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Opinions please

BassDoc51

BassDoc51

Guest
Dec 20, 2011
201
11
Fairborn, OH
#1
My "soon to be 12 years old" neice has recently taken an interest in music and now she wants a bass. I would love to be able to drop a couple grand on some good gear for her, but that's just not going to happen. So my dilemma is this: As much as I hate to do it, she is getting a bass pack. I live 800 miles away, and I want to make sure she has everything she needs to plug in and play when the box arrives. I have narrowed it down to two, but now I'm asking for opinions in getting it down to one. Should I go with the Squire Affinity bass pack or an Ibanez IJXB150B Jumpstart bass pack? Thanks for your help.
 
#2
Both are good beginner packages. Ibanez generally has thinner necks and has some color options that Fender does not offer. I use MIA Fenders but when it comes to the lower priced basses, I prefer Ibanez.
 
#4
Don't know what the Yamaha's like, but my guess would be that your not-yet-12-yr-old niece isn't a particularly big girl, and importantly doesn't have huge hands. Of the Squier and the Ibanez, I'd have thought the slender-necked Ibanez would be a better option to learn on.

Unless there's a short-scale option (assuming the Ibanez isn't already short-scale), of course. My first bass was a little Squier Bronco, and whilst nowadays I find 30" basses too small, I don't know if I'd have got this far if I'd started on a 34" Precision!
 
#5
AuntieBeeb said:
Don't know what the Yamaha's like, but my guess would be that your not-yet-12-yr-old niece isn't a particularly big girl, and importantly doesn't have huge hands. Of the Squier and the Ibanez, I'd have thought the slender-necked Ibanez would be a better option to learn on.

Unless there's a short-scale option (assuming the Ibanez isn't already short-scale), of course. My first bass was a little Squier Bronco, and whilst nowadays I find 30" basses too small, I don't know if I'd have got this far if I'd started on a 34" Precision!
Click to expand...

Auntie is right

I just opted for an alternative I know well, and sticked to regular 34" scale basses
Infact packs come with regular 34" basses only, I think (but counteropinions are warmly welcome...) yet I'd opt for Ibanez Mikros at this point... They're basswood basses credited of a bit less than 30" scale (actually they're 28,60" like former MIM Fender Precision jr... I got one) and come in both 4er and 5er
So give'em a go

Ibanez Mikro (4er or 5er) plus a 10" 15w Ibanez SoundWave...

Cheers,
Wallace
 

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