Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What does "beginner's bass" mean?
- Thread starter Aras
- Start date
Agreed.
Inexpensive in case you don't stick with it.
But playable enough that you don't get discouraged and may actually stick with it.
I've never owned a bass that I would consider a "beginner's only" item. I think my Squier is better put together than the Ibanez I owned was, but the Ibanez made it through an entire year of me flailing away at it before I sold it, so she had to be fairly well put together.
To me, a beginner bass is an item that is well enough put together that someone totally new to the instrument could use it long enough to get out of the learning stages happily. It isn't necessarily a beginner only item.
Because of my "beginner" basses, I know what I typically do and don't like in a bass. When I upgrade this time, it'll be into an instrument that I plan on keeping till they throw dirt over me in a field somewhere.
To me, a beginner bass is an item that is well enough put together that someone totally new to the instrument could use it long enough to get out of the learning stages happily. It isn't necessarily a beginner only item.
Because of my "beginner" basses, I know what I typically do and don't like in a bass. When I upgrade this time, it'll be into an instrument that I plan on keeping till they throw dirt over me in a field somewhere.
I lucked out, my first Bass is a Squier Troy Sanders Signature Jaguar and I LOVE it! I never thought a $300 Bass would be so nice. Are my standards to low? Haha.
Hey, for a lot of us beginners; there are a lot of mistakes to be made in both quality and tonal expectations.
I didn't know anything better than to go to GC and find something I liked. I didn't know enough riffs or rhythms to properly audition an instrument. I also didn't have the patience to put up with the kids blaring away at full volume next to me. My first few months of finding a bass were very unproductive.
The best thing I ever did was finding TalkBass and doing a bunch of reading. Then, going back to tracks I liked and doing a bunch of listening.
I still don't know the rights or wrongs of it all, but I do have enough experience now to at least rule something out.
I didn't know anything better than to go to GC and find something I liked. I didn't know enough riffs or rhythms to properly audition an instrument. I also didn't have the patience to put up with the kids blaring away at full volume next to me. My first few months of finding a bass were very unproductive.
The best thing I ever did was finding TalkBass and doing a bunch of reading. Then, going back to tracks I liked and doing a bunch of listening.
I still don't know the rights or wrongs of it all, but I do have enough experience now to at least rule something out.
Not at all! Quite the contrary actually, you should be proud that you have a sense for value that isn't directly tied to a price tag. I play a $450 bass and it's my soul mate.
Pre-owned that sat in the corner almost it's entire life.
Last edited:
For the world of stringed instruments, I would put them in three categories of beginner, intermediate, and professional grades. I see beginner and intermediate as a difference between quality of parts, but a professional instrument is something of great quality that was tailored to your person.
Beginner Bass for poor starter = Squier Affy or Ibby Gio.
Beginner Bass for Rich starter = Fender CS or Ibby Prestige.
Beginner Bass for Rich starter = Fender CS or Ibby Prestige.
Yes, he use all stock, cause it is a selling bass, they dont change anything on it. Price is about 170$.
Which means that not only me thinks about it
True. My first bass (like 20 years ago) was a cheap $189 or something bass from a little shop in the mall, not sure they lasted long. Tuners would (or wouldn't) hold adjustment for 5 min. Wasn't very good quality. Was probably a laminate construction (aka plywood).
The $250 Ibanez at the local shop feels so much better than that old beast did.
My current bass was around $450. Probably 'intermediate' quality. But it plays pretty nice, holds tune well, etc...
I have yet to own a 'professional grade' instrument. But I think there's probably a fairly sharp curve on performance vrs price. $600 basses these days are pretty sweet, I think above that you're paying more for hand made craftmanship more than anything.
Yeah as has been said it's more a price class than anything - marketing speak really. Generally inexpensive, and built as such.
There are plenty of "beginner" instruments that are brilliant - my Ibanez Jet King cost £300 new (I got it for £100) but plays as well and is as enjoyable as my Fender Precision that was twice the retail cost. Same is true of all my Epiphones, ranging in price from £250 to £700 which have notable differences in quality, but the cheaper ones are far from bad.
Notable differences in the instruments are in the hardware - the knobs aren't as solid, the tuners not quite as accurate or solid feeling, the jack (since replaced) was of a flimsy, cheap type that didn't last long. Epiphone/Gibson 3-way pickup selectors are always the first thing to go wrong in cheaper guitars. The pickups are not as powerful or as nice sounding (though sound great in their own way). Otherwise the two guitars play as well as each other, both are capable of a low action, and if anything the Ibanez fits me better, as the body sits more central to my body, as do my guitars, making the transition to bass more comfortable for me.
Given the choice, I'd buy a decent, cheap, instrument (Squier perhaps) and later if I felt and hardware wasn't cutting it, I'd upgrade it. The only thing that really matters to me is that the neck is good, and that the guitar hangs comfortably. And that it looks nice.
It does seem a shame that cheap instruments are marketed as "beginner" instruments when they are perfectly good for professional use, and with the cheaper parts bound to fail in the first year would be enough to put off many beginners!
There are plenty of "beginner" instruments that are brilliant - my Ibanez Jet King cost £300 new (I got it for £100) but plays as well and is as enjoyable as my Fender Precision that was twice the retail cost. Same is true of all my Epiphones, ranging in price from £250 to £700 which have notable differences in quality, but the cheaper ones are far from bad.
Notable differences in the instruments are in the hardware - the knobs aren't as solid, the tuners not quite as accurate or solid feeling, the jack (since replaced) was of a flimsy, cheap type that didn't last long. Epiphone/Gibson 3-way pickup selectors are always the first thing to go wrong in cheaper guitars. The pickups are not as powerful or as nice sounding (though sound great in their own way). Otherwise the two guitars play as well as each other, both are capable of a low action, and if anything the Ibanez fits me better, as the body sits more central to my body, as do my guitars, making the transition to bass more comfortable for me.
Given the choice, I'd buy a decent, cheap, instrument (Squier perhaps) and later if I felt and hardware wasn't cutting it, I'd upgrade it. The only thing that really matters to me is that the neck is good, and that the guitar hangs comfortably. And that it looks nice.
It does seem a shame that cheap instruments are marketed as "beginner" instruments when they are perfectly good for professional use, and with the cheaper parts bound to fail in the first year would be enough to put off many beginners!
So good point of veiw! I think that any bass has only two major parts on which ppl must look and which make them bad or good, keeper or few months testing stuff - this things are neck and body. Everything other can be changed. If neck is good, if body is from sonorous hardwood, not soggy and making resonance - this is a good bass
That's it.
I have several "beginner" bassists at the shop. They play all the way from a lo-end Dean to a very nice burl-topped Ibby SR1600 (i think). But Squier Jazz basses are the norm.
I have also been known to take a student's bass over to the bench for a complimentary quick action-adjustment if I see them struggling with it. Learning to play is challenging enough without having to "fight" your instrument, too.
And, just to be clear, playing a "beginner's" bass doesn't imply or inflict "beginner" status on the player. Opposite direction.
to me it means a non expensive bass for a person who is just beginning to play the bass.They may or may not stick with it and do not want to invest much money at that time.
The allegory that comes to mind is 600cc sport bikes.
When I see a late model 600 for sale on Kijiji, it's for experienced riders.
On the other hand, a five to ten year old bike is invariably pitched by the seller as a "great beginners bike".
An older bike may do 150 mph whereas the "pro" bike can approach 160.
Either one can end your life in a hurry.
I finally tumbled to the fact that in most people's minds, performance has nothing to do with it.
People with the money to spend on a newer bike are "pros" whereas someone on a budget buying an older bike is a "beginner".
After a solid 40 years of riding I'm still a beginner by those standards.
When I see a late model 600 for sale on Kijiji, it's for experienced riders.
On the other hand, a five to ten year old bike is invariably pitched by the seller as a "great beginners bike".
An older bike may do 150 mph whereas the "pro" bike can approach 160.
Either one can end your life in a hurry.
I finally tumbled to the fact that in most people's minds, performance has nothing to do with it.
People with the money to spend on a newer bike are "pros" whereas someone on a budget buying an older bike is a "beginner".
After a solid 40 years of riding I'm still a beginner by those standards.
