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Need to choose Bass as Xmas gift

L

L00katthatbass

Dec 22, 2018
9
5
#1
I'm 100% new to bass, (not music and playing instruments).
I need a 4 strings bass for punk music.

What I'm looking for is an instrument that will be built well enough that the neck will be nice and setup well.
I had a new Squier years ago and the neck was so bad that it put me off playing.

Any reccommendations? I'll be shopping tomorrow and the day after.
 
#4
I would say that you should factor in that any bass will need a set up, you may get lucky and like one out of the box, but don't count on it.

As @hrodbert696 says, the budget is a large factor.

Anything from a 100$ Squier (set up properly) to a multi thousand dollar custom will work, depending on what you like.
 
#7
Your expectation should NOT be that it is setup right out of the store. Save $35 to $60 to get it setup, or do it yourself. Plenty of info online to do a setup.

I’d get a P or PJ style bass. Plenty of options in all price ranges. Squire, ESP LTD, Ibanez, many more. I’d recommend basses with a tone knob vs an active 3 band EQ.
 
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#10
L00katthatbass said:
I'm 100% new to bass, (not music and playing instruments).
I need a 4 strings bass for punk music.

What I'm looking for is an instrument that will be built well enough that the neck will be nice and setup well.
I had a new Squier years ago and the neck was so bad that it put me off playing.

Any reccommendations? I'll be shopping tomorrow and the day after.
Click to expand...
Look at a few Ramones vids on YouTube. Should help you out with the P-Bass recommendations here.
 
#11
What do you mean by punk music? It helps if you name a couple things you like. Punk is as diverse as classic rock. I've played some form of punk music for 30 years or so and never got on with a PBass. I like them, just can't play them.
 
#12
The blue Warlock as my pic was my road dog through my goth punk time. Outside of radical shape its just a p bass the pups where swapped from passive stock to active EMGs after the demo but before the album. So I'm going to go with just about any cost effective p bass will be punk worthy. Anything too expensive will generally be looked at with some contempt. Maybe player series of mim fender p, but a squier will hold its own just as easy.
 
#13
Crusher47 said:
Fender P-Bass .... Done
Click to expand...
This!
Bonus points if it's white wit ha black pickguard.

All sorts available according to budget from Squier up to Custom Shop or vintage.

sid4.jpg
 
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#15
L00katthatbass said:
I'm 100% new to bass, (not music and playing instruments).
I need a 4 strings bass for punk music.

What I'm looking for is an instrument that will be built well enough that the neck will be nice and setup well.
I had a new Squier years ago and the neck was so bad that it put me off playing.

Any reccommendations? I'll be shopping tomorrow and the day after.
Click to expand...

Welcome to TalkBass!

Fender Precision. Aaaaaaaaaaaand scene.
 
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#16
jd56hawk said:
$300 bass?
$500 bass?
$1,000 bass?
More?
By the way, Squiers today are in an entirely different league than whatever Squier you once had.
Click to expand...

^^^^THIS^^^^

@LOOkatthatbass
Go grab a Squier P... toss some Ernie Ball regular Slinkys or DR Black Beauties on ... get a good set up... plug on, turn up, rock it , own it!!
Just make sure you have a tuner, and use it:thumbsup:
 
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#18
Cheap: Music Man Sub4, Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar, Squier Vintage Modified P-Bass. Squier Classic Vibe anything

Mid-price: Fender Player Series P-Bass or Jaguar Bass. Fender Standard Series P-Bass.

Expensive: who cares?
 

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