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First decent bass

S

SuperMaximo93

Feb 5, 2009
49
0
England
#1
Hi guys :)

I started playing bass a month and a half a go (bought myself a crappy 'Bismark' starter kit; bass, bag, amp, tuner, etc. for £100), and I'm loving it! I haven't had any experience in playing music other than playing trumpet a little when I was younger and faking it on Guitar Hero :smug: I'm utterly addicted, and practice for hours every day

I'm looking to get a new bass, which is actually decent, from here: Invalid Link Removed. I'll have around £200 to spend, and I'm going to go to their showroom store in a couple of weeks to try some basses out. Nevertheless I'd like to see what you would reccomend, considering my lack of bass experience!

One brand that's stuck in my head is Epiphone, I love the look of their (or Gibson's, rather) basses so much! :p The EB-3, Thunderbird and Les Paul Special are all in my price range, and I think they look awesome. Reviews I've read also say they're great, but I've also found people saying that they aren't that good, e.g. sounding muddy, bridges being a bit naff, etc... So I'm not sure. But I really want one! :bawl:

So... yeah. I'd really like to know what you think!

Thanks! :)
Max
 
#2
personally I stay away from epiphone in all forms, and yes I do find their basses to be horribly muddy, and feel more like a guitar with bass strings slapped onto it than a bass!

My completely honest advice would be to look towards the Fender type area instead.

Made in Mexico standard fenders, squier, SX, a brand such as those.

I also recommend Ibanez over epiphone any day!
 
#4
I'm not a big fan of Epiphone or Gibson basses either but there are some famous bassists who have used them quite a bit. Mike Watt, Jack Bruce, and Gene Simmons come to mind. That being said I would LOVE to own a Gibson Ripper, those things are solid!

If you like how Epi's look and feel then I would say go for it!
 
#6
I typicaly play Fender Precisions or Fender P style(SX copy sees TONS of stage time) basses, but I do own a Epiphone Jack Cassady, and have played numerous Thunderbirds. Both are Rock Machines, and are anything but muddy.



Eppi's are decent basses for the money. If that's what you like, then I would say go for it.

Honestly, the T-bird is tough to beat for the price.
I've been wanting to grab a Pelham Blue version for a while now.
 
#7
Welcome to Talkbass.

I would strongly recommend trying out the Squier Vintage Modified series. They are awesome for the price and I reckon that you'll be able to get one for around £200. Good quality, nice feel and can be upgraded easily if you want to.

Whatever you get, I hope you enjoy it.

Edit: Just read your post again. Trumpeter turned bassist high 5!
 
#9
You can actually get a pretty decent bass for your budget then. Talk bass is a pretty safe place to buy (no rip offs as far as broken basses go - you are the judge of market value). In the talk bass classifieds there was a TBC bass for $250, even with shipping that should be close to your budget. My buddy got a MIM Fender P/J bass that was decent, but I think you can get more for your money used - Peaveys are nice.

Good luck.
 
#11
i'm looking at a thunderbird iv silverburst, and to be honest i dont see what you guys mean by muddy. when i played an eppi one in the store i almost ripped that thing apart, ive never played a more comfortable bass in my life.another thing i dont get is that people say their hard to slap on. i want to know what these guys are smokin so i dont fall victim to it :P these are great for almost anything in my eyes. i actually liked it better then my own 5 string.

i would say grab one. they look sweet and they play amazing.

and yes, i know a guy who has an ATK and it's bloody amazing. i wouldnt grab a squier unless your planning to upgrade the internales right away.

anyway, welcome to the forums and keep with it man! cya around.
 
#12
Welcome to Talkbass.
Congratulations on your decision to take up the bass.

As for Epiphone, most of the ones I've handled have seemingly been well made and I read mostly good comments on the Tbird, Jack Casady and Allen Woody Rumblekat. If the style and feel of those instruments appeal to you then by all means go for it.

I would recommend that you save up more money so that you will be able to by a better quality instrument. If you could save up until you have 400-500 the you will have many more options available to you. Also, don't overlook used instruments as you might find to get a bass you otherwise couldn't afford.

In he meantime visit the shops and play through many instruments even the high priced ones. Even though you can't afford one handling and playing them you will get an understanding of the qualities that make for an excellent instrument. Doing this will help you to evalute the models that are in your price range a bit more objectively.

Also, when trying out a bass make sure you put a strap on and play it standing as well as sitting. I always see people trying instruments in stores sitting down. Most of the time you will be playing standing up and the weight and balance of an instrument is critical.

Good luck and keep us updated on your search.

Cheers!

P.S. I also played trumpet in school band a surprising number of bassists did!
 
#13
First off... *High fives trumpeters*

Also, thanks for the very fast and informative replies guys! I think I love this community already :D

OK, so I should go for what feels and sounds best to me. Also Basshappi's point has made me think... Why do I have to stick to £200? It shouldn't be hard to save up more. What I'm going to do is try out a whole load of basses at the shop, and if I particularly like a bass within my budget, I'll probably buy it. Otherwise I'll save up. Sounds like a plan to me!

Thanks guys! :)
Max
 

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