A solid beginning

[SweetChinMusic]

Thanks for taking the time to look at this post. Here's the situation...

Technically, I'm not a bassist yet. I picked up the guitar after a long hiatus about eight months ago. I got a decent beginner guitar that I bought over the internet, mostly because it looked cool, and I liked the company. My guitar was made by Monoprice, who is known for reasonably priced, quality HDMI cables. So naturally that translates well into guitars, right?

Its a decent guitar, but unless its set up just right, it goes out of tune with each passing breeze. I've managed to mess around (mostly with Rocksmith for the Xbox 360) and get some dexterity, but I wasn't really clicking with the instrument.

Then I picked up a friends electric bass and it all fell into place. Why pluck around with a guitar, when I can command THUNDER like THOR, right? My friend talked me down a bit, explaining that the bass was more like a bridge between the melody of the guitars and the beat of the drums...

Fast-forward to a few shopping expeditions, and some online poking around... and now I have to make a decision about an instrument. I've looked at a couple of entry-level basses (a used MusicMan Sub Ray 4, a Fender Affinity Jazz, and a couple of Ibanez basses) in my local stores, and shopped online.

Basically what I'm trying to decide is this: Do I get a cheap bass to start out with, and upgrade later? Or should I spend a little more up front for an instrument I can grow into?

The two basses that have caught my eye so far are:

The ESP LTD B-4E NS

and

The Cort A4 Cherry

I love the look of the Cort. And the hardware is nice: hipshot tuners, Bartolini pickups. But there doesn't seem to be much support for them in the US from online sites.

The ESP doesn't have name-brand hardware, but its also a gorgeous bass and seems decently reviewed.

Of course either of these two lean towards the "spend a little more upfront" option, rather than getting a beginner bass.

What advice can you give me? Is it worth spending more for a bass like the ones above? Can you suggest other options?

(Essentially, my wife said she'd get me a bass for Christmas if it wasn't too much. So my options are a sub-$300 bass from my wife, or spend a little more at Sweetwater and make payments)

 

[Somnambulance]

I found a Squire Vintage Mod Jazz bass with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders in it and I like it. Bought it "used" even though it really wasn't used ($250). I've played bass for 17 years and it's doing everything I need it to.

 

[Maxdusty]

You know, it's all a matter of feel. Go try out some basses - find out what necks feel comfortable to you. Check out the sound and see if it suits your music. The kind of music you play has a bearing on what kind of bass would be ideal for you.
Spending more money doesn't really equate to getting a better bass, I have a few basses worth a thousand or more dollars but my favorite right now is a MIM Fender Jazz bass that I bought on Craigslist for $200. You can really get your money's worth buying used if you know what to look for.

The ESP and the Cort are okay basses, but not worth paying a lot of money for new, great if you can find one used for cheap.. I've had both- there are better options than these two basses.

Also look at Guitar Center used section online, once you've pinpointed a particular make and model. You can get any bass shipped to your door from any Guitar Center in the country for only about $20-25. I've bought about 20 basses this way.
Here's a link, basses are in lowest price order.
http://used.guitarcenter.com/usedge...rice&dir=asc&srch&category=38&q=&distance=100

 

[Malak the Mad]

I usually say, "start small to see if it's what's right for you". However, having tried out dozens of less-expensive basses, the one that really jumped out at me was the Squier Classic Vibe Jazz. Not to sound condescending towards any inexpensive bass, but the term "Little League Price…Big League Feel & Sound" comes to mind. I've seen used items go for well within your wife's budget. I had one for a while and all I felt the need to do was change the strings and replace the pickguard (not a fan of photo-tort). The only reason I don't have it still was to trade it towards a Fender Jazz that sounded as good, but had some ergonomic touches that worked better for my specific hands. (plus, it's a damn pretty bass!)

To take a page out of Maxdusty's playbook, there's a Guitar Center just over in Rochester. If you haven't already, slip on by there and see what they have to offer. Maybe you'll find something that just "works", or perhaps even "sings", for you. And as far as their used database goes, you'll have to add a little shipping to the cost of getting something from another store, but if you don't like it, you have thirty days to return it. Plus, you can bring it back to a nearby GC instead of shipping it back to the store of origin.

 

[wlater]

You can get any bass shipped to your door from any Guitar Center in the country for only about $20-25. I've bought about 20 basses this way.

+1
Or even a bit less. I was charged $14.82 by GC to ship a used bass from MD to CA just a few weeks ago.

 

[Maxdusty]

.... Maybe you'll find something that just "works", or perhaps even "sings", for you. ....

My problem as of late is I get a whole choir of basses singing to me when I step foot in a store. Sigh... to quote the Barenaked Ladies... "If I had a million dollars"...
The Classic Vibe is an excellent bass, even better when GC misidentifies it as a Squier Affinity and prices it as such.

To the op: Don't forget to also get a good amp for the bass. Even the best bass will sound awful on a cheap amp.

 

[Sav'nBass]

Thanks for taking the time to look at this post. Here's the situation...

Technically, I'm not a bassist yet. I picked up the guitar after a long hiatus about eight months ago. I got a decent beginner guitar that I bought over the internet, mostly because it looked cool, and I liked the company. My guitar was made by Monoprice, who is known for reasonably priced, quality HDMI cables. So naturally that translates well into guitars, right?

Its a decent guitar, but unless its set up just right, it goes out of tune with each passing breeze. I've managed to mess around (mostly with Rocksmith for the Xbox 360) and get some dexterity, but I wasn't really clicking with the instrument.

Then I picked up a friends electric bass and it all fell into place. Why pluck around with a guitar, when I can command THUNDER like THOR, right? My friend talked me down a bit, explaining that the bass was more like a bridge between the melody of the guitars and the beat of the drums...

Fast-forward to a few shopping expeditions, and some online poking around... and now I have to make a decision about an instrument. I've looked at a couple of entry-level basses (a used MusicMan Sub Ray 4, a Fender Affinity Jazz, and a couple of Ibanez basses) in my local stores, and shopped online.

Basically what I'm trying to decide is this: Do I get a cheap bass to start out with, and upgrade later? Or should I spend a little more up front for an instrument I can grow into?

The two basses that have caught my eye so far are:

The ESP LTD B-4E NS

and

The Cort A4 Cherry

I love the look of the Cort. And the hardware is nice: hipshot tuners, Bartolini pickups. But there doesn't seem to be much support for them in the US from online sites.

The ESP doesn't have name-brand hardware, but its also a gorgeous bass and seems decently reviewed.

Of course either of these two lean towards the "spend a little more upfront" option, rather than getting a beginner bass.

What advice can you give me? Is it worth spending more for a bass like the ones above? Can you suggest other options?

(Essentially, my wife said she'd get me a bass for Christmas if it wasn't too much. So my options are a sub-$300 bass from my wife, or spend a little more at Sweetwater and make payments)

You can get a decent enough bass for $300. The ESPs are nice.. Do you have big hands or small hands.. ? Are you long or are you short? Tell you what though.. you don't want a cheap bass... you want an inexpensive bass and they are not the same thing. From what I have seen and heard it is hard to go wrong with the Squires as far as inexpensive goes.. You can get much more bang for your buck used. Good luck and welcome to the bottom end..

 

[Malak the Mad]

The Classic Vibe is an excellent bass, even better when GC misidentifies it as a Squier Affinity and prices it as such.

That was another thing that made my Classic Vibe rock…GC had mislabeled it as a Vintage Modified. I got it for $205 with shipping…and a RoadRunner case came with it!

= my face when I saw the ad.
= my face when I confirmed it's actual model with the CSR over the phone!

 

[Parzival]

Upgrade later after you have grown into it and know that is definitely what you want to play. I have MIA and MIJ Fenders and they are much better, but my SUB Ray is still fun to play.

 

[hrodbert696]

My advice would be not to spend too much on your first bass. It's not a simple matter of a sliding scale of quality or difficulty. More expensive basses are not any more challenging to play or anything - in fact, usually the opposite. It's still four strings and a neck of frets. But there are subtle differences where people have their own taste - do you like slim necks or thick ones? Passive or active electronics? Do you like something heavy and solid or would you rather be spared the weight? Does fingerboard radius matter to you? You usually don't really know this kind of stuff till you've been playing a while. So unless you're rolling in money, I wouldn't drop $1000 on a bass only to realize you wish you'd spent the $1000 on something else. Brands like Squier and Sterling are good choices and are making some very decent stuff in the $300 range. But ultimately, get something you LIKE so that you will be motivated to practice.

 

[SweetChinMusic]

Some great advice here. Thanks, everyone.

I'm slowly learning that, at least in my neck of the woods, beginning bassists get the shaft at music stores. There's limited space and not much profit to the low-end bass market, so most stores have a wall of new and used guitars and a few basses. Finding a good variety is challenging. If I had a chunk of change I'd be tempted to open a bass-centric store.

I'm making the rounds, though, and even the places I've visited rotate stock as new-to-them used equipment arrives. I'll keep plugging away at it, see what I can find, and limit my up-front cost. There's a local place called the "House of Guitars" that has a wide selection, so I might be able to try a few hard-to-find basses there, though I'd rather avoid them if possible. I should check out the local pawn shops too. Maybe there's some hidden gems there.

 

[neo 7]

Have you looked into SX basses? These are good quality basses at a low price that many members here love. The hardware and electronics can be easily replaced down the road resulting in a better instrument and a better understanding of the instrument's construction. Link Removed

If you're not comfortable with tools I would suggest a beginner bass at first. Develop your ears and figure out the kind of tone you want, and which neck profile is comfortable to you.

 

[allenhumble]

Find something that feels good in your hands and sounds good to your ears at a local shop and look for it used online or in the classifieds here on talkbass. Dont buy something purely for looks. Manufactures sometimes try to ad flash to the instruments from a cosmetic perspective while cutting corners elsewhere (garbage construction or composite body woods with paint or laminated tops. Cheap electronics.). Instruments should be about sound and playability. Cosmetics should come after that.

You can find a great beginner bass in the price range you are looking for. Don't over spend now. You will soon find out what GAS is and for some of us its never-ending

oh....and welcome to the brotherhood of the bottom end

 

[Lobster11]

Does your friend have an extra bass that he could let you borrow for a while? If so, there are a couple of real advantages to spending a few weeks or so learning to play on a borrowed bass before buying one. For one, it will give you a chance to decide whether bass is really right for you and whether you want to commit to it. If for some reason you decide that it just isn't really working for you, just return the borrowed instrument and no-harm, no-foul. On the other hand, if you do decide to stick with it, your experience with whatever instrument you've been learning on might be really helpful in figuring out what you want in a bass when you buy one. For example, you might not care for something about the tone, or you wish the neck were thinner, or whatever. The more experience you have in playing, the better off you'll be in choosing something that's right for you when you decide to spend the bucks.

 

[OutToPlayJazz]

There've been some really good suggestions so far on this thread. Everybody has their favourites at the budget end of the market, and yes, some of the Classic Vibe Jazzes/Precisions are very nice and usually very consistent. The SUB Ray 4 is also a monster of a bass for the money, but make sure you go along to the music stores and actually play as many basses as you can. You'll find the right one for your hands and ears.

As another TB'er mentioned, make sure you have enough budget for some decent amplification too. You'll need at least 100 watts if you want to play with a drummer, even for starters.

Also, make sure you get a good teacher who teaches you to read notation. It's the key to becoming a good all-round player and will ensure you're not getting stuck half way and getting held back by poor technique. And for the future, aim to become a musician more than a mere bass player. Bass isn't just the filling between melody and drums. It can also be a melodious wonder of overtones and phrasing.

Have fun with the bass

 

[Sav'nBass]

Find something that feels good in your hands and sounds good to your ears at a local shop and look for it used online or in the classifieds here on talkbass. Dont buy something purely for looks. Manufactures sometimes try to ad flash to the instruments from a cosmetic perspective while cutting corners elsewhere (garbage construction or composite body woods with paint or laminated tops. Cheap electronics.). Instruments should be about sound and playability. Cosmetics should come after that.
You can find a great beginner bass in the price range you are looking for. Don't over spend now. You will soon find out what GAS is and for some of us its never-ending
oh....and welcome to the brotherhood of the bottom end

Yup.. There are a couple of Squire Jazz basses for under $300 shipped in the classifieds right now but like many have said.. go to a store and try different basses to see what feels good to you. Initially look at things like weight, body feel, neck shape and size, how the bass sits on you when you are strapped and take your hands off and scale length. Much of this will probably change as you progress I know it did with me.

There've been some really good suggestions so far on this thread. Everybody has their favourites at the budget end of the market, and yes, some of the Classic Vibe Jazzes/Precisions are very nice and usually very consistent. The SUB Ray 4 is also a monster of a bass for the money, but make sure you go along to the music stores and actually play as many basses as you can. You'll find the right one for your hands and ears.

As another TB'er mentioned, make sure you have enough budget for some decent amplification too. You'll need at least 100 watts if you want to play with a drummer, even for starters.

Also, make sure you get a good teacher who teaches you to read notation. It's the key to becoming a good all-round player and will ensure you're not getting stuck half way and getting held back by poor technique. And for the future, aim to become a musician more than a mere bass player. Bass isn't just the filling between melody and drums. It can also be a melodious wonder of overtones and phrasing.
Have fun with the bass

+1 to this.. a decent 100W-150W combo will hold you for a while. If you can find a used GKMB115 or 210 it would be perfect.

 

[Maxdusty]

Buy a good bass, the best your money can afford along with a good amp. For $300 or under, your options are still excellent- with the Squier VM and CV, the Sterling Subs...these days, choices are much better and you can get more bang for your buck. I've bought Sterling Sub Stingray basses for under $200 used from the GC website (I had 4 of them at one point). What you'll find is in most cases, an easy pickup, bridge upgrade at a later time will turn these instruments into amazing monsters. I have a MIM Fender P bass that I bought for under $300 (well technically I traded for it, but it was on Craigslist for $300 or trade) that had Seymour Duncan pickups and a Badass II bridge already added to it. It sounds fantastic and plays better than a lot of the more expensive Made in America Fender P basses I've tried. The key thing is to try the bass first and make sure the neck and overall feel of it suits you. Electronics can be modified later. Regarding the amps, as suggested a nice 100 or 150w is a good place to start, these can be bought used from Craigslist, pawnshops or even GC. Getting a good amp is imperative; if you buy a PS4 or XBox One, would you plug it into a Tube TV or a HDTV? The bass is only as good as the amp it's plugged into so it's important to keep this in mind and give it equal importance in a good setup.
Best of luck with the hunt and have fun with it. Stay on this forum long enough and you'll develop GAS. That's a condition when you start acquiring more gear in no time and somewhat involuntary. I currently have 14 basses, but have had 70 in the past 3 years or so. Darn these people! ha ha....