Our first bass purchase

[Take66]

Greetings.

Moderator: If this is in the wrong forum, please accept my apologies. I can post this elsewhere, if needed.

I am new here and I would like to ask for any suggestions or tips in purchasing a bass guitar. This will be for my wife and I to play. I will list the details below.

Me. I am an amateur musician. That is, I play for the love of it, I do not get paid. My focus is jazz. I have been playing the piano since 1983(?) and recently started playing the trumpet. I also played guitar when I was in college. For all three instruments, I am not that good. But, I try. I am quite familiar with jazz theory.

I attend a twice-a-month jazz jam 'session'. We take turns playing our selected tunes. I do piano backup at times and every now and then play the trumpet. Sometimes we are missing a bass player. I think with my knowledge of jazz, I can at least provide a simple backup for the group on the bass when necessary.

My wife. She has been playing classical cello for over 7 years. She has hinted in trying to play bass guitar. We think that buying a full blown double bass is a bit too much for now, especially as she now has a cervical herniated disc which has prohibited her from playing the cello. Drawing the bow is especially painful for her.

Unfortunately, her musical training did not include theory. So, my suggestion is for her to learn the basics of jazz theory, plucking away on the piano to keep her with music. When she feels better she can try her skills on the bass guitar.

So, what we are looking for is an electric jazz bass of which I can pick up now for our session needs that can double for my wife as she gets better and can apply some of the jazz theory she is learning.

Ideally, we can envision playing duo, bass with piano or trumpet.

Pricing/budget. I am not adverse to get a decent bass that will retain some resale value if the occasion arises. About USD 500-700 would be O.K.. I can be convinced to pay more if I need to. A good, used bass is also an option.

Type. I have been looking at either a hollow body or semi hollow body bass. Weight is one consideration. As I intend to use this for jazz, I would like to get as close to a double bass type of sound as possible. I am aware that there may be other ways to get that sound.

To fret or not to fret. My wife is already familiar with a fretless neck. As I have had some experience with the guitar, moving to fretless would be a challenge I am willing to accept.

What I am looking at now:

DIY kit.

As I am also a amateur woodworker, I am familiar with using hand tools and have made some furniture for the house. So, this might not be a big challenge to put together. My concern is that those 'kits' may not have the quality I would expect from manufactured models. Also, there will be time required to put it together, finish it and tweak it to my liking. Maybe for a future project?

Ibanez/Bass Work Shop Series SRH500F-NNF

This seems to tick off some of the boxes. It seems to be highly reviewed. There had been some on the used market. I have not seen any now so far.

I am looking at other Ibanez basses. There seem to be a semi-hollow version, AGB200 and a hollow version AFB200. However, they are not fretless.

Fender?

Other:

We know that the tuning for cello is different than the bass guitar. So, something will have to change, the guitar tuning or the player.

We live in Japan. Markets may be quite different than the States.

Thanks for reading this far. Any information to steer me in a good direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[AncientNoob]

I would suggest taking a look at the Epiphone Jack Casady signature bass. Semi hollow, fairly versatile tone wise and in your price range used, a slight stretch if purchasing new. Available with or without speed bumps (frets).
Another one to look at would be the Guild Starfire I bass, also in your price range new. I don't think they make a fretless version, but a competent luthier could modify it if desired.
I would also suggest flatwound or tapewound strings for whatever you choose, as they will most likely provide something close to the tone I think you're going to want.
Last bit of advice, and I know this isn't always possible with the current state of brick and mortar music stores, try to get your hands on whatever you are thinking of buying first and "try it on".
Tone, electronics, hardware etc are all fairly easy to change. If the instrument doesn't feel right, none of those things matter.
Best of luck and whatever you decide...TalkBass loves pictures with a (N)ew (B)ass (D)ay post!
Welcome to the low end!

 

[bholder]

I'll 2nd the Epi JC fretless, and also nominate the Sire GB5 fretless:

Also fits your price range nicely. I've got one ordered, 5 string fretless in the black finish. Will try to remember to post here when it arrives. It's hollow, but sealed, similar to some much higher end boutique basses (Rob Allen, Rick Turner, Godin, etc.). Very well reviewed.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Hi!... and welcome!
If this is primarily gonna be for your wife, and she's new to the electric bass, you might want to think short scale. My wife, a flutist and petite, likes my Epiphone Newport far more than my full scale Fender Precision because its just way more ergonomic for her.
Ibanez is a good choice brand wise because they have a wide range of models and price points...If that matters.
Maybe a Hofner violin or club bass if weight is an issue.
Take her to a music store and let her try different basses, and see which one floats her boat.

 

[Wyrdlow]

I'll 2nd the Epi JC fretless, and also nominate the Sire GB5 fretless:

Also fits your price range nicely. I've got one ordered, 5 string fretless in the black finish. Will try to remember to post here when it arrives. It's hollow, but sealed, similar to some much higher end boutique basses (Rob Allen, Rick Turner, Godin, etc.). Very well reviewed.

Wow! I never realized those were so slimline! I assumed they had a deep acoustic body. I shall be having a closer look at those.

 

[Take66]

Thank you all for your quick responses. I now have a number of threads to pull.

Price-wise, I think that I may have to bump it up a bit. It seems that the weak yen is skewing my calculations. Buying from the U.S. usually is an option. However, if I add the sales tax added here and shipping costs, it seems to be a wash and not worth the trouble.

Still looking....

 

[CoryB]

Could she play an electric upright double bass? They are usually pretty much a long neck with a neck-width body and not too heavy. Plus, it uses a pin or stand at the bottom to hold it up - not unlike a cello.

The price is beyond the range you mentioned but you might find a used one.

 

[Take66]

Could she play an electric upright double bass? They are usually pretty much a long neck with a neck-width body and not too heavy. Plus, it uses a pin or stand at the bottom to hold it up - not unlike a cello.

The price is beyond the range you mentioned but you might find a used one.

Thank you for your idea.

We have thought about that. I think that the stretch for her right arm might be difficult. She even stopped plucking the strings on the cello as it hurt her arm.

There are plenty of used electric upright double basses on the market here. That might be a further consideration when she gets better. Then, the other bass will become mine!

 

[Flatwound]

I’d just like to point out that semi-hollow basses aren’t necessarily lightweight. You would think they would be, but they can be heavy, too. Sweetwater.com is a good resource for this, as they post weights of basses they have in stock. You can get a pretty good idea of which basses are lighter from that.

 

[Jeff Scott]

As I am also a amateur woodworker, I am familiar with using hand tools and have made some furniture for the house. So, this might not be a big challenge to put together. [...]
We live in Japan.

A bit off-topic, but from what I have quoted from you:

Do you/can you build small custom shoji?

 

[Take66]

A bit off-topic, but from what I have quoted from you:

Do you/can you build small custom shoji?

I have not built one. Most recently, I built a couple of dining room chairs. Shoji does not seem too difficult. Time consuming? Yes. Our house is a western wood framed house. So, there was no need for having a shoji.

But, to keep this somewhat on topic. I have a book by Benedetto on making arch-top guitars. The whole idea of tapping the wood to hear the sound is fascinating. I just do not have the time nor specialized tools to make one. If I did, I would have tried my hand at making a electric hollow body bass. I also toyed with the idea of getting a CNC router to build a semi-hollow body guitar. But, not yet. My work is not that refined, yet.

Hopefully after reading the vast amount on information on this site, I might take the challenge to build one.

 

[brisonic]

Greetings.

Moderator: If this is in the wrong forum, please accept my apologies. I can post this elsewhere, if needed.

I am new here and I would like to ask for any suggestions or tips in purchasing a bass guitar. This will be for my wife and I to play. I will list the details below.

Me. I am an amateur musician. That is, I play for the love of it, I do not get paid. My focus is jazz. I have been playing the piano since 1983(?) and recently started playing the trumpet. I also played guitar when I was in college. For all three instruments, I am not that good. But, I try. I am quite familiar with jazz theory.

I attend a twice-a-month jazz jam 'session'. We take turns playing our selected tunes. I do piano backup at times and every now and then play the trumpet. Sometimes we are missing a bass player. I think with my knowledge of jazz, I can at least provide a simple backup for the group on the bass when necessary.

My wife. She has been playing classical cello for over 7 years. She has hinted in trying to play bass guitar. We think that buying a full blown double bass is a bit too much for now, especially as she now has a cervical herniated disc which has prohibited her from playing the cello. Drawing the bow is especially painful for her.

Unfortunately, her musical training did not include theory. So, my suggestion is for her to learn the basics of jazz theory, plucking away on the piano to keep her with music. When she feels better she can try her skills on the bass guitar.

So, what we are looking for is an electric jazz bass of which I can pick up now for our session needs that can double for my wife as she gets better and can apply some of the jazz theory she is learning.

Ideally, we can envision playing duo, bass with piano or trumpet.

Pricing/budget. I am not adverse to get a decent bass that will retain some resale value if the occasion arises. About USD 500-700 would be O.K.. I can be convinced to pay more if I need to. A good, used bass is also an option.

Type. I have been looking at either a hollow body or semi hollow body bass. Weight is one consideration. As I intend to use this for jazz, I would like to get as close to a double bass type of sound as possible. I am aware that there may be other ways to get that sound.

To fret or not to fret. My wife is already familiar with a fretless neck. As I have had some experience with the guitar, moving to fretless would be a challenge I am willing to accept.

What I am looking at now:

DIY kit.

As I am also a amateur woodworker, I am familiar with using hand tools and have made some furniture for the house. So, this might not be a big challenge to put together. My concern is that those 'kits' may not have the quality I would expect from manufactured models. Also, there will be time required to put it together, finish it and tweak it to my liking. Maybe for a future project?

Ibanez/Bass Work Shop Series SRH500F-NNF

This seems to tick off some of the boxes. It seems to be highly reviewed. There had been some on the used market. I have not seen any now so far.

I am looking at other Ibanez basses. There seem to be a semi-hollow version, AGB200 and a hollow version AFB200. However, they are not fretless.

Fender?

Other:

We know that the tuning for cello is different than the bass guitar. So, something will have to change, the guitar tuning or the player.

We live in Japan. Markets may be quite different than the States.

Thanks for reading this far. Any information to steer me in a good direction would be greatly appreciated.

If you are after the upright sound in an electric bass, then consider a fretless with flatwound strings. The fretting hand work will be harder, but if you're into jazz that may be ok.

 

[devnulljp]

We live in Japan.

Fender Japan Jazz Bass.
Get one used. Resale value is low in Japan, so you'll get something decent for low Yen.
Try fretted and fretless, see what sticks.

Done.

 

[SJan3]

In my experience a P bass with low tension flats makes a great alternative to an upright bass. You're in Japan and Fender makes excellent Japanese Precision basses. Whenever I see a bassist playing straight ahead jazz with an electric, it's a P bass. And fretted is fine. It's the thump you want. I use a NASH P-63 which is above your budget but a less expensive P bass will get you there. I may get flamed here but I don't see any real benefit to a hollow body for jazz. YMMV but good luck with your quest.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I have not built one. Most recently, I built a couple of dining room chairs. Shoji does not seem too difficult. Time consuming? Yes. Our house is a western wood framed house. So, there was no need for having a shoji.

I am designing a small master bedroom suite for our house that will be in a traditional Japanese style with a saobuchi ceiling and awning windows that I want to have shoji screens made to go over them, along with other traditional interior features.

What part of Japan are you in?

But, to keep this somewhat on topic. I have a book by Benedetto on making arch-top guitars. The whole idea of tapping the wood to hear the sound is fascinating. I just do not have the time nor specialized tools to make one. If I did, I would have tried my hand at making an electric hollow body bass. I also toyed with the idea of getting a CNC router to build a semi-hollow body guitar. But, not yet. My work is not that refined, yet.

Hopefully after reading the vast amount on information on this site, I might take the challenge to build one.

A longtime friend of mine has Bob's book and has forever talked about building an archtop guitar. He's not getting any younger so...

You should seriously consider building a semi-hollow bass; that's got to be a whole lot easier than a Benedetto clone variation, I would think.

 

[sikamikanico]

Some good points above. This may be an awkward time to buy given your wife’s back, but if she’s gonna be the primary bass player, I’d emphasize her preference and ergonomics/comfort. Pay attention to playing positions (sitting, standing), how the bass sits (eg neck dive), and how the hands/are positioned.

I’d recommend you two consider everything (fretted/less, solid/hollow, etc). Tone-wise, they can all work, and have pros and cons. But hollowbodies are also ergonomically different, so that’s a consideration.

Finally, I’m also not super familiar with the Japanese market, but I picked up enough to recommend exploring local options for some less well known makes and models.

 

[Lobster11]

I'll just point out that it will probably be much easier for your wife to adjust to having frets than for you to adjust to not having them. Of course, it's up to you whether that's an important consideration or not.

 

[BobDeRosa]

Greetings.

Moderator: If this is in the wrong forum, please accept my apologies. I can post this elsewhere, if needed.

I am new here and I would like to ask for any suggestions or tips in purchasing a bass guitar. This will be for my wife and I to play. I will list the details below.

Me. I am an amateur musician. That is, I play for the love of it, I do not get paid. My focus is jazz. I have been playing the piano since 1983(?) and recently started playing the trumpet. I also played guitar when I was in college. For all three instruments, I am not that good. But, I try. I am quite familiar with jazz theory.

I attend a twice-a-month jazz jam 'session'. We take turns playing our selected tunes. I do piano backup at times and every now and then play the trumpet. Sometimes we are missing a bass player. I think with my knowledge of jazz, I can at least provide a simple backup for the group on the bass when necessary.

My wife. She has been playing classical cello for over 7 years. She has hinted in trying to play bass guitar. We think that buying a full blown double bass is a bit too much for now, especially as she now has a cervical herniated disc which has prohibited her from playing the cello. Drawing the bow is especially painful for her.

Unfortunately, her musical training did not include theory. So, my suggestion is for her to learn the basics of jazz theory, plucking away on the piano to keep her with music. When she feels better she can try her skills on the bass guitar.

So, what we are looking for is an electric jazz bass of which I can pick up now for our session needs that can double for my wife as she gets better and can apply some of the jazz theory she is learning.

Ideally, we can envision playing duo, bass with piano or trumpet.

Pricing/budget. I am not adverse to get a decent bass that will retain some resale value if the occasion arises. About USD 500-700 would be O.K.. I can be convinced to pay more if I need to. A good, used bass is also an option.

Type. I have been looking at either a hollow body or semi hollow body bass. Weight is one consideration. As I intend to use this for jazz, I would like to get as close to a double bass type of sound as possible. I am aware that there may be other ways to get that sound.

To fret or not to fret. My wife is already familiar with a fretless neck. As I have had some experience with the guitar, moving to fretless would be a challenge I am willing to accept.

What I am looking at now:

DIY kit.

As I am also a amateur woodworker, I am familiar with using hand tools and have made some furniture for the house. So, this might not be a big challenge to put together. My concern is that those 'kits' may not have the quality I would expect from manufactured models. Also, there will be time required to put it together, finish it and tweak it to my liking. Maybe for a future project?

Ibanez/Bass Work Shop Series SRH500F-NNF

This seems to tick off some of the boxes. It seems to be highly reviewed. There had been some on the used market. I have not seen any now so far.

I am looking at other Ibanez basses. There seem to be a semi-hollow version, AGB200 and a hollow version AFB200. However, they are not fretless.

Fender?

Other:

We know that the tuning for cello is different than the bass guitar. So, something will have to change, the guitar tuning or the player.

We live in Japan. Markets may be quite different than the States.

Thanks for reading this far. Any information to steer me in a good direction would be greatly appreciated.

In Japan, I'd look for a Yamaha BB. You should be able to find them all over the place. There's also a bass broker who lives there and might be able to help. I think his name is Danny (Stewart, or Stuart as last name, maybe?), and he calls his business Bass Japan or something like that. He shouldn't be hard to find on Google or YouTube.

Edit: I found him for you. Here you go:

 

[Reedt2000]

Cello is just under 30" scale length, might want to co sider a short scale (30") bass.

 

[klyph]

I’ll assume your wife is right handed.
If she’s having back pain from drawing a bow, a full size bass guitar, especially a jazz model, might not work well in terms of seated right hand position.
I also think that a fretless instrument will be a barrier to you being able to effectively jam with other musicians, since developing good intonation can take a great deal of time.
I would suggest a short scale, fretted bass with the best quality flatwound strings you can get.
Fender Mustangs are very comfortable and pretty well balanced seated and standing, and can have a nice deep tone. Danelectro basses (the reissues) and Hofners don’t have the same kind of sound, (IMO) but are extremely light.
I recently had an operation which required me to abstain from upper body exertion while I healed, and I bought a Kala U bass to use for a couple of weeks. They are really great little instruments! I’m not fond of the hollow body, and since I gig on full size bass I no longer play it often. However, I am probably going to get one of the solid body models to mess around with. The quality is really good!
There are many other options for quality short scale or sub scale basses.
The Gretsch jet basses, the Airline “pocket” reissues, an older Fernandes FRB series (which should be widely available in Japan) would all be solid affordable choices.

I would not confine your choices to semi hollow or hollow instruments. At the risk of derailing the thread, I will say that the equivalence many people draw between a hollow bass guitar and a string (upright) bass or a “jazz sound” is an imaginary, visually- based one.