It's a "help me pick a first bass" thread, but maybe with some interesting angles

[Horseflesh]

Let me cut my long introduction post down to the basics... I have a PA system that will work OK for guitar and bass practice, and so I got interested in getting instruments and learning to play them.

I've purchased a well regarded beginner's guitar and would like to add a bass, too. My wife and I will try to teach ourselves both, and see which instruments we may prefer. I am 98% sure I'm going to prefer the bass.

So, the question is... which bass to buy?

Here are a couple of factors that may influence the decision.

I will be playing into a PA system at first, not a bass amp, because I already have the PA. I have read that a bass with active pickups--as in, the instrument has a battery--will sound better on a PA, or on a DI box. And I do have a decent mixer, so I could run the bass into a DI into a mixer into headphones for practice, too. That is likely to happen sooner or later.

I am interested in a short bass. They are said to be somewhat easier to play, and I want every advantage there I can get. And, if we are switching frequently between guitar and bass, having a short bass is said to be helpful.

That could all be theoretical Internet BS, though. I need some ideas. Is a dynamic pickup really better? Is a short bass really easier? I don't know.

Here are some contenders that I have found. What am I overlooking?

• long introduction post. Short bass, said to be very solid, but also everyone complains about the pickup sound quality.
• Ibanez GSR200. That blogger sure loves it for the money, but I don't know if his opinion is meaningful. However, everyone on forums does seem to like the low end Ibanez options, saying they are quality for beginners. This GSR200 has a dynamic pickup (yay), but it is also full size (boo).
• Invalid Link Removed. This is their beginner short bass. Supposed to be pretty good; isn't dynamic though. From what I have read, this seems like a better pick than the Bronco, for no other reason that more pickups.

A few other notes--

• The budget is up to $300, but less is always better. (If I actually outgrow an instrument and have to buy a new one, that sounds like a colossal success, and money well spent. I'll throw a party if I outgrow a $200 bass in a year and needed to buy a $500 bass. Y'all are invited.)
• Used is OK, I just don't know enough to evaluate a used instrument I find on Craigslist. Maybe a legit Reverb seller has a deal on a used bass, though.
• While I am not averse to a 5 string bass, part of the appeal of 4 strings is that it should be somewhat easier to play, right?
• The wife and I are both 5' 9" with average sized hands, so I don't think we require a short bass.
• While I love music and enjoy musing about about sound quality, the sound quality of my future bass is far less important to me than ergonomics, staying in tune, and boring stuff like that. I have never even held a bass guitar. People say the Bronco pickups suck, but how would I tell? It's going to sound like I am electrocuting a horse anyway.
• Jazz vs Precision: I am totally lost and open to anything.
• Mods: New pickups etc sound like fun, but ability to be easily modified is a bonus, not a requirement.

Many many thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

 

[wvbass]

I won't recommend a specific bass, but I do have a couple comments:

1) Not having an amp is irrelevant. I have done many shows with a bass amp. What the audience hears is bass->DI->PA.
2) Short scales are fun. A 34" scale bass isn't harder to play, and looking there will give you a lot more options.

 

[Aldousv]

If I were you I’d get a Mexican precision bass. Easy to dial in a good tone, you can get a used one for $300-400 and they maintain the resale value if you want to upgrade in the future.

I see a lot of 90’s and 00’s ones pop up locally and you can get a good deal if you have the cash in hand.

 

[hbabels]

I’d say try and play a few if possible and see what feels comfortable for you to play. There’s not a huge difficulty between shortscale bass vs long scale with a little practice so I’d also look at cheaper used Fender / Squire Basses , probably Squire in your budget. Jazz Basses have skinnier necks than P Basses usually so even at full scale length the skinny neck often makes flipping between guitar and bass easier.
again depends a lot on what feels good to you. Again this is where getting some hands on them is ideal but I know can be difficult.
Ibanenez are known to have skinnier necks and easy playability which is why a lot of people like them for beginners. So their worth a look.
Used is a great option & craigslist / offer up has deals. Do you have any friends / friend of friends who are more knowledgeable on guitar / bass that could help you check out potential used instruments?

The main thing to look for on them is do the electronics work? How does the neck feel ? Play up and down the neck do any notes buzz out as in don’t make a tone just rattle or are string super high off neck. Look for any obvious broken parts or excessive wear.
Check the frets for heavy wear and the neck relief ( google this , there are some great videos on YouTube that explain easy ways to check this )
I wouldn’t get to hung up on active / passive pickups in your price range you’re probably better off passive than cheap active but there are exceptions.
If you plug it in turn it up play some notes and it sound like a bass you’re good.
If you’re not playing with a band lower output pickups are less of a concern with a PA and mixer your should be able to dial in a good enough tone.
If going to a PA I’d invest in a Sansamp Bass Driver DI or VT Bass DI. Not for distortion that they get the most nods for but turn the drive down or off and you get a great clean but with Amp like character straight to PA and really improves the tone of many Basses straight to PA direct. And can be found used for a hundred and change and will serve you well for a loooonnngh time.
Hope this helps.

 

[Horseflesh]

If I were you I’d get a Mexican precision bass.

furiously Googling ... Oh, so that's what "MIM" means...

I’d say try and play a few if possible and see what feels comfortable for you to play.

I am so new you can't even call me a beginner... I know as much as a person can after 7.5 hours of reading online. Everything is going to feel weird and uncomfortable, and unfortunately I don't have anyone to help out. Thank you for the detailed used bass checklist though, that's great. I'm definitely poking around local listings. And I will check out those DI boxes. My PA does have a hi-z input for guitar or bass, but I also have a mixer, and will want to play into headphones eventally.

 

[hbabels]

furiously Googling ... Oh, so that's what "MIM" means...



I am so new you can't even call me a beginner... I know as much as a person can after 7.5 hours of reading online. Everything is going to feel weird and uncomfortable, and unfortunately I don't have anyone to help out. Thank you for the detailed used bass checklist though, that's great. I'm definitely poking around local listings. And I will check out those DI boxes. My PA does have a hi-z input for guitar or bass, but I also have a mixer, and will want to play into headphones eventally.

You’re welcome. Well then I’d say get something that I inspires you to want to play it. Different necks can feel really different so if you try some different ones and you’ll see what I mean. Something will click, even if just a little bit. A hi z input on mixer will definitely work and get you started.

They can sound a bit sterile especially with cheaper Basses. This is where the Tech 21 Sansamps come in. Their EQ and amp emulation can really help shape your sound and give you a time that’s inspiring to play. This goes even more for playing with headphones.
All that said worry about the bass first and get the best bass for you for your budget.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

For an inexpensive short scale bass, also consider an Ibanez Talman TMB30.

TMB30 | Talman Bass | ELECTRIC BASSES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars

 

[Volker Kirstein]

I like short scales. I love the tubby, fundamental-heavy sound I get from a shorty, and the ease with which my hand works the neck.

My Bronco is one of the most fun basses I've had the pleasure to play: it fits my hands and playing style perfectly. Of your choices, this is what I would pick.

(re: pickups - a pickup is a pickup. Danelectro uses the same pickups in many of their basses and guitars. I use a Telecaster neck pickup on my "vintage" P. The most common upgrade on a Bronco is a Stratocaster humbucker.)

Mikros that I've picked up are fun, as well, but don't fit me as well as a Bronco.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, pick the one that works for you. Pick up a few and fret a few notes. Try some long scales, too. You may find that you like a longer scale. I've seen toddlers wailing on a full scale bass, and lumbering giants wail on a mini, so person size is not really an issue... it's what works best for you.

Don't worry about amp vs board. Both are fine.

 

[RickyT]

FYI all the basses you listed have Passive pick ups.

The Active part of 99% of basses is the pre amp inside it. This let's you boost or cut certain frequencies, generally labelled as Low, Mid, Highs or Bass, Mids, Treble.

Pick a bass that's comfortable.

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

I'd recommend Precision- or Jazz-shaped inexpensive bass. Could be Fender MIM, Squier, Cort... there's a lot. I personally prefer Jazz for it's more tone-versatile, but a lot of people say that you can't go wrong with Precision, too.
If you go for something more modern, than it could be Ibanez... or Cort again. Same factory anyway.

 

[Rune Bivrin]

The only caveat with the combination of a passive bass and a mixer is that not all mixers have instrument inputs. It'll work, but might lose quite a bit of treble. This is where you'd use a DI to compensate. Then again, a simple tuner pedal in the chain might work just as well, and I strongly advise you get one anyway.

When it comes to beginner instruments (or beginner anything, for that matter), there's this thought that you don't need anything more than a cheap instrument. I would contest that, though. Give a beginner a bad instrument, and the experience might be so poor that he or she gives up. With a nice instrument (or pair of skis, or chisels, or whatever), the limit will be the player, and the experience is much more likely to be a fun one. So whatever you do, don't cheap out!

 

[red_rhino]

• Invalid Link Removed. Short bass, said to be very solid, but also everyone complains about the pickup sound quality.
• Ibanez GSR200. That blogger sure loves it for the money, but I don't know if his opinion is meaningful. However, everyone on forums does seem to like the low end Ibanez options, saying they are quality for beginners. This GSR200 has a dynamic pickup (yay), but it is also full size (boo).
• Invalid Link Removed. This is their beginner short bass. Supposed to be pretty good; isn't dynamic though. From what I have read, this seems like a better pick than the Bronco, for no other reason that more pickups.

A few other notes--

• The budget is up to $300, but less is always better. (If I actually outgrow an instrument and have to buy a new one, that sounds like a colossal success, and money well spent.

Of those three, I have no hesitation recommending the GSR200. My wife has one, and I play it whenever she lets me. I've been playing a very long time and have basses that cost thousands more, but the GSR200 kicks some serious booty. I would rock that thing at any gig. I think most of the newer ones are active EQ; her's is older and passive. I typically prefer active EQ, but I've not played an active GSR200, so I can't comment on how that circuit performs. I know it sounds great passive.

Whatever you do, try before you buy, if you can. You should always always always buy the bass that feels best to you, regardless of what the rest of us tell you.

Good luck.

 

[Nuage420]

300 offers endless great options. Get your hands on as many as you can and see what feels comfortable and Inspiring.

 

[ruju]

I'd like to recommend the Yamaha trbx174ew. EW stands for exotic wood. Veneer top. I have the mango Wood and it is stunning with the matching headstock
You get a P style split coil pickup, as well as a single coil J style pickup.
It also happens to be my wife's favourite bass. To look at. She doesn't play.
New these basses are cheaper than any new Squier and Ibanez.

 

[EmuBass]

furiously Googling ... Oh, so that's what "MIM" means...

So you won't think that MIA means Made in Asia

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Let me cut my long introduction post down to the basics... I have a PA system that will work OK for guitar and bass practice, and so I got interested in getting instruments and learning to play them.

I've purchased a well regarded beginner's guitar and would like to add a bass, too. My wife and I will try to teach ourselves both, and see which instruments we may prefer. I am 98% sure I'm going to prefer the bass.

So, the question is... which bass to buy?

Here are a couple of factors that may influence the decision.

I will be playing into a PA system at first, not a bass amp, because I already have the PA. I have read that a bass with active pickups--as in, the instrument has a battery--will sound better on a PA, or on a DI box. And I do have a decent mixer, so I could run the bass into a DI into a mixer into headphones for practice, too. That is likely to happen sooner or later.

I am interested in a short bass. They are said to be somewhat easier to play, and I want every advantage there I can get. And, if we are switching frequently between guitar and bass, having a short bass is said to be helpful.

That could all be theoretical Internet BS, though. I need some ideas. Is a dynamic pickup really better? Is a short bass really easier? I don't know.

Here are some contenders that I have found. What am I overlooking?

• long introduction post. Short bass, said to be very solid, but also everyone complains about the pickup sound quality.
• Ibanez GSR200. That blogger sure loves it for the money, but I don't know if his opinion is meaningful. However, everyone on forums does seem to like the low end Ibanez options, saying they are quality for beginners. This GSR200 has a dynamic pickup (yay), but it is also full size (boo).
• Invalid Link Removed. This is their beginner short bass. Supposed to be pretty good; isn't dynamic though. From what I have read, this seems like a better pick than the Bronco, for no other reason that more pickups.

A few other notes--

• The budget is up to $300, but less is always better. (If I actually outgrow an instrument and have to buy a new one, that sounds like a colossal success, and money well spent. I'll throw a party if I outgrow a $200 bass in a year and needed to buy a $500 bass. Y'all are invited.)
• Used is OK, I just don't know enough to evaluate a used instrument I find on Craigslist. Maybe a legit Reverb seller has a deal on a used bass, though.
• While I am not averse to a 5 string bass, part of the appeal of 4 strings is that it should be somewhat easier to play, right?
• The wife and I are both 5' 9" with average sized hands, so I don't think we require a short bass.
• While I love music and enjoy musing about about sound quality, the sound quality of my future bass is far less important to me than ergonomics, staying in tune, and boring stuff like that. I have never even held a bass guitar. People say the Bronco pickups suck, but how would I tell? It's going to sound like I am electrocuting a horse anyway.
• Jazz vs Precision: I am totally lost and open to anything.
• Mods: New pickups etc sound like fun, but ability to be easily modified is a bonus, not a requirement.

Many many thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

TMB30

It'll also probably feel the most like the cheap tele you're getting, so switching will be even less of a hassle.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I haven't seen anything with better bang for the buck than Ibanez. The quality of the hardware and electronics more.or.less.corresponds to the series number, in other words 300 series is going to be a little better than 200, etc. etc. The GSR200 is a nice little bass, but the electronics are on the cheaper side. That's easily upgradable, and the overall construction is excellent. I'd say anything 300 series and up is a serious bass, and 500 series and up is pro level. In your shoes, I'd look at a used SR300 series, that's a very nice bass line for relatively short money. I wouldn't get hung up on active/passive at this point. Opinions vary on short scale/long scale, and what feels right will depend on your hand size, overall stature, etc., but there are plenty of big guys playing short scales (Stanley Clarke for one). In general, a short scale bass is going to have lower string tension, and often tighter string spacing, which I like personally. If you use a pick, you may find tighter string spacing easier. I'll second the idea of not cheaping out on your first instrument, get the best thing you can afford. Fighting a crappy bass is a waste of energy, and discouraging. My first bass was a Rickenbacker 4001, arguably not the most ergonomic of basses, but it felt great, looked great, and played great, which made me want to practice. We sound like a broken record, but go to your local guitar store and play every bass in the store. Does it feel like it fits your hands and body? Is it well balanced for seated and standing play? If it feels like the neck end is heavy, and you have to hold up the neck while playing, we call that a neck diver, and most people try to avoid a diver. Don't discount the aesthetics either, if its an attractive object, you'll want to touch it. If you get a bass at Guitar Center, they have a good return policy, if it doesn't click, try a different bass. Good luck!

 

[Haroldo]

Given that you're in the Seattle area, it's probably worth it to visit these folks. By all accounts (cf @Inara) they are quite friendly and helpful. (ETA They don't offer inexpensive basses, but they can offer experience and advice.)

The Bass Shop | Selected Used and Vintage Bass Guitars

Try before you buy is a useful mantra.

 

[MtManiac]

The only guys I've *personally* known to own Ibanez basses (or the cheaper Yamaha basses) are guitar players who wanted a bass on hand for visiting bass players, so they bought a cheap one of a brand they're familiar with. Often also with a full drum kit and a 50 watt bass amp that must surely be loud enough (spoiler: it isn't). Bass players buy P basses, Jazzes, G&L's, EBMM's, Ricks, Gibsons, and Yamaha "BB" style basses - and for reasons.

My tips: buy used, buy passive electronics, buy a four string, and buy a P or a J. Lots of Squiers are ok, especially the Classic Vibes, and the CV's will honestly kick the you-know-what out of either Ibanez or the Bronco. If you want to enjoy playing bass and want to not turn around six months from now and either 1) buy a replacement bass or 2) give it up, buy a P or a J. I mean, by all means, buy a G&L, Gibson, Rick, or EBMM if you like, but they're a lot more dough.

Then get a good DI - like the Sansamp Bass Driver, the VT Bass DI, or something along those lines that will give you some real tone options and some meat, maybe a touch of OD. EQ with a slight cut to lows and highs and maybe a slight bump to mids. If a J, dial back the bridge pickup, and turn the tone knob down to about 10-25% on. Feel free to try out flatwounds, but speaking as a 100% flats player there are definitely tones you miss out on with flats, whereas sorta dead rounds with the tone turned down will get you in the flatwound tonal ballpark at least and won't require a new setup.

Speaking of setups, make sure you do/get a good setup - action, intonation, pickup height, saddle height, and make sure your strings are installed properly - it's different for basses versus the ways many guitar players install strings.

You'll probably see a lot of hooey online from people saying P basses are not versatile enough, and Jazzes are more versatile because they have two pickups instead of one. This is not true. The P bass has been present if not dominant in pretty much every music style, period. It is the *most* recorded bass sound. Jazzes I find less versatile, because with both pickups on, you get a mid-scoop, and with either pickup dialed off, you get either booming low end or thin burpy high end. I find they're great for a mix where there is a lot of space - not very busy or distorted guitars, not very busy keys or horns, something where the bass *does* fill the space - eg. Reggae, or Led Zeppelin II. Otherwise, it tends to just get absorbed. A P on the other hand comes out of the box with a bit of a midrange hump, so unless the sound engineering is biased against the low end, it will be heard clearly without knocking other people out of their space in the mix, and it will sound good. Some people don't like the tone of a P when played solo, but it is built for the mix.

For cheap - Mexican Standards can be hit or miss when buying used. The biggest issue I've run into with them is the frets are worn down to skin and bones, or grooved from the strings - this comes from cheaper fretwire used in the 90s, and from decades of being played with roundwound strings. Best bang for your buck is a newer but used Chinese-made Classic Vibe - better build and material quality than the current Indonesian ones, and thanks to CITES restrictions that came into effect later, they'll come with rosewood boards instead of the newer ones with laurel.

You might come across a few used Epiphones as well - my local used market seems to be regularly filled with EB-0, EB-3, and the lower end Thunderbird models, usually selling for around $300 CAD. I personally don't have much experience with them, but I've read a mix of positive and negative reviews online so I've steered away from them.

I wouldn't worry much about short scale versus 34" scale - lots of people with big hands prefer short scales and lots of people with small hands prefer long scale, but unless you have a hand ligament or muscle problem, arthritis or something along those lines, you'll adapt to either. What you do get with shorter strings however is different string tension, and a fat, thick fundamental with lots of lower frequency harmonics, like playing a long scale above the 7th fret on the two top strings. If you are really settled on a short scale, I'd look for a used Mustang, or a used Gretsch Junior Jet, personally. Either one would cover a P, a J, or a Gibson-ish tonal palette, and look badass at the same time. Fender/Squier also recently released a Mini Precision bass, short scale, along the lines of the Mini Strat. I don't know what the Mini P is like, but I'd bought a Mini Strat a while back and it would *not* stay in tune. Sounded ok and felt ok though. But IMO the Bronco is seriously going to end up sold or given away or at least eventually unplayed at some point.

Good luck!

TL;DR - get a Squier, but not the Bronco.

 

[thisonegoestoeleven]

All about the feel...
Most everything can be modded...but when one feels like home in your lap..grab it.