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I need help!!

ImJustDez

ImJustDez

Dec 1, 2012
36
0
New Jersey
m.youtube.com
#1
I've gotten my bass (MusicMan S.U.B. Series Stingray 4) and every time I go to a low note it sounds so horrible, the note is barely audible and sometimes now if I just pluck a string by itself it sounds bad, but when I'm playing a bit high it sound good. Anything higher than the fifth fret on any string is good, lower is bad. And I want to play lower!! I just don't know if its because I need new strings or if its my amp. My amp is a very small normal guitar amp that I got with a starter kit with my electric guitar and I heard that it can't take a bass's frequency. I haven't been playing for longer than half a year (I'm pretty good though) and I don't know every single thing about basses so please refrain from saying I'm stupid or anything, I'm just ignorant.
 
#2
Good. Ignorance can be fixed. Not to mention that the other direction is against the rules here...

You should pick up a cheap bass amp (well, unless money is no object, and it sounds like that's not the case...) you can damage a guitar amp and it won't sound good (as you've seen/heard).

I'm personally in the "cheap but heavy Peavey for under $100 on the local craigslist" camp, but whatever floats your boat, there are many options.

Personal bias is against "small practice amp" simply because then you need a different one if you ever play out, while you can turn a big one down - I also suspect you are unlikely to get a good bottom end out of most/any "practice amps" for bass.
 
#5
Take your bass to a well-stocked music store and try some real bass amps - that should settle any concerns about strings. Generally when bass strings "die" (so called) the high end is what goes, not the low. Whether you even want high end (or how much) is a personal variable.

There are lots of good amps and many different sorts of "good" depending on what's important to you (a particular tone, the flattest response possible, as many tone options as possible) (light, heavy, tubed, solid state) (cheap, not-cheap) etc...

There are many, many brands and types of strings. Most are good to somebody, excepting perhaps counterfeits (fake strings pretending to be brand-name strings.) I'm utterly in love with my D'Addario black tapewounds, but other people hate all tapewounds, or those in particular. Some folks love roundwounds and hate flatwounds - others love flatwounds and hate roundwounds. Others like either depending on what they want to do with it that day, or on a particular bass. You just have to try some and find what you like, though if you can describe what you think you want to hear you may get some ideas of strings to try. But you need an amp you can hear them though first.
 
#7
Another option depending on your space, budget and likelihood of playing out anytime soon would be a bass to headphone amp unit. Most have a way you can plug in music to practice along with, and it's the most compact and probably cheapest (and certainly quietest for your neighbors) way to hear what your bass sounds like.
 
#9
Without knowing where in NJ you are, a quick look at the list of craig:
Combo(amp & speaker):
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Cabinet (needs separate amp):
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An amp for the cab (not seeing a lot, and this one has an issue, [DEL]but would be usable[/DEL]):
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Nevermind - that's a power amp only with no preamp.

Also check the TB classifieds. And realize that what's not on craigslist today may be tomorrow. Patience pays. Thus, a headphone amp may help you shop patiently.

I have quite deliberately not listed any of the several Fender rumbles" and similar little practice amps. My bias.
 
#11
...but when? Time, well used, can save you money when shopping, unless the right thing drops in your lap early.

If the one combo above is in range, it could work for moderate sizes of gig, though it would be wise to search on the model in the amps forum and see what comments are about it. Several of the cabs would be fine as large as most folks would care to go, but at least in the $5-150 range I chose, there's not really a suitable head (amp) showing up there at this time.
 
#15
ImJustDez said:
And also, what are some good strings too?
Click to expand...

Depends on the tone you're looking for. I only have experience with three types, so I'll just give you my personal opinion on those three. I don't mean to imply that these are the only three types you should consider, though.

Stainless steel roundwounds. Bright, aggressive, growly. Good for slap. Also helps get that "grindy" metal tone (best strings for metal? ;)). A bit "sticky" feeling, which takes some getting used to. I keep them on the bass I consider my "slapper". My favorites: DR Fat Beams.

Nickel-plated roundwounds. Warmer and mellower than stainless steel, but still plenty bright. I use these on my main bass (playing original bluesy/funky instrumentals). My favorites: DR Sunbeams.

Flatwounds. Warm, thumpy, old-school. Also lots of nice midrange punch, which gets mentioned less often. Less top end than roundwounds. How much less depends on brand. D'addario Chromes and Rotosound 77's are both on the bright side. My faves are a bit darker: LaBella Teep Talkin' Flats. I have them on the bass I use for vintage-y tones.
 

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