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Seeking advice on 4-string Bass for 14 yr old son?

#21
Plays_For_Dog said:
Buy a cheap beginner bass. Chance are, he'll loose interest and you'll end up trying to sell it on CL. Your son is the investment, not the material goods you drown him in. Give him the experience and forget about whether you will make a return on it.
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I agree that HE is the investment. But if I can afford to easily buy him something of quality, I believe that he will stay with it longer. My dad wasn't able to buy me good stuff when I was growing up. I got a VERY cheap acoustic guitar and tried the best I could but it would stay in tune, hard to press the strings (for a 8 year old at the time), etc so going cheap drove me away from playing those many years ago. If I give him something really good, I think he can appreciate it and will come to love the opportunity.

The profit was only a tangential remark, not the primary focus of this effort and it was only IF I found something of value. I too am just now learning about basses and the value of some of these quality instruments. As a hobby I buy and sell stuff from high end computers and Home Theater electronics (like Crestron, AMX, etc) to collectible golf clubs so this could simply become an extension of those other efforts in the future. You never know. For now, I am simply trying to buy him something he will cherish for years.
 
#22
ndabunka said:
1st post on this site but I've been cruising it for a while. I am seeking a 34" 4-string (only) bass for my 14 year old son who has been playing guitar for about 5 years now. I am seeking a $600 to $900 bass (new) that I can buy used for anywhere between $300 to $500 and maybe even $600 depending on condition. This price range would be similar to the 2 guitars (Acoustic/Elec & Electric) he already has. Here is my "short list" and I am seeking this boards advice/recommendations to reinforce or for alternatives I may not have considered to this point.

Primary
----> 4-string Peavey Cirrus (USA) - Up to $600
----> 4-string Spector Legend Classic - $500

Second line (under $300)
----> 4-string Yamaha BB614
----> 4-string Peavey Grind (Passive) or Cirrus BXP (Active?)

The Untouchables (Pawn Shop hunting...up to $1,500)
I have the cash but is probably not realistic for a 14 year old (He IS very good with his equipment though as none of his other gear even has a scratch on them). I like to buy & sell stuff and to shop pawn stores so these would be more of a buy it, let him play it until I can sell it for $500-$1K profit kind of thing.
----> PRS Gary Grainger private stock (Saw Gary playing LIVE Saturday night with Acoustic Alchemy)
----> Ritter - almost ANY (I am a closet artist and these are works of art!)
----> Spector Forte - retail around $2,500 but may have a line on one for $900

Thanks in advance for your expert guidance!:hyper:
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This:
Primary
----> 4-string Peavey Cirrus (USA)
Second line (under $300)
----> 4-string Peavey Grind (Passive) or Cirrus BXP (Active?)
Untouchable:
Ritter (of course, good luck finding one!)
Dingwall Combustion (not many on the used market yet, and really not any steals to speak of when they do, but a good bass nonetheless)
 
#23
I've said it before and I'm saying it again- the Fender Jazz Bass Special from the 80's is one of the best buys you can get. Typically around $400 on the bay, they are INCREDIBLY well made (made in Japan) and sound great. I wish that had been my first bass.
 
#24
MNAirHead said:
Coger guy in me -- why not have your son post?
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I am the "forum" kind of guy as my work has me on a computer about 100% of the time and I already socialize on 5 or 6 other forums (Cars, Hot Tubs, Fantasy Golf, etc) so I am very used to this type of interaction. He may well post something in this thread as we move forward but for now, I am collecting intelligence from which to guide us in this journey. :hiding:
 
#25
ndabunka said:
Not exactly. The only thing I would turn over for a profit would be the stuff in the "untouchable s" category and that would only be if I found such a critter.

He has already been playing bass during his lessons for about 4 months now so there is no doubt. I am the kind of guy that buys the best he can for the best price. This often means getting something nicer than most would for a 14 year old. I buy a 3 year old used 7-series rather than a brand new Infinite GS for the same $35K, etc...
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I think it's important for your son to be exposed to a variety of different basses, regardless of price or brand since it sounds like cost is not an issue, and let him decide what feels and sounds good.
 
#26
Gasman said:
I've said it before and I'm saying it again- the Fender Jazz Bass Special from the 80's is one of the best buys you can get. Typically around $400 on the bay, they are INCREDIBLY well made (made in Japan) and sound great. I wish that had been my first bass.
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I appreciate your guidance but an older guitar give me concern. Primarily because I would be buying it "site unseen" in most cases and times older gear can get out of shape (twisted, bent, etc) due to poor up-keep from prior owners. I don't want to buy something only to discover that I then have to solve problems others have created. That is one of the reasons I am seeking newer gear. Not saying that all 80's guitars have issues, just that I don't want to have to "figure them out" on a technology I am not as familiar with as is this area for me.
 
#28
diehard70 said:
+1 you may also consider adopting an overworked 40-yr-old contractor and his family ( wife, 2 kids and a dog. maybe take over car payment) in return for room and board + lessons:D
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:D Good one. I'll let you know about that. We ARE considering having our deck converted to a enclosed screened in porch and possibly as a double veranda. If your near Charlotte, PM me and maybe you can give me a quote.
 
#29
ndabunka said:
I agree that HE is the investment. But if I can afford to easily buy him something of quality, I believe that he will stay with it longer. My dad wasn't able to buy me good stuff when I was growing up. I got a VERY cheap acoustic guitar and tried the best I could but it would stay in tune, hard to press the strings (for a 8 year old at the time), etc so going cheap drove me away from playing those many years ago. If I give him something really good, I think he can appreciate it and will come to love the opportunity.
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That's very commendable that you want what is best for your kid.

My history is a little different in that my first 2 bases were crap by today's standards. That taught me an appreciation for quality instruments as I developed. Having started out on cheap basses, quality and price, developed finger strength from the action being so high and more determined to improve. By the time I earned my first Fender bass, it was like a rights to passage.
 
#32
DeliriumTremens said:
Why don't you take him to the store, spend an afternoon playing basses and let him choose which one he wants, rather than what you or the guys here would play?
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He has done this at the store he takes lessons from. In fact, he pulls this one bass off the wall and uses it to practice. However, that particular bass is simply one of the ones that the store doesn't mind if he uses rather than any quality bass. However, I do know the store owner very well and once requested could have my son play pretty much anything in the store (under $3K likely) so we will also do that in addition to the information I can gather here. The store owner is in the business of making money and I do give him business to help him stay in business as I know how it is for a small local (non-big box) business to stay around to teach the kids. In fact, I could ask him to find XYZ for $$$ and he'd do it and make a few hundred bucks but to be honest, I don't want to have him run around trying to find the perfect bass for my son and only make a couple of hundred bucks on the transaction.

I, on the other hand have a vested interest in spending this time and may be able to save $300 or $400 on a super nice bass so...
 
#36
rollerberg2000 said:
This:
Primary
----> 4-string Peavey Cirrus (USA)
Second line (under $300)
----> 4-string Peavey Grind (Passive) or Cirrus BXP (Active?)
Untouchable:
Ritter (of course, good luck finding one!)
Dingwall Combustion (not many on the used market yet, and really not any steals to speak of when they do, but a good bass nonetheless)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. There is a Dingwall Afterburner on the bay with a start of around $1K but not certain where the auction will take that one. Even if it goes up to $1,600 it would still be a LOT less than those others in the "untouchable" range. Therefore in your honor of bring this awesome guitar to my awareness, I have added new category "Almost-untouchable" as the style is DEAD ON to his interest.
 
#39
I just bought this for my son - USA Peavey Fury $70 - pawn shop
 

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#40
Jim Dep said:
That's very commendable that you want what is best for your kid.

My history is a little different in that my first 2 bases were crap by today's standards. That taught me an appreciation for quality instruments as I developed. Having started out on cheap basses, quality and price, developed finger strength from the action being so high and more determined to improve. By the time I earned my first Fender bass, it was like a rights to passage.
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I think cheap crappy basses are an excellent starting place for the serious young musician who is all fired up about becoming a bassist.

But if he's NOT committed, a crappy-playing bass with high action and dead sound is a one way ticket to Quitsville.

Instead of you making the short list and him choosing, I strongly recommend just going shopping, with him, as many places as possible, and answer his questions about the basses he likes.

So he develops the short list himself, with the confidence of knowing that you won't let him make his final decision based on faulty assumptions (and/or what's best for the salesman at that moment).

THEN buy that MIC Jazz Copy that he likes the color of. :hiding:
 

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