Currrls Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 So I'm going to buy a my first 'proper' bass after christmas. I believe I'm doing the right thing in doing loads of research on loads of different wesites, visiting shops and playing basses and perhaps buying second hand. But the more research I do, the more unsure of what to buy I get!!! So my question is, how do you decide on the purchase thats going to mean so much to you, when you're so scared you could get it totally wrong!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebeat Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 If you're as dumb as me you spend over £4000 buying 7 basses in a year and then sell all the ones that you don't like and end up with 2 that you do...normal people play as many as they can until they find one that 'speaks' to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 Neck Everything else is important too, but the neck/fretting hand combination is paramount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Currrls Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 so that means you gotta get out there and play basses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 (edited) I usually wait until i find a total feckin bargain and then buy it, they usually come in the form of BINs on ebay that have literally just been listed and nobody else has spotted it yet or friends of mine happen to be selling them... Plus i just tend to be lucky and find the ones i've been looking for. Also basschat is an ace place for getting awesome gear at awesome prices, i wouldn't have two of my basses or my stack if it wasn't for BC As for figuring out what i want, i dunno i go through phases of wanting different stuff, i've now got four basses, and out of them there's pretty much anything i'll ever need. I tend to take risks to be honest though, i bought my musicman sight unseen and having only ever played one SUB bass before unplugged and one other stingray, both a good year + before i bought that one, i got lucky. Same with my jazz, i never really tried one properly, got this one in a trade, sight unseen again, and lucked out again! Edited November 30, 2008 by budget bassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 [quote name='Currrls' post='341485' date='Nov 30 2008, 10:33 PM']so that means you gotta get out there and play basses?[/quote] pretty much - the more you play, the more you'll understand what you like and dislike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebeat Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 [quote name='Currrls' post='341485' date='Nov 30 2008, 10:33 PM']so that means you gotta get out there and play basses?[/quote] It's the only way to be absolutely sure you don't end up with something that gives you the boak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 [quote name='Currrls' post='341485' date='Nov 30 2008, 10:33 PM']so that means you gotta get out there and play basses?[/quote] Definitely! And set your own priorities - if you're playing long gigs then ergonomics may well be more important than if you play short gigs fer instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 Play as many basses as you can try everything so you can get a feel for what works for you and what doesn't. I see you're in London. Go to [url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/"]The Gallery[/url]. You might not be able to afford much in there but it will give you an idea of what to be aiming for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Currrls Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 (edited) [quote]I see you're in London. Go to The Gallery. You might not be able to afford much in there but it will give you an idea of what to be aiming for.[/quote] yeah i went to the gallery. very unfriendly lol. guess he didn't like a 16 year old coming in with 2 of his mates! Edited November 30, 2008 by Currrls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 [quote name='Currrls' post='341506' date='Nov 30 2008, 10:44 PM']yeah i went to the gallery. very unfriendly lol. guess he didn't like a 16 year old coming in with 2 of his mates![/quote] That’s the first I've heard of that kind of thing at The Gallery - sounds more like the customer service you’d expect at The Bass Cellar. Hmm… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumnote Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 Its unlikely that the first bass you buy will end up being your perfect bass, and what is your perfect bass at 20 may not be your perfect bass at 40 as your taste changes, or your technique changes. It took me years to get comfoortable with the neck of a precision but now it feels the most comfortable of anything. Buy from a reputable source, or take someone who is knowledgable with you when you buy. If you buy second hand, and buy wisely, even if its not the bass for you, you can sell it on and get something more to your taste. More likely, if you hang round here, it will just be the first of many basses bought in your life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Currrls' post='341485' date='Nov 30 2008, 10:33 PM']so that means you gotta get out there and play basses?[/quote] +1. Reviews, and opinions on here, are helpful, but what one person finds feels and sounds just right may not be for you. I love the chunkier necks on my Warwicks, but can't get on at all with Jazz necks or the skinny neck on my son's Ibanez SR - its not that the Warwicks are better, its just that so much is subjective. I suspect I'm not alone on here in gasing for a particular bass for ages, buying it, then being completely underwhelmed. I love the look of Stingrays, but when I finally got one, i didn't get on with it at all. Lovely basses, but just not for me. my advice would be to play as many basses as you can, for as long as you can before you part with your cash (if only I always followed that advice myself!) Edited November 30, 2008 by simon1964 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Currrls Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 right ok. going to play basses tomorrow after college now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 Online research, etc, is useful, but just remember that all opinions are subjective. That, and manufacturers’ websites are designed to sell you on their brands, so take what you’re reading there with a pinch of salt. My advice, first things first - set you budget. Decide how much you can afford to spend, based on the money you have in your pocket. Second, go out and play as many different basses as you can - that’s how you’ll come up with your shortlist. Third, ignore the maker's name on the headstock - the name isn't always a guide to quality, reliability, or value for money. Fourth, when you've narrowed down your shortlist, or settled on your option, try as many different versions of that bass as you have to find the one that feels right to you. Fifth, whether you go new or used, negotiate hard - get the best price you can. Last, but not least, a bargain is only a bargain if it's what you wanted in the first place - don't be seduced by sales or offers, because those are more often than not designed to hook you, and reel you in - if there's "free" stuff on offer, make sure it's the stuff you want. And enjoy shopping! Take your time deciding, and you'll make a good decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 Watch what the guy helping you does to the amp he plugs you into. I have seen compressors & the like punched in as they plug in a bass to pump up the sound. I always start by turning such gizmos off and setting the tone on amp and bass (if it's active) flat to start with to see what it sounds like then. There's little point in buying an active bass when all the tone controls are flat out leaving you nowhere to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Currrls' post='341506' date='Nov 30 2008, 10:44 PM']yeah i went to the gallery. very unfriendly lol. guess he didn't like a 16 year old coming in with 2 of his mates![/quote] That absolutely amazes me. I haven't seen one instance of that in the twelve years I've been going there. Although you might be better not dragging too many mates along wherever you go.... Edited November 30, 2008 by 4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Currrls Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 [quote name='4000' post='341537' date='Nov 30 2008, 11:23 PM']That absolutely amazes me. I haven't seen one instance of that in the twelve years I've been going there. Although you might be better not dragging too many mates along wherever you go....[/quote] ok well i'm going back there tomorrow with just one mate. anyone got any other suggestions of places in london to visit, other than the bass cellar and bass gallery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 Who on earth suggested the bass cellar? Don't go there! Also, go on your own, that way you can take as long as you like trying stuff out without your mate pratting around because he's bored or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Currrls Posted December 1, 2008 Author Share Posted December 1, 2008 [quote name='budget bassist' post='341561' date='Nov 30 2008, 11:57 PM']Who on earth suggested the bass cellar? Don't go there! Also, go on your own, that way you can take as long as you like trying stuff out without your mate pratting around because he's bored or something.[/quote] riiight ok. what if theres a bass i wanna try out that they only have there?? and i will go with my mate cos i need his advice man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 alright then... And the staff at the bass cellar are w***ers. I don't know if you've seen the numerous threads around here, but if your experience is anything like 99% of ours you won't be going back there. You can go if you want, I suppose if they're nice to you it might be worth the rest of us going in, but personally i wouldn't piss on any of them if they were on fire, and i certainly wouldn't give them any of my custom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grissle Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Do you have a favorite bass hero or band who's bass tone you really get on with? If so, find out what kind of bass they're using and use that as a starting point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncX Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 [quote name='Grissle' post='341603' date='Dec 1 2008, 02:04 AM']Do you have a favorite bass hero or band who's bass tone you really get on with? If so, find out what kind of bass they're using and use that as a starting point.[/quote] this is how i ended up with my first real bass, a Yamaha BB604 ... i kinda like Alex Webster's OD sound, and having limited gear in the Philippines, i ended up with a Yamaha and it was amazing! i actually regret selling it... now, i play warwicks just because i fell in love with the shape of their Vampyre models, and after i got my first one, i couldnt wait to get more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Dr D's fave mantra - buy the bass that feels right in your hands - anything else can be sorted with a screwdriver , a soldering iron and a spray gun. Applies just as much to your first bass as your fiftieth. I'd also advocate leaning towards classic , simple designs as a new bass owner. So I'm talking Jazz , Precision or Stingray styles. Of course you may want something different and whacky as your experience develops - but you can only break a rule if you know it first. If you took everyone who posts here off the forum if they didn't own one of these 3 design types there'd be about a dozen members left I should think. That says a lot to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Playability, tone, quality, price, re-sale value Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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