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Any brands to AVOID as a first bass?

#41
Any generic brands, Lion, Stagg, ... Yamaha, Ibanez, ESP, Peavey have great quality low cost basses. I'n not a fender guy, but some swear by Squier and SX for cheap fender clones.

In any case those days, basses quality are very good. The rest is up to you (feel, tone, looks, ...).
 
#44
Heck, I'd go with an SX if I were starting out. I've been playing for about 8 years now and I just picked up my first SX back in May just to see what they're about, and I love the thing! Plus Rondo has several short-scales if that's what you're looking for.
 
#45
I know you mentioned you have small hands, but you don't necessarily need to buy a medium or short scale bass. I'm 5'6" 128lbs soaking wet and I play a 35" scale 6 string. With proper form and a reasonable bass, you shouldn't have much difficulty with your basic 34" scale 4 string.

The only things I'd advise you to avoid are basses that are excessively heavy and/or have neck dive. Weight doesn't equate to better sound and neck dive hinders good form. For a smaller guy like ourselves, something with neck dive simply makes your left hand work much harder. It cuts stamina, makes your playing less efficient, AND can cause tendinitis and nerve damage in the long run.
 
#46
IngerAlb said:
You speak from your own experience? :hmm: Anyway...

@ the OP: since you mentioned SX / Squier, I'm thinking you're searching for a cheap decent beginner bass, right? Don't worry, Ibbys and Cort basses are very decent instruments for the money, they'll do the job.
Click to expand...

The higher end Corts are as good as any Ibanez Prestige, and even the entry-level ones are good instruments, provided they are properly set-up.
Peace
 
#47
I spent $490 at my local music center just a few days ago. Got myself a Squire Affinity J bass along with a case, strap, tuner cord and a Fender Rumble 25 Amp (Which, pretty much is a practice amp unless miked to a bigger amp of some sort.)

But it works very well! for abeginner like myself, it's all you really need. It sounds like you're budget is significantly lower, but I'm a student entering college and sold a bunch of stuff on Ebay to pay for most of it so after everything is said and done, most of it was just swapped in value for crap that I didn't want. That's always an option.

I don't know, a lot people told me that an affinity J bass would be sub par, but it sounds great to me and can give me really nice lows, I'm sure even better once I get my technique worked out. It presents itself as a great starter bass and I thin kit lives up to that promise.
 
#51
I just started about 3-4 months ago and bought a used Ibanez sr485 for 200$ the guy never played it and its like new. Ive seen several sr485/sr505 and 4 string models on ebay and classifieds for about the same price, new they were like 600ish so i assume it will last me from beginner till intermediate...... The thing i wish i had NOT bought was a tiny practice amp. I wish i had splurged and bought a bigger one 100w at least. Now i have one like new that i bet will sit in a closet when i upgrade it so soon. It sounds good for what it is i guess (Marshall mb15) for 100$ but in hindsight i wish i had just spent 300ish on something bigger to start. Now i cant tell if i should keep playing this and wait for a nice setup or go ahead and buy a middle level one now. The thing is everytime i start looking i think ..well for just 80 dollars more this one is nicer...then i have myself talked up like a 900$ one. Whereas i think if i had just originally bought a 300$ combo i would spend more time actually practicing then looking at gear.

PS. The ibanez has a really thin nick even for a five sting, something to consider i guess if you have small hands.
 
#53
in my experience/opinion do yourself a favor and avoid anything that says "carlo robelli" on the headstock.

I had one of these as my first bass 7 years ago, without knowing any better. All i can say is horrible playability(even after a pro set up), cheap construction(even for the price) faulty electronics, just overall garbage.

At your price range i'd snag something used, like an Epi Thunderbird, MIM fender, etc....or as many others have said, go with SX.

Just my .02, good luck with your decision.

-Paul-
 
#54
I would say your best bet even if you purchase new is to plan on a pro set up as part of the price. I have played Rogue basses that had decent playability after set up by a master(fret Job relief etc.)
Ive played a few ****** basses in my time. ESP Rogue Hohner Garbage compared to my




(wait for it)





Quantum5:hyper: YES!!!!!!!!:D:D
 
#57
rodl2005 said:
The Link to the "OWL" SX bass package - w/ amp , lead etc IS great idea & value. I'd go 4 that If I were U
Click to expand...


Thanks everyone. I'm ordering the amp/bass/tchochke setup from Rondo. It may not be the best thing in the world, but I will be able to learn on it. I get analysis paralysis too easy, so buying SOMETHING and just freaking starting is probably better than not.
 
#58
JazzyJames said:
Id say to stay away from Squeir and Epiphone.
Click to expand...

Really? Epiphone makes bad basses?
Can you elaborate a bit?
My son, who is new to bass, likes the EB-3, and I was thinking about getting one for him. I've only played an EB-3 for 5 minutes at a shop, so I don't have the experience you have regarding Epiphone.

(sorry to temporarily hijack the thread).

Steve
 
#59
by the way...whatever bass give you a fair represetation of what a bass sounds and feels like (and gets you hooked) is the way to go. You can go low-cost and get this done. My first bass was a Brownsville P/J, and it was ugly and noisy and cheap and had no resale value at all. But you know what? It got me hooked, and after I upgraded to a slightly better bass, I gutted that P/J and I taught myself how to wire and install/remove components, do setups, etc. I use the cheap 30 W amp that came with it in the shop to help while testing. Some parts off that bass went into my parts inventory, some went into the bin.

That bass got me hooked, so it did its job. I now have a small arsenal of low-medium grade basses. That Brownsville has since been converted into a clock and hangs proudly on the wall of our music room. It has more than paid for itself.

My advice? Don't think too much about resale value, and get something with a solid reputation off craigslist or TB. Craigslist is great, because you can have the seller play the bass for you.

Hope this helps.
Peace.
 

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