First Bass for Adult ??

[TheDude007]

I've gotta echo what everyone has said about picking up a Squier Jazz bass. Either a Vintage Modified or a Classic Vibe. I've also gotta echo what smcd said about finding a Peavey Foundation. Very similar to a Jazz bass setup, but if you ask me, it sounds better. But that's an argument for another time. I will say though, if you plan on practicing by yourself, IMHO I recommend a Jazz type bass over a Precision style bass as they tend to have a more pleasing sound when playing alone. I'm sure there are people that will disagree with me, that's just my opinion.

 

[jbossolo]

Hi "rocker" and welcome to TB! It's never too late, I'm 44 myself and started about a year ago, just like you. Now I own 12 bass guitars!

My first bass was a Squier Affinity P combo that came with a good Fender Rumble 15 practice amp. I still have both, and it's a fantastic little axe for the money. You can get this combo on the web for $300.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Squier-Affinity-P-Bass-Pack-includes-Bass-Amp-NEW-/160379827919

Once you do it for a while and decide it's for you, then upgrade to something more costly/better quality. Hope that helps.

 

[alexgeddy]

Hi,

Lot's of good advice..Only comment I have is if you don't know what to look for in a used bass it is real easy to get taken by someone selling a bass with hidden defects a less experienced person might not see. So if you don't have anyone to take with yu, buying new with a set-up might be the way to go for the bass. Or buy something used on TB ..I'd recommend the Jazz bass like so many others.

for amps at that price if it's used and it works fine then you really shouldn't have any problems...

Good Luck and enjoy learning!!

 

[Ben Noblit]

I second the recommendations to

buy used. If not used, buy Squier.

More importantly, buy a bass that feels good to you.

Get a setup.

Spend more on the bass, less on the amp. Any practice amp is not going to keep up in a band setting, so save your money.

Used Peavey Foundations are a terrific value, so are used Yamaha BBs, though not to the same degree.

I'd avoid active electronics. They tend to be garbage at your price point.

 

[jmbjandfam]

10 years ago, at 39, I took up bass as a hobby with no previous musical experience other than a yr of jr high band (sax). I asked for advice, received good suggestions from my old buds who play guitar, and ingnored it, thereby wasting a lot of cash. I have wasted a lot of cash on gear since then as well, but that's another story.

My 02: you don't even know what you like yet, so buy the industry standard, a Fender or Squier jazz or P-bass. You will always have a use for this, possibly eventually as a backup, although if it's properly set up it'll be fine for anything. If you don't like it, it will sell easily, and there are always used ones available.

The bass is more important than the amp initially, but the better the amp the better you'll sound (even as a beginner) and that will help motivate you to practice. Buy used (TB is a good source, and check eBay listings to get an idea of market value) and get as big and powerful a combo amp as you can afford. About 150 or 200 will be required for something half decent.

I never thought I'd play anywhere but my living room and laughed at my teacher (get one if you can) when he suggested I learn to play standing for "when you're gonna play out"......but a few years later I began playing in a local bar band and love it........it beats the crap outta golf )))

+1
This is good advice

 

[Popbumper]

Started two years ago at age 50 - picked up a cheapo Squier Fender P and 50W Crate amp off of Craigslist for $200 total. Fenders are a great start - I have since graduated to a lovely G&L L2K which I absolutely adore.

Can't go wrong with a starter Fender.

Chris

 

[mcglyph]

Put me firmly in the category of buy the best bass you can get, used or not. I spent 1400 on a custom Carvin SB5000, and now seven months later I know why. Didn't have to set it up, it plays perfectly, sounds like God when I play it right (and I know if it doesn't it ain't the bass!) on the days I don't feel like practicing, there it is, and I know I must pick it up and learn to love it on that day too. I'm not saying you must get a Carvin, just stating my .02. I play drums, guitar, piano, and now bass, every time I decided to learn something new, I got something good enough to keep me going, something which plays so sweet, and easily, and of course stays in tune, etc. YMMV.

 

[offmyrocker]

Great advice one and all.. And Thank you. I especially would never of thought of getting the bass set up because I would have "ASSUMED" it was ready to go... then again we all know about assuming things. I am pretty much leaning towards the squire jazz (still need to figure out which one as far as affinity, vm or cv. Living in NJ, I know I have many music stores to check out. I don't know any songs or anything but I will see what feels good and sounds good. I will be buying next month sometime, giving me a chance to play around. Looking forward to being an official Squire Bass Owner (then player)

 

[R&B]

Hi offmyrocker. I too just took up electric bass to fulfill a lifelong wish. I went to my local GC over the weekend and totally lucked out. They had a gently used black-on-black Mexican-made Fender Precision Bass (P-bass) for $300. SOLD!! I got the Ampeg 8" amp for $100 and the bass/amp combo sounds great.

Complicating factor: I also like the Fender Jazz Bass (J-bass), found a nice blonde one at a good price, and I don't know if my wife is going to let me have two new girlfriends.

I'm using the Hal Leonard Bass Method DVD and book to get started. Approved?

 

[One Drop]

Welcome to the real world!

I'd hold off on a second bass for now in lieu of a better amp somewhere down the line.

In addition, after you play a little while you'll be in a better position to pick another bass.

You might want to consider a fe lessons with a good teacher. Avoid bad habits and learn more quickly!

 

[Batmensch]

Hi,

Lot's of good advice..Only comment I have is if you don't know what to look for in a used bass it is real easy to get taken by someone selling a bass with hidden defects a less experienced person might not see. So if you don't have anyone to take with yu, buying new with a set-up might be the way to go for the bass. Or buy something used on TB ..I'd recommend the Jazz bass like so many others.

for amps at that price if it's used and it works fine then you really shouldn't have any problems...

Good Luck and enjoy learning!!

This is my feeling as well, if you're a noob (no offense meant) at this,I feel it's a bad idea to buy used unless you have someone knowledgble about basses and guitars helping you out. I think it's better for someone like the OP to buy new (especially with the warranty in place), there's plenty of good new nstruments at reasonable prices to make it a good deal.
And I also can give you a recommendation to check out the Squiers, mostly the Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe lines. Although you can get a good Affinity, that line is a little more hit or miss quality-wise.

 

[MyMusic]

If I was looking again, I would find a bass that I liked, then play that bass through different amps. I made a mistake and went by someone else's opinion on the amp and was very sorry that I did.

 

[hrodbert696]

Others have already said it, but a Vintage Modified or Classic Vibe Squier is the obvious choice at your price point. Good basses, I've seen guys gig with them and sound great. I have a VM Jaguar and it's a great bass. A jazz would be the obvious Geddy Lee-like choice, but you may find you like the feel of a P better.

If you're looking for other options, I would suggest checking out Yamaha BB basses. The current version, the BB424, is a little beyond your budget (runs around $500 new), but a lot of the time you can find an older model second-hand that will fit perfectly.

Amps - if you're only playing in your bedroom, you'll be fine with just 15 or 25 watts. If you're going to jam with a drummer, you'll need more than that, like 50-100, and if you're going to play out with a band in a bar or club, you'll want to get into the 200-500 watt range (pushing a 1x15 or 4x10 speakers). For the starter amp, I would just go to your local craigslist, only be sure to try it out before buying and make sure it sounds OK.

 

[R&B]

Noob here indeed, guilty (or innocent!) as charged, and like some others at TB, old enough to know better yet young enough to learn new tricks. Just soaking it all in.

Agree with those who've said that the J-bass seems a little easier to learn on. Simply could not pass up the deal on the used P. So...yin and yang? If the wife permits. Big amp is in the future, stealth practice is the mode for now!

Looking for an instructor in the southern L.A. County area. Until then it's Ed Friedland on the DVD, and trying not to form bad habits.

Thanks for all the advice to the OP and to me. It is good to hear a range of well qualified opinions.

SL

 

[lomo]

This is my feeling as well, if you're a noob (no offense meant) at this,I feel it's a bad idea to buy used unless you have someone knowledgble about basses and guitars helping you out. I think it's better for someone like the OP to buy new (especially with the warranty in place), there's plenty of good new nstruments at reasonable prices to make it a good deal.
And I also can give you a recommendation to check out the Squiers, mostly the Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe lines. Although you can get a good Affinity, that line is a little more hit or miss quality-wise.

IMHO you can trust someone on TB with a lot of feedback much more than a salesman at GC. Just my .02

 

[itchy]

New to bass + Geddy Lee fan = Squier Vintage Modified (VM) Jazz bass. Under $300 USD.

Regardless of what bass you buy, spend $25 and have it set up. Even new basses need a decent setup, and many new players struggle unnecessarily because of a bass that plays horribly.

WELCOME!

Another co-sign for this.

The Squier 'Vintage Modified's or 'Classic Vibe's are great for a beginner, and are a good platform for upgrades if you get more serious.

The Jazz or Precision are a good basic first bass. Even Geddy played a Precision on the first Rush album.

 

[Gopherbassist]

^Click^

My mother bought one of these for me when I was 14. Bass its self sounds good and is well made. Stays in tune for weeks at a time with a couple hours of playing every day. How that's possible I don't know, because no other insturment I've ever played does that. Factory set up was good, but if you buy something like that at a local store they should set it up for you at no cost.

The cable it came with sounded good but fell apart inside an amp, it was also too short to be practical. The amp it came with sounded good, very transparent, so the bass sounded the same amplified and unamplified, but mysteriously stopped working after about 2 years. The strap it comes with is garbage. Buy a strap. I never used the picks, but they seem nice I guess. It came with a little puch thing, it's big enough so far for all my instrument tools plus a couple tuners. The tuner it came with seemed pretty well built, but it never agreed with any other tuner I used, so you might want to buy a tuner. It comes with a gig bag that seems okay for an average commute, but won't protect it in the back of a truck or anything like that.

I've bought several more basses since I got this one, but this is still one of my favorites. It is suprisingly well made, the body is comfortable, and the tone is actually good. If I'm having a bad gear day and can't get a good sound with another bass I always know I can plug this one in and get something I like.

The only problems I've ever had with the bass are that the strap button screw started to become loose, which is something I've eventually seen on every Ibanez that was more than a few months old, and that the ground wire currently buzzes. For the strap button, a tooth pick in the hole ended the looseness, and for the buzz I've heard that just taking off the bridge and removing a layer of oxidation will fix the ground and end the buzz.

I think you can get these new for about $300 or a little more, I definately think you should check them out.

 

[rickl289]

I started playing bass much later than you. I suggest trying either a Jazz or Precision like bass. I didn't like the skinny jazz neck but did liked the wider precision neck.

I bought an used Squier Affinity p-bass. I have my teacher check the setup monthly. And I used the bass for dummies book.

 

[placedesjardins]

Any beginner bass that isn't used or under $150 and made by Ibanez, Ltd, Dean, Squier, Yamaha, Washburn, Peavey to name a few brands.

I've had a bad experience with a used bass that was cheap but I didn't know what to look for in a used bass.

 

[Ben Noblit]

Great advice one and all.. And Thank you. I especially would never of thought of getting the bass set up because I would have "ASSUMED" it was ready to go... then again we all know about assuming things. I am pretty much leaning towards the squire jazz (still need to figure out which one as far as affinity, vm or cv. Living in NJ, I know I have many music stores to check out. I don't know any songs or anything but I will see what feels good and sounds good. I will be buying next month sometime, giving me a chance to play around. Looking forward to being an official Squire Bass Owner (then player)

Definitely VM or CV. Affinity basses are kinda sketchy quality-wise.