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Help for an absolute beginner

#22
adronchase361 said:
Thanks for the tips. Besides the different pickups, I didn't know that the necks were different too. As in beefier, do you mean thicker or slightly wider? If it was wider, then wouldn't that bass be troublesome for people with smaller hands? And I'll keep my eyes out for used, plus I'm definitely going to put some money away for an amp.
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I will suggest you go to a store with a friend who knows a thing or two about bass. Don't trust the sales rep, because they're all full of **** and just trying to make money. But basically the thing I could say to you is trust your friend on playability of the instrument, but also find something that is ergonomic to you as well.

$1600 is enough money to get a quality starter instrument. I think a few of the guys in here are a bit jealous that you have that kind of budget. But for Christ's sake, don't buy a mail-order instrument. I think everybody knows of somebody who has a mail-order horror story.
 
#24
You can get a decent bass for $200-400. That's how much I'd spend on a bass if I was you. Spend more money on a good amp with enough watts and speaker area, especially if you have plans to join a band soon (which I highly recommend you do). In any case, buy an amp/combo/rig with at least 100 watts and either one 15" speaker or two or four 10" speakers. (10" speakers are generally punchier than 15" speakers, but the latter ones have a rounder and deeper sound). If you start playing in a rock band, aim to get an amp with at least 300W power.

There are more sound-shaping opportunities with a J bass than a P, so if you're not sure what sound you're after, get a J. By soloing the neck pickup you can fake a P sound quite well, Or then go for a P/J bass with a P pickup in the neck position and a J pickup near the bridge. Anyway, I prefer J basses over P's.
 
#25
adronchase361 said:
Just like the title says, I'm an absolute beginner. I know a few things about bass, but overall I do need much more help. I originally come from a piano forum (hence I'm a pianist) but bass guitar has really caught my interest and I'd like to take it up. I'm going to start in about a week or so, and for now, I need some tips about buying a bass.

What's your recommendation on a bass? Preferably 1000 USD and below.

The difference on a Fender Jazz Bass and a Precision Bass? (I've always wondered about that..)

Does every wood produce a different type of sound (as in body and such)? And which wood makes a good sound (eh, just like a fun fact).

Amp recommendations?

Of course, there are more questions I have, but for now, I'd just start off with these couple of questions. Any type of advice would be helpful right now, thanks!
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my recommendation for 90% of people looking to take up bass: MIM Fender Jazz... relatively inexpensive, solid, extremely proven (that's an understatement) sound and design, and versatile enough for virtually any style of music
 
#27
Martin Bormann said:
I will suggest you go to a store with a friend who knows a thing or two about bass. Don't trust the sales rep, because they're all full of **** and just trying to make money. But basically the thing I could say to you is trust your friend on playability of the instrument, but also find something that is ergonomic to you as well.

$1600 is enough money to get a quality starter instrument. I think a few of the guys in here are a bit jealous that you have that kind of budget. But for Christ's sake, don't buy a mail-order instrument. I think everybody knows of somebody who has a mail-order horror story.
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Ugh, after one experience I had with a different instrument, I'm never doing that again. As for a friend, I have one that plays acoustic, but not bass, but they might be able to help out and point some tidbits for me. I'll be trying out lots of different basses before I find the one that suits me the best.

tom once dead said:
For a bass I will recomend a Epi T-bird or a cheaper Ibanez SR model.

The epiphone Thunderbirds have a really great tone and a good neck (butyou may have to battle neck dive) and $300 US.

For an amp I'll recomend Marshall MB series or Ashdown
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I'm considering about checking out the Ibanez SR530.

Thanks for the recommendations.

Any good reviews on a Peavey amp? (Any model/type.)
 
#31
D.Don said:
Copies, NICE ones though!

Check the peaveys too, I can't stop mentioning that...

hehe.

D.Don
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I knew there was something wrong about those basses. Whatever it was that made it different, I think it was the knobs on the side (hmm what were they called? I forgot), it didn't have that Fender look to it.

Lol, I just read your intro to TB, and heh, sweet Peavey bass. I'm really into the Zodiac series actually, and after listening to it being played on YouTube, it's not that bad of a bass. Ugh, trapped between basses! :eek:


Basses I have trouble deciding over:
Fender P-Bass
Fender J-Bass
Ibanez SR530
Peavey Zodiac DE Scorpio

:help:
 
#33
I was surprised nobody jumped in with the Rondo recommendation in two whole pages of answers until the OP brought 'em up. I've got one, they're excellent starter instruments, regardless of the price. If you can bear to buy without playing first, that's the way to go. And cheap enough that for your $1,600, you could get one in every color and have enough left over for your amp. ;-)

Welcome aboard, and have fun!

Chas
 
#34
Be advised that no neck is "fast" per se. That's just ad talk. They are slim or chunky, or somewhere in between. What matters is getting one your hand is comfortable with.
 
#36
A passive bass is one that doesn't have any onboard pre-amplification / equalization for the outgoing signal from the pickups. A Fender Precision or Jazz is traditionally passive. But a lot of basses nowadays have an inbuilt pre-amp system which needs battery power to operate.
 
#38
An "active" EQ system in your bass lets you either boost or cut certain frequencies, and thus change the tone pretty radically, whereas a "passive" tone control can only cut the treble. Both have their adherents.
 
#39
You can get a decent bass for $200-400. That's how much I'd spend on a bass if I was you. Spend more money on a good amp with enough watts and speaker area, especially if you have plans to join a band soon (which I highly recommend you do).
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Big, big X. You can get a gig-quality bass (esp. used) for under $400, better to put the budget into an amp that's - for now - beyond your needs/abilities.

For what it's worth, I give a hearty endorsement to the Zodiac DE, especially when there's one for sale in the classifieds here for $350. P + J, Seymour Duncan pickups, solid. Love mine. It has a neck more akin to the skinny Jazz type than the thicker P type, so consider that in your decision.

Barring that though, MIM Jazz or P, Squier, SX, Ibanez... you can get a ton of bang for your buck, esp. starting out, for less than $400.
 
#40
cdef said:
Be advised that no neck is "fast" per se. That's just ad talk. They are slim or chunky, or somewhere in between. What matters is getting one your hand is comfortable with.
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No neck is "fast" or "slow", but the feel can be very different also between two necks with similar profile. To me, it's the finish of the back of the neck that matters the most. A matte finish gives mostly a faster feel than a high gloss one.
 

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