what brand of bass is the best, I've had my Johnson 5 strin and my 4 string, but I really wanna know about better affordable bass's for someone with limited greens?

I have never played any other bass but the one I use and I like it so much I don't care if anything else comes along. It is a Ibanez musician 1980's vintage four string fretless tuned like a cello C G D A. With a 5 string "B" string as the bottom string.
Great sound with a real healthy sounding low "D"
It has a thin neck much like the new SR series Ibanez.

whatever bass gives you the sound you want and is comfortable for you. that's the best.
i don't necessarily think you have to spend thousands of dollars (though those basses do certainly play and sound amazing). as long as the bass is made well, with good cuts of wood, good pickups, you're good to go.
as a side note, I play a Musicman Stingray and I absolutely love it. simple. well made. neck never goes out of adjustment. it suits my needs very well. but i am in no way asserting that it's the best. just what i like.

I own a Peavey Milestone that I've had for 8 years and its a wonderful instrument. The bridge design is a bit old school but the neck is wonderful. The more recent Peavey's have not been to the standard of what they built 5 or even 10 years ago, the quality control seems to have gone out the window. I recently purchased a used OLP (Officially Licensed Product) replica of the Music Man 5-string. This bass is quite nice considering its a low end instrument. If your budget is limited, I would suggest looking at some of the lower end Fender Squier 5 strings. They are quite affordable and play very well. If you have the means, I suggest the new Fender Jaguar Bass, it plays like a jewel and is well built. Unfortunately, the prices range from the mid 500's to 700 and upward. Another one in this category is the Mike Dirnt signature model. It has a nice modern bridge but classic Fender P-Bass styling and is made in Japan. I have tried these too and the quality is high but the prices are in the same range. Bass guitars usually have to be made to a slightly higher level of quality than guitars. Generally speaking, any beginner bass will last you quite a while without having to worry about warping and intonation problems. Make sure you get the bass setup properly before purchasing (action, intonation, truss rod adjustment if necessary)

I just got a YAMAHA 4 string bass and it plays beautifully, but thanks for the suggestions

congrats man, yamaha makes good basses. Actually, the Navy uses a lot of Yamaha basses for its music program. I hope you enjoy it.
are you taking lessons? or are you self teaching?

Im too poor lol so Im self teaching, and I think Im doing pretty good, Im told Im above average but I wouldnt know, how do you know so much about all this?

How do I know what the Navy uses? I play trombone for the Navy, so I know first hand that the Navy music program has many Yamaha basses. I have gotten to play quite a few of them.
I make my living playing trombone, but I have been playing bass for many, many years.
If lessons ever become financially possible, believe me when I say go for it! I self taught for the first two years and thought I was doing good. Let me tell you, that first lesson was quite an eye opener!

Yeah, Steve, I agree that whatever kind of bass you are most comfortable with is the one that is best. I have just never tried any others so I can't answer for anything but what I play.
I also play trombone and have for many years although I am mostly playing the bass and cello now. What kind of trombone do you play. I play a Bach Strad 36 with "F" attachment. I have owned in the past an olds ambassador, A mid line olds, and a King Tempo.

I play a few bones these days. I own a Bach Strad 42 w/ f attachment, and I have one that the Navy owns, but I rarely use it (my slide is better )
I own a King 3B with a solid sterling silver bell, but if I'm on a Navy gig and I'm concerned for the safety of my horn, I have a Navy owned Bach Strad 16, which is also a kick ass horn. But given the choice, I play my horns.
I tried a 36 for a while. They are great horns, and a lot of great players get a lot out of them, but I just couldn't learn to like playing it. I think it's the mid bore size... just can't get used to that resistance. I'm used to either a lot of resistance of very little, not the in between.

Well, I started playing again after a 20 year lay off and couldn't make up my mind what to buy. I used to play nothing but tenor so I settled on the 36BO since it is a large bore tenor. It is pretty nice up high but I used to get more out of my old King Tempo down low than I get out of the Bach. But I suppose the beard I have now might make a difference.

But overall I am pretty satisfied with the Bach but I also seem to have a lot of trouble keeping the slide free. Its almost like there is a dent right at second position.

Well, I guess we ought to be having this conversation on the trombone forum. Sorry guys. I really love playing the bass and that is what I mainly play now. I recently took up the cello again after 45 years away from that. I was amazed at how easy it was to take it up again.
Bob

no worries, sir! I'm always willing to shift the conversation back to bass! As for the original question...
It's really not what bass is best, it's what bass is right for YOU. Asking us what bass is right for you is like asking us to pick you out a girlfriend. Surely you'd agree that just wouldn't work. You've gotta find your own voice and not worry about what we or the magazines say is best.

gibson all the way