What Bass should I buy?(between 1000-1500)

[Lozz196]

Re the possible damage issue, it’s def something to consider as accidents etc do happen. At one gig I had a chap in the audience literally thrown at me, I just had to stand firm and hope I wouldn’t get flattened. I didn’t, but on next changing my strings I noticed a big dent in the fretboard on the E string at the 12th fret (so no real bother as punk don’t use frets that high up). Said bloke had hit the mic-stand and both had gone into me causing the damage. That’s why I didn’t gig my fave bass, as things like that do happen (at the same gig a different bloke got thrown into the drum kit, knocking over the drummers new cymbals that had cost him a grand). Def worth taking on board.

[Frank Blank]

As some others have been, just spent some virtual cash on the Sandberg configurator...

[Ricky 4000]

1000 - 1500? Probably something mediaeval.

That's assuming the OP meant 1000 - 1500 AD. 👍

[ClassicVibes]

On 08/05/2020 at 01:10, Nebadon2000 said:

I joined this Forum to take a break from 'Talkbass' but judging by this thread 'There's nothing new under the Sun' . You would get same type of responses trying to urge you towards buying cheap and save you from yourself and getting a quality Bass. Some [not most] may have good intentions . If you get the chance to play a few you will soon find a Squire is not a Sandberg, American G&L or Fender American etc.. The theory all Basses are adequate or True Gig ready has not proven true in my experience. Playability, and comfort are crucial along with tone, neck consistency and build quality.

Best Advice so far was from your Guitar teacher.   'buy the best you can afford'

I will add; You are  never sorry  for buying the best.

Reading this thread and many similar a favorite quote of mine comes to mind;

" Humans greatest affliction is Self Deception" 

But price doesn't reflect quality...

I could buy a Fodera but it wouldn't make me a better player.

Any bass over £1k (roughly) can't really improve that much quality wise. The money goes into more exotic woods, high end preamps etc.

Also, what if he decides that the bass isn't for him and guitar or drums or something else is more to his liking? That £1500 bass will probably return you £1k tops.

Edited May 9, 2020 by ClassicVibes

[ClassicVibes]

27 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

As some others have been, just spent some virtual cash on the Sandberg configurator...

No tort?! Disgraceful.

[Frank Blank]

Just now, ClassicVibes said:

No tort?! Disgraceful.

No, not my bag the sunburst/tort combo.

[Nebadon2000]

20 minutes ago, ClassicVibes said:

But price doesn't reflect quality...

I could buy a Fodera but it wouldn't make me a better player.

Any bass over £1k (roughly) can't really improve that much quality wise. The money goes into more exotic woods, high end preamps etc.

Also, what if he decides that the bass isn't for him and guitar or drums or something else is more to his liking? That £1500 bass will probably return you £1k tops.

This is original post;

"I am new to the Bass guitar, but want to learn with a good versatile instrument, that is not restrictive in terms of style or sound."

"Any recommendations appreciated. The budget is for the instrument only. I had a look at the Fender series, and I am sure they are good, but for some reason i am always hesitant to buy the market leaders."

What does that have to do with your comments?

1K TO 1.5K Basses don't use exotic 'type' woods or preamps as compared to a say a Squire; just better quality

So what if he decides Bass isn't for him. 

He also mentioned in another post that buying the best Guitar he could afford when learning was a positive experience.

Sure buying a Fodera won't make anyone a better player; again 'so what'. [you may enjoy playing more]

Do you know of a 1K TO 1.5K  Bass the OP may like? That would have some value.

That your happy with a less expensive bass and think more expensive basses are a rip off and if purchased they only benefit better players than OP [not helpful]

My challenging yours and others 'Buy Cheap' opinions may be helpful to OP.

[ClassicVibes]

I think it's best if you go back to Talkbass if that's going to be your attitude.

[OliverBlackman]

1 hour ago, Nebadon2000 said:

 

That your happy with a less expensive bass and think more expensive basses are a rip off and if purchased they only benefit better players than OP [not helpful]

My challenging yours and others 'Buy Cheap' opinions may be helpful to OP.

No one is saying expensive basses are a rip off, just that they tend to have characteristics to suit particular performance/ aesthetic preferences and a beginner is unlikely to know what their preferences are yet. This is not Harry Potter, the wand doesn't choose you. Also expensive basses tend to depreciate more in value.

By arguing you are helping nobody, especially not yourself.

Edited May 9, 2020 by OliverBlackman

[TheGreek]

Coronavirus impacting on the other side of the pond too...

[skankdelvar]

7 hours ago, Nebadon2000 said:

This is original post;

"I am new to the Bass guitar, but want to learn with a good versatile instrument, that is not restrictive in terms of style or sound."

"Any recommendations appreciated. The budget is for the instrument only. I had a look at the Fender series, and I am sure they are good, but for some reason i am always hesitant to buy the market leaders."

What does that have to do with your comments?

1K TO 1.5K Basses don't use exotic 'type' woods or preamps as compared to a say a Squire; just better quality

So what if he decides Bass isn't for him. 

He also mentioned in another post that buying the best Guitar he could afford when learning was a positive experience.

Sure buying a Fodera won't make anyone a better player; again 'so what'. [you may enjoy playing more]

Do you know of a 1K TO 1.5K  Bass the OP may like? That would have some value.

That your happy with a less expensive bass and think more expensive basses are a rip off and if purchased they only benefit better players than OP [not helpful]

My challenging yours and others 'Buy Cheap' opinions may be helpful to OP.

Hello and welcome to the forum 

It may assist your transition from Talkbass to BassChat if we outline certain characteristics of the forum:

* Any specific question will prompt a range of responses which may not necessarily conform with the parameters defined by the OP. Hence, a question about live performance may veer into a sub-discussion about hats. Which brings me to the next point.

* Threads on BassChat tend to be fractal rather than linear. Several conversations may proceed in parallel; of these, some might not be addressed directly to the OP but may simply be ideas going back and forth between thread participants in a discussion outside the main topic. Some forums insist that members keep discussions 'On Topic'. By contrast BassChat revels in ever-widening debates; seldom does one see the exhortation 'Let's keep this on topic', an injunction which customarily provokes a snarky kind of mirth

* Any position may (and will probably) be challenged but this more often in an intellectual sense rather than a confrontational sense. A battle of ideas rather than positions. If someone disagrees with someone else it's usually in the spirit of presenting an alternative view rather than a competing position. If someone disagrees with you it's usually safe to assume they're not having a pop at you.

* Most 'question threads' on BC seldom last more than a couple of pages and usually devolve into exchanges of memes, jokes and references to 1970's TV shows. This thread is unusual in so far having preserved a modicum of the original thrust. Surprisingly, a recent 'Recommend me a first bass' went to about 15 pages as the OP received suggestions, tried them out, sourced a bass, took delivery and expressed satisfaction. The participants threw in a multitude of suggestions, ideas and advice, some of which was contradictory. Yet it all turned out nice in the end and everyone went away with a little, warm glow of satisfaction.

Anyhow, please try to bear this in mind. It's a welcoming forum, here, and one of the reasons for this is that we respond well to cheerfulness and flexibility of viewpoint. 

Have nice day

SDV 

Edited May 9, 2020 by skankdelvar
Tidying up speling and gramar

[Frank Blank]

2 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

A snarky kind of mirth

Sung to the tune of A Groovy Kind of Love.

The above post should be included in FAQs or rules somewhere ...

Edited May 9, 2020 by Frank Blank

[atsampson]

TJ1, is your budget above just for the bass itself? You may want to redirect some of it into a decent amp or amp simulator - plenty of choice both new and second hand, depending on how you want to use it and what kinds of sounds you're after - and you'll also want to think about cables, effects, a decent strap, a case, a stand...

Once you've bought your nice bass, I would also recommend looking out for a cheap-and-nasty second bass that you can practice doing maintenance and setups on - if you're working on a bass you don't care about, it's much less intimidating to try out different types of strings, string and pickup heights, neck adjustments etc., all of which can make a big difference to how the bass feels to play.

[Ricky 4000]

10 minutes ago, atsampson said:

TJ1, is your budget above just for the bass itself? You may want to redirect some of it into a decent amp or amp simulator - plenty of choice both new and second hand, depending on how you want to use it and what kinds of sounds you're after - and you'll also want to think about cables, effects, a decent strap, a case, a stand...

The OP has stated: " The budget is for the instrument only".

11 minutes ago, atsampson said:

Once you've bought your nice bass, I would also recommend looking out for a cheap-and-nasty second bass that you can practice doing maintenance and setups on - if you're working on a bass you don't care about, it's much less intimidating to try out different types of strings, string and pickup heights, neck adjustments etc., all of which can make a big difference to how the bass feels to play.

That ^^^^^ is absolutely first class advice IMHO. 👍

[skankdelvar]

15 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Sung to the tune of A Groovy Kind of Love.

Y'see, this is how de-rails begin.

Did you know Carole Bayer Sager co-wrote Groovy Kind of Love as well as - er - Arthur's Theme from the eponymous movie, a choon for which she shared an Oscar in 1981, beating out Lionel Richie's Endless Love at that year's Academy Awards.

This was, of course, a travesty; I saw Lionel when the winner was announced and he was spitting bullets, none of this 'nicest man in showbiz' thing. Lionel's security detail was holding him back as he struggled to clamber on to the stage screeching 'Where's my hammer? Where's my hammer?'

Carole's co-winner, my old pal Burt Bacharach charitably affected not to notice Lionel's embarrassing loss of control but a dark cloud hung over our table for the rest of the ceremony.

Edited May 9, 2020 by skankdelvar

[Leonard Smalls]

Personally I think the best way forward would be to buy no bass at all - you can be Victor Wooten by purchasing AmpleSound Bass YinYang for $149. That way you can produce your own music without having to go anywhere near actual musicians. There'll be no-one spilling beer on your kit, no annoying punters asking if they can have a go, no heavy gear to lug past gaggles of stag and hen parties.

That's what I'd do if I wasn't a masochist.

Anyway, here's the cheaty programme example:

 

[Frank Blank]

Just now, skankdelvar said:

Y'see, this is how de-rails begin.

Did you know Caole Bayer Sager co-wrote Groovy Kind of Love as well as - er - Arthur's Theme from the eponymous movie, a choon for which she shared an Oscar in 1981, beating out Lionel Richie's Endless Love at the Academy Awards

This was, of course, a travesty; I saw Lionel afterwards and he was spitting bullets, none of this 'nicest man in showbiz' thing. Lionel's security detail was holding him back as he struggled to clamber on to the stage screeching 'Where's my hammer? Where's my hammer?' Carole's co-winner, my old pal Burt Bacharach charitably affected not to notice Lionel's embarrassing loss of control but a dark cloud hung over our table for the rest of the ceremony.

I am currently watching Celebrity Pointless and Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders (who covered Groovy Kind of Love) was an answer.

[Frank Blank]

4 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

Y'see, this is how de-rails begin.

I henceforth wish to be known as Frank De-Railer Blank.

[Reggaebass]

9 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

Y'see, this is how de-rails begin.

I’ve never known a thread to de-rail 😄, but do you think the OP should go for flats or rounds 🤐

[skankdelvar]

6 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

I am currently watching Celebrity Pointless and Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders (who covered Groovy Kind of Love) was an answer.

Another question which would furnish that answer would be:

Who, when visited by the bailiffs, poured petrol on the bailiff's car and set it alight with the bailiff still inside?

Poor Wayne; sectioned for a year or so.

[skankdelvar]

Just now, Reggaebass said:

I’ve never known a thread to de-rail 😄, but do you think the OP should go for flats or rounds 🤐

Flat, round, half-round and tape. One of each.

Seriously, though, the world is @TJ1's lobster. There's playable stuff from the ground up, vids galore on YT and BC here to help along the way. Best wishes to him!

[GeeJayW]

37 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Sung to the tune of A Groovy Kind of Love.

The above post should be included in FAQs or rules somewhere ...

Wanting a new bass, didn't have a clue. Do I get a used one, maybe go brand new?

It could be a cheapie, or maybe something dearer,  maybe that would sound much clearer, I don't know.

Go along to Bass Chat, asking for some news, I get a snarky kind of mirth!

 

(Sorry, I've no idea why I'm getting big text)....

Edited May 9, 2020 by GeeJayW

[skankdelvar]

4 minutes ago, GeeJayW said:

(Sorry, I've no idea why I'm getting big text)....

It's the BassChat 'Singing Filter'. It automatically increases the font size when you sing, the final size depending on the song's key and how loud you're singing it. 

So that's Eb and you're singing loud enough to bother the neighbours. 

[Frank Blank]

*sung* A snarky kind of mirth... 

...He's right you know.

[skankdelvar]

1 minute ago, Frank Blank said:

*sung* A snarky kind of mirth... 

...He's right you know.

Italics indicate singing with an Italian accent.

Not like Pavarotti.

Like Joe Dolce