Buying secondhand

[muttley]

I'm starting lessons tomorrow on a borrowed instrument but I'm keen to get my own bass asap. Buying 2nd hand will obviously get me better vfm in the first place plus the ability to move something on for little loss should I decide to change/upgrade. However, I have no experience in buying a used instrument privately so I need advice from those more experienced on what to look out for. BTW, electronics pose no problem as I'm handy with a soldering iron.

TIA

[LukeFRC]

buy off here from a regular user. most folk are pretty sound and will not only sell you a bass honesty but ask nice they can set it up for you too probably...

[Rayman]

Depends a lot on what you want mate. Are you a rocker, or a funk machine, a pop player etc etc.

[b]Golden rule number 1[/b], go and try some basses in as many shops as you can get to. Find one you like the look of, and sound of, and feel of, and that is within your budget and start from there. PLEASE don't just buy one from ebay if you don't know what you're looking for.

Yamaha BB basses (BB414 for example) are great, Ibanez RBX basses (RBX170 for example) are great value, and Squier classic vibe basses too, but you really must go and try some out to get a feel for what you like, that's so very important.

Go and try as many as you can before you do anything else!!

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Rayman' post='1182541' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:19 PM']Depends a lot on what you want mate. Are you a rocker, or a funk machine, a pop player etc etc.

[b]Golden rule number 1[/b], go and try some basses in as many shops as you can get to. Find one you like the look of, and sound of, and feel of, and that is within your budget and start from there. PLEASE don't just buy one from ebay if you don't know what you're looking for.

Yamaha BB basses (BB414 for example) are great, Ibanez RBX basses (RBX170 for example) are great value, and Squier classic vibe basses too, but you really must go and try some out to get a feel for what you like, that's so very important.

Go and try as many as you can before you do anything else!![/quote]


+1 more useful than my advice!

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1182540' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:19 PM']buy off here from a regular user. most folk are pretty sound and will not only sell you a bass honesty but ask nice they can set it up for you too probably...[/quote]
+1, and maybe get your teacher to go along and try it. He/She ought to have [i]plenty[/i] of experience in such matters...
If not, do you have any friends who know what to look at/for? Take them along.
Do remember that the instrument is for [u]you[/u], and you get the casting vote...

[muttley]

[quote name='Rayman' post='1182541' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:19 PM']Depends a lot on what you want mate. Are you a rocker, or a funk machine, a pop player etc etc.[/quote]

Not rock, but probably just about everything else! Bassists I like include Mick Karn, Bootsy, Chris Squire, Andy Rourke, Jaco so the list is varied.

[quote name='Rayman' post='1182541' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:19 PM'][b]Golden rule number 1[/b], go and try some basses in as many shops as you can get to. Find one you like the look of, and sound of, and feel of, and that is within your budget and start from there. PLEASE don't just buy one from ebay if you don't know what you're looking for.[/quote]

My local shop didn't have a great range but I liked the Ibanez for the light weight, slim(ish) neck and contemporary looks. I remember in my teens my uncle lent me his Gibbo (G3?) which was lovely but it weighed a ton. Fenders don't do a lot for me I'm afraid. Nice to play but boring looks. I'd like a Warwick or a Wal but that will have to be for later.

[quote name='Rayman' post='1182541' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:19 PM']Yamaha BB basses (BB414 for example) are great, Ibanez RBX basses (RBX170 for example) are great value, and Squier classic vibe basses too, but you really must go and try some out to get a feel for what you like, that's so very important.[/quote]

I like the look of the Yamaha RBX series. I understand from reading comments here that the BB range is also highly regarded by also on the heavy side. Is this the case? I'm a ten stone weakling so don't want anything too heavy (my main instrument is the violin).

[muttley]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='1182547' date='Mar 30 2011, 06:32 PM']+1, and maybe get your teacher to go along and try it. He/She ought to have [i]plenty[/i] of experience in such matters...
If not, do you have any friends who know what to look at/for? Take them along.
Do remember that the instrument is for [u]you[/u], and you get the casting vote...[/quote]

Thanks, I may do that. Sadly, I don't have any friends that play bass, only my uncle and he's a dyed-in-the-wool Fender man having previously been a dyed-in-the-wool Gibson man :-\.

[Shambo]

If you'd like a Warwick, why not try a second hand 'Rockbass' of some variety. Try 'em out in a shop and then go hunting for a used one. The couple I've tried seemed quite light and decent value for money. Although the way Warwick prices are heading ATM, if you save your pennies, you might be able to pick up a posher model quicker than you think.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Shambo

[Rayman]

Good choice in music!! Good start!!

It really does depend how much you want to spend. As always, you get what you pay for, but for a couple of hundred quid or more you can get a great bass. I'm a big fan Ibanez and Yamaha, you can't go too far wrong there in my opinion, but Warwicks are great basses, and as said above, the Rockbass stuff which is the budget end of the range if you like can be really good too. However you can pick up second hand Warwick Standard basses for 300-400 quid, it depends how much you've got.

It's difficult if your local place has half a dozen pieces of crap and not much else, but if you can, take your time looking, and get to a couple of decent music stores if you can, it'll be worth the effort.

The Yamaha BB basses are really good, don't know about the weight, but the range of tones really is killer for the money, and again, Ibanez don't make many duffers, at least, I've never come across one.

Good advice to get some help from someone who knows about basses and get them to go with you too.

[muttley]

[quote name='Shambo' post='1182697' date='Mar 30 2011, 08:33 PM']Although the way Warwick prices are heading ATM, if you save your pennies, you might be able to pick up a posher model quicker than you think.[/quote]

That's interesting. Any particular reason for this? Market flooded or general economic gloom?

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='muttley' post='1183075' date='Mar 31 2011, 10:37 AM']That's interesting. Any particular reason for this? Market flooded or general economic gloom?[/quote]


That's a whole other discussion
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=120241&hl=warwick+prices"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...=warwick+prices[/url]

[iconic]

Yamaha BB414's not heavy, but the broad-bass (hence the BB ) design does make them look a little 'density challanged'.

To my mind the BB414's are quite a special bass...super hot pups, deep or bright sounds, great necks, lovely build quality, comfy too, mine's a keeper for sure.

There is an metallic pearl orange one for sale on here somewhere and I think the orange is worth paying more for, such a beautiful bass.

....now my Squier Vintage Modified Jazz [size=7]IS[/size] heavy.....I'm sure this must have mercury swilling around in it's body, brick sh*tehouse comes to mind....on the bright side I could use it to hammer fence posts in and if it ever got stolen they couldn't run too far with it

Yamaha RBX's are great too with fantastic build for the money (or any money come to that?) I've tried the 170 and owned the RBX-374 and she was active with dual humbuckers....big....big sound...and very easy to play with good sized necks.

Edited April 1, 2011 by iconic

[merello]

Look on the dark side too - if you buy 2nd hand from here, you can probably deal down a wee bit and if it does not work out or you want to upgrade, get your money nearly all back in the future. After your initial investment, it's like renting a bass on here with some of the swaps! If you are spending anything up to £200, the Yamaha BB, Squire CV or VM or Ibanez is a no-brainer.

[iconic]

[b]I would, should and will add, buying off basschat, has for me, been a real pleasure, good descriptions, no dramas, easy deals and good prices too....I wouldn't shop anywhere else to be honest.[/b][i][/i]
....I would rather stick pins in my eyes than buy off Fleabay/gumtree after recent issues, but always look!

In general, always good to play before you buy, but I rarely do ( ) if you don't like it simply punt it on, avoid 'projects' until later on.

I also think, personally & I'm sure many would disagree, I think it is BEST to buy new when starting out, but only a cheapie such as RBX-170, they can be had for under £150, because if you don't 'know' a good bass from a bad one you could buy a pup (no pun intended)....basses aren't fragile but repairing one can be expensive if it needs to be sent out, or even simply not cost effective.

.....second hand so far I've seen in only 2 years, countless mis-described basses, 2 basses with necks more like a banana from sitting next to radiators (?) another with wiring so messed with it reminded me more of a hoodies sound system in a Pug 206, one with a pick-up that only 'picked up' the E and A strings (!) and one with a crack so large around the neck pocket that I could of heard an echo.....all these were from fleabay, preloved (oxymoron!) and gumtree I should add

Edited April 1, 2011 by iconic

[muttley]

Thanks for the replies so far. I've been loaned a de-fretted* Squire P for the time being. It's pretty "well used" but seems to play OK but, most importantly, gives me a reference point. I find the weight of this OK. Is the VM Jazz heavier? I don't recall it being overly heavy when I tried one in a shop recently.

* my teacher said he would start me on fretless to see how it goes. I have to say I find this very natural coming from a violin playing background so hopefully I can stick at it. Problem is, the choice of instrument is somewhat restricted compared to fretted basses.

[muttley]

Well, I can keep the Squire P for pretty-much as long as I need it but my teacher would prefer me to get an unlined fretless. Since this narrows my choice considerably (I've been looking...) it's a good job I'll have the loan instrument for a while!

[Dad3353]

[quote name='muttley' post='1187684' date='Apr 4 2011, 01:56 PM']...to get an unlined fretless...[/quote]
Good aftrnoon, muttley...
You may wish to look at these...
[url="http://www.rondomusic.com/Bassguitarfretless.html"]http://www.rondomusic.com/Bassguitarfretless.html[/url]
...I have a 6-string fretless from them, and it's great vfm, imho. Certainly doesn't feel 'cheap', and plays fine (active electronics didn't spoil the deal, either..!). You may even like their 'violin' bass (personally I use Hofner, which is very light, being hollow...).
Shipping to France was no problem.
Just my tuppence worth, hope this helps.
(No connection, obviously, other than as satisfied user...)

Edited April 4, 2011 by Dad3353

[FayeAutumn]

Hey Muttley,

The BB's aren't really heavy at all, my first bass was a BB614. And they're pretty well balanced too. However, they don't as far as I'm aware have a fretless version. I can recommend the Cort Artisan B4FL and Cort Curbow 4FL. Both models are (obviously) fretless, and also unlined. They're light-weight too, and the Curbow has a really small body for a bass (but still sounds great).

[url="http://www.cortguitars.com/basses"]http://www.cortguitars.com/basses[/url]

At the very least, worth checking out.

[ThomBassmonkey]

If your teacher can't come with you to look at basses (if he has a lot of students, he can't realistically do it for everyone) then maybe if you ask nicely on here someone in the area (that has no financial interest in the sale) would come along for petrol money. It's important that you take someone who knows what they're doing along to check it out as a bass that looks and sounds great to a beginner might have more subtle problems that you'll pick up on as you gain more experience.

Also make sure the bass is set up as close to how you'll be playing it as possible. It's not so much a problem on 4 strings, but I bought a 5er that was strung E-C when I tested it, I set up instruments so I know my way around them and it seemed fine. Unfortunately a problem with the neck meant that the extra tension from re-stringing it B-G highlighted a problem with the neck and it needed some (expensive) work doing. If the seller is prepared to let you (or someone you know, another reason it's worth taking someone along that knows their stuff) do a set up then you should definitely do it.

If you buy off here, make sure to check peoples' feedback threads. Some people think that any sale on here is going to be with the best intentions from both parties and though it's true 99% of the time, there are people that just want the sale even if there's things they've not mentioned. Very few 2nd hand basses are in perfect condition, if you're looking at one that someone says is in perfect condition or doesn't mention any dings/problems, make sure to look extra closely.

Also don't be afraid to buy new. There's a good chance you'll become emotionally attached to your first bass so you won't need to worry about re-sale value and there's plenty of brilliant basses available for not much money new. In my experience and opinion, if your budget's around £200, you can get a brilliant new bass, buying second hand won't get you that much better (though people do rave about Squier VMJ/CVJ which go for around £200 2nd hand). If your budget's £350 upwards, definitely look second hand though, things like SUBs, SBMM Ray34s and G&L L2000s, maybe even a German Warwick can be got for around that money and they'll be better than anything new in that budget by quite a way.

[burray]

[quote name='iconic' post='1184234' date='Apr 1 2011, 08:27 AM']To my mind the BB414's are quite a special bass...super hot pups, deep or bright sounds, great necks, lovely build quality, comfy too, mine's a keeper for sure.

There is an metallic pearl orange one for sale on here somewhere and I think the orange is worth paying more for, such a beautiful bass.[/quote]

Oh hai. See my sig.

If mine doesn't go soon, I reckon I'm going to change my mind and keep it.

[L_Bass_Dog85]

I see your a Suffolk lad like me. If your from Ipswich area go to cash converters and try out a Warwick Rockbass there, see how it feels. Or take a field trip to Bass Merchant in Colchester, they also do second hand equipment.

Luke

[muttley]

I'm in West Suffolk, but I'm thinking a trip to Colchester would be very worthwhile. BTW, are you saying that CC in Ipswich currently has a Rockbass? NB: I'm after a fretless.

[Bankai]

[quote name='muttley' post='1182602' date='Mar 30 2011, 07:11 PM']I remember in my teens my uncle lent me his Gibbo (G3?) which was lovely but it weighed a ton. Fenders don't do a lot for me I'm afraid. Nice to play but boring looks. I'd like a Warwick or a Wal but that will have to be for later.[/quote]
If you like the Gibsons, then perhaps look at getting an Epiphone model second hand? Dare I say a Thunderbird?

[muttley]

[quote name='Bankai' post='1189396' date='Apr 5 2011, 05:58 PM']If you like the Gibsons, then perhaps look at getting an Epiphone model second hand? Dare I say a Thunderbird? [/quote]

Sorry, but <can't find the sick smiley>. Whilst I love Gibson guitars (I even own one*) I much prefer more modern-looking basses. I was a teenager in the 80s when loads of new brands were emerging and developing: Wal, Musicman, Steinberger, Strata/Status, Jaydee, Warwick and so on. I always liked the look of these and now that I have re-discovered playing, albeit on an instrument new to me, that's the kind of thing I want.

* no, I won't sell it. It's part of my history, like my first violin.

[pete.young]

If it has to be an unlined fretless and you don't want a Fender, that is going to limit your options somewhat.

I'm biased because I have one, but I think you should consider a Bass Collection SB320 fretless. They come up on the 'bay occasionally - the factory-made fretless has an unlined ebony board and plays beautifully. TheRev has just put a defretted one up for trade in the 'For Sale' forum which will give you an idea of what they look like.

If you make it as far as Ipswich you're welcome to come and try mine, and I'm happy to go and check out basses if you end up looking at something at this end of the county.