I'm planning on buying a bass but i cant make up my mind between Fender affinity jazz bass or Dean edge 09. Ive been told those two are great for beginners but i dont know which one will suit my style. Im not too into heavu music, i like nu disvo and garage, thought i might share my concerns with experienced people and get some advice.
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Bass for a beginner
- Thread starter rlynch9701
- Start date
There are so many great basses for good prices on the market it could make your head spin but....
Agreed that a Jazz is a great place to be, either beginning or not - extremely versatile, and with the aftermarket the way it is it's a great way to have an instrument that can grow with you! I myself play a Squier CV Jazz, which was the best J in the shop when I got it. And with a few choice mods, it's a killer!
If you can afford the relatively small price difference between the Squier Affinity and a Squier Classic Vibe or Squier Vintage Modified, you'd be well served. I was never a Fender fan, but the Squier CV and VM basses are a definite step up in quality from the Affinities, and are amazing instruments for the price - seriously comparable to the MIM Standards. In any case, the Squiers give you more hardware upgrade options and will be easier to resell.
I never think that beginners are better to use different/special bass for beginner, except for budget (and other common) reason(s), which also affect non-beginners.
Since you are beginner I would concentrate more on what your budget is and try as many basses as possible at that price point. Pick the one that feels right. That being said a J bass is a great soup to nuts ax.
I'm going for the jazz one, thank you all so much for your opinions they really helped me make my decision . By the way my budget is 300 dollars and im getting the Fender affinity jazz pack at the guitar center for 299.
I would start haunting pawn shops. Every one I go in to has at least one and often more Squire Affinities for sale from about $75 - $125 depending on condition and the shop's owner. And, they expect you to haggle, it is built in to the price. So if they ask for $100, start at $75 and see how it goes.
Everyone needs a playable instrument, but a beginner's bass should be cheap and rugged, as well as playable. Cheap, because if one decides that bass isn't really what one wants to do, taking a 30% hit to resell a $200 bass is a lot less painful than taking a 30% hit to resell a $600 bass. Rugged, because beginners haven't yet acquired the protective reflexes and paranoia necessary to protect fine instruments from accidents and stupidity.
Guy by me has a Squire VM for $200.
The older model with the good pickups and neck.
You definitely can find them for the same price as the Afinity.
The older model with the good pickups and neck.
You definitely can find them for the same price as the Afinity.
+1 on the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass, really nice bang for the bucks, otherwise I would go for a second hand Fender Jazz MIM... no matter if you're starting, my opinion is to start with a good instrument. Despite what a lot of people say, IMHO when somebody starts is already a pain, if the instrument is crap it would push down further your self esteem, if the instrument is good would help you growing and in case of giving up... a good renowned instrument is always easier to sell 
.. you may want to reconsider ... JMHO, but the(purchased new) 'Beginner Pak' is one of the least desireable ways to go ... as Dav mentions, the Affinities are everywhere used for < $100, and $75-100 used will get you a MUCH better amplifier than in the pak ... any other little extra goodies they include can easily be replaced at 1/2 the cost and will be better quality usually too ... for $300 budget you can get much better quality pieces that will be worth exactly what you paid for them the rest of their life, and will be suitable for a very long time should you decide to continue ....
... there is nothing in your profile to indicate your location, but if you are comfortable disclosing that, we can help you find something in your area on CL also ... there might even be a TB regular in your immediate area to help you 'walk through' the beginning stages a bit to get started ... there are many people that buy gear and quit in the early stages, you may be able to take advantage of that, rather then being the one that is trying to get $125-$150 for everything you just paid $299 + tax for a few months earlier ...
+1 for "the Squier CV and VM basses are a definite step up in quality... and are amazing instruments..."
I own a Fender American P-bass, a Gibson Thunderbird, a Yamaha BB2024X, and several other basses. Came to the realization recently that all I really ever needed for my gigs is $300 a Squier VM or CV.
I own a Fender American P-bass, a Gibson Thunderbird, a Yamaha BB2024X, and several other basses. Came to the realization recently that all I really ever needed for my gigs is $300 a Squier VM or CV.
Yamaha has some interesting basses for beginners. They are cheaper and well made for this range of prices.
Those starter packs exist for one good reason - to allow non-musician parents/friends to make a gift that lets someone else get started. They're pretty much never a good value overall. My advice would be to go and wheedle the best deal you can on a Squier VM Jazz, which will be something under $300, then tell the sales creature he has a deal if he can throw in a functioning practice amp - used, no-name, scuffed, whatever, as long as it works and doesn't make actively ugly noises - and get you out the door for $300. The amp will be replaced soon enough (as would the thing in the starter kit), but you'll have a bass you can play for life.
EEEEK...STOP!!!! Talkbass folks are fantastic for getting opinions and advice - ultimately it's your decision but seriously, you'd be making a really bad mistake by getting a starter pack like that. Some of us have done this, and please let our mistakes count for something and we can help someone else like you down the road from making the same one...
I totally agree with tjh's post above. The amp they put in the pack is horrific - you will ultimately end up selling/throwing this away in the very near future if it doesn't break first. The bass, any bass (even those that costs thousands of dollars) will sound absolutely horrible on this amp. I had 4 of these amps that came with basses I bought or traded for and I have given them all away as a freebie to anyone that needed an amp in my area but to buy one? Not at all recommended. First off, the wattage and speakers are too small, it'll sound like you're playing a bass through a small hand held transistor radio.
Buy a used amp, look on Craigslist, even Guitar Center- you'll find a much better amp for under $100. I live near Detroit - as an example, there's currently a Fender 300w amp for $109 on Craigslist. While this is overkill in your situation, I just wanted to post an example. Ideally, a minimum of 80w is good for a beginner. 100w-150w being an even better choice.
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If you then buy a used bass, try to get a Squier VM or CV instead of an Affinity. If not possible, then an Affinity will be okay as long as you get a good amp.
A used Affinity Jazz can be bought for $100 or less.
A used Squier VM can be bought for around $200 or sometimes less. Example:-
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (this is a VM even though it doesn't say so in the ad) Last month, there was a black 77 VM for $125.
So total cost for an Affinity + 300w amp = $200, Squier VM+300w amp=$315 in this example ( I'm pretty sure you could negotiate the amp down to an even $100)
My current setup (or favorite at the moment, I do have 14 basses) cost me $280. I bought a MIM Fender Jazz bass in perfect condition for $200, a Fender Bassman 150 for $80. If you look hard enough, you can find some excellent deals.
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Guitar Center does have that pack. You shouldn't buy it.
If you're buying, and want their financing/return policy/convience then, go used. They'll ship it to your local store and even accept returns. In the starter pack, you're paying $200 for a bass that's $75 used. You're paying $100 for an amp that's $30 used. Why wouldn't you click over to "used gear" and see what's there. Good $ policies and good returns on used stuff make it a worthwhile use of time.
If you're buying, and want their financing/return policy/convience then, go used. They'll ship it to your local store and even accept returns. In the starter pack, you're paying $200 for a bass that's $75 used. You're paying $100 for an amp that's $30 used. Why wouldn't you click over to "used gear" and see what's there. Good $ policies and good returns on used stuff make it a worthwhile use of time.
I agree.
30 day return policy on used equipment. Shipping for a bass comes out to $20-25 dollars from anywhere in the country. I've bought over 20 basses this way. Here's a link to the used Squier basses in price order.
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Amps:Invalid Link Removed
