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Need help choosing a first bass

J

jake1502

Feb 6, 2009
1
0
#1
I'm looking to buy a first bass. So far it's come down to an Ibanez SR505, but I'm not convinced. Seems the preamp isn't strong enough. Also, from the popularity they get here, the Fenders seem to be a strong option. What would you pick? Looking to spend around $600 (US).

(I'd prefer a 5 string, but wouldn't mind getting a better 4 string for the price)
 
#2
This topic has come up a bunch. You are in the right place for advice, but if you search around you will get literally every opinion imaginable. You have a budget that opens up an absolutely huge volume of different basses. I'll give you my standard advice, forwhat its worth. Play a lot, and don't automatically go for the best brand/options/appearance that you can afford. Try as much stuff in your price range as possible, starting real cheap. Also look used. It could very well be that you only need to spend half that or even less for a good bass. This is good for two reasons. 1, you have more for accessories and upgrades and 2, if you don't like it, you will have more money to go shopping again. I say try a lot, but don't get hung up and wait to long to buy. You are not going to really get a feel for an instrument in 20 minutes at a guitar shop and they are not going to let you adjust and tweak their stuff to your specs. You will eventuall just have to take a risk and play it for a good while before you make a call. Concentrate on quality, neck feel and sound when trying them out, don't worry as much about setup. In the end, just buy something. the bass you own is better than any bass you don't. Good luck and happy hunting,
 
#4
martyman5000 said:
The only suggestion I would make is to buy a 4 string unless you are a guitarist and can adapt to 5 right away...
Click to expand...

+1.

IMHO, first bass should definetly be a 4. Work from there. Funny how a new bassists usually plays a four, then as they get better they start adding strings, and then as they keep progressing, start going back towards fours. Kind of cyclical and zen isn't it?
 
#6
Ibanez makes a good product and I jumped on the band wagon in '76 (man was that a long time ago) So if you like Ibanez they are a good choice. Having said that I still think even today nothing says serious bass player in the house at the audition like taking a Fender out of the case. I played oddball stuff back in the day ( still do) EB3's, Thunderbirds etc etc. I know I lost many a gig to a guy with the Fender. These days if I am auditioning I take the Fender and bring out my personal favorites after I land the gig. Right now at Guitar Center they are blowing out the '08 Fenders. At my local one they have a American Standard Jazz Bass new with case for $644.0, maybe you can find a deal like that, Hope that helps sorry for the old guy rant. Me with my '08 AS Jazz
img_0718-1.jpg
 
#7
Starting off, you'll definitely want to learn on a 4 string and work your way up just to save yourself the technicalities.

As for basses, Ibanez make some quality guitars but you really need to step into a music shop and try out everything they have in your budget range. Plug a few basses in and test them out. Pluck a few strings and whatnot and try to find one that both feels good and sounds to your liking. You'd be surprised how many bass guitars out there have their own unique tone.
I will say one thing, though. Avoid those starter packs at all costs unless you want to learn bass "for kicks". If you're serious about learning bass, invest in a decent entry level instrument and amp. Don't expect it to come cheap but you'll thank yourself in the long run when. The problem with the starter packs is that you'll most likely rid yourself of it in a few months and the resale value of those packs is generally very low. I personally don't think they're worth it.

My first bass is a Washburn XB120. Great all-round instrument that suits just about any style. You may find it a little difficult finding the exact model (discontinued) but if you find one I recommend taking a second look at it. Washburn make some quality guitars and basses at affordable prices and I'm proud to be a happy customer of theirs.

As for amplification, you will definitely want to buy something with at least a 10" speaker. Anything less than that won't do your bass enough justice. So probably around 35watts should give you great sound and a great long-term amp for practicing in your room.
 
#8
Get you a MIM Fender bass, try out the Jazz and the P and see which one is the prefereed feel and tone you like. These are the overall Mac Daddy's of all basses and you can play just about any style of music, The Ibanez SR series are pretty weak and you'll get frustrated with the tone.

You can find some good deals off of craigslist... also, go to www.rondomusic.com (oh no, i hope i didn't start nothing)

I got a 4 string jazz, 4 string P bass, and a 5 string jazz bass from there, they are basically, fender copies, and honestly, i can't really tell the difference, the main differnce is that you can buy 4 of these basses for under $500... It's a good route for your first bass, because you're not investing a lot of money but you'll get the same quality as a fender that you mentioned. Do a search on SX or Essex.. In fact you can get a 4 string and a 5 string. as well.
 
#9
Many online retailers are selling the Yamaha RBX4 A2 for 250 and they retail for 550 usually, the MSRP on it is 860 I think. It's a good deal, I got one but my truss rod is stuck. Alot of people got good ones and are happy with them, it might be a good choice. It was beautiful but mine was broken:hmm::crying:
 
#10
Get the one that, when you look at it, you can hear it whisper softly in your head,

"Come on, play me!"

Just because some people will tell you that you need this or that in an instrument, never discount good, old fashioned attraction.

Go for the one that you can't walk by without touching it. You can sit and stare at and never get tired of it.
 
#11
I agree with everything that's been said up to this point, but I was wondering what your experience level is on bass right now. Have you been playing for a little while on somebody else's bass, or are you a brand new student to the instrument? The reason that I ask is that if you don't have any or much experience with basses, I would strongly encourage you to take a friend/colleague/drinking buddy that does play bass and get his/her input on basses in music stores and used instruments you see online. Maybe one friend will have lots of experience with Fender and Squier basses, or have owned every Ibanez bass model ever made.

Last week I was making the music store rounds with a friend that is stepping from guitar to bass, and helping him narrow down his preferences for his first amp. I ran into a kid with his mom and two sisters, and he was dead set on a bottom-of-the-line blue Ibanez. I ended up explaining to him why that bass costs so little but sounded so good (he was playing through a 500 watt hybrid MarkBass rig, not his 10 watt solid state Crate practice amp). I'm not sure what he ended up getting, but at least he understood the differences in wood and neck profiles between Ibanez, Peavey and Squier (the only things in his price range).

I don't mean to discount any personal attraction to one instrument's color, shape, size or sound. However, when I was starting out I wanted and explorer shaped Washburn bass, but listened to my Dad and bass teacher and wound up with a 1975 Fender Jazz Bass Reissue, for which I am eternally grateful.

I always recommend Fender, and looking at used gear is a good way to get better quality instruments, but do all the research that you can before plopping down your hard-earned cash. There's always a good deal around if you'll look for it and be patient. (sorry for the ramble...)
 
#14
Those are two very different basses - go to a GC, and try them out ... see for yourself. ;)

"What would I get" - Ibanez SR without a second thought! It has a smaller-thinner neck, it weighs less, it sounds better IMO. :cool:

A lot of people buy Fenders simply to say they own a Fender [namesake] being they were the pioneers of electric guitars/basses - I have nothing against them. :hiding:
 
#17
I personally believe that you should cut the amount you're looking to spend in half! It's your first bass, and you need something that simply serves it's purpose; but still maintain a certain level of comfort and good tone. I (only playing for a year) may not seem like the most trustworthy source, but believe there is truth in my thoughts and opinions. I started out with a Ibanez GSR-100 and a Rogue 20 watt combo. They weren't the greatest, but they served their purpose (not to mention the GSR-100 was extremely light and comfortable to play)!

I would suggest finding an Ibanez dealer (you can do so by going to www.ibanez.com and click on "dealer locator"), ask what entry-level stuff they have, and play until something just feels "right". Or, as many have suggested, go to your local music store and try out some used basses. You may find a "diamond in the rough"! Ask questions, and make an informed decision. Personally, I suggest looking into a "jumpstart" pack, ex. http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend...ore-Ser-Hollowbody-without-Tremolo?sku=519527. It provides everything you need to get the fundamentals under your fingertips, and is half of what you're looking to spend just on a bass! Remember: there's no substitute for a good teacher. You could use that additional $300 + to employee one and put towards lessons! I'm done now, I swear.
 
#19
bloodfist, you're going to get booked for that.

If you've got 600 US and no amp, i'd suggest getting used gear.
If you can find a Made in USA Peavey 100 watt 15" workhorse, get it. This things will make it through beer spills, drive by's, tornados, nukes, etc.

that should leave you with AT Least 500 bucks to get a bass. And if you buy used, you'll get a lot more bass. For example, you can get that Sr505 ( not sure how much it is in the us) and have 0 cash left over. If you decide to sell it at a later point, you'll lose around 200 bones of the original price.

options B: You can find that Sr505 used, for a lot cheaper, and get a little better amp. If you keep the Sr505 in good condition, chances are, you'll be able to sell it for the same price. (it might take some time though)

Option C: You can buy a Used carvin. These things are made in america and are sweet. Neck through (most of them), active pickups, and good wood. Again, if you keep these in good condition you can sell it for what you bought it for.

Option D: Keep checking the TB classifieds, craigslist, kijiji, ebay. You should be able to find a great first bass for 500 --600 US.

When i got my second bass brand new, i kind of regretted it. Sure it was fresh. But i thought about it, and for the money i spent, i could have gotten a nicer bass. But oh well, it still works and sounds great.

Some more advice. If you think, screw the amp, ill get one later, think again. A crap bass through a good - decent amp will sound better than an amazing bass through some "mikrovox tube 10 series".


And if you do decide to buy brand new, if they're offering you a generic case, screw it. Those cases are cheap, and are always almost 80% profit for them. They make it out back with cheap plastic and latches from home depot. Actually, i'd recommend getting a nice gig-bag. A nicely padded one. They last long, are light, and will do a good job protecting your bass as long as you're not careless.
 

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