bob_e70 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I'm looking to purchase my first serious bass having converted from a guitar player over a year ago. Until today I had my heart set on the see thru black ESP Ltd EC414 FM, but have been concerned by the lack of reviews. Today the Gibson SG caught my eye and now I'm trying to choose between the two! Can you chaps let me know your thoughts? From the popular german web store the ESP is £525 and the SG is £650. I like to play with a sharpe, funky sound... And I'm small so don't want anything too heavy. Thanks, Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 if you can Bob play them both.. its the only way to know if you like either.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayn Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) Definitely think you'd be better off finding a shop with a good range of basses and trying every bass within your price range. You might be surprised by which one suits you best and it's a lot more fun than ordering a bass off the 'net. You seem to like basses that get their looks from guitars. Why not try some that were designed as basses, from the start. If you are small, I'd suggest the excellent Fender Mustang. Good luck Edited May 1, 2011 by grayn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Indeed it would be better if you went and tried them both. What's your playing style? Technique? Although; sharp? Funky? Look no further than a stingray 4H 3 EQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Gtr players like the transition to a short scale bass so the Gibson may fit your bill..but you had better demo it as sharp funky sound would not be my way of describing its typical sounds. IMO. If you use Andy Fraser as a reference for the sound then ok, IMO..!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) Hi Bob, welcome. I'd echo the advice of those above - you dont give a location but if you're close to some stores, get out and play as many basses as you can. If you find something that suits (tone, ergonomics, aesthetics, playing style), you could think about looking for that model in the 'for sale' section here. You have a good budget and could secure a very nice bass. I'd be thinking about trying basses in the £800 to £1000 range in shops. If you're patient, you could pick up something similar here for maybe £500-600. Also, think about saving some budget (£60?) for new strings and a really good set-up. Good luck - half the fun is in the shopping around Edited May 1, 2011 by lozbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_e70 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1216315' date='May 1 2011, 08:21 AM']Indeed it would be better if you went and tried them both. What's your playing style? Technique? Although; sharp? Funky? Look no further than a stingray 4H 3 EQ.[/quote] Thanks for all the input guys, very helpful. I know that i really need to try these (and many others) before making a decision. I live in Ashford, Kent, so only a 30 min train ride from London. I intend to go and have a browse over the next two weeks. If i see something that i like, would you recommend leaving it and purchasing online at a cheaper price? You guys are right, i do seem to like the guitar based models!! I never noticed that before... I like these models because they are not too 'in your face' or 'rock!'. I play in a quirky indie band that plays to a similar sound to Blur... which is really the playing style that I have come to use. I will take a look at the Mustang, thanks. Any other models that may fit the bill within a budget of up to £800ish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I am very near to you but don't have any short scale basses you could try. I understand the left hand fretting can be critical ..esp if you intend to double. What shops are you looking at..? local..? I am a great believer that there is a lot of variation between basses even of the same make so you really need to be trying the one you are thinking of buying. Not sure I would buy online and trust it to be identical to the one you saw in a shop, myself..but I am very picky like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_e70 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) I dont really know of any decent local shops, so i was going to head to Denmark St and spend a day wondering. Do you know of anywhere nearby that has a good selection? I didnt intentionally look at short scale basses and TBH I have always tried to steer clear of them because i was told that the sound is never as good... no idea if that is true or not mind. In fact i am currently playing a Tanglewood Rebel 4K and have no idea if that is short scale or not?! Its long scale, i just checked... Edited May 1, 2011 by bob_e70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Ashford has two music shops, IIRC and not sure what they have in that might be decent... Folkestone has Musicbay. Canterbury....? can't recall what Socodi is now called. If you are sure you are going to stick with bass and not swap back to gtr..then you don't need limit yourself to short scale and there will be more choice. Short scale, IMO, has two main uses..small hands and gtrs doubling. If these aren't issues, then look at regular 34" scale, IMO. You have a decent budget...Denmark St might have a few options in that they have a few shops but I don't know them well enough any more to say what value they would be. Generally, ...generally..I would avoid shops with expensive CITY rents for the more available and popular market as their overheads factors into sales, possibly. Having said that..there are a couple fo specialist bass shops that are worth any premium, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) If you want something 'different', versatile (because it has a preamp in the guitar) and based on a 'guitar' design look no further than a Fender Jaguar bass. That would look good in any Indie band line up and has a nice thin neck too. They're from Fender Japan and they look like they've discontinued them recently but you'd get a good price on one secondhand. Here's a groovy video [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXzNaJ5gveY&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXzNaJ5gveY...feature=related[/url] Edited May 1, 2011 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_e70 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='gjones' post='1216496' date='May 1 2011, 12:39 PM']If you want something 'different', versatile (because it has a preamp in the guitar) and based on a 'guitar' design look no further than a Fender Jaguar bass. That would look good in any Indie band line up and has a nice thin neck too. They're from Fender Japan and they look like they've discontinued them recently but you'd get a good price on one secondhand. Here's a groovy video [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXzNaJ5gveY&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXzNaJ5gveY...feature=related[/url][/quote] Really like that Fender Jaguar, cant seem to find any for sale though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_e70 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1216476' date='May 1 2011, 12:14 PM']Ashford has two music shops, IIRC and not sure what they have in that might be decent... Folkestone has Musicbay. Canterbury....? can't recall what Socodi is now called. If you are sure you are going to stick with bass and not swap back to gtr..then you don't need limit yourself to short scale and there will be more choice. Short scale, IMO, has two main uses..small hands and gtrs doubling. If these aren't issues, then look at regular 34" scale, IMO. You have a decent budget...Denmark St might have a few options in that they have a few shops but I don't know them well enough any more to say what value they would be. Generally, ...generally..I would avoid shops with expensive CITY rents for the more available and popular market as their overheads factors into sales, possibly. Having said that..there are a couple fo specialist bass shops that are worth any premium, IMO.[/quote] I had a look in Ashfords music shops last week. Nothing really caught my eye... wasnt too keen on the manufacturers either (mainly Vintage). I will deffanatly be sticking with bass. Im loving playing for my current band and have had a lot more enjoyment since switching from guitar. So, long scale seems to be the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 You are welcome to pop round and try some basses. Just so you get a perspective of set-up and playing action and what is out there etc PM me if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_e70 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1216577' date='May 1 2011, 02:44 PM']You are welcome to pop round and try some basses. Just so you get a perspective of set-up and playing action and what is out there etc PM me if you want.[/quote] Very kind of you... PM sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SignsOfDelirium_bassist Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 If you're taking a trip to london to try out basses, I wouldn't reccommend Denamrk Street...Not only are the people there pretty unhelpful, but they haven't got a great selection in my opinion. If you want a fender, then go for it, they've got some warwicks an such as well. My advice would be to go to the Gallery in Camden, it's a far superior shop! not only do they have greater range of basses for you to try, but the people that work there are actually helpful! Of course, the 2 shops are within walking distance, so you may as well go to both! Also, The Gallery have a website where you can check on what they've got in stock, so you can sorta plan out what you want to try before you go there! [url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/"]http://www.thebassgallery.com/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I'm an ex-guitarist and actually never thought of short scale basses when I made the transition. Jumped straight in and went for a 34" scale, although I have a couple of 35's as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_e70 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 Thanks for all the help... I have spent nearly all day looking at various basses online and im going out of my mind! These suggestions have opened my eyes to some basses that i never even considered before... I am trying to narrow my findings down to a short list of a couple of basses that i could track down and test. Currently interested in - ESP ltd as mentioned at the start (question marks over it being a LTD?) Gibson SG (are they all short scale?) Stirling Musicman (no idea how good these are, but i like the look!) Fender Jaguar (cant find any for sale!) G&L Tribute SB-2 (i dont know a lot about G&L but did enjoy playing one last week) So there you go... feel free to comment on any of those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenderjazz1 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 took bass up 18 months ago after 25 years on guitar and have smallish hands. found fender jazz worked for me though after 6 months moved onto wider fretboard precision so bear in mind it takes time to adjust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) [quote name='bob_e70' post='1216712' date='May 1 2011, 05:43 PM']Thanks for all the help... I have spent nearly all day looking at various basses online and im going out of my mind! These suggestions have opened my eyes to some basses that i never even considered before... I am trying to narrow my findings down to a short list of a couple of basses that i could track down and test. Currently interested in - ESP ltd as mentioned at the start (question marks over it being a LTD?) Gibson SG (are they all short scale?) Stirling Musicman (no idea how good these are, but i like the look!) Fender Jaguar (cant find any for sale!) G&L Tribute SB-2 (i dont know a lot about G&L but did enjoy playing one last week) So there you go... feel free to comment on any of those![/quote] G&L , No Contest, unless you can find a Cort GB74. Cort make G&L and Lakland and Ibanez and some Frnders and wouldn't mind betting they make Stirlings as well. I would persoanlly go for an L2000. THE most adaptable bass on the market. I ended up putting a very expensive boutique bass away after Set 1 last night and got my trusty G&L L2500 out. Have never failed to get a great sound out of it. You should be able to score an L2000 Tribute for a decent price. G&L was Leo Fenders last company in partenship with George Fullerton, so he took everything he learned with Fender & Musicman and built the G&L range. I've had 3 L2500's, (only to get the right combination of Blueburst/Maple), and would add to the collection in a heartbeat. Edited May 1, 2011 by BassBunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_e70 Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 [quote name='BassBunny' post='1216823' date='May 1 2011, 07:50 PM']G&L , No Contest, unless you can find a Cort GB74. Cort make G&L and Lakland and Ibanez and some Frnders and wouldn't mind betting they make Stirlings as well. I would persoanlly go for an L2000. THE most adaptable bass on the market. I ended up putting a very expensive boutique bass away after Set 1 last night and got my trusty G&L L2500 out. Have never failed to get a great sound out of it. You should be able to score an L2000 Tribute for a decent price. G&L was Leo Fenders last company in partenship with George Fullerton, so he took everything he learned with Fender & Musicman and built the G&L range. I've had 3 L2500's, (only to get the right combination of Blueburst/Maple), and would add to the collection in a heartbeat.[/quote] Just been round to Andytoads and grabbed his L2000... will give it a go for a couple of days. If i like it, i then have to consider if it is worth shelling out for a USA model?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Looking at the For Sale Section, this may be worth a look: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=127324"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=127324[/url] Fender Mustang. Short scale, 7.25 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 [quote name='bob_e70' post='1216223' date='Apr 30 2011, 11:38 PM']I'm looking to purchase my first[b] serious bass [/b]Can you chaps let me know your thoughts? From the popular german web store the ESP is £525 and the SG is [b]£650. [/b] I like to play with a sharpe, funky sound[/quote] [quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1216315' date='May 1 2011, 08:21 AM']Indeed it would be better if you went and tried them both. What's your playing style? Technique? Although;[b] sharp? Funky? [/b]Look no further than a [b]stingray 4H 3 EQ.[/b][/quote] [quote name='bob_e70' post='1216431' date='May 1 2011, 11:28 AM']play in a quirky indie band that plays to a [b]similar sound to Blur[/b]... which is really the playing style that I have come to use. . Any other models that may fit the bill within a budget of up to [b]£800ish[/b]?[/quote] [quote name='bob_e70' post='1216712' date='May 1 2011, 05:43 PM']Thanks for all the help... I have spent nearly all day looking at various basses online and im going out of my mind! . Currently interested in - Stirling [b]Musicman [/b](no idea how good these are, but i like the look!) So there you go... feel free to comment on any of those![/quote] Right I have had a scan through this thread and highlighted the important bits, You need a secondhand Stingray Blur, Funky,You like the look, Not to rawk but still cool and suitable, Well within your budget. No point starting the Sterling by Musicman Vs the EBMM arguement as even the pro Sterling by fans will agree that at the budget the OP has he may as well go for the real deal. The other option to confuse you would be an EBMM Sterling which is like a Ray but with a slimmer neck width and still a full USA model annoyingly easily confused with the Sterling 34/35/14 range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1217398' date='May 2 2011, 11:59 AM'][b] You need a secondhand Stingray[/b][/quote] Mate thats your answer to EVERYTHING! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Yep although I do like Jazz basses too so that would be my second choice And its not always secondhand Stingrays either........ Sometimes I suggest buying new so you can get the exact colour and fretboard combinatation you want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.