Welcome to Talkbass!
Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and to bass although I do play guitar and drums. Some question for you guys/gals......
Besides just fewer and thicker strings, what are the main differences between bass and guitar? Do you play chords on bass or only notes?
The bass is bigger and more physical in some ways than guitar, though you don't have to hold barre chords. As others said, you mostly play single notes but knowing chord structure is good because it points you toward which notes to play. The role in the music is different, and that's really the main thing. In most popular music, the bass is the bridge between drums and guitar. It connects the rhythm that the percussion establishes to the chords being played by guitar or keys or the singer's melody.
For a 'first' bass guitar, can you suggest something worth playing (i.e. not regretfully cheap) yet relatively inexpensive?
There are lots of options at the $500 price point you mentioned in the other post, especially if you're willing to consider used instruments. You really need to poke around a guitar store and find out what you like. I think some beginners seem to get freaked out over the size of full-scale basses and rush to short-scales because they think they'll be easier, but really it isn't that different and I wouldn't limit my options when I haven't even had an instrument in my hands yet. The upper-range (vintage modified or classic vibe series) Squiers are quite well made these days, Yamaha and Ibanez have good options about that price, and while standard MIM Fenders are a little over ($600), you can usually find a used one for $300-400. It really depends on whether you're more inclined to a classic-style instrument like a Fender P or J or the more "modern" style and options of most Ibanez basses or the Yamaha TRBX series.
Can you suggest a basic bass amp that perhaps can also be used with guitar? (i.e. Fender Bassman)
No. Bass and guitar amps are really tuned differently, so to speak. The first question on picking a bass amp is whether this is just a bedroom amp for learning at home or if you want something that will keep up in a band setting. If just for at home, than I would say may as well save money and keep it minimal - there's no advantage in having a 60 watt amp rather than a 25 watt amp for home practice. If you're playing in a band, make sure it's enough - you want at least 200 watts through a 15" or two 10" speakers to be heard properly. Remember that a lesser instrument through a better amp sounds better than a better instrument through a lesser amp.
I went over to my favorite guitar lesson website, JustinGuitar, but there are no, or very few bass guitar lessons. Can you suggest a good beginner website for lessons?
+1 to the links others have mentioned. I started with
www.studybass.com for a while, then branched off and started figuring out my own things.
Lastly, I'd like to think I could eventually play the bass line to this song ( Am I being unrealistic?).
Of course you can. It's just a matter of how long you'll need. You'll be playing all kinds of amazing things with time. Just be patient and keep practicing.
