Which bass should I bring to college?

[JustSomeDude]

The Gretsch will make people want you to be in their band
When I was in school I had a gig bag with a hanger built onto it.
I hung my bass in the closet behind my clothes.

 

[verycoolname]

The Gretsch will make people want you to be in their band
When I was in school I had a gig bag with a hanger built onto it.
I hung my bass in the closet behind my clothes.

It's definitely very alluring lol.

And that's actually super smart! I don't currently own a gig bag (stupid me), but I could invest in a Roadrunner and try that out.

 

[dalkowski]

If you want to play, bring your player. Take all necessary security measures.

I will say this: Don't be surprised/disappointed if, owing to studies and other freshman adventures, it never sees the light of day after orientation.

 

[fishdreams]

I understand the theft fear ... but the thing is, it is about making music not the bass. Most musicians i know bring their fav axe/snare/cymbals/handbuilt 150 year old violin to whatever establishment, because it is the music that matters, and what they are used to play on a daily basis is what helps to make them sound good. I never leave my bass in a public place unattended, in the car, and never on a bandstand if I am not around - in the gigbag it goes and it comes with me, even if I am just buying a water down the street. Being careful is all I can do; theft or accidents is just another risk of life.

 

[Jaco D]

Go empty handed for the first few months till the time you travel home (thanksgiving?) to see if you will have time to even play the bass, regardless of what bass you bring. I remember in grad school one of the guys brought his Floyd super strat to the dorm. Problem is, he was either partying out too much or was pretty much stoned that he never got to play the guitar while we were at the dorm. To make things worse, in one of his drunken stupors, he lent the guitar to someone whose identity he can't quite remember. Bye-bye Super Strat!

Those first few months should give you some indication of what to bring if you do decide to bring one.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Start with the one you don't mind losing. If you start playing, you can always get the Gretch on a weekend trip. A hollowbodied bass is also much more likely to get damaged from someone "borrowing" your bass for "just a second".

 

[audreycashin]

I wouldn't rule out bringing an amp. You may well meet up with some folks who want a bassist to start a band. If you're NOT going to bring an amp, bring the ABG. You don't want to jeopardize your most expensive bass until you've scouted out the roommate/dorm situation, and with a solidbody you'll just spend your time wishing you had an amp for it. If you do bring an amp, I'd bring the Ibanez - least risk and most flexibility.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...g&matchtype=&gclid=CI_vkdaU4b8CFZTm7AodxnIAug

 

[singlemalt]

You will undoubtedly have a computer in your room. I'd suggest a Zoom B3. About $150 used. It can be your interface, headphone practice amp, drum machine, looper and di if you get to jam with people who have a PA. It can do it's thing on AA batteries. Runs off USB power. Cool editor software for setting up patches. Oh yeah, it's a drawer full of effects. Too bad it doesn't have a mini stereo input or it and your Ipod would be totally self contained. Amps are unpopular, if not forbidden in many dorms. Check your housing rules.

I'd take the Ibbey. Tough enough for college.

Comfortable, cheap headphones, and a closet hanger.

 

[verycoolname]

Not going to quote all of the above posts, but I really appreciate the input from all of you!

 

[Bob_Ross]

I would bring the Ibanez... because if anything bad does manage to happen to it -- and trust me, it's college, bad things will happen! -- you can go to the nearest Guitar Center and buy something that is for all practical purposes identical.

Your Gretsch & your Fender, being oddballs, are essentially irreplaceable. Take care of them.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Like many have already said, if they were mine and I was in your sitch, the Ibanez would be the one I'd take. (there goes my Fender Fanboy cred! ) You'd be much better prepared if a band-situation arises, dorm-practicing would be much more silent and it's not your "Baby".

I'd like to offer up an alternative on the headphone-amp-front. I've been getting a lot of use out of a Pocket Rockit S1b for the past three years. It's nice, simple and gives me very clean sounding reproduction. It's a little chunkier than the Vox, but if they sound anything like my Vox desktop bass amp does through headphones, you'd be better served by the Pocket Rockit.

 

[spanndrew]

Thanks for the input. That's my only worry with the Fender; I couldn't care less about it being damaged/stolen (okay, I'd care a little, but not much), but it would inhibit my ability to join a band/jam with my peers, which is something I want to do.

No fun just practicing with yourself.

Definitely, it's why we practice! But I would say feel it out with the ibanez and if you feel super confident graduate up to the Gretch.

 

[verycoolname]

I would bring the Ibanez... because if anything bad does manage to happen to it -- and trust me, it's college, bad things will happen! -- you can go to the nearest Guitar Center and buy something that is for all practical purposes identical.

Your Gretsch & your Fender, being oddballs, are essentially irreplaceable. Take care of them.

Very true, it is the most "vanilla" option. I know the Fender and Gretsch are found some places online (like my go to, Sweetwater), but I actually bought mine in a brick and mortar store. The seem to be a lot rarer in person than the Ibby, and if (God forbid) I had to replace one of them it'd take awhile.

Like many have already said, if they were mine and I was in your sitch, the Ibanez would be the one I'd take. (there goes my Fender Fanboy cred! ) You'd be much better prepared if a band-situation arises, dorm-practicing would be much more silent and it's not your "Baby".

I'd like to offer up an alternative on the headphone-amp-front. I've been getting a lot of use out of a Pocket Rockit S1b for the past three years. It's nice, simple and gives me very clean sounding reproduction. It's a little chunkier than the Vox, but if they sound anything like my Vox desktop bass amp does through headphones, you'd be better served by the Pocket Rockit.

Thanks for the input! (Your fanboy credit is safe...I mean, look at your sig!)

And thanks for the alternative. I was thinking of (maybe) investing in Rocksmith for my computer (something I've been meaning to do) so I can practice/learn new songs without really disturbing anyone (I could plug headphones into my computer for the game's audio). I'll look into the Pocket Rockit too.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Thanks for the input! (Your fanboy credit is safe...I mean, look at your sig!)

Whew…that's a relief! Thanks for not throwing me under the tour bus!

And thanks for the alternative. I was thinking of (maybe) investing in Rocksmith for my computer (something I've been meaning to do) so I can practice/learn new songs without really disturbing anyone (I could plug headphones into my computer for the game's audio). I'll look into the Pocket Rockit too.

When I'm "on the go", which is quite often, I plug an mp3 player into the amp with a male-to-male stereo headphone cord. But, if I'm home, I'll plug into my computer's headphone jack and play along with iTunes. I could probably do something similar with Garage Band, but I'm in no rush to hear my tuneless, clumsy noodlings played back to me. :***:

Good luck at school and break a leg "on-stage"!

 

[DoomBaTikAhBow]

Take the Ibanez, and either use the headphone input on your amp or get those Vox AmPlug headphones.
They are actually really nice, especially the "Bass" designed ones. My friend runs a music store (well, he closed the
store last year but still runs it online) and he let me try them out and they are really nice. You can almost feel like
you're playing through a real amp -- just play alone, nothing is worse than turning around after a headphone jam and
seeing your girlfriend and her friend's watching you rock out in apparent silence and singing out of tune, awfully (I'm a
terrible singer) and realizing they just recorded it all on their phones. Seriously, it doesn't look good.

But yeah, the Ibanez is a really nice bass but it's not exactly unique or precious. It seems to be your main workhorse, so
I'd definitely take that. It'd be a great bass for any type of band you'd potentially play with, and if it got damaged or stolen
then it's not like losing your baby. Keep it in the case, under your bed, and maybe with a spare duvet covering it or something.
I don't know what you/your roommate's social life is like, but drunk students don't look after instruments very well and get really
excited when they see a guitar and just want to try it, and end up banging the neck on a doorframe and suddenly your guitar has
a huge crack down it, and "Steve-O" has spilt beer on it but says that "he'll totally pay you back for it" and then when you mention
it the next day, he doesn't even remember and tells you that you made it all up, and then he avoids you all semester except when
find him in bed with your girlfriend when you get home early from exams and then you hang yourself in your closet. Wait, what am I
talking about?

Long story short, take the Ibanez. Get some decent headphones, and/or the Vox AmPlug/headphones and try find yourself a band.
Seriously, the girls go mental for people in bands at college -- especially if you play local gigs, and as long as you keep saying bass
GUITAR then you'll do better than the drummer. Infact, the bassist before me in our old band got more girls than anyone else. Too bad
that he spend more time with them than practising, and got kicked out of the band when he pulled a girl onstage and tried to get her to
give him a blowjob. Plus he'd spit on the crowd, and no one likes that unless you're seriously famous. But anyway, I digress.

TL;DR
1. Take Ibanez
2. ????????????
3. Profit!!

 

[verycoolname]

TL;DR
1. Take Ibanez
2. ????????????
3. Profit!!

I read the whole thing, and it was legendary. Thank you for that.

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

I am only going to say this because, after all, your are going to school: you're not "bringing" a bass. You are taking one.

 

[verycoolname]

I am only going to say this because, after all, your are going to school: you're not "bringing" a bass. You are taking one.

D'oh!

Thanks for that...I swear I'm not stupid.

 

[Malak the Mad]

just play alone, nothing is worse than turning around after a headphone jam and
seeing your girlfriend and her friend's watching you rock out in apparent silence and singing out of tune, awfully (I'm a
terrible singer) and realizing they just recorded it all on their phones. Seriously, it doesn't look good.

…and then He Who Is Named "Doom" summoned forth his Morgul hoard
…and lo did he lay waste to many a sorority house
…for they, like, totally had it coming!
('cause we all know New Zealand is actually Middle Earth, right?)

Keep it in the case, under your bed, and maybe with a spare duvet covering it or something.I don't know what you/your roommate's social life is like, but drunk students don't look after instruments very well and get really excited when they see a guitar and just want to try it, and end up banging the neck on a doorframe and suddenly your guitar has a huge crack down it,

He's sooooo right. The same thing happened to one of my drum set's cymbals when I thought it was "safe" at a friend's house. "One party I was not at" + "one jerkass" = "dunno who did it, but I think it was <insert jerkass' name>". Never assume anything within sight and/or easy reach is safe, no matter how much you think you trust the other guy. Because even if he is trustworthy, someone he brings over may not be.

Try to put yourself in the headspace of "This is a beater/travel bass. If it gets a little roughed up, but still works, no problem. If it gets trashed or stolen…sure, that sucks, but it's not the End of the World."

In summary, Doom is a wise and learned Kiwi.

 

[DocGeorge]

I say the Ibby. Most dorm rooms are heated centrally. Now with people going in and out of your room, the weather in PA, and the fact the bass is going to be kept in a closet much of the time; hollow bodies and acoustics may not react favorably to this kind of treatment.