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Bass newbie seeks advice

#21
Originally posted by Armand Karlsen
I'm looking more seriously at various basses now (gonna get a job to actually pay for the setup). Would you say it's better to start on 4-string? I talked to some other people and they said it would be better to start on 5-string because it would get me used to more basses early on (i.e. i learn on 5-stringand a 4-string is a 5-string without the low B). Sounds a bit fishy to me...
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Whichever one you decide to start off on is purely a matter of personal preference. There is no rule saying that you have to start off on a 4 string and work your way up to a 5.


If you think the music you will be playing will primarly use a 4 string, then go for it. If you think you'll be doing alot of drop tuning and needing lower registers then get a 5.

Remember that you can do everything on a 5 string that you can a 4 and then some.

Play as many different 4 and 5 strings as you can. Sit down with them for at least 30 minutes if you can. And go with whatever sounds best and feels most comfortable to you.

In short, if you want a 5, get a 5, if you want a 4, get a 4.
 
#22
A good beginner bass that I recommend is either a MIM Fender P or J bass. Both are good versatile instruments, and cheap because they're made in Mexico. My first bass was a cheap Peavey, but it was basically a Fender clone. Mine was great, but the problem with them is that you never know what you're getting.:D
 
#23
Depending on you budget, there is a wide range on "entry level" gear you can find.
My first setup was a Squier Affinity P bass,Fender 15 watt bass amp, strap, cord and softshell case.

Not all Squiers suck, but some do. I think I got a pretty decent one. They are very easy on the budget, at about $150.

Yamaha basses are also very good. If you are looking at a 5 string, I highly suggest the Yamaha BBG5. They are selling for $299 on MusiciansFriend.com. I have the BBG5A and it was well worth it.

I suggest taking a look at the MusiciansFriend website. It will give you a good idea about what is out there, and what it can cost you.
 
#24
Well, I went to my local music shop and tried 3 different basses, taking your advice and listening through a lil practice amp with EQ set flat. Tried an Aria 4-string with P & J pickups, a Maverick(?) 5-string also with PJ pickups, and a Vintage (Music Man copy) 4-string with a CHUNKY :D double-coil(?) pickup (like Flea of RHCP's bass). The Aria was ok and I liked the low-end growl of the Maverick, though I must confess the low B string felt a little unnecessary (but then I don't actually have experience with it). The one that stood out was the Vintage. It looked and felt quite different, lighter and more compact. The one niggle was that it didn't have a 2-octave/24 fret range on the fingerboard like the others.. I don't know how important that is.
 
#25
The reason I think the B felt unnecessary is probably like you stated, because your not used to it. They do believe it or not come in quite handy at least IMO/IME they do.

Do you have more than one music store in your town? If you do, go to them and check out what they have as well. If you dont have another I highly recomend that you go to the next closest one. (as long as its not some absurd distance away)

The reason I suggest this is there is so many other brands out there that you should try. And Im pretty sure that if you played a few more brands, youd like one of them more than you do the 3 you've played. And some of the other brands in that price range are better quality.

The 24 fret fingerboard is just another personal preferance. Lots of great bassists only use 20-22 fret fingerboards. Granted a 24 fret one gives you a few extra notes to play with. But again thats all up to you.
 
#27
The thing about lefties, is that there are very few of them, and many places actually charge more for them.

I am a lefty, and it felt awkward playing left handed. I can do it, but I feel more comfortable playing right handed.

As a starter bass, I say get the one that feels the best, sounds the best, at fits what YOU need.

I would probably wait and look some more, because I have never heard anything about Maverick or Vintage. Aria makes decent stuff, but I don't hear much about them these days. I think they were big back in the 80's.
 
#28
Originally posted by ChaosGwar

I would probably wait and look some more, because I have never heard anything about Maverick or Vintage. Aria makes decent stuff, but I don't hear much about them these days. I think they were big back in the 80's.
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I agree with holding off and looking more. Ive never heard of Maverick or Vintage either. And IMO Aria's arent really all that great either.
 
#30
just to chime in here - if you do have an experienced bass player buddy who can accompany you on your shopping expeditions, this opens up new doors. ask him / her to comment on each instruments construction / playability / tone and flexibility in upgrading later on. also have your buddy comment on how the bass was set up - a poorly set up bass (eg.. high action, bad neck bow, dead strings) can make you write off a potential gem immediately.

if you are not brand sensitive or averse to purchasing used - your options become even broader. just to echo what has been said here - squiers are not necessarily bad, esp. to start off on. By extension, the Vantages / Mavericks you have over there may not be all that bad.

QC will be inconsistent so try each bass out thoroughly. listen to the acoustic sound of each bass before plugging in. is it resonant, is the tone punchy and tight when unamplified? if it is - chances are you have a good instrument in your hands.

This brings us to flexibility to upgrade later on. Standard pickup configurations (PJ / Jazz / P) on a starter bass will allow you to swap out original electronics - most of the times a weak link in this price range - with aftermarket pickups that will do wonders to improve your sound. do a search on the pickups forum to get opinions.

good luck - while this phase is sometimes frustrating, it can also be very rewarding.
 
#31
Originally posted by Armand Karlsen
I have a load of whup-ass tunes in my winamp playlistand I don't have a bass. It's bugging me :mad:
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Ahh patience young grasshoppa


taking your time by shopping around is much better than buying one in haste. It will ensure that you get exactly what you want and you'll be much more satisfied with it. Rather than buy one quickly and be unhappy with it a few months down the road.
 
#33
Yeah.. I looked in one shop and described my position and the guy immediately whipped out a calculator and started showing me prices. Didn't like his attitude. Another shop was great.. I came down into their basement and was met by a really enthusiastic guy, not a suit. We talked a little about what i might need and he just let me play around with a whole bunch of basses in a little alcove choc-full of them! :)
 
#36
Originally posted by jazzbo
Hey Armand,

Welcome to the wonderful world of bass.

So you need a bass huh? I encourage you to get a bundle deal, (bass, amp, strap, case, and stand. Maybe even some picks). Many stores will offer discounts if you get a number of items together. I can't tell you much about leftie basses, but there are some things you should do before walking out of store with one.

1. Don't fall in love with a bass for reasons that are only aesthetic. Just because it looks cool doesn't mean it's a good bass.

2. Go to different stores. Some stores only carry certain brands, so you won't get a good feel of what differend makers' basses sound like. Guitar Center, in all their glory, seems to have a plethora of Ibanez, Warwick, Fender, and Musicman, but not much else. Visit different stores and see what is out there.

3. Don't play through the best amp there. Play through an amp similar in quality to what you're going to buy. An incredibly impressive amp may "lie" about the quality of the instrument.

4. Play it sitting down and standing up. You want the bass to be comfortable standing and sitting. Think long term. Although you may only be playing by yourself right now, in a year or two, or sooner, you may want to play with others, and you'll probably be standing up. You certainly will be if you play live for an audience.

5. Put the bulk of your money into the bass, not the amp. You will find various opinions on this, but the reason I feel this way is because amps are easier to upgrade. You want a good bass that is comfortable to play. You can always buy a better amp down the line.

Now that you have a bass, an amp, a strap, a case, and a stand, you're ready to play. Yes, have fun. Do all those things, but remember that you'll get out of bass what you put into it. Try this thread for some info on beginning:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40102

Read through that thread, and that might be helpful. Read through as many old threads here at Talkbass as you can.

And definitely report back to us, let us know how everything is going, and please please please feel free to ask us any questions you may have. Their is an amazing amount of experience here.

Good luck!
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if i only knew this in my first bass shop:(
 

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