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1st Bass recommendation for 12 yo

Damien1971

Damien1971

May 3, 2020
13
23
#1
My daughter is turning 12 and has been asking for a bass which I want to surprise her with. She is average size her age (5ft). She has played guitar for a couple of years along with cello and sax. She has never played bass. I am a noob when it comes to bass.

My budget is $200 - 300.

Would you recommend a short scale bass for her due to her age and her being used to a guitar scale? If so what bass would you suggest? I have been looking at the Ibanez Talman 30 inch and the Ibanez Mezzo. I have also been thinking of a Hofner Ignition or other cheap Beatle Bass. What are your thoughts on these, or do you have other recomendations.

If you recommend a reg scale, what would you suggest? I have been reading good things about Ibanez GSR series and Talman 100. I have been thinking of Sterling Stingray. What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance.
 
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#8
I'm gonna go outside the box and say to get her a U-Bass.

I have a talented 12 year old and she has some interest and enjoys playing when she does, but it was like pulling teeth to get her to practice at home. I think it is common these days with so much stimulation available from their devices. She does have a busy schedule and always seemed to feel it was taking time away from her free time. Always a battle between whether we should push her to develop her obvious talents, or let her come to it at her own rate.

I bought the U-Bass about a year ago and it made our commute time the place for practicing and jamming. It worked great. I also got a battery powered Cube bass amp, but it really wasn't necessary since we changed to Galli flatwounds, which project much more than the stock rubber strings. Since installing those, we haven't really needed the amp.

We do stuff like study basslines in Anytune (iphone Transcription app), putting them up an octave or 2, slowing them down, playing with the EQ feature. She also enjoys learning isolated bass lines and prefers learning by ear. So driving time is like a private lesson, mostly focused on learning songs, learning a bit about the theory, and really dissecting the tracks to get all of the the nuances that give the lines their feel.

Right now she is really into "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa. She also enjoys playing "I want you back" with the isolated track on YouTube. She's also gotten into "I Cant Help It" and "Off the Wall" by MJ, "Senorita" by Shawn Mendez, "Good Times" by Chic.

She also has been inspired by many of the great young female bassists that post cover videos on Youtube, like Marta Altesa and JuliaPlaysGroove.

Since lockdown, we haven't been driving much and she has been playing bass indoors, which has been great as she is now playing the full size bass every day.

We do have a Ibanez Mikro and it is fantastic, super fun for both of us. There is an enormous thread here about them. They are just killer basses, and unbelievably cheap. Can't go wrong. We actually have two, I made one fretless and she messes with it every now and then.

Now she wants to be a big girl so she is playing a full size Stingray 5. But I wouldn't recommend putting a 12 year old on a full size bass until they really ask for it.

I wish you and your daughter the best!
 
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#10
WeAreAllOne said:
I'm gonna go outside the box and say to get her a U-Bass.

I have a talented 12 year old and she has some interest and enjoys playing when she does, but it was like pulling teeth to get her to practice at home. I think it is common these days with so much stimulation available from their devices. She does have a busy schedule and always seemed to feel it was taking time away from her free time. Always a battle between whether we should push her to develop her obvious talents, or let her come to it at her own rate.

I bought the U-Bass about a year ago and it made our commute time the place for practicing and jamming. It worked great. I also got a battery powered Cube bass amp, but it really wasn't necessary since we changed to Galli flatwounds, which project much more than the stock rubber strings. Since installing those, we haven't really needed the amp.

We do stuff like study basslines in Anytune (iphone Transcription app), putting them up an octave or 2, slowing them down, playing with the EQ feature. She also enjoys learning isolated bass lines and prefers learning by ear. So driving time is like a private lesson, mostly focused on learning songs, learning a bit about the theory, and really dissecting the tracks to get all of the the nuances that give the lines their feel.

Right now she is really into "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa. She also enjoys playing "I want you back" with the isolated track on YouTube. She's also gotten into "I Cant Help It" and "Off the Wall" by MJ, "Senorita" by Shawn Mendez, "Good Times" by Chic.

She also has been inspired by many of the great young female bassists that post cover videos on Youtube, like Marta Altesa and JuliaPlaysGroove.

Since lockdown, we haven't been driving much and she has been playing bass indoors, which has been great as she is now playing the full size bass every day.

We do have a Ibanez Mikro and it is fantastic, super fun for both of us. There is an enormous thread here about them. They are just killer basses, and unbelievably cheap. Can't go wrong. We actually have two, I made one fretless and she messes with it every now and then.

Now she wants to be a big girl so she is playing a full size Stingray 5. But I wouldn't recommend putting a 12 year old on a full size bass until they really ask for it.

I wish you and your daughter the best!
Click to expand...
Never thought of a U bass. I'll check it out.
 
#11
I would definitely recommend a full sized 34 inch scale. She may have to stretch to start with but it will be more familiar in the long run.

Anything cheap, well made and in (or able to be put in) playable condition will be fine. Look out for Squier, Aria, Ibanez, Yamaha, and dont forget to keep asking here if you need more advice!

More bassists makes the world a better place :-)
 
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#13
Damien1971 said:
My daughter is turning 12 and has been asking for a bass which I want to surprise her with. She is average size her age (5ft). She has played guitar for a couple of years along with cello and sax. She has never played bass. I am a noob when it comes to bass.

My budget is $200 - 300.
Click to expand...

How about an Ibanez Mikro ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Short scale and a smaller body size. I toyed with one a few years ago and it sounded quite good.
 
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#14
Today the standard for bass guitar is 34". In past years It was less 30-32" from sixties to 70's. Than the Fender scale has imposed to the rest.I suggest to start playing with a 34" because Short and sub short are different to play and if the girl start playing for example wit a Talman or a Mikro when she improve and want to buy a better instrument and have to choose between 34" she'll have to adapted another time to the scale. If it is not difficult playing a short if you play a normal one is difficult in reverse.
 
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#18
Maybe a used Squier Mustang short scale bass. Kinda cool lookin'
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