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Post subject: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:20 am
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Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum. I've just started learning bass last summer and have a cheap used Yamaha. I'm ready to upgrade. I want to stay within the $300-400 range. I hear that Squires are very good (since I can't afford a Fender). My problem is that there are way too many types to choose from! I'm not at a point where I can hear a difference in the sounds of the bass. Can someone give me laymans terms on the difference between precision, jazz, mustang, and jaguar basses? I did see a nice Fender at Guiter Center for $499, but the guy working there told me it was made in China and that I was better off spending less money on a Squire...

Thanks!

P.S. I'm learning to play the blues mainly, by the way.


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:14 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Location: Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Mississippi and Tennessee seasonally
Welcome to the Fender Forum.

For the type of music that you prefer, a Precision Bass will be a very good way to start. The Squire P-Basses are fine instruments and will do a good job for you until such time as you are much more well versed in bass instruction, have practiced many hours and then wish to step up to an actual Fender American.

One suggestion might be found in the link below - See if you can find one at your local shop and give it a good test...

CLICK >>> http://www.fender.com/basses/precision- ... sion-bass/


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:38 am
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Thank you so much for your input. It's funny...I have a ton of musician friends and I posted on Facebook asking advice on the P and J bass and I've gotten a mixture! When I went to guitar center, they didn't have the most popular Squiers in stock...I want to play a P and a J back to back so I can feel the difference.


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:01 pm
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Location: Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Mississippi and Tennessee seasonally
Excellent thought. Please remember that any J - styled bass using single coil pickups and two separate volume controls 'may' produce hum coming from your amp. By setting the volume controls on that style of J - bass, to the exact same setting, you will eliminate the hum.... but that does not allow you to be flexible in your pickup selection or blending for certain tonal characteristics.

I ran into this on a MIM J - Bass recently and installed the DiMarzio J-Bass multi-coil humbuckers ( stock number DP-149 ) and now the J- Bass has full adjustment of the pickups without ANY hum. When you test the J- style bass in your price range in the store, make sure that you know how the two volume controls work, because if you don't like the hum, it will cost another $100.00 or so to get rid of the hum. Precision basses do not have that characteristic because even though they use single coil pickups, they are wired in such a way as to null the hum completely.

Please let us know how things go. Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:11 pm
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I will definitely let you know. I probably won't purchase until I get my tax returns in a month or two. I may be on here to ask more questions before I make a final decision. Thank you! You've been very helpful.


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:48 pm
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A Squier P-Bass is a good bass for Beginners & if you have small hands or find the P bass too big you may want to consider trying a Squier Mustang bass or Jaguar bass.......& of course my Fave is the Jazz Bass


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:27 pm
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If you are on a budget, you may want to check out, zzsound.com, I just received an email, fender has most of their stock with 10 months financing... if you plan on waiting for income tax to buy, you may want pay out for a couple of months.... there's also: Sweetwater, Musicians friend, and American Musical.... they all have charge accounts or you can use your debit card monthly...
You may be able to afford more bass than you think...


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:08 pm
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Good advice srholden....... most of my basses were purchased this way..... :)


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:21 pm
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I have considered financing. Main reason for waiting until tax time is to know if I can pay off a couple of cards. For now, I'm going to Guitar Center and Jackson music I'm Buford, ga, to feel them out. Once I've made a decision, I plan to compare prices! Thanks so much for all the input so far!


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:33 pm
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You're Welcome Bluzgirl ......Good Luck I hope you find a bass that makes you go WOW!!


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:16 pm
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If you want a REAL bass, that is a Fender. Squier has made amazing quality strides in the past 5 years, but it is still not a Fender.

You did say REAL BASS and that is and probably always will be a FENDER.

I realize some people have budget issues, but I don't think going into debt is the way to solve them.

The Mexican Fenders are really all the bass most players need. A used Mexican P-Bass is about the same cost as a new Squier Classic Vibe bass and I can buy them all day long for about $300 to $350 around here. I'd look around and try a bunch of those instead of settling for a Squier now. Face it, you'll always want a Fender no matter how much you like the Squier. Might as well get it up front.


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:05 pm
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brotherdave gave the best advice you could get. save up if you have to and buy a real FENDER. If you don't you will be sorry and start collecting basses and eventually wind up like Stroker Vance!


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:15 pm
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You may want to look for a used, late 80's Precision Special(made in Japan). These basses have a smaller Precision-style body. There's a million of them out there. Don't pay more than $500.


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:25 pm
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As much as I'd like a nice Fender, I don't really want to spend a lot of money until I really get into playing and know that I'm going to stick with it. I have just made friends with the owner of a used music shop here, so I'm going to go play a bunch and figure out what I want and have him keep an eye out for me...

Thanks all!


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Post subject: Re: Purchasing first real bass...Need advice
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 9:36 pm
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Good Luck !!


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