Getting started on Bass-questions

Hey guys,

I've played drums for a long time
and I'm interested in learning to play bass guitar.
I started out playing drums & percussion in high school and college, so I have some "formal" musical background & do read music, though I never really learned to read bass clef. I want to get some fundamentals down before I start trying to teach myself too much.

Problem is, I live in a small town & there are few (if any) people around who could give me lessons.

Anybody here have some recommendations for some good books and/or DVD's that could get me started?

Also, what should I look for in an entry-level bass? I'm kinda on a budget & just need a good "basic" bass for now.

Thanks for reading,
-Mike

 

Thanks for the info!

As for budget, I'm trying to get away with spending as little as possible right now; I guess maybe up to $300 or so for the bass itself. I buy a lot of drum gear from MusiciansFriend online & they have some low-end basses in that price range that I figure are probably good enough for me to see if I have any talent.
I've got an old Peavy KB-300 amp stashed away at home that I used to use for my Simmons drums; should be good enough for starting out even though it's not a dedicated bass amp.

As for music, I'm pretty open-minded. My style on drums is pretty simple, being more of a groove player than trying to be fancy. That said, I tend to like bass players who do more than just thump quarter notes all night long. Naturally there's a time & place for doing that, but I guess what I'm getting at is that it's good to let the bass do a little more.

I may get laughed off the board for saying this, but one of my favorite bass players is John Taylor from Duran Duran. A lot of musicians don't take them seriously, but they have some neat stuff, & John comes up with some really interesting bass lines.

Thanks for that link, I'll check that out!
-Mike