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buying my first bass... HELP

1

12beat

Guest
Aug 21, 2012
12
0
#1
Hello everybody!
I've been playing guitar for 4 years and now I'm buying my first bass (and an amp also) so, I really need your help to make a good decision...
I want to spend around 300€ (around 250 £ or 350$). I haven't played any of them yet, but this are the ones that seem pretty nice to me
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And I'm thinking about buying 'Vox Pathfinder 10 Bass' too.
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I just need an amp for home practise, and also for home recording, that's why I think that amp is great. I own a Vox Da-5 guitar amp, and its line out is the greatest thing ever for recording, it sounds even better than the amp itself.

Please, let me know, what do you think about the amp, and the bass guitars? any other alternatives?

I love Beatles music, but I also play a lot of blues music (mainly blues-rock music), some jazz, and also many contemporary singer-songwriters music like jack johnson, john mayer, jason mraz, david gray, damien rice....

Thanks for your help!
 
#4
I haven't test them yet, I couldn't find any on my local store, I'm going to more shops tomorrow...
Anyway, I've seem many videos now, and surely the jazz is a more versatile bass, but i think I'll buy the hofner, I'm in love with its sound&look!
I belive ist more versatile than what most people think. There's no room in funk, slap, punk or metal on it, but it's not only for playing beatles songs (and that means many different music generes)
I've discovered is great for elvis, r'n'r and rockabilly music, it's hollow, so it's great for songs like every breath you take by the police (sting plays a Double bass).
Its great for almost any 60's band music (beatles, the who, led zeppeling..), and jack johnson's bassist plays a hofner too, so its great for moder acoustic-rock music.

I still can't tell which one is better for me, both are great
 
#6
The best bass is the one that feels and sounds good when YOU play it. How an instrument looks in photos and sounds in recordings and videos may be completely different than what you come up with when you pick one up in real life. (I learned that the hard way!)

That said, I'm a big fan of Jazz basses; you can get a fitting tone for just about any musical genre out of a decent Jazz. You might also want to look around and see if you can't get a used Mexican-made Fender for the same price as the Squier you're looking at – you'll get better electronics and overall build quality.

Hope that helps!
 
#7
The problem withe the hofner is that its a one trick pony, you are only going to get one sound out of it and there isn't much you can do with it, the jazz bass is a much better option. However if you are willing to spend a bit more money get a made in mexico fender jazz instead of the squier.
 
#8
thanks for your answers!
and what are your thoughts on the vox pathfinder 10b?
No one has said nothing about it yet. I've seen so many videos of pathfinder+hofner, and they work great together, and also some pathfiner+squier jazz videos that sounded nice too...
is it a worth having bass amp for home use?
 
#9
Bass amp for home use? Do you mean just for practice in your room or to play with a band? For home you can get a headphone amp or a little combo with a headphone input. I would not play your bass through a guitar amp, the speaker won't take it.
 
#11
I'd vote for the Jazz bass as well for it's flexibility. I would also take a look at the G&L Tribute line of basses. For the price they are amazing as they carry the same electronics as the american G&L's. I have no experience with Vox amps, however, the Vox Amplug is one of the best $40 I ever spent. Great tone through headphones and an aux line to run an ipod, iphone, whatever you want to start playing along with music. Can't go wrong.
 
#13
It's not a guitar amp. It's the bass version of a very popular guitar amp that vox made.
And I will use it to practise at home, to play along with acoustic guitars, and maybe to record my bass through the amp (if not direct)
One more question about this amp, could it be used as a head with a cabinet speaker?? I guess that most live-music pubs where I may play in the future will have combos anyway....
 
#14
For some starter gear Id recommend that Jazz with something like an Ampeg BA108 or BA110 for your amp. Those little Ampegs have headphone outs for late night practicing and RCA jacks so you can hook up a stereo and jam along if you want.

Id avoid that Vox because two 5" speakers will sound overly punchy and get loud on upper mid frequencies and lose volume on low notes.

Im a huge Beatles fan. They played all kinds of different gear not just Gretsch/Ric/Hofner. My favorite Beatles guitar would be George's Stratocaster that was painted all crazy.

I had a Ric 360 and just couldnt do it.
 
#17
I think I'm finally buying the hofner, and posibly later on I'll buy a better jazz bass.
And I'm going with the ampeg ba-108 too!
I just got two questions left
Which strings to use on my hofner bass?
I've seen a girl on youtube who uses Flatwound Hofner strings, and it sound awsome, but they are not cheap. Is this the better option?
and also, how often do you change bass strings? I change my guitar strings each two moths, but they are much cheaper, do bass strings have longer life?
Thank you for all your help!!
 
#18
Ok now I've just tested both, and yes, hofner is the winner
Its absolutely true that the jazz is more versatile, but its much harder to play, it doesn't sound like the hofner (it gets close, but its not that beatle sound) and its very heavy, more than any of my guitars, and my back just couldn't carry that weight.
Since I love its tone, and I don't hate my back, I think hofner is better for me.
 
#20
Flatwound strings will last virtually forever. The older they get, the warmer and softer they sound. They are probably the tone you're looking for, once they're broken in. Get some, put them on, and never change them.

By the way, welcome to the family!
 

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