Help Shopping for a bass...

DarthTainess · #1 06-29-2010, 07:26 PM

Well, I think this is the right subforum for this, so here goes. I've been lurking and just slightly posting on here and I've decided I'm going to learn to play bass guitar. See, I'm on a budget so tight that it would make Dave Ramsey cringe. So, I've been looking around the local pawn shops for a cheap bass and amp. The problem is, I don't know what problems to look for. I also have only the slightest little shaving of knowledge on how to read tabs, but I have a book. I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions/opinions/thoughts. If it helps, I'm looking to play primarily rock, hard rock, and some blues.

BigOldHarry · #2 06-29-2010, 07:33 PM

don't think about style of music; You don't have money to worry about that.

I say if you have no more than $120, get an SX. They aren't great, but they are servicable. Goggle Rondo Music and look around. They get good reviews here, for what they are.

If you have a more money, then look used on Ebay or this forum. If you see something you have a question about, post the question. If you want to start really talking price, you'll have to join the forum -- it's worth the $20 a year, trust me.

DarthTainess · #3 06-29-2010, 07:41 PM

Thank you for your input, but that's not exactly what I was looking for. I was actually asking for issues to look for with basses at Pawn shops, because I've passed the cost of one of them after you add the shipping for an internet bass.

lmfreeman9 · #4 06-29-2010, 07:47 PM

I think that there are so many decent cheap basses that it is hard to go wrong. But you can go wrong if there is something wrong with the bass.

Make sure the action (the distance between the strings and the fretboard) isnt too high. You'd like it as low as possible, without the strings hitting the frets and buzzing. This makes it easier to play. Also get a tuner and see if the open strings hit the same note as the string fretted at the 12th fret.

Try it out with an amp. Pawn shops are notoriously bad about this. They don't set up their instruments and they don't have the right amps to try them out with.

Better yet, find someone who plays bass and get them to help you. That's what I did when I started playing.

DarthTainess · #5 06-29-2010, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmfreeman9

I think that there are so many decent cheap basses that it is hard to go wrong. But you can go wrong if there is something wrong with the bass.

Make sure the action (the distance between the strings and the fretboard) isnt too high. You'd like it as low as possible, without the strings hitting the frets and buzzing. This makes it easier to play. Also get a tuner and see if the open strings hit the same note as the string fretted at the 12th fret.

Try it out with an amp. Pawn shops are notoriously bad about this. They don't set up their instruments and they don't have the right amps to try them out with.

Better yet, find someone who plays bass and get them to help you. That's what I did when I started playing.

There's what I was looking for, thank you.

Robert Spencer · #6 06-30-2010, 02:35 PM

Also try the local craigslist.com. I find it safer to deal with people that own instruments than pawn shop salesmen that know nothing about playing the bass. You aren`t paying a commission either. You can go to the owners home and play it through his amp and probably get a package deal on buying the two coordinated items together.
Good luck & take care. Bob

lmfreeman9 · #7 07-01-2010, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Spencer

Also try the local craigslist.com. I find it safer to deal with people that own instruments than pawn shop salesmen that know nothing about playing the bass. You aren`t paying a commission either. You can go to the owners home and play it through his amp and probably get a package deal on buying the two coordinated items together.
Good luck & take care. Bob

+1 on that. You can get a feel for the owner as well and they are usually softer on price and know the instrument.

You can buy something decent for $100-$150.

DarthTainess · #8 07-01-2010, 05:16 PM

Just went into the local music store today, dude said he could get me a beginner Kit with a J-Bass for around 200 bucks, what do you guys think?

lmfreeman9 · #9 07-03-2010, 04:32 PM

If you are playing rock, Precision is the better sound.

If you buy used, you won't lose money due to depreciation when you sell it.

If you buy used, you can get a nice Made in the USA Peavey for less. ($150)

lmfreeman9 · #10 07-04-2010, 01:27 PM

Something like this:

Yamaha BB200/300 - $100 shipped

JimmyM · #11 07-05-2010, 12:28 AM

if you buy a bass made after like 1986, chances are that if it works, it will have some merit. it's not like the old days...sure, more expensive basses are nicer, but pretty much any bass made since then is at least usable or can be made usable if it's in decent shape.

i would give you a couple words of advice to make your first bass the most versatile bass you can get:

get a solidbody.

get a long scale bass.

i love hollowbodies and short scale basses, but you want your first bass to be versatile so you can use it on pretty much anything. those types of basses are better for a second bass just because they may not work on everything as well.

btw, not sure what you're looking for but there's a good reason most people say that if you can only buy one bass, make it a fender. still, it's not law you have to play one, so check as much stuff out as possible, and if you find one you click with in your price range and it works without problems, buy it.

**bassybill** · #12 07-05-2010, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmfreeman9

If you are playing rock, Precision is the better sound.

Well, I love the sound of a Precision for rock, too, but this statement should really have "in my opinion" after it. It would be wrong to give a beginning player the impression that this is beyond dispute. After all, lots of great rock bass players have used other basses, including Jazz basses.

DarthTainess - you need to do two things here if you can; find a bass that appeals to you in your price range, and then get an experienced bassist friend (if you have one) just to check it out for you to make sure it plays okay and is capable of making a good sound. If you don't know anyone who can do this, hang around in the store until you see someone playing a bass who sounds pretty competent and ask him or her to check out the instrument you're interested in for you. You should get an honest and useful opinion like this. I've seen a number of new players ask for this sort of help in stores (or parents buying basses for their kids doing similar). It's not foolproof, but it can still be very useful.