUS fun.

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Edit: I have an Ibanez Roadstar II bass that belonged to Mango Groove bassist and Kalahari Surfers bassist that I gigged a lot but don't use as much anymore. It's for sale-ish, with shaped hard case. Well within your price range. PM if you're interested!

Cool, thanks ? PM coming your way!

Thanks!

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Best thing to do is go into a store and look at a few first, get an idea of what appeals to you looks and sound-wise, so you have a firm idea of what to look out for here and on Gumtree. I can understand if you don't like the Fender "look", but Ibanez and Cort both do good basses that might appeal to your aesthetic sensibilities.

Okay ?

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Four strings is enough. Five is nice for the added low end, but far from being essential. Look at any list of great bass players - the majority will usually be 4-stringers (aside from the jazz guys where soloing is more de rigeur). I leave the weedely-wee stuff to the guitar player if I'm playing bass. The bass holds down the low end and helps create the groove - that's its job.

Cool, I hear ya ? I wouldn't go all Stu Hamm on it, just a weedly in between the other stuff but, ja, definitely not overboard as a bass solo is most enjoyable when it's short and sweet. A whole song of bass weedly is boring.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you can't do it on a P-Bass (or something similar), you probably can't do it. Added advantage to the P-Bass (and copies) is that they are simple machines, so they offer a lot of quality for your money and there are a lot of subtle variants around.

Huh? What's this J- and P-bass stuff you guys are talking about?

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Bass tone is more about touch, rather than pickups. A P-J pickup combo (P-bass at the neck, J-bass at the bridge) extends on that and covers all the ground you will likely want short of the clarity of actives. Coming back to actives - stay away from active tones on a first instrument - learn to get the tones you need from your fingers and then if/when you start looking at actives, you'll just be extending your range of tones. If you do look at actives, set the controls to centre detent (where they click in the middle - flat EQ) and play like that first - if the bass sounds flat without EQing, run away...

Okay so no actives for first bass - gotcha ? I've never EQed anything in my life so I'll just smile and nod about those bits ?

i still say all a bassist needs is a fender 4 string P bass and a good 300 - 400 W amp and anything is possible......... you can swing/walk/slap/pop/chord/solo all on a 4 strings ...... if you think you need 6 string bass's to do twiddly bits just check out jaco pastorious and what mark king and stanley clarke and and and and ...... can do on just a 4 string ....... and even in the studio a good warm sounding P bass is the answer ....... i'd drag a few bass's into the studio for a session only to have the producer settle on the passive P bass direct into a DI box and straight to the desk ......best way to record...... after a while i if i got a session call, i'd only bring the P bass

so thats my vote a good fender P bass or a good copy ........

+1 to Keira and to Alan, particularly on the actives issue... only thing I disagree with is that a J-bass is more versatile than a P so that would be my choice as an "only" bass.
This is the first Jazz vs Precision hit on Google:
http://worshipguitarguy.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/the-fender-p-bass-vs-fender-j-bass/
Bear in mind a lot of the tone is in the fingers (where you pluck) and the amp...
Edit: I do prefer the P-bass neck because it is chunkier...

Jack Flash Jr wrote: +1 to Keira and to Alan, particularly on the actives issue... only thing I disagree with is that a J-bass is more versatile than a P so that would be my choice as an "only" bass.
Edit: I do prefer the P-bass neck because it is chunkier...

? i guess it's horses for courses again............ cos a P bass has a very natural fat bass tone(obviously from a "real" fender) where the jazz bass has more growl ......... and is a thinner sound........ even when using both pups........ and as jackflash mentioned....i think the biggest difference is the neck the jazz has a sleek neck and the P bass is a far fatter /wider neck so they feel very different ,,,,,,,, but like i said horse for courses cos i would choose a good P bass as my only bass........ ( i've owned many( too many) fender P bass's and 2x J bass's all USA models and even a 5 string active J bass from fender (which was a bad buy cos it never had that magic tone but all the older ones did ) so maybe it's up to personal preference more than we think

Nice explanations, thanks guys n gal ?

Norio wrote: Huh? What's this J- and P-bass stuff you guys are talking about?

Just in case you still haven't picked up on it, bass player parlance for:
P-Bass - Fender Precision Bass
J-Bass - Fender Jazz bass

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Edit: I do prefer the P-bass neck because it is chunkier...

Likewise - for feel and tone. Plus the split p-bass pickup is fatter sounding than the J.

Personally I lean to the even fatter, more growly humbucker bass sound (Musicman Stingray, Gibson) - preferably through a valve Ampeg. ? My Hohner Jack bass has a pair of custom wound 'buckers in and I ripped all the (truly horrible) active tone circuitry out within 5-minutes of getting it. Studio, I split the two pickups, compress the neck pickup and add some amp drive on the bridge and record to separate tracks - best of both worlds. Live, I use my Twin or just DI. It's all good... ?

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:

Norio wrote: Huh? What's this J- and P-bass stuff you guys are talking about?

Just in case you still haven't picked up on it, bass player parlance for:
P-Bass - Fender Precision Bass
J-Bass - Fender Jazz bass

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Edit: I do prefer the P-bass neck because it is chunkier...

Likewise - for feel and tone. Plus the split p-bass pickup is fatter sounding than the J.

Personally I lean to the even fatter, more growly humbucker bass sound (Musicman Stingray, Gibson) - preferably through a valve Ampeg. ? My Hohner Jack bass has a pair of custom wound 'buckers in and I ripped all the (truly horrible) active tone circuitry out within 5-minutes of getting it. Studio, I split the two pickups, compress the neck pickup and add some amp drive on the bridge and record to separate tracks - best of both worlds. Live, I use my Twin or just DI. It's all good... ?

Damnit, last thing I needed was GAS.

Tried a Musicman out for someone on the forum recently... lovely lovely guitar. Have you guys played a Rick? Look great and look uncomfortable to me...

Love Ric tone, but as with their guitars, I can't stand the necks. Alan Day (If you know him) recently got himself a 4000 series bass.

IMHO the 4000's north edge is overly shaped, that doesn't mean I'm not raging with jealousy ?
What is the prob with the necks?

Too narrow.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Too narrow.

My problem with j's...

Im currently in the market for a new bass, my Iceman has its limits...
The other day I went to music connection and tried a few basses... 2 pups is a must for me at the moment!! The bass I fancy the most is the G&L Tribute series L-2000 (I think thats the name), it has 2humbuckers with a pick up switch, a active passive switch and parallel switch or something in that line...
I also tried out a Warwick Rockbass and was really impressed with that!! The Ibanez soundgear line is also killer for a great price... As everyone else has already said just go try them all out!!

Those G&Ls are very good looking guitars, haven't tried one yet. The Warwick's are very good value for money imho, great sound and very versatile but the shape doesn't sit well with me...