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Looking for my first bass, what do you recommend?

#61
SolarisMinor said:
I want to play a variety of musical styles, but really leaning toward funk and heavy stuff.

What would y'all suggest?
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My advice is to pick a bass that you love the sound and feel of.
A bass that makes you happy every time you pick it up will lead you to pick it up more often, and that's how you develop as a player.

If you were to list off a couple songs or albums with bass tones that make you sit up and pay attention, we could probably steer you towards basses that deliver those tones.

Then you'd just have to go play a bunch of options and determine what kind of feel you want.

But please allow me to emphasize the importance of how the bass feels in your hands! Speaking for myself, several of my favorite bass sounds came from players using a Rickenbacker, and I think that they're one of the coolest looking basses EVER. So I just had to have one.

But the middle pickup cover and square body edge under my forearm just did NOT feel comfortable.
I'm stubborn, so it took buying and selling three Rick's before I had to admit to myself that it's just not the bass for me.

And used basses are a great option - if you buy at a good price you can sell at that same price or better, and until you KNOW what bass you want, it's good to minimize your financial liability.
 
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#63
Mannyinnewyork said:
Opinions will vary - I would get a PBass. If you decide to add to your instruments, you will probably keep the PBass and get another to hang out with it. You can walk into any environment with a PBass and not be second guessed by gear snobs, know-it-alls, engineers and psychopaths.
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Well said. Only reason I own a couple is because they have been requested by such. Added bonus is they hold their value.
 
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#64
mike buzzetti said:
Im in Paso also go to Lighting Joes in AG 40 min drive tons of options to try out
Lightning Joe's Guitar Heaven

Used 4-String Electric Bass Inventory:

  • Aria Sinsonido Fretless Travel Bass w/gig bag $395
  • Conklin Groove Tools GT4, transparent red finish, w/hard case $650
  • 2011 Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay H Model 130, vintage sunburst finish, rosewood fretboard, 3-band EQ, w/orig. hard case $1,475
  • 2017 Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special HH, firemist purple finish, maple fretboard, black hardware, all stock, w/orig. hard case $1,800
  • 2004 G&L ASAT Semi-Hollow bass, 3-tone sunburst finish, maple fretboard, w/orig. hard case $1,200
  • 2006 Hofner 500/1-62L-O Violin bass, old sunburst finish, w/violin bass bag $1,550 (left-handed)
  • 2017 Ibanez SRH500, dragon eye flat finish $550
  • Peavey Void IV bass, black finish, w/gig bag $275
  • Sterling by Music Man StingRay RAY34 Ash M2, natural ash body, roasted maple neck, w/orig. gig bag $595
  • Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Series StingRay RAY4, vintage sunburst satin finish, maple fretboard $275
  • 2000 Warwick Thumb Bass NT 4, neck-through design, made in Germany, w/orig. hard case & gig bag $1,995
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This... Go here and play those basses. All are "around" your budget.
 
#65
SolarisMinor said:
Hello! My first post here and looking forward to a lot of good information!

I am looking for my first bass, at least my first in 40 years. I started on bass at 10 and then switch to drums, which I played for decades. Took a few years off (16) and started banging away again a few months ago.

I think I finally figured out how to approach the bass, so I am in the market for my first bass.

I have up $1500.00, but I have read so many reviews about so many instruments my head is spinning. I have always liked Ibanez. Was never a big Fender fan. Looking at 4 strings basses from Sire, Washburn, Warwick, Spector, Shecter, Yamaha, Ibanez, etc.

I want to play a variety of musical styles, but really leaning toward funk and heavy stuff.

I was, at one point, an experienced musician. These days, at 50, I just want to learn to be proficient on bass and enjoy playing. I like nice stuff, so I should be able to get a decent bass for the kind of money. I about had an aneurism when I saw what top of the line basses cost these days. I thought gas was expensive!

I have kind of narrowed my search to the following, but I am open to other ideas:
1. Sire M7
2. Ibanez SR1600D
3. Ibanez SR2600CBB
4. Shecter SLS Elite
5. Spector NS Pulse
And several older Yamaha, Warwick and Washburns.

What would y'all suggest?
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You better get ready for your head to spin as everyone thinks their answer is the correct one. If 100 people answer, you'll get 100 different suggestions.

You mentioned Sire as your first choice - EXCELLENT decision. (Yes, I think I'm right :) )
 
#66
I'm gonna throw something a bit different out there. Even though you have a pretty nice budget, you may not want to spend it on your first bass before you really know what you want.

I was in a similar situation not long ago, coming back to bass after having migrated to drums and guitar for 40 years. I picked up a used Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II as a "beginner bass", and I ended up loving the dang thing to death. I now have two Jazz basses; a Fender MIM and a Squier 60s Classic Vibe, and I still LOVE playing the Gretsch. It sounds and feels fantastic, especially with a set of GHS balanced nickels.

There might also be other budget models that are of excellent quality, but this is the one I happened to stumble upon. If you want to pick up a not-expensive bass and have a really good time while you're getting back into it, that wouldn't be a bad way to go. That'll still leave you $1,200+ if you want to get a bit more luxurious model down the road. :)
 
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#67
I like a lot of basses but generally when I buy one it's a Yamaha BB. I have old ones and new ones and can't say enough good about them. Best of all, you can get a great one for very little money. I've never played a BB300, but owners rave about them and you can probably find a good used one for around $300. Vintage BBs are excellent and so are the newer models. Watch a few YouTube videos featuring BBs, and take an especially careful look at the BB734 (4-string) or BB735 (5-string). I don't think you'll be disappointed.
 
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#68
This is your first bass. I would not buy anything fringe or on the outskirts of mainstream basses because all those basses have a very particular character of their own which appeals to a smaller limited group of bass players.

Again as it's your first bass you may also not have that much clarity about the type of music you want to play, unless you do! If you already know what kind of music you want to play, great. Then just buy the type of bass the ppl who play that music play.
Otherwise, I would get something with broad appeal and flexibility / versatile sound.
 
#69
SolarisMinor said:
Yes indeed. I have been eye-balling this one since yesterday....

Ibanez SR2600CBB SR Premium 4-String Electric Bass - Cerulean Blue Burst - Used | Reverb
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One question you should ask yourself is, do you want to look and sound like everyone else? I'm a minority voice here, but I think you should jump in with both feet. You already have a good idea of what you want.

You could get a budget bass, and then another different budget bass, to see what it is you like and don't like abut them before getting a more expensive bass. You could get a bass with the consideration of resale value in mind. Or you could get a bass that makes you tingle every time you look at it, because it's beautiful and rare and yours, and it demands you to pick it up and play it every time you walk by. And if it doesn't look or sound like everyone else's bass, who cares? Conformity is overrated. I value uniqueness.

You're just getting back into playing now, so it's going to be a while (if ever) before you start playing out on bass. So for now, playing your bass is all about making you happy. When the time comes for you to play out, bringing that bass you linked will make quite a statement. And when other bass players see it, I'm pretty sure nobody is going to be asking you why you didn't get a P bass. They'll just be drooling.
 
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#70
Mannyinnewyork said:
You can walk into any environment with a PBass and not be second guessed by gear snobs, know-it-alls, engineers and psychopaths.
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That's exactly why I wouldn't get a p bass - why should I worry about what those people think? Who wants to conform? Any engineer I've encountered doesn't care what type of bass it is as long as it sounds good. Playing well and in time is far more important in a studio than the name on the bass....
 
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#72
Feel is one of the top qualities and underrated because you can't see it and specs can only tell so much of the story - how easily do your hands move around? How well-balanced is the bass? Do you want to keep touching and playing with it? Does it inspire creativity or do you feel relegated to one part of the fingerboard? Are you too cramped? Are you stretching too much?

The only way to answer these is try everything you can. And somehow make sure that the basses are not hindered by a poor set up.
 
#73
I got time yesterday to go to Lightning Joe's and check out several basses. I tried as many as I really could.

I tried out two different Sterling Ray34s, a Squire P, a Mexican Fender that I think was a P but not sure. Tried an American P. Conklin GT4. Ibanez SRH500. A G&L that was way too expensive but really nice.

I ended up liking one the of Ray34s and the Conklin the best. The Ray34 was only $295.00 and though it was used, looked minty. The Conklin was a bit more, but it felt heads and shoulders above the rest, so I went for the GT4. If I were buying two, the Ray34 would have been home with me as well.

I am working on lining up a teacher now. It has started!!!!

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#76
Great choice. You’ll be able to resell that for most of what you paid, if not more should you ever decide your tastes have changed, and it’s a solid bass to get going with.

(36 years on bass, never owned or needed a p bass, never owned a fender I didn’t return, never got a complaint about my sound.)
 
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#78
SolarisMinor said:
I got time yesterday to go to Lightning Joe's and check out several basses. I tried as many as I really could.

I tried out two different Sterling Ray34s, a Squire P, a Mexican Fender that I think was a P but not sure. Tried an American P. Conklin GT4. Ibanez SRH500. A G&L that was way too expensive but really nice.

I ended up liking one the of Ray34s and the Conklin the best. The Ray34 was only $295.00 and though it was used, looked minty. The Conklin was a bit more, but it felt heads and shoulders above the rest, so I went for the GT4. If I were buying two, the Ray34 would have been home with me as well.

I am working on lining up a teacher now. It has started!!!!

View attachment 4640178
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Congratulations!!! Good that you tried a P or two. :)
 

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