Info: Fender P-bass special, flat black

THe local shop has a Fender P-bass special, in flat black with a silver turtleshell looking pickguard. Maple neck.

I can get 'er for $275 with HSC. Is that a decent deal? trying to find the price new online, with little luck. It plays nice, for sure.

I'm just learning bass, I'm mainly a guitar player but need a bass and a basic amp for playing at home, recording at home, and sometimes filling in with buddies when we get together to jam. Nothing professional or major, here.

And I back-to-backed it with the squier affinity beside it (which is just $125 or so), but the fender just played and sounded so much better it was surprising.

That is a great deal on a great first bass...Can get the J-bass growl out of the bridge and the p-bass thump from the neck pup..extremely versatile with huge tonal range.nice maple neck too..Id jump on it now.
I want it.

The new P-bass specials have active electronics, though I'm not quite sure what they means in this case, but they're $599 new, so yeah, that seems like a pretty good deal.

Hmmm....might just have to go back there tomorrow morning and grab it. They're holding it for me.

I really like the look of that Squier VM Jazz bass you suggested. Visually, that's one of my favorites. This same store here is a left-handed jazz bass in a really pretty blue that is just beautiful, but it's nearly $400, with no case. And while it's comfortable to play upside down (i'm right handed)..I'd have to replace the nut to fix the string issues. I wouldn't mind doing that. But after having played it (it was oddly easy to play it strung "upside down" for me), I didn't dig the sound enough.

I love the looks, but not the sound, or the pricetag, so no go on that one.

The Squier VM jazz basses, at least ones I found, are more than this Fender Pbass online. Or close.