Given the OP's situation, I think the SX packages that fourstringbliss linked above are actually the best bet for a starter instrument.
The Jag shorty and the VM Mustang are nice, but they cost more. If the OP is looking for a decent, inexpensive bass for his son, the SX 3/4, short scale stuff is hard to beat. Even with shipping, the package will run him a few Hamiltons less than the Squier Jag SS, and a whopping $130 or so less than the Mustang. That's nearly the cost of another bass.
Cheaper still - find a gently used Bronco at a pawn shop and throw a few bucks at it for new strings and a set up.
Yeah, I'm thinking this is the way to go.....
I'm not entirely sure that wanting to play bass is more than just a "flavor of the month" for him, he plays guitar (and is quite good given his age and experience), and part of me thinks (or knows) he wants to do it because Dad plays bass and he thinks it's cool. It's a blast jamming out with him in the living room.....
Personally I'm all for it. As a converted guitarist, I totally support his desire to play bass. I like it a lot more than guitar. Over time I've formed the opinion that children who want to play the guitar should start on the bass first. The reasons are based on my own experience and what I've learned;
- When you learn to play the guitar, you typically start with open chords. You're dealing with multiple strings, and most people are satisfied with learning WHERE to put their fingers, but many never learn WHY they go there. Or how to get the same chords on different places on the neck. So many players just stay "cowboy chord punchers" their whole life. This is because learning all of the notes on a 6-string neck is more intimidating than learning them on a 4 string neck.
- Guitar is generally played in "chord format", meaning quite often three strings or more are being played at the same time. Bass is most oftenly played in "single note" format, one string, one pluck, at a time. When learning guitar chords, each chord shape changes depending on where you are playing your root note. Then throw in triads and inversions, and it becomes increasingly complicated. It's complicated for many adults to learn, and even more difficult for children. As you learn to play bass more, you will eventually learn some chords and inversions of them, but many players never get to this level and remain root players or pentatonic players, both of which are widely accepted among young musicians.
- When first learning, bass is less intimidating and allows students to learn where each note is fretted on the neck as opposed to guitar, which is more complicated.
- Very early on, bass players will learn pentatonic scales and walking basslines. This allows them to understand music theory (in my opinion) much more quickly than you will on a guitar. All of us can fall back on playing chord tones in a song that match what the rhythm guy is doing. Even if it's simple root/third/fifths. And people think it sounds great. But I found music theory much easier to grasp as I learned to play the bass versus the guitar.
- Bass players MUST have good meter/timing. It's necessary. Even if you're not a natural, you can learn it by practicing with a metro. Learning meter and timing make you a better guitar player, if you don't have it you're limited to being a solo acoustic act with a microphone. And there's plenty of those out there who never learned to play with anyone else. Playing bass makes you stronger, musically.
- When putting together or getting involved in your first garage band, far more kids want to play guitar. If you play bass, your chances of getting asked to jam out are a lot better. I've looked at my son's friends and people he goes to school with that play in the band. For every kid who seems to want to play bass, there's 8 or 10 who want to play guitar.
- The skills you learn as a bassist vastly improve your understanding of guitar and your ability to play it.
- You might just find out that you thought you wanted to be a guitar player, but you're actually a bassist. Being a good guitar player won't make you a good bassist, but being a good bassist will make you a better guitar player.
So I'm on board with this. I think those SX basses look great for the money, I've been checking CL for a Bronco, there's a couple out there (were kid's basses that they gave up on). Gonna plan a trip to the store to try out the Ibanez, too.
Awesome suggestions! Keep 'em coming!
