Best cheapest short scale bass in your opinion

There isn't. Quality bass guitars cost money. Less money equates to less care taken by luthiers to ensure best playability, which means you end up with a compromise that cuts a LOT of corners in quality control. Buying from no-name brands is even WORSE - if the headstock has no brand name on it, the person who made that bass guitar most likely wants to remain anonymous. If you're expecting to use a $150 bass going into a cheap knockoff practice amp, and expect to sound like Nolly or Billy Sheehan, prepare to be sorely disappointed.

Please watch the following informative video made by BassBuzz. He explains exactly why you shouldn't buy bass guitars that are way too cheap. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx2vmNGfKlw&ab_channel=BassBuzz

I'm gonna guess you're earning near-poverty wages and you can't afford to save up for something like a Dingwall or an EBMM Stingray.

In your case, I recommend a Fender Jazz Bass. Don't get those Made in China Squier garbage, you want the real deal. Hell, even a Player Series bass will do more than enough for an entry level bassist. I actually reviewed the Player Precision Bass here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NANC8PlzwME&ab_channel=BillPrimo

Precision Bass or Jazz Bass, either one will be an amazing all-arounder bass for any bass player.

Good question, as I can think of numerous good budget short scales (having switched to short scale myself, as it fits my playing style better than long scale), but very few within that price range. However, all 3 of my short scales did roughly fall within that range!

My main bass is a fretless Harley Benton Beatbass, that cost me around $180 when I got it ($200 with a gig bag... but they may have increased the prices since then) (it's a replica of Paul McCartney's classic Höfner violin bass, and naturally they have a fretted version too). I wasn't expecting such a cheap bass to be so great, but it is! I didn't need to change a thing, it was all perfect, right down to the stock strings! It's also extremely lightweight, and maybe the only issue is neck dive (but that's easy to solve). You can also browse Thomann's website, Harley Benton makes a wide range of budget instruments, and often they are decent quality.

My other two shorties are both second-hand (one is a Jolana Kolorbas, a Czechoslovakian antique from the '60s resembling a 335-style guitar, the other is an acoustic short scale Cort). So I could also suggest looking for one second-hand, I got at least half my instruments that way!

So yeah, my suggestions would be browsing Thomann's website for Harley Benton basses, or looking for a used short scale! I've also heard great things about Ibanez, Gretsch, and Squier short scales, which also tend to be cheap.

Those bolt on Gibsons from the ripper/marauder era aren't worth all that much because they're kinda shitty. Why not buy an actual 70s Gibson bass? Get a beater. It'll retain its value or even net you a profit. Everything made before 1990 has good resale no matter how crappy it was at the time! Obvious this suggestion involves saving up because itll be 3 to 10 times your goofily low budget. Buying used from Japan is probably a good bet in your region.

If it was me I w old buy an eb0 bass in shortscale gibbies but whatever floats your boat.