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New player with a new toy :)

P

puLawman

Sep 18, 2009
6
0
Indiana
#1
Hey,

Well, I decided that I really wanted to start playing bass about a month ago (for various reasons). So, I then went out to do some research. I had found a couple forums (notably this one seems to be the most active/informative) and started reading.

I had pretty much narrowed my search down to a Squire affinity series. But, I was having problems deciding between a P or J bass. I liked the idea of some of their signature guitars (wentz, bello) but can't stand those awful graphics on them. But, I had decided that I wanted to go with a PJ bass for my first time around.

I went ahead and ordered this Link Removed about 5 minutes ago and couldn't be any more excited about my purchase. I know this is a knockoff, but from what I've gathered they make really good sounded guitars, which is what I want for a beginner guitar.

I'm also planning on ordering one of their douglas tweed cases, but I'm in need of other accessories first.

Is there anything that I really need to go along with the guitar (ie strings, getting it properly setup, etc)? Remember, I'm completely new to the world of basses (and primarily new to guitars even though I own two).

I'm also looking for a decent (cheap) practice amp. I don't need anything real loud atm, because the guy living below us is a real pain in the ass, so 90% of my playing will be with headphones. I do like the option of having an AUX jack. Any recommendations?

All in all im a lil scarred to of bought a guitar i've never touched, but I'm so excited that have got a this guitar at a sweet price and from the reviews i've seen I couldn't have gone too wrong for my first bass.

Any recommendations for gear, accessories, how-to, diy, and or general bass lessons/practicing will be greatly appreciated! Oh, and if this isn't the correct sub-forum, mods feel free to move.

Thanks,
Cody


Have I said how excited I am about this guitar yet? :)
spjashna1.jpg
 
#4
Now, as far as SX goes, with the bass you've chosen, you could get a cherry, or a lemon, or something in between. All depends. Kurt, from what I understand, has excellent return policies if something is amiss with it, but the general concensus with SX is, you get what you pay for.

You will probably, if you're new to the bass/guitar world, want to get it professionally set up at a music store once you get it. And you may notice that there are a few indicators of its cheapness:
Fretwork issues, weak/scratchy pots, mediocre wood or poor wood matching, low budget tuners, yadda yadda. Same sort of thing you'd find on any Squier or Maestro or whatever, only more pronounced because there isn't the 'by Fender' or 'by Gibson' to hide behind.

Thing is, I absolutely LOVE my SX. After a setup (I do my own setting up) it played beautifully, and sounds really good. I like the super hot J pickups, and the wood on mine was matched really well, the craftsmanship was nothing short of more than adequate for a budget axe. I also bought one of the Douglas cases, which is also low budget, and you can tell, but it does its job well for what it is.

I think you should be alright. Rarely do I hear any real horror stories about SX.
 
#6
The word of mouth on SX gets alot of customers congrats, i think the best wattage and value in a practice amp could be a behringer or acoustic amp IMO. I started with a crate something it was like 15 watts i used it for 3 years it was okay and i resold it for 50$.
 
#12
Welcome, I used a Hartke B15 as my first amp until I saved for my ampeg. Definitly get a good set of strings and a decent setup it will make it play like a dream. Also +1 for the member who said don't skimp on cables, I use monster cables.
 
#13
Thanks for all the recommendations! I'm really liking the Acoustic b20. Looks like a really good setup for me. Any recommendations on strings? I know everybody is going to have a preference, but what is a good set of strings that can fit any kind of playing?
 
#15
Congrats on a great choice for a 1st bass! Welcome to the low end as well. :)

Strings? Kinda depends on what sound you're aiming for.

Want an old-school, lowdown, "woody" sound? Get flatwound strings, they'll give you a lot more "thump". Flats will also be easier on your newbie fingers.

Want a brighter sound? Go with roundwounds.

Personally, I play rounds all the time. One of my favorite brands gets a lot of love around here, my other favorite, not so much.
I love DR Low Riders for a deeper sound (the brand with the love) and I also use Dean Markeley Blue Steels for a brighter tone (the not-so-loved brand).

Also, I've heard that in a lot of cases, when you go to change the strings, you might need to widen the holes for the E and A strings on the bridge. For some strange reason, they apparently made the holes for those 2 strings very small so that a lot of replacement strings cannot pass through the predrilled holes. Dont go overboard though, if you widen the holes TOO much, the ball end of the string could possibly pass through the new hole and your bridge will need to be replaced.
 
#16
For strings as posted above Flats for the old school sound Rounds for the more modern bright sound and if you want to go in the middle somewhere Pressure wound or half rounds are good choice they grab your fingers less than round wounds and have more top end zing than flats. Kind of the best of both worlds.
 

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