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Best Bass for beginers

#41
I haven't read through this whole thread, but my opinion wouldn't change. Find a "good" teacher. Call and ask him what he recommends. He can judge your basic musicality from any other instrument you play and musical knowledge in general. He can then offer advice for buying, renting, or borrowing a bass. Hand size can make a big difference in buying a bass as well as musical styles you're interested in. jmho
 
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#42
Prayers and condolences to you and your family.

As you can see from all the responses, the Talkbass community is as sympathetic on a human level which is not unlike the role of the bassist, driving the harmony and groove of the songs and ultimately lifting the spirit and energy of the band and audience.

That said, try as most suggest visiting your nearest guitar center (or perhaps the place your brother frequented) and have a look at the entry level Fenders (either a Precision or Jazz style) and as @mambo4 suggested, their Squire Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified are a good place to start. See what else is there used, and try anything else that catches your eye.

Take note to what you liked/dislike, if you're inclined take a few photos, and report back. Plenty folks here would guide you on costs/benefits.

Good luck on your journey. God bless!
 
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#43
Killing Floor said:
Sorry for your loss.

I don’t think there is a best bass to learn on but in my mind the most important factor is the shape of the neck. Everyone has different shaped hands and therefore, preference. Maybe go to a music store and just ask to hold a few and you’ll instantly find which ones feel better in your fretting hand. To me the other specs are negotiable.
If it’s comfortable to play you’re going to play it more. Good luck. You’ll get lots of suggestions.
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mambo4 said:
The curse of knowledge rears its head in these threads
Beginners can't "find what's right for you" because beginners have no idea what "right" feels like.

so I'll just drop a practical suggestion:
Get a Fender Squire Classic Vibe (CV) or Squire Vintage Modified (VM) model of a Fender Precision or Jazz.
These are inexpensive and well regarded, and represent the standard in terms of sound a features.
Get one in your hands and start learning.

The bewildering array of options and concerns about what makes a bass "good" can be dealt with over time as you learn.
Click to expand...

This. + Complementary to that, what makes the best bass, a comfortable bass, for a beginner is in part a bass that is properly set up, meaning decently dressed frets, correctly slotted nut, properly adjusted neck relief, and reasonable string height/action.

In retrospect, I think that having those things well-sorted to begin with is a significant advantage in heading off on the best path. I suspect when I was a fairly clueless kid starting out long ago my first bass wasn't as well set up as it could have been. I had no frame of reference to make an informed judgment.

Whether it's new or used it shouldn't be taken for granted the bass you're buying is completely set up well.

I wonder how many people starting out with their first bass have any idea whether their instrument is set up well or they have a bass that isn't without knowing.
 
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#44
In 2023 even the $300 basses are pretty good. Actually there is not much difference between a $300 bass and a $1000 bass other than the finish. Made side by side in Indonesia, same workers, even some of the same parts. If you go to guitar center you can hand pick a good one.
 
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#45
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#47
Wfrance3 said:
BEGINNER INSTRUMENT - Don't buy an inexpensive "beginner grade" instrument. It's a flawed notion. Bargain basses that are hard to play are one of the chief reasons for beginners to quit. A well setup instrument that plays nicely will make you want to practice, not dread having to practice....
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Totally agree with this. I would say if there’s any one right answer for a beginner bass it’s a well set up Fender Jazz. Probably the most ergonomic bass available without going boutique. Which one depends on your price point but even the least expensive Squiers are quite good these days. The Mexicans are great, and you can get lightly used American ones typically in the $900 - $1400 range.

But don’t forget to also budget for an amp that excites you. The amp is half of your instrument and the more you love your tone the more you’ll be inspired to practice
 
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#48
If you buy in person, play EVERY note (every fret, each string) on any bass you might buy. Only takes a couple of minutes. This checks for fret-buzz: uneven frets. You can adjust string height and neck relief, but if you can get something "out of the box" with low action and little/no buzz, you'll be happier. Some basses have uneven fretwork. They don't always dry the wood properly before the instrument is built, so you can get warpage. 5-piece laminated necks are more stable than 1-piece, as a rule.

Also, don't forget about the strings and the amp. Different strings have very different sounds. The amp has a huge impact too. 10 watts with an 8" speaker will sound very different from 100 watts and a 15" speaker.

Also, "P", single-coil ("J"), humbucker, and soap-bar (among other) pickups sound different. "P" (Fender Precision) is my favorite. "J" sounds too thin, and humbucker too "dirty". I am over-simplifying, but "P", "J" and humbuckers do sound very different.
 
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#49
DHarmon71 said:
Hello all! I am new to the world of bass guitar. My brother played bass and when he passed away I said I would learn to play in his honor. Im not new to music, but I am new to stringed instraments. My wife has encouraged me to find a new hobby. So now seem like an appropiate time to lean the bass. What bass do you recomend for a beginner? I wouldn't be playing gigs for a while but might possibly join my churches worship team once I become comfortable.
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Anything you can get your hands on. :bassist:
 
#53
I am sorry for your loss.

Although much has been said, and there is truth to all of it, I'll chime in as well and say: Don't worry about anything, just get a Squier Classic Vibe Jazz Bass. It is a solid instrument, not very expensive, easy to play and you can get a lot of sounds out of it. If you decide to stick with bass playing and get on stage or record at some point, the Squier will always be up to the situation. If it turns out that bass playing isn't for you, those instruments always sell well.

Whatever you do, don't buy cheap. That is not only money lost either way, but it will make the process of learning a lot harder.
 
#54
That's a nice and meaningful reason to get into playing an instrument. It is a fun journey to take, no matter how far you go with it.
I agree with most of the replies here--
Get a passive 4-string bass,
Don't go too cheap because a bad instrument can be frustrating to learn on,
While you compare options maybe try a Mustang, which is a short scale bass, a bit smaller than the others, easier for some people to play, and they sound good.
 
#55
Sorry for your loss

Go to a music store and get your hands on as many basses as possible that are in your budget......the one that feels best in your hands and 'speaks to you' (and will make you want to pick it up and play it every chance you get) is the one you want
 
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#56
"Go to a music store and get your hands on as many basses as possible" is probably the best advice.

I'd likely go with a 4 string passive Squier. But that's just me... Jazz, Precision, or both. If you decide you don't like playing bass, you didn't make a big investment. If you decide you LOVE playing bass and start gigging, it's solid enough to gig. Good luck. Your brother would no doubt be proud to know you're picking up the bass in his honor. Here's some Squier eye candy for your enjoyment.

0374540506_gtr_frt_001_rr.jpg
 
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#57
When making a sizable purchase (appliance, musical, auto), I distill the selection down to a finite number of candidates. Scrap the sales associates...I go talk to the guys in the service dept. who are actually handling the products. Catch them at the end of the day and they'll be frankly candid re: best deals and hardware to avoid.

Riis
 
#58
I have a few bass's out of them my squier bronco bass is the easiest to play and sounds pretty good. It was much less than the others I have. I am also relatively new to playing the bass and I thought that such a cheap Bass would be junk but I was happily surprised with it you may want to look at one of them
 
#59
BTW, I really liked this summary of "beginner bases":

I went with the Yamaha (a 4-string for slap and more modern playing styles), but already had a Sire for the "vintage Fender vibe".

BTW, that's Sire, not to be confused with Squier: Basses
 
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#60
My condolences and a touching way to honor you brother.

Some very good tips above, especially the lessons.

I would only add, if you have a friend, colleague, acquaintance (or perhaps even potential bass teacher) etc. who plays bass (and is sensible ;) i.e. who will not suggest a Ferrari/Porsche/Jaguar when you are looking for your first car) it would be good if they could join you when trying and choosing a bass. They should be able to spot any potential issues, help you choose a good bass for the type of music you wish to play and also assist with an appropriate choice of amp/strap/tuner/cables which will be part of the package as well.

I wish I had followed that advice some 23+ years ago when I switched from 6 string guitar to bass (played the former since the early 70's). I thought I knew what I needed to about the 4 string variant. Well, I certainly did not & would have saved myself some money & avoided some inappropriate choices if I had done so ;) .

There are some fine basses for very reasonable prices out there now. Since this is new territory for you, having someone knowledgeable who is not selling the bass check it before a purchace can help ensure you get what you need & that there are no issues with the bass or if any small issues can be remedied with a standard/simple/quick setup (many shops are not very good about setting up their instruments and they are often moved directly from the box to the wall). Most musicians will normally not lightly resist the chance for an impromptu trip to a music shop and will enjoy the opportunity ;) .
 
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