I am a bassist - and it is all about the tone you're after. I really like my Ibanez BTB605 (altough it is a five string bass and a little bit over your budget) - but it may not be your taste. Tonally it is very versatile and has a nice "old school" growl (if you want to). If you're after more "growl" maybe the Epiphone Thunderbird basses would be something for you ? Maybe a Fender Precision ? Fender Jazzbass ? (works better for some guys) I know a guy who swears by the Ibanez ATK series (very MusicMan like - at least the one I've played for 10 minutes - and yes I've played with a MusicMan). The GSR 200 looks like a good entry - level bass - but you've got to play with it (if it feels alright) - and hear it. Corrected - it has an Agathis body - and I've read many bad things about Agathis wood (very very cheap wood). But your ears are the judge. One recommandation: buy a comfortable bass (my first bass was a b... to play)
All the label says is that this stuff contains chemicals "... known to the State of California to cause cancer in rats and low-income test subjects."
Roger Wright
http://www.codeproject.com/lounge.asp?select=965687&exp=5&fr=1#xx965687xx