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Thoughts and opinions please

#21
Welcome, Watch you tube channels that discuss buying your first bass. deals with amp bundles are always helpful. Because you will be looking for an amp next. Buy what you can afford.
Once you have what you need to get started a instructor is always my first choice someone to keep you motivated and get you started with the basic techniques you will need on you low end journey.
 
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#22
1. Go to a Music Store: Get a feel for what strings you like best. Hopefully they have some basses with rounds and some with flats.
2. Budget Bass: If you change your mind, you`re not out much.
3.. Tuner and small practice amp.
4. Proper set-up. A good music store should offer this service and it`ll prevent you from playing an instrument that will make you work harder.
5. Learn the way that works best for you. Whether its with an instructor, youtube, or by ear. I`d highly suggest an instructor that is versed in the genre of your choosing.

This should get you started, but be warned, once you jump in the Bass Rabbit Hole, it might be tough to get out. It goes pretty deep. The main thing is don`t get discouraged. Work at your own pace. Learn songs you like and most of all have fun.

Welcome to TalkBass!
 
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#23
Enrique M said:
Don't get overwhelmed with all the options. Just get something thats looks cool, feels comfortable , is within your budget and that you want to play. If you stick with it, most likely, this bass is going to mostly be your "point of reference" bass. But, like retirement savings, the most important thing is to get started, you can quibble about/fine tune which features you prefer as you go.
Click to expand...
Yes on this! After you have some experience & maybe gigging a little. You will want another bass.
 
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#24
If you live near a Guitar Center and have a friend who is a guitarist or bassist, take them with you and both of you play a bunch of basses. they have the surf green Sonic Precision on sale for $191 bucks right now. I played one of those that was fantastic. at that price point, though, they're going to be hit or miss. But I honestly think that's well worth the look for a first bass. And at that price, you'll have more to spend on an amp.
 
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#26
hey mike welcome! both options are rly good, personally i think the yamaha looks cooler. dont worry about it too much, like everyone else is saying, best if you can go in person to try it out and see how you vibe w it and how it feels. if thats not possible, no worries, just pick the one you like the most between the two like i said both are great.
 
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#27
Hey welcome,
In my opinion you should avoid second hand market, you can find find nice instruments for a really decent price, but you can also find overpriced poopy instruments in non-playable condition.
In order to buy good stuff in the second hand market, you need to know a little bit about basses, bass prices and bass setup.

I suggest you to avoid online stores as well, if you have a physical store not too far from your place, go there, try some basses, go with 1- your budget, 2- the feeling in your hands and 3- the look (get an instrument pleasing your eyes).
As you are a beginner don't care about the tone, you need experience in order to understand what kind of bass tone you like.
Ask the shop to do a proper setup of the instrument, and above all ask for a decent action (it's the space between the strings and the frets on the fretboard, with a low action it will be easier and less frustrating for a beginner).
If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask in this forum, here a lot of folks with a a great experience (not me) and ready to help.
As you get your bass, create a new post (NBD = new bass day) 😉
Good luck.
 
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#28
Welcome to the fold!

I was about the same age as you (49) when I started a few years ago. We older learners don't pick it up quite as fast as the kids but if you stick with it, it's incredibly rewarding. In my case it's turned into something of an obsession so be warned, you might fall in love with it!

There's tons of good advice here already, so let me just reinforce one point and add another:

* Get a good teacher. Learning on your own is possible but a good teacher will make it much better. The most important reason is feedback: you cannot correct something that you don't know is wrong in the first place. And even if you can identify what's wrong, it may not be obvious how to fix it. A good teacher solves both those problems.

* Playing comfort is really important on your first instrument. My hands aren't very big and if I had started on an instrument with a really wide or thick neck I'm not sure I would have stuck with it. My hands have gotten used to it and now I can play basses with much bigger necks just fine, but I'm really glad I started on an Ibanez with a really small neck. Conversely, if your hands are really big, they may feel cramped on a smaller neck, which again is something you can eventually get used to but you probably don't want to start there.
 
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#30
Your stated goal is to learn how to play the bass. Play a bunch of them. The right one will feel like home to you. You might play 10 Classic Vibes or Yamahas or whatever and one of them will inspire you and relax you and feel "just right." You're not playing out yet so don't worry about how it looks or even (dare I say it) how it sounds. You want the one that makes you happy at this point.
 
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#31
Probably worth noting what a "set up" is, if you're a beginner. It's service on the instrument.

It mostly entails: Making sure the neck is "straight," correcting the action (which is the distance between the strings and the fretboard) at both the bridge (the metal part fixed to the body near the bottom of your bass) and the nut (the thing at the top of the bass's neck with grooves for each string). They'll also clean up your instrument for you, but if it's new, you probably won't need a whole lot of that.

Basically they'll try to make your bass as playable as possible.

A good setup makes your bass feel happy.
 
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#33
Your first bass sorta dosen't matter. It just needs to be ...a bass.
If you were just starting to play golf, Pings or Calloway. Dosent really matter.
Your just learning how to hit the ball.
A time will come come when it does matter . But not day one.
Squier and Yamaha are both great choices. Ive got mad respect for all things Yamaha.
But will it give you a special push toward virtuosity?. Over the Squier?
Buy a bass. Buy the one that will inspire you to play.
And buy the Calloway's , Pings are overrated. 😉👇
 
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#34
Welcome to Talkbass. This place is like drinking out of a firehose.

My advice. Buy used. Everything used. Check out the classifieds here on TB.

Now go over here.
How to Play Bass Guitar Free Online Bass Lessons - Talkingbass.net

Try this site for free, step by step, clear advice and instruction. Set up a free acount. Check out all the free lessons. Hit the practice room section. Try the challenges. Slow stuff down, play it clean. Sing it. If you can’t sing, grunt, hum it, you can’t play it. Have fun.

Get a drum app on your phone, and a metronome. Get an inexpensive interface or multi fx unit and headphones. Do it every day for at least 15 minutes. Once you get going, 15 minutes turns into an hour. Enjoy the ride.

Check out Scott’s bass lessons if you want to buy a subscription.
 
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#35
It was simpler when I was young. They'd be a couple of basses at the store in your price range, and you picked one of them. By colour.

Today though - check out what people are playing for the sort of music you like and aim in that direction. If not sure, I'd go for a Squier P Bass or Jazz bass.
 
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#38
Enrique M said:
Don't get overwhelmed with all the options. Just get something thats looks cool, feels comfortable , is within your budget and that you want to play. If you stick with it, most likely, this bass is going to mostly be your "point of reference" bass. But, like retirement savings, the most important thing is to get started, you can quibble about/fine tune which features you prefer as you go.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty much in this exact school of thought - you just need to start putting some dots on your bass graph. Definitely play as many as you can, from friends, teachers, in stores, start figuring out what you like.

Having said that, I'd still encourage you to start out with a passive jazz bass (doesn't matter what name's on the headstock). It's a true swiss-army-knife and will always be useful to have around. Jazz bass or not, I'd steer clear of active basses initially. A dying battery is not something you want to worry about when you're still learning the ropes. At the very least get one with a passive switch.
 
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#39
I’ll say what I say to all new players looking for their first bass: Get one that sounds and feels good to you, sure, but also get one that you think LOOKS cool. If you look at it sitting there on a stand and it makes you smile, it helps you pick it up and play more often. If looks didn’t matter, basses wouldn’t come in a million different shapes and finishes.

You’re new so you won’t yet have the ability to tell the difference between all the features and details “under the hood,” so just go with your gut and budget.
 
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#40
A talkbass review. Mahogany topped with Mangowood

ClassicJazz

Thread 'NBD - Yamaha TRBX174EW'

My quest for a low cost (ok, cheap!) bass has led me to this cool Yamaha TRBX174EW. Been looking for bass I can keep out and ready for use when ever I need it and use at gigs which I rather not take my Fodera or Roscoe basses. After reading reviews and looking through all the low cost basses available, choose the TRBX.

Yamaha has always been known for good quality even with their low cost line of instruments. Well got it today and so far happy with my purchase. This model features a mahogany body and a really thin but beautiful Mango Wood veneer top. The headstock also sports a Mango...
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