First Bass for Adult ??

[Sam Evans]

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

Agreed. Also about the "spend a few bucks for a setup."

 

[MarkoYYZ]

I picked up a Fender B-DEC 30 for use at the firehouse a few years ago, and it's a blast. Plenty of built-in stuff - tuner, inputs for CD player, amp modeling, effects (flangers, chorus, etc.), jamming and teaching loops, drum machines, MIDI interface, and you can even record yourself so you can listen critically and improve. I can't recommend this amp enough. They're not made anymore, but they can be had if you look.

I mentioned it earlier and am quoting you for emphasis, because it needs repeating. If you're a beginner, a BDEC is an extremely valuable tool. Not enough power to jam with a band, but with all the built in tools it will really accelerate your learning - assuming you actually take to playing bass.

I was lucky and grabbed one for $150 locally and have seen them on eBay go from $125-$250. There's one BIN for $250, but that doesn't leave much for a bass. Grabbing a used VM Jazz should cost you about $200 and maybe to start, grab a 15W practice amp for about $40-50 used until you can nab a BDEC. Spending a little less right away would also make buying a set of flatwound strings a little easier on the wallet... these won't kill your fingertips as badly in the early going.

 

[Engine207]

That said, if you can find a Fender B-DEC on the used market for under $200, grab it. It's an extremely good learning tool with built in drum machine, full midi songs, lessons, various amp models and effects... it's only good for solo practice, but will really help you get you technique and timing going.

There ya go! Marko and I hereby form the B-DEC Club of this thread! Seriously, if you want to get better to the point where you can do what a bass was intended to do - bridge the melody and rhythm in a band setting - a tool like B-DEC is awesome. There is also a computer program called 'Band in a Box' that has similar features, but this blows it away.

Not to hijack your thread, but if you're just starting out, I wouldn't be a brother if I didn't share something that's helped me more than any gear you could buy.

I completed an online course with a teacher and TB member Paul Wolfe. He runs a British outfit called 'How To Play Bass Dot Com'. Although I (kinda) knew how to play already, I took his 28-session Basslines 101 course. It's done with pdfs, videos, music, and samples. Basically, it breaks down a method to learn to quickly learn and play songs in a rehearsal setting.

In a common sense progression, it covers: playing in all keys; adding thirds, fifths and sevenths; using approach notes; the concept of strong beat/weak beat; common chord progressions; fills; the blues; analyzing existing basslines for new ideas; and a bunch of 'spotlight lessons' that dissect the lines of influential players (Bruce Thomas, Geddy Lee, Pino Palladino, Rocco Prestia)

I don't remember how much it cost, but it more valuable than any bass or amp could have been. Very cool indeed.

 

[offmyrocker]

WOW, the responses to this post is awsome. This find (TalkBass) was more valuable to me than anything thus far. I am taking all this in. Thanks again one and all. I am glad to see some who started bass later in life like myself.

 

[MarkoYYZ]

WOW, the responses to this post is awsome. This find (TalkBass) was more valuable to me than anything thus far. I am taking all this in. Thanks again one and all. I am glad to see some who started bass later in life like myself.

I played in a few bands in my high school days, but with some messed up fingers (football and lacrosse), along with moving away to school - it fell by the wayside. It's only in the last 5 months that I've been back into it and it blows me away how much info is available online - from forums like this, to music/tab sites, to youtube, to fairly extensive lessons as detailed by Engie207 above.

I probably would have done more with in in my youth if all these tools were available back then, and not taken a 19 year hiatus. I've learned more in the last 4 months than I did in 4 years of playing, way back when. From reading these boards, you can see that others have started 'late' too, so the important thing to remember is 'better late than never'.

 

[TheGreatSealof]

I recommend an Ibanez SG300 and Ampeg BA115. I use them both also with MIA 2000 Fender Jazz. I love the sound.

SG300 for $300 and amp for $300. Great for beginners with a small budget.

When you get comfortable, look for higher end gear.

 

[UncleFluffy]

Yamaha RBX170 is a great little starter bass, I just grabbed one for the office a couple of months back. If I had to use one word to describe it that word would be "friendly".

+1 on the setup, +1 on the Hal Leonard Bass Method

Also, if you can find one of the previous generation Tascam MP3 bass trainers (MP-BT1, not the current generation) grab it with both hands. They do turn up in the classifieds here once in a while.

 

[mongo2]

I cannot recommend SX to a first timer. I've bought two and both went back. Its my impression that many of them are not worthy for play---out of the box.

I have never found any mass produced guitar or bass "worthy for play" right out of the box, they all need some tweaking. Things like new strings, complete setup (including nut slot adjustment), fret leveling and fret end dressing all need to be done for a bass to be acceptable to me. Quite a few generally need upgraded output jacks, pots and possibly pickup replacement.