Purchasing my first bass

[Malak the Mad]

Ten hours from Post to Purchase? Wow! In a hurry much?

Seriously though, learn to play before you start modding. After a while, you may find you don't need to do much, if any. That being said, the first mod I ever did was to put a Hipshot Drop-D tuner on my Aerodyne.

There were more than a few songs I would practice playing where the E-string was tuned down to 'D'. Rather than dealing with the constant tuning-tedium (unplugging the amp, plugging in the tuner, dropping down, re-plugging the amp in, and then having to do it all over again when I wanted to switch to another song) I bought the de-tuner. Now all I have to do is make sure both the 'E' and 'D' settings are correct and I can just pop back-and-forth all night.

What can I say? I'll pay a little bit extra for a lifetime of convenience!

I'm not sure which one works for Squiers. I think I heard someone say the BT7 for Made In Mexico Fenders works, but don't take it as gospel. Does anyone know which works best without refilling/drilling?

 

[bigmoosepi]

I always thought d-tuners were to get your E lower while actually playing something since dropping the E down to D takes about 3 seconds to do by ear.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I always thought d-tuners were to get your E lower while actually playing something since dropping the E down to D takes about 3 seconds to do by ear.

Whether or not one is able to tune by ear "on the fly" aside, it's mostly for convenience of quick and accurate tuning adjustments. Playing this song in 'E' and the next in 'D'? Just pop the lever down between songs. Then back again, should you need to.

You do bring up an interesting question, though. Let me ask you this…when you're in a live setting, would you really want people to hear you adjusting your tuning mid-song? It seems to me not every song would allow you the luxury of accurate de-tuning/re-tuning in the middle of carrying your half of the rhythm section. Maybe I'm slipping further into madness, but when I'm practicing a song that's tuned to 'D', I learn the whole song in that configuration.

 

[bigmoosepi]

That's what I meant, I figured they were for using mid song. I don't see the point in them otherwise.

 

[packhowitzer]

Im not a bass snob, but i've been playing for over 20 years and i would say my basses average in at about 1000 dollars a pop. I just bought my first SX bass from rondomusic.com to be used as a beater/loaner/outdoor-gig bass. It plays so good and sounds so good, it rivals my others (two Ernie Ball stingrays and Three Fenders). It's not the be all end all of basses, but for 100 dollars?!?? are you kidding me? where were these basses when i was first starting out?

give em consideration. they are worth it

 

[topo morto]

...will probably get new pups in the future... any suggestions?

Unless they are a completely different design, different pickups in the same holes aren't likely to sound all that different really. EQ is a much more flexible way to mess with your sound.

 

[dwagner]

Ten hours from Post to Purchase? Wow! In a hurry much?

I had been considering a Squier for a long time, but then I drifted over to looking at expensive basses for a while. I had pretty much made my mind up until I expanded my budget for a short time. Then I decided I didn't want to spend so much and so my decision was pretty much made for me.

 

[SalmonCubes]

My best advice for you would to be get a Squier jazz or P-bass. I would personally prefer the jazz myself, but the P-bass has it's own qualities as well.

You'll need a decent practice amp too. I suggest a small Ampeg or Peavey.

I also suggest buying a spare instrument cable, a pair of straplocks, and a tuner. Korg makes a good, accurate handheld tuner for about $15-20.

 

[dwagner]

My best advice for you would to be get a Squier jazz or P-bass. I would personally prefer the jazz myself, but the P-bass has it's own qualities as well.

You'll need a decent practice amp too. I suggest a small Ampeg or Peavey.

I also suggest buying a spare instrument cable, a pair of straplocks, and a tuner. Korg makes a good, accurate handheld tuner for about $15-20.

I pretty much own all of that stuff already, actually.
I've played guitar for about 2-3 years so I've collected quite a bit of gear! I do agree that I need a bass amp though.

 

[godofthunder59]

Congrats on your new bass! Don't be in a hurry to mod it for the sake of it, it's a perfectly fine bass right out of the box. You may sense a need to in the future to get a certain tone but imho your a ways off from that. Get to know it enjoy it, much like your first love you'll never forget it. Don't be to hard on it in the future you will want to have your first bass. Your going to go through a lot together. I still have my first 40 years plus later.

 

[Sav'nBass]

Alright, cool.
I ended up buying the VM Jazz so we will see how things go!
I bought two packs of Ernie Ball 2833 Hybrid Slinky Round Wounds.
...will probably get new pups in the future... any suggestions?

I'd sell one of those packs of strings if I could. Don't get stuck on one brand.. There is so much out there.. and strings can make a huge difference.. I like the DRs.. I tried the His, Fats and Lows over the last few years and am now trying out some Dragonskins which I like better than all the others so far.. at least on my go to bass.

If you need a bass amp consider this.. GK MB115

 

[ProgRocker]

Bass is something I'm really beginning to enjoy and want to get serious about. Initially, I was planning on spending 600-700 USD on a bass so I could get a good one, but my parents are not so keen to that idea. My idea is to maybe get a Squier and over time upgrade it and make it wicked (aka put new pickups, tuners, ect). What are your thoughts on it? My only choice really is a Squier VM J bass since I am left handed. Thoughts?

Over time I'd probably get Fender Noiseless pickups, Warmoth tuners (are they actually better?), maybe a new pickguard, ect.

Thanks!

Since your a beginner, have you considered learning right-handed? It would open up your choice of instruments, and right-handed instruments are less expensive than LH models.

I am dominantly left handed. The only things I've ever done right-handed is play bass, and hockey (when I used to play). I have found having my dominant hand on the fretboard to be an advantage in learning.

Lefties naturally develop the ability to transpose what the right-handed world teaches us, and apply it as a lefty. Right-handed folks never develop this skill, they don't have to. I would argue you're better off saving to get a better instrument than upgrading a cheaper one.

If you know people who play already, and have been playing for a while, ask them to go to the music store with you so you don't get screwed into buying what you don't need, can't afford, or into spending more than a given instrument is worth.

There are great basses available for relatively small money. If you know someone knowledgeable about gear, bring them, they can probably find you a good deal on a good used bass.

 

[ejaggers]

…… I would argue you're better off saving to get a better instrument than upgrading a cheaper one……

I totally disagree with this statement. Whether a bass is cheap or expensive is irrelevant. What is relevant,
is how the bass feels and plays to you. I modded a Squier Affinity Pbass because the neck was sweet, and it’s one of my favorite basses out of my 8, to play. I also ran across a Squier Bullet bass in a pawn shop that had a beautiful maple neck with near perfect fret work, for about $250. I went back to get it the next day and it was gone. If the neck is right, the rest of the bass can be fixed.

Ten hours from Post to Purchase? Wow! In a hurry much?

…...I'm not sure which one works for Squiers. I think I heard someone say the BT7 for Made In Mexico Fenders works, but don't take it as gospel. Does anyone know which works best without refilling/drilling?

The BT7 was a complete drop in on my Squier Tricked PBass..

 

[topo morto]

I would argue you're better off saving to get a better instrument than upgrading a cheaper one.

I totally disagree with this statement. Whether a bass is cheap or expensive is irrelevant. What is relevant,
is how the bass feels and plays to you. I modded a Squier Affinity Pbass because the neck was sweet, and it’s one of my favorite basses out of my 8, to play. I also ran across a Squier Bullet bass in a pawn shop that had a beautiful maple neck with near perfect fret work, for about $250. I went back to get it the next day and it was gone. If the neck is right, the rest of the bass can be fixed.

Agreed, the way basses are made these days the cheap ones are often very good, which is not to say that there aren't some that are lemons (which is true of dearer instruments too).

The particular bass the OP has may be the best playing bass in the state; or it may be that there's a cheaper one somewhere that is better

The reason to pay the extra money these days is usually if you want something more attractive, or more specific to your needs.

 

[dwagner]

Since your a beginner, have you considered learning right-handed? It would open up your choice of instruments, and right-handed instruments are less expensive than LH models..

I think it's too late for that considering I've been playing lefty guitars for 3 years. I've thought about doing that but I figured I'd rather be able to buy a bass and pick it up and play right away then try to re-learn the whole fretting and plucking process over again.

 

[1bassleft]

Hi Dwag, I remember you from the other thread, when you were thinking about <$700. Glad you've found a lefty to like in the lower bracket and the VM J is one I'd recommend at least trying if you hadn't got one already. FWIW, and I have no particular expertise other than being a lefty who never had the money and likes a mod, here's a few thoughts.

1) Haven't you enquired elsewhere about Kahler trems? Whooah - save your money for a long time. They're nothing like as useful as on guitar, not until you've really built up some experience on basslines.
2) With 6-string experience, good idea not to swap hands. I tried my son's righties (upside down is OKish) 'properly' and [DEL]it's liking walking in high heels[/DEL] it's what I imagine walking in high heels must be like.
3) I got a VM P tb (with the neck humbucker) and a Squier Mike Dirnt for my son. I think, and others have a similar exp, that the Indonesian necks are a bit soft and tend to bow with string changes. If you don't know how to set up basses (truss rod etc) already, have a good look at John Carruthers bass set up (4 parts) on Youtube. Chances are, you'll need to do things after a change of string gauge or trying flats.
4) Modding. I find their tuners pretty stable. The pots and the jack can get a bit iffy with time. I had that DUR-DUR-DUR from moving around on a MIK Jazz and a Switchcraft jack got rid of that. If the pots get scritchy-scratchy, you could lube them but I'd be tempted to put better pots in. I've started to have issues with CTS, and gather that they're made in the Far East. Don't want to make "2 dodgy pots = avoid CTS" statement, but I'm considering Bourns next. Anybody else here want to chime in? My exp is obviously a tiny sample, so I don't want to knock a manufacturer down based on that.

I liked the neck pup on my MIK, but thought the bridge wasn't "Jazzy" enough and replaced it with a Fender 60s. I had a stock MIK to compare it with and was surprised how little difference the money and time meant. As others say here, play it lots as is before getting your wallet and soldering iron out. Finally, I don't like the bent tin that Squier/Fender call a bridge and put on a Gotoh, but that was just me; I don't claim to have heard massive improvements in sustain.

 

[dwagner]

1) Haven't you enquired elsewhere about Kahler trems? Whooah - save your money for a long time. They're nothing like as useful as on guitar, not until you've really built up some experience on basslines.

Any more specific reason why you think this? I'd appreciate it.

if you don't know how to set up basses (truss rod etc) already, have a good look at John Carruthers bass set up (4 parts) on Youtube. Chances are, you'll need to do things after a change of string gauge or trying flats.

How do you think it will be right out of the box? I believe I mentioned what strings I'll be using. If not, they are on my profile listed in the setup section. I like my action fairly high anyways (I am a semi-hard presser so I like it that way). Does that mean I will only need to adjust the truss rod if I think it needs to be changed. I haven't had to adjust anything on my Squier Tele and I've had it for about 2 years.

 

[dwagner]

Nevermind, I found a couple guitar places within 100 miles of me that look like they can do the task of setting the neck, intonation, string action etc.

I'm assuming I'll probably need the inside to be copper shielded (if I'm experiencing some non-pickup hum), correct?

 

[1bassleft]

Installing a Kahler (or Hipshot) trem bridge is a lot of expense and effort; not just for the bridge itself but for the routing involved. For questionable advantage, IMO. On a list of "mods worth spending time/money on", it would come out with a lower ranking than an English tennis player.

There's no reason why the VM isn't set up quite well out of the box. The intonation may not be exactly right, but that's an easy sort, same principle as guitar (and step 3 on Carruthers' videos). Like you, I'm not bothered about a very low action. It's just if you change for some other strings, particularly flat wounds, the change in the tension they apply to the neck may cause it to bow more. I've found this with the Indonesians and others also commented about it on other threads. Again, it's not a big problem to sort and nearby techs are a great help. I'm reasonably handy at tweaking but, for a nicely sorted setup, an experienced tech can't be beat.

Edit: forgot to mention shielding. Neither the VM P tb nor the Dirnt have been noisy - although neither has been gigged - but, if it became an issue or if going to the trouble of replacing electronics, it's something I'd do at the same time as a matter of course. A few $ on adhesive copper tape and some extra minutes doesn't kill.