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Choosing a new bass, but should I bother?

J

Jesusmetalcybor

Feb 5, 2009
3
0
#1
Hey TB, I've been playing bass for 2 years and have only owned one bass guitar, a Dean Edge 10a with active electronics. When I was inspired to play bass, my friend pointed this out to me and I got it, a long with a 45 watt behringer bass amp. I've changed the strings once, from the factory strings to fender flatwounds.
In two years of playing for at least an hour a day, this bass has given me no problems except the occasional battery change, the strings stay in tune for months at a time and the active pickups give a wide range of tones and excellent output. Additionally, i've played a few different at a music shop, including a rickenbacker 4001 which I expected to blow me away compared to my $120 bass but didn't.

I've wanted another bass for a long time, but I don't even know if I should. I like the look and sound of P-basses, but from what I've heard, they're a hassle to care for and have a baseball bat neck, unlike mine which is thin and fast.
To the point: Is there other affordable, extremely reliable basses that have a variety of tonal options, or did I somehow get lucky?
 
#4
Hey, if you're happy and comfortable with what you've got, you probably won't get too much incremental satisfaction out of another. Besides, you run the risk of feeling that your gear collection isn't complete without basses with 4, 5, 6, and maybe more strings, and at least one fretless bass, and one passive bass, and maybe a fan-fret bass, and both bolt-on and neck-through flavors...and before you know it, you're drowing in basses (and debt) and you STILL don't have one with a graphite neck, or a single-cutaway, or...

So don't go there. You're lucky right now. Stay that way.
 
#5
I was the same way with my Ibanez SR400, which was my second bass. I used it as my main bass for years, even though I could afford better basses. There just wasn't anything that I wanted that would replace it. Eventually, though, my tastes and style developed, matured, and changed, and so did my bass preferences, and I got new stuff. The old Ibanez served me very well though, and it would have been a mistake to replace it before I was ready.

So, what I'm saying is: No, don't buy a bass just to be buying a bass. Eventually, you'll probably actually start to feel limited by your Dean. That's when it's time to get a new one. But there isn't and shouldn't be a specific timetable for that. Just do what feels right.
 
#7
Don't be a gear slut if you can avoid it. If you're happy with what you got, stick with it. Try other basses when you get the chance to (hmm maybe that's part of why I don't have a long-term, stable relationship....with my basses). One day you might find one that inspires you or not.
 
#9
Lesfunk said:
If you are happy with your bass, you're ahead of the game. No need to get a new bass unless you come across one that does blow you away. Then go for it.
Click to expand...

heh, thanks for all the responses. I'm happy with what I have, but now it seems the best thing to do is go experiment and find that bass.

On that note, another question for everyone: What is the bass that blew you away?

Also,
bluewine said:
I have too many basses. If you have 1 that works you are a head of the game. I have a couple of Japanese Fender Re-Issue P basses , but this little baby is startin to be my favorite
Click to expand...
I couldn't help but notice your extensive movie and art collection, including Kangaroo Jack!
 
#10
The first bass to blow me away was the Fender Jazz bass. My first was a Squier. I went through a couple Warwicks and a G&L Tribute before going back to an American Standard Jazz. A year ago, I bought a Sadowsky which is a boutique jazz bass and it is IT for me...
 
#12
I guess the only bass that has blew me away is my G&L sb-2 Tribute, ive owned/played some basses that have been really impressive but this one seems to have just "clicked" with me. There are a few more basses that i want to own and will consider myself very lucky if i get that feeling from another bass.
 
#15
...and the only bass that really knocked my socks off was my current MIA Fender P. In fact, I played three different P's in the same store that day along with a few other brands. Only the one I ended up with felt and sounded great to me. I had it in my head that I wanted a Jazz, but playing always determines the purchase.
 
#16
Don't by anything you even have to think about, if you have to think about it, it's not the right bass.
I'd say you might want to invest in a cheap multi effects to play around with different sounds.
I played my wariwick for 5 years and payed a pretty penny for it.
though my new squire VM Jazz plays extremely well, almost better. and only 140$


When it's time for you to get a new bass you'll know it.
 
#17
theres no shame in playing as many basses as you can get your hands on, by stopping in at different music stores or what-have-you. and the more you play, the more you know about what you like. and the more you will have an appreciation of the bass you have now. i have the same bass actually, it was my first bass as well, and i still play it mostly. you might even be able to upgrade it and fall in love with what you make it. but if you do like the dean, theres a pretty good chance you will like a fender pj style bass, but who knows. its all up to you.

by the way, the dean pickups are the same dimensions as these 5 string pickups ( http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/cutting-edge-1/asb5_asb6_activ/ ), and the blades line up with the strings, its very odd to have 5 string pickups on a 4 string bass, but i think it might work. not sure (and somebody please correct me if im wrong and that would epic fail, cause i probably am and it probably will)
 

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