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Post subject: Recommend my First Bass
Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:11 pm
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Guitars I know, Bass not so much. I am looking to purchase a reasonably priced ($500.00 USD or lower) Bass. My daughter is also looking to learn how to play so I figured we could learn together. She can play an average sized guitar so there whatever I buy she will play too.

Problem is, I don't know anything about Bass guitars. Can anyone recommend a good Bass to start with that sounds decent, will cover a variety of musical styles and won't break the bank. I know that someone must know that secret deals that only Bass players would know, right?

Also, while your at it, I'll need an amp too. Home use for the most part to get started. Nothing too dinky but I don't need a stack either.

Thanks

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Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:08 am
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a jazz bass would have a smaller neck, but i would advice a short scale bass esp for smaller hands..

but then again the simplest bass yet sounds good is a Fender P bass.. or a cheaper alternative go for Squiers

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Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:28 am
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Yes + on theSquier. Safest bet is their Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified line. About $280-$350 tops, and you'll get a surprisingly good instrument for the cost. Don't let anyone (especially salesmen who want to steer you to the more expensive basses) tell you they are crap. It's simply not true. For simplicity's sake and for small hands, I would recommend the VM Jazz ($299 new). Excellent bass (I have one) especially as a starter instrument, as it is also good enough for gigging with, should you get to that point. Looks pretty, too! Anyway, go to the store, check the Squiers out for yourself and see which feels right to you. Again, don't let any salesman (or anyone else, for that matter) steer you away from them untill you try them.

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Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 10:07 am
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yeah, i would just say go to the closest guitar center or something and just try out bass after bass with your daughter, the squier classic vibe and vintage modified are good starter bass, a low cost to them, i would sugest them, but its not what people think you should have, get the bass that you and your daughter fall in love with (and like the $$$) of it to lol.

and for an amp, I would say an accoustic B100 100W combo amp with a 15" speaker, you can get that for around $250, and that thing is good for home practice, but also, if either you or your daughter start gig-ing or playing different places, that can handle the job.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:21 pm
Go with a Squier Jazz. The price is reasonable to start with, and like mentioned before the neck is a little friendlier for smaller hands. They sound good also.


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Post subject: Re: Recommend my First Bass
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:14 am
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Chicagoblue wrote:
Guitars I know, Bass not so much. I am looking to purchase a reasonably priced ($500.00 USD or lower) Bass. My daughter is also looking to learn how to play so I figured we could learn together. She can play an average sized guitar so there whatever I buy she will play too.

Problem is, I don't know anything about Bass guitars. Can anyone recommend a good Bass to start with that sounds decent, will cover a variety of musical styles and won't break the bank. I know that someone must know that secret deals that only Bass players would know, right?

Also, while your at it, I'll need an amp too. Home use for the most part to get started. Nothing too dinky but I don't need a stack either.

Thanks


With your price limitations you knock out all full blown Fender instruments. At least new ones! However you can find a used Standard Jazz (Mexican) for that.

I'd go in another direction for a young lady, I would suggest you seek out and try a Fender Mustang Bass. They are short scale, made in Japan and are very high quality. They sound good, are very easy to play and also they look good. They hold their value well also. With your price limitation again you are looking used.

If you want to cheap out on the instrument there are numerous brands making low cost playable basses with smaller bodies and shorter scales that are for ladies AND for guitarists who want to try playing bass. The Ibanez Mikro for example for about $180. Also there is a short scale Squier bass called the Squier BRONCO which costs about $150 new. These two are not exactly top quality instruments but are fine to start out with.

For a full 34 inch scale, as someone else mentioned, for the money NEW you should check out the Squire Classic Vibe series and Vintage Modified series basses. They are well made. I played two of them last week at Guitar Center Orlando. When you consider how little they cost they were very impressive.

In a brand new amp the Fender Rumble 75 is decent. Sort of heavy but not nearly as heavy as the particle board Acoustic combos which are like trying to move a dead cow. I'd check area pawn shops first for combos in brands like Fender, Ampeg, Peavey, Carvin and SWR. MOST of the combo bass amps made by these companies are at least halfway decent. In the Fender line about anything with 75 watts or so would be good. In an Ampeg the BA115 or smaller BA112 sounds ok. The Peavey TNT, TKO amps are ok beginner to small gig amps. Carvin makes good stuff all around. SWR's Workingman series are good but their L.A. series is NOT so good. Roland also makes some very good midsize bass amps such as the CUBE 100. Avoid amp brands you've never heard anything about.

There have been some real advances made in the weight of bass amps lately, but most of the small, light and powerful amps cost $700 and up new. Line 6 makes a really light 75 watt amp called the Studio 110 and it is worth a look at about 300 to 350 dollars, especially if a girl is going to be moving it around.

I'd go to the nearest Guitar Center, Sam Ash or even a little shop or pawn shops and see what you like and what she likes.

You can search Guitar Center's used bass gear NATIONWIDE on their website. Very handy.


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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:40 am
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+1 on the Studio 110.. small and portable.. and you can get tons of tone from it...

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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:55 pm
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Thanks for all the advice. I should note that my daughter, while 13 years old, is about 5"8" already and has big enough hands. She wants to learn on a full scale instrument as she was able to play a few during the past two weeks at her Day Jams camp. She had a blast and met other kids with musical interests just like her own.

We went to GC to scope out what was there and we were recommended to an Ibanez Sound Gear active pickup model with Maple neck. It sounded fine. We weren't able to find a Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified Squier yet. We will keep on looking.

Thanks for the advice.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:55 pm
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Thanks for all the advice. I should note that my daughter, while 13 years old, is about 5"8" already and has big enough hands. She wants to learn on a full scale instrument as she was able to play a few during the past two weeks at her Day Jams camp. She had a blast and met other kids with musical interests just like her own.

We went to GC to scope out what was there and we were recommended to an Ibanez Sound Gear active pickup model with Maple neck. It sounded fine. We weren't able to find a Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified Squier yet. We will keep on looking.

Thanks for the advice.

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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:35 pm
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Chicagoblue wrote:
Thanks for all the advice. I should note that my daughter, while 13 years old, is about 5"8" already and has big enough hands. She wants to learn on a full scale instrument as she was able to play a few during the past two weeks at her Day Jams camp. She had a blast and met other kids with musical interests just like her own.

We went to GC to scope out what was there and we were recommended to an Ibanez Sound Gear active pickup model with Maple neck. It sounded fine. We weren't able to find a Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified Squier yet. We will keep on looking.

Thanks for the advice.


I never pay much attention to the recommendation of most Guitar Center clerks. They are going to immediately point you toward the stuff they want to move in the worst way and will tend to lead you away from any used instrument because they don't make much money on them. One told me that the entire Squier bass line was junky and tried to get me to buy a flashy new Schecter that was so totally wrong for me I snickered. I didn't find the Squier Classic Vibe 50's P-Bass I played to be junky in the least. It was WAY more right for me than the Schecter was for sure. Actually I thought the Schecter was more junky! Different strokes for different folks.

I own two Ibanez basses and both were made in Korea at the Cort plant and both are also now discontinued. Of the two I think the SRX700, which was the top of the Ibanez SRX series until about two years ago is possibly the best active Ibanez bass ever. It can sound exactly like a Music Man Stingray and it plays much better. If you ever run across one of those used it would probably be in your price range. I see them go for 300 to 400 all the time, which is about half of what they cost new. The SRX700 has neck through construction, above average active electronics, excellent fit and finish. It is the only bass I own that is fully stock as I've never found a reason to change anything at all on it beyond strings. This is the same model bass Carol Kaye has been playing for years. I would seek out one of those if you decide to go with an Ibanez. The Korean and Japanese Ibanez instruments are superior to the ones they are making now in Indonesia in every way that I can name. Most of the Japanese Ibanez instruments are not going to be in your price range now.

Another full size bass I'd recommend used is the current version of the Fender Precision Bass Special. I've owned two of them and they are very versatile instruments. Used they are also in your price range. They will probably always be worth at least about what you pay for them. They feature active EQ with one Precision and one Jazz pickup so you can get close to sounding like either a Jazz or a Precision bass. The neck is the narrower Jazz bass style neck. This is the most versatile Fender Mexican bass and probably the best value in a new Fender bass overall too.

In a passive bass either a used Fender Standard Jazz or Standard Precision (Mexican) would be in your price range. They are great first instruments. Eventually everyone is going to want a Fender bass, so you might as well get one from the beginning. I've been through a few of each of those. Totally good solid reliable instruments.

The reason I'm suggesting to look at used basses is because you will get way more for your money. Late summer and early fall is a good time to buy a used bass as people are trying to raise money for college and such. On into late fall people start holiday shopping and the selection will start to thin. I'd visit every guitar store you know of now and see what you can find to play in your price range. As in life you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince, so just keep trying different basses. Since she is already playing some, when she finds the one that is right for her, she'll just know it.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 7:35 pm
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it would be easier to start on a squier but you can also get a jazz bass
but the best bass would be a p bass.
i started on a p bass and i loved it


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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:58 pm
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shakesz wrote:
it would be easier to start on a squier but you can also get a jazz bass
but the best bass would be a p bass.
i started on a p bass and i loved it


I would say it is easier to afford a Squier, but I do not agree that it is easier to start on a Squier. Especially the lower end models.

In general Fenders play better, sound better, are more reliable and last longer.

The Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified Squiers are recent exceptions and some of the Japanese and even the few USA Squiers that were made are other notable exceptions. Fenders have better wood, better electronics, etc. Fenders hold more of their value, especially when you buy one used.

Eventually everyone wants a Fender, so might as well get a Fender now. If you want to buy a brand new instrument based on classic Fender designs at a lower price then you are surely talking about a Squier.


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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:25 pm
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You'll get a better Fender bass for the $500. if you go used. I've seen Fender U.S.A. Highway 1 P Basses on sale for just that. The tan finished Highway's look good as they age. So do the 3 tone Sunbursts. Play low notes F thru Ab with your ear to the neck. If you hear the truss rod rumbling a whole lot...don't buy the bass. Somebody has pushed it just a little too far in that case.

Paying $350. for a Squier Classic Vibe would be better really. I've seen pro Country guys playing the CV Jazz on t.v. They're legit now. :wink:

The Ibanez basses are ok for playing while standing up. But try and play a Soundgear sitting down. Keeps slipping to the knee. The rest of the Ibanez line is....meh.

For amps I'd get something small. You'd just be wasting money on extra watts that still couldn't be heard gigging or at practice. Or course you could get something used in the 250 watt range for around $275.

The Peavey TNT is a big dissappointment. You can get thick enough bass from the eq. But it never sounds "soft". Can't explain it. The highs have no tone at all and the mids sound "space shuttley". The old 70's-80's solid state Peaveys are even worse. I mention this because it is what everyone seems to get one time or another. The sound only gets worse as you turn them up too btw.

I'd go with 40's for bass strings.


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Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 9:24 pm
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i have to 100% disagree with that about peavey TNT and all peavey in general

i own a peavey TNT 130 and it sounds hounestly just as well as my orange. no not near as loud, but that is what i use to play throught at my church that has a congregation of around 450+, so descent size venue. i have the volume of that thing on 3 1/2 of 10, and they are telling me to turn it down, (i attend a very up-beat church too) and the low end goes crazy high, the high end has really nice tone, mid is ok, not great, but definately not bad at all.

it is lightweight, (around 50 pounds) and i have had it for over 10 years now, and still looks AND sounds like it has just been worn it like you new baseball glove.

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1978 Fender Precision Bass
2002 EB MusicMan Stingray5
2009 Squier Vintage Modified Precision Bass
2007 Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass

Orange OBC810 cabinet
Ampeg Heritage HSVT-810E cabinet


Orange AD-200B / Mk3 head
Ampeg Heritage HSVT-CL head


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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:28 am
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there are cheaper alternatives too.. quality and soundwise, Fenders are way to go... otherwise if you prefer a cheaper alternate yet good sounding i can recommend either SX or Squier but i know... not much people like the SX since the finish well i don't like the finish either but aww heck I bought one... for emergency purposes

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