Scored a great deal!!

[Boostedrex]

I scored a killer deal on my first bass/amp setup last week and I really wanted to be able to share it with someone. I have wanted to learn to play bass for several years now, but I finally had the means so I started shopping. I was planning on starting out with a VERY basic/budget setup. But I ran across a guy on Craigslist selling the actual bass I wanted. So I arranged to go over to his place to check things out. The bass was MINT. It was only 8 months old and he had all the receipts/paperwork for it. When he found out that I was just starting on the bass he started throwing in all kinds of extras for free. I couldn't believe it! He even gave a really nice (or at least I think it's really nice) combo amp!!!! When I got to his house I went to look at buying just a bass for $350. When I left his house an hour later, I left with the following for $350...

'08 Ibanez SR500
10ft Monster Cable cord
Kaces gig bag
fret saver bass stand
an 8 month old GK Backline 110 combo amp
2 beginner bass instruction books
2 instruction DVD's

I was FLOORED!!!! Sorry for rambling, but I don't know anyone else locally that is a musician so I had to share my excitement with somebody.

Zach

[MJ5150]

Nice bro. Rock on.

-Mike

[M@ddest_H@tter!]

Killer deal, those Ibanezes have super thin necks...extremely playable

[Mazatleco17]

Nice, now stop posting here and go practice

[MakiSupaStar]

That dude totally bro'd you out. Have fun. That little GK is a cool little starter amp too.

[Darkstrike]

Now that, that is just.......




Fantastic! Man there are cool dudes out there sometimes!

[DudeistMonk]

Gratz man...A gift like that should be pretty motivating...

Ps. If I where you and I knew what I know now I would take all that money you just saved and put it into some lessons (at least a few to get started).

[Boostedrex]

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I've been practicing every spare moment that I can. Even if it's just 10-15 minutes while I wait for my wife to finish getting ready. I've only had it for 6 days now. But having never played an instrument of any type before I think I'm doing ok. I can play the major and minor intervals, as well as the 5th and 7th scales (or at least I think that's what they're called) I can even play along with the simple rythyms on one of the DVD's that the guy gave me.

And I hear you about the lessons. I'm planning on taking at least some lessons, but I want to find a teacher that I'm comfortable with first. That and I have to travel quite a bit for business. I'm going to be checking out an instructor later this week though. His son is a friend of mine so we'll see how that goes. What is the general price I should be expecting for lessons? I've heard one place mention that 1 lesson per week would be $100/month. I have no idea if that's about right, high, or low though.

Zach

[machine gewehr]

One of the best deals I've ever heard.SR500 is a very nice bass too.Now,leave OT and go to techniques,general instructions for tips and advices.

And basses and amps forums for GAS.

[DudeistMonk]

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I've been practicing every spare moment that I can. Even if it's just 10-15 minutes while I wait for my wife to finish getting ready. I've only had it for 6 days now. But having never played an instrument of any type before I think I'm doing ok. I can play the major and minor intervals, as well as the 5th and 7th scales (or at least I think that's what they're called) I can even play along with the simple rythyms on one of the DVD's that the guy gave me.

And I hear you about the lessons. I'm planning on taking at least some lessons, but I want to find a teacher that I'm comfortable with first. That and I have to travel quite a bit for business. I'm going to be checking out an instructor later this week though. His son is a friend of mine so we'll see how that goes. What is the general price I should be expecting for lessons? I've heard one place mention that 1 lesson per week would be $100/month. I have no idea if that's about right, high, or low though.

You mean major and minor scales and 5th and 7th intervals?

I pay $45 a week for an hour-two hour lesson...my guy doesn't keep track of time, its more of an I show up, we go through the material, I ask questions, he answers them he gives me more work we chat for 15 minutes and I pay him.

So yeah anywhere from 20-50 bucks for an hour lesson is pretty normal...You might also have to try a few instructors if you find yourself not learning anything/hating your lessons. My first instructor was worthless...30 bucks for you to tell me to play X mode every week and not explain how a mode even works or what its for. I could have learned all the modes for $2.23 spent on ink and paper.

[Boostedrex]

Yes, thank you for the correction Monk.

That's what I meant about shopping around and finding an instructor that I'm comfortable with. They have to understand what I want and where I want to go. I do want a firm understanding of the basics and musical theory, but I want to play music!! I've been a hardcore home and car audio guy for years. So the thought of playing some of the very music (Earth, Wind, and Fire; Claypool; V. Wooten; Stanley Clarke) gets my blood racing.

Zach

[excane]

Score! Enjoy it.

[DudeistMonk]

Yes, thank you for the correction Monk.

That's what I meant about shopping around and finding an instructor that I'm comfortable with. They have to understand what I want and where I want to go. I do want a firm understanding of the basics and musical theory, but I want to play music!! I've been a hardcore home and car audio guy for years. So the thought of playing some of the very music (Earth, Wind, and Fire; Claypool; V. Wooten; Stanley Clarke) gets my blood racing.

Zach

I see you already know who the heavy hitters are.

[Boostedrex]

Oh, I'm a serious bass line junky. That's obvious looking at my 2.1 audio rigs. I can reproduce the 80-800Hz area MUCH louder than the 80Hz and down area. It's all about that funky groove to me.