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Need help - getting my first bass

G

Greed_works

Jun 14, 2008
5
0
#1
Gentlemen,

I want to start playing bass and need to get a bass to do just that. Since I don't really have any experience with buying basses, I figured I'd just ask on these boards for advice.

Ok, so obviously I want to get an entry-level bass, which means that I don't want to spend a fortune. Moreover, I want a bass that sounds like something by itself, since that would make it easier to practice. Finally, and I don't have a clue how relevant that is for a beginner, my style would probably be something like Rock or Jazz - or both if that's possible.
A note on the pricing: I don't want to post a pricetag, since I don't have any clues, like I said, and I am generally open to suggestions.

As for the amp, I live in a student-house and won't be able to really crank it up anyways, so I was thinking that maybe Headphones would be a good idea, but that begs the question of how I can play music and my bass over the same headphones, since I wanna start playing along to songs.

I am well aware that I will have to go out and try some basses anyways, but I just hope that with the pointers you guys give my, I will know which basses to pick up and with which I shouldn't even bother.

Thank you!
 
#2
Hi and welcome to TB, Greed Works :)!

You're probably going to get a lot of very different opinions here, so brace yourself ;).

My advice would be to get something fairly "standard" to begin with. It's been the experience of many people here that the kind of bass/es that they played in their formative years, often become the kind of basses that they're ultimately "at home" with. Getting a weird shape, odd scale length, extreme neck profile, or more than four strings on a "beginner" instrument, may make the transition to a more "professional" instrument more difficult, at a later date (many people will disagree with this opinion, BTW).

It's pretty widely (and sometimes, reluctantly :p) recognised in the bass world that Fender basses are the "standard by which all other basses are measured". That's not to say that they make the ultimate bass guitars, but rather that their "Precision Bass" and "Jazz Bass" models are, by a very long way, the most commonly used (and copied ;)) bass guitars of all time.

So, if I was a beginner today, I'd go for a brand new (secondhand gear is a risk, if you don't know what to look for, but a probably a better option if you have a knowledgable friend to help you with the purchase) Fender Precision Bass or Fender Jazz Bass copy.

They're both great designs, which are versatile, simple to use and will sound plenty loud enough when not plugged into an amp to allow you to hear which notes you're playing. The only difference between the two, which you should consider as a beginner (IMHO), is that the Jazz Bass has a "slimmer" neck and the Precision Bass has a "wider" neck. Unless you have particularly small hands, I'd recommend the Precision Bass over the Jazz Bass for two reasons;

1. The width of the Precision Bass is probably closer to the width used by the majority of the basses on the market,than the Jazz Bass.

2. You may find the extra spacing between the different strings quite useful when you're learning to play "cleanly" on one string at a time (without accidentally hitting the other strings and getting unwanted noise :hmm:).

As for which particular Precision Bass model/copy to go for, that really depends on your budget. I think that a Made in Mexico (known here as "MIM") Fender Standard Precision Bass would be a fantstic introduction to the world of bass guitars and they cost about $450 (I believe). Still, there are many, many cheaper Fender-style alternatives (from brands such as Squier, or SX).

Here's a couple of links, to show what the Mexican Fender and the Squier look like:

Link Removed

Link Removed

If, on the other hand, you don't care for the look of a "traditional" Precision Bass (also known as P Basses), you have an enormous range of more modern looking, well-built instruments from Asian-manufactured brands such as Ibanez, Dean, ESP, Washburn and many more to choose from.

As for the amp, I'd say, wait until you've chosen a bass and then take it to a shop and try it through some budget amp. It's even more important to use your ears with an amp, than with a bass, IMHO.

To be honest, "beginners" have never had it so good, as far as choice and value for money is concerned :smug:.

Good luck!
 
#4
The best advice I can give in choosing a bass if you think you might upgrade later - is choose a cheap version which approximates the feel of your dream bass. I got a Squier P-bass (which was freaking sweet) because I intended to upgrade to a Fender P later on.
Experiment with different neck thicknesses until you find one that you would be comfortable with. At the end of the day you're the one who has to play the thing so it should feel right.
 
#5
yeah +1 to fender 32,
buy new and go for an established beginner bass like a squire or MIM fender P or J, or a cheaper Ibanez. Don't go for something different and original until you know what you want, because the features that make it special may not be for you and you'll pay extra for them. IMO your always safe with a MIM P or J (I play warwick basses and don't own either of them, but would recommend them to a beginner due to what they can do for the price.) however fender QC has a bit of a bad rep. But yeah +1
 
#6
I recommend a bass from the Squier Vintage Modified Line. A lot of people on these boards rave about them and pick them over pricier basses in their arsenal. They're also fantastic to upgrade should you see fit later down the road.

For an amp I'd suggest something with a CD or iPod line out? That way you can play along to your favorite songs. I recommend getting a Roland Cube 30
 
#7
+1 Fender32... well said.

namraj said:
Don't go for something different and original until you know what you want.
Click to expand...
Yep, and even after you've got your idea of what you want, your tastes in music/basses will almost certainly change after a few years.:smug:

Amp? Unless you are going to be playing with others, you don't really need much in terms of an amp. Save some $.
Get one with 2 inputs and an output to headphones.

Roland, as GeneralElectric suggested, makes great little amps for these type of things. If you can find one from the '70s or '80s for a decent price, get it. In my experience, the Cube-60 works great as a monitor live, is pretty darn portable & is built like a f'n tank.
 
#8
GeneralElectric said:
I recommend a bass from the Squier Vintage Modified Line. A lot of people on these boards rave about them and pick them over pricier basses in their arsenal. They're also fantastic to upgrade should you see fit later down the road.

For an amp I'd suggest something with a CD or iPod line out? That way you can play along to your favorite songs. I recommend getting a Roland Cube 30
Click to expand...

+1 on the Squier VM line. Great starter basses and with a little tweaking good enough to play bar gigs n such.
 
#9
There are many choices of basses available out there, but for a beginner, it'll be best if you stick with a Fender, Squier (by Fender), or Ibanez. For Fenders, they have Precision Basses and Jazz Basses. Squier by Fender is cheaper than Fender, and you'll get mixed reviews about Squier. Some people say it's good, others don't, personally I just tried it today and I like it. Go for the Squier Vintage Modified basses, they are really good, and nice looking too. As for Ibanez basses, they have quality stuff and you don't have to spend a whole lot of money. I recommend the BTB or SR series. I tested out basses from both those series just today.

Don't go to any extreme body shape, pick something that's comfortable for you. The neck should be comfortable in your hand too. Precision bass necks generally have a somewhat "beefier" neck than Jazz Basses, but none of that will trouble hand size. So don't worry about hand sizes.

If you're wondering about the number of frets, it doesn't matter. 20-24 frets are considered "standard".

For amps, it sounds like you'll be fine with a simple small practice amp. You could check out the After Eight Ashdown practice amp on http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=441545 or if you want something better, keep on exploring instrument sites such as Musician's Friend, www.guitarcenter.com, www.instrumentpro.com, and http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=441545. They usually stock the same products, some have other brands that others don't, but it doesn't matter, just look around.

You would do fine with a 45W amp, if you don't plan on going big, as in joining any bands. If you do however, check out Gallien-Krueger amps, Ashdown amps, and other brands. The Fender Bassman and the Fender Rumble are great choices too. They could be used for small-medium sized gigs. Marshall, Ampeg, and Markbass are excellent choices for bigger performances.

If you need further help, you can always check out the thread that I made, which does has a lot of good info in it. Invalid Link Removed
 
#13
For beginner practice amps, although not likely suitable for band settings, try the Acoustic B20 or Peavey MAX 126. They both have headphone out jacks and "CD/Tape" or "Line-in" jacks which will allow you to plug in your ipod or cd player to practice along to songs through the headphones.
 
#15
I agree, the Squier VM and Fender Mexi ar both great choices. I'd also recommend the lower end Ibanez, Peavey, and Yamaha basses as well; all 3 make very good beginner instruments. An Link Removed would be good as well, if you don't want to spend much or plan on upgrading later.

As far as your amp, the Link Removed and Link Removed that crijan mentioned both generally get good reviews. I would also look at the Invalid Link Removed, the Invalid Link Removed, the Invalid Link Removed, and the Link Removed.

I like the Hartke and the bigger Peavey best... The Hartke would do the most for you, but it also has the highest price tag.
 
#16
Alright, thanks a bunch for all the tips. I have to admit, I do feel a little overwhelmed right now, but now I also pretty much feel that I know which basses would be a good choice and what I have to expect, pricewise.
I think I will go to my trusted music store sometime next week, and just pick up a couple of basses and play around.
And as far as an amp is concerned, I talked to a friend of mine who plays guitar, and he uses something called a toneport... anyone know anything about that? Experiences?
 
#18
I wouldn't buy a piece of junk just because it's your first bass. You could probably get a good deal on a mexican fender. I was able to get a standard precisison bass for 240.00 and I still mess around with it from time to time. I also think that you should def buy an amp. Playing through headphones would get extremely old quick. You could get a used small amp for cheap.
 

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