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Need Help!

B

BassGuitarNoob

May 3, 2008
38
0
North Carolina
#1
Well, Im Emmit and I am new to this forum. I am 15 years old and have decided to buy a bass guitar. However I don't know what to do or how to get started.
I am moving to florida in a few weeks and will start playing then.
When in florida i will find a music store and see what i can see i guess. I have no experience with any instruments whatsoever unless you count my xbox 360 controller while playing guitar hero 3 demo.
I need to know what to buy to get started. I know there are many types of bass guitars for different styles and I think my ultimate goal would be to play some AC/DC bass.
But i need to know like, amps, stands - that sort of thing, what do i need to start playing? what kind of hardware?
I have an extremely limited budget but i will get a job soon to pay for my new hobbie.
Also, there are 4string 6string whatever stringed basses and i really have no clue as to what would be best.
Any comments? thanks in advance, Emmit.

p.s. I hope my stay here at TB will be greatly beneficial to my non-existent playing skills.:)

p.p.s. electric bass?? what is the difference and how many different types are there?
 
#2
Personally I would recommend a 4 banger - get good there before you think about 5 or 6 strings because you might not even want one. Make sure you try Ibanez GSR & SR series 4 bangers - great sound, and quality at a great price. But anyway go to a guitar store, and try some -try a lot of them.
 
#5
I went on rondomusic.com and the SX's look great, awesome prices too.
what is SX? a brand, or a type of guitar..?

Edit: I found on musiciansfriend.com a Ibanez GSR200 4-String Bass for $200
and also some really sweet SX's on rondomusic, like a starter kit that looks great for me for $130, so would it be easier for someone like me to get the starter kit, or pay extra (wait a little longer) and get a GSR200
 
#7
Alright ive decided that the starter kit looks a bit too cheap ;) so i think i'll either get a Dean ML Metalman 4-String Bass Guitar, or a Ibanez GSR200 4-String Bass.

any input on these two will be appreciated, and does anyone know of any cheap small amps with a headphone jack?

also, do i need to buy strings or would the stock ones be fine?
 
#8
BassGuitarNoob said:
Alright ive decided that the starter kit looks a bit too cheap ;) so i think i'll either get a Dean ML Metalman 4-String Bass Guitar, or a Ibanez GSR200 4-String Bass.

any input on these two will be appreciated, and does anyone know of any cheap small amps with a headphone jack?

also, do i need to buy strings or would the stock ones be fine?
Click to expand...

Get the GSR. i use that bass at my "beater" bass.. I don't literally beat it, and i use it at church regularly. Usually play it in places i wouldn't play my MIA Fender, Schecter, etc.

Its a great bass. I would buy extra strings just incase. Guages .105 (e) .80 (A) .65(D) .45 (G)
 
#10
yep moving to tampa bay.
and yeah i'll get some used stuff as well. thanks for the help - iplaybasstexas
I will buy those new strings.

looks like im on the way to getting into bass guitar :)


Guitar: Ibanez GSR200 4-String Bass with Quilt Maple Top
Amp: Peavey MAX 126 Bass Practice Combo
strings: Rotosound RS66LD Long Scale Swing 66 Bass Strings
and of course anything better at a better price on ebay ;)

thanks for your help so far, but theres not much left.
do i need to buy a guitar/strings cleaner?
and any other helpful accessories!
we're down to the little stuff, dont stop helping now:hyper:
 
#11
BassGuitarNoob said:
I have no experience with any instruments whatsoever unless you count my xbox 360 controller while playing guitar hero 3 demo.
Click to expand...

Sorry Emmit, that does not count as actually playing an instrument, no matter how good you are at GH 1,2, or 3.

However, I can offer you this suggestion. There are some really cool starter kits you can pick up at music stores all over or on line for under $200. I know Squier makes one and Ibanez does too. I'm sure there are some other ones out there but those are the ones that stick out to me. They come with a bass, amp, strap, instrument cable, and tuner. Not a bad all-in-1 deal for under $200 is it?

EDIT: Sorry, I just read about you not liking the starter kits because they look too cheap. I'm not sure how limited your budget is but I know that the Squiers are pretty decent basses for the money and can be easily upgraded with new preamps and pickups as you grow into newer areas of being a bassist. Same with MIM Fenders. They're a little better quality than the Squiers, most of the time, and usually can be had for under $400 used.
 
#12
i dont really want a starter kit because, this isnt just something i want to try out, i want to get into it, you know, learn how to play and get good.
But i dont have as much money as i could want. i saved up a long time to even think about buying a bass guitar. so i need something that wont just start me off, i need a reliable bass guitar,(and know how to take care of it) that will keep me going for a while.
I'm hoping that the GSR200 will be sturdy and easy to play, as well as something i wont need to replace as soon as i grow some skills.
At the moment i would like to spend under $300
Thats all i got and i even need to give my dad $100 for a new xbox, but id rather have a bass guitar.
I'm hoping i can take a loan from my parents, and pay them back when i finally get a job.
 
#13
BassGuitarNoob said:
i dont really want a starter kit because, this isnt just something i want to try out, i want to get into it, you know, learn how to play and get good.
But i dont have as much money as i could want. i saved up a long time to even think about buying a bass guitar. so i need something that wont just start me off, i need a reliable bass guitar,(and know how to take care of it) that will keep me going for a while.
I'm hoping that the GSR200 will be sturdy and easy to play, as well as something i wont need to replace as soon as i grow some skills.
At the moment i would like to spend under $300
Thats all i got and i even need to give my dad $100 for a new xbox, but id rather have a bass guitar.
I'm hoping i can take a loan from my parents, and pay them back when i finally get a job.
Click to expand...
That's what starter kits are for... Not everyone can own a MIA Fender or MusicMan as their first bass... *looks away*
 
#16
I bought the SX starter kit and had been practicing it for some time. To be honest, the axe and the amp are awesome. All I need is to get it set up properly and I am sure it will be really fun to play on. But if you are the brand conscious type and intend to play it seriously, you might want to save up and get something you really want. You will get a lot of controversial and contradicting comments from a lot of people due to its lower prices. Over time, you might start to feel inferior and "despise" it when comparing with other people and wish that you had bought a branded model in the first place. So be warned, you will develop GAS very easily if you are brand conscious and get the SX even though it is a good bass. The upside of this is that I get to start learning the bass immediately without having to wait till I can afford a better one. Just my $0.02
 
#17
BassGuitarNoob said:
i dont really want a starter kit because, this isnt just something i want to try out, i want to get into it, you know, learn how to play and get good.
But i dont have as much money as i could want. i saved up a long time to even think about buying a bass guitar. so i need something that wont just start me off, i need a reliable bass guitar,(and know how to take care of it) that will keep me going for a while. I'm hoping that the GSR200 will be sturdy and easy to play, as well as something i wont need to replace as soon as i grow some skills.At the moment i would like to spend under $300
Thats all i got and i even need to give my dad $100 for a new xbox, but id rather have a bass guitar.
I'm hoping i can take a loan from my parents, and pay them back when i finally get a job.
Click to expand...


Its smart to want to get a quality bass to start with. Personally I wouldn't get a starter kit either because there are so many amps, and cabs out there to choose from. Ibanez GSR200 & SR300 basses are of excellent quality, and many experienced players often use them for that very reason plus the price is unbeatable for what you get. If your looking for a bass with a small, thin fast neck with excellent electronics you should go try one at a CG if you. The GSR200FM's have a beautiful finishes. Don't worry about buying extra strings yet, but I can tell you it comes with .045/.065/.085/.105 roundwounds.

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#18
thanks solarmist, i might wait and see how the stock strings feel first before buying new ones. but i will probably end up buying new ones anyway just to see the difference.
it also might be a good idea since ive been seeing a lot of gsr200's on ebay ;)
im going to pick up a copy of bass guitar for dummies as well :smug:

is there anything i should do if i buy from ebay?
any good questions for the owner or anything to look for in photos and stuff?
 
#19
Why not sell the Xbox to help fund a better quality bass? The Squier Affinity series aren't bad, but you have to look them over and play them to find the one. I found one at GC that was built really well for an Affinity. I ended up buying it for my nephew for $99 because it was a discontinued color. He still uses it as his main bass. He upgraded the pickups, bridge and tuning machines and it plays and sounds great.
 

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