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new guy seeking advice on bass purchase!

#21
Hey now!... I like the Jazz (more so now that he's using a backline again), plus I play a Jazz....have to disagree on the Wal-era days...although the Red Wal sounded better than the black one. But I sure do miss the 79-83 Ric-era withe the BGW/Ashley setup with the Ampeg/Thiele-EV cabs.
 
#22
If you're looking for a bass that's appropriate for punk or early rock n' roll, a P-bass would be a definite! I mean, you COULD get by with a jazz, especially if you toy-around with the controls, you can get a sound very close to a Precision. Brand-wise, Squier is the way to go if you're just looking for a beginner's upgrade. I also agree that the Matt Freeman would be the way to go, if you like maple fretboards. If you're worried about the headstock color and you have a little bit of craftsmanship, take off the strings, tuning machines, nut, and string retainer, sand off the lacquer and decal on the headstock, paint it the color of your choice, clear-coat it with a hardware store spray paint or maybe some gloss epoxy, and order a new decal!
But be sure to go to a shop and try before you buy. There are lemons and differences between any trim-level P or J, regardless to whether it is an Affinity or an American Deluxe.
 
#24
joesguitar1129 said:
Some of the best budget basses out there are the Squier vintage modifieds. Those sound and play great for the money. They are just starting to make ones with matching headstocks.
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Interesting, thanks!
Is GC carrying these now or what?
If not, when can people expect these on the market?



smcd said:
Used Fender MIJ Aerodyne models often can be found black on black. And they're relatively cheap.


fender-aerodyne-jazz-bass-guitar_4825862.jpg
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I looked online and the cheapest I found one was 500 bucks, just a bit more than I can afford right now. But I like the way it looks a lot! And with it having the two different pickups it'd be a, it seems to me anyway, versatile bass.
 
#25
also - whats the difference between the different lines of Squier, like the Affinity or Bronco etc. Are some higher end than others?

And someone posted the Rancid bass (matt.....something) earlier, is it the same as the other P basses? Whats the difference in that and the normal line of P basses. And then whats the difference between that and other sig models like the Pete Wentz etc
 
#26
garrettowens said:
also - whats the difference between the different lines of Squier, like the Affinity or Bronco etc. Are some higher end than others?

And someone posted the Rancid bass (matt.....something) earlier, is it the same as the other P basses? Whats the difference in that and the normal line of P basses. And then whats the difference between that and other sig models like the Pete Wentz etc
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Squier has several different series - Affinity, Artist, Deluxe, Vintage Modified (VM) and Classic Vibe (CV). Not all basses have models in each series, and some of the nomenclature is confusing.

The Affinity is on Squier's low end - these are the basses that come in the starter packs, although they are also sold separately. The Bronco is an Affinity. Next come the Deluxe and Artist series, followed by the higher-end VMs and the CVs. Most of the Artist models are comparable to the mid-range Standard series, which was discontinued last year. The Pete Wentz you mentioned, as well as the Mike Dirnt, Frank Bello and Matt Freeman all are part of the Artist series, but the Matt Freeman sig is actually a CV. The Deluxe line is made up of 2 Jazz basses - a 4 and 5 string active.

An easy way to tell the difference between all of the Squier models used to be price. The Affinity was generally the cheapest, followed by the Deluxe and Artist series. The VMs were next up the ladder, followed by the CVs. However, with the introduction of the Jaguar Specials (Special, Special HB and SS) into the VM line, the price factor is skewed. The short scale VM Jag is actually cheaper than the Affinity P and J.

The VMs and CVs are considered to be the higher-end Squiers. Generally speaking, the VMs are made in Indonesia, have standard bridges and satin finished necks. The CVs are made in China, have high mass bridges and glossy neck finishes. There are other differences as well, but that's an easy way to tell the difference between the two lines.

You can go to the Invalid Link Removed website and browse through all the Squier basses. If you choose a particular model, you can click on the "Specs" tab to read all the pertinent information on that bass, including the series it belongs to, the body wood, electronics, scale, neck shape, etc..
 
#27
very helpful, but slightly confusing, post
THANKS!
No, you didnt confuse me in what you said, just the amounts of information you just delivered.

Ok, so I should probably stay away from Affinity and Bronco then, gotcha.

I dont have to have the best ever made (if that was the case I'd plop the money down on a Fender etc), but I dont want garbage either. I'd rather pay a few bucks more now and have a better product.
 
#28
garrettowens said:
very helpful, but slightly confusing, post
THANKS!
No, you didnt confuse me in what you said, just the amounts of information you just delivered.

Ok, so I should probably stay away from Affinity and Bronco then, gotcha.

I dont have to have the best ever made (if that was the case I'd plop the money down on a Fender etc), but I dont want garbage either. I'd rather pay a few bucks more now and have a better product.
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Actually, I've had a number of Affinity basses. I wouldn't suggest staying away from them just because they're on the low end of the Squier scale. They can be quite good for the price. I've used them for a bunch of mod projects, but I have a dead stock Affinity P that is my main player right now. I picked it up on craigslist for $90 -I was going to mess with it, but it was solid enough that I just let it be. The neck is straight, the tuners hold tune, it plays well...in short, it works.

That being said, the VMs are definitely a step up. I've played the VM Jag Specials, and even though I'm not a fan of active basses, I liked them a lot. For $199, they're hard to beat.
 
#29
garrettowens said:
very helpful, but slightly confusing, post
THANKS!
No, you didnt confuse me in what you said, just the amounts of information you just delivered.

Ok, so I should probably stay away from Affinity and Bronco then, gotcha.

I dont have to have the best ever made (if that was the case I'd plop the money down on a Fender etc), but I dont want garbage either. I'd rather pay a few bucks more now and have a better product.
Click to expand...

I have a VM Jazz

It is great. Play it first if you can. I gig with it.
 
#30
I like the black headstock too... I recently picked up an old fender J bass, with a warped neck. I really only wanted the dimarzio pickups, and the bass was $20 at a flea mart...

Plans changed, and instead of parting it out, I rebuilt it. New warmoth neck (given to me, by a friend) EMG pickups, new pots and wiring, and now it is flat black (including headstock) with chrome pickguard and accessories. It has the right look for metal
 
#31
Alot of the choice is personal preference, but since you are relatively new to bass that may be hard to discern. I play an old Fender P-Bass, have tried Jazz but didn't like the neck or electronics. So you can see my bias!

My local music store (NOT GC!) has all of the Squier P-Basses in stock and I've tried a few of them and thought that they were really very good and a great deal for the money. While I'll never give up my P-Bass, I could easily live with one of the Squier P's.

You may want to look on the TB classifieds, seems like there are always a few good deals on TB-owned Squier P-basses that some have modified - chances are if you buy one from a TBer with experience, you'll get a nice bass for a great price.

I know this may be hard to take, but don't worry about the color as the first deciding factor. At the end of the day its all about how it sounds and how well its set up. While I've not seen one, many on TB talk about a few Squier lemons.

Good luck with your search and check back if you need more info.
 
#32
bherman said:
Alot of the choice is personal preference, but since you are relatively new to bass that may be hard to discern. I play an old Fender P-Bass, have tried Jazz but didn't like the neck or electronics. So you can see my bias!

My local music store (NOT GC!) has all of the Squier P-Basses in stock and I've tried a few of them and thought that they were really very good and a great deal for the money. While I'll never give up my P-Bass, I could easily live with one of the Squier P's.

You may want to look on the TB classifieds, seems like there are always a few good deals on TB-owned Squier P-basses that some have modified - chances are if you buy one from a TBer with experience, you'll get a nice bass for a great price.

I know this may be hard to take, but don't worry about the color as the first deciding factor. At the end of the day its all about how it sounds and how well its set up. While I've not seen one, many on TB talk about a few Squier lemons.

Good luck with your search and check back if you need more info.
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Sent you a pm with more information...
 
#34
Whatever bass you buy...

Ask around for who does the best setup work in town. Budget about $50 have a pro put a brand new set of strings on and set it up for you. A lot of folks think these Squiers are pretty good basses when set up properly.

Of course, now your gonna have to start a thread to find out what kind of strings you want :)
 
#35
garrettowens said:
what are yalls thoughts on the Squire basses that have both the split and one single pickup? Would that still yield the sound I'd be interested in as well as having slightly more diversity?
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If you can only have one bass, a P/J configuration is the best of both worlds.


If you're not dead set on a Fender/Squier product, look for the Peavey Scorpio DE bass. This bass is far superior to any Squier I've ever picked up, and can frequently be found for sale under $200.

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#36
garrettowens, just have to say you've listed most of my favourite bands as the sound your after. Just fyi as to what they all use:

-Bryan from Bouncing Souls-two 1966 Jazz basses
-Dan from Alkaline 62 reissue P-bass (used a Jazz before Crimson)
-Jason from Hot Water-Fender Aerodyne
-Mike from NOFX- a bunch of Danelectro's for awhile, but he only uses them because of his bad back, has used p-basses before them.
-Pat from D4-seen him use both Gibson Rippers and P-basses.

My advice would be to try as many Fenders/Squiers you can, and pick the one that sounds and plays the best to you that you can afford. You can't go wrong with either a J or a P, both have good workable tones. There are great basses throughout the Fender range (MIA, MIM, and Squier), I've got one of each and they all play/sound great.
 
#37
See, one of my biggest issues is the 'playing them and seeing what sounds right' kind of stuff
Because I've not played in years, and even then I did not play a lot, I do not know what will be right for me.
Thats one reason I was looking around at what some of the bands whos sounds I prefer to play use.
HWM is my favorite band, with A3 and BS followed close behind (as well as Get Up Kids and Saves the Day rounding out the top 5).

Its just all a bit confusing.

I did hear back from Fender today, I'd emailed them asking a few questions I'd asked here.
One bass Steven with Fender recommended was the Frank Bello, and it looks freaking awesome...minus the big skull on the front. But I like how it had the matching black headstock.
but thats no longer a priority stuff, I understand that its rare.

Anyway, I'm still looking around, hoping to find something good very soon
 
#38
I love Get Up Kids and Saves the Day as well. I guess if you make me pick, I'd say P over J, only because it's a bit more of a standard sound, and is easier to get it to sit in the mix better. Its just my opinion though I'm sure you'll get others that would say otherwise. For the record I love both and play each. Let us know what you go with in the end.
 
#40
garrettowens said:
See, one of my biggest issues is the 'playing them and seeing what sounds right' kind of stuff
Because I've not played in years, and even then I did not play a lot, I do not know what will be right for me.
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The reason you hear the "try them out and see" line so often is because so many of the things that make a bass "right" for someone are totally subjective. Comfort, playability, sound, tone...they all vary from individual to individual, and what works best for one player may not be even close to working for another.

You might not be able to play much in the strictest sense, but you can certainly hold a bass and make a basic determination about comfort. Is it too big? Too small? Does it dig into your leg when you sit? If you put a strap on it and stand up, does it balance? Does it take a neck dive?

You can try to fret some notes - even if you don't know which ones - and get a feel for the fretboard. Can you fret comfortably? Is the neck too wide? Too narrow? Does the neck feel slippery? Sticky? Is it thin, or like a baseball bat? What feels good in your hands?

With some of these basics down, you can better choose a bass that will work well for you, and get down to the real meat & potatoes...practice.

garrettowens said:
Thats one reason I was looking around at what some of the bands whos sounds I prefer to play use.
HWM is my favorite band, with A3 and BS followed close behind (as well as Get Up Kids and Saves the Day rounding out the top 5).

Its just all a bit confusing.
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to flame you, and I mean what follows as practical advice, but if you can't play that much, or that well, why are you so worried about tone? Most folks will tell you that the tone comes from your fingers, and I'd agree with that 110%. I'd also say that the best way to get the tone you want is to practice, and work on your technique, and not worry about what bass your favorite bass player plays. If you really want a particular sound, you can work on that down the road. Having Bryan Kienlen's bass isn't going to give you Bryan Kienlen's sound, especially if you can't play a lick.

Honestly - and again, this is just my opinion - I think you might be better served by getting an inexpensive P or a J, spending a few bucks on a decent setup and then learning to play for a few months. After you've got the basics down, and decided that you'll stick with it, you might have a better idea of what you really like or dislike in a bass, and more insight about your preferred tone.
 

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