first bass help (bear with me here)

[Wesley R]

I believe it depends on how long you have to save. If your talking and additional three months, then yes continue to save. Three years, then no.
Do you have something to play on the meantime?
I used to get a huge satisfaction from saving and then acquiring my goal.

 

[scrubhelmet]

Problem is it's expensive and due to reasons I'm not sure if I'll be able to save up enough for it this summer.

If you're really worrying about this kind of stuff, it might probably mean we have a more similar financial situation when I was younger. My family was poor to the point that I needed to do part-time jobs to buy stuff for myself, like an electric guitar. I didn't even have an idea of what model I wanted to buy because I didn't have the capacity to do so; the cheapest I can afford, I bought that and I had tons of practice time, studying time, and gigs with it. So in a way, I'm kinda agreeing with @Suho and @BismarckHerring : if money is a constraint, buying a cheap bass and practicing with it might actually prove more beneficial in the long run. Additionally, if you find out you're not as obsessed as playing bass as majority of us do and want to quit, then there's less chances of you having buyer's remorse. So technically it's financially safer, and once you get a better job with your passion in bass still intact, not only can you buy your dream Ray5, you'd also be thrilled to play all the tunes and riffs you've learned on your previous bass.

Fast forward to now, I'm in a better financial situation where I can think about how much budget I'm willing to spend on some stuff. I remember buying cheaper smartphones before, which led me to being unsatisfied, so after that I know that I need to buy at least the previous flagship phone to have a very good personal experience. It's the same thing as when other people advised you to save up for the Ray 5; you'd have buyer's remorse if you buy something cheaper despite knowing that you could've gone for an expensive model. *However*, you'd only come to this stage when you need not worry much about the money.

 

[jd56hawk]

I couldn't afford what I wanted when I first started learning eleven years ago, but I wanted to start learning as soon as possible, so I bought a Dean acoustic bass for $165 and a used Fender Rumble for $250 a few weeks later.
Getting started is the important thing.
Plenty of affordable basses out there for half the price of the Ray 35.
Go to a few stores and try out as many basses as possible.
Some will look good, some will feel good, and some will sound good.
Try enough basses and you'll find one that does all three.
(I've seen quite a few bassists give up in frustration because someone recommended the wrong bass....nothing is more important than finding a bass you can really bond with.)
Like I said, I bought what I needed to start learning.
Now, I own what I wanted.
Definitely worth waiting for.
(By the way, buying an acoustic bass was one of the best bass-related decisions I've ever made...it allowed me to start learning scales and songs without needing an amp, and I still own two acoustic basses now, although I believe in the MTV Unplugged school of thought...plug in!")

 

[ilikemagpies]

I believe it depends on how long you have to save. If your talking and additional three months, then yes continue to save. Three years, then no.
Do you have something to play on the meantime?
I used to get a huge satisfaction from saving and then acquiring my goal.

It would definitely be a bit less than 2 months I think (but more likely a around a month) as that's how long I'm allowed to work per law. And unfortunately I don't have anything to play in the meantime haha (except if an old acoustic guitar counts).

 

[ilikemagpies]

I couldn't afford what I wanted when I first started learning eleven years ago, but I wanted to start learning as soon as possible, so I bought a Dean acoustic bass for $165 and a used Fender Rumble for $250 a few weeks later.
Getting started is the important thing.
Plenty of affordable basses out there for half the price of the Ray 35.
Go to a few stores and try out as many basses as possible.
Some will look good, some will feel good, and some will sound good.
Try enough basses and you'll find one that does all three.
(I've seen quite a few bassists give up in frustration because someone recommended the wrong bass....nothing is more important than finding a bass you can really bond with.)
Like I said, I bought what I needed to start learning.
Now, I own what I wanted.
Definitely worth waiting for.

Thank you for the advice! I definitely would go and try out basses in stores but (forgot to mention that) there aren't many stores near me (or even in my country I think) that sell basses (mostly guitar shops with VERY limited inventory of basses) and the prices here are higher compared to buying online sooo yeah. I was against buying a cheap bass first because I was afraid it would suck which would be a huge bummer, and also because I'd already be tight on cash for the Ray so spending even more just to start a few months earlier seemed unreasonable. Got it all figured out now, though. Thamk you!

 

[jd56hawk]

Thank you for the advice! I definitely would go and try out basses in stores but (forgot to mention that) there aren't many stores near me (or even in my country I think) that sell basses (mostly guitar shops with VERY limited inventory of basses) and the prices here are higher compared to buying online sooo yeah. I was against buying a cheap bass first because I was afraid it would suck which would be a huge bummer, and also because I'd already be tight on cash for the Ray so spending even more just to start a few months earlier seemed unreasonable. Got it all figured out now, though. Thamk you!

You're welcome.
Good luck finding something.
I used to be a big fan of bargain-priced basses and even though I have some expensive stuff right now, I was surprised how good the $200 Squier Sonic P basses are.
Unfortunately, they're not available in a 5-string.

I'd have to think a Ray 5 would be fine for learning and the price is right.
(I've played the 4-string version several times.)

Anyway, let us know if you fo buy something.

 

[wysiwyg248]

Hi!
So, first bass buyer here, and I don't know where else to look for help. I'm sorry in advance because this is going to be a very weirdly put (and lengthy) thread.
Anyway, I'll be working over the summer to save up for a bass, specifically the SBMM Sting Ray35 (yes I want a stingray, yes I'm buying a 5 string as my first bass because I have played a 5 string instrument before for a few years and because the genre I want to play in the future utilizes the 5th string a lot). Problem is it's expensive and due to reasons I'm not sure if I'll be able to save up enough for it this summer. My question is: do I wait until I can save more money to buy a Ray35 or do I go with a cheaper instrument? I know the Ray35 is by no means a "beginner bass" but I wanted something good quality that I would want to play and that could last a really good amount of years. I've been considering the SUB Ray5 since it also comes in a dual humbucker variant which I really like but I'm not certain of the quality (I know all Sterling basses are generally good value for beginners, but again I need something really good quality for 8+ years). I've also seen the Ray25 but that one doesn't make too much sense financially for me and I haven't seen much good reviews for it. Any others?
Again, I know this was explained weirdly and it's a weird question but I could REALLY use some help. Also if anything's not clear or I haven't said something important I'm sorry.

I was in similar situation in the early 90's. A friend of mine who tried bass and didn't like it, sold me his instrument, a Samick SCBM-2 for $400. The bass was incredible, excellent quality and great pickups (Bartolini's). If you can find one, I am sure it will not dissapoint.
Here is one old listing from the Reverb: Samick/Valley Arts SCBM 1990's | Reverb

 

[Oldfartguy]

Hi!
So, first bass buyer here, and I don't know where else to look for help. I'm sorry in advance because this is going to be a very weirdly put (and lengthy) thread.
Anyway, I'll be working over the summer to save up for a bass, specifically the SBMM Sting Ray35 (yes I want a stingray, yes I'm buying a 5 string as my first bass because I have played a 5 string instrument before for a few years and because the genre I want to play in the future utilizes the 5th string a lot). Problem is it's expensive and due to reasons I'm not sure if I'll be able to save up enough for it this summer. My question is: do I wait until I can save more money to buy a Ray35 or do I go with a cheaper instrument? I know the Ray35 is by no means a "beginner bass" but I wanted something good quality that I would want to play and that could last a really good amount of years. I've been considering the SUB Ray5 since it also comes in a dual humbucker variant which I really like but I'm not certain of the quality (I know all Sterling basses are generally good value for beginners, but again I need something really good quality for 8+ years). I've also seen the Ray25 but that one doesn't make too much sense financially for me and I haven't seen much good reviews for it. Any others?
Again, I know this was explained weirdly and it's a weird question but I could REALLY use some help. Also if anything's not clear or I haven't said something important I'm sorry.

At your position, almost any bass could serve you well. So basically, at this point, I think you need to go with something you like it and feel comfortable. If you never played before, try something with a thin neck to help your left hand. If money is not an issue, you can aim at a spector or NS or even an alembic bass, impressive basses with a long life reputation. There are some used ones with huge discount prices in Reverb. Now... if you are unsure, get something intermediate like a Yamaha or a good Ibanez. You can always sell it or donate it to a broken bassist. There are 3 ways. Get a reputable bass like a Schecter and replace the electronics so it can sound like any expensive Fender. Those are your options. Anyway, in your position, I think the most important value will be your patience and discipline to practice every day, independently of the bass.

 

[scrubhelmet]

Thank you for the advice! I definitely would go and try out basses in stores but (forgot to mention that) there aren't many stores near me (or even in my country I think) that sell basses (mostly guitar shops with VERY limited inventory of basses) and the prices here are higher compared to buying online sooo yeah. I was against buying a cheap bass first because I was afraid it would suck which would be a huge bummer, and also because I'd already be tight on cash for the Ray so spending even more just to start a few months earlier seemed unreasonable. Got it all figured out now, though. Thamk you!

Just to add, I saw this comparison video of Sire Marcus Miller Z3 (a Stingray clone from Sire) vs Ray 34 and MM Stingray. The speaker is Japanese but you can turn on the captions on YouTube and read the English subtitles:

 

[MrWolf14]

Agree with what most of the others have said: if you WANT a ray35 get a ray35

One additional comment though:

• What I often do when I want to try something "new", is to buy a super-cheap version of what I am going to get later.
• For instance, before buying a real Jazz bass, I bought a cheap knock off and played with it for some months.
  Coming from a history of Ibanez active basses, this allowed me to answer to some questions, like:
  • Can I live with the "bent metal" shape for the bridge?
  • Am I sure I won't miss the extra frets? (20-24)
  • Will I be able to tolerate the single coil hum in a real life environment?
  • [....]

With this in mind, maybe a good idea would be to buy a cheap bass which has the main characteristics of the bass you plan to save for.
So same (similar) neck shape, same pickup configuration, same string spacing (bridge and possibly nut).

With that said, if you can get your bass in 1 or 2 months max .... JUST DO IT

 

[Chris Wilke]

I am not an expert on the other ones, but I have 2 older Ray35s (one is fretless) and a newer Ray34. They are excellent instruments.

One bit of advice AND A CAVEAT: Normally I'd say for you to consider buying used (I buy all my basses that way), and if you do buy used, don't worry so much about getting the latest model. The Ray35 has been in production a while. Many of the older ones have a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, while many of the newer ones have a roasted maple neck and either a roasted maple or rosewood fingerboard. TBH I think I like the older style a little better. The roasted neck just has a slightly rough feel. That bass for me is my Ray34 so I can't offer a direct comparison of an older Ray35 vs a newer Ray35.

FYI some older ones say Ray34/35 on the headstock and some new ones say Stingray5, but if it has the features of a Ray35, then that's what it is.

Vs Cheaper models: From what I understand Ray35 has a better pickup, bridge and EQ vs less expensive models, in addition to a little better finish work on the neck. (I think the Ray 25 may have the nicer bridge of the Ray35, but not the same pickup or EQ). So if it was me (and it was) I'd save up for the Ray35. Maybe you can find a used one around $600? All mine were less than that, but prices have gone up.

The other thing to keep in mind with these basses is who can service them. This is THE CAVEAT. You can't get parts for these as easily as a Fender and officially you need to go through authorized service to get parts. One of mine needed a new pickup and I had to find a used pickup for sale, which fortunately I did here on talkbass for $40, but I was lucky and had to be patient! I also wrote the factory service folks about scratchy volume and EQ pots. They eventually got me whole new preamp/EQ as the pots are not easily replaced by themselves (a potential negative to the design). But this type of service is not always available to non-orginal purchasers. They were just nice to me in this case I guess! Props to their service department.

This CAVEAT could lead you to reconsider my advice of nearly always buying used. So if it was your only bass I'd actually think about buying new from an authorized dealer, or at least making sure the shop you get it from could service it down the road, and including getting parts from SBMM. But you said price was an issue, so the $3-400 you might save could go a long way to fixing any issues down the road.

I've never had a problem with them but there are also apparent some reliability issues with tuners. My (used) Ray34 bass even came with extra tuners. I guess the previous owner bought a spare set. But these can be replaced through their parts service if needed as they are not proprietary. The pickups, preamps and bridges are harder to get, and are not readily available through their parts website.

 

[backin82]

It would definitely be a bit less than 2 months I think (but more likely a around a month) as that's how long I'm allowed to work per law. And unfortunately I don't have anything to play in the meantime haha (except if an old acoustic guitar counts).

If you can afford what you want by only waiting 2 more months, then absolutely do that. If you have to wait an additional 4-6 months, then buy a $100 Squier from your local used market, and enjoy that while you wait for the Ray funds.

 

[TrevorR]

Welcome to T.B.
Expect every answer possible to address this question so here’s the first……. Get the best you can afford and if you need time to save more be patient and get there. Years later you’ll be glad you did. I was lucky to get a very nice bass when I was a real hack but 40 years later it’s still my #1 and I’ve never had any need to chase another.
Good luck.

Completely agree. I did the same when starting off 40-odd years ago and bought an Aria SB700 bass rather than a horrible entry-level bass (though to be fair, current entry level is a million miles above early 80s entry stuff was in terms of quality). Never regretted it, still have it, still play it, still love it!

 

[ilikemagpies]

Just to add, I saw this comparison video of Sire Marcus Miller Z3 (a Stingray clone from Sire) vs Ray 34 and MM Stingray. The speaker is Japanese but you can turn on the captions on YouTube and read the English subtitles:

Wow thank you very much! I'll check it out for sure.

 

[sonic boogaloo]

almost any bass could serve you well.

i'd draw a line at black op money ones

 

[wompwomp]

my old man gave me exactly 2 good pieces of life advice.

the other thing he told me is not to shortchange yourself. the example he used was buying a motorcycle (fwiw i've never ridden a motorcycle in my life lol) but he was talking about cc's as a metaphor. get what you want is what he was telling me.

I played my first instrument exclusively for over 20 years, that guitar really meant a lot to my musical development I can't really overstate it.

I will say this to OP tho: I picked that guitar out after spending hours playing everything I could get my hands on within my price range and then I made my choice. I didn't do it off a spec sheet or description or reputation or whatever.

until then maybe consider a stopgap:



good luck!

 

[SunByrne]

So, when I was relatively new, I found a GC that had a SUB, a Ray24, a Ray34, and a full EBMM and I had some time, so I played all four of them. The SUB is a perfectly reasonable entry-level bass. I could not for the life of me figure out what the point of the Ray24 was given the other two SBMM choices. I thought the Ray34 was 85% of the real EBMM for (at the time) about half the price. Sounds and feels just like the real thing, but the components and build quality of the EBMM are better.

I eventually got a Ray34.

Just watch the weight if that's something you care about. My Ray34 is gorgeous and sounds great, but it's a boat anchor at 11lb 11oz. I don't mind that much but if you do, make sure you find out what it weighs before you buy.

I do also own a Sire Z7, their StingRay knock-off, because I wanted the HS configuration. Excellent bass for less money than the Ray3x, but doesn't sound exactly like a StingRay, most likely because of the preamp. The Sire preamp is very good, it's just not quite the same as the StingRay preamp. Plus you get the flexibility of the single-coil neck pickup. If you want the more authentic StingRay look and sound and don't mind paying a bit more, get the SBMM. Otherwise I'd say get the Sire.

 

[KidAmnesia]

You know you want a 5 string Stingray now; you don't know if you'll want that bass 8 years from now.

If you can afford the SUB now and don't know how long it would take you to save up for the Ray35, I'd go for the Sub. You can upgrade to the Ray35 later, or maybe you find out while playing that you actually like the SUB or that you want something entirely different.

 

[DigitalMan]

Nothing is more expensive than cheap crap.

No one is obligated to play a less expensive bass in order to justify moving on to a more expensive bass.

If you know the bass is good, but it still doesn’t sound good, then you know the thing that needs to be better is you. That alone is priceless.

PS - for purposes of this post, “cheap crap” just means anything you’ll buy a more expensive version of later. I know that there are also good, affordable basses.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Just to add, I saw this comparison video of Sire Marcus Miller Z3 (a Stingray clone from Sire) vs Ray 34 and MM Stingray. The speaker is Japanese but you can turn on the captions on YouTube and read the English subtitles:

Personally, I liked the sound of the Ray34 at just about every turn, with the Z3 in passive mode as a close second. And while I seriously love a matching headstock, in this case, it's due more to my love of growly Jazz-style basses than anything else...so, "grain o' salt", "different strokes" and all that.

That being said, I wonder if the strings have any impact on their respective sounds.