i'm a beginner...please helppp

[kay123]

Im a TOTAL beginner and i'm just looking for a bass to learn on something which sounds pretty decent and that'll last for about a year or so until i upgrade to a way better one. Which would be better a squier affinity or a westfield b1000 both are packages costing less that £250. Baring in mind im just looking for something temporary. Please help i'm looking to buy over the weekend.

[johnnylager]

Welcome Kay. I would advise against getting a starter pack as they tend to compromise to reach a price-point. 2nd hand is always a better bet as you get more for your money and they tend to hold their resale value more for when you do upgrade. They are also more playable and therefore more enjoyable.

Maybe check your local guitar shop or the classifieds here for a bass & combo to get you started... We're a nice bunch really...!

[thebeat]

[quote name='kay123' post='339401' date='Nov 28 2008, 11:12 AM']Im a TOTAL beginner and i'm just looking for a bass to learn on something which sounds pretty decent and that'll last for about a year or so until i upgrade to a way better one. Which would be better a squier affinity or a westfield b1000 both are packages costing less that £250. Baring in mind im just looking for something temporary. Please help i'm looking to buy over the weekend.[/quote]


You'd probably find something better in the 'for sale' section here...if you can wait that is

[Musky]

The Westfield and Affinity both go for about half what you're looking at - are you looking to spend the rest on an amp? If not for £250 you can get something that will see you for far longer than 1 year, especially if you look secondhand.

If I were looking at a new Precision style bass for under £250 I'd probably be checking out the Squier vintage vibes.

[url="http://www.guitar.co.uk/guitars/bass/2187-classic_vibe_precision_bass_60s_bass_guitar"]http://www.guitar.co.uk/guitars/bass/2187-...60s_bass_guitar[/url]

Edit: Oops - just noticed that you were looking at packages.

Edited November 28, 2008 by Musky

[Musky]

After a look round on here and ebay I've found a Roland Cube (£115 BIN inc p&p) and a Westone Thunder (£130 + p&p)

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROLAND-BASS-CUBE-30_W0QQitemZ160300497254"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROLAND-BASS-CUBE-30_...emZ160300497254[/url]
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=32117"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=32117[/url]

The Westones might look a little odd, but they sound and play fantastically. Plus £130 isn't a bad price.

Alternatively an SX Jazz with added Precision pickup for £120 inc p&p. The SX's get a lot of love here, as you'll find if you search the gear porn section.
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=27385"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=27385[/url]

[Deep Thought]

A couple of the shops around here are selling Adam Black Precision basses-very good for the money-about £70 I think in one shop-I'd be tempted myself if I was in the market for a backup. Try and get a decent amp-the Roland Cubes are pretty good, as are some of the smaller Ashdowns.

[Bass-ic]

Ibanez GSR 180, about £130, and that will leave you enough for a decent practice amp. Its a different package , but its a brilliant start.

Something different too!
Good Luck
Matt

[YouMa]

Get a squire everyone knows em,decent quality and if you get bored you can always flog it and get a fairly good resale.

[BassMunkee]

To be honest, for £250 you could get yourself a thoroughly decent spanky new bass...

[cytania]

Even at £250 you can get a bass that'll you could gig with for years. Checkout discounted older models in shops by the likes of Ibanez and Yamaha. My SRX only cost £229, no doubt the metallic green colour was the reason it was marked down. Lookout for little 'Boom' tags on the controls, you may find you can drive the price down on these older Ibanez offerings. If you are just practising a Laney Richter1 can be picked up for £70, nowhere near as tight as a Cube but fine for home jams.

[lemmywinks]

I'd stay away from the Squier affinity series and look for the standard ones, better quality all round, esp the pickups. I tried a Squier affinity jazz and it was ugh

I'm sellin mine if you fancy it, £130 plus case
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=25105&st=0#entry256596"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...t=0#entry256596[/url]

Edited November 28, 2008 by lemmywinks

[aceuggy]

I was in the same position as yourself a few months ago. A total beginner, not knowing what to buy to get started. I eventually went for the Squier Affinity P bass/Fender Rumble 15W package. In my opinion the guitar was more then capable, but the amp let it down. My advice would be to buy the guitar separately and spend as much as you can afford on a decent amp.

[OutToPlayJazz]

There're a couple of nice Squier VMJ basses on here for about £150 or thereabouts. The most important thing is to have a good amp at this stage, I think. Someone mentioned a Roland Bass Cube 30 for sale on the forum. They punch well above their weight & sound fantastic. If you can get something like this combination you're onto a winner of a start.

Rich.

[thisnameistaken]

I've never played a bad budget Yamaha.

[Tait]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=32933"]this[/url] looks a brilliant deal to me.

[chrisba]

I taught myself to play, and did a few gigs on a Squier Affinity Precision starter kit which included a Fender Rumble 10, which makes a decent noise.

Can't go wrong for about £200 new.

You may do better by shopping around 2nd hand for bass and amp separately, but you could walk into a shop today and walk out with one of these.