Bass for 14 year old son.

[jlepre]

Sire V7 for $399
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Pumpkin]

Don't know what your budget is like, but maybe this Yamaha BB 424x on Reverb?
Yamaha BB424X Black Like New
Quality and versatility right there.

 

[mikeswals]

'er indoors says, "Why don't you just let him have one of yours?"
I'll wait while you good people stop reeling from such a suggestion. I know, right?

That's why I went and bought a couple of used Squires: a 4 and a 5 string...total spent $225 all together. My son is 10, and barely starting to some show musical interest. He can have one of those.

In the mean time, I massaged them and set them up so in the mean time I can (and do) play them.

 

[39-Bassist]

Squier CV P bass.....great neck and easy to play and good on resale if needed...Or the VM J or P...

 

[matante]

1. I think you should lend him one of yours. You'll be giving him lessons, right?

2. If you have to buy him something, why wouldn't you ask his opinion?

 

[Bullitt5135]

I'd set a budget for like $200-250, but give him a lot of latitude on choosing the actual instrument. Take him to a guitar shop and see if something catches his eye...then go from there. Teach him about the differences, pros & cons, the concepts of quality and value. Maybe a traditional Fender style grabs his interest. Maybe he flips over a BC Rich Warlock. Who cares what he likes, as long as he's geeked about playing it?

When my daughter wanted to learn drums at age 9, she just wanted us to buy her a sparkly purple toy drum kit. But instead, I took her to a drum shop (owner is a great guy who loves kids), gave her a pen and notepad, and told her to ask questions and take notes. Within 20 minutes, she was way over the idea of a cheap toy and was talking about 5-ply birch and the importance of good cymbals. We found a great kit that she's still playing at age 16 (and she kicks butt on it too). I think she's taken a lot of pride into having a good quality kit that she had a hand in selecting, not just a "pretty" one.

 

[rogerbmiller]

So my 14 year old son (6'2 and growing/continuing to eat my food) is being pressured by his guitar playing friend to acquire and learn bass. Great. That's how I started (albeit a couple of years earlier). 'er indoors says, "Why don't you just let him have one of yours?"
I'll wait while you good people stop reeling from such a suggestion. I know, right?
Now, I'll probably let him have one of my old amps, and probably a multi-effect unit, but a bass?

Here's my thinking:
* He's one of those kids who either throws his everything into things, or can't be bothered to put in the time/effort to get through the learning curve.
* He often doesn't take good care of stuff, because....you know...he's 14 and lives in a bubble sometimes.
* If he gets into it, looks after his bass, and gets bitten by the bug I can always upgrade his equipment, or even (shudder) give him one of mine.
* If he doesn't get into it, and the bass just starts collecting dust, I'll just 'borrow' it indefinitely because.....well.....you know.....MOOOOORRRRRREEEEE BASSES!!!!

I'm thinking something cool, but not too expensive but serviceable.
Currently in the running:
1. Ibanez TMB100
2. SX American Alder Series Jazz or P or PJ
Keeps the budget low, but gets a TB-proven bass. If he gives up, then a fun bass for me.

3. Used MIM Fender.
'Real' Fender, but the budget goes up. If he gives up, "YAY!"
If he sticks with it, this bass should see him good for a while until the GAS starts.
Not 100% that 'er indoors wants this sort of money spent on an experiment (or another bass for meeeeee!!!!!).

4. Other suggestions from you good people.

Help an old guy out here. What say you TB?
No, he doesn't get an American Standard/Elite right off the bat because he'll never need another one. That's out of the budget.
His guitar playing friend is a huge Metallica fan, but my son actually prefers Tchaikovsky. FWIW.

I vote MIM fender. It's the last bass he will ever need. I have been playing for over 30 years and I gig in mine. In fact I sold my MIa fenders because the mexis get all the play time. For $300-$400 used you cannot go wrong.

 

[matthewbrown]

Give him a budget and cut him loose. I took my son to a store and let him pick out his own guitar. He's played it ever since, and gets much joy from it. I think picking it out himself made a difference for him.

 

[Hounddog409]

My son started playing electric guitar at around 10 years old. Xmas present was one of the Ibanez beginner kit things.

signed him up for lessons. Told him if he stuck with it for a year and was still interested - i would buy him a guitar of his choice.
Well, he stuck with it and it cost me a Fender Strat. He ended up taking lessons for about 5-6 years with a couple different guys. now at 18 has a job after school that allowed him to buy his own Jackson and Ibanez 7 String. He is into that death metal or whatever its called. He is an exceptional guitar player after 8 years. He is just a natural with that instrument.
The original Ibby and amp was sold to a friends little brother for $100 - and got someone else into music.

Get him anything to start with. If it turns serious - then he should be able to try out different basses and know what he likes and wants. If not - nothing lost.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Squier CV P bass.....great neck and easy to play and good on resale if needed...Or the VM J or P...

I actually have a CV Precision. It's MINE.

 

[ThudThudThud]

1. I think you should lend him one of yours. You'll be giving him lessons, right?

2. If you have to buy him something, why wouldn't you ask his opinion?

Point 1:
I'd prefer he start with a professional teacher and learn to read. I read REALLY slowly, and couldn't teach him that.
I know he'd respond better with a teacher than he would with me. Just a personality thing. I'll certinly aid his progress.

Point 2:
Great point.

 

[Dana R Gregory]

I think you already answered your question. You mentioned a Fender MIM bass. Can't really go wrong with a good used MIM PBass. Simple and versatile. Good way to start.

 

[gjohnson441496]

Either the used MIM Fender or the Ibanez TMB100. If he really gets into it either one of those are keepers as starter basses.

 

[CaseyJ]

I had an SX Jazz style, paid $120 for it . I know that would be a good starter bass. Ibanez, and MIM/ Squier basses can be had for great prices used. For example, I just bought an Ibanez SR405 active 5 string for $175 not too long ago on Craigslist. I also purchased a Peavey Milestone for my daughter off Craigslist for $75. Low priced starter basses seem to be the majority of the basses turning over on Craigslist. You can easily be under $150 going this route. You definitely are not limited on options going used.

 

[MrBKerth]

I started out on an Ibanez SR700 which was waaaaay more bass than I needed. I sold it later to raise money for my second rig and my first American Fender. Nice thing is though, they can be had used at GC for 400 bucks. You could probably find one local in your price range. The other nice perk is that if he's getting pressured by a metalhead, the active bartolini soapbar pickups may be a bit more fitting than a more vintage voiced traditional P/J sound.


[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Ronbeast]

Buying a bass for your son is a lot more special than buying an iPod or other such "disposable" (expensive..) commodity.

I'm a lot like your son. I was 14, I was 6'2" and I wanted to learn bass because my sister was a guitar player in a highschool rock band.

My father bought my first bass one day in 2006 after I had started highschool. we were actually in the shop to get my sister an upgrade (a beautiful Fender showmaster), I was just looking around the shop and came across a nice looking used Cort bass. one of the employees asked me if I wanted to try it out, to which I responded "I don't know how"; I really didn't. I had never even held a bass before. I plugged it in, hit a few open notes and smiled ear to ear. my father saw and all he said was "do you want it?". that day we walked out with a Fender showmaster and a Cort GB44 bass. I still own and play the bass frequently; it's my "grab if there's a fire" bass.

 

[Dougie44]

Oh yeah, I've seen some used Sires under $300, that's what I would buy myself in this price range.

I bought a Soundgear Ibby and combo amp for 140$ on CL there are some good deals out there, if he sticks with it get him what he wants within reason after 6 months or so

 

[buldog5151bass]

What does HE want to play? If he doesn't pick it up, it doesn't matter.

A few years ago, I was asked to help my nephew get his first good guitar. I was thinking Squier Strat - he was thinking black BC Rich Warlock copy (for high school stage band???). But he played it, and that was all that mattered.

 

[UNICORN BASS]

You really can't go wrong with SX. Decent strings and a simple set up and he will be good to go.

 

[DigitalMan]

My son is a little younger but these conversations are just beginning. My idea which he seems to like is that we build a Warmoth together. He would pick out the parts and colors etc with a little guidance from me. I would do the assembly with his participation.

I figure that might get him a little more vested in it being his own creation.