And I think the problem with starter pack stuff (or anything from the lowest tier like Squier Debut or Glarry) is it takes an experienced eye to look it over and tell you if it needs fixed. You can pay for a setup, but do you want to pay for fret work too? I encourage new players to look a bit higher, like the ~$500 range. Don’t buy headaches. Don’t buy an instrument that is frustrating and makes you quit. You may not get perfect, but you’ll better the odds.
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What's a good $1,000 starter pack?
- Thread starter Greenman72
- Start date
Priced at Sweetwater as new:
Fender Standard Precision Bass-$599.99
Fender Rumble 100 Bass Combo-$349.99
Fender FB 405 Bass Gig Bag-$31.99
RapcoHorizon 10 Foot Cable-$7.05
D'Addario Planet Waves Strap-$6.95
Most teenagers have a phone, so I would have them use that as the tuner. With this package they could practice alone, rehearse with a band, and play gigs at any venue that runs the bass through the sound system.
Fender Standard Precision Bass-$599.99
Fender Rumble 100 Bass Combo-$349.99
Fender FB 405 Bass Gig Bag-$31.99
RapcoHorizon 10 Foot Cable-$7.05
D'Addario Planet Waves Strap-$6.95
Most teenagers have a phone, so I would have them use that as the tuner. With this package they could practice alone, rehearse with a band, and play gigs at any venue that runs the bass through the sound system.
You can't go wrong with a Precision or a Jazz bass, for sure.
The Telecaster came as a bot of a surprise.
I mean, I knew the quality would be topnotch, but I didn't expect it to sound as good as it did, especially after reading several "not much different than an EB-0" remarks.
Definitely didn't remind me of an EB-0.
Very good choices, but I'd skip the pedal and put that money into the amp selection, for a bit more volume. Beginners shouldn't be messing with pedals until they know the basics of how to play the instrument. Can always get those later on.
A friend who is also beginner bassist but experienced guitar player got that Sterling Sub and has been very happy with it, after he got a proper set-up.
I started playing about 5-6 years ago with the fender squire p/j starter pack. Came with a rumble 25 I believe and a gig bag. The bass has had almost no repairs, and only occasionally does the action need to be adjusted, and has been played at almost every gig and rehearsal I've ever done, and now I'm using it in a actual band for our C# songs. Still in great condition, sounds great. The original pickups at the right height even outshine the cheap wilkinson m series pickups I have on my nicer p bass. The amp it comes with isn't great, but is great for a beginner, and even was able to keep up with drums for 2 sessions in my teens when I didn't know the amp would blow (it blew very soon into the second session). I can't recommend the squire p/j enough, even if you don't feel the starter pack is right. Is it the players dream? No, but it certainly is all anyone needs to play bass as well as they want for pretty much forever, especially if playing with a band isn't a concern for the next couple years.
EDIT: I should also add, just the squire p/j, a cable, and a rumble 100, and you can be set for as long as you want. The Rumble 100 keeps up with bands well enough in my experience and sounds amazing with flatwound strings, though if you want to cut through rounds are the way to go.
I see the logic in that. But this kid seems to have the same situation that I did: I was already an accomplished pianist (and in my case, a strong theory background and an earned degree in composition). He or she may pick this up quickly and want to play out. I certainly was asked to join a band quickly and although I prefer to play without pedals, I needed some for what the band wanted. The pedal is also a tuner. My Korg tuner actually cost more that that pedal, but I needed it for the MTD I had with the Buzz Feiten Tuning.
I played professionally and toured, then downsized to basically what I showed from Sweetwater here(minus the pedal...I only have one and it is a Caline Wine Cellar that I use as a DI). The Rumble 100 is more than capable for practice and gigging, I feel.
But yes, adding an extra C note to the amp side can be a good thing too!!
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The boy is already a piano player, so IMO it would be most consistent to get him a Jazz Bass. A passive one to not distract him from making music, and a combo amp with a nice basic sound and really good EQ controls.
So...
So...
- Sire V5R
- Rocket Bass combo
- A nice wide leather strap
- TC Unitune and a basic cable
- music stand and Ed Friedland (Hal Leonard) bass method book
Also make sure he's not just wanting to learn bass because he thinks bass players get all the women?
You should just volunteer to take the kid and your friend out shopping and be their buying agent….steer them away from crap and toward the good bang for the buck stuff
Agreed. Doesn’t have to be these two but a middle of the road or better squier and no less than 100W and no less than a decent 12” speaker. You could get a new bass, but used combo amps can be dirt cheap if you don’t have to consider how heavy they are. Those heavy old amps are great for leaving in a practice space.
I'd lean had towards a Squier Jazz bass (Affinity is fine) and a Rumble 500, which is a 210 cab. The Squier Affinity Jazz bass is right at $346 and the Rumble 500 combo is $650. If neither the bass nor the combo come with a cord, you will need to get one and that will put you just a few dollars over budget.
That combo will put out up to 350-watts rms into its internal speakers and that is plenty for small and medium-sized venues. If he keeps with it and needs more rig to play a large venue or outdoors, he can then get a Fender Rumble 210 extension cab and plug that into his combo. That second cab drops the ohms load on the amp to 4Ω instead of 8Ω and that allows the amp to put out all 500-watts rms it can safely generate if needed. So he would end up with a de facto 500-watt, 410 rig. That will handle the large venues, outdoor venues, and music festivals just fine. Not a lot of places you can't play with that and if you're playing music festivals or arenas, they're going to mic his gear anyhow and it will be fine with that too.
Only caveat is that Fender does have a baked-in sound and you need to like that sound. Personally I do as my first amp was a Fender Bassman amp that I bought in 1966. If you don't like the Fender sound, Ampeg has a similar combo and extension speaker that they offer for about the same price. I believe both of those are $650 for the combo - the extension speaker has to be purchased separately. The Ampeg puts out 250-watts rms to its internal speakers and although that's less than the Fender Rumble delivers, it's still good enough for small and medium-sized venues. Caveat with the Ampeg RB210 is that you have to like the Ampeg sound because again, it's a baked in sound.
It's important to get an outfit that he will sound good on. If he doesn't sound good on it, he won't want to practice and/or play it. The Squire and the Rumble 500 not only sound good at your price point but he can actually gig with that set up with a 4 or 5-pc. rock, pop, or country band too.
There is no greater motivator for a beginner than a bass with sky high action and crackling pots that can't hold a tune.
Buying a decent bass and amp used is the way to go.
Some tips passed onto me after I first got my first-ever bass;
At first, I wasn't going to make a specific recommendation for a bass, but I came across [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Assuming the Jazz bass is a platform that works for the kid, this model was remarkably well-built and sounded great.
Lastly, some guidance can be very helpful, but don't charge forth with inflicting your own, personal preferences onto a beginner. Within reason, they are supposed to reach their own conclusions, as well as make their own mistakes. It's all a part of the learning curve.
- Start with a passive bass. Save active electronics for later. Until then, learn what unadulterated pickups are capable of.
- Get a good setup done shortly after buying. It kept me from having to deal with dead strings and potentially out-of-tolerance settings.
- When I got my first-ever a setup, the guy at the store set me up with a set of .100-gauge D'Addario Chromes, stating how they'll be kinder to a newbie's fingertips. Not only was that the case, but they sounded really good, too.
At first, I wasn't going to make a specific recommendation for a bass, but I came across [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Assuming the Jazz bass is a platform that works for the kid, this model was remarkably well-built and sounded great.
Lastly, some guidance can be very helpful, but don't charge forth with inflicting your own, personal preferences onto a beginner. Within reason, they are supposed to reach their own conclusions, as well as make their own mistakes. It's all a part of the learning curve.
+1,000,000If he's young and thinks it's going to stick, chances are he is going to want an amp that will keep up with a drummer and electric guitar in about three weeksI'd for sure skip the baby practice amps ppl are recommending
It's going to go over $1k, by a bit, but I'd look hard at the Fender Rumble 200C amp and a Squier Classic Vibe 70's Jazz bass.
I have both in my stable, and it makes for a compact, punchy nice sounding beginner to intermediate rig.
This is based on brand new pricing, if you dont mind used, its well under a grand.
I have both in my stable, and it makes for a compact, punchy nice sounding beginner to intermediate rig.
This is based on brand new pricing, if you dont mind used, its well under a grand.
The only bass I bought new that I still have was in 1990. I've bought a lot of used basses both from individuals and shops, mostly MIM J basses between $300~$500. I've never bought a used bass that was unplayable, but I've bought basses that sounded a lot better than others, but that was mostly dead strings or not set up to my liking. One thing I found, the better and louder it sounded unplugged, the better it would sound plugged in when I put new strings and a set it up on it, provided of course there are no electronics issues. The only other thing I'd say is on your first set up, check to make sure the neck heel screws can be pushed through the body holes with your thumb. If not, open them up until the screws can be pushed through with light thumb pressure. You don't want them to fall through but you don't want to have to whack them to go either. My test was a thumb on top and push, and stop a couple times, they should never fall through from their own weight. I just took a screw and tapped it through the hole with a wood block, then tapped it back through and repeat until you can push it through with your thumb
As for amps, I used a Peavey TKO (I think) 65 I traded a bass for, the first 2 years I played out doing country with a Dyna fiver and it carried it all the way down to the open B with no trouble.
As for amps, I used a Peavey TKO (I think) 65 I traded a bass for, the first 2 years I played out doing country with a Dyna fiver and it carried it all the way down to the open B with no trouble.
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