Conflicted ...

I've been saying for some time that I want to record a song or three. And guitar-wise, I've got at least one ready to go.

I want drums. But I don't play drums. I hate the idea of using a drum machine, but I have a little guitar effects processor coming that has one built in, so I guess I can live with using a canned rhythm.

If I want harmonica (probably) and mandolin (maybe), I'm capable of overdubbing those.

But now I'm at the point of making decisions about bass. I haven't played bass since I was a teenager, but I don't think it will be a giant problem. Not planning anything fancy.

Except that it means buying or building a bass.

I have a great suitcase I bought for the specific purpose of using as the body of a stand-up bass with a 2x4 for neck, but I still haven't started on that build.

A "real" bass fiddle is expensive, and my experience is playing electric bass guitar. So that's what I'm thinking of buying.

I'd prefer acoustic/electric, and I'd prefer fretless. But that drives the price up.

So I'm looking at el cheapo electric basses in the $60-90 range, which sounds cheap, and is cheap, but I've watched a number of YouTube reviews of a particular make (Glarry) that indicate it's a good deal for the price.

So now I'm trying to decide between a standard P-Bass (i.e. a clone of the Fender Precision, which is to generic basses what the stratocaster is to generic guitars and is what I played on as a young'un) or the jazz model. I'm leaning toward the jazz ax, as you can do some interesting things based on where you hit the strings in relation to the two widely spaced pickups.

I considered just trying to find an "octave down" pedal and playing bass line on a regular guitar, but it looks like most cheap octave pedals go up, not down. I'd have to spend more money simulating a bass than I would spend buying an actual bass.

Fortunately, I have time to think (and to wait for the value of my cryptocurrency to take another upward spike -- in the last week I've spent about $50 at Amazon using Purse, but have a balance of about $30 more than I started with). I'll be recording the guitar/drum line first in any case. Once I start recording that first song, I expect to spend a week getting it as right as I can get it.

Anyway, opinions on cheap bassitude welcome.

Update: I found a REALLY good deal on the Glarry Jazz ($80 with a 20 watt amp included), so that's on the way. I also got over big-time on a vinyl copy of Woody Guthrie's Dust Bowl Ballads. I put in an offer of $5 on it and was refused, so I just bid on the auction and got it for $3. I guess the guy should have accepted my offer.