New Electric Bass Player, need an amp

When the prices seem too good to be true... They probably are...

 

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but Rogue is the absolute bottom of the barrel. A lot of people here are partial to SX (Essex) basses, which apparently have much higher quality at comparable prices. You should look into them. Squier also is a low-cost alternative, and you can get a fairly decent bass for just a little more money.

Are you buying a headphone amp, then? That's a good way to start out, but you will be the only one who can hear you. Check back here when you decide to pick up an amplifier.

 

Bass Players don't let players buy junk...PMing

 

New Essex thread.

I'd get a standard size (34-inch scale) bass as opposed to the Bronco. It has a short scale, and would require you to re-learn the fretboard when you move up to a full-size bass.

If you could hold a bake sale or, if you have a younger sibling you could sell off, this would be a better bass. You could hang on to it for a while. Buy once, cry once.

Again, on the amp, I want to make sure you understand that it will only power headphones, and is not otherwise an "amp," per se.

 

Welcome to the world of bass!!

I second the comments on Rogue, though in all fairness they still aren't the worst....

I would suggest SX or any Squier. I just played the venerable MB 4 at the local Music Shop and was blown away by the looks (Black Cherry Burst w/ figured top) and the feel and the sound...forget the price! Under 200 dollars!

Also the entire VM series is worthwhile as is the new Classic Vibe series.

Get a good bass to start you out right. If you go the SX route, look hard at the LTD, if you go Squier look hard at the Vintage Modified, the Classic Vibe or the MB 4 series. While there is nothing wrong with any of the Squier lines, these 3 offer the best bang for the buck, and only cost a few dollars more tha the Standard or Affinity lines.

As for an amp, get one that is at least 35-40 watts. If you do not, you will be upgrading faster than you will through a headphone amp. In a short time you will want more than a 35 watt amp will provide anyway. (ask me about that as I look at my trusty little 35 watter...)

You can do all this for under 500 easily and shoud you decide to sell or if bass is not for you, you can recoup at least some of your investment with better quality gear. But then only violently unstable or massively in-bread people ever leave playing bass anyway...........

 

I think these are pretty good. It's only 40 dollars more.

I also don't agree about the at least 35 watts comment. 35 watts won't get you far when playing with a drummer and when you are playing on your own, it's actually too loud. So I say these 15 watts will be enough and they sound good too! IHMO

EDIT: what bass have you decided on?

 

I can see that, good point. And you are right, there are a lot of surprisingly good amplifiers out there in the 15 watt range, and they are really getting affordable too. I loved the sound I got out of an Ashdown, and a Fender, and the Peavey I bought. Heck, I almost bought a Crate Amp, I liked it so much!

But my thought was along the lines of a in home practice amp. 35 watts won't cut it against a drummer, but for in home, after a short while, 10 - 15 watts gets pretty damned dull, if you know what I mean.

Sometimes a guy (or Gal ) wants a little more power without running the risk of killing the amp. My 5 string will probably blow the speaker if I was to play my 35 watter more than half way up, especially the way I set my basses, volume wide open.

Now budgets are another issue, heck I don't have money growing out of my, um, pockets either. But I would and did save up a few dollars extra to get to the 35 -50 watt level. I now wish I went up to 100 watts....and will be upgrading sooner than later.

Again, all just my humble opinion....

 

That's better, but the bass has only one pickup, and it looks pretty far forward, so the tone will be muffy. Maybe try to find a Fender Squier J-Bass pack similar to that.

 

Maybe this. It's a little more money, but a lot more versatile. The Ibanex still has only one pickup.

 

Oh common, for god sakes its a p-pickup! Its completely fine. The difference in tone...especially with a practice amp is going to be barely noticeable...even more so to an untrained ear. And it isnt even a "worse" tone, its just different. A lot prefer the p tone anyway. The original poster clearly doesn't want a fender looking bass since he hasn't been posting any links for inquiry.

To the original poster, don't get stressed out with all the choices. There's alot out there, but you're just starting off and there are good choices in any price range. So dont feel like you NEED something more expensive. Before settling on a bass I would try to consider the following:

1. my bank account (obviously)
2. my reasons for starting
3. How long i see myself sticking to this (if i have a tendency to pick up a lot of activities and then quit, how dedicated you will be, etc.)
4. Go to a guitar store to try out some models.

I's basically looking at this as a cost-benefit analysis for buying a bass.

The Ibanez you suggested i'm sure is fine for a first bass. But again if its possible i would suggest going to a big store and trying a few models before buying one sight unseen. Make sure you dont let the clerk push you into a purchase (usually they're nice guys, but every once in a while you get a guy who will say anything to sell you something).

Oh and regarding the amp. if you continue and become serious about bass you'll need to upgrade anyway so getting a 35 vs a 15 watt amp wont make a real difference.

good luck, and let us know when you decide on one.

 

you'll need more watts (more money) for a band.

 

the trouble with buying all in one packages is that every component is a compromise and in the end you will have
to replace it all and sell what you have at lawn sale prices......better to buy the best instrument you can afford for now
and save for an amp....you can usually find used practice amps for very little if you are not in a mad rush to buy.......imho