Beginner needs help with picking a Bass

[ElectricBass72]

I agree with everyone on Ibanez. Great quality basses that don't break the bank. I have 2 mid-grade Ibanez basses bought in the mid '00s... and both sound great for recording and live applications. Ibanez has a wide variety of basses for different tastes.... classic and contemporary. Some examples... a Talman is basically a classic P... while the Soundgear line offers more modern features and tones.

 

[tubatodd]

Here's a different take. Cort B4 AS. Professional features and quality at beginner prices.

Cort B4 Plus AS RM Bass, Swamp Ash Body, Roasted Maple Fingerboard,

This seller takes offers. I've purchased several basses from them. You can probably save 15% right away.

 

[Cycleops]

I've got it down to these, a Vintage P lookalike:

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A Vintage J bass:
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A Cort Artisan:
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This Cort:
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A Ibanez ?:
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Or this Sterling:
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[Riff Ranger]

I missed the bit about Squiers not getting into Ghana easily. Ibanez Talman does the classic thing well, and would suit a bluesy style.

 

[Riff Ranger]

I've got it down to these, a Vintage P lookalike:

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A Vintage J bass:
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A Cort Artisan:
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This Cort:
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A Ibanez ?:
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Or this Sterling:
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Of these, I would go with the Talman for your purposes (and the Ray, for mine ).

 

[Cycleops]

Here's a different take. Cort B4 AS. Professional features and quality at beginner prices.

Cort B4 Plus AS RM Bass, Swamp Ash Body, Roasted Maple Fingerboard,

This seller takes offers. I've purchased several basses from them. You can probably save 15% right away.

Looks good, I've looking at those Cort basses but shipping from US seems to kill it and they don't take off the VAT like they do in the UK.
Thanks all the same.

 

[Back2Bassic]

Most stuff in the 500 - 700 dollar range is great. Some of the Sterling By Music Man Basses are good. Like the Ray 34 line. Also Schecter is a good brand and have some cheaper models. Also the Fender American Performer line of basses are all good and afford considering they’re American. Some Epiphone basses are good to. Also gotta factor in the sound you want. Do you like hard rock? Maybe a Schecter would be the way to go. Like old woody sounding bass like the Beatles? Try the Allen Woody Rumblekat by Epiphone. Like the Chili Peppers? Go with a Stingray from SBMM. You can’t go wrong with a bass from the American Performer series, so anything from there would be good if you aren’t sure.

 

[Cycleops]

Unfortunately I can't get Fender, Schecter or Epiphone shipped here so it's got to be one of those on the list. It's a shame as I've read some good things about Schecter.

 

[friedlbug]

I play bass and have a little guitar experience, too. If Ibanez Talman basses are easy to buy where you are, those are very good basses for the money, and there I no reason you couldn’t start with one and play it for the rest of your life. It’s a good passive bass for most styles of music. Whether you buy an inexpensive bass or an expensive one, it needs to be set up by someone who knows what their doing.

One thing that is more important with bass than with guitar, in my opinion, is getting an amp that’s loud enough to make the bass sound good. I’ve heard a lot of 1-5 watt guitar amps that sound great, but almost no bass amps under 50 watts that even sound good. At home, I practice with a 1 watt tube amp for guitar and a 100 watt solid state bass amp, for example.

 

[123Nil]

I've only been playing bass a few years.. But I own quite a few .. My number #1 bass is an Epiphone ebo ..I found at a flea market.. For $150.00 ..my others cost much more ... And I really never play them anymore..

It's all in the way ..it feels in your hands

 

[dune]

This Cort:
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I doubt that you can go too far wrong with any on the short list you posted. I really like the look of that Cort Action Deluxe.

 

[tubatodd]

Looks good, I've looking at those Cort basses but shipping from US seems to kill it and they don't take off the VAT like they do in the UK.
Thanks all the same.

Corts seem to be more available/popular in Europe than in the states. You shouldn't have a problem finding them in the UK.

 

[Allan Allan]

Go to guitar center and play the squiers. Those are plenty good enough to get you started. And honestly, you won't "need" a better bass when you upgrade, you'll just want something different. But that's just like, my experience.

 

[Gad Zooks]

You can get plenty of bass for not a lot of cash.

one thing you might want to consider is scale length 34” is the norm but you can get 32” and 30”.

some good budget shorter scale basses -

Bass :: G2220 Electromatic® Junior Jet™ Bass II Short-Scale, Black Walnut Fingerboard, Torino Green

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I picked up an Ibanez TMB600 which is a fine bass for the money.

 

[Real Soon]

If you like the classic jazz bass singlecoil sound, it looks like Washburn Taurus basses might be available to you. They can be had cheaply and play quite nicely; mine was and does!

Also, the Ibanez Talmans can get a little pricier, but have the extra versatility built in (and are well-built in general), and are shoo-ins for blues & classic styles.

 

[Playbyear]

You can't go wrong Fender Squire, Ibanez, and Yamaha. The basic entry level of those will be very playable and won't hurt a beginner. The next step up (spend £80 to £100 more) will generally get a lot for your money in better parts, pickups and finish.

I looked at U.K. Music stores, they start in all three brands around £200 and the next level around £300

 

[Back2Bassic]

Unfortunately I can't get Fender, Schecter or Epiphone shipped here so it's got to be one of those on the list. It's a shame as I've read some good things about Schecter.

The Sterling by Music Man basses are great to. I’ve got one myself and it’s very high quality. I have the ray 34 HH stealth black.

 

[EmuBass]

I know this is the bass forum. Nowadays you can get a decent bass for $ 200-300 brand new. Or you will find a 2nd hand "really good one" (7ender MIM for example) for about € 500. Don't take a bundle. These amps won't satisfy you. The amp is more important and will stay with you even if you choose a different bass. Go for a nice combo that you can try in advance. Put in there every $ that has been saved on the bass! Or go get an amp and a cabinet. Even better and more flexible for future amendments.

 

[bfields]

I'll put in a plug for cheap basses. Any new bass from a reputable store and brand (any of the brands mentioned in this thread) will probably be fine. There's any number of reasons you might want to pay more, and that's fine, but you don't *need* to pay more to get an instrument that will feel comfortable, stay in tune, and make good bass noises. If you have the chance to visit a local retailer, do it, and buy on price and your personal taste.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I'm s complete beginner at bass but I have some six string guitar experience quite a few years ago. I've always wanted to learn bass and now have the opportunity being retired with time on my hands.

What do I get? A cheap model like a Ibanez, Cort, Vintage or the like or a better more expensive one? I've been advised if buying a budget bass it won't be worth much when I come to sell. I'm not too worried about that, what I want is playability. I know some better models have better pick ups and hardware which gives a better sound but I'm not worried about that, just something I can get along with.
Any advice?

Buy a gently used one, but try as many different types/ brands as possible, and do not buy the first one, or pressured by a limited time opportunity. Be patient.