Bass for kids?

[BassmanI]

Not to sound snobbish, but the best training for any beginning bassist is to learn double bass. There are rental programs available for 1/8 and 1/2 size double basses. I'll be starting my daughter on the double bass this summer.

 

[Stick_Player]

Not to sound snobbish, but the best training for any beginning bassist is to learn double bass. There are rental programs available for 1/8 and 1/2 size double basses. I'll be starting my daughter on the double bass this summer.

I completely agree with that. My kid started on a 1/10 size DB (28" bridge-to-nut). He's now on a 1/2 DB (38" bridge-to-nut), having already progressed through 1/8 and 1/4 size DB's. He's still on a 3/4 size EB (both fretted and fretless), but has been playing around on my full-size EB's. He can't quite yet manage my 3/4 DB's in the lower positions, just yet.

 

[khui]

My daughter is 8 her first bass was the Ibanez Mikro. She also has the Squier Modified Jaguar. Both are very decent for the money as far as SS basses go. the Squier neck is longer than the Miko and had one of the best out of the box set up i've seen. Neck is straight and action is low. My only critique of the Squier is that the tone knob is very close to the input jack but probably not a problem for smaller hands and it would not deter me from buying. Fit and finish is very nice on her model. Simple controls with vol, vol, and tone make it easy for the younger ones to undestand the function and how sound is affected by the different control knobs.
the Mikro has a very nice sound and lots of tone options with the P bass and J bass p/u's. Probably to many tone options for younger players that should focus on technique for tone.
She still gravitates towared the Mikro because it has a short neck but i feel she will most likely use the Squier as her go to when she gets a little bigger.
They both are at similar price points so not much difference there. IMO, the squier modified jag has a pretty cool look to it
Ideally he could try different SS models out.

hey, thx for the pic! my daughter is 8 and she wants to play bass like her old man! I considered the mikro, but my daughter is small for her age. I was still thinking this might be too big...she's only 47 inches tall. how tall is your daughter? just asking for a point of reference. thx.

k.

 

[khui]

how about the new kala basses for kids? its definitely a short scale bass.

k.

 

[Stick_Player]

hey, thx for the pic! my daughter is 8 and she wants to play bass like her old man! I considered the mikro, but my daughter is small for her age. I was still thinking this might be too big...she's only 47 inches tall. how tall is your daughter? just asking for a point of reference. thx.

k.

Link Removed.

Here's my then 7-year-old son playing the Mini Corsair (1/2-size, 25.5" bridge-to-nut string length). He is most likely about 48" in this picture and pumping a wah-wah - must be playing Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).

You can find these on the internet ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed]).

 

[MonetBass]

FYI: 34 x 0.75 = 25.5. Therefore the Samick Corsair Mini is a 3/4 scale bass.

 

[GladToBeBack]

IDK how big or small your kid is but I just saw a P bass mini at the local music store here. I've seen them before, either that or a short scale... Fender makes they're starcasters as well, could be a decent starter.

 

[Stick_Player]

FYI: 34 x 0.75 = 25.5. Therefore the Samick Corsair Mini is a 3/4 scale bass.

While your math is correct, that is NOT how the fractional system works. And, the word 'scale' should not follow the fraction. You play DB, you should know this.

As to Double basses, 1/10 size has a 28" bridge-to-nut string length (I have one), and a 4/4 size double bass is about 42+". The most common size DB is the 3/4-size with approximately a 41 1/2+" bridge-to-nut string length, my 3/4-size is about 41 5/8", my son's 1/2-size DB is 38"

Electric basses are considered full-size with a 34" bridge-to-nut string length, 3/4-size with a 30" bridge-to-nut string length, and 1/2-size with with a 25.5" bridge-to-nut string length. Of course there are electric basses that fall into different bridge-to-nut string lengths.

 

[MonetBass]

While your math is correct, that is NOT how the fractional system works. And, the word 'scale' should not follow the fraction. You play DB, you should know this.

As to Double basses, 1/10 size has a 28" bridge-to-nut string length (I have one), and a 4/4 size double bass is about 42+". The most common size DB is the 3/4-size with approximately a 41 1/2+" bridge-to-nut string length, my 3/4-size is about 41 5/8", my son's 1/2-size DB is 38"

Electric basses are considered full-size with a 34" bridge-to-nut string length, 3/4-size with a 30" bridge-to-nut string length, and 1/2-size with with a 25.5" bridge-to-nut string length. Of course there are electric basses that fall into different bridge-to-nut string lengths.

Ah yes, you are correct. If I had been thinking in DB terms, I would have caught that. Thanks for the correction.

 

[ahdowns]

I have the Ibanez Mikro GSRM20. It has a 28.6 " scale, but is really well made. They are about $ 179. at GC or Musician's Friend. If you go to Youtube, Jeff Mara does a pretty good review of it.